Console leftovers or not, Thief: Deadly Shadows is one of the best PC games of the year. [Aug 2004, p.62]

You can finally enable player names to appear below each player on the pitch, and this makes is so much easier to tell who is who. The game is loaded with modest and subtle changes like this that end up adding a lot to the game.

A solid if somewhat yeoman-like sci-fi strategy game. [Mar 2004, p.79]

The true standout here, though, is the area design. The zones are absolutely stunning with a palette of rich colors and textures. [Sept 2004, p.67]

In the end, being a remake holds these snakes back. [June 2004, p.11]

By far, it's more fun to play against a human player with experience, than to play against the weak A.I. - the one area of the game that was glossed over. [Aug 2004, p.6]

Because of the high reliance on other people, diplomacy is a coveted real-world skill as well, and those who can use it wisely always have the most fun. [Feb 2004, p.62]

This is a slightly better game than its predecessor, though the improvements are in a "Godfather vs. Godfather II" vein.

It sounds stupid, and in many ways it is, but it's pulled off with so much style and flair it's impossible not to be seduced by its charms.

When you take the game as a whole you realize that the stunning art direction writes checks the gameplay can't possibly cash. Playing Alice is a stunningly average experience.

Still brutally, brilliantly short. [Jan 2006, p.51]

Despite the steep learning curve, it has more content and more unlockable secrets than nearly any other game to date. [Jan 2005, p.70]

The mippy-mappy goodness of the new graphics system makes you just shake your head in awe at some of the landscapes and creatures. [Apr 2003, p.71]

The geography is often stunning and shows a flair for the otherworldly that puts the more expensive landscapes of "Star Wars Galaxies" to shame. [Jan 2004, p.68]

By far, it's more fun to play against a human player with experience, than to play against the weak A.I. - the one area of the game that was glossed over. [Aug 2004, p.6]

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.

When you need a quality action scene, you call on the chicken; Is this a future star? [Jan 2006, p.55]

when you've got a game this good, "just a port" is all you need. [Dec p.93]

It's a virtual, and literal, bummer. SimGolf is a fantastic game, by far Meier's most playful project to date, marred by all-too typical PC game glitches.

It's a big dumb completely over-the-top cartoon, the game equivalent of "Red Dawn." Shut off your brain and enjoy the explosive ride. [May 2003, p.70]

Some of BioWare's finest storytelling and scripting work. [Mar 2004, p.73]

There's an odd balance of atypical race cars and super accessible gameplay in GT Legends, but it's a successful one. [Jun 2006, p.67]

Though it can be hard on a novice, Space Ranger 2's amazing breadth and considerable depth more than make up for its initial difficulty and intermittent lack of polish. [Nov 2005, p.74]

Once you've seen the new tricks, Tetris is still just Tetris. [Jun 2006, p.92]

A smooth blend of game styles, solid execution, and quite a bit of fun.

Red Alert 2 can be both fascinating and bewildering, neither of which amounts to much when you are launching a tank rush in multiplayer games.

It's an underwater chess match that builds up to maybe only one chance to shoot. Some missions don't even allow you that...[It's] polished and thoroughly engaging, and the real audience for this game—you know who you are—won't be disappointed.

Still, if you were intrigued at all by the PvP aspects of the original design but frustrated by the steep learning curve--or if you're just brand-new to the game--Factions is the best place to jump in and experience one of the deepest and most rewarding franchises in gaming. [Sept. 2006, p.79]

Remains the best game on the market for simulating fictional leagues and playing in a multiplayer league with friends, but after five versions, it's time to focus more on fixing what's broken rather than adding more features. [July 2003, p.86]

As ridiculous and entrenched as its name. [June 2005, p.87]

A satisfying, complete, and reassuringly familiar gaming experience.

Because the game adheres so much to real-world city-building, it's harder and harder to build the city of your dreams. [Apr 2003, p.76]

Although there's a lot of new content, it's concentrated almost solely in the Atlanteans. [Dec 2003, p.90]

Quotation forthcoming. [Nov 2005]

Following up a grand slam nuclear blast like "Nations" with a bottle rocket may seem like an odd choice. But in many ways, the smaller fiddle plays the sweeter music. [Sept. 2006, p.54]

TOCA 3 is just TOCA 2 with a lot more stuff, but that makes it just about perfect. [Jun 2006, p.66]

DEFCON is a simple idea developed with style by a group of obviously talented game designers. [Mar 2007, p.73]

The best bond game since "Goldeneye." [June 2004, p.11]

It manages to continually stun you with a look that's beautiful, cool, and totally different than everything else on the market. [Oct 2003, p.86]

Marches behind its predecessor as one of the most polished tactical shooters ever released. [Jan 2006, p.44]

All that said, Battle for Middle-Earth II is undeniably a labor of love, a grand work of art, and easily the best-looking game of 2006 so far. [Jun 2006, p.65]

By adding interesting new units, rules, and a unique campaign, it defines what all expansions should be - not just more of the same, but rather an entirely new way to play an established game. [Aug 2003, p.84]

"Unreal Tournament 2004" might be the superior product, but Battlefield Vietnam is the better game. [June 2004, p.73]

In fact, the reason to get Warlords is for the scenarios. It's worth noting that there are already plenty of scenarios available for free, thanks to the generous modability Firaxis built into Civilization IV. [Oct. 2006, p.65]

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.

Though none of Poseidon's new features changes Zeus' core gameplay in any meaningful way, there is an awful lot of new content here.

The stars of the show here are clearly the new maps. It's as if the team at Digital Illusions discovered exactly what everyone like about the game and created new battlefields made to directly stimulate the adrenal gland of its players. [May 2003, p.73]

The best bond game since "Goldeneye." [June 2004, p.11]

While it improves upon the chief complaints from the first sequel, it still does not offer much that's fresh besides new weapons and Light Jak powers. [Feb 2005, p.NP-9]

The real treasure here is the addition of new jobs, which is a first for the game's North American player base. Overall, this is a great package, with even more promises down the road, including Chocobo breeding. [Sept. 2006, p.80]

Offbeat humor, spectacular graphics, and excellent gameplay are the high points, it’s just a shame the journey through the bizarre world of MDK is over so soon.

This is a crowning achievement in a wonderful witty series, further highlighting that you really need a PlayStation 2 to see where some of the best developers are working these days. [Dec p.93]

An enjoyable game for its 10-12 hours. It's still better played on a console, but if your siblings have the PS2 cornered, the PC version will do just fine. [Mar 2004, p.80]

It combines simple controls(you use the shoulder buttons to tilt the world and to occasionally flick your blob into the air, letting gravity do its job)with the pop of color on the PSP's screen and the rich music you can stream from a disc. [Oct. 2006, p.81]

Unlike last year's model, it has a career mode that supplements its season and exhibition play. [Jun 2006, p.90]

It delivers an excellent single-player game with some caveats, and a blah multiplayer experience that lacks the best feature from the Xbox version. [Dec 2003, p.92]

All of this comes at a price; that game has what may be the steepest system requirements ("I need how much RAM?") of any product in the history of computer gaming.

For all its clumsy new baggage and rushed feel, Homeworld 2 takes itself seriously, designed from the ground up as a reward to the faithful rather than an olive branch to the casual newcomer. [Dec 2003, p.84]

An understated, thoughtful game that is highly replayable and continually challening - the sort of game that will still be on your hard drive when all the other games you are playing right now are gathering dust on a shelf. [June 2003, p.78]

It may not win over the reflex-challenged, bearded gamer types, but fans of the original "Generals" won't find a title better tuned and tweaked to their tastes. [Dec 2003, p.88]

Even in such an obvious "as is" state, it remains the best turn-based strategy release since 1999's "Jagged Alliance 2."

Challenging, entertaining, and original experience that will appeal to flight and racing fans alike.

Quotation forthcoming. [Nov 2005]

It's remarkably imaginative, whimsical, and full of life. [Nov 2005, p.68]

The best online fighting game released to date.[Feb 2005, p.NP-9]

A truly unique experience. [Aug 2004, p.6]

One of the best sports games released in the past year on any platform. [Mar 2003, p.84]

It may not look like much, but it's got it where it counts. [Nov 2002, p.80]

Gamers with an interest in history, and no aversion to a rather abstract rendition of same, should love the atmosphere and feel of the game. And anyone who appreciates a solid, lovingly-crafted work of design should appreciate the overall quality of this product.

Everquest II has come a long way since its original launch. With Faydwer and other recent enhancements, though, it's pulled alongside "World of Warcraft" in the race to be an MMO for everyone. [Mar 2007, p.68]

A brilliantly reworked world with technology to die for. [March 2005, p.66]

Enemy AI is solid-indeed, absolutely unshakeable on higher difficulty settings—and you'll certainly know it when there are enemy aces in a mission. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for your wingmen.

This is an attractive and challenging game that, unlike so many other racing games, really does penalize you for running the pedal to the metal all the time.

With solid netcode, short sharp snappy rounds, and game modes that focus the action without limiting it, this is punishing lethal gunplay at its best. [June 2003, p.75]

One of the deepest and most addictive racing experiences availalbe for any platform. [May 2003, p.84]

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's exactly like one of those big-budget Hollywood summer blockbusters: You wish it gave your brain as much of a work-out as your finger, but there's no question that its superb action, terrific pacing, and actual puzzles combine to make Prey the best single-player first-person shooter since "HalfLife 2." [Sept. 2006, p.73]

Quotation forthcoming. [Nov 2005]

Crimson Skies comes with a few features that aren't mentioned in the manual, such as hardware compatibility problems that can cause lockups or even make the game impossible to launch on some machines.

Has something for everyone who has a joystick connected to his computer. [Mar 2003, p.83]

Quotation forthcoming. [Nov 2005]

Camelot has never looked better, and Catacombs definitely gives seasoned players a good reason to stay, adn new ones a good reason to try this classic. [June 2005, p.70]

Simulation fans won't go wild for it, but this is perfect for everyone else to go fast through the countryside. [Jan 2005, p.72]

The best bond game since "Goldeneye." [June 2004, p.11]

A major accomplishment and an excellent game. [Dec 2004, p.75]

One of the most difficult, frustrating, and maddening space sims you'll ever play. In that sense it's brilliant, because you will play it, even while you bang your head against your monitor glass.

Drop-dead gorgeous graphics, excellent story, talented actors, brilliant orchestral score.

Quotation forthcoming. [Nov 2005]

Europa Universalis III is still one of the best grand strategy games you can find. [Apr 2007, p.64]

May have been the first game to blaze the "stealthy action" trail, but the irony is that more recent PC offerings (such as "Thief") have since done it better, which leaves this port showing its age.

For now, though, Mercenaries reigns as the king of computer BattleTech games. [Jan 2003, p.68]

If you are looking for a diverse lot of cars and some stunningly beautiful roads to drive them on, then Rally Trophy is squarely at the front of the rallying pack.

All of these options might lead you to think that the learning curve is steep and slippery. It would be, were it not for the slick interactive tutorials.

It doesn't reinvent the original, but it's a very solid and worthwhile addition to an already successful game, especially at the two-for-one monthly subscription fee. [Feb 2006, p.77]

A truly unique experience. [Aug 2004, p.6]

Just deep enough to require tactical thought without bogging down in a ton of extraneous chores and options. [July 2005, p.60]

Gives you a lot of things to do, but it's unlikely to light the old sim fire the way you might remember it. [July 2005, p.64]

A technically excellent, but ultimately shallow and mechanical, experience. [Mar 2003, p.77]