One of the best-designed games to come along in years. [Jan 2002, p.115]

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]

The graphics are upgraded but still feel dated, and in the absence of any gameplay improvements, Combat Mission: Afrika Korps feels suspiciously like a scenario pack. [Apr 2004, p.83]

Because of the fantasy setting and the powerful new graphics engine, cranked-down zoomed-in battles can be spectacular in a way that Creative Assembly's "Shogun" and "Medieval" battles can only dream of. [Dec 2004, p.90]

Empire Earth’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 least inspired "Jedi Knight" game yet still has some thrills. [Nov 2003, p.100]

The pathfinding problems suck a lot of the joy out of this WWII tankfest. [Nov 2004, p.86]

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

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]

A seriously intended and well-made game and its heart is in the right place, but I got tired of it sooner than I expected. [May 2004, p.90]

Dungeon Siege II errs by giving you way too much, all teh time... ultimately diminishing the impact of everything you do. [Nov 2005, p.92]

Invisible War's mechanics are often repetitive and frustrating, but the choices you make are not, which helps keep things interesting even when you're unlocking yet another door with another multitool for the upteenth time. [Mar 2004, p.72]

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.

This game is truly all about the cinematic, dramatic single-player campaign, and it is there that it shines, often brilliantly, but a little too briefly. [Jan 2005, p.92]

Somewhat repetitive, but never so bat that it's offensive. [Nov 2005, p.99]

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

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

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

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

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

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.