Anyone who appreciates this particular corner of the genre, Myst fanatics especially, will find here a perilous, riveting, sometimes humorous journey through an awe-inspiring, breathtaking environment. Even with its limited exploration possibilities and a "puzzle grimace" here and there, it’s a trip you’ll want to take.

Despite the rather pale storyline (at least within the game itself), watered-down quests and a fair amount of necessary repetition, Diablo is a must for anyone interested in "just plain fun." Action gamers and RPG-ers alike will be enthralled.

There is so much to do in this game that if you like space opera strategy, you’ll have to have it... One of the better strategy games of 1996, but one with significant flaws. Good, yes; a classic, no.

A solid game, but it isn't terribly original.

The designers may have thought they were making some sort of social statement, but the intended point is lost in all the sound and fury of oozing eyeballs and babies being hacked apart. It'll play well with the teens, because they'll think it's edgy and funny (missing the parody and irony, assuming they're actually there), but adults will no doubt find it stupid.

From start to finish, Circle of Blood is a professional, polished work of art. All elements of game play are refined to the extreme, and as with any great novel (or after you've thumbed past the picture section of certain adult magazines,) you'll feel a sense of loss when the story concludes.

One of the best games of the year. It migh t even be the best adventure game of the year. The plot is deep, the characters are brought to life effectively, I haven't found almost any bugs, and they didn't leave anything out.

Overall, my two main complaints with Rifles are that it feels too generic and that, despite the delayed development, there's a feeling it was rushed out the door before it was completely polished.

It has amazing rendered visuals, well-animated polygonal characters, and it mixes a story-based adventure game with a fighting game... The design is not entirely without merit; it just doesn't excel and, like most hybrid games, risks failing to appeal enough to fans of either genre.

Even if you do solve The Elk Moon Murder the first time around, you're bound to be amazed at the richness of the setting, the fine acting, and the sharp design.

Satan, your game has arrived. It spits up blood and pisses vinegar. It sprouts horns from its head like the proud minion of evil that it is. It shoots lightning bolts, for cripes' sake. It's a game of pure evil. And even purer entertainment. It's also the best action game on the planet.

At its best it can be a blast; how many times do you get to send the Fighting Nuns against the Press Corps in no-holds-barred combat in the streets? But the entire thing seems rather empty.

Gameplay is ultimately what we're interested in, and in this area, Duke is the king. But so what? If 3D Realms really wants to impress us, they can move beyond this type of gameplay.

An adrenaline rush in a box...Everything about this game shouts quality.

If you don't have DOOM II and you've got a Win95 P90Mhz or above, this is the best version to buy! For beginners, it makes loading those .WAD files as simple as pointing and clicking, and setting up a multiplayer game is just as easy.

It doesn't just crush your soul; it zaps your will to live. [Jan 2003, p.79]

Poorly designed, ugly, and rife with bugs.

The ultimate nostalgia trip—a classic game that plays just as you remember it, untouched by the hand of time.

The graphics, aside from being ever so shiny, are entirely unremarkable - they're decent, but nothing more, with rather coarse character design. [Dec 2003, p.95]

What really sinks the game is an overly arcane interface that sacrifices accessibility for tactical depth. [June 2003, p.84]

There are very few games that could get away with being re-released, unmodified, three years after they came out. Industry Giant isn't one of them.

Requires too much of an investment in time to get to the interesting parts, and by then it's too late - the thrill is gone. [Sept 2003, p.80]

It takes the boardgame rules and faithfully translates them to a format that easily allows for greater complexity; however, War!'s simplicity is a large part of what makes it such a blast to play. [Jan 2004, p.69]

The execution falls flat, and in the end Coliseum plays like a shell of a game. The biggest problem is that there isn't enough to do. [May 2004, p.69]

The combination of fully adjustable flight parameters and complex 3D plane-editing tools turns X-Plane into the best "what-if" sim on the market. [May 2004, p.67]

It has all the tools: a slick presentation, ample features, multiplayer support, lots of stats, and loads of personality. But it stumbles where most first-generation text games falter - the AI and statistical engine isn't up to par. [May 2004, p.65]

Unlike most of the dregs of the genre, however, School Tycoon keeps its tongue planted firmly in cheek, and presents a slightly bizarre and weird little world for your gaming enjoyment. [May 2004, p.63]

All these great features are thrown out the window due to a suspect simulation engine that simply doesn't make a lot of sense. [June 2003, p.85]

The elegant gameplay and low price make this an excellent purchase for gamers who still appreciate what operational-level Napoleonics are all about, and how good they can be if done right. [Nov 2004, p.86]

The second edition in the legendary sports-sim developer’s new soccer management series is every bit as addictive as it predecessor, which is to say that the damn thing should be investigated by the FDA. [Mar 2006, p.52]

The limited campaign, awkward interface, and other niggling issues result in a gme that even sim fanatics will have to work to like. [Nov 2005, p.71]

The writers spent so much time copying classic LucasArts adventures that they forgot to make the game enjoyable on its own. [Feb. 2007, p.74]

Takeda 2 is the sequel to a mostly obscure 2001 game that had the misfortune to be released in the wake of "Shogun: Total War." [May 2006, p.55]

Resurrecting a long-dead style of gameplay--the kind requiring pen and paper as well as a mouse and keyboard--AGON creates a surprisingly tense, engaging mystery about an ancient boardgame once played all over the world. [Oct. 2006, p.72]