Thankfully, the control works well and makes for adequately thrilling online multiplayer...well, as thrilling as a four-player king of the hill match can be. [May 2006, p.109]

This sequel makes it fun to be the Prince again.

A masterpiece...PSO will, ever so slowly, sink its addictive claws into your brain, never to let go, even after you've beaten it once. Or twice. Or more... [Dec 2002, p.93]

This may not be an innovative title, but it's an excellent example of developers really nailing a game's design and clearly shows what separates the experts from the amateurs.

It may not only threaten to take over your life, but also frustrate the heck out of you. [June 2004, p.98]

What really lights my fire is the Career mode…Second on my list of great stuff is the sweet control. [Dec 2001, p.244]

The new Freeze steps (where you hold your foot down in one direction for multiple beats) are a great addition to the high-steppin' action. [Dec 2002, p.202]

Taking the checkered flag involves strategy, which the Grudge/Alliance feature exemplifies perfectly. Still, the controls are a bit too unforgiving for the casual racing fan. [Oct 2003, p.132]

Hit me over the head like a ton of virtual bricks. [July 2008, p.74]

Those realistic touches finally makes this the game we knew next-gen Madden could be, burying all memories of target-video snafus. [Oct 2007, p.90]

Still, despite the tedious travel periods, Far Cry 2 features some truly gorgeous environments, (mostly) satisfying combat, and a lengthy, entertaining campaign. [Dec 2008, p.66]

Ultimately, it's another addictive treadmill of a game that offers nearly limitless replayability and depth. [July 2007, p.94]

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]

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

Does a fantastic job of putting you into the world of the movie through its graphically stunning reproductions of the film's war-torn sets, smooth transitions from thriling cinema clips, into exciting gameplay, [and] top-notch voice work. [Dec 2003, p.181]

The most immersive NASCAR title ever on any console...The ultimate mix of speed, beauty, gameplay and worthwhile extras. [Nov 2002, p.306]

But with each new feature comes a downside: First-person aiming makes regular combat easier...but it also makes boss battles far <I>too</I> easy; the new cut-scenes are brilliantly produced...when they're not overdosing on painfully cliched bullet-time effects; and the graphical overhaul is nice...but we know GameCube is capable of better. [Apr 2004, p.126]

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

Fight Night does what any good "sports sim" should: It teaches you how to excel at the sport it sims while still remaining fun, somehow. [May 2004, p.87]

You have to give credit to the brilliant blockhead who forced this awesome yet fundamentally bizarro idea on LucasArts. [Oct. 2006, p.111]

One of the best licensed games of this generation and one of the best brawlers since the days of Billy and Jimmy Lee.

This is a thinking man's game; jump out and rush like Rambo and not even a pair of well-oiled pecs will save you.

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]

Acclaim's solid first-person shooter is heavy on the fog. It is atmospheric, though. [Jan 2004, p.189]

It's still quite a good game--I just wonder why it feels like a step back from the previous trology. [Jan 2009, p.69]

The controls are indeed a dream, effectively putting to rest the notion that a strategy game can't work on a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

2K5 looks better, moves better, and controls more intuitively than EA's hoopster. [Dec 2004, p.158]

Scary, and I'm talkinng freaked-the-f***-out-at-3 a.m. scary. I mean it - afer an inexplicably horrific run-in with a blood-spewing bathtub at Brookhaven Hospital, sleep was out of the question for me. [Sept 2003, p.114]

"Groovy," "trippy"...however you want to describe it, Extreme does right by the classic. [July 2008, p.84]

The difficulty will undoubtedly polarize, but as something unique, Skate is more than welcome. [Nov 2007, p.108]

Still, despite the tedious travel periods, Far Cry 2 features some truly gorgeous environments, (mostly) satisfying combat, and a lengthy, entertaining campaign. [Dec 2008, p.66]

Fight Night does what any good "sports sim" should: It teaches you how to excel at the sport it sims while still remaining fun, somehow. [May 2004, p.87]

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]

In Advance Tour, all the extraneous questing, character building, and item collecting just works. [July 2004, p.106]

The campaign's quick-paced action and violent nature will entice any FPS fan. [Jan 2009, p.75]

Atlus separates the men from the quivering, weeping boys with one of the funniest, deepest, and downright dastardly RPG's you'll ever play. [Oct 2003, p.150]

It's "Pong" on steroids, with lifelike graphics, technically deep controls, and awesome sound effects - I love hearing my player's feed shuffle on the court and that satisfying thwop of a well-hit ball. [Nov 2005, p.154]

FIFA's Off-the-Ball control not only increases your offensive potency tenfold but also provides hardcore soccer studs with an added level of gameplay they've been beggin' for from the series. Plus, no other game of footie has such stellar graphics or electrifying stadium atmosphere. [Dec 2003, p.204]

Although not necessarily its core mechanic, few things are more satisfying in Mercenaries than blowing crap up, and the enormous variety of methods with which you can do that makes it an absolute joy to play... The first truly great game of 2005. [Feb 2005, p.101]

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]

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

What clever things Future Perfect does within its trek-across-the-time-continuum framework... It works in the only way it can: with a whole lot of humor. [April 2005, p.115]

DUB redlines on the gorgeous meter. Everything blurs and tunnels to help convey a giddy feeling of speed—and then you hit the nitrous.

This is the only next-generation game title that realistically re-creates every facet of the game...The graphics, animation and sound are much improved. [Mar 2002, p.135]

The first fighter I have ever felt truly comfortable playing on a portable. [Nov 2001, p.222]

I don’t know what kind of smack the graphics are on, but they just pop out of the screen at an almost unbearable intensity; it’s a very cool effect. [Mar 2002, p.136]

An extremely popular anime-style role-playing game of epic proportions. [Jan 2004, p.189]

If it weren't for the local multiplayer, this repackaging would seem almost pointless. But getting 10 people in a room all going crazy with items (Mario Kart-style zingers you throw at your opponents) is truly fun.

This sequel makes it fun to be the Prince again.

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]

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

The game plays substantially better than last year's 360 debut, with a greater sense of rebounds and loose balls being tipped around and more control on defense. [Nov. 2006, p.119]

ToCA 3 is not unplayable, but it definitely needs some tweaking. [Mar 2006, p.102]

I'm a hardcore basketball fan, so 2K6 had me immersed immediately. The upgraded graphics help, but it's the ingenious shot stick that really dominates the feel of the game.

Devil May Cry 4 is easily the best DMC since the original--and it's loaded with massive replay value--but some puzzling design choices ensure that Capcom still has plenty of work to do. [Mar 2008, p.77]

Quite possibly the best superhero game to date. A slow start soon gives way to "God of War" intensity that takes of and never looks back. [Sept 2005, p.108]

You have to give credit to the brilliant blockhead who forced this awesome yet fundamentally bizarro idea on LucasArts. [Oct. 2006, p.111]

The controls are indeed a dream, effectively putting to rest the notion that a strategy game can't work on a console. [Aug 2008, p.70]

Live gets the nod from me this season, partly 'cause of its extras, which include a three-point and surprisingly deep slam-dunk contest. [Bryan; Dec 2004, p.158]

Who needs the real-world risk when you can play the finest, most realistic motocycle-racing game on a console? [July 2002, p.124]

Along with top-notch handling and car physics, you'll find a meaty championship mode, wicked terrain, and dazzling weather effects (tackling the Japan course during a torrential downpour is especially impressive) under McRae's hood. [Apr 2004, p.122]

An absolutely phenomenal experience... GameCube desperately needed a title like this. [Feb 2003, p.151]

DUB redlines on the gorgeous meter. Everything blurs and tunnels to help convey a giddy feeling of speed-and then you hit the nitrous.

OK yeah, the game's tough—as in Ninja Gaiden, you'll have to learn certain techniques to beat particular enemies. But the action is so much more interesting and entertaining in DMC3 than it was in the previous games, thanks mainly to the new fighting-style system, I didn't really mind the difficulty.

A really good game. The brighter, more varied environments range from nice-looking to simply beautiful. [Dec 2002, p.216]

Edging out its PS2 brother with enhanced graphics and a new mini-scenario, SH2:RD is the definitive version of Konami&#146;s foggy frightfest. [Jan 2002, p.230]

It&#146;s amazing that the now two-year-old engine is still kicking butt&#133;Only if you don&#146;t own a DC or a PS should you buy this. [Sept 2001, p.147]

Devil May Cry 4 is easily the best DMC since the original--and it's loaded with massive replay value--but some puzzling design choices ensure that Capcom still has plenty of work to do. [Mar 2008, p.77]

Three out of three EGM reviewers agree: Black Arrow is almost indistinguishable from the original Rainbow Six 3...Besides new maps and a few new modes, there's nothing different about Black Arrow's gameplay. [Sept 2004, p.106]

I'm a hardcore basketball fan, so 2K6 had me immersed immediately. The upgraded graphics help, but it's the ingenious shot stick that really dominates the feel of the game.

It strikes a perfect balance between racing and aerial trickery so one doesn&#146;t overshadow the other &#150; they&#146;re equally important. [Jan 2002, p.220]

Short-lived, but a decent portable Spidey game. [Oct 2001, p.158]

SSS ensures a quick, pick-me-up rush of fun. [May 2002, p.113]

Thanks to some intelligent tweaks, you'll now find a much better balance between offense and defense. It's not as easy to blow by a defender on the perimeter, but when you do, the adjusted A.I. compensates and another defender picks you up.

Quite possibly the best superhero game to date. A slow start soon gives way to "God of War" intensity that takes of and never looks back. [Sept 2005, p.108]

Does a fantastic job of putting you into the world of the movie through its graphically stunning reproductions of the film's war-torn sets, smooth transitions from thriling cinema clips, into exciting gameplay, [and] top-notch voice work. [Dec 2003, p.181]

If you liked "Ace Combat 4", this is more of the same good stuff - gorgeous planes, complex missions, and a real feeling of being in the middle of a war, thanks in part to scripted events, radio chatter, and the massive scale of it all. [Holiday 2004, p.109]

A huge improvement over last year's "Heat," but still not good enough to quiet EA's "Thunder." [Dec 2002, p.204]

Blows the doors off anything that came before it. [Nov 2002, p.283]

Outside of "Tetris," "Tetris Attack," and "Pokemon Puzzle Challenge," this is probably the best handheld puzzle game around. [Mar 2002, p.146]

It's been a while since I played a game with such engaging, pure, and thrilling action, and on top of the excellent single-player game, there's a pretty cool co-op mode to nicely round out the package. [Apr 2004, p.114]

One of the best licensed games of this generation and one of the best brawlers since the days of Billy and Jimmy Lee.

You have to give credit to the brilliant blockhead who forced this awesome yet fundamentally bizarro idea on LucasArts. [Oct. 2006, p.111]

The adventure genre (hell, the industry in general) should take notes. If your mind's open, let this one in.

Nothing beats wondering weather something will work - can I possess that sniper in the watchtower, make him shoot the other sentries, then dive to his own death - and discovering that it does. [Aug 2004, p.102]

Konamix is worthy, an dif you enjoy music games, you owe it to yourself to get this one. [June 2002, p.120]

The best part of all, though, is the story mode, which not only has a great create-a-fighter option, but also a surprisingly good story that almost flawlessly ties all aspects of the game together. [Nov 2004, p.132]

While "Live" has made great strides this year, 2K3 is so far ahead of the curve, it's astounding. [Dec 2002, p.236]

If you regularly immerse yourself in the crazy s*** that comes out of Japan, Disgaea 2 probably won't faze you. Everybody else: You've been warned. [Sept. 2006, p.99]

Finally, a Japanese role-playing game for everyone who hates how talky and slow-moving the genre has become--Silmeria thrusts you into an action-packed quest laden with complex dungeons, tricky puzzles, and plenty of intense, strategic combat. [Sept. 2006, p.104]

Like many, I was pretty bitter at the loss of the originally planned single-player mode, but what Warhawk ultimately evolved into is a fantastic, accessible take on "Battlefield". [Oct 2007, p.94]

Does a fantastic job of putting you into the world of the movie through its graphically stunning reproductions of the film's war-torn sets, smooth transitions from thriling cinema clips, into exciting gameplay, [and] top-notch voice work. [Dec 2003, p.181]

You really can&#146;t go wrong with this finale to a LucasArts legacy, so be sure not to miss the boat. [Aug 2001, p.111]

Intense, exciting and hella fun. [Dec 2002, p.270]

I can't recommend this game enough. [Nov 2002, p.300]

When your boys start screaming as RPG rounds streak by, showering 'em with flying plaster and car parts, you'll feel silly for assuming you'd miss being the one pulling the trigger.

As with the last Battlefront, I still feel like I'm controlling cheap plastic toys rather than real soldiers, tanks, or spaceships. Everything looks and feels so insubstantial, with no tangible weight or physics.

Finally, a SmackDown game that's paced like real wrestling and veers away from the usual arcadey button-mashathon.