Thunderbolt's Scores

  • Games
For 2,038 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 36% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 60% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 5.7 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 69
Highest review score: 100 Red Dead Redemption
Lowest review score: 10 Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing
Score distribution:
2038 game reviews
    • 74 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    What Gatling Gears loses out on in originality it nearly makes up for in polish.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    s much as I really do want to love this title, even with arena mode, I just can’t help but feel completely bored by it.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Football Manager, enjoyable as it still remains for the most part, is beginning to enter the Heskey years of its existence: it still does its job more effectively than any other striker on the market, but the tired formula is beginning to show.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Natural Selection 2 is unquestionably a unique title, but its bar to entry is incredibly high for the average FPS player. For the hardcore strategist, it has its appeal, but its complexity severely limits the enjoyment in matches that aren’t significantly populated by experts at the game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It's easy to recommend. But it's not without flaws. This isn't the L.A. Noire equivalent to an expansive, full length downloadable entry. Instead, it's a solid showcase for the things L.A. Noire does right, oddly plotted in the center of the game, adding on some moderate replay value.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There aren’t enough new features to cater fans of the series and the gameplay just doesn’t hold up for newcomers.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A game that probably shouldn’t have seen the light of day. A brawler is not something you expect to see these characters starring in, but it’s not as bad as you might imagine.
    • 44 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It tries to offer some humor and a little bit of fantasy to an otherwise bland game. But it suffers from a lack of difficulty and a few control and glitch issues.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While Rich Make Game doesn't move the formula into much new territory, they (read: he) reminds us that the simple and good retro concepts haven't tired with age.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Even though it's all mini-games, and as much as you may hate the association of Wii and kiddy-esque mini-games, the humour is something that everyone can enjoy.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Much like the career of English sprinter Dwain Chambers, this title seems like a great opportunity missed, as sheer laziness becomes a huge enemy, and a lack of variation takes its toll.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It's a generous buffet of the finest experiences the genre has to offer, the problem with this being that each offering is a discernibly weaker imitation in comparison to the original source it is drawn from.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The single player still needs work, but as it stands Reverse of Arcadia is the most complete Yu-Gi-Oh! game released to date.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There’s also unevenness to the pacing between the high-energy action divided by constant collect-a-thons.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Banner Saga: Factions’ slower pace and current lack of class variety will be enough to discourage many from trying this particular brand of turn-based strategy. But those who can look past these flaws will find a somewhat deep combat system that necessitates tactical awareness and forethought, and a rewarding experience for those who invest the time needed to learn its intricacies.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The lack of a second analog stick on the PSP is a huge pain and the system simply doesn’t seem capable of recreating the experiences that have made the franchise so famous and revered.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Its animation, voice acting and polished presentation are exemplary, and fans of anime should find much to appreciate in the storytelling.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    About half of the time I’m playing the game, I’m having a good time, and the other half I’m darkly brooding about stringing up each of the game’s developers by their big toes and slapping them repeatedly in the faces with a giant mackerel. [JPN Import]
    • 78 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    As charming as Parin and the residents of monster town are, everything else is rather stale and clichéd, and that which has already been done better many times before it.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    All in all, Dead Rising 3 is a fun, open world zombie-splattering experience that is notably let down by a weak narrative, derivative boss fights and too much emphasis on using crazy weapons to obliterate scores of undead.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Like a forgotten girlfriend, it’s not especially pretty, smart, or fun. EndWar’s simplified gameplay keeps it from being a good real time strategy game, while the mediocre combat ensures the game has few memorable moments.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A fun, yet relatively short lived game that won’t keep you entertained for too long compared to the likes of Pro Evo 08 and FIFA 08 - but there are far worse ways to burn a short while here and there.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Let me make this clear, through capitalization: ANY GAME THAT DOES NOT SAVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU KILL A BOSS AND SEE THE ENSUING CUTSCENE HAS A BROKEN SAVE-GAME SYSTEM. I don’t care if it’s supposed to make the game more intense, it’s stupid, moronic, ridiculous, pointless and otherwise detrimental to the overall quality of the game.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It doesn’t matter what kind of artistic talent you may or may not have... absolutely anyone can be proud of the products of their imagination.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s a game that doesn’t commit any great—wait for it—sin, but it’s so dead-set on copying a superior game that it’s destined for mediocrity.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Here we have a game that borrows too heavily from others – entertaining as those mechanics may be – robbing it of its own unique identity. The hacking rectifies this somewhat, providing that differentiating hook, but even that’s not enough to elevate Watch Dogs above the sum of its derivative parts.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Advent Rising reminds me of "Breakdown" (the Xbox game, not the Kurt Russell movie) in many ways. Both feature brilliant stories and interesting innovations, but are shackled by flawed gameplay mechanics.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s a shame there isn’t some sort of message integrated in the game, because as it is now, it seems unambitious. A plot of some sort would have helped here.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Your CPU teammates will never assist you in easing the pressure of a three-on-one attack, so I can only recommend Live play for people who have at least three controllers (only two Xboxs are allowed, per game).
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The hit detection is more of a miss, the presentation is far below the standards set by so many of the game's contemporaries, and even the Chaos/Order gimmick could have been fleshed out and utilized far more than what the gameplay offers.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Aside from the stunning 3D graphics, there's little else to justify the game's hefty price tag. Pilotwings Resort doesn't quite crash and burn, but it can't quite fly on its own.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The idea of a world with a severe oil shortage is a terrifying notion that hits close to home, but the game surrounding that idea is much less engaging.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A disappointing title. It doesn’t build on the series in any way, basically sticking to Most Wanted’s fundamentals, whilst adding more technical issues.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The apocalypse could’ve been more.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s a game full of hits and misses, whether it’s the boorish comedy, uneven pacing or erratic level design, but its combat hits more often than not, simple as it may be.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    For hardcore racing nuts, Race 07 is probably equal to a second coming. It's detailed, intense, has multiple racing league licenses, and features racing both online and off. However, gamers who are used to having their disbelief suspended for a bit while their Ferrari does 250MPH down a city street and drifts perfectly around the block are in for a bit of an ass-kicking. The difficulty level in 07 is brutal.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Dishes out more of the colourful carnage the original was well received for and stuffs plenty of additional content into this gun pie. One ingredient missing, however, is innovation.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Trichrome might not go so far as to make you reconsider the existence of triangles, but it should, at least, give you a strange new perspective on them.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s obvious based on the menus within the game that Smash Cars will be further fleshed out with new DLC areas to race in, but at this point it feels paper thin.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Despite succumbing to some of the series’ pitfalls, which Sanzaru seems to have knowingly fell into, Thieves in Time is a remarkably faithful recreation of the classic 3D platforming the series was known for; and as such, it’s easy to get lost in the nostalgia of it all.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s simply too short and too frustrating to warrant a purchase, unless of course you’re a diehard Jet Li fan and want everything of his that you can get your hands on.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It's a beautiful pretender; but ultimately, beauty is only a surface attraction.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The game’s utter oddness is enough to grab the attention of the average gamer, but its on-and-off mission structure isn’t going to keep them for long and once again fisticuffs in first-person proves problematic.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin offers players its share of great moments, but on a whole, this is just an average game.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While the formula may never grow old, purchasing its incarnations is becoming rather trivial.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    What is certain though is that Streets of Rage 2 is a classic title that fully deserves to be revived and remembered in modern day gaming. Now, pass me the pain relief and I’ll be on my way.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    I suppose, if you have an interest in US history, you might eke more enjoyment from the game than I did. But, I am afraid all the fears I had when I first unwrapped the game came true. Playable but, in the end, pretty dull.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It's the mission design that proves most disappointing. Its scale is highly ambitious but Dead Island's population of living dead aren't enough to compensate for its barren lack of variety and an increasingly tedious structure.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The problem is that the single-player package stretches the pretty basic gameplay worryingly thin, and leaderboard competition can only keep you interested for so long. If you're looking for a decent arcade romp you could do a lot worse than pick up Zombie Driver HD. It's just that you could do a lot better, too.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Aside from an exhaustion that I’m still trying to shake, I walk away from Ken’s Rage 2 with the realization that us fans probably won’t be graced with a well deserved adaptation anytime soon and that realization already has my eyes shedding streaks of sorrowful man seed.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Again, what the game aims to achieve is what leads to its downfall, resting securely in the shade of its predecessor's success and achieving some value in that way, without ever coming out to mark its own territory.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It doesn't know whether it's a hack and slash game or a tactical masterclass, and although it attempts to combine these, it doesn't do so convincingly.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you enjoyed the original Kingdom Hearts you'll find some enjoyment here too, but sadly it is not the classic it could have - and probably should have - been.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If there had been a more expansive single-player mode, smoother animations, and a more variety of levels, Snowboard Kids DS could have been a force to be reckoned with.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s fun, chaotic, and unbelievably bloody. But it’s just not enough to make up for the other glaring flaws; gratuitous violence in video games is only as good as the gameplay that backs it up. Think about it.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’re in the market for a bog standard platformer that exceeds itself visually and aurally, then Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars is a worthwhile head spin without the legal repercussions.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Grandia III makes great strides in the magic and skill systems, and the battles are as exciting as ever. It’s just that the storyline is so disappointing that at times it is difficult to continue playing through the game.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Instincts had quite a bit going for it (good graphics, comfortable controls, unique setting) but then does a great job of screwing it all up and making you not care (repetitive levels, stupid enemy designs, slight unfinished feel in places).
    • 62 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It's got a highly polished presentation, a feat that few games on the Gamecube can muster. Sadly, this game has one a single flaw that ultimately denies it from greatness: the damned microphone.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    In the end, that’s what Magical Starsign really is; a glorified GBA game with Touch Screen controls tacked on as an afterthought.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Testament of Sherlock Holmes isn't so much a detective game, but a puzzle title, one that limits its audience given its difficult old skool approach. On top of that, its outdated graphics and terrible frame rate asks more of its players to swallow before taking things seriously.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Crystal Quest is a pleasant shooter, with no huge flaws, yet the gameplay lets it down. Compared to something as action-packed and addictive as Geometry Wars there isn’t much to keep you playing other than for an impressive high score to boast about.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The game is incredibly repetitive. You get the standard different worlds of jungle, sand, sky, etc. but other than the colour palette and decor there wasn't anything unique about any of them.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Mega Man X7 is a decent follow-up to the travesty of a game that was Mega Man X6, but it will still come off as a lacking action title for the gamers that have never been interested in the series. Nice try, Capcom.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The platforming, while serviceable enough on its own, is made needlessly annoying with a horrendous excuse of a camera. But if you manage to get it working long enough, you'll be treated to some of Disney's finest, from the animated shorts of the early twentieth century to the nightmarish visions of a world that is normally reserved for cherished childhood memories.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It's just disappointing that there are so many issues with the three main games that people are going to be interested in.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Like all good arcade games, it never reaches for anything deeper than ‘compulsive time-killer’, and this could lead to voices, both internal and external, saying that it’s an empty, flawed experience not worth spending your time or money on.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Costume Quest ultimately fills the same void as the candy filling the kids' buckets: it tastes good, but it's not terribly filling.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It isn’t as nerve-shreddingly terrifying as its predecessor, but A Machine for Pigs purveys a different kind of horror, revelling in the power of suggestion rather than the substance of real threat.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    As a card game The Eye of Judgment succeeds. As a video game it fails.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A lack of polish in levels, badly acted plotlines and unnecessary adventure fields between core levels.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The biggest omission from MySims is undoubtedly any kind of online functionality. It’s odd that players can’t visit other towns and share items. As a result, the MySims universe is a lonely place, and will only serve to entertain the player and not anyone else.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    While it inevitably outstays its welcome a little too soon, Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition is a charming little game that commands respect for not ending up as another dreadful spin-off that relies entirely on its cover-star, and not the actual gameplay.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    But if there is something to be salvaged in the personality department, amidst the corpses of loveable gesticulations from the old guard and anything at all outstanding from the new - it's kitsch.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’re looking for a cheap Wii shooter and have some friends around, give this a go. If not, stick to the arcades. You’ll find better there.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Amazing Spider-Man is a weekend's worth of fun and difficult to recommend purchasing for much more than that, yet that's quite the accomplishment considering the extremely quick turnaround.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Maybe Midway will release a follow up with the same graphic engine, but with cleaned up gameplay and some two-on-two action. If that happens, I could definitely see my friends and I spending hours upon hours reliving all our old NBA Jam memories.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Really, the whole experience makes for an apt coming-of-age parable: a childlike wonder of space supplanted by the disappointing realisation of its cruel, unforgiving brutality.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Even with a fun premise and colorful, simplistic visuals, Noby Noby Boy ultimately falls short when a basic fundamental of design hinders the overall experience.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The difficult thing about reviewing a game like this, however, is that even at their least inspired the developer represents the upper-echelon of the platform. Yet there's a difference in quality now and Pocket Academy comes in below expectations.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s cheap, plays well and is a nice little time waster. Unfortunately, it's a forgettable experience that will only occupy you for a few hours.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Wise Monkey is overall a better installment than its predecessor, but it still has its work cut out. Characters and dialogue are once again rather tin-eared and jerky animations can take players out of the experience.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There’s a lot of fun to be had here against human players but the lack of single player variety is a real weak point – particularly during those inevitable moments when very few or no online games are available.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    So much of it is so immensely charming, loveable and inventive that it’s hard to stay mad for too long. You just always feel hamstrung in your ability to extract the full potential out of a conceivably phenomenal game. You want to love it, you do love it, but not its whole, and that’s incredibly disheartening.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Nothing is broken, and The Adventures of Shuggy is a solid, functional title. But it wasn't until the later levels that the toe-curling, tense moments came in and I felt any exhilaration or reward.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Despite the bugs and flaws here and there, the idea behind making a magazine empire is quite compelling, and it’s actually pulled off well. Just be sure to proceed with caution.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’re itching for a car-combat game without pretenses and don’t mind the price it’s difficult to make an argument for anything else on Microsoft’s service other than Scrap Metal. Just be aware that what you see is what you get and that the game’s lifespan is severely undercut by the lack of single-player modes outside of the otherwise respectable mission-based content.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Pacific Assault will turn heads because of its fancy graphics and original settings, but inevitably it’ll frustrate you beyond belief for a few game ruining missions.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    After playing or rather attempting to play Grave Danger I can’t help but wonder if the game would benefit from being available through the PlayStation Store.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A truly confounding experience. For all of the initial thrills its presentation brings and all that it does right with the XP system and game modes, the ways in which it misses the mark are hard to ignore.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There’s a spark here, though, and certainly a handful of memorable moments. There are just as many that require restraint, lest you put a controller through your TV.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A flawed effort which will seem amazing to hardcore fans. Everyone else will be genuinely thrilled with the larger-than-life fantasy scope at times, suffocating unhappily under the monstrous enemy forces at other times, before it's all over, in no time.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    If you’ve grown weary with the formula that Capcom has regurgitated on a yearly basis, Star Force just isn’t nourishing enough.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The problem lies with the basics of the gameplay itself; basing your movements on a gauge and pointing out perfect swings defeats the purpose of actually learning how to play the game well. It’s too mechanical and counterintuitive.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The weapons system is an awesome idea, and the specialized combos and moves for each weapon makes things seem pretty fresh.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Why couldn't Midway just have added the option to play full court two-on-two as well as the one-on-one? It just doesn't make sense.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    On one hand, it’s a fun, colorful, hearty little game that employs throwback platforming and collect-a-thon elements to good effect. On the other hand, it features a jarring mishmash of gameplay styles, lacks challenge and suffers from enthusiasm-sapping load times.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    There's enough content and variety here that it serves the purpose of party-oriented multiplayer well. The truth is – in the right setting – YDKJ can be light fun, but it never goes any further than that.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The lacking controls and questionable hit detection kills off much the technical aspects of the fighting.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    For those of you that are considering adding Jam Sessions to your collection, be warned: this is not a game. Instead, it’s a program that basically turns your DS into a makeshift guitar. It fulfils that job well; the sound is remarkably crisp and accurate, the controls are easy to pick up, and some guitarists might appreciate all of the little tweaks and customizations available. But when it comes to the other gameplay aspects, Jam Sessions falls flat.

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