That the game manages to both come to a satisfying conclusion and still make it clear that Kratos' adventure is far from over is quite a feat and a lesson that other action-game developers could learn something from. [Apr 2007, 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]

This game bursts with one brilliant design decision after another - including a Gamebreaker power-up system that is, finally, perfect. [Mar 2007, p.86]

Like the previous Def jams, Icon can't decide what kind of game it wants to be. [Apr 2007, p.88]

Like the previous Def jams, Icon can't decide what kind of game it wants to be. [Apr 2007, p.88]

GRAW2 may not make the same splash as its predecessor, but it's still a no-doubt award winner. [May 2007, p.85]

It's a decent enough action-platforming romp, sure, but it's clearly not the product of the real Wario crew. [May 2007, p.87]

Yeah, F1 looks great, but I felt more like I was guiding the camera around the track on a flyby than driving a 19,000-rpm racing beast. [Apr 2007, p.84]

As a "My First SSX," Blur is passable. But for longtime SSX fans, this installment's much too limited coursewise, the track design is as poor as "SSX on Tour's", and instead of innovating, the unreliable motion controls get in the way. [Apr 2007, p.80]

The visual upgrade will get you bby this season, 2K, but come back peddling the same lackluster feature set next year and I'm sendin' you to the minors. [Apr 2007, p.89]

The visual upgrade will get you bby this season, 2K, but come back peddling the same lackluster feature set next year and I'm sendin' you to the minors. [Apr 2007, p.89]

Virtua Fighter 5 kicks everyone's ass up and down the block. Sure some fighting series like "Soul Calibur" and "Tekken" distract you with all kinds of extra modes and, uh, bowling, but VF5 rises above the pack thanks to the sheer depth of its gameplay. [Mar 2007, p.84]

While Secret Rings does a decent job at stopping the bleeding caused by the recent 360/PS3/PSP Sonics, it's not quite there yet. [Apr 2007, p.76]

That the game's multiplayer co-op is integrated perfectly with the single-player campaign, allowing friends to jump right in and join at any point without any fuss, is just gravy. It's something I'd love to see other developers do more of. [Mar 2007, p.90]

This game bursts with one brilliant design decision after another - including a Gamebreaker power-up system that is, finally, perfect. [Mar 2007, p.86]

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]

The puzzles could be more elaborate to match up with the solid combat, sure, but compared to the handheld competition, Size Matters measures up quite nicely. [Apr 2007, p.92]

Play is for people who don't really play games, and as someone who really does, that's a problem. [Feb. 2007, p.86]

The same addictive Zelda-meets-Metal Gear gameplay returns here, and its satisfying mix of slashing, shooting, and roleplaying never disappoints. [Mar 2007, p.94]

A better effort overall, but a few mishaps away from competing with the big leaguers. [Mar 2007, p.92]

What I like most, though, is the game's brisk pace. Even within the first five hours, I felt like I had lived a virtual lifetime. [Mar 2007, p.92]

File this under "Why Bother?" [Mar 2007, p.93]

Sure, the game isn't a masterpiece, but until the PS3 raises its role-playing anchor, it'll at least help keep the PS2 afloat. [Feb. 2007, p.94]

Ten minutes into the approximately hour-long tutorial and I thought this game probably should've stayed on PC. [Mar 2007, p.88]

You absolutely need more than one (perhaps two) friends to get past the game's flaws: bland menus, a ridiculously annoying announcer, and less than 50 minigames that get old fast. [Mar 2007, p.88]

With a cast of well-written characters, branching conservations, and a cool interface, this is the adventure the DS has been dying for. [Feb. 2007, p.97]

It's a solid effort, but it just doesn't have the minute-by-minute gravity of 2K7's college game. [Feb. 2007, p.89]

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]

It may not be the only game to put the Wii Remote through its paces, but it's certainly the most interesting. [Feb. 2007, p.82]

Sleek graphics and a fast start can't mask what's an entertaining but ultimately disposable diversion. [Feb. 2007, p.90]

It may not be the best party version of Revolution, but this game fills a lot of individual Idol fantasies. [Feb. 2007, p.95]

Much like "Katamari Damacy", Elebits is continually taking baby steps toward bigger and better things, only without the personality. [Jan. 2007, p.64]

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]

Shooting up a building/tanker/rival definitely looks good as you drive by at 135 mph, or maybe reverse time to get a second, closer glimpse, but both the combat racing and arena-style battles have been done to death and back by other games, and better. [Feb. 2007, p.88]

Even with my "I dig all things Star Wars" glasses on, I still realize this is an average-at-best game. [Feb. 2007, p.99]

Predictably slick graphics, haunting tunes, challenging bosses, and pinpoint control once again make this a perfectly engrossing DS quest. [Jan. 2007, p.110]

This new portable Metal Gear installment finally gives us the tactical espionage action we expect from an MGS title...and a whole lot more. [Feb. 2007, p.98]

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

It's just mediocre all around. [Jan. 2007, p.106]

It's just mediocre all around. [Jan. 2007, p.106]

If Superman spent more time flying around the city and zero time fighting repetitive enemies, his game would be way better. [Jan. 2007, p.102]

Words of warning: You need to give squad-based shooter Vegas some time to grow on you, particularly in the fairly short single-player campaign. [Jan. 2007, p.100]

Once you strip away the nifty new controls, you're left with a flawed shooter that does nothing I haven't seen a million times. [Jan. 2007, p.62]

Twilight Princess is a rarity: a game that spans 60 hours and never once feels boring. Between the immaculate gameplay, the devious puzzles, and the gripping story, it's simply the best Zelda ever. And that's saying a lot. [Jan 2007, p.56]

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 like the concept behind this pack-in, but Wii Sports simply ends up being an overly publicized demo. [Jan. 2007, p.63]

It's like an old-school Sonic game minus anything that made those games good. [Jan. 2007, p.106]

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]

So long as you stick with the multiplayer, this game is a decent monkey-filled ball. [Dec. 2006, p.116]

The game's addictive job system makes plowing through the fun battles worthwhile. [Dec. 2006, p.152]

I could've dealt with the much-lauded adventure elements, subpar graphics--even that clown Shadow--but the bottom line is that this feels more like some hack job created by a bunch of Sega interns as opposed to a game from a competent developement studio. [Jan. 2007, p.95]

The developers should have spent more time fine-tuning the controls. [Jan. 2007, p.60]

SSX vets will feel right at home with Downhill Jam. [Jan. 2007, p.60]

For now, Resistance delivers a launch classic, but not quite the hoped-for "Halo" killer. [Jan. 2007, p.74]

Finally, the vague puzzles and unhelpful map also had me questioning whether this was next-gen. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

But in the end, Rabbids feels more like a Wii-mote demo than a full game--not enough flesh on the bone. [Jan. 2007, p.66]

But, for as fresh as it seems, it also feels horrendously outdated in terms of story and characters. [Dec. 2006, p.128]

But, for as fresh as it seems, it also feels horrendously outdated in terms of story and characters. [Dec. 2006, p.128]

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

While you'll now find more variety in supermoves, some are still wickedly unbalanced (especially the interception Gamebreaker). [Dec. 2006, p.140]

Yeah, the game's pretty--consider that half the battle. Now, we just need the basketball-fundamentals part. [Jan. 2007, p.80]

If you've already hacked through any of the "Champions of Norrath" or "Baldur's Gate" PS2 games, then you'll find little here to hold your interest. [Jan. 2007, p.80]

It's an adequate platformer, yes--with solid controls and great first-half pacing--but I'd never choose this over the sublime original. [Dec. 2006, p.150

Yes, you'll encounter a touch of the overly familiar sameness you get when you play any "Ridge Racer", but it's like slipping on a well-worn pair of jeans: It feels fine every time. [Jan. 2007, p.81]

May your future romantic disappointments be less expensive. [Jan. 2007, p.96]

For something to tug on the heartstrings to the degree that Viva Pinata does is stunning. [Jan. 2007, p.97]

I should absolutely hate Gears of War. Tactical combat, a big emphasis on using cover, one-death-and-your-done multiplayer--all three have always been on my list of gaming pet peeves. But ironically, these aspects make up much of the reason why I absolutely love it. [Jan. 2007, p.92]

My idea of fun does not involve a tedious repetition of something that makes no sense. [Dec. 2006, p.156]

After playing Call of Duty 3, I wonder if maybe it isn't time for a break from WWII first-person shooters. [Jan. 2007, p.98]

Finally, we've got a 360 Tony Hawk game that looks like a 360 game. [Jan. 2007, p.97]

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]

Aside from the bitchin' new modes, Guitar Hero II is essentially the same game with new songs. [Dec. 2006, p.134]

Still, the core single-player experience is as addictive and elegant as ever. [Dec. 2006, p.158]

Minor complaints, though--this is the most creative and entertaining music game this side of "Guitar Hero". [Dec. 2006, p.151]

FFV Advance may seem the least of the trio, but don't be put off by its simple graphics or the fact that it's on the GBA--it's one of the series' best, and this is a better-than-perfect port. [Jan. 2007, p.111]

But the repetitive combat and insistence on finding random key cards will likely keep this sleeper from waking up. [Nov. 2006, p.138]

From its lively outdoor backdrops to the striking architecture found in its cities and dungeons, this PS2 title will even please--at least visually--those with next-gen FF firmly on the brain. [Nov. 2006, p.126]

Running from cover to cover, you'll need to master the art of popping out at just the right time to blow away the enemy. Unfortunately, Liberation seems unsure what to do with it, falling into a repeating loop of key hunts, escort missions, and increasingly impossible battles. Bummer. [Dec. 2006, p.156]

They've added no-frills co-op and a second character but stayed within the comfortable confines of mindless action. [Dec. 2006, p.160]

It's great fun and forces cooperation unlike any other racer. [Dec. 2006, p.132]

The whole of what's here still stuns in the uncompromising GTA way, putting it--with sister game "Liberty City Stories"--leagues above anything else on the PSP. [Jan. 2007, p.108]

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]

Sure, I applaud Sega for attempting to transform the single-player experience into something meatier, but poor voice acting and clumsy storytelling lend the proceedings a cheesy B-movie vibe. [Jan. 2007, p.101]

Sure, I applaud Sega for attempting to transform the single-player experience into something meatier, but poor voice acting and clumsy storytelling lend the proceedings a cheesy B-movie vibe. [Jan. 2007, p.101]

Rebirth is certainly more fun than its predecessors--whether that will last for the next two games remains to be seen. [Dec. 2006, p.142]

The backdrops are more diverse, the "God of War"-like quick-time events add some much-needed flavor to boss encounters, and item maintenance is now kept to a minimum. [Jan. 2007, p.102]

I am certainly a big fan of the game's vibrant, anime-inspired graphics, but with no replay value and a lot of frustrating, nonsensical puzzles, Touch Detective isn't quite worth solving. [Nov. 2006, p.141]

My thumb got so sore from the continuous U-turns that soon I was looking for relief in the form of the eject button on my PSP. [Dec. 2006, p.160]

The biggest problem, however, is the wonky stylus control. [Nov. 2006, p.140]

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

It's amazing how well Bully nails a huge assortment of activities. Everything, from midway games to English class, is fun. [Dec. 2006, p.146]

Splinter Cell still offers the most unique multiplayer around, and Double Agent will keep me happily entertained for quite some time--probably well past Fisher's retirement party. [Dec. 2006, p.121]

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]

We can't pretend that Justice League is anything but a mindless beat-em-up. [Dec. 2006, p.138]

Anyway, 07 plays just fine, but once again this edition leaves you wanting (and expecting) much more. [Dec. 2006, p.132]

Why my laziness? Because some of the "minigames" here are actually mind-numbing test of mental endurance, about as fun as working in an Indonesian sweatshop. [Nov. 2006, p.134]

We can't pretend that Justice League is anything but a mindless beat-em-up. [Dec. 2006, p.138]

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]