In every respect, Fighter Within feels hacked together and devoid of interesting ideas or precise execution. The result is a game that would’ve been lousy at the launch of the original Kinect, but on Xbox One it’s just embarrassing.

Showdown may have slick cars, death-defying moments, and corny dialogue like the films, but it lacks the punch and precision that’s made the top Fast & Furious films so darn fun.

Even at $20 it's worse than dull - it's unoriginal. When the loading screen is prettier than anything in the game, then you know you've got problems. [Jan 2004, p.70]

Avoid this game like a darkened alley.

A now-linear mess of awful mechanics, broken A.I., and constant glitches that wouldn’t have been remotely acceptable even in the console’s early days.

XBLA’s Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons pulls the beating heart out of Technōs’ 1988 coin-op Double Dragon II: The Revenge and stomps on it until it barely resembles the sequel we once loved.

The game's at least competent, and that's surely good enough for fans. [Holiday 2008, p.83]

If you haven't gotten the chance to reach American Idol stardom or to challenge your friends to musical tournaments with the previous installment, Encore is still a decent party game. [Jan 2009, p.75]

Unless you dream of defending the president, there are better sacrificies. [Jan 2009, p.76]

Worth the $10 for serious word nerds who don't need fancy production values. [Apr 2009, p.79]

The only reason to bother with it is its low-hanging Achievements! [July 2009, p.84]

Diehard fans may enjoy all the familiar faces, but a few hours was too much for us. [Jan 2010, p.77]

It pains us to have to say that it's just not too fun to play. [Aug 2009, p.75]

A decent hunting adventure. [Dec 2009, p.77]

Without any new features, this year's installation is just as good as the rest, and that doesn't say much. [Holiday 2009, p.85]

But as long as you keep your expectations in line with it's $30 budget price, it's a pretty decent way to spend an afternoon, especially with kids. [Jan 2010, p.77]

Sure, Game Time functions fine, Jeff Foxworthy is still vaguely funny, and the rules of the original show are in place. The multi-player, on the other hand, never gets going. [Jan 2010, p.81]

Family and kid-friendly throwaway fun. [Aug 2010, p.75]

How'd this even get through quality control? We haven't a clue, but you're better off playing Cabela's Outdoor Adventures...or pretty much any other hunting game. [Oct 2010, p.83]

Though the 10-player online matches may sound attractive, they're not worth the hassle of the core gameplay. [Nov 2010, p.73]

Next time, the King of Fighters crew should really stick to what they're good at: beating each other up with fists, not bullets. [Jan 2011, p.69]

True, Monster Jam isn't much more than big trucks messing stuff up, but sometimes that's all you need. [Jan 2011, p.75]

Forty bucks for mostly junk is way too much. [Feb 2011, p.80]

We had an absolute blast with most of the tracks on offer here and at $5, this late add-on is still very welcome. [Feb 2011, p.81]

As a result, tackling the solo tournaments seems pointless unless you've mastered these rigged shots, and ranked matches often become lopsided contests that favor folks who've memorized the most. [Feb 2011, p.83]

At that rock-bottom price, we can't help but recommend this so-so expansion...if just barely. [March 2010, p.85]

The Path of Go features story-mode matches against shrewd A.I., but it lacks the decency to introduce important strategic basics before mopping the floor with your face. [March 2011, p.81]

Though it won't best the more enduring genre stalwarts like "Bust-A-Move," it has plenty of challenge for those tired of first-person shooting at full price. [Mar 2004, p.81]

The awful controls are a hhindrance, the missions are pedantic, and the levels are apparently designed by LevelBot 3000. [Jun 2006, p.83]

Ultimately, it never feels like you have much real effect on what's going on out on the court. [June 2002, p.80]

The last-gen graphics aren't godawful, but they're a far cry from the 360's near pixel-perfect presentation. Who cares, though: it's fun to play the Xbox one last time. [Sept 2008, p.71]

Yet, with so many fishing holes to unlock on top of the ability to, yes, race your boat, Trophy Bass salutes those of you who enjoy fishing with way more options than $20 normally delivers. [Feb. 2007, p.80]

Even if hunting is about communing with nature, Trophy Hunter reduces it to boredom. [Feb. 2007, p.80]

Do yourself a favor: stay as far away from this wreck as possible. [May 2011, p.80]

It's not terrible, but not even the ability to make Grylls drink urine or hollow out a camel for shelter are enough to make it compelling. [July 2011, p.77]

But there's not one good reason to visit the same no-frills battlefield a dozen times or more just to grind out the improvements needed to conquer the next chapter. [Aug 2011, p.79]

This one's short but fun, with a few memorable interrogations, an unusually lighthearted tone (for Noire, anyway), and a notable appearance by character actor Kurt Fuller as a faintly sleazy used-car dealer.

One of the best standalone stories in the game.

With its nifty fill-in-the-backstory premise, this downloadable expansion should've been a must-buy for anyone who dug Armageddon as much as we did. And it might've been, it it wasn't so weirdly lifeless. [Nov 2011, p.79]

Nicktoons MLB is fun but frivolous, which should work just fine for kids and families. [Dec 2011, p.75]

NASCAR fan or no, you'll want to steer clear of Unleashed.

Ultimately, the strength of this game lies in how it draws on the movie soundtrack: the catchy covers carry the routines, the karaoke, and even the mini-games you unlock. Lifelong fans of the Grease movie, this one's solely for you.

Cabela's Survival is sold solo or bundled with the Top Shot Elite rifle controller, which offers more exacting aim during hunting sequences. But unless you expect to play (and replay) the bonus shooting galleries - railed shooters that have you blast furred and feathered wildlife in House of the Dead fashion - then a standard controller is preferred. Otherwise, the game can easily be finished in an afternoon, leaving hunting fans wondering why they wasted it playing a lackluster action-adventure game.

Twister Mania would be a suitable XBLA download at a discount price, but at $50? For this piece of retail fluff? We'll stick with the plastic mat, thanks.

Simply another chapter in a thoroughly charming game (OXM rating: 8.0). In other words, fun but not a must-buy.

You Monster may not convert every tower-defense holdout, but it's definitely one of the most devious and memorable bits of DLC we've played.

A Kinect movie tie-in that delivers a silly, satisfying experience? Hey, we're as surprised as you are.

Leela's disparate components don't perfectly align, but for meditative newcomers and casual gamers, it's an interesting collection of breezy play sequences. That said, if you're seeking a more engaging Zen experience via Kinect, we recommend the trippy sights and sounds of Child of Eden instead.

To its credit, Real Big Shootin' takes a great game and focuses on one element, offering an experience that's legitimately different. In this case, though, "different" isn't nearly as fun.

Though what's on offer isn't necessarily robust - nor does it pony up any additional Achievements - for Bastion devotees, this DLC serves to deepen the game's already-irresistible mythos.

We wish THQ had squeezed more out of the formula, like offering more than two playable characters and a more gratifying campaign progression, but Surf & Skate Roadtrip remains a decent Kinect pick for a few hours of amusement, especially for young SpongeBob fans.

The few exciting moments are simply crushed by the feeling of having the same content and problems tossed into a slimmer and sleazily misleading "sequel."

We must say, though, using Kinect to spin the big wheel is a treat. [Feb 2012, p.74]

Hits just enough right notes to keep a solo player interested. [Feb 2012, p.74]

The same inconsistent Kinect recognition that drove us batty last year. [Feb 2012, p.74]

Feels absolutely barren - which makes the $40 price point both baffling and ridiculous. [Feb 2012, p.74]

It's goofy, straightforward fun that's hampered by its occasional lack of responsiveness to your tablet inputs. [Feb 2012, p.78]

The central story mode follows December's movie with players unlocking successive sets of songs and stages. Free play and same-screen co-op modes round out the package, with all content generously unlocked from the start. Between the kid-friendly dance-a-thon and the Chipmunk singing, Chipwrecked is equal parts adorable and grating. Your young ones will have a blast getting down with Alvin and his pals while you can at least take solace in the easy Gamerscore boost.

The bigger issue, though, is that Motion Explosion just isn't very interesting, either solo (with single stages or a randomized three-level Motion Mix) or in alternating rounds with four players. It's pretty much excitement-free.

Without multiplayer or varied play modes, Rhythm Party can be conquered in a snap. But it's an entertaining and solidly priced treat for Kinect dance fans who need a fresh distraction.

Though it may appeal to fighting-game greenhorns learning the ropes, Phantom Breaker is far too simplistic and bare-bones to justify its $40 price. [Apr 2012, p.85]

It's an intriguing new piece of the puzzle, to be sure. But the two-hour Lost Archive quest doesn't go quite far enough in pushing forward the overall series storyline, making it less essential for those who care more about Assassin's' open-world adventuring than the lore behind it.

Overall, there's not a lot of depth to Country Dance, but it is a pleasant, non-demanding way to spend a few hours kicking up your cowboy-booted heels.

This DLC isn't quite the arm-jerking reflex test that Gunstringer's Real Big Shootin' DLC was - you have to be quick but careful in deciding whether to shoot targets - but both packs were built purely for diehard fans. If that's you, spend the $3.

Like the rest of Saints Row: The Third's DLC packs, Clones is only an hour, but it's a terrific romp through Steelport, showcasing the series' unique style and fun. Of the game's three add-ons so far, it's definitely our favorite.

By virtue of Season Two's weak core collection of mini-games, Basketball slots in as the second-best sport on-hand (after golf). And this DLC's 10 Basketball-themed Achievements are some of the easiest 250 Gamerscore you'll ever earn.

There's just no way this charmless slapdash mess is worth anywhere near its asking price, much less your hard-earned recreation time.

This game is all about silly fun. [Oct 2012, p.79]

To its credit, Home Run Stars swings for the fences at every opportunity and clears the wall as often as it completely whiffs. At the very least, it's a cheap, interesting experiment in trial and error.

In the rare instances that frantic limb-flailing does land your lasso around a calf's neck, the rewards are minimal and unsatisfying: success in the barely-there campaign only unlocks variations on the same boring events in new venues.

Think of Karaoke as a backup for a night at the pub with rowdy pals; serious singers won't find much satisfaction here.

An outrageously slight, unattractive, and ill-refined tribute to a franchise that deserves better.

But all the crayons and glitter in the world can't disguise the fact that this game is really just an animated examination booklet with a price tag.

All three modes are fast-paced and enjoyable, but don't expect them to add anything major to the game: aside from letting you gradually unlock weapons and characters that can also be earned in Mercenaries (including the new, faceless Agent and mysterious Carla Radames), they're a little shallow.

Want an excuse to keep climbing ledges and sailing the high seas? This downloadable Assassin's Creed III pack gives you exactly that, and little more.

It's as maddening and absurdly designed as it sounds, and even the simple local co-op play — which allows four reticles onscreen at once — isn't enough to make Heavy Fire appealing.

The new missions are the highlight here, especially the two "Lost Expedition" levels, which toss you into secret Japanese World War II facilities (one in the process of self-destructing) filled with retro sci-fi tech and abandoned except for hordes of pirates.

It feels truly unlike any other location on the map, allowing you the opportunity to speed through terminals and vault up to the rooftops of the flashy, modern structure — but that’s only the half of it.

Though you’ll hunt pigs, turkey, elk, and many other animals across the 30 core missions, Hunter’s Trophy 2 is absolutely exhausting in its monotony. Neither the pursuit nor the kill proves remotely interesting, and it makes for a terribly tedious time.

This expansion’s biggest problem: the woeful lack of people with whom to play. Days and even a couple of weeks after Lost Island’s release, finding even a single match often felt like an endurance trial, which is a shame — this add-on’s neither truly spectacular nor a fantastic value, but it is worth playing.

Quest for Cool Stuff is short and simple: an adequate diversion for tykes, but lacking particular creativity or excitement. In an era of great, affordable downloadable games, $40 for a routine, bite-sized licensed game seems like a stretch.

Finally, the Chronicles pack offers three short-ish missions, each centering on one of Last Light's supporting characters. [Jan 2014, p.70]

The Developer Pack, meanwhile, gives us a behind-the-scenes museum in which to try out every firearm and safely examine the game's monsters and human characters up close. [Jan 2014, p.70]

If you don't care so much for story and just want grindy, hard-as-nails combat, the Tower pack features a succession of difficult shootouts against waves of enemies in diverse areas, with a combat-simulator conceit that allows for deviations from realism. [Jan 2014, p.70]

With a semi-open layout that requires return visits to a base camp to resupply and save, it's unlike any other mission in Last Light, and more than worth the $5 all by itself. [Jan 2014, p.70]

Technical problems aside, The Raven’s three chapters are charming and sincere, with a knack for breezy puzzles, punchy dialog, and memorable characters.

The Raven might test your patience in more ways than one, but Zellner remains as endearing a protagonist as we’re likely to encounter.

Despite its literary ancestry, The Raven is uneven in its narrative delivery. Whether stuck on the Orient Express or relaxing on a Venetian cruise ship, The Raven’s cast of well-heeled socialites is deftly drawn, with sharp dialogue and expressive voice acting to match.

In spite of few frustrating stretches, Revelations' enjoyably button-mashy combat and clever puzzles are worth diving back in. [June 2014, p.74]

Rough visuals and a lack of polish hurt, but Pro Hunts offers adequate hunting action without too much artificial bombast. [June 2014, p.80]

Takedown: Red Sabre's slower pace is distinctive, but generic content means little else is--and single--player is miserable. [June 2014, p.81]

Offering a serviceable but somewhat bland alternative for core card-battlers wanting to play with friends(but unable to organize an in-person match), Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Duels is a bit of a slog for all but super-fans. [June 2014, p.80]

After last year's abysmal MLB 2K13, a new contender seemed like a breath of fresh air, but R.B.I. Baseball 14 is a poor alternative. [July 2014, p.82]