The Tackle Alley mini-game is fun. [Aug 2010, p.77]

Fret Nice contains one thoroughly enjoyable musical world. Rock on. [Mar 2010, p.84]

The stop-and-go action, the occasional jumps, and the sheer ridiculousness of what you're taking part in lends every race a manic aspect that elicits more giggles than groans. [Holiday 2006, p.78]

Though it's fun to earn enough credit points to pimp your licensed Mazda, Toyota, or Nissan into a serious ride via performance upgrades, ITC's featureless concrete racing environments, detached driving physics, MIA damage modeling, and dated graphics bleed too much air from the tires. [Holiday 2006, p. 80]

You could pursue worse habits than giving your noodle a mild workout, but Brain Challenge provides little incentive to keep the appointment. [May 2008, p.76]

Fortunately, the combat and RPG gameplay are where this game sizzles. [Feb 2009, p.82]

It's a shame Harry Potter for Kinect doesn't quite pay proper homage to the series: the game has plenty of moments that would've been enjoyable if they weren't fettered by uneven difficulty and broken combat. As a game not matched up with a movie release, it should've been held back until it felt more magical.

Just can't match the splendor and great variety of the real-world games. [Mar 2010, p.81]

What hurts the game the most is the vehicle control setup. In a game where you are firing at enemies from all directions you need independent steering and weapons controls. Not so here. [Feb 2003, p.81]

Team Rainbow's colors have never looked so bad. [Jun 2006, p.85]

Even if you couldn't care less how efficiently you put hundreds of drug-dealing scumbags to rest, you may well be surprised by how enjoyable a bit of this disposable ultraviolence can be.

Hope for a fresh star when Cars 2 hit theaters in 2011. [Holiday 2009, p.82]

Dumb fistfighting sequences from the original are back. [June 2005, p.74]

The real threat to Warfighter's longevity is how its multiplayer maps feel like patchworks of arbitrary buildings and debris instead of bona fide real-world strongholds. Without a palpable sense of place, these battlegrounds never give you enough reason to choose this particular universe of gunmetal and grit over any other.

Hard Lock relies on these barely interactive sequences to the point of absurdity.

The two-player co-op game makes for mild (offline) fun, but the too-short music loops will drive you crazy and your teeth will hurt from the sugar content. The game’s biggest sin? These Bunnies are boring.

Soundtrack worthy of a Danny Ocean and Tarantino showdown. [Feb 2008, p.80]

Only the most avid Minesweeper fans will find the game entertaining for more than a couple of hours - but for five bucks, that's a pretty fair deal. [Mar 2009, p.83]

The gameplay is one-note repetitive, the environments are stupidly simplistic, and the product placement is overtly in your face. [Holiday 2006, p.78]

This genre still has potential, but Spikeout just doesn't tap it. [June 2005, p.80]

Doesn't last long enough to feel like anything more than a bunch of tasty side dishes lacking a main course. [Sept 2003, p.81]

On the surface, there's not much to Spyglass Board Games. [Aug 2007, p.81]

The gameplay takes its cue mainly from games like "Phantasy Star Online," except simpler, a lot rougher, and yet plenty more convoluted. [Sept 2005, p.80]

Enduring the samey mission types 20 or more times apiece makes the mundane quest feel like a dull grind, and the challenging boss showdowns and resource-gathering minigames don’t stand out enough to offset the tedium.

The seriously limited engine and weird flow between levels make what could have been a great game, just an average one. Too bad. [Feb 2003, p.73]

Movement and combat never really come together in a cohesive matter. When you're overrun by the undead or your weapon suddenly breaks and you need to defend and retreat, it becomes painfully obvious that the game can't handle multitasking or movements made in quick succession, and will perform only one (and sometimes none) of the many actions you need to survive.

If you've played this game before, there really is absolutely no reason to play it again. [July 2002, p.80]

If you played last year's "Avatar: The Last Airbender", you'll know pretty much what to expect from this sequel, although this time around the game looks cleaner, offers new combos, and has a larger list of characters, including Appa, Jet, Toph, Zuko, and Uncle Iroh. [Holiday 2007, p.82]

FaceBreaker delivers fast online brawls, and the constant back-and-forth of counters, stuns, and outrageous signature moves yields a surprising amount of room for strategy and style. As tiresome as solo scuffles become, exciting multiplayer bouts against unpredictable humans save FaceBreaker from a TKO.

On top of frequent loads, lots of quest-to-quest driving, and graphics akin to Sneak King's, it's clear that no one really tried to make the game work. [Jan 2010, p.77]

The entire point of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise is to incite adolescent jealousy, gamesmanship and spending, and while fans of the series might find something to appreciate in this title, casual gamers will not. Skip it. [June 2004, p.80]

Despite simple visuals, the game curiously looks much crisper on Xbox One; the other next-gen advantage comes from a biweekly Challenge objective to tackle. But on either platform, Angry Birds Star Wars should have been a $10 download, and paying much more might make you feel like you've been taken for a ride — and we're not talking about the Millennium Falcon.

We honestly wanted to like this game a lot, but really, it's worth liking only a little. [Feb. 2007, p.76]

Dropping collectible fish in a handful of environments feels hopelessly extraneous; luckily, you can disregard the aquatic nonsense and enjoy timeless gameplay in a reasonably attractive wrapper. [Dec 2007, p.65]

The 3 mini-games in this Fable II companion are decidedly mixed. [Nov 2008, p.80]

On Live it's an afternoon's worth of tinsel-tawdry blah; in solo play, you'll clock three hours, start to finish. No reason, then, to bother starting at all. [May 2006, p.77]

Here's the problem with splitting up a game into three distinct parts: if two of them suck, the third doesn't stand a chance, even with a cult hit TV-show license to lend a hand. [Jan. 2007, p.76]

However you play, the button-mashing combat proves crushingly simplistic and repetitive, and moving around the stages is awkward and disorienting, with a dizzying camera that makes Battle of Z a pretty ideal motion-sickness simulator.

The graphics look like polished PSOne visuals, the physics are awful, the trick system is one of the worst I've ever seen in an extreme sports game, and the audio is only saved by a semi-decent soundtrack. [Sept 2003, p.83]

The story extends Daniel's tale, but Hell & Damnation's 14 levels are merely somewhat revamped versions of environments from the original Painkiller and its Battle Out of Hell expansion. [May 2013, p.77]

We would've loved a story-based solo campaign like that in the similar (but infinitely superior) Undertow. [Aug 2009, p.74]

It's less enjoyable, more difficult, and at times blatantly creepy. [Jan. 2007, p.68]

Though the compilation's $30 price is alluring, gamers' found memories would probably serve them just as well. [May 2011, p.79]

Until Koei takes the time to enliven the painfully monotonous action, this is one samurai best left an honorless ronin--especially since Empires inexplicably abandoned the two-player Live action of its predecessor. [Mar 2007, p.79]

Sure the graphics are dated, but the game is just as fun--and frustrating obtuse!--to play as it was then. [Nov 2007, p.94]

Your journey quickly settles into an endless slog of interchangeable shootouts, broken up by little more than hold-the-door-for-me-bro tedium and boss battles that range from serviceable arena showdowns to infuriating cover-free patience-drainers.

If you've ever played a platformer, you've seen it all before, and Memorick doesn't push any envelopes. [Sept 2004, p.84]

Some folks might've relished lining up creeps for extended combo attacks, if such efforts weren't constantly interrupted because the attack button also retrieves items from the ground. Even at the best of times, nabbing goodies is a poor substitute for engaging action.

At best, Disney Sing It is a gateway game to Rock Band or SingStar for Disney Channel devotees. [Dec 2008, p.92]

Shred is a hodgepodge of good-on-paper ideas intended for younger and casual gamers, but the poor execution ends up alienating all. [Jan 2011, p.65]

The camera isn't the smartest tool in the box. [Dec 2002, p.118]

Still, you've got to be a real fanboy to want to mash your way through all two dozen or so of its missions. [July 2006, p.84]

The game's underpowered scopes and wonky ballistics are often exasperating--long shots are tough, and point blank encounters sometimes are even tougher. [Feb. 2007, p.80]

It's a decent experience for core genre fans, but not consistently sharp enough to stand out from the competition.

Though Spartan Assault boasts many of the aliens, armaments, and well-worn plot wrinkles we associate with the Halo universe, it lacks the polished sheen that just about every other game in the series enjoys.

It's the current best of the "Warriors" bunch, and long-time fans will eat it up, but everyone else should keep expectations in check. [Nov 2007, p.99]

Eat Lead could have been a better critique of the medium than any reviewer could ever write, but it’s neither bad enough to be a savage commentary nor good enough to feel like a satisfying, stinging satire.

A madcap, farcical mishmash of both online and offline multiplayer options, along with a fairly weak, platformer-centric single-player Story Mode. [July 2005, p.89]

Maybe little kids would like it. But do kids really want a game where you sneak up on dull robots because you're not allowed to kill anything? [Feb 2004, p.82]

Tetris will always be fun. The question is whether you're willing to shell out $30 for the privilege. [Oct 2002, p.109]

It's not so much broken as an unnecessary addition to your gaming library. [Feb 2012, p.78]

Over-indulge, and you'll get sick of it quickly. [Nov. 2006, p.79]

It's not the most spirited or original game, but Realms' raw intensity and chaotic excitement will keep you playing.

Admittedly, the game is gorgeous. But because the narrative is as linear and rigid as a steel pipe, it's a shallow sort of beauty. [Sept 2007, p.83]

Hail to the Chimp might lack presidential polish, but it still earns an unexpectedly agreeable term in office. [July 2008, p.73]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

The fact that every cheap death forces you to start a mission over from scratch is just the final nail in Xotic's suffocating coffin. [July 2011, p.81]

Made with the input and voice talent of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Tenorman's Revenge is a loving homage to classic 2D platform games. The story is a blast for South Park fans, the jumping and climbing action is challenging but not too hard, and the price is definitely right.

While the game deserves kudos for its trippy and 'toon-y visual style, the hard reality is there's no compelling reason to give up the 800-pound gorilla that is "PGR2" to adapt to Auto Modellista's driftacular controls, especially since the game's Xbox Live implementation is fairly bareboned. Kee-rash.[Apr 2004, p.80]

Blades isn't bad; it's just very average and uneven. For every innovative desert level (that forces you to stick to the shadows lest you be seared by the sun), there's a lot of jungle straight out of Avatar.

Yes, people, it finally happened - a phone game's been ported to Xbox Live Arcade! [June 2009, p.79]

No matter how fon you are of "WinBack", a Nintendo 64 third-person shooter released in the previous millennium, you're going to be gravely disappointed with this long-in-the-making sequel. [Jun 2006, p.78]

Unless you have loot and robot fetishes, there's little reason to go here. [March 2011, p.81]

This isn't a horrible game, but with the movie long since forgotten and better games ("LOTR") out there, we can't recommend it to anyone but the biggest of Crouching Tiger fans. [Mar 2004, p.80]

It’s over far too fast (we explored a bit and finished in roughly 90 minutes) and it’s missing two major Dead Rising staples by omitting co-op play and "psycho" battles. While the single-player focus applies to all Untold Stories, we’re left hoping the other three heroes of Los Perdidos have longer, crazier adventures in store.

Some diehard Resident Evil fans may be disappointed by Raccoon City for sapping the survival-horror soul out of the series. But the game's satisfying blend of gunplay and teamwork, coupled with its cool references to past Resident Evil games, make revisiting the perilous streets of Raccoon City worth the trip. Even with its failings, Raccoon City keeps the action rolling along; just make sure you bring some buddies to help you slaughter all the undead.

Leonardo's inventions were elegant creations, but the clumsy Da Vinci Code game isn't one of them. [Aug 2006, p.82]

It's the same Tetris you've always loved. Only...busier. [June 2007, p.74]

Unless multiplayer's a must, stick with one of XBLA's older (and better) tower-defense games, like Defense Grid or Orcs Must Die.

Game of Thrones lacks the absorbing gameplay and polished presentation that'd help set it among the 360's finer RPGs. But those already committed to the realm won't regret the couple dozen hours they'll spend under its narrative spell.

This mediocre trudge is definitely one you'll regret. [Apr 2008, p.79]

This game drops the ball in every conceivable way, providing a wholly lackluster experience. [Feb 2002, p.74]

Nailing distant opponents with your main cannon sometimes demand more luck than skill, and you'll occasionally get stuck behind objects that obstruct your view, but most of the time you'll just have a blast blowing things to hell and gone. [June 2011, p.55]

Still, you've got to be a real fanboy to want to mash your way through all two dozen or so of its missions. [July 2006, p.84]

It doesn't take long for The First Templar, a Crusades-era action-adventure, to rear its low-budget head. [Aug 2011, p.82]

Even if NeverDead isn't quite the quirky prize it might have been, it's certainly an idiosyncratic (and often one-legged) dance through entertainingly outlandish territory.

But still, the unexceptional, shooter-by-numbers gameplay isn't compelling enough to demand your attention--either solo or in tandem. [Apr 2008, p.76]

Just entertaining enough to buy when it’s accumulating dust in the bargain bin. But for a richer sniper experience with more gruesome kill shots, last year’s Sniper Elite V2 is a better bet.

Even at $20, scratch this one. [Aug 2006, p.82]

It's far from the best brawler on XBLA, but Saga is fun enough to warrant a look. [Feb 2011, p.78]

Two-player co-op is okay, but it's still fans-only for this one. [June 2005, p.88]

But unless you have fond memories of Warlords' primitive arcade past, its gameplay is just too simplistic to offer more than a weak dose of transient wistfulness. [Sept 2008, p.77]

It's an ambitious approach to a hunting shooter, but its execution misses the mark. [Nov 2010, p.79]

Runs on pretty graphics and an implausibly irresistable storyline alone. It's a shame that the gameplay hasn't evolved as well. [Nov 2003, p.118]

Reinventing an old coin-op is fine with us, but unfortunately, this redux fails to meet modern standards. [April 2011, p.79]

It tries so hard to keep it real that it comes off hilariously fake. [Nov 2005, p.130]

It's all very violent, weird, kinda fun, and frequently cheesy. [Oct 2005, p.108]

There's just enough payoff to keep fans trekking through, but it's a shame that this marvelous license wasn't treated better. [Holiday 2009, p.79]