Easily a contender for sleeper hit of the year, providing an excellent mix of platform-style exploration and fast-paced, action-packed gunplay that manages to stay fresh and interesting throughout. [Dec 2003, p.199]

Based on the classic "Tetris Attack," Pokemon Puzzle League is a highly addictive substance. [Jan 2004, p.189]

The premise intrigues, but Assassin's Creed is an incomplete template based on multiple other games. [Jan 2008, p.88]

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

It's not perfect--the difficulty spikes randomly throughout and spamming units produces easy victories--but it's a step up from "Heroes of Mana". [Holiday 2007, p.87]

A seasoned gamer might find Vs. easy at first, but mastering each stage in an attempt at beating the high score proves much more challenging - and ultimately rewarding. [July 2004, p.108]

It's unfortunate that the underlying mano a mano action can't match the rest of Deception's ambitious package, but precious little has been done to improve upon the last MK's ("Deadly Alliance") leaden, mash-happy combat. [Dec 2004, p.152]

From the crazy crowds to the way the camera shakes while shooting free throws, this edition even outshines longtime atmosphere king "March Madness". [Jan 2008, p.90]

Xenosaga's long, strange trip comes to an early yet oddly satisfying end with this climactic finale. [Oct. 2006, p.112]

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]

Even at those speeds, the heart-pounding moments are few and far between. [Nov 2001, p.206]

There hasn't been a more thrilling motocross game since Nintendo's "Excitebike 64." [August 2002, p.124]

So genuinely terrifying, you can't help but appreciate its incredible art direction. [Feb 2004, p.114]

For the first half of the game, varied missions keep the action interesting. After a dozen sorties, however, it get old, and all but the most patient pilots will want to pop the canopy. [Jan 2004, p.109]

Every orifice oozes Pokemon quality - everything but the flippers themselves have some kind of link to the Pokeverse. [Nov 2003, p.202]

Most hockey games serve up similarly snazzy visuals, tight control, and expansive options, but none of 'em focus on purely wild-and-fun gameplay like this. [Oct 2003, p.136]

This year's MX is certainly the most professional motocross game I've played - the physics are flawless and every race has nail-biter potential, even if you're dead last heading into the final lap. [Apr 2004, p.118]

Loads of awesome game types to play with your buds. [August 2002, p.136]

A competitive and addicting game that’s full of variety, pep, and personality. [Oct 2001, p.150]

While the on-field action feels sluggish and unresponsive at first, you soon learn to work with the pace of the game and play it like you would the sport, rather than just the videogame. [Nov 2007, p.107]

It’s like every aspect of 2D fighting history converging on a single screen, and it’s almost mind-boggling. [Dec 2001, p.236]

Dawn's unlockable goodies will give "Street Fighter" fans a surefire boost, but anyone simply looking for an evolution in Onimusha will leave feeling shortchanged. [Apr 2006, p.103]

It's unfortunate that the underlying mano a mano action can't match the rest of Deception's ambitious package, but precious little has been done to improve upon the last MK's ("Deadly Alliance") leaden, mash-happy combat. [Dec 2004, p.152]

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]

The game is practically a carbon copy of the current-gen edition. Seriously, now I know why the words "Xbox 360" are scribbled on the score overlay--it's almost the only way to tell that you're playing a supposedly enhanced version of NBA 2K6.

I'm not sure what upsets me more: the horrendous mess that is Perfect Dark Zero's single-player game or all the glowing reviews out there (including Che's). Are these crazies playing the same game as me?

The gaping chasm between FIFA and "Winning Eleven" may now be a photo finish. [Dec 2004, p.156]