Highly frustrating missions pepper the game, usually filled with cheap enemies who have impeccable aim and a superhuman ability to absorb multiple shotgun blasts at point-blank range. [Apr 2004, p.116]

As with the previous two 3D Sonic outings, Sonic Heroes is a solid platformer that could've been a lot better if the developers had spent more time balancing the levels and tweaking the unbelievably frustrating camera. [Feb 2004, p.108]

Battling against real opponents on Xbox Live is a blast, but teaming up with buddies for relay and rally races is where it's really at. [Dec 2003, p.228]

As with the previous two 3D Sonic outings, Sonic Heroes is a solid platformer that could've been a lot better if the developers had spent more time balancing the levels and tweaking the unbelievably frustrating camera. [Feb 2004, p.108]

If Dark Alliance II were a creature in the "D&D Monster Manual," it'd be called the Yawnisian Mind Borer, and it would lure victims into repetitive dungeons, make them wander until they fell asleep, then swipe 50 gold from their wallets. [Feb 2004, p.111]

The game does keep up the original's compelling pace, with enemies swarming you nearly every step of the way. I never got bored - I just never got all that excited, either. [Feb 2004, p.112]

If Dark Alliance II were a creature in the "D&D Monster Manual," it'd be called the Yawnisian Mind Borer, and it would lure victims into repetitive dungeons, make them wander until they fell asleep, then swipe 50 gold from their wallets. [Feb 2004, p.111]

What a thermonuclear disappointment. To someone like me, who loved all three Fallout role-playing games on PC, this is a power fist to the face - an insult. [March 2004, p.114]

The shortest volume in all .hack-dom, and most of it is spent running errands, but the final battle (which is spoiled in the pack-in anime DVD) is a great payoff if you've been following the story all this time. [Feb 2004, p.122]

What a thermonuclear disappointment. To someone like me, who loved all three Fallout role-playing games on PC, this is a power fist to the face - an insult. [March 2004, p.114]

Shamelessly uninspired. Trust me, you don't want to fly sortie after mind-numbing sortie of hour-long missions that almost always end in tragedy, forcing you to restart the whole flavorless affair. [Dec 2003, p.184]

Shamelessly uninspired. Trust me, you don't want to fly sortie after mind-numbing sortie of hour-long missions that almost always end in tragedy, forcing you to restart the whole flavorless affair. [Dec 2003, p.184]

Street perfectly blends the arcadey feel of old-school "NFL Blitz" games with "NBA Street's" flamboyant antics. [March 2004, p.112]

Street perfectly blends the arcadey feel of old-school "NFL Blitz" games with "NBA Street's" flamboyant antics. [March 2004, p.112]

Street perfectly blends the arcadey feel of old-school "NFL Blitz" games with "NBA Street's" flamboyant antics. [March 2004, p.112]

Combat ranges from dull...to freakishly unbalalnced.., and it all gets old very quickly. [March 2004, p.130]

As with the previous two 3D Sonic outings, Sonic Heroes is a solid platformer that could've been a lot better if the developers had spent more time balancing the levels and tweaking the unbelievably frustrating camera.

This incredible compilation is a dream team of sorts for anyone old enough to remember having to <I>out</I> to play the best videogames. [Jan 2004, p.128]

Gritty and unforgiving, Max will make your Game Boy bleed fun - if you can stand the pain. [Feb 2004, p.129]

It's monotonous, mundane, and frightfully addictive - just the way I like 'em. [Jan 2004, p.132]

Tactically, it's pretty boring, but if you can get into the goblins' expendable-offense mindset, it's a smashing time.

It's monotonous, mundane, and frightfully addictive - just the way I like 'em. [Jan 2004, p.132]

It's monotonous, mundane, and frightfully addictive - just the way I like 'em. [Jan 2004, p.132]

Mixing Walt Disney's colorful whimsy, the industrial distopias of French cinematographers Jeunet and Carot ("City of Lost Children"), and "Zelda" mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto's genius for flexible gameplay, BG&E is mesmerizing, ominous, and, most of all, memorable. [Dec 2003, p.200]

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

Sure, there's a little car crushing, but not wanton crushing, and that's what I want in a monster truck game. [Feb 2004, p.110]

The action on the track is mediocre, especially once you realize you'll have to wrestle with the touchy control on the same tracks in the same cars over and over. [Jan 2004, p.124]

Ravaged by age and running on obsolete technology, it's uglier than ever. Still, you can't call KOF incompetent - atrociously lazy and reluctant to change, but not incompetent. [Jan 2004, p.133]

The action on the track is mediocre, especially once you realize you'll have to wrestle with the touchy control on the same tracks in the same cars over and over. [Jan 2004, p.124]

The action on the track is mediocre, especially once you realize you'll have to wrestle with the touchy control on the same tracks in the same cars over and over. [Jan 2004, p.124]

Though most of the game is well balanced, the last few missions become unfairly hard.... But a fine effort indeed. [Feb 2004, p.110]

Reducing the story to talking heads turns the once-engaging plot into a drab, formulaic mess. [Jan 2004, p.138]

I love what this game offers - classic 3D platforming with a supercool mini-ninja dude. The problem is, I-Ninja doesn't offer a whole heckuva lot of it. You can blast through the entire game in a few sessions. [Dec 2003, p.192]

I love what this game offers - classic 3D platforming with a supercool mini-ninja dude. The problem is, I-Ninja doesn't offer a whole heckuva lot of it. You can blast through the entire game in a few sessions. [Dec 2003, p.192]

Without the ability to transform when you want, Spy Hunter 2's confining missions are just too monotonous. [Feb 2004, p.106]

The arena-based combat is banal, combos are almost accidental, the dialogue consists of goo goos and gah gahs, and the difficulty curve seems designed to boost a baby's confidence. Overall, it's an all right little game, provided you're still in Pampers.

Far more satisfying than its predecessor. In fact, it's one of the most satisfying story-driven shooters you can play right now, as well as the latest success in the drive to make games as deep and engaging as movies.

It's pure boredom harnessed in cartridge form. [Feb 2004, p.128]

Though most of the game is well balanced, the last few missions become unfairly hard.... But a fine effort indeed. [Feb 2004, p.110]

This gorgeous futuristic world demands exploration, and the story is intriguing enough to compel you forward. [Feb 2004, p.124]

The open-ended level design - and especially the nifty fortress-defense stages - made for many moments of shooter Zen. [Jan 2004, p.154]

Mixing Walt Disney's colorful whimsy, the industrial distopias of French cinematographers Jeunet and Carot ("City of Lost Children"), and "Zelda" mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto's genius for flexible gameplay, BG&E is mesmerizing, ominous, and, most of all, memorable. [Dec 2003, p.200]

Still a user-friendly pigskin experience with lightning-fast over-the-top gameplay. Yet I'm forced to throw a penalty flag at the lack of big passing plays I've come to love from this franchise. [Nov 2003, p.172]

The thrill of the chase rarely gets more intense than when you're yelling Pac-Man's whereabouts to your two ghostly partners.

Running around thwacking enemies feels fun enough, but poor A.I. renders your other party member nearly useless - you'll often have to switch between them just to keep them from getting killed. [Feb 2004, p.128]

When all of its gameplay modes and disappointing multiplayer options are handicapped by game-ending obstacles (you can actually become trapped by a fence) and unnecessarily fussy controls (rotating the stick to maintain balance sucks), the once-mighty 1080&#176; is relegated to benchwarmer status in no time at all.

Do not buy this for yourself or your kids or anyone you know - you do not ever want to be in a room where it's being played. [Feb 2004, p.127]

Sure, there's a little car crushing, but not wanton crushing, and that's what I want in a monster truck game. [Feb 2004, p.110]

Far more satisfying than its predecessor. In fact, it's one of the most satisfying story-driven shooters you can play right now, as well as the latest success in the drive to make games as deep and engaging as movies. [Feb 2004, p.102]

If only the developers had spend half as much time fine-tuning the enemy A.I. as they did finessing the graphics, XIII would be incredible. [Dec 2003, p.196]

Without the ability to transform when you want, Spy Hunter 2's confining missions are just too monotonous. [Feb 2004, p.106]

It's a button masher, pure and simple, with very little skill necessary. Sure, the unlockable rewards are fairly cool, but only the most patient DBZ faithfuls will suffer through it for that long.

This incredible compilation is a dream team of sorts for anyone old enough to remember having to <I>out</I> to play the best videogames. [Jan 2004, p.128]

XGRA isn't as impressive as "Extreme G 3" was when it first hit PS2 and Cube. The graphics look roughly the same, it plays similarly, and it has the same main drawback: not enough tracks. [Nov 2003, p.174]

The action isn't bad - just appallingly generic. [Jan 2004, p.110]

The action isn't bad - just appallingly generic. [Jan 2004, p.110]

The action isn't bad - just appallingly generic. [Jan 2004, p.110]

This game is awful. And also totally hilarious. [Feb 2004, p.120]

Gives the series the injection of fun it sorely needed. Updated graphics are only the beginning. The other tweaks, like the ability to see your highest grade for all three difficulties on a song at once, sneak up on you, but they make so much sense you wonder why it took this long for them to be implemented.

These visuals are mediocre at best and not up to par with today's Xbox standards. [Jan 2004, p.156]

The camera can be absolutely maddening at times. [Jan 2004, p.138]

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]

If only the developers had spend half as much time fine-tuning the enemy A.I. as they did finessing the graphics, XIII would be incredible. [Dec 2003, p.196]

All the constant hiding and tiptoeing and sneaking doesn't scream "action-packed!" after all. [Feb 2004, p.118]

Easily a contender for sleeper hit of the year, providing an excellent mix of platform-style exploration and fast-paced, action-packed gunplay that manages to stay fresh and interesting throughout. [Dec 2003, p.199]

Almost every deviation X-2 takes from the established Final Fantasy norm has paid off. [Jan 2004, p.136]

Problem is the game is about as friendly as a Cylon; there's no tutorial to ease you into all those moves or the different mission types, and the difficulty spikes at odd moments, making some levels painfully tedious.

I love what this game offers - classic 3D platforming with a supercool mini-ninja dude. The problem is, I-Ninja doesn't offer a whole heckuva lot of it. You can blast through the entire game in a few sessions. [Dec 2003, p.192]

The combination of toe-tappin' music, retro-futuristic style, and rapid-fire pacing injects Space Channel with an infectious, addictive quality. [Dec 2003, p.210]

For the first half of the game, varied missions keep the action interesting. After a dozen sorties, however, it get old, and all but the most patient pilots will want to pop the canopy. [Jan 2004, p.109]

With a measly two play modes and no real solo campaign, it's hard to believe Microsoft expects anyone to pay $50 for what feels like one-third of a game. [Feb 2004, p.126]

If you like the racing games, and you like the Xbox Live, then buckle the f up. This is the best realistic (well, fairly realistic) racer since "Gran Turismo 3," and in many ways, it's even more fun. [Jan 2004, p.150]

Pure magic. Soft lighting effects and elaborate, detailed architecture give the entire experience the quality of an opium-induced vision where time moves at the speed of your imagination. PoP's immersive atmosphere takes you to another level altogether. [Dec 2003, p.186]

My biggest problems, though, are with the unevenness of the penalties called and shots that go in.

Easily a contender for sleeper hit of the year, providing an excellent mix of platform-style exploration and fast-paced, action-packed gunplay that manages to stay fresh and interesting throughout. [Dec 2003, p.199]

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]

Instead of being boring, it's totally unbalanced and infuriating. [Jan 2004, p.142]

Fails to do anything exciting or revolutionary, nor does it execute anything any better than other basketball offerings do.

If only the developers had spend half as much time fine-tuning the enemy A.I. as they did finessing the graphics, XIII would be incredible. [Dec 2003, p.196]

For the first half of the game, varied missions keep the action interesting. After a dozen sorties, however, it get old, and all but the most patient pilots will want to pop the canopy. [Jan 2004, p.109]

The edgy cartoon trappings kept me interested in this game far longer than its actual gameplay. Which is to say, about an hour - or maybe three, if you count the two times I had to restart because I was still figuring out the Story mode's rules that don't let you retry events.

Pure magic. Soft lighting effects and elaborate, detailed architecture give the entire experience the quality of an opium-induced vision where time moves at the speed of your imagination. PoP's immersive atmosphere takes you to another level altogether. [Dec 2003, p.186]

Easily a contender for sleeper hit of the year, providing an excellent mix of platform-style exploration and fast-paced, action-packed gunplay that manages to stay fresh and interesting throughout. [Dec 2003, p.199]

Warhammer is so crammed with cliches -- color-coded door keys, exploding barrels, and grimy environments I swear I've already prowled through in "Quake" -- that it feels like it's just going through the first-person-shooter motions. [Dec 2003, p.210]

This is the kind of game that you have to sink many, many hours into, so you might just want to wait for the vastly superior "Final Fantasy XI." [Feb 2004, p.120]

Performance, of course, is more important than appearance, and Underground boasts better handling than any other arcade racer. It's also faster. [Jan 2004, p.118]

This incredible compilation is a dream team of sorts for anyone old enough to remember having to <I>out</I> to play the best videogames. [Jan 2004, p.128]

In terms of atmosphere, no other college basketball game captures the sights and sounds of a university arena quite like this.

Everything your typical RPG is not - fast-paced, action-oriented, colorful and lighthearted - yet it's the best game the genre has seen on the GBA. [Jan 2004, p.162]

Performance, of course, is more important than appearance, and Underground boasts better handling than any other arcade racer. It's also faster. [Jan 2004, p.118]

In terms of atmosphere, no other college basketball game captures the sights and sounds of a university arena quite like this. [Jan 2004, p.116]

Pure, exhilarating glee will envelop your soul, demanding that you keep playing "just one more game" into the wee hours of the morning. It's that good. [Dec 2003, p.230]

Performance, of course, is more important than appearance, and Underground boasts better handling than any other arcade racer. It's also faster. [Jan 2004, p.118]

It's still Monster Rancher, though, and it's still great for fans like me, but it's not the step forward I was craving. [Jan 2004, p.142]

Although the title looks amazing, the gameplay feels a little stiff. In attempting to create the most realistic college experience, Sega took some of the fun out of the game. [Jan 2004, p.116]

Although the title looks amazing, the gameplay feels a little stiff. In attempting to create the most realistic college experience, Sega took some of the fun out of the game. [Jan 2004, p.116]

A near-perfect blend of first-person shooting and smart-guy tactics. [Jan 2004, p.146]

Mixing Walt Disney's colorful whimsy, the industrial distopias of French cinematographers Jeunet and Carot ("City of Lost Children"), and "Zelda" mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto's genius for flexible gameplay, BG&E is mesmerizing, ominous, and, most of all, memorable. [Dec 2003, p.200]