Stake: Fortune Fighters

Though a decent idea on paper, Stake has poor controls, pathetic graphics, a terrible camera, and sound that even makes your custom soundtracks seem lame. The entire package just seems like it needs a lot more work.

In many respects, Stake is the antithesis of "Super Smash Bros. Melee" and that game's best features.

It is never a good sign when most of your fun comes from laughing at the game, and you derive enjoyment in continuing to play so you can find what else is wrong with it. Skip this one. It represents a low water mark in my library of arena fighting games.

Yeah, it's bad. Yup, it's boring. And you got it -- It's not worth a purchase or a rental.

Awful plot, abysmal gameplay, crappy graphics, and spartan sound bytes: these features do not a winner make.

Metro3D should invest in one more stake, but it should be one of the wooden variety and plunged directly into the heart of this monstrosity. [Aug 2003, p.89]

Akin to a dirty secret, such as catching your best mate's mother in bed with the dog, Stake is a something that is best forgotten for fear of some sort of mental trauma a few years down the line.