If you've recently discovered a fetish for selling barrels of picked herring, there is no game better than Patrician III. [Feb 2004, p.89]

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]

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]

Here in beats the heart of a classic.but casual simmers should wait and see if patches fix the problems.

Decent combat system, good-looking engine, mediocre scenario design.

Could have been great. Instead, it's a near miss - a great idea poorly presented and inadequately explained. And that ain't my bag, baby. [Dec 2004, p.94]

For $35, you get a ton of replayability plus new downloadable planes and campaigns each month. For those who don't mind abstraction in the name of fun, DIF is a must-have.

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]

After spending a few hours online scouring for a populated server or losing thanks to bad leadership, players will ultimately lose interest—and we'll be left to lament Savage's unrealized potential.

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]

It falls into this trap, sacrificing gameplay and strategic choice for the "drama" of heavy scripting. [Mar 2003, p.109]

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]

Disappointment is the litany of B&W2. As an evil god, I can build prisons and worse...but why? There's no payoff. Pointless minigames that eschew the game's central morality conflict end up being stupid, insulting, and/or infuriating.

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]

There's never a sense that you could make your way through a level based purely on your own sense of ingenuity and improvisation. [July 2004, p.76]

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]

Everything from basic commerce to trade has been significantly revamped. [Jan 2005, p.105]

Incredibly addictive. [Jan 2002, p.110]

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

At a high level and still playing? Grab it. At a low level or just thinking about playing? Skip it. [Feb 2004, p.81]

The A.I. in this year's version is so lame, it may be a step backward. [Feb 2003, p.90]

A really good game hampered by the same pesky bugs and problematic A.I. as the original. [Feb 2004, p.78]

The brilliant game design endures, like a sweet-smelling rose atop a giant mountain of dung. [Oct 2002, p.106]

As a simulation of the full flying experience, this one-man project can't compete with the refinement of "FS2004," but for the tinkerer or virtual pilot looking for unique flying experiences, it's a fun toolkit to dive into. [Ver 7.40; Apr 2004, p.93]

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

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?

In the played-out field of fantasy real-time-strategy games, SpellForce rises above the muck with ambition, a few original gameplay touches, and some truly spectacular graphics. [May 2004, p.80]

Despite the patient sneaking this game encourages, Contracts seems a little rushed. [Aug 2004, p.73]