This is something we expect to see available on Xbox Live Marketplace as a pricey download, not a full retail release. Disappointing. [Apr 2007, p.89]

Stylistically bland and clearly confused, the game's initially slick descent quickly twists into a belly flop. Floundering in a mush in ill-advised ideas, Moon Diver drowns itself in a paddling pool of tedium.

All things considered, Sam's been seriously shafted. [Christmas 2012, p.99]

This should have been better. Rebellion has done likeable banter in Rogue Trooper, Shinta Nojiri has made better stories, and they've all cracked jokes that don't fall this flat. But NeverDead honestly feels like a game whose creators gave up on it half-way through. It's a tragedy that it fails on so many levels.

Hindered by generic looks, technical issues and a hit detection that could barely flail its way out of a paper bag. Perhaps there's a reason we've moved on from medieval times. [Feb 2016, p.84]

Linear. [May 2012, p.97]

The most frustrating thing about Xtreme 2 is thinking about all the time super-developer Team Ninja wasted making it. Every day it pissed away creating this nonsense is an extra day we have to wait for it to release its next proper game like "Ninja Gaiden 2." For that, we curse DoA Xtreme 2 to HELL.

It's no fun, and charmless to boot. [Feb 2016, p.87]

For a more exciting game, try playing Scrabble. Alone. [March 2016, p.87]

Dying is more annoying than frightening. [Christmas 2015, p.83]

Like the Transformers games, this is one of those shallow, mandated movie tie-ins. [July 2014, p.87]

Strips football down and takes its soul.

We say the gameplay is 'deceptively simple', because there's effectively two buttons. [Nov 2007, p.106]

A large, open world and plenty of options can't make up for trainwreck technology, bad writing and clumsy combat. [Oct 2014, p.93]

One for hardcore collectors only. [Aug 2007, p.101]

Developer Kylotonn has crafted the least appealing fantasy brawler imaginable, its stillborn mechanics drenched in over-compensatory cutscene-driven storytelling, its charms limited to the lure of unlockable combos and abilities.

The game was over faster than this review. [July 2009, p.89]

This is a way to acquire the entire set at a lower price, but only hardcore retro collectors need apply. [June 2009, p.93]

With IL-2 asserting impressive air superiority in the last month or so, there's no reason to pick up this ropier and less satisfying interpretation of the same conflict. Technically unimpressive and snooze-inducing, it's less "chocks away" and more "chock this in the bin".

What doesn't work this time out is Throttle Monkey mode, Atari's way of separating the casual from hardcore gamer. In other titles speeded-up gameplay can be an endurance test; here, it's just unplayable.

Score whores will be entertained for a while. [Aug 2007, p.100]

An interesting twist, executed poorly. [March 2015, p.86]

Stealth fans, heed our warning: Serial Cleaner might promise a hardcore genre fix, but behind the '70s veneer lies a game that takes pleasure in leaving you fuming. And unlike actual cleaning, it awards you with none of the satisfaction of a job well done.

Under-featured and poorly conceived, this won't appeal to fans of the Warriors games, while Arslan fans [Arsheads?] are better off rewatching the original anime series. [Apr 2016, p.79]

Feels unfinished. [Dec 2009, p.94]

Truly "sub"-standard. [Aug 2010, p.105]

Babel Rising has a seed of a good idea, but someone got the wrong element, and instead of watering that seed, they blew it.

Compared to the heavyweights on the scene like Puzzle Quest and Zuma, Boogie Bunnies is nothing more a crisp packet fluttering past in the breeze, temporarily catching your attention as it twists past your face with its trumpet blasts of cute noise and Haribo colour before it disappears forever, lost down the back of the Xbox Live Arcade sofa to hang out with Word Puzzle.

Ropey adventure with semi-redemptive co-op. [July 2011, p.96]

Definitely hazardous, but not funny or fun. [Mar 2010, p.114]

The idea of Deadfall, as a genuine raid on a legitimate tomb harks back to a fondly remembered era of Lara Croft. Losing Croft's platforming for a heavier puzzle element could have been great. Unfortunately, Deadfall Adventures fails to satisfy on either of the two goals it sets itself. The gunplay is juddering and weak, and the puzzles lack depth and satisfaction. Even a cabal of supernatural Nazis can't save this one.

It's pretty ropey, and there's little satisfaction to be had from getting through one door only to find more of the same in the next area. [Apr 2016, p.90]

Both glitches and interface niggles conspire to leave our timbers feeling thoroughly unshivered. [Apr 2016, p.91]

Shooting is so bland that firing a gun carries all the excitement of filing a tax return. [Apr 2016, p.91]

Caretaker certainly has potential, and it’s clear that the developer understands the horror genre. But there’s a lot missing here. With unsatisfactory investigation and a frustratingly generic villain at its core, Caretaker raises more questions than it answers. [Issue#186, p.88]

The story and comic feels light-hearted where it should be dark and disturbing, and the games lack longevity. [Issue#67, p.105]

Too meandering and dull to work as a twitchy arcade game, Spectra is saved from the ignominy of an even lower score by its sparkling soundtrack. A treat for the ears, then, but little more.

An amazing new low for platforming games. [Christmas 2009, p.102]

The most boring natural disaster you'll ever see. [Apr 2010, p.107]

Let's hope this failed attempt doesn't deter other people from trying. [May 2013, p.85]

Here's a puzzle: tshi egma si orbnig. [Apr 2010, p.111]

Secret Neighbor has great core idea for a co-op horror game but it totally misses the mark. [Issue#186, p.87]

Old, tired and uninspired. [Jan 2008, p.99]

Clunky, frustrating and irrelevant.

We genuinely can't help but feel sorry for the art team, who've done a fantastic job of bringing the world and characters to life. These guys have clearly poured a lot of love into Lucha Fury, and it's a great shame to see amateur game design decisions kick this bucket of charm so ruthlessly down the gutter.

"Quotation Forthcoming"

Functional, uninspiring tie-in. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

Teeth-grindingly frustrating platforming. [Christmas 2011, p.111]

Fork out 40 quid for Hellboy? Hell no! [Sept 2008, p.90]

It's so much easier to forgive glitches, outdated visuals and flick-book framerate when you've got a friend laughing at them too, but this doesn't mean we should forgive them. Should Riptide wash up on your shore, you'd best throw in back in.

A miniscule improvement over the original. [Feb 2007, p.100]

Fun in really, really short bursts. [June 2010, p.103]

Tracks are boring. [Aug 2011, p.96]

A poor attempt at a kids' party game and one that's just as unfunny, repetitive and dull as the Rabbid 'stars' are. [Feb 2015, p.79]

A dated and repetitive shooter. [July 2007, p.105]

There are brief hints at what might have been, but otherwise this is a walking dud. [Dec 2015, p.81]

It's just a bit pointless, really, when all anyone wants to do is play Tetris. [Feb 2015, p.83]

Way of the Dogg is a squandered opportunity to fill a genre gap in the Arcade. It's a quick hour's job to mop up 300G, though. So there's always that.

With cheap presentation, bland art and pratfalls so lacking in impact that it's not even fun to fail, Pumped BMX+ is a bare-bones port that struggles to earn its place on the big screen. [Dec 2015, p.86]

New ideas, but the payoff is disappointing. [Nov 2009, p.94]

This hasn't moved on from the last generation of Tetris at all. [July 2007, p.102]

The training wheels rarely come off. [Dec 2015, p.87]

Fairly rubbish. [May 2015, p.80]

Fertile with good ideas, but most of them fail to bloom to their full potential thanks to a wonky money system that slows the pace of progression down to that of a clapped-out tractor.

Apologising for broken content with more broken content feels like a bit of a slap in the face, and Dead Kings' confusing, far-from-user-friendly new mechanics make this DLC a bit of a disappointing prospect.

You'll have more fun watching the cartoon. [Apr 2010, p.106]

Plenty of modes, but still overpriced. [Aug 2007, p.100]

Pretty annoying. [Christmas 2008, p.97]

Enough to make Blackbeard retire. [Dec 2012, p.97]

While it's a noble attempt to change pace and style, Last Light was balanced well - this breaks that balance. [Dec 2013, p.93]

Rubbish. [Oct 2011, p.103]

Confusing for newbs and too shallow for fans, but has moments of flashy satisfaction. [Aug 2016, p.86]

Painfully lacking in every area, lacking any thrill factor, excitement or variety. [Jan 2007, p.90]

Thoroughly average. [Aug 2007, p.93]

Such a painfully dry business - especially with the new lack of multiplayer - that you'd be better off just getting on a bike. [Sept 2011, p.102]

It looks and plays like a budget title, and doesn't really offer anything new aside from curiosity value. Best left dead and buried.

Without wishing to be Volga, this is a real kick in the Urals. Punitive old-school design meets needless contemporary complexities, with rehashed set-pieces Putin the final nail in the coffin.

A real shame. It's a good concept for a game, let down by poor gameplay and a story that isn't interesting or told well enough to seek out.

Only for the youngest and least discerning. [March 2013, p.87]

A game so scary, even it doesn't know what it is. [Dec 2012, p.101]

About as basic as a wrestling game can get. [Dec 2012, p.101]

More failed conversion than touchdown. [July 2010, p.102]

The additions are enticing, but they're also insulting. If you're the kind of person who's easily enraged, steer well clear of this cheeky cash-grab.

Dull-witted and directionless. [Dec 2012, p.103]

A disappointing interim chapter.

Somehow Dynasty Warriors 9 fails to meet even the lowest expectations.

There comes a time when you start to hope that the Circle of Doom in the title is actually the red ring of death so you won't have to play it anymore.

All that said, Scourge is cheap, and if you're looking for a no-frills co-op shooter to keep you and three friends mildly entertained, you could do worse.

The gameplay is riddled with bug-induced frustration, uninspiring combat and a sluggish control system that lacks any kind of invention. [Mar 2007, p.88]

The problem is that such a brilliant editor just makes you wish it resided in a better racing game.

The done-to-death concept and boring missions don't do the game any favours. [July 2006, p.67]

For fans only. Fans of masochism, that is. [Oct 2007, p.95]

The gaming equivalent of a massage, so unchallenging that your mind can rest up, recharge, and be in good mental health. [June 2008, p.73]

A stealth game with frustrating AI, horrible controls, and game-breaking bugs.

Transforms children's dreams into tears. [Sept 2007, p.107]

If you're a fan of Prison Break, why not consider assaulting some strangers and being sent to a real prison? You'll end up feeling marginally less violated than if you played this dog turd tie-in.

That ambition is hamstrung by a development budget that would struggle to cover a six-pack of crisps and an engine that is best at simulating the mid-point of cataract formulation. [Apr 2010, p.109]

This one's probably best left undetected. [Feb 2010, p.108]