Even for the niche-y, nerdo ranks of no-frills strategy titles, Iron Triangle is not for the weak. [Apr 2009, p.85]

Yakuza also suffers from an almost debilitating yappiness. [May 2010, p.76]

It features an engaging mix of levels. [Oct 2008, p.85]

The game nails the atmosphere but fails to implement a single original idea. [May 2009, p.82]

Combines a mix of good and bad design elements to create a flawed but memorable adventure. [May 2010, p.84]

Based upon the gory horror movie franchise, SAW is a remarkable good puzzle game with a license that it actually doesn't need. [Holiday 2009, p.74]

LEGO Batman 2 on Vita plays like more traditional LEGO games, sticking closer to the standard formula than the console version. [Sept 2012, p.83]

We like the LEGO games a lot, but LEGO Indiana Jones 2 is the weakest of the recent pack by a wide margin. [Jan 2010, p.85]

We'll hope that this either gets improved and rolled into the main "MLB 2K" game, or fully revamped for its sophomore effort. [Mar 2009, p.76]

The technology driving Rocksmith is awesome. Unfortunately, the software just doesn't compare. [Dec 2011, p.81]

Despite their past success, Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory make for a less than impressive HD package. [Dec 2011, p.77]

Those with a taste for the unusual will likely enjoy Datura, as it's contemplative and slow and builds surprising tension at times. But ultimately, it's just an interesting yet flawed experiment. [Aug 2012, p.86]

A few game modes and a neat Autolog feature that allows us to challenge friends to score-based competitions keep things interesting for a while, but Crash gets quite stale after a few spins around the block. [Dec 2011, p.77]

As a portable game, Burning Skies is adequate. But as the Vita's first true FPS and a member of the Resistance family, it's a conventional, predictable disappointment. [Aug 2012, p.84]

Still, for a budget title, Time did manage to keep our attention longer than we anticipated. [May 2012, p.85]

Which is too bad, because beneath the sluggishness, Mana Khemia: Student Alliance offers an absorbing school experience with quirky characters and a fun story. [June 2009, p.83]

If discovering, collecting, and equipping oddly designed loot is your passion, then Phantasy Star Portable is your type of game. [June 2009, p.81]

It's a functional squad shooter, but it's one that's probably best suited for series diehards. [May 2012, p.82]

Don't get us wrong--watching Juliet dash across the battlefield, chainsaw in hand, was entertaining in its own right. We just wish more emphasis was placed on making it fun to play and not just fun to watch. [Aug 2012, p.75]

Despite the mechas' new,smaller stature(roughly two-thirds the size of those in previous titles), battles felt sluggish. [May 2012, p.81]

We'd definitely pick the PS3 version over this, but when it comes to kicking the afterlife ass on the go, Dante's Inferno is a reasonably solid option. [Jun 2010, p.79]

More frustrating than funny. [May 2009, p.84]

Thought not a terrible tribute to the series, Downpour seems to tone down everything we loved about the earlier games, leaving only an average shell. [May 2012, p.78]

But ultimately, EndWar is a complex turn-based experience marred by its lack of technical polish. [Feb 2009, p.75]

It never pretends to be a serious game, and though it might be a little too pricey for dumb entertainment, it does provide some fluffy sandbox fun. [Oct 2012, p.85]

Straightforward, aerial combat. [Holiday 2009, p.85]

Consider Grave Danger a guilty pleasure, enjoyable more for its tongue-in-cheek tone than for its actual gameplay. [July 2008, p.81]

Nice enough for retro fans, but not so much for new gamers. [Jan 2012, p.81]