Once you adapt to the slightly weird controls and learn to deal with the unpredictable enemy A.I., you'll find a good-looking game that does an excellent job of putting you in a hitman's shoes. [Aug 2003, p.121]

I recommend Bug Mutha Truckers for the occasinal distraction or one-nighter, but don't expect it to keep you entertained for the long haul. [Aug 2003, p.111]

This game gets no points for creativity whatsoever... That said, Murray is loads of fun and provides that twitchy instant gratification every well-implemented action-sports title should. [July 2003, p.108]

Besides the graphics, which still look good, the game has not held up well. [July 2003, p.118]

You won't be disappointed with this game's high octane pace, simple arcade controls, and flamboyant finishers. [July 2003, p.112]

Simply the best online racer yet. [Aug 2003, p.116]

It's fairly mindless and all too easy. [Mar 2003, p.126]

Sonic's tables aren't especially innovative, but they do offer quite a bit of variety, and the gameplay is fast-paced and fun. [July 2003, p.117]

If anything can bring your romanticized WWII fantasy crashing back to reality, it's inconsistent A.I. [Aug 2003, p.119]

The controls are stiffer and less forgiving than Ike Turner on Viagra, and when your crash-prone rider respawns after eating dirt, he's often facing a wall. [Sept 2003, p.122]

The boss battles, too, seem to borrow a page from the messy showdowns that spoiled "X2: Wolverine's Revenge." They're so infuriatingly cheap, you'll want to Hulk-smash your controller. [Aug 2003, p.120]

The moronic A.I. and repetitive missions will bore you, and the irritatingly humongous levels just prolong the torture. [Aug 2003, p.123]

It's like an action movie that, if you don't set your expectations high, you'll end up enjoying. [Aug 2003, p.109]

Laughable characters aside, this game just ain't fun. It's so simple that even experienced players fare better pounding one button than trying to executre combos or reversals. [July 2003, p.122]

It's very different from anything out there. I've never seen a game as frenetic, fast-paced, or absolutely hilarious as this. [June 2003, p.132]

A high level of rider and bike customization and goodly amount of attribute points to be earned mean you'll be playing this one for quite a while. [July 2003, p.106]

The combat is so-so; it's tense and action-packed, but unforgiving summoning and attack systems drain most of the fun. [June 2003, p.113]

Playing Boomstick is more excruciating than having your sphincter sewn shut and being force-fed prunes. [Shawn, July 2003, p.118]

The requisite Franchise mode and instant replays are foolishly MIA - what gives? The graphics also fail to impress, and trying to control more than one runner at a time gave me headaches. [June 2003, p.131]

In more than 20 years of playing games, I have never seen a console game as obviously unfinished and rushed to market as Enter the Matrix...This game is a complete mess, and that's the only complete thing about it. [Aug 2003, p.114]

In more than 20 years of playing games, I have never seen a console game as obviously unfinished and rushed to market as Enter the Matrix...This game is a complete mess, and that's the only complete thing about it. [Aug 2003, p.114]

In more than 20 years of playing games, I have never seen a console game as obviously unfinished and rushed to market as Enter the Matrix...This game is a complete mess, and that's the only complete thing about it. [Aug 2003, p.114]

Sadly, the game still doesn't quite live up to its high-concept premise. Battles often degenerate to button-mashing, the difficulty is still wildly inconsistent, and the dungeons are woefully unimaginative. [June 2003, p.127]

All I know is that Aria of Sorrow is the best GBA title to date. [Shane; June 2003, p.116]

An attractive, engrossing, complex adventure that easily ranks alongside heavyweights like "Golden Sun" and "Lunar Legend." [Mar 2003, p.134]

What elevates this Wolf above the FPS pack is its online aspect. The different playable characters and match types give multiplayer a unique emphasis on teamwork that's a perfect match for Xbox Live's voice-chat capability. [July 2003, p.105]

Xboxers luck out with the most polished Burnout yet, and a handful of thoughtful tweaks will inspire envy in PS2 and GC vets. [July 2003, p.121]

The game's strange mix of sim and arcade gameplay will please no one, and will leave serious Lotus fans in support groups, talking about what could have been. [June 2003, p.124]

Exactly the sequel I'd hoped for... Scarily addictive - I found myself awake until the wee hours playing to unlock past NBA greats and upgrade my own player's attributes. [May 2003, p.118]

All the pipe crawling and shadow sneaking give SC diversity other GBA adventures lack. [June 2003, p.127]

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]

The U.S. Delta Force puts up such a piss-poor fight in this game, playing through it might actually boost the Republican Guard's morale. [June 2003, p.130]

It's dog slow, with shallow gameplay and a whole three varieties of power-ups. [July 2003, p.110]

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]

Voice chat makes this, by far, the best version of an already amazing experience. [July 2003, p.116]

Incredibly innovative, wickedly addictive gameplay is the compelling reason to pick this up. It's pure genius. [May 2003, p.126]

It's unnaturally hard, with save points so few and far between, you'll definitely relate to Wolverine when he goes into a Berserker Rage. [July 2003, p.120]

Age sports some remarkably tricky puzzles and labyrinths. I'm a sucker for difficult dungeons, so these brain-benders kept me enthralled (and occasionally baffled) throughout. [May 2003, p.138]

A bland-looking, simplistic fighting game. Inuyasha's button-mash gameplay feels stiff and dry, so even Versus matches aren't likely to hold your interest for long. [May 2003, p.136]

Even though you get more varied action from a "Metal Gear Solid," what's here is so well designed, I remained jaw-dropped impressed from start to finish. [June 2003, p.126]

The range of multiplayer games and user-created race routes means near-limitless replay value and the chance to earn cred on a much larger street. [June 2003, p.111]

A frantic pace and wonderful sense of creeping doom keep players running and gunning smoothly - well, except for that flaky camera. [May 2003, p.136]

Easy to get into, intensely fun, and horribly addictive - the best racer on the Cube by a long shot. [June 2003, p.80]

The excellent stealth gameplay, tangible sense of danger, and believable scenario (take that, "MGS2") render this a must-play experience. [May 2003, p.120]

"Final Fantasy" is an impenetrable mess with a bare-bones bore of a battle system that's all about mindless levelling-up. But "Final Fantasy II" is a real treat: The story, system, and pacing all hold up marvelously. [Apr 2003, p.134]

A rocket ride with airtight controls and quicksilver pacing that's rarely interrupted by aimless wandering. [May 2003, p.132]

While the story line has fewer twists than a breadstick, the game is addictive because the balanced fighting engine keeps every battle interesting. [Apr 2003, p.114]

May be old, but it's still one of the best puzzle games ever made. Thankfully, this handheld incarnation delivers a stunningly accurate port. [May 2003, p.136]

A cool team-play aspect makes up for the lackluster fighting. [May 2003, p.132]

It is fair to compare MVC2 to the less pixilated, more balanced, online-enabled, and just plain superior "Capcom vs. SNK2." Against that heavyweight, this codger has no chance. [June 2003, p.112]

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]

AM could've been the next great PS2 racer, if only Capcom had hired a mechanic who specialized in handling. [June 2003, p.131]

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]

No other game so seamlessly melds punch-n-munch gameplay with the stat management and grand scale of real-time strategy. [May 2003, p.116]

The graphics are a mess, the special moves are unresponsive, the animation is less fluid than a flip book, and the combat lacks strategic incentive. [June 2003, p.114]

There's not much of an actual game here. [May 2003, p.134]

The virtual soap operas I inevitably create keep me totally hooked. [May 2003, p.128]

Plus, chicks dig it, making it great for couples play. [May 2003, p.113]

"[Expletive], the animation is incredible!" (Mark)... Wind Waker's core gameplay is the best the series has ever had. (Shane)... The world is so perfectly realized that everything just fits. (Gregg) [Apr 2003, p.122]

The fighters here look great in a shiny Ken doll sort of way, but the gameplay and general presentation are merely passable. [May 2003, p.134]

I just can't shake the feeling that I've played these games three or four times before - and the new garnish isn't enough to take the series to the next level. [May 2003, p.139]

A solid, sometimes engaging action-platformer, but nothing more. [Apr 2003, p.116]

With its hokey, R.L. Stein thrills, much of the game feels like survival-horror lite for the campfire storytelling set. [May 2003, p.114]

The cruel difficulty hampers the enjoyment. [Apr 2003, p.116]

Playing Tao Feng is a lot like diarrhea; the longer it lasts, the more irritated you get. [May 2003, p.134]

I think this is the most unplayable game I've ever encountered... and I've played some real crap. [June 2003, p.112]

Plays just like Namco's previous two games, with deceptively difficult turns and a great sense of speed. [Apr 2003, p.116]

I smell what THQ is cookin', and it's damn foul... Wrestlers spouting generic one-liners while engaging in car wars is just plain dumb. [May 2003, p.130]

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]

A staggering sports sim worthy of praise, with spectacular graphics, depth, and gameplay. [Apr 2003, p.116]

Stringent pilot-training courses and competitions seem dull at first, but as you unlock cooler aircraft, the fun blossoms. [Apr 2003, p.111]

For the first time ever, pitching is actually as much fun as htting, thanks to a strategic, realistic interface that perfectly balances risks and rewards. [May 2003, p.113]

Gameplay is instinctive, chaotic, and breathtaking. Unfortunately, the entire thing is still very linear, a bit too segmented, and repetitive. [May 2003, p.124]

Unless you're completely worn out on the series, you'll find this to be one of the best action games on the GBA. [Apr 2003, p.132]

WSB2K3's lifelike player models, fluid animations, and countless customization options help it stand out among this year's crop of baseball games. [Apr 2003, p.132]

My Street challenges me to think of a single type of gamer who would actually enjoy playing it. [Apr 2003, p.116]

A pocket adrenaline rush; it's the perfect complement to the more moderately paced Mario games already in your collection. [May 2003, p.136]

Although the mech designs are beautiful and the presentation is slick, an overly busy HUD and vague control feedback make hunting enemies much more problematic than it should be. [Apr 2003, p.132]

A huge selection of new minimissions allows for more time playing as famed series stud Solid Snake, and they further exploit "MGS2"'s strongest suit: the gameplay. [Apr 2003, p.111]

If nothing else, Wrath of Heaven succeeds where it absolutely must - executing stealth-kills as a ninja is simply exhilarating, and the animations rock. [Apr 2003, p.118]

Despite the hour-long cinemas, it has more gameplay than most RPGs thanks to its deep battle system, tons of customizable stats, detailed minigames, and absorbing side quests. [Mar 2003, p.128]

You won't find a better offroad racing simulation anywhere. [Jan 2003, p.194]

I literally fell asleep 15 minutes into my first "exciting" mission of taking pictures of fish, so that should tell you something. But stick with it, and you may find yourself inexplicably drawn in. [Mar 2003, p.116]

KFC's humor is about as subtle as a punch to the groin, and not nearly as smart. [Apr 2003, p.128]

Gorgeous graphics, inspired combat, fun minigames, and cool puzzles and platform challenges bolster play immensely. [Apr 2003, p.130]

It simply can't compete. First of all, the batting is physically painful. [May 2003, p.132]

If you compare HH to the rest of this year's baseball crop, there's no contest:... High Heat triumphs by focusing squarely on gameplay. [Apr 2003, p.111]

Honestly, I don't think I've ever had as much fun with RPG battles before. [Apr 2003, p.112]

You can call an RPG a lot of things - compelling, cinematic, thought-provoking - but rarely addictive. Dark Cloud 2 is completely, utterly addictive. [Mar 2003, p.111]

Fast, pretty, and controls almost perfectly. [Mar 2003, p.134]

A surprisingly addictive experience. The problem is, it takes forever to learn how to play the damn thing. [Apr 2003, p.120]

With a slightly bigger budget, a lot less slowdown, and better dialogue, Report wold be a great game. As it is, it's just a good survival-horror game without the horror. [Mar 2003, p.116]

I found myself losing interest quickly... Pride is a bit too one dimensional for most fighting fans. [Mar 2003, p.126]

I've wanted to play an online Capcom fighter for a long time now, and CvS2 is more than I could've hoped for. Online play is surprisingly smooth. [Feb 2003, p.152]

Each stylish set piece is matched by two or three (or ten) ignoble deaths from cheap bosses or bottomless pits. [Apr 2003, p.128]

A game so fresh and unique, it just begs to be experienced despite its flaws. [Feb 2003, p.138]

Anyone turned off by FIFA's deliberate pace and complex controls might find an approachable bopper here. [Mar 2003, p.126]

It's when you stand back and think about the tacky, clunky graphics and the intrinsically repugnant battle system that you realize what's wrong here - and what another MMORPG needs to do right. [Mar 2003, p.118]