Underwhelming in every single way. It's a weak fighter, made annoying by silly minigames and a story so messy it made our poor heads fall off. [Mar 2007, p.71]

The evidence trails are so insultingly simple to follow that even the Italian police couldn't bodge them. [Dec 2011, p.75]

Limited appeal and completely lacking in decent variations. [Apr 2009, p.40]

Like the stick men themselves, Defend Your Castle is a little skinny but not unable to break through your defences. [Aug 2008, p.75]

As a throwaway arcade game this is mildly entertaining, and nicely priced. [Apr 2011, p.78]

It looks and sounds good, but it's as shallow and frustrating as a conversation with Louie Spence. [Apr 2011, p.79]

A disappointingly bland brain-teasing stew.[Feb 2011, p.74]

Frustrating and painful. [Apr 2008, p.66]

As far as gameplay goes, it's in the same vein as Singstar and co, with the significant difference being that it doesn't really work very well. [Issue#56, p.68]

Stupidly expensive. [June 2010, p.76]

Not as good as it used to be. [Apr 2010, p.76]

Flip-book frame rate, terrible visuals. [Apr 2012, p.101]

Bone idle. Soulless. Death warmed up. Putting the grim in Grim Reaper. Afterlife? No life. We could go on, but we can't will ourselves to. Avoid.

This is more obscure torture device than game. [Oct 2010, p.60]

This feels more like a WiiWare release. [Jan 2010, p.72]

So yawningly uneventful we were able to play it with one eye, while watching Flight of the Conchords with the other. A waste of disc. [Christmas 2007, p.67]

A five-year-old PS2 game, eh? Terrific. [Aug 2010, p.73]

Poor AI, limps physics, forgettable track layouts and a general absence of excitement. [Christmas 2010, p.59]

A lazy addition to a series that belongs on DS anyway. [Apr 2009, p.70]

Runs so sluggishly. [May 2011, p.70]

Compared to this month's "Thrillville," EA Playground is severely lacking. Don't let the EA brand influence you - the kid in you will much prefer the theme park over the playground. [Christmas 2007, p.53]

The bulk of the beast is a poorly programmed platform game, with a useless jump, lamely linking itself to the book/film's story with unlocked Story Pages. [Feb 2007, p.82]

The bulk of the beast is a poorly programmed platform game, with a useless jump, lamely linking itself to the book/film's story with unlocked Story Pages. [Feb 2007, p.82]

Heavy on the boyband adoration, light on the gameplay. [Apr 2010, p.70]

Curse you, feeble minigame collection. [Oct 2010, p.60]

Captivating adventure gaming, sadly ruined by a horrible port. [May 2010, p.52]

This is substandard licensed tosh. [Aug 2006, p.67]

It's too mired in tedium. [Aug 2010, p.72]