Chad Goodmurphy
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 should not have seen the light of day. It's boring, runs poorly and is, above all else, broken to the point where a crash corrupted my save file. Don't support this lazy cash grab.
Grand Prix Rock 'N Racing simply isn't as fun, or as polished, as it strives to be. There was potential here, but it's not realized due to mechanical issues that make playing a slog.
Coffin Dodgers is a missed opportunity, which wastes a comedic premise. What could have been is instead a poorly performing and far too easy Mario Kart clone, which will last you only an hour unless you somehow find someone who's willing to play split-screen multiplayer with you.
Carmageddon: Max Damage could have been fun, but low production values, terrible controls, spastic AI and a general lack of care make it an easy pass.
Super Night Riders' potential is unfortunately held back by a poor frame rate, as well as gameplay that is no stranger to frustration. As much as I want to recommend this independent, retro-inspired racer, I simply cannot.
Giana Sisters: Dream Runners is far too fast, frenetic and convoluted for its own good. Run away from this one before it entices you to spend any money.
Super Toy Cars is not a good game. It's mechanically flawed, unfinished and generally more frustrating than it is fun. So, unless you're itching for a new tabletop racing game and happen to be willing to overlook such issues, this is one to avoid.
LA Cops is an offensive and shitty video game, which does itself injustices by mixing terrible writing with bad and incredibly frustrating gameplay.
Simply put, Death is annoying and Sam is easy to hate.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan is a very disappointing action game which isn't worth bothering with. Platinum didn't put its best foot forward with this one, and it's evident from the get go.
Masquerade: The Baubles of Doom can be funny at times and has some nostalgic charm to it, but underneath those attributes is a game that is dated, repetitive and frustrating.
MagNets: Fully Charged is a rather basic game, which ends up leaving a lot to be desired. Most will find it to be tedious and forgettable, although it does have a few okay moments.
Feist may be pleasing to the senses, but it's frustration for the hands.
Sebastien Loeb Rally EVO is a dated rally racing game that has a hard time being fun. It's a shame, too, because a lot of effort was put into recreating its real-world inspired tracks, and developing its incredibly lengthy career mode.
Now I know why 2K decided to hold review copies of Mafia III until launch. The game -- which could've and should've been great, given the quality of those before it -- is a buggy, repetitive and downright boring mess. It saddens me to say it, but it's true.
Kholat had a lot of potential, but is unfortunately hard to enjoy, due to frustrating gameplay and hard to decipher orienteering mechanics. It will appeal to the odd soul, who will fall in love with its disturbing and maze-like mountaintop setting, but most will come away annoyed.
Cel Damage HD is too basic, limited and generally frustrating to recommend. It looks relatively nice in HD, but its gameplay will only appeal to those with nostalgia for its original version.
Action Henk isn't all that it could have been, due to some slight control issues and a hefty dose of frustration. Those with lots of patience and masochistic tendencies may find something to love, but this is a game that definitely won't appeal to everyone. It's too bad, too, because there are some really solid building blocks to be found here, in a game that takes ideas from Joe Danger and Doritos Crash Course and tries to up the ante.
The Legend of Kay Anniversary is an unnecessary and forgettable remaster of a middling game. Unless you're itching to replay it, or have a soft spot for games of its ilk, it's tough to recommend.
Toy Soldiers: War Chest is a very disappointing follow-up to two of the best downloadable Xbox 360 games out there. Not only does it run poorly, but it's cheap, convoluted and out for your wallet with unnecessary microtransactions. It's a shame, too, because good things are overshadowed by all of the bad.