What the game lacks in polish, it somewhat makes up for in cheekiness and an unexpectedly disco-tinged soundtrack. [Nov. 2006, p.120]

Intriguing puzzles aside, this metroidvania is plagued with systems that seem designed to frustrate.

A merciless and thoughtfully-designed online strategy game whose clever systems enable a unique and troubling experience.

It's not a chore to conquer China in Romance of the Three Kingdoms 14. It's just underwhelming. Especially when we've seen this era represented so much better by Creative Assembly so recently, I couldn't come up with a compelling reason why I'd play this instead. Only die-hard fans of the franchise who want to see Koei's specific takes on these characters will be likely to find much to get excited about here. And given that this is the fourteenth entry in the series, I expected a lot more.

A misguided attempt at parody, underpinned by a poor sports game by anyone’s standards.

Enemy Engaged 2 has potenttial, but remains a patch or two away from completion. [Nov 2007, p.77]

Its simple and forgiving dynamic, short span, and quirky characters hit its intended "family fun" mark. [Mar 2003, p.106]

Take away the Matrix setting, and you're left with an action game that really does nothing new - and looks pretty average doing it. [Aug 2003, p.64]

It offers roughly 20 hours of compelling play, with a mystery that's genuinely worth solving. [Feb 2004, p.81]

Walle-E may be rated E for Everyone, but no one should be forced to play it. [Nov 2008, p.71]

Combining moody and gratifying ship-on-ship combat with shallow live service trappings, Skull and Bones is great within the claustrophobic parameters of what market forces allow it to be.

Confused and weightless, APB doesn't satisfy on any front: the shooting, driving, story and objectives are all average at best. [Sept 2010, p.65]

Not up to the lofty standards set by "IL-2," but still an entertaining WWII prop sim. [June 2002, p.56]

Wheelman executes its core mechanics well, but not much else. [June 2009, p.76]

Patience pays dividends, but won't cover these clubhouse fees. [Feb 2006, p.49]

Overstuffed and underdeveloped, Kyn is a buggy RPG with good combat, but without a great story or engaging character progression.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a disappointing anniversary for a series that really should take a break.

Yes, there is groping, discrete heavy petting, and conveniently concealed canoodling, but it's all rendered in fewer than 10 different animations...which get old quickly. [Sept 2004, p.68]

Persistent bugs, a convoluted interface, and incompetent colonists hold back a great premise.

Half a great 4X game, dragged screaming into the nearest black hole by its lesser components.

Unfortunately, the gameplay grows stale real quick, and any joyful fantasies about dropping smoke-jumping firefighters into an inferno are quickly put to rest. [Jan 2005, p.75]

It was buggy at launch, and remains mildly buggy even after the latest patch(v1.06), but, even so, if you're the least bit into the concept of a band sim, Shady o"Grady is gonna rock your world. [June 2007, p.56]

Enjoyable enough, with an undeniably good design pedigree, but marked down for the rush feel and lack of polish. [Dec 2013, p.68]

I grappled with Victoria for a solid 10 hours before I actually started having fun, and most folks will deem this figure unacceptable. Even then, the game's glaring bugs had a tendency to disrupt the deep and absorbing machinations that eventually develop. [Mar 2004, p.65]

Poorly stapled-on mechanics and a general lack of polish make Breakpoint's open-world tactics simply not worth the time.

Micromanagement is emphasized, explaining its popularity(in Germany)--so if you're into that, <i>Emergency 3</i> is an enjoyable RTS. [July 2006, p.67]

Heritage of Kings unceremoniously abandons the heritage of Settlers. [May 2005, p.62]

An accomplished piece of fan service, but the excitement fades fast and performance problems spoil it for some.