Although SH2 can’t be considered complete until the release of Destroyer Command and multiplayer support, what’s here is very good indeed. [Feb 2002, p.91]

There's nothing transcendently brilliant here, but there's enough new stuff to keep you happy. Everyone else, you can keep scratching your heads.

One of the most addictive and enjoyable games you'll play this year. [Jan 2005, p.84]

Incredibly addictive. [Jan 2002, p.110]

Square took the best things about single-player console RPGs and applied them to an MMO - a world densely populated by talkative NPCs, interesting, well-conceived quests, and a whole lot of visual gloss. [Feb 2004, p.84]

Best pastime for hockey fans until the NHL and NHLPA get their collective heads out of their asses. [March 2005, p.77]

The game's genius is that it forces you to focus on the command structure as a basis for strategy in a way no wargame has done so far. [Nov 2002, p.128]

Praetorians never really achieves the gigantic scope of a "Total War" game, but it is more easily controlled and offers much more obvious tactical problems. [May 2003, p.95]

Even the friendly A.I. does a much better job of fighting and surviving. There are still some interface problems, but Command & Conquer is better than it's ever been.

The world feels less generic and more immersive than even "Morrowind's." [Feb 2004, p.88]

With any luck, this game is only the beginning of a rich, rewarding series. [Jan 2005, p.96]

Easily the best new adventure game in years, though it loses some steam after its outstanding first act. [Oct 2002, p.112]

Empire Earth II builds upon many of its predecessor's strengths to deliver a sprawling RTS conquest game that is still remarkably user-friendly.

A worthy expansion. [Apr 2002, p.95]

Even with the completely new engine, the core RCT formula remains intact and as strong as ever. [Feb 2005, p.88]

The undisputed heavyweight champion of boxing sims...Title Bout has a phenomenal database of more than 3,600 boxers rated in 39 categories. [May 2004, p.92]

Shadowbane has jolted much-needed new life into the massively multiplayer genre - a genre that was showing every sign of being drowned in a flood of derivative games. It's a brave attempt at something new, and it succeeds. [July 2003, p.70]

Like a good meatloaf, it expertly scratches that comfort food itch, leaving you well-satisfied until the craving hits you again, months later - just in time for the inevitable expansion. [Jan 2005, p.94]

Offers exhilarating combat in a fantastic setting. [Feb 2003, p.85]

The intended audience will eat it up. [June 2002, p.91]

We’re lucky enough to be blessed with two Kohan games in one calendar year that both deliver some of the best RTS action we’ve seen in a while. [Feb 2002, p.102]

Perhaps the best part of living the life of a celebrity is the luxuries--spa treatments, sushi dinners, and a butler await you in Superstar. [Aug 2003, p.87]

A decent RTS that makes great use of a movie license. [Feb 2005, p.90]

It distinguishes itself from the pack by its visual effects, excellent physics, and a longing backward glance at vintage cars. [Apr 2002, p.106]

The new focus on transportation adds substantially to an already excellent game experience.

Great teamplay tactics, but the PC version drew the short straw.

The most remarkable aspect of Disciples II is how carefully all of the units have been balanced. [May 2002, p.82]

Provides some new and unique features that bridge the gap between the fanatical, hardcore sim racer and the casual gamer. [June 2002, p.82]

Bad A.I. and no realism, but who cares? The nonstop rat-a-tat-tat of automatic weapons in hostile environments gives Team Sabre its charm. [Apr 2004, p.91]

A beautiful RTS with solid single- and multiplayer gameplay. What more can you ask for? [Oct 2004, p.76]

The newly redone character models are quite detailed, and the sound, with whizzing bullets and explosions adding real tension, is fantastic. [Aug 2003, p.76]

A little rough around the edges, but if you like a challenge, you'll love it. [Nov 2004, p.76]

It believably simulates the pro game, and for a text game, that's the most important thing. [June 2004, p.81]

Despite the amount of stuff to do, JPOG isn't particularly deep. [June 2003, p.100]

It has a depth few games of this genre can match. Fewer still can equal the level of micromanagement. [Feb 2002, p.92]

Controls are fuzzy, and the overforgiving targeting, combined with weak enemy A.I., makes it nearly impossible to miss. The game is also extremely easy. [Feb 2006, p.81]

The visual treat that is the hyperdrive effect becomes painfully boring by the time you've crossed your hundredth navigation marker. [Feb 2003, p.72]

The A.I. remains pretty predictable, so most of the single-player challenge is due to the A.I.'s larger armies. Worst of all, there's no PBEM. With battles lasting for hours, multiplayer games are just too difficult to coordinate and play.

The Auran graphics engine is flat-out stunning. [May 2002, p. 77]

Offers the most accessible, best-looking EverQuest yet, but it's still getting awfully dated, both in looks and gameplay mechanics. [Feb 2003, p.77]

If the C&C faithful really build up a strong multi-player community, this game could be a must-buy in a month or two. [May 2002, p.73]

This roller coaster occasionally stalls and has some long stretches that could have used a corkscrew or even a slight bank. [Feb 2005, p.80]

It does so much right that the poor defensive A.I. is much more of a disappointment than it would be in a lesser game. [Feb 2003, p.76]

While the Career mode is a little too steep for beginners, it's still a good day at the races. [June 2003, p.91]

The new campaigns take advantage of a larger supported map size, allowing for longer and more complicated scenarios. [Oct 2003, p.117]

Too bad the lame Career modes can't match the rest of the game's quality. [Feb 2003, p.74]

It can take a long time to earn enough money to explore beyond the initially accessible towns. But once you have a nice fleet at your command, it's a continually engaging experience. [Dec 2004, p.98]

Clever, stylish, and fun to watch, but it's a little too hard to control. [Nov 2003, p.144]

Detailed terrain, buildings, water, and effects lend an unprecedented feeling of speed to low-level flight. [March 2004, p.82]

A deep strategy game with charmingly simple mechanics. [May 2005, p.94]

Black Thorn’s multiplayer additions will be its main attraction. The rest is fine, if unexciting. [Feb 2002, p.86]

Virtual Skipper 3 truly is the Holy Grail of sailing sims, satisfying both hardcore and casual virtual helmsman. [Oct 2004, p.84]

Shadowlands injects into the game a quadruple dose of what it most desperately needed: namely, compelling gameplay content. [Feb 2004, p.91]

Does offer a nice trip down memory lane, but you won’t exactly be compelled to go searching for lost quarters between the couch cushions. [Jan 2002, p.96]

A surprisingly decent stealth shooter. [Jan 2005, p.90]

Fun, pure and simple. And it does a nice job of recreating all the glorious conflict and warfare of the Star Wars saga. [Mar 2002, p.82]

Call me a mullet-wearing redneck, but I prefer my off-road action a little more exciting. [May 2002, p.77]

Unfortunately, Ghost Recon’s AI is little improved over the ugly R6 original, and the RPG element is given lip service at most. Add a handful of familiar R6 bugs, and you have a potential blockbuster game marginalized. [Mar 2002, p.70]

If you can get past the absurd control hurdle and the fact that the beginning is the best part of the game..., Gothic is a satisfying RPG to fiddle with. [Apr 2002, p.92]

Great gunplay, shame about the A.I. [Jan 2005, p.94]

The game's stunt-loving, high-flying target audience will find a treat...but even they may eventually grow weary of its foibles. [Mar 2006, p.83]

A.I. nations will usually disintegrate, and you can conquer half the world without much trouble. [Feb 2003, p.94]

The multiplayer learning curve is a short, sharp slide into the deep end with the sharks. [Holiday 2004, p.80]

The missions are interesting and, let’s face it, every once in a while, it’s a cathartic blast to wade into the middle of swarms of bad guys and teach them the folly of opposing truth, justice, and the American way. [Mar 2002, p.91]

By far the best-looking and most entertaining simulation in the series so far. But the improvements are marred by A.I. oddities and performance problems. [Feb 2003, p.82]

Dying repeatedly to learn the magic path can get tiresome, even in a short game. [Feb 2003, p.81]

If Divine Divinity had come out for Christmas 1992, we'd have raved about it unreservedly. [Dec 2002, p.128]

Sacred is about as close as a game can get to being "Diablo" without getting lawyers involved. [July 2004, p.73]

Like playing on a beautiful course in the middle of the summer in the deep South – it's a lot of fun, but the bugs can really get to you. [June 2002, p.92]

There are only two view levels, and they’re both fairly distant. This makes it not only hard to find animals or workers in a crowded zoo, but also, frankly, less fun to watch. [Feb 2002, p.98]

A cheese-filled jalapeno of action. [Jan 2005, p.98]

Conjures up an engaging mix of tactical combat and RPG gameplay with good replay value thanks to skirmish and multiplayer options. [Feb 2002, p.82]

A good adaptation of the movie, but the controls could be easier. [Sept 2004, p.76]

No one should play "DAOC" without Shrouded Isles. [Apr 2003, p.106]

The multiplayer and mechanics of combat are finely tuned, but aren't enough to lift Halo past its dated single-player, lack of graphical upgrades, and only competent performance. [Dec 2003, p.124]

Fun and ambitious, but not nearly as substantial as it wants you to think it is. [Nov 2005, p.96]

Snazzy graphics, professional voice acting, and captivating gameplay combine to create what is easily the highpoint of the series. [July 2002, p.78]

Unlike many expansions, Titans gives a lot of bang for the buck—it's just not a very loud bang, falling short of energizing an aging game.

If simulating multiple seasons in a sitting is your dream, this is your game. [Aug 2005, p.85]

Adds a refreshing twist to what could have been a tiresome game. [Sept 2002, p.85]

A complete game experience that's compelling, if sometimes unwieldy. [August 2002, p.79]

It'll eventually dawn on you that you're playing the world's most elaborate version of tic-tac-toe. [Holiday 2004, p.94]

The newest addition to the offensive game-Freestyle Superstars-allows you to execute a dazzling and fun array of passing, shooting, and dribbling moves with your star players. Unfortunately, the joy of these moves is counteracted by the extremely frustrating inability of players to make layups and other close-in shots.

Love it or hate it, DOD's war is an apparently contradictory compulsion.

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, this is a surprisingly fun title. The 7-year-old gives [it] four stars. [Mar 2002, p.88]

A solid racing game that still pales in comparison to Papyrus' "NASCAR Racing 2002." [Feb 2003, p.92]

It doesn't seem quite as good as the first Spider-Man game from Activision. [August 2002, p.74]

It might be a rough console port, but it's still the best soccer game on any platform. [Feb 2004, p.89]

I can also forgive the fact that at times, it's just too damn hard, even at the lowest difficulty level. For $20, though, you can get a lot of bang for your buck. [Aug 2003, p.77]

Rockstar Games has taken what it learned from the "Grand Theft Auto" series and used it to deliver a solid driving experience. [Oct 2003, p.122]

Gorgeous, with great lighting effects, tremendous fireballs, and richly detailed models. [Mar 2002, p.79]

A diamond in the rough. [Oct 2005, p.80]

Howsabout a nice whack upside the head with a tire iron for a horrific save-game feature that is simultaneously terribly conceived and idiotically implemented?

This game definitely isn't for everyone, but masochists who find fascination in supply wagons, attrition, and the confusion of horse-powered communications might find it enjoyable...and become closer friends with their inner geek. [Dec 2004, p.99]

MVP makes up for its lack of polish with good looks and plenty of polish. [June 2004, p.85]

Fast paced and flawed, but ultimately enjoyable. [June 2005, p.88]

With its low price tag, it's definitely recommended for shooter fans with even an inkling of interest in WWII. [Mar 2003, p.103]

A solid war game with the worst dialogue and acting ever. [June 2005, p.90]