Play to win

Rule of Rose
PS2
Atlus Co

The Good
Intriguing psychological-horror story is confusing but draws you in; good, creepy presentation features. 
The Bad
Repetitive, boring gameplay mostly involves running from room to room; bad combat that can be very frustrating at times.  
The Verdict
This survival horror game trades typical zombies for a pack of sadistic children, but its premise and atmosphere only partly make up for the bland gameplay.

Joint Task Force
PC
Sierra Entertainment

The Good
Beautiful graphics bring modern warfare to life.
The Bad
Combat requires intense micromanagement and lots of reloading to get it right; pacing feels off, as you spend less time fighting and more time sitting around; artificial intelligence and pathfinding need to go back to school.      
The Verdict
Joint Task Force’s theme of modern military intervention to solve the world’s ills seems fitting, as it shows how good ideas can get bogged down in reality.

Samurai Warriors 2
X360
Koei

The Good
Sugoroku board game mode makes for an amusing distraction.
The Bad
Gameplay suffers from the same boring hack-and-slash action with no strategy to tie it together; ugly, bland environments that look even more hideous on the Xbox 360. 
The Verdict
Like just about every other sequel in Koei’s Warriors franchises, Samurai Warriors 2 offers an overly familiar and mundane experience.

Just Cause
Xbox
Eidos Interactive

The Good
Well-realised island setting; parachute and grappling gun lend the action a highly unique flavour; no loading times as you travel across the island; great variety of vehicles to pilot.
The Bad
Short story mode; not enough ancillary activities; gunplay is too easy. 
The Verdict
Just Cause is able to justify its relative brevity and disrespect for physical law with some extremely visceral and often satisfying action.