A delightfully weird aesthetic is wasted on a fighting game-platformer hybrid with shallow combat and structural twists that failed to grab me.

Orcs Must Die: Deathtrap retains the frenzied fun of its predecessors despite a mixed bag of format changes.

Rainbow Six Extraction is a fun and unremarkable co-op shooter with some very good ooze.

Trade Empires simply isn’t much fun. It’ll appeal only to fans of maddeningly dense economics sims "with a twist."

Good, reliable fun that favors atmosphere over innovation. [Dec 2002, p.92]

There's fun to be had here so long as you aren't expecting a serious World War II sim. [Feb 2001, p.64]

Brevity is the main drawback here: you can beat the whole game in just a few hours. But it's funny while it lasts. [Nov 2003, p.126]

Sure, a little more aeronautic authenticity might have made this good game great, but for what it tries to deliver, Wings of War succeeds admirably. [Holiday 2004, p.104]

All details are overridden by your answer to this very simple question: Just how much do you like Aerosmith? [Feb 2009, p.74]

Floaty combat and repetition mean this cartoon brawler is never more than a pretty face.

Less technically adept than modern competitors, but The Serpent's Curse Part 1 is a pleasing start to a new Broken Sword story. [March 2014, p.54]

<i>Battle of the Gods</i> could have used a touch of divine inspiration. [July 2006, p.67]

Not worth it as a solo adventure. In co-op, Wildlands is an enjoyable stealth romp that too often gets in its own way.

A leaner, smarter take on Magicka’s fascinating combat system, Magicka 2 is the co-op adventure you’ve been waiting for.

A pleasing world and satisfying jetpack exploration aside, Cutter Slade's return is rarely out of this world.

This series is beginning to look less like a unique PC off-road racer and more like a console-port knockoff with each incarnation. [Mar 2002, p.74]

There's no knocking the stellar visuals, solid storyline, and unrelenting blood-spilling. But the overall design is weak, and you'll have to slog through a lot of frustration to get to the good stuff. [Apr 2004, p.82]

While its RPG aspirations may be overshadowed by your need to constantly source the basics like ammo and health, The Pit--with its random elements and permadeath--is justified in its boast of replayability, even if it is only out of necessity. [May 2013, p.61]

Tiresome racer that only takes two hours to complete, yet somehow feels longer. That's both impressive and depressing.

A beautiful game with great flying, only held back by confusing interiors and a short duration.

Not for the easily frustrated, but unique enough to attract serious FPS fans. [Jan 2003, p.116]

Other than its being a bit too simplistic, I have no complaints about this game. It's the best PC Potter yet. [Feb 2004, p.88]

Even though this game is an indie effort, the art and sound production are professional-quality. [Jan 2006, p.57]

A competent shooter, but lifeless. You could spend many hours mastering Desync, but it does nothing to earn your time.

Disposable content. [Jan 2005, p.85]

Type-0 certainly gets real-time combat right, but this port of an RPG that began on handheld is otherwise not much fun to play on PC.

Super Slam busts out with destructible environments and plenty of sight gags--enough to make this fighting game good entertainment for kids who aren't ready for "hot coffee." [Apr 2006, p.100]

A great combat system is restrained by thoughtless multiplayer mode design.