Sure, these chaotic stages look amazing, but annoying mission objectives erode a big chunk of the fun. [Dec 2002, p.252]

I haven't had any desire to catch 'em all for damn near five years now, but this remake lured me back into the critter-collecting biz. [Nov 2004, p.153]

A no-frills but still decent update. You can exit your car now! Wow! [Jan 2004, p.188]

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]

It has a great sense of humor - but it handles the serious stuff with equal panache. [Nov 2004, p.144]

But Stranglehold is choked by some mediocre level design, unreliable controls, and a point of view so tight on the creepy virtual Chow Yun-Fat that it feels almost claustrophobic. [Nov 2007, p.104]

I haven't had any desire to catch 'em all for damn near five years now, but this remake lured me back into the critter-collecting biz. [Nov 2004, p.153]

Bursting with an ingenuity cure for jaded RPG gamers, JC2 inspires the sleeping role-play addict to awaken. [Feb 2002, p.148]

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]

Admittedly, I would rather go through a season of the deep-pitching "MVP Baseball" or option-heavy "ESPN" over this, but if you don't ahve someone to play alongside you, SlugFest ain't a bad consolation. [Aug 2004, p.100]

As you'd expect, another year of learning the ins and outs of the 360 has translated into the developers producing a more polished brand of football. [Oct. 2006, p.107]

Give this one a try to experience something truly different, though be warned, it's a seriously hardcore game. [May 2005, p.90]

When it comes to creating an accurate table tennis simulation, Rockstar aced it. [July 2006, p.89]

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]

Newcomers should stay away ("I can't duck? or shoot up?!"), but for those of us who grew up with Capcom's blue bomber, 30 bucks for this high-quality collection of old-school favorties is a steal. [Aug 2004, p.101]

On the field, 06 mostly nails the Madden feel. [Nov 2005, p.156]

Yakuza delivers a superbly paced, mature, and well-acted narrative in the spirit of classic Japanese gangster flicks. [Oct. 2006, p.112]

An addictive and charming game. It could have used a lot more modes and maps, but I enjoyed its simplicity, fast-paced action and great controls. [Dec 2001, p.250]

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]

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

Even with these ill-advised changes, it's still one helluva game: Creative, unpredictable levels keep you on your toes, killer bosses pepper the levels, and impossibly good graphics erupt from your aging GBA.

Two-player is so much fun it makes MAX2 a worthwhile investment for anyone looking for a shallow but thrilling party diversion. And Workout mode is a blast if you're at all concerned with weight loss. [Nov 2003, p.185]

It all feels so, well, irrelevant--pushing around a bunch of tiny characters and dealing with their assorted toys provides loads of intellectual satisfaction, but I found it hard to make a real connection.

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]

Do you have the patience to work through the frequent shot frustration? If so, you'll enjoy the almost ridiculous amount of content shoehorned in here. [Oct 2007, p.91]

For wannabe thugs in upper-middle-class houses countrywide, Saints Row will seem like a sleek glock from the gods. [Oct. 2006, p.104]

Kinda like last year's "Metal Arms," this over-the-shoulder robo-shooter totally ambushed me with how unexpectedly awesome it is. [June 2004, p.103]

I won't be playing this one for hours on end, but it's easily the best classics compilation ever put together. [Oct 2005, p.121]

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

It’s the best action-oriented war game on the planet, flaws and all. [Jan 2002, p.208]

Were it not for the sometimes-unclear objectives (coupled with a tough-to-follow map); puzzles that almost always involve throwing an enemy into a wall, spikes, and the like; and some minor annoyances, this one would be award worthy.

Do you have the patience to work through the frequent shot frustration? If so, you'll enjoy the almost ridiculous amount of content shoehorned in here. [Oct 2007, p.91]

If you can stay on your bike long enough to appreciate it, MGP2’s excellent weather effects and pervasive sense of speed will immerse you in its cutthroat reality. [Mar 2002, p.138]

But it can't match San Andreas' scope, and as good as the game is, I found myself treading between boredom and frustration more than I'd like.

It's fast, fun, and most importantly, free. [Oct 2002, p.192]

While tolerable at the time, should've been titled "Metal Gear Weak." Try again, sorry. [Jan 2004, p.189]

It's just an overall final layer of polish that keeps March Madness from the National Championship. [Jan 2003, p.176]

Despite the addition of execution moves and a recharging life guage, the series' renowned(and reviled) difficulty is left mostly unchanged. [Aug 2008, p.80]

Does a pretty good job of walking the line between reheated leftovers and fresh meat. [Dec 2005, p.178]

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

Diehards may call foul, but the looser grip on reality really ups the fun quotient. [Jan 2005, p.134]

It also introduces a cerebral angle to a genre that's left little to the imagination and makes it all the more unnerving as the hell on the other side of the hole in your wall closes in. [Oct 2004, p.96]

This is what gaming is all about: simple controls, nonstop action, and buckets of fun. [May 2007, p.84]

Killzone is either A) two years ahead of its time, or B) on the wrong hardware. The PS2, bless its little heart, just cannot do consistent justice to the game's ambitious design. [Holiday 2004, p.124]

I love Hoffman’s superb soundtrack, and if you dig hip-hop, you will too. [Nov 2001, p.216]

A solid, fun racer, but its repetitive single-player events and limp four-player online multi (Xbox only) sap its power. [Jan 2006, p.120]

Overall, BoF exemplifies hand-held role-playing done right. [Dec 2001, p.264]

Rogue Agent does do a lot of things extremely well, though. The enemies are realistic, ducking in an out of cover, constantly moving, even updating each other on what you're doing ("He's behind the bar!" - brilliant). [Jan 2005, p.130]

A potent concoction that should appeal to any RPG fan. [July 2005, p.112]

Complete rosters and statsitical tracking complement a simple, quick and fun game engine. [Nov 2001, p.222]

The detailed plot adds an interesting twist to the genre, but honestly, all the talking gets a little old after a while, especially since the main character's usually just whining. [Feb 2003, p.135]

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]

Ubisoft's become the go-to publisher for quirky, portable puzzle games, it seems. [Mar 2006, p.115]

The action is hectic, and more importantly, every unit on the battlefield enacts its role very effectively, from the largest artillery carrier to the lowliest ground troop. [Feb 2003, p.147]

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

Team chemistry and prestige are just as important as your personal points standing in NASCAR 06, which makes the whole experience much deeper. [Oct 2005, p.113]

My main knock against the game is that it can be hard to see the little rolled up Samus, uh, ball at times, particularly during boss fights when the big fellas and their minions are pelting you with rocks or rockets or blast waves or just negative thoughts, and extra particularly when the ball gets hung up in the dead zone between the upper and lower screens.

Thief's visuals are so nearly pitch black that it's easy to get lost in the shadows, making mapping out new environments a plodding process. [Aug 2004, p.108]

Solid…if you want something smaller with a focus on character development, give Tsugunai a whirl. [Feb 2002, p.158]

Breaking up recipes into several steps, each its own minigame, is an enjoyably elegant gameplay mechanism; it works particularly well here on the Wii. [May 2007, p.80]

The new on-the-fly weapon-selection system helps me overlook TC3's inherent brevity and outdated graphics. [Nov 2003, p.187]

Rogue Agent does do a lot of things extremely well, though. The enemies are realistic, ducking in an out of cover, constantly moving, even updating each other on what you're doing ("He's behind the bar!" - brilliant). [Jan 2005, p.130]

If you haven’t tried this series yet, you are really missing out on the nicotine/booze/sugar/sex of video gaming. [Nov 2001, p.214]

The analog nub is too sensitive for the series' signature swing system. [May 2005, p.98]

Through what I assume is some kind of mystical voodoo magic, the game cleanly details every frame of a 100-mph car chase without batting an eye. [Apr 2002, p.144]

This is, hands down, the best game for oval-track racing fans. [Sept 2001, p.145]

This is as close as a console RPG has come to pen-and-paper games like "D&D": deep, non-linear and H-U-G-E, with more characters, towns and dungeons than you can imagine. [August 2002, p.134]

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

I say Prologue is a demo. [July 2008, p.80]

I'm no fitness expert, but I don't see Wii Fit supplanting gymnasiums or aerobic instructors any time soon. Not that it's bad. [July 2008, p.76]

Still, Saints 2 evolves the genre with its character creator and the ability to play the entire game cooperatively online. [Dec 2008, p.74]

Thanks to its incredibly deep Season mode, Pain is easily the best wrasslin' title since the days of the Nintendo 64. [Jan 2004, p.140]

Despite recycled levels, repetitive enemies, chaotic combat, and unbalanced characters, just controlling four X-Men and using their powers is usually enough to make up for Legends' flaws. [Holiday 2004, p.100]

Rogue Agent does do a lot of things extremely well, though. The enemies are realistic, ducking in an out of cover, constantly moving, even updating each other on what you're doing ("He's behind the bar!" - brilliant). [Jan 2005, p.130]

A pleasant surprise. [Apr 2008, p.76]

In several aspects, this sequel out-classes its predecessor as a quality role-playing experience. [May 2002, p.115]

Each campaign mission plays out in wonderfully designed stages created specifically to capture your imagination. [Aug 2006, p.86]

It's a Mario game draped in pink and dipped in a vat of sparkles. [Mar 2006, p.110]

The only noticeable difference between this and the PS2 version of PMW2 is that the load time has been reduced significantly. [May 2002, p.113]

Between the terrific cinemas, TV voice actors, and perfectly re-created story lines, you'll really feel like you're playing the show. And isn't that what you've wanted all along? [Feb 2003, p.136]

Sonic’s only real problem is the god-awful camera control. [Sept 2001, p.146]

Spectacularly bizarre in a good way. [Oct 2001, p.148]

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

You don't really face any hard-to-kill adversaries until you're well into the 16 missions. [July 2002, p.126]

Team chemistry and prestige are just as important as your personal points standing in NASCAR 06, which makes the whole experience much deeper. [Oct 2005, p.113]

On the sports side of things, this baller is hands-down the most visually stunning game at the 360 launch. Actually, it's the only one that truly looks "next-gen."

It feels less like a sequel and more like a remix of the original game. [June 2002, p.124]

Curse is thus leagues better than its PS2 predecessor, but it still doesn't reach the legendary status of its 2D forerunners, mainly because of a lack of Metroid-style open-ended level progression.

While not as groundbreaking as its forerunner, Boktai 2 still innovates enough to warrant your attention. [Holiday 2004, p.140]

If you're looking for serious Blitz fun, get four friends together for multiplayer, as this is where the game really shines. [June 2002, p.120]

The good news about NCAA 2K2 is that it plays almost exactly like "NFL 2K1." [Nov 2001, p.216]

A quality, enjoyable action-RPG...On the strength of DH's story alone, you have an RPG worth not only playing but owning. [Oct 2002, p.179]

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

Between the unstable camera, gooey controls, and fundamentally tough objectives, finishing Ecco is definitely a labor of love. [May 2002, p.107]

It's unbelievable how a game that's so addictive and enjoyable on the big consoles can lose so much in its transition to portability. [Dec 2005, p.174]

Strategic RPG elements greatly augment play and have the added benefit of balancing out the game's more mindless moments. [Jan 2003, p.210]

The control is a bit sloppy, but the tracks really improve as the game progresses. [Mar 2003, p.134]

Once Bullet Time’s novelty wears off, you’re left with a repetitive shooter, blasting the same species of enemy over and over. [Feb 2002, p.158]