Don't overlook this title just because it's 2D; the graphics here are detailed and ingeniously designed - the current pinnacle of pixelated art and animation. Behind the pretty facade is a fighting system as deep as any classic of the genre. [Oct 2004, p.110]

Slowdown, crappy animation, dumb A.I., and a laggy control scheme are bad enough, but it's the stupendously awful level design - with impassible areas that might as well be invisible walls - that really takes the cake. [Nov 2004, p.130]

Fight the war with friends instead: Co-op mode minimizes casualties and lets the otherwise captivating "oh sh***!" moments shine. [Dec 2004, p.156]

Fight the war with friends instead: Co-op mode minimizes casualties and lets the otherwise captivating "oh sh***!" moments shine. [Dec 2004, p.156]

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]

The speed is staggering, and the smashes spectacular...Burnout 3 blows the doors off its predecessors with bliteringly fast online play, a massive single-player mode lousy with unlockables, and all the right gameplay tweaks. [Oct 2004, p.100]

The game's wide array of races runs the gamut from interesting to bizarre, but one constant factor lessens the overall impact - the racin' be slow. [Nov 2004, p.128]

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]

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]

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]

The speed is staggering, and the smashes spectacular...Burnout 3 blows the doors off its predecessors with bliteringly fast online play, a massive single-player mode lousy with unlockables, and all the right gameplay tweaks. [Oct 2004, p.100]

Collectively, the infuriating missions and maddening difficulty swings prove to be overwhelming, sucking away what little fun there is. [Nov 2004, p.136]

Collectively, the infuriating missions and maddening difficulty swings prove to be overwhelming, sucking away what little fun there is. [Nov 2004, p.136]

Collectively, the infuriating missions and maddening difficulty swings prove to be overwhelming, sucking away what little fun there is. [Nov 2004, p.136]

SRS just lacks the certain something that made "Need for Speed Underground" so exciting. It's disappointing, because SRS covers all the bases except for the two most important in this genre: There's no real sense of speed, and the handling lacks weight or feel. [Oct 2004, p.98]

The game deteriorates into a sloppy mess of nonsensical objectives, oh-so-awkward moments, and guards as brainy as microbes. [Oct 2004, p.110]

No other 2D fighter offers the same weirdly perfect blend of tight controls, intuitive moves, and lovable characters. [Sept 2004, p.105]

The twixt-battle strategy curves the game throws in - take on temporary status effects, recoup numbers lost in battle, form alliances with other clans - make it a notch more interesting than any other Dynasty title. [Oct 2004, p.102]

Storywise, if developer Tri-Ace had slimmed down the boring, medieval planet section (which hogs about 70 percent of the game) and fast-tracked you to the crazy head trip that is the fourth dimension, Time could have been an awesome, shorter RPG. Instead, it's merely a solid, loooooong game. [Oct 2004, p.104]

This mind-boggling sequel to cult hits "Disgaea" and "La Pucelle: Tactics" is easily the most overwhelming game I've ever played, with almost infinite aspects to consider. [Oct 2004, p.108]

Or, if you're a life-hating masochist, you can waste $40 on The Guy Game, spend countless hours answering dumb trivia questions - and guessing if vapid skanks can answer dumb trivia questions (usually not) - and then...maybe see breasts. [Nov 2004, p.128]

There are some potholes - the graphics get choppy at times, and the retail-car challenges seem tacked on - but the sheer variety is something that even non-NASCAR fans will find addictive. [Oct 2004, p.98]

SRS just lacks the certain something that made "Need for Speed Underground" so exciting. It's disappointing, because SRS covers all the bases except for the two most important in this genre: There's no real sense of speed, and the handling lacks weight or feel. [Oct 2004, p.98]

There are some potholes - the graphics get choppy at times, and the retail-car challenges seem tacked on - but the sheer variety is something that even non-NASCAR fans will find addictive. [Oct 2004, p.98]

SRS just lacks the certain something that made "Need for Speed Underground" so exciting. It's disappointing, because SRS covers all the bases except for the two most important in this genre: There's no real sense of speed, and the handling lacks weight or feel. [Oct 2004, p.98]

For me, the big thing is feeling like I'm actually on the ice. ESPN's physics and skating put me there. "NHL 2005" is too stiff compared with the flow in 2K5. [Oct 2004, p.99]

For me, the big thing is feeling like I'm actually on the ice. ESPN's physics and skating put me there. "NHL 2005" is too stiff compared with the flow in 2K5. [Oct 2004, p.99]

This budget-priced shooting gallery would be more thrilling if your plane didn't control like a garbage truck sliding across ice. [Dec 2004, p.170]