It won't tax your hardware or your wallet(400 points--cheap!), so if you're bored with "Pac-man's" predictability, his better half will give you more to munch on. [Apr 2007, p.90]

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

It's a limited, simplistic experience, but still an enjoyable one for old-school shooter fans. [Jan 2013, p.83]

There are a few bugs we encountered, including one that muddled our quest list. Put it this way: we spent a lot of time saving, loading, and cursing. [Sept 2003, p.85]

As a catchall franchise compilation, Tekken Tag 2 works for fans who aren't seeking anything too radically different, delivering plenty of fighters and solid fun, even if it's traversing well-worn territory.

Make no mistake: the latest iteration in the Operation Flashpoint series has plenty wrong with it. But it burger-chomping, chain-smoking heart beats with a fiery tenacity that's unrivaled in the current console era. [June 2011, p.78]

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.

For a first-time effort, NASCAR 2011 has lots to like. But it needs some serious behind-the-wall garage time to get its setup right. [June 2011, p.79]

But even with its less-satisfying endgame, Storm’s conundrums still offer an offbeat way to stretch your brain.

A few invisible walls and a bad camera make the platforming even less fun, but shooting fireballs, ice pikes, greenish goo, and lightning one after another does plenty to break up the monotony. [Holiday 2009, p.82]

Even though the visuals look just past their sell-by dates and the game stubbornly refuses to truly distinguish itself from the rest of the series, there's no denying that it's gameplay formula still works. [Nov 2005, p.114]

So yeah, Chosen One has its woes, but gameplay is what’s always made this series fun. If you’ve got some tolerance and some RTFM time, Chosen One will deliver.

This arcade hockey is a reasonably fun alternative to aggressive realism, but it lacks the substance that’ll keep us playing its competition long after both games launch and hockey season has come and gone.

You'll just need some patience and a love of the sport to value it properly.

Backed by identical(and cheesy)interfaces and feature sets, all three do an excellent job of re-creating there respective game, though their finest hour comes over live multiplay. [Jun 2006, p.64]

We're glad to fire up our 360s for some Left 4 Dead 2, and the addition of four of the first game's campaigns (with the sequel's items, special infected, and new scavenge maps) is a nice touch. But we would have enjoyed our dip into Cold Stream more had Valve freshened the water a bit.

So yes, we recognize and appreciate that this is an exact remake of a classic game, but the bottom line is, many of you will decide that its unforgiving nature saps too much fun out of what is otherwise a lovingly reassembled classic.

Like the motion picture, this is no "LOTR." But if you're in the mood for some mindless medieval hacking and slashing (or just the chance to fill the shoes of the gorgeous Keira Knightley), give this game a shot. [Dec 2004, p.82]

This game was designed for multiplayer, so if you can't find at least one other person to share the pain, knock off two points from our score. [Oct 2010, p.86]

Disappointingly, the experience becomes a painful chore if you play solo. [Jan 2014, p.69]

The game starts to lose its novel sheen after just a few hours, even as it offers a tantalizing glimpse of the genre's future.

Da Vinci doesn't hit consistent highs, but it's a fresh and fairly priced reason to dive back into Brotherhood months after its debut. [June 2011, p.85]

If you've run the first-person gauntlet before, Magrunner's slight tweaks on the formula make it worth checking out. [Jan 2014, p.71]

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]

Book and movie fans will still likely enjoy the best Harry Potter game yet. [Holiday 2005, p.84]

Backed by identical(and cheesy)interfaces and feature sets, all three do an excellent job of re-creating there respective game, though their finest hour comes over live multiplay. [Jun 2006, p.64]

There's one thing that we can't dispute: Axel & Pixel is a gorgeous point-and-click adventure. However, the story leaves a bit to be desired. [Holiday 2009, p.76]

Though the graphics are sub-par and the character creator minimal, and there's no online multiplayer, ProStroke's different approach to virtual golfing is a welcome one, expecially given its budget price. [Nov. 2006, p.78]