Debrief: SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate enhances the best tactical shooter experience ever. Do I hear a 10-4 from the responding officers?

A well-played game of Winning Eleven 7 gives the impression of having watched a TV soccer match and controlled the results. It's that good. [Oct 2004, p.84]

A shot of pure-grade real-time strategy adrenaline straight into the veins. [Holiday 2004, p.78]

Everything in 2.0 makes America's Army more intense, more gripping, and more deservinig of its status as the top tactical sim. [Mar 2004, p.79]

Does Most Wanted feed my adrenaline addiction from start to finish? No - repetition, while unavoidable in a game ilke this, ultimately does in the game's ability to raise your blood pressure. But while it lasts...damn, it's good. [Feb 2006, p.80]

A political campaign would be nothing without dirty tricks, and The Political Machine gives you a whole arsenal of them. [Nov 2004, p.84]

High production values, a compelling narrative, charming characters, and sharp aesthetics make for a sophisticated little adventure that's well beyond most of its ilk. [Mar 2004, p.80]

The brand-new Dark Age campaign, lots of new units, and plenty of new gameplay make Viking Invasion a must for Total War fans. [Aug 2003, p.80]

The sort of game that has you thirsting for the expansion moments after you complete it. [Apr 2004, p.81]

It's remarkably involving, challenging players without overwhelming them. [July 2002, p.62]

Sam II's wild, random charm makes for a twisted Duke Nukem meets Alice in Wonderland sort of roller coaster ride-a perfect change of pace from the scads of grim 'n' gritty shooters steeped in WWII war zones and dystopian postapocalyptic futures. Just don't take it too seriously, OK?

We're all still playing this game night and day, long after the review is over. We love it, and sadly, we don't have much of a life outside of it. Thank God there aren't more MMO's like this one. [Aug 2004, p.72]

If you haven’t downloaded the nude patch yet, go and grab it off the Web right now. Hot Date, like most things, is better with a little nudity! [Mar 2002, p.80]

Just about everything in this game feels <I>right</I>, sometimes almost in spite of itself. [Mar 2002, p.68]

In many ways, Blood feels like the polished game Gearbox couldn't completely nail last time around. Most of the evolution takes place under the hood.

F.E.A.R.'s troopers try so hard, you almost hate not fighting fair. [Jan 2005, p.96]

A slick and highly enjoyable production, and what it lacks in realism, it makes up for in pure entertainment value. [Holiday 2004, p.86]

Like its brethren, it is good - but without being amazing or breathtakingly original. [Aug 2003, p.72]

Honestly expands upon the original with four new campaigns that provide the absorbing single-player experience the original lacked. Unfortunately, some stability problems keep it from being perfect.

Luclin's quest structure is EQ's best yet. [Apr 2002, p.90]

Offers just enough new content to warrant being called a sequel...It is like "Doom II" was to "Doom." [Apr 2002, p.96]

This expansion is a compelling, dramatic WWII shooter with some of the most cinematic action ever converted into 1s and 0s - just like "Call of Duty." [Dec 2004, p.92]

The holy grail of "Star Trek" simulations. [June 2002, p.89]

SOU is perhaps the funniest fantasy-RPG I've ever played... One of those expansions that make the original game pale in comparison. [Sept 2003, p.94]

As uniquely unnerving as its predecessor. [Holiday 2004, p.92]

Like "Gladiator," Legion is so epic, engrossing, and downright fun that you overlook its shortcomings and simply have a great time, time after time. [Sept 2002, p.84]

In every way an improvement over its predecessor. [Jan 2002, p.108]

Despite all the cool tweaks and additions, the repetitive gameplay still nags at me. [Mar 2003, p.92]

Easily the best implementation of a major comic-book character in a game yet... Finally, a game that lets you club your enemies with other enemies. [Sept 2003, p.98]

There are at least three or four games lurking in Europa 1400: The Guild, each of them enjoyable and addictive. [May 2003, p.93]

Still, given the intensity of the combat, you won't have a lot of time to brood over the sometimes monotonous environments. Somebody deserves credit for making a gritty, Jedi-free Star Wars game without any fruity Force powers or lightsabers.

The truest and most gratifying shooter since "Doom." [July 2004, p.69]

It sounds great, it looks even better, and it's the most original RPG not named "Morrowind" released in 2002. [Mar 2003, p.94]

It's not my favorite expansion - that would be "Hot Date" - but it adds enough of a twist to justify spending another 30 bucks. [July 2002, p.80]

A fairly polished and comical game. It's too bad it didn't emulate "Toy Story" a little more, though, and provide a better plot and stellar acting. [Holiday 2004, p.98]

Star Chamber freshens up the CCG genre by blending traditional card play with a strategic game of planetary conquest. [Mar 2006, p.85]

The Real-Time Swing adds a completely new (and welcome) dimension to Links 2003. [Jan 2003, p.114]

The A.I. is quite good, particularly at the tactical level, where you don't have to baby-sit an army.

A new benchmark for hardcore racing sims...mostly. [Oct 2005, p.81]

Technically great but lacks the heart that makes fans into fanatics. [Aug 2005, p.84]

Brings more than 175 new enchanted items, which alone justifies the purchase. These special objects can take care of the less-pleasant chores in your life, leaving you free to pursue personal happiness.

While the game starts off strong, its personality steadily dribbles away, leaving you feeling you've played enough of it and never need to play it again. [Apr 2003, p.102]

Surprisingly strong Star Wars combat. [Jan 2005, p.92]

Takes the original game, upgrades it slightly, expands its cope, and adds and editor. Put together, it's a pretty good package. [Feb 2004, p.91]

If you're a military sim gamer who's looking for endless hours of action devoid of strategy or tactics, then this is your game. [June 2003, p.84]

The only real bummer in the new stuff? The M-60 machine gun, which is so powerful and easy to use that it lets even blundering newbies rack up ridiculously high frag counts. It needs tuning down.

A stunning sci-fi-themed shooter that makes "Halo" look hollow. [Feb 2004, p.80]

PureSim Baseball's biggest strength is its incredible interface. [Aug 2002, p.73]

It's all here: the virtual keys to the teensy-weensy pearly gates of micromanagement heaven. [May 2005, p.93]

Works so well in third-person mode that it makes you wonder why it wasn't offered earlier. [Sept 2004, p.70]

FlatOut doesn't have nearly enough variety in its tracks. Though the layouts will change (sometimes only slightly), there are only a few landscapes, and they do get repetitive. This minor complaint aside, FlatOut is a great arcade-style racer.

The engineer's bayonet kill might be the most satisfying frag since "Half-Life"'s crowbar kills. [May 2003, p.92]

The ability to fire behind cover effectively in Vietcong is a notable feature lacking in almost every shooter game to date. [May 2004, p.82]

This is a completely different, intense experience, and if you're a fan of either flight sims or racing, you owe it to yourself to give this game a try. [Apr 2002, p.98]

Wisely focuses on humankind's hedonistic tendencies, with less emphasis on acquisition and more on enjoying life outside the house.

A tad creaky, but pepped up with plenty of spine-tingling and head-scratching action. [Jan 2005, p.106]

An epic strategy game for conquerors who want more than just the standard RTS. [Aug 2005, p.86]

Gorgeous and exhilarating, though needlessly gory and combatcentric. [March 2005, p.72]

Far from perfect, but far beyond the competition. [Aug 2005, p.85]

Fate isn't going to glue new brain cells inside your skull, but it isn't going to murder the ones you have. It's a good time, it really never reaches an end, and it may be the best way to while away the lifetime between now and "Diablo III."

More monsters to kill and guns to shoot them with. You were expecting, maybe, a love story? [Aug 2005, p.72]

Fun... but you'll forget which side you're on until the police drones zap you. [Feb 2006, p.69]

Calling it an homage, an interpretation, a clone, or even a rip-off doesn't change the fact that it's a damn fine game. [March 2005, p.75]

Unlike most adventure games, you'll often find multiple solutions here. [Apr 2005, p.88]

This is either a great standalone expansion pack or a slightly underachieving sequel. [June 2003, p.96]

There are only minimal changes to the broader strokes of gameplay. [Sept 2003, p.90]

Where Bloodlines really shines is in the world it creates, a nightmarish hell lurking just beneath the seedy surface of nighttime Los Angeles. [Feb 2005, p.82]

A solid entry that makes some great, if initially unapparent, changes to the standard formula. [Feb 2004, p.66]

Empire Earth&#146;s kitchen sink design is too massive (if at time unwieldy) to be darkened by the shadow cast by a dozen games. [Feb 2002, p.94]

The shift in emphasis to tending the whims of your Sims has left the economic model a bit shaky. [Mar 2003, p.84]

Above all, the writing and voice acting are far superior to most other videogames'. [Oct 2005, p.76]

With all the action and unlockable DVD-like special features, this is not only a good game that drags you right into the movie, it's also a fantastic supplement for die-hard Rings fans. [Feb 2004, p.70]

It's somewhat strange that Tribunal, the first official expansion, is so confining. [Mar 2003, p.96]

The most significant improvement over past Myst games is a stronger integration of the story with the puzzles. [Holiday 2004, p.90]

I'll still marvel at the design and balance of the game. But deep in my heart, I'll still be waiting for something new to make me excited about RTS games again. [Jan 2003, p.98]

If you happen to be an X-Men fan and enjoy running through fairly linear, enemy-filled levels, smashing up highly destructible environments, and collecting scads of shiny items, Rise of Apocalypse ain't a bad way to spend a few Friday nights with some friends-and it's still a hell of a lot better than those damn comics.

Good, but we crave more. MORE BRAINS! [Feb 2006, p.78]

This game's perpetually unnerving ambience, interesting puzzles, and unique ghost story may very well help you forgive its graphical flaws. [Nov 2003, p.129]

Vastly superior to the previous Myth games. [Feb 2002, p.80]

It definitely packs some solid gameplay that sci-fi fans are sure to dig. [Feb 2004, p.76]

The addition of werewolves is interesting, but the implementation isn't very exciting. [Sept 2003, p.96]

This is a realistic simulation, unashamedly difficult to master, but offering the kind of satisfaction that only comes from conquering a difficult challenge. [Mar 2002, p.78]

Trying to create a winning team through trades and the draft is remarkably compelling. [May 2002, p.90]

Dynamic plot twists and cut-scenes flow through every exotic locale, and the later-game mechanical conundrums are worthy of the Broken Sword series. [Feb 2004, p.86]

The only thing missing from this great, innovative puzzle game: an ending. [Oct 2004, p.78]

You're given a wider degree of freedom than in the series' past entries. [Dec 2003, p.144]

Minus community support, amounts to a visually amazing, dependable, but overall mediocre online first-person shooter. [Jan 2003, p.96]

Offers a great, replayable mix of strategy of action. [Holiday 2004, p.92]

Offers amazing depth of play for even the most discriminating hockey fans. [Jan 2005, p.88]

A surprisingly solid game. The richly detailed, unique level design will surprise you if you have preconceived notions of side-scrollers. [Sept 2002, p.90]

More guns, more vehicles, and lots more action. [Feb 2005, p.81]

Dangerous Waters is a superb modern naval combat simulator but Silent Hunter III is destined to be a Sim Hall of Fam all-time classic. [June 2005, p.94]

The original art design and wide array of funny and original characters keep the experience fresh and engaging. [Holiday 2004, p.88]

It's the perfect setting for the players' own stories of daring rescues, bold ambushes, and swashbuckling high adventure. [Mar 2003, p.88]

Another incremental step, but still a great game of football. [Nov 2005, p.100]

You don't need a barnburner system to get all of Madden's eye candy. [Holiday 2004, p.86]

Casual gamers may find a hefty learning curve, but the tracks are so inventive; it's ultimately worth the work required to unlock them.

Short but sweet - and you get to be a giant gorilla. [Feb 2006, p.75]