I give developer Treyarch credit for its ambitious GTA-style playground game design, but the errands Spider-Man sends you on are repetitive and dull. Combat is part of the problem; you can buy all sorts of fancy moves and combos, but why bother when button-mashing works just as well? [Sept 2004, p.98]

I'm not sure which is harder: keeping Robert Downy Jr. away from a crack pipe or establishing a consistent offense in All-Star Baseball. [June 2002, p.118]

I swear, you could probably nail players in the groin nine times out of 10 with these controls if you practiced enough. [Feb 2002, p.164]

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

I give developer Treyarch credit for its ambitious GTA-style playground game design, but the errands Spider-Man sends you on are repetitive and dull. Combat is part of the problem; you can buy all sorts of fancy moves and combos, but why bother when button-mashing works just as well? [Sept 2004, p.98]

Samurai's unique but ultimately clunky combat system avoids repititious button-mashing with parry-and-dodge techniques that keep you on your toes. [August 2002, p.130]

The lack of a season mode or player development helps make this the perfect Friday night pick-up before (or after) hitting the town. [Oct 2005, p.118]

Eminently playable, and more importantly, replayable. All the hacking and slashing should get old after a while, but the infamous "quest for stuff" kept me going for the long haul. [Oct 2003, p.168]

Shockingly decent. [Dec 2004, p.170]

This GameDay beater is so challenging and fun that you shouldn’t feel shame for sticking to PS1 Madden for another year. [Oct 2001, p.156]

Yes, the storyline holds the power of cheese, but it did keep me wondering what would happen next. [Jan 2002, p.228]

It's not a mind-blowing epic, but Folklore's style alone is worth experiencing. [Dec 2007, p.110]

Overlord has a neat idea, but it really needs more direction. Or should I say directions? [Aug 2007, p.77]

You must buy this rad $20 collection of 20 good, bad, and butt-ugly games. [Dec 2004, p.170]

A pretty basic vehicular shooter...However, the sheer brilliance of the different multiplayer matches makes it worth the price of admission. [Dec 2002, p.242]

Almost a tee-to-shining-tee rip-off of Sony's "Hot Shots Golf" series, complete with jabbering caddies and "wacky" unlockable golfers. [Feb 2003, p.144]

Shockingly decent. [Dec 2004, p.170]

With 2K Sports nabbing the exclusive third-party baseball-sim rights to the MLB license, it had a golden chance to nab the hardball crown from EA's NCAA-license-relegated MVP series. Instead, we get this scattershot effort. [May 2006, p.94]

A good game that would've been great if it ran as fast as the PS2 version. [Nov 2002, p.300]

Once you catch on, using the stick feels fluid and natural – thus more immersive. [Apr 2002, p.141]

Clearing each squad of dim-witted goons is rarely an intellectual challenge but always entertaining as an ultraviolent display of beauty and precision -- it's like a John Woo movie without the doves and opera music. [Feb 2003, p.135]

What saves CBJ from mediocrity is the fact that you can customize the bejeezus out of your vehicle, adding an extra layer of depth to an otherwise not-so-deep game. [Sept 2002, p.162]

While I love Whiplash's over-the-top concept and humor, its gameplay and graphics languish in a sea of averageness. [Jan 2004, p.128]

Aside form a handy save-game feature, though, it doesn't feel like much has changed here from the last game - at least not in terms of gameplay. [July 2002, p.126]

It remains worth it for all of the reasons that made the original Tactics so engrossing: Switching between different jobs, mastering new abilities from your gear, and recruiting and building your clan all remain as appealing as ever. [July 2008, p.82]

This game simply represents the show faithfully, and it’s fun to play. [Jan 2002, p.232]

The sheer length of the Career mode will draw you in, and you can use the cars and levels that you unlock there in the Arcade and Multiplayer modes. [August 2002, p.136]

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]