It's too repetitive and easy, but Crying Suns story and frantic combat are worth experiencing anyway.

Gravity Ghost hits the notes of big-budget platformers on a smaller scale; its story fumbles along the way, but it's short and sweet.

The result is a competent remaster and the best way to play this classic Total War, but it still can't compete with its modern heirs.

A limp story and weak jokes are worth putting up with for Victor Vran’s great combat system.

Despite a clunky story and technical performance, there's a lot of fun to be found in dashing and dodging through a zombie-filled city.

Genuinely fun – for the first 10 minutes or so, before it gets repetive. [Holiday 2001, p.68]

The ability to zoom out to get a better view of Spidey's surroundings would've been a huge boon to gameplay, especially during stealth missions and melee combat. [July 2002, p.72]

A frenetic, eye-pleasing simulation of theme-park building. [Apr 2001, p.80]

The fixed nature of the Trials precludes major excitement once you've burned through them. But for the money, this pack offers a fun Atlantean holiday. [July 2004, p.75]

The design could be tighter, the story a bit better paced, but it's still a fine couple of evenings' worth of puzzling, atmosphere, mystery, and magic, with animals cute and fluffy enough to see you through its more turgid bits. [Oct 2013, p.69]

At best, Bokida's story is effective at linking visuals. [Aug 2017, p.87]

Dazzling, dangerous, and dripping in style, Ruiner is a superb, if short, whirlwind of cyber-violence and sightseeing.

A messy, unfocused mishmash of genres with a few smart ideas.

A pleasant mix of gentle puzzling and body horror, PHOGS! is a very good boy.

Despite being a smart progression of Blood Money's ideas, Hitman feels unrefined and unfinished in lots of small but important ways.

Visions of Mana weaves accessible action and RPG elements together to create a gorgeously enthralling fairy tale.

The top-notch writing and superb voice acting, coupled with the visually vibrant hellscape, keeps your interest from start to finish.

With bumping tunes and Y2K inspirations, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk reminds us that, sometimes, looking back can be a way of moving forward.

An ambitious and atmospheric adventure undercut by some simplistic mechanics.

Aside from its supply tedium (and lack of multiplay), the game's horribly wonky pathfinding AI remains the ultimate knock against an otherwise great title. [Sept 2004, p.61]

Still, its charming in its disgusting way, with a thoroughly entertaining story, great gameplay, and a cast of detestable-yet-oddly-likeable characters. [Aug 2011, p.73]

Either I'm a masochist, or this game is worth the irritation. [Oct 2013, p.81]

Episode four makes Bigby's struggle more personal, then ends abruptly, transferring the pressure to deliver onto the finale.

The pace may not win over fans of first-person shooters or real-time strategy games, but it's a darn good yarn for adventure gamers who can stomach a double-helping of gore. [July 2005, p.73]

Weird restrictions aside, this is a funny, unique, and charming way to kill some time, even if only in small amounts. [Jan 2013, p.69]

A modest remaster of a fun but flawed RTS that’s stuck in the ever-lengthening shadow of its predecessor.

Despite the craft and heart, Tell Me Why feels like a game at odds with itself.

The problem with NHL 2003 is that it's fun, but it just ain't hockey...I'm 30 games into the season, and I have yet to lose one...with the difficulty at Highest. [Dec 2002, p.114]