The new alternate story and head-to-head multiplayer make it even more compelling than the PS2 original. [Dec 2007, p.128]

So genuinely terrifying, you can't help but appreciate its incredible art direction. [Feb 2004, p.114]

Storywise, if developer Tri-Ace had slimmed down the boring, medieval planet section (which hogs about 70 percent of the game) and fast-tracked you to the crazy head trip that is the fourth dimension, Time could have been an awesome, shorter RPG. Instead, it's merely a solid, loooooong game. [Oct 2004, p.104]

Multiplayer action shines - it's always a blast to vibrate your buddy's controller via the Taunt button after belting another pitch over the fences. Just don't expect "High Heat"-style complexity. [May 2003, p.113]

From the crazy crowds to the way the camera shakes while shooting free throws, this edition even outshines longtime atmosphere king "March Madness". [Jan 2008, p.90]

Tony, you are lookin' haggard. Even though I like American Wasteland's country-boy-in-the-city story line much better than last year's World Destruction Tour's, the annual sequels will drive this franchise into the ground if publisher Activision doesn't take a break, and soon.

Hit & Run is so good at capturing the show's spirit and copying a great game ["GTA"] that it turns out to be real, honest-to-God fun for anyone who digs the show. [Oct 2003, p.140]

A wicked weapons-based 2D delight that should bring joy to fans of fighting games everywhere. [Dec 2001, p.236]

Hit & Run is so good at capturing the show's spirit and copying a great game ["GTA"] that it turns out to be real, honest-to-God fun for anyone who digs the show. [Oct 2003, p.140]

It's so-so styleless graphics fail to impress, and the whole thing's too short and easy. [Jan 2003, p.107]

I like how it's pretty easy to complete any of the levels, but achieving a gold star on each and collecting all the various coins and cards require strategy that's just challenging enough to stimulate the noggin here and there. [Nov. 2006, p.139]

Aesthetics aside, this is no ordinary marble game: it's deeper, tougher, and generally pretty great. [Nov 2007, p.102]

It's not perfect--the difficulty spikes randomly throughout and spamming units produces easy victories--but it's a step up from "Heroes of Mana". [Holiday 2007, p.87]

It's a bizarre mishmash of clashing styles, concepts and gameplay that, despite being all over the map, is still a must-play title. [Nov 2002, p.72]

The majority of the game is one long gunfight, shifting between a traditional free-looking aim to lock-on, slow-mo shooting. It's good stuff, if you don't mind your foes acting like targets in a carnival game.

I've never seen a game with such intolerable loading times. [Oct 2003, p.142]

Tremendously deep warrior-customization options and rich strategy elements make Gladius absolutely worthwhile and fun, but prepare to invest serious time. [Dec 2003, p.185]

Improvements over last year's (extremely late) version of Blitz are minimal. [Nov 2002, p.298]

It's so-so styleless graphics fail to impress, and the whole thing's too short and easy. [Jan 2003, p.107]

It's hard to top pummeling an opponent with a building you just ripped from its foundation. [Dec 2002, p.234]

It's compelling enough to keep you retrying the more frustrating match types, plus put up with the stealth missions. Sure beats watching the History Channel. [March 2005, p.119]

It's hard not to look at all those features on the current-gen version - monster playbooks, Campus Legend mode, trick plays, special-teams tweaks - and wonder why a football game coming one generation after "Madden" on 360 doesn't have what you'll find on the PS2 or Xbox. [Aug 2006, p.84]

For one thing, storing and retrieving items is too much of a hassle. And second, whoever came up with the idea or permanently losing your valuables every time you die(which makes going back to finish the job much tougher)should have their head examined. [Nov. 2006, p.138]

By combining the original's gadgets and controls with "Mario Party"-esque minigames, Escape fails to be more than the sum of its parts. [Holiday 2004, p.108]

Quotation forthcoming. [July 2005]

It's old-fashioned, unpretentious fun, but fun that might be better suited to something that wasn't full price. [Dec 2002, p.218]

I’m happy to say that Namco’s fixed a lot of what made Tales 1 annoying while preserving its cooler aspects for their three-disc sequel. [Oct 2001, p.154]

Yeah, it controls fine and looks <i>fantastic</i>, but it suffers the same "been there, done that" feeling as other PS2-to-PSP ports, in this case with the added handicap of no online play. [Jun 2006, p.118]

You must buy this rad $20 collection of 20 good, bad, and butt-ugly games. [Dec 2004, p.170]

This game is so supremely easy for anyone to pick up and play that what initially seems one-dimensional and lame ends up leading to awesome multiplayer. [Nov 2003, p.196]

Still, like the original, it's highly enjoyable to exercise your noggin in quick spurts. [Sept 2007, p.98]

You must buy this rad $20 collection of 20 good, bad, and butt-ugly games. [Dec 2004, p.170]

The game has a great sense of humor, and I enjoyed the story missions, but the side quests hardly vary at all from one level to the next. Just screwing around and messing with citizens isn't as fun as it could be, either.

[Its] controls slightly edge out those of "Tricky," with easier-to-pull-off stunts and a useful grind button. [May 2002, p.112]

DAH2 still suffers from its share of frustrating escort missions, cross-map fetch quests, and ugly graphical pop-up, but Pandemic's strides make second contact more pleasing than the first. [Dec. 2006, p.138]

A competitive and addicting game that&#146;s full of variety, pep, and personality. [Oct 2001, p.150]

Long-term fun is doomed to extinction. Sure, you get a lot to do, but not many ways to do it. [Apr 2003, p.132]

Not essential, but worthwhile for anyone who hasn't played the original Evil in ages. [Apr 2006, p.104]

While "Live" is completely redesigned and "NBA 2K3" pushes the online envelope for the Xbox, Inside Drive has, uh..... downloadable shoes. [Jan 2003, p.210]

Seems like the PS2 version&#146;s forgotten kid brother. Its graphics, plagued with texture warping and pop-ups, are bad even by PS1 standards. [Dec 2001, p.264]

I give developer Treyarch credit for its ambitious GTA-style playground game design, but the errands Spider-Man sends you on are repetitive and dull. Combat is part of the problem; you can buy all sorts of fancy moves and combos, but why bother when button-mashing works just as well? [Sept 2004, p.98]

I'm not sure which is harder: keeping Robert Downy Jr. away from a crack pipe or establishing a consistent offense in All-Star Baseball. [June 2002, p.118]

I swear, you could probably nail players in the groin nine times out of 10 with these controls if you practiced enough. [Feb 2002, p.164]

It's definitely not one for the squeamish. [Jan. 2007, p.64]

I give developer Treyarch credit for its ambitious GTA-style playground game design, but the errands Spider-Man sends you on are repetitive and dull. Combat is part of the problem; you can buy all sorts of fancy moves and combos, but why bother when button-mashing works just as well? [Sept 2004, p.98]

Samurai's unique but ultimately clunky combat system avoids repititious button-mashing with parry-and-dodge techniques that keep you on your toes. [August 2002, p.130]

The lack of a season mode or player development helps make this the perfect Friday night pick-up before (or after) hitting the town. [Oct 2005, p.118]

Eminently playable, and more importantly, replayable. All the hacking and slashing should get old after a while, but the infamous "quest for stuff" kept me going for the long haul. [Oct 2003, p.168]

Shockingly decent. [Dec 2004, p.170]

This GameDay beater is so challenging and fun that you shouldn&#146;t feel shame for sticking to PS1 Madden for another year. [Oct 2001, p.156]

Yes, the storyline holds the power of cheese, but it did keep me wondering what would happen next. [Jan 2002, p.228]

It's not a mind-blowing epic, but Folklore's style alone is worth experiencing. [Dec 2007, p.110]

Overlord has a neat idea, but it really needs more direction. Or should I say directions? [Aug 2007, p.77]

You must buy this rad $20 collection of 20 good, bad, and butt-ugly games. [Dec 2004, p.170]

A pretty basic vehicular shooter...However, the sheer brilliance of the different multiplayer matches makes it worth the price of admission. [Dec 2002, p.242]

Almost a tee-to-shining-tee rip-off of Sony's "Hot Shots Golf" series, complete with jabbering caddies and "wacky" unlockable golfers. [Feb 2003, p.144]

Shockingly decent. [Dec 2004, p.170]

With 2K Sports nabbing the exclusive third-party baseball-sim rights to the MLB license, it had a golden chance to nab the hardball crown from EA's NCAA-license-relegated MVP series. Instead, we get this scattershot effort. [May 2006, p.94]

A good game that would've been great if it ran as fast as the PS2 version. [Nov 2002, p.300]

Once you catch on, using the stick feels fluid and natural &#150; thus more immersive. [Apr 2002, p.141]

Clearing each squad of dim-witted goons is rarely an intellectual challenge but always entertaining as an ultraviolent display of beauty and precision -- it's like a John Woo movie without the doves and opera music. [Feb 2003, p.135]

What saves CBJ from mediocrity is the fact that you can customize the bejeezus out of your vehicle, adding an extra layer of depth to an otherwise not-so-deep game. [Sept 2002, p.162]

While I love Whiplash's over-the-top concept and humor, its gameplay and graphics languish in a sea of averageness. [Jan 2004, p.128]

Aside form a handy save-game feature, though, it doesn't feel like much has changed here from the last game - at least not in terms of gameplay. [July 2002, p.126]

It remains worth it for all of the reasons that made the original Tactics so engrossing: Switching between different jobs, mastering new abilities from your gear, and recruiting and building your clan all remain as appealing as ever. [July 2008, p.82]

This game simply represents the show faithfully, and it&#146;s fun to play. [Jan 2002, p.232]

The sheer length of the Career mode will draw you in, and you can use the cars and levels that you unlock there in the Arcade and Multiplayer modes. [August 2002, p.136]

Doesn't hold up in the areas that count the most: Its combat is mindlessly repetitive, its puzzles aren't very inventive, and there are often long, boring stretches between the action. [May 2003, p.126]

As a gritty, militaristic first-person shooter, Delta Force features detailed environments (by PS1 standards) and plenty of cool effects to drive home the point that you're an elite shooter loaded with nifty gadgets. [Sept 2002, p.162]

DAH2 still suffers from its share of frustrating escort missions, cross-map fetch quests, and ugly graphical pop-up, but Pandemic's strides make second contact more pleasing than the first. [Dec. 2006, p.138]

Frame's spooky atmosphere and subtle use of ambient noise and music build a sense of mounting terror that makes the actual enemy and cutscene scares all the more pants-wetting.

What took me by surprise was the rather deep, involving golf game that lies beneath the crass interior. [Sept 2002, p.152]

Phantasia still has an awful lot of charm for such an old game, and fans of traditional RPGs will appreciate its long, varied dungeons and action-packed, real-time battles. [Apr 2006, p.108]

Feels stale and rehashed. In a lot of ways, this is pretty much the same game we've been playing since 1997, but without the refinement of "Tekken 3" or the added team complexity of "Tekken Tag Tournament." [Oct 2002, p.190]

This new installment will totally baffle fans of the series. With its gloomy postindustrial setting, moderately complex platforming bits, and surprisingly different battle system, WA4 bears little resemblance to its charming, Wild West-themed predecessors. Once you get beyond that initial shock, though, you'll actually have a decent time.

Frequent fliers of the Ace Combat series will feel like they've been on this flight before. [Dec 2007, p.122]

It's not terribly deep, but like tearing around on your uncle's ATV, it's fun while it lasts. [Jan. 2007, p.63]

I swear, for every 10 minutes of dungeons and monster-grabbing, I had to sit through 20 minutes of characters yammering at each other. Sure, I like the dialogue, but it was still too long to sit through. [Mar 2007, p.94]

It&#146;s just one of those incredibly intuitive pick-up-and-start-powersliding types of racing games. [Jan 2002, p.202]

I give developer Treyarch credit for its ambitious GTA-style playground game design, but the errands Spider-Man sends you on are repetitive and dull. Combat is part of the problem; you can buy all sorts of fancy moves and combos, but why bother when button-mashing works just as well? [Sept 2004, p.98]

Crisis Zone has the most unique plot to date. [Dec 2004, p.170]

A great multiplayer romp that will keep you and your friends glued to the set for months to come. [Dec 2002, p.236]

A very good-looking, fun boxing title loaded with satisfying arcade action... The champ's still got it. [Dec 2002, p.258]

It's sometimes difficult to track down the Sim you need in order to advance a quest, and the dialogue is maddeningly repetitive, but otherwise, Bustin' Out is engaging, original, and just plain fun. [Jan 2004, p.164]

I'm ready for this series to advance its gameplay, rather than just continuing to add new objects and locations to interact with.

The first Phoenix Wright game was a little bit better, a little more fulfilling, but DS owners looking to tackle another caseload will get a kick out of this. [Feb. 2007, p.96]

I'm all for authenticity, but holy smokes, that ball's hard to hit. [June 2002, p.118]

The game's family-friendly, white-washed Teen rating siphons out a lot of the potentially gritty realism. [Dec 2002, p.236]

I'm ready for this series to advance its gameplay, rather than just continuing to add new objects and locations to interact with.

Enemy A.I. here might as well stand for "Artificial Idiocy." [May 2002, p.109]

Once you&#146;ve mastered the somewhat quirky camera zooms and the rules of the sport, EA&#146;s Rugby becomes an enjoyable experience. [Sept 2001, p.145]

There's entertainment to be had with Extinction, but expect a lot of hair-pulling to go along with it. [Sept 2003, p.116]

Instincts' A.I. won't revolutionize the first-person-shooter genre, but the rest of the game is still pretty damn cool. [Nov 2005, p.150]

An excellent compromise between old-school SNK fighters and faster-paced, more fantastic Capcom titles on the DC today. [Oct 2001, p.148]

With plenty of duets and no more story mode, this is the most party-friendly version yet. [Apr 2006, p.103]

It won't blow you away, but RPG fans who can see beyond the drab look and slow intro will find a rewarding epic. [Dec 2002, p.218]

Despite the game's pacing, the graphics, cut-scenes, and second half of the story end up making Episode II a solid RPG - just not the epic sequel that the previous game deserves. [March 2005, p.122]

Sure, the graphics, control and physics here are super-duper. It's just that the actual gameplay can get as repetitive as scrawling "I'm a stuntman!" a thousand times on a chalkboard. [August 2002, p.128]