Trust me: The nostalgia is lost after you bash your hundredth battle droid or start getting creamed by the enemies' cheap gang-up-on-you tactics. [July 2005, p.116]

The translation is extremely well done; a thoughtful and compassionate retelling of a fascinating legend. Excellent stuff. [Sept 2001, p.148]

Even though gameplay is pretty much the opposite of innovation (with the exception of the multiple characters, and more chances to drive a tank compared to the PC version), the presentation is second to none. [Jan 2005, p.124]

I almost died laughing during a round of battle sync mode, in which two people dance simultaneously doing coordinated moves. [May 2004, p.90]

It's one of the most polished games I've played since "The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction." [Nov 2005, p.138]

Hardcore quirky-game fans will want to slow down for a peek at this car wreck, while everyone else is better off speeding on by. [Nov. 2006, p.125]

FIFA looks incredible but follows EA Sport's 360 trend--the next-gen product possessing a fraction of what the current-gen version offers. [Dec. 2006, p.126]

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]

The sense of speed – especially with a built-up racer – is amazing, but it comes at a price: boring, repetitive textures. [Apr 2002, p.139]

It's one of the most polished games I've played since "The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction." [Nov 2005, p.138]

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

Beautiful Katamari does something very wrong--it tarnishhes the series' hallmark simplicity and ease. [Dec 2007, p.126]

Once you learn enough to outfit your mech to personal preferences (which quietly becomes addictive) and begin to effectively execute missions, Nexus can suck you in. Not great, but worth it for more patient mech-heads. [Oct 2004, p.102]

A crucial piece of the puzzle is missing here: communication. [Nov 2002, p.292]

Contact offers a creative island-hopping adventure that stands taller than many recent portable RPG's. [Oct. 2006, p.119]

The nuts and bolts of Tony Hawk still provide some fun, but at this point it's just ancient left-overs of what used to be something special. [Holiday 2007, p.68]

The level design is straightforward and challenging (especially later stages) but relatively low on surprises. [Apr 2002, p.141]

A very solid racing title that, if anything, ,is just a tad too short. [July 2002, p.120]

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.

An RPG that deftly copies "Final Fantasy X" but is burdened with a story that plays more like a "deleted scenes" bonus DVD than anything coherent. [Holiday 2004, p.104]

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

Last year's realistic military-shooter SOCOM 3 was great, but I felt tricked after popping in the so-called sequel, Combined Assault. The game is a lot like the previous one, with a key difference: the "combined assault". [Jan. 2007, p.104]

Things pick up around chapter 8, but by then you may be in deep sleep. [June 2007, p.84]

Factor in a slick presentation, sweet unlockables, and Wi-Fi multiplayer for many games, and it's a must-have PSP release. [May 2006, p.106]

If you need a simple gunplay fix this could maybe see you through a weekend... [July 2006, p.92]

I enjoyed watching the fireworks as my pyromaniac character exploded another radio tower/tank/U-boat/door, but between history class and explosions, Assault didn't keep my blood pumping.

Precise controls, a deep magic system, and massive levels make this a fully above-average slashathon. [July 2004, p.99]

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]

Like a mediocre Buffy episode: Decent plot, predictable Scooby-gang hijinks, and lots of fighting action and bad vampire puns... It also throws in...the iffy graphics engine that produces lifeless character movement and collision issues. [Oct 2003, p.134]

Siren is an experiment gone awry -- a confusing fog-sacked combination of stealth and survival-horror that'll drive you batty with frustration before it can creep you out.

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]

The lack of online in the first MHF was bad; in a sequel it's unforgiveable. [Oct 2007, p.103]

If you're a fan of films like "Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," you'll feel right at home with this twisted tale. [Mar 2003, p.122]

Ys noticeably lacks ambition, but it totally nails the classic feel it's going for. [March 2005, p.126]

The problem is, the control is so sluggish that combat is a chore while exploring is a bore. [Feb 2006, p.110]

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

The nuts and bolts of Tony Hawk still provide some fun, but at this point it's just ancient left-overs of what used to be something special. [Holiday 2007, p.68]

Nope, this 3D fighter forces you to wrap your head (and hands) around a shockingly deep control system utilizing nearly every button on the Wii-mote and Nunchuck. [Dec. 2006, p.118]

As much as Demon Stone tried to suck me in with its impressive graphics and presentation, it pushed me away with rote gameplay and imbecilic A.I. [Dec 2004, p.148]

It doesn't take an old-school purist to realize that this game just hasn't translated well to 3D. [Mar 2006, p.105]

It won't light the world on fire, but this playground offers plenty of things to do and destroy. [Nov 2008, p.69]

The first few levels drag a bit, but by the time you hold your full suite of special abilities, the combat really clicks. [May 2008, p.80]

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]

The game's wide array of races runs the gamut from interesting to bizarre, but one constant factor lessens the overall impact - the racin' be slow. [Nov 2004, p.128]

Both the hokey dialogue and overly dramatic voiceovers are on par with a late-night B-movie on Cinemax. [Oct 2004, p.111]

The game is a whole lotta fun. The pacing's a bit off--the story missions seem to take forever on the first few mountains, then you scream through the last three.

Sucks all these sci-fi staples together into some kind of cliche black hole that also happens to look killer and deliver serious scares and thrills. [June 2005, p.96]

The story never really gets interesting, but the action-heavy combat system is fresh and gets more fun the longer you play. [Jan 2006, p.128]

Half of the events don't even bother with the touch screen or microphone, leaving us with too many uninspired, Nintendo 64-era minigames. [Jan 2008, p.95]

The fact that I greeted each completed level with relief rather than satisfaction ain't encouraging. [Sept. 2006, p.108]

The Club certainly brings nothing innovative to the venerable shooter genre. [Mar 2008, p.83]

While I too had a good time out on the tracks, ProStreet's bog-standard (but still superb-feeling) racing does little to evolve the series. [Holiday 2007, p.68]

For a game so short on looks and character, Black Kat is surprisingly engaging. [May 2002, p.109]

Get rid of the drama, though, and Burst Limit becomes a delight. [July 2008, p.78]

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.

That strategic team planning and stealthy single-player combat is fun. It just needs to be more consistent...and controllable. [Jan 2008, p.95]

I had hoped for a lot more, but it seems like the push to get it online was all Fever's developers focused on. [Oct 2002, p.204]

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]

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]

The game's combat fails to impress. This button-mashing free-for-all brawling just isn't very engrossing. [Mar 2003, p.134]

It won't light the world on fire, but this playground offers plenty of things to do and destroy. [Nov 2008, p.69]

Maybe In the Groove isn't a real dance revolution, but it takes some (gulp) steps in the right direction. [July 2005, p.112]

It's aimed at hardcore Dynasty afficionados... more of the same Dynasty brawling, but it's discount price makes it easy on the wallet. [Feb 2003, p.135]

The game's real thrill: piloting your triple-changing fighter, which you'll transform constantly to handle different situations. [Nov 2002, p.283]

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

What initially seemed overly mathematical and number-crunchingly complex has now taken over my psyche. When I close my eyes I see pulsating dice in fabulous combinations. [Sept 2003, p.113]

There's a good and varied crop of creeps to slaughter, but, sadly, using the Xbox controller with its imprecise analog stick to blast said creeps is more chore than it is pleasure. [Dec 2002, p.250]

A nifty, if linear, action-RPG. [August 2002, p.136]

It's the kind of game you'd make your mom play to show her that not all videogames involve stabbing hookers. [Jan 2005, p.135]

Early on, you fight a boss named Jack of All Trades - add the usual "master of none," and you've got a pretty apt description of this game. [July 2008, p.]

Is it a game or is it a simulation? Yet again, it's neither, and Tiburon has failed for the second year running to strike the gllorious balance it achieved with NASCAR 05. [Oct. 2006, p.110]

This 40-hour quest could've really used a few legitimate dungeons to explore, but the narrative and combat alone kept me hooked. [July 2003, p.106]

The AI is so completely non-existent that the old "whack one button and win" strategy still works wonders. [Nov 2001, p.220]

Army of Two definitely doesn't deliver the genre revolution some were expecting, but I still had a good time spraying bullets with a buddy. [May 2008, p.82]

Play solo, and you'll find scant motivation to hew through hundreds of drooling monsters. Forming a party, on the other hand, changes everything. [Nov 2003, p.189]

I found myself playing the game simply because I had nothing better to do, not because I was particularly into it. [Sept 2005, p.119]

It&#146;s a solid game from a technical standpoint, but extraordinarily bland from a gameplay perspective. [Jan 2002, p.208]

It's a solid game with lots of good stuff...But its slow, repetitive pace keeps the thrills in check, and the bosses are either pitifully easy or painstakingly annoying. [Nov 2003, p.188]

Those who have long since retired their Shrek-themed bedsheets will find the game easy and repetitive [July 2004, p.94]

The first few levels drag a bit, but by the time you hold your full suite of special abilities, the combat really clicks. [May 2008, p.80]

But a lack of feedback to help you understand what caused an errant shot makes it more frustrating than fun to perfect your motion. [Feb. 2007, p.87]

The series' much ballyhooed new FielderCam is underwhelming - this behind-the-fielder view controls well enough, but it's virtually impossible to know the tragectory and speed of the ball, leaving you to rely on onscreen indicators. [May 2004, p.90]

As for Tiger's mechanics, arthritics beware. If my backswing was jittery, I swung before I intended to--which is frustrating, as the maddening result is a dink instead of a dive. [Apr 2007, p.83]

Electro-plankton might have been more engaging if it gave you goals, such as coming up with a certain number of notes in a given amount of time or having to replicate songs and riff on them. It should, at the very least, have allowed you to save your work; instead, your musical creations are fleeting and forgettable.

The difficulty won't have you curling up into the fetal position, rocking yourself to sleep, however -the game is engaging with all that strategy and, thankfully, plenty of save points.

It's pretty telling that it's a simple cash-in when the game is far better using last generation's controller. [Aug 2007, p.70]

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]

Still, the cool battle system and character customization options keep it from reeking of cattle crap. [Oct 2007, p.100]

It's not going to change your life, but it will definitely make you smile. [Dec 2002, p.268]

If, like Milkman, you want the genuine Godzilla in a fighter, give DAMM a shot. If you'd rather have genuine fighting, stay far away. [May 2003, p.132]

The shallow but fun Live games put this prettier version of CW a few parsecs beyond its PS2 and Cube cousins. [June 2003, p.114]

Frankly, playing with the contents of Kirby's tummy will just have you hungry for something of more substance. [Jan. 2007, p.111]

Nanostray should come in a plain white box labeled VERTICAL SPACE SHOOTER--it's as generic as games come.

Get rid of the drama, though, and Burst Limit becomes a delight. [July 2008, p.78]

Somehow, developer Sonic Team managed to meld everything great about the previous PSOs (aesthetic beauty, and engaging online community, and the never-ending quest for better equipment) with a simple, addictive card game. [Apr 2004, p.128]

Entertaining enough at first, but lacking any staying power. [Apr 2008, p.78]

Although ZF does a great job of sucking you into a world of squad-based heavy metal warfare, I can&#146;t recommend it to anyone but hardcore Gundam fans. [Feb 2002, p.154]

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]