What we really craved, though, were a little more story (beyond quick cutscenes and text) and some interesting puzzles - stuff that might've given us a better connection to the source material. As is, Scarygirl's pretty but feels a bit empty.

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.

Even at $40, it's tough to recommend the meager additions Off the Record delivers. Diehard Dead Rising fans will like the callbacks, and series newcomers won't mind the recycling, but everyone in the middle will wish the new material was more abundant.

Like Dawn, Contrast sometimes misses the leaps it strives to make, but when its simple, quiet story and uncomplicated platforming perform in balance, it transforms into a beautiful indie experience that manages to stand on its own. [Feb 2014, p.71]

You still get a decent value for your $10, though, including fun (if simple) combat, a several-hour career mode, engaging character customization, and serviceable online matches. Plus, minor hiccups are easy to overlook when you're Marcus Fenix flying off the top rope.

Now, the circle of Velveeta is complete: Jaws Unleashed is as gruesome as it is cheesy. [Aug 2006, p.81]

Not being able to save during missions is a pain, as a single poorly tossed grenade or unseen enemy tank might cripple your crew. But find your sweet spot among the five difficulty levels, and suddenly ambushes and rolling heavy artillery feel like reasonably fun challenges instead of backbreakers.

NCAA Basketball 09 is a serviceable showcase for basic hoops traits, but without a flagship feature to lead it, it fels more like a pro-flavored tilt without a few of the raw ingredients that make the collegiate sport special. [Jan 2009, p.76]

Nice gameplan, poor execution. [June 2009, p.79]

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

Foul Play won't tempt you to heave tomatoes at its cast, but you won't find yourself crying out for an encore, either.

For double-agent wannabes, we suggest renting a copy. Playing through Casino Royale is worth the thrill despite the game’s many flaws. But if you wanted an interactive version of the newest Bond fl ick or a game to replace the Call of Duty experience, Quantum just doesn’t make the cut.

A poor framerate, bland textures, awful character models, clipping bugs, and a messy interface all suck the fun out of what should be a solid RPG. [Jan 2004, p.76]

So what's missing? Replayability. Using unlimited continues (an option we do appreciate), both one- and two-player games top out at just under 30 minutes. [June 2007, p.73]

Blackgate succeeds in channeling Arkham's open-world structure into a 2.5D format, but runs into pacing issues and hackneyed dialogue along the way. [July 2014, p.70]

The laundry list of annoying little problems is too substantial. [Apr 2009, p.76]

Rabbids loses some of its originality and innovation in its move to Xbox 360, and bafflingly, it fails to adopt many of the console's strengths. [June 2007, p.73]

Most maddening is the game's unstable framerate. [Oct 2004, p.76]

The graphics tend to give it the look of a first-generation Dreamcast game, rather than a second-generation Xbox title – which may turn off those accustomed to the visual bells and whistles of, say, "Wreckless." [Apr 2002, p.84]

Clunky controls. [July 2010, p.79]

Narnia lovers will enjoy taking part in the classic story, but you'll likely play it once and put it away like a childhood toy. [Holiday 2005, p.83]

From its leaden, cheap-shots-aplenty combat to its wild-goose chase through gray, same-y hallways filled with useless, placebo doorways to a story that takes much too long to get off the ground, its entire first half feels like a death march through a clunky hot mess. [Nov 2008, p.73]

Despite clocking in at around 2.5 hours, The Redemption rushes you through the final paces of the three-part Tyranny of King Washington saga so doggedly — and with such gaping holes throughout the narrative — that we were left with a sense of nagging unfulfillment, not closure.

A fascinating diversion you could spend the rest of your life pursuing, but this presentation of it is disappointingly short on frills.

Both games are perfect reproductions that add Live co-op. Sadly, though, their record-scratching soundtracks and exaggerated early-'90s urban culture have aged as well as an MC Hammer lunchbox.

But as it is, for the sequel to the forefather of online console RPG's--a game we happily sank hundreds of hours into on everything from Dreamcast to original Xbox--Phantasy Star Universe does only due dilligence without pushing the series past, say, 2003. [Jan. 2007, p.83]

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

Suffers from linear gameplay, ridiculously difficult challenges, bad graphics, and a lead voice actor who sounds like an utter twit. [Jan 2006, p.75]