One of the best five-on-five games for any platform. [Mar 2004, p.84]

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.

While it ultimately fails to be an easily accessible, helpful tool to teach the true novice how to play chess well, Majestic Chess is a well-made product that provides good competition for amateur players who aren't too serious about their game. [Dec 2003, p.142]

This game looks great and its two play modes are fun. [August 2002, p.72]

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

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."

A fun mix of strategy and role-playing, minus all the pencils and dice.

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

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]

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

Anyone who gets off on the violence in this game is reveling in violence solely for violence's sake. [Sept 2002, p.78]

A fairly standard action game redeemed by some true suspense and fear. [Oct 2004, p.79]

The new economic system is marvelous, with more load types than in previous games. [Feb 2004, p.74]

Myst V isn't a rosebud twist ending to the series but rather a distinguished, picturesque, and more-than-sufficient finale.

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

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

Superb physics, killer graphics, and an agreeable price point. [Feb 2002, p.96]

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

While I found the game a refreshing diversion from the usual slash-and-loot online fare I've become a little worn out on after years of play, I did find the heavy focus on interaction with other players to be too much of a good thing. [July 2003, p.82]

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]

The humbling slam-dunk competition attempts to cement EA's street credibility but fails. It's just too unforgiving to be considered anything other than a flashy extra. [March 2005, p.77]

It has flaws, most notably unimpressive graphics and an agonizingly slow start, but it has everything that made "Privateer" great, and then some. [Mar 2002, p.84]

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]

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

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

Offers a great blend of combat and economic strategy. [Aug 2003, p.79]

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]

Unfortunately, the game shipped with its pay-to-play multiplayer unfinished and nonfunctional, so the only groundbreaking you'll do until that's fully completed is the kind that results from plummeting off cliffs.

By impacting the micro and macro of Sims life, Unleashed isn't just a great addition, it's essential. [Dec 2002, p.122]

This last bit of fuel injection for the aging Battlefield engine is worth the money. [Dec 2003, p.138]

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

The AI, for both team and enemy, is absolutely atrocious. [July 2002, p.64]

This system lacks some of the tension of a tactical game, but it bodes well for the follow-up scheduled for this wiwnter. [Sept 2002, p.88]

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

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

Just competent, not compelling. [Sept 2003, p.92]

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

A definite improvement upon its predecessors and is loaded with playworthy features. The efforts to reach a wider audience are laudable; however, with the new features still in need of work, hardcore drivers should look elsewhere.

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]

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]

It’s a very solid add-on for fans – Cyberlore did a good job of adding a nice mercenary slant to MechWarrior 4 – but it won’t convert anyone new. [Mar 2002, p.89]

Barely a step above a patch. An expansion pack like this makes you ask, "Is that all?" [May 2002, p.91]

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]

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]

EA Sports delivers an unprecedented level of control and innovation to PC baseball. [June 2003, p.105]

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

Planet Moon's Armed and Dangerous is "Kelly's Heroes" meets "Shrek" by way of Monty Python and Guy Ritchie. [Mar 2004, p.74]

Unfortunately, this stellar tactical engine serves as the only highlight in a game with a lifeless campaign and enough technical problems to give Data a run for his money. [Mar 2003, p.100]

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.

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

The Arabs are the most disappointing addition to the game. Instead of a fully realized faction, they're window dressing. [Jan 2003, p.110]

I really enjoyed this game. The string of battle after battle can get a little tedious after a while, and the lack of any compelling story line keeps you from getting completely sucked into the game. But it's a great antidote for those who were disenchanted by "Magic." [Dec 2003, p.130]

With the new AI and multiplayer features, Austerlitz finally does justice to what was a revolutionary game system. Sid Meier should be proud. [Nov 2002, p.129]

The real bonus here is the campaign editor, which allows for the creation of linked campaigns. [Dec 2004, p.99]

Offers up the delight of "RollerCoaster Tycoon" with a historical bent and a sharp, colorful Asian edge. [Nov 2002, p.126]

Each of the 17 tracks is meticulously detailed and accurate to within inches of its real-world counterpart. [Dec 2002, p.124]

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

The surprise, given the unplayability of the strategic game, is that this is easily the best "Magic" rip-off ever done for a PC, handily beating the official game from a couple years back. [Mar 2002, p.93]

Resistance is so complete that Codemasters could have easily sold it as a stand-alone sequel. [Oct 2002, p.100]

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

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

The simplicity of this system betrays the insidiously difficult gameplay. [Feb 2004, p.82]

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

It distinguishes itself through its presentation, gameplay system, and a subject matter that's neglected in computer war games. [Apr 2005, p.90]

NHL 06's online features, combined with a great single-player dynasty mode, create a much more dynamic playing experience than 2005's. At last, offense takes center ice and defense moves from the blue line to the goal crease, where it belongs.

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

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

A great concept but is filled with crippling annoyances that drag down the entire experience. [Nov 2002, p.120]

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

Nice graphics and a good physics model can't hide the inflexible playability of a game that could have been a real treat to play. [Mar 2003, p.107]

The problem here isn't so much with the game's content, which remains as ambitious and poignant as ever, but rather with Konami's sloppy porting efforts to the PC. [Aug 2003, p.78]

The developers get credit for trying something new, but the slow gameplay, some dull missions, nonsensical story, and annoying micromanagement make Perimeter unenjoyable. [Sept 2004, p.78]

For kids, it's great. For adults, eh, not so much. [Aug 2005, p.78]

SR2 might stop you from using monosyllabic words, but I wouldn’t recommend picking it up for an action-packed gaming session. [Mar 2002, p.81]

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]

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

A few patches from fun. [Feb 2006, p.72]

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

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

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

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

Once things are set in motion, there's not much to do aside from the occasional tweak. [June 2003, p.85]

Everything is improved in what's still the coolest railroad builder around, but oh boy, you better love trains. [Apr 2004, p.85]

The makers of the well-received "Monopoly Tycoon" have created an entertaining sim - Vegas Tycoon gets the look and feel of Sin City just right. [Apr 2004, p.92]

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]

Battlefront gives fans a perfectly good way to act out their fantasies of being a grunt in either of hte series' wars. [Holiday 2004, p.82]

Adults might find it simplistic, repititious, and boring, but it's possible that younger kids might find it accessible, challenging, and addictive. [Nov 2002, p.124]

With some A.I. tweaks, flyable torpedo bombers, and various bug fixes, this game would be a sim junkie's dream. [Jan 2005, p.97]

Great for joystick jockeys who like their games tough and frantic. [Jan 2005, p.102]

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

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 real challenge comes not from a smart enemy, but from a bad interface. [May 2003, p.90]

It can stand on its own as probably the best 4X strategy game of the past five years. [Feb 2004, p.67]

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

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

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

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