NASCAR 08's driving model is so demanding that you should probably stop diddling with those half-inch thumbsticks on the stock controller and buck up for Microsoft's wireless wheel. With physics this good, it's a worthwhile upgrade for NASCAR fans. [Sept 2007, p.77]

An evolution?/ Not with the low-res textures/ From Playstation 2. [Review Haiku - Feb 2002, p.80]

Games are meant to be played, not watched, and this one has more cinemas than "Metal Gear Solid." [Jan 2004, p.79]

Provides hours of well-polished, addictive gameplay. [Nov 2004, p.89]

The driving itself is fun and the controls are pretty tight, but the whiz-bang cutscene crashes get tiresome after awhile. . [Holiday 2005, p.68]

LOTR's slow-paced gameplay and mission-based structure seems more suited to an action RPG, but as an action adventure it doesn't quite measure up. [Dec 2002, p.137]

Two offline pals can spend a pleasant afternoon eliminating A.I. flyboys in Dogfight Mode arenas, facing ceaseless waves in Survival Mode, or revisiting missions that allow for a co-op partner. But even those tepid charms feel too much like dull training flights. [Nov 2012, p.81]

These folks add a considerable amount of content to a game in desperate need of variety, but their fighting styles and special moves aren't enough to make this rigid, repetitive actioner worth enduring. [Jan 2011, p.78]

It's one of those perfectly imperfect games you'll grow to love, even with its annoyances.

The target audience is gaming kiddies, and Open Season manages an attractive string of 25 short and bloodless missions for the prepubescent set, plus a few basic minigames. [Holiday 2006, p.86]

But with wonky, counterintuitive controls and nothing really new or compelling to add, Soltrio Solitaire doesn't give you a good reason to spend your solitaire time or money in the Arcade. [July 2007, p.79]

It's just not the cohesive, polished experience that it should be--and that "NBA 2K7" is. [Dec. 2006, p.86]

Otherwise, expect to get bored rather quickly with collecting spilled spheres and waiting for floating cube-movers. [Dec 2007, p.66]

Stumbles because of sloppy, annoying controls. [Dec 2004, p.96]

Whether you’re swinging a pipe or a scalpel, the controls never feel responsive, and rotten collision detection will drive you mad before Jigsaw’s twisted games even have the chance.

Blend a super-cool license familiar to hardcore and casual gamers (and anime fans) with pedestrian gameplay and run-of-the-mill graphics, and you'll upset both fans attracted by the storied name and those hoping for a game that stands on its own merits. [Nov 2004, p.84]

The frenzied pace makes for a pleasant enough co-op diversion, but it's also one that's devoid of meaning or longevity. [Feb 2008, p.79]

As uninspiring as it is harmless. [Sept 2006, p.79]

Overall, Dance Paradise is exactly what the game's name advertises: a respite from the sweet-inducing, mind-boggling physicality of titles like Dance Central and Dance Masters. [April 2011, p.79]

Forget "Fuzion Frenzy," this is the better Xbox game to break out during a party. [Jan 2003, p.90]

High Moon clearly did all they could, but ultimately, Dark of the Moon is a small package with too much filler to be worth more than a rental. Though we're betting it's still better than the film it's based on.

If Pokemon had 487 fewer monsters and only one tournament, it would still be more thrilling than this movie-based game. [Jun 2010, p.82]

Unfortunately, the majority of the game is spent hacking completely brainless enemies who literally turn their backs and wait for you to deliver the coup de grace once you've hit the A button enough times. [July 2007, p.81]

Oddly, what doesn't come into play so much is the series' unique new feature - the heart-rate monitoring done by the optional new Top Shot Fearmaster.

Far Cry Classic exhibits many of the ideas that came to define the series, but this decade-old shooter doesn't hold up very well thanks to antiquated design and a spotty porting job. [May 2014, p.82]

Front Mission Evolved doesn't deliver the innovation its name suggests, but it does offer the best classic mech action on 360, and fans of big-bot wars will enjoy it. [Nov 2010, p.82]

The tracks are nicely designed as well, but again, the effort seems fairly wasted due to the extremely dated graphics engine. [June 2005, p.86]

Instant replays - There aren't any! There's absolutely no excuse for that... especially on the Xbox. [June 2003, p.82]