Being so devoted to Final Fantasy 7 means that there’s a lot of love to be found in Rebirth. And as a fan of that original game, it was so easy, for a while at least, to be swept up in the dazzling sights of Gaia, in the vibrant amusement park of games and sidequests at my fingertips, to hop on this rollercoaster journey with many of my all-time favorite characters and give myself to the joy of being able to spend more time with them. But all the charm and pageantry in the world can only distract me for so long before I realize: nothing has happened this whole vacation. The ship hasn’t even left the dock.

Despite it's killer opening act, Hi-Fi Rush fails to sustain its blend of rhythm and action all the way until the end.

A rough port and bungled narrative make The Last of Us Part 2 hard to recommend, though the remaster's additions and moment-to-moment action satisfy.

Technically impressive but just not as fun or innovative as its predecessor.

It still feels like PC gamers are getting short-changed, especially since the multiplayer game is still so weak. [Nov 2002, p.114]

Lovely, beautiful, heartwarming, and unable to convince me it needed my input as a player at all.

An imaginative management game but a weak story generator.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 delivers deep build crafting and battle systems, but they're wasted on a war story that's barely there.

More ambitious than its predecessors, but ultimately less balanced. [Jan 2001, p.148]

All of the money management amounts to nothing, because the ongoing saga of a single-player dynansty is built on a foundation of unrealistic and unsatisfying gameplay. [Holiday 2003, p.97a]

Demanding but excellent combat and gorgeous visuals sit awkwardly in a half-baked roguelike structure.

Still, Bionic Commando is packed with enough challenges and modes to woo even the most suicidal Spencer back into battle. [Dec 2008, p.58]

At its best when it's strangest, Inscryption doesn't know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

Titanium Court is a brilliantly singular roguelite with a surplus of style, but you're going to need to love match-three to want to stick around.

True, few games let you play as a soldier, tank commander, and pilot in the same sitting, but in order to enjoy yourself you must be able to feel comfortable with your controls and navigate the in-game menus intuitively.

Two Princes may not double your fun, but they will satisfy fans of the series. [Mar 2006, p.98]

Not everything it should've been, but sporadically brilliant and usually fun. [July 2004, p.56]

A palatable metroidvania with a mediocre story, my biggest frustration with The Lost Crown is how long it takes to get to the good stuff.

No FPS diehard should miss it, but I say that more for the Team Instant Action multiplayer than the enjoyable but forgettable single-player campaign. [Dec 2008, p.54]

Exciting combat and a plethora of sexy costumes can't totally save Stellar Blade's middling story and occasionally questionable level design.

Toca Race Driver 3 offers advancement over its predecessors, but until Codemasters recognizes and repairs the game's physics and AI weaknesses, this franchise will continue losing track position to the superior offerings from either side of the Atlantic that currently steer this game. [Apr 2006, p.98]

The Drifter is a gorgeous and moody point 'n' click adventure with impeccable art, but its pulp leanings undermine its best qualities.

Gris’s visual appeal hinders as much as it helps its exploration of grief.

Call of Duty's strongest multiplayer offering in years is dragged down by a tedious campaign.

The fighting is BG&E's weakest element, and there's a bit too much of it for the game's own good. [Mar 2004, p.71]

Climb aboard if your system has the juice. [Mar 2002, p.58]

Pretty visuals and fun multiplay aren't enough, though, and ultimately Zero Hour is cut off at the knees by a surprisingly long list of problems...There's simply no excuse for this expansion's bug-riddled state. [Holiday 2003, p.102]

Looks better than it plays, but it's got a good heart.