It's not a bad game, but then again, it's not the be-all and end-all Pacific-theater FPS we expected. The primary emphasis on gloss and glamour over gameplay and challenge suggests that Rising Sun is geared more toward the tyro rather than the savant.

The fighting itself is simplistic, and button-mashing will serve you just fine, but there are a few combos to ferret out and master. Sadly, the movies' smart humor is missing, and most of the dialogue is immature at best.

Doesn't really offer the same visceral thrill as something like "Guitar Hero" or even any of the "DDR" games. [Apr 2006, p.82]

The game feels rushed in so many ways, and it really detracts from the overall experience. [June 2002, p.98]

This game is so stupid. It also lacks any kind of cool. What a combo! [Aug 2003, p.99]

This new Fullmetal Alchemist is an improvement over the first game, but an incremental one.

So, basically, TRL is a good game that kind of lost its way when it came over to the PSP. [July 2006, p.80]

It's considerably less tedious than you might expect from a game like this - it's just not quite a classic. [Aug 2003, p.101]

Unlike most licensed games, Project Zoo doesn't suck, but alas, it's just an unremarkable game. [Nov 2003, p.147]

Do your part and make sure the Just Cause revolucion will not be televised. [Nov. 2006, p.117]

The most challenging poker game yet - so newbies beware! [Jan 2006, p.95]

A decent racer that doesn't come close to fulfilling its potential. Still, it's currently the only choice for rally racing on the PSP. [Apr 2006, p.89]

It feels to me like a kind of Pokemon on wheels. [Nov 2001, p.154]

Its excellent art direction pulls you, heart and soul, into the environment...[but] NOLF's lack of a save-anywhere function gets to be a real pain in the arse. [May 2002, p.102]

Mototrax starts out with a holeshot thanks to the solid gameplay, but it manages to take a spill before ever reaching the finish line. [Oct. 2006, p. 92]

Fighting Game Fan: "I'll admit, I was surprised at how deep the game is, and I actually enjoyed the Story mode, despite the oddball characters." [Feb 2003, p.104]

There are no previews of song titles, so it's hard to keep track of what you've done and what you haven't. [Feb 2005, p.87]

A thoroughly solid, if short, spin on the franchise. [June 2005, p.100]

I can't recall a recent game story that's left me more puzzled. [Jan 2003, p.128]

Although none of us may have asked for it, this game does offer a reasonably fun time... It's the kind of game they invented the rental for. [Aug 2003, p.99]

Some slowdown and an oddly inconsistent trick system hurt the game, but it's still good, clean fun. [Aug 2003, p.101]

Unfortunately, the gameplay mechanics don't match the class of the story.

The series should've stayed dead and buried. [Dec 2003, p.182]

That storyline is absolutely ridiculous. [Feb 2002, p.112]

There always seems to be a slight disconnect between the controls and the onscreen action, making it difficult to really get your timing down. [Oct 2005, p.106]

Most of the mechanics in the game hearken back to an era when the survival-horror genre was still in its infancy. [June 2005, p.92]

It’s awesome that you can block enemy attacks with timed button presses…but not when you fight the same boring enemies over and over! [Feb 2002, p.114]

The only thing that makes this PS2 incarnation fun is the Quarterback Challenge. [Nov 2001, p.160]