A long exercise in target practice, with lifeless enemies in dull levels. There's no saving during a mission, the graphics are weak, and there's no team-based action. What's worse, there's just no depth, artistry, or genuine thrills to be had. [Aug 2004, p.79]

A clumsy, series-ending combo of real-time and strategy...You must kind of hang out and gawk at numbers and icons. [July 2004, p.72]

And therein lies the game's beauty—it's expertly balanced. For every Goliath tank driver, there's a Manta master or Raptor pilot who can rip you a new one.

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.

You'd think jumping would be precisely tuned in a game about accuracy, but here, it feels like a crapshoot. [May 2004, p.85]

A marginalized blockbuster. [June 2004, p.81]

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

Since only LAN play is supported, it's doubtful you'll ever experience multiplayer. [June 2004, p.86]

The game's fast pace makes managing your turf a hectic, confusing ordeal. [June 2004, p.87]

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]

Yet another attempt at "Europa Universalis Lite" - one that tries to reduce the depth of EU into a mind-numbing series of repetitive tasks. [June 2004, p.86]

While Joan has some serious flaws, Enlight has shown it can create an interesting character; better A.I., for one, would do a lot to improve future titles. [May 2004, p.88]

For anyone who doesn't share Dr. Smart's very specific obsessions, however, Universal Combat is an exhausting, impenetrable bore. [Oct 2004, p.82]

Even if you tolerate Ripper's lack of interactivity because of its swiftly paced, absorbing story, the game's anticlimactic, unsatisfying finale will leave you feeling as frustrated as those original London police were back in 1888. [May 2004, p.89]

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]

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]

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

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]

The A.I. on both sides of the conflict is awesome; as the leader of the counter-terrorists, your A.I. pals will follow you and, in some cases, "take the point:" You can give them orders via the chat feature and they'll do things like camp on a bomb site or guard the bomb.

If this game game came out four years ago, maybe. Today, no. [Apr 2004, p.86]

A pretty limited fighter, though its online features save it from beingi a complete loss. [Apr 2004, p.83]

I've birthed children in less time than it takes the game CDs to fire up. [Aug 2004, p.83]

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]

Just barely enought to satisfy true Shadowbane fans. [Apr 2004, p.90]

A shrug-inducing "so what" game that - judging by the barren servers - seems to be keeping players away in droves. [May 2004, p.86]

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]

A deep game worthy of exploration and discovery - you'll just have to exhibit nigh-infinite patience with its glacially slow build-up and general unfriendliness. [Mar 2004, p.86]

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]