It's smoother, prettier, and features a new Tower mode that rewards players with unlockable art based on the franchise's history. [May 2005, p.130]

The single-player offering is incredibly fun, and the multiplayer bouts bring limitless depth and couldn't be much more contagious. [May 2005, p.128]

This level of sub-mediocre FPS boredom isn't even close to worth its $20 price point. [June 2005, p.126]

While all the components from the franchise are here, it lacks that over-arching cohesion. [Apr 2005, p.116]

This PSP title gives you a full feature set. [May 2005, p.136]

I'm blown away by how well this title has been ported to PSP. [May 2005, p.136]

Sticking to walls is entirely too easy and camera control on the d-pad isn't an optimal configuration. [May 2005, p.134]

While playing God of War, I honestly found it difficult to resist the urge to simply genuflect and be humbled to be in the presence of such digital divinity, this god among games. [Apr 2005, p.122]

Put simply, NARC is a mess. Every time it starts to show a little potential, it blindsides you with a nearly unplayable mission, amazing camera failure, or a flat-out boring sidequest. [May 2005, p.112]

As one of those perhaps misguided fans, I find myself returning to the game repeatedly, if only to see what happens next. [June 2005, p.134]

The hand-drawn environments are gorgeous, as are the visuals as a whole, but that doesn't mean I want to see the same areas again and again. [March 2005, p.130]

Some of the most antiquated and broken gameplay available on modern consoles. [June 2005, p.126]

It's business as usual over at 989, and it must figure business is pretty good. Well, it isn't - it's pathetic. [Apr 2005, p.128]

Looks great, and moves pretty damn fast, but it does little more than meet the average requirements of any car game... Despite the new-fangled PSP, this game remains stuck in the arcade era. [May 2005, p.138]

Companies ought to respect their history enough to let it be. [Apr 2005, p.128]

Snake has made a surprisingly smooth transition into the world of turn-based combat. [May 2005, p.126]

A phenomenally addictive and brilliantly designed masterpiece, and the moment you lay down the bucks for a PSP, Lumines should go in that same shopping cart before you walk out of the store. [May 2005, p.130]

Nice four-player support and a fairly long quest are definite pluses, but don't make up for Untold Legends dropping the ball so badly on the level design front. [May 2005, p.134]

Merely a slightly annoying, if charming, run-of-the-mill platformer. [June 2005, p.136]

Put simply, NARC is a mess. Every time it starts to show a little potential, it blindsides you with a nearly unplayable mission, amazing camera failure, or a flat-out boring sidequest. [May 2005, p.112]

Some of the most antiquated and broken gameplay available on modern consoles. [June 2005, p.126]

Some of the most antiquated and broken gameplay available on modern consoles. [June 2005, p.126]

Whether you are striving for higher ranks or want to dazzle people with a map that you created and uploaded, TimeSplitters' online presence is unprecedented and simply irresistible. [Apr 2005, p.114]

The GameBreakers are unbalanced and the new non-interactive GameBreaker 2's are shameful. [May 2005, p.136]

Whether you are striving for higher ranks or want to dazzle people with a map that you created and uploaded, TimeSplitters' online presence is unprecedented and simply irresistible. [Apr 2005, p.114]

Whether you are striving for higher ranks or want to dazzle people with a map that you created and uploaded, TimeSplitters' online presence is unprecedented and simply irresistible. [Apr 2005, p.114]

While all the components from the franchise are here, it lacks that over-arching cohesion. [Apr 2005, p.116]

Those with good stylus support (particularly "Centipede" and "Missle Command") are an absolute blast. [May 2005, p.128]

When a game is unpredictably rendered unplayable, spending even one minute with it is one minute too long. [May 2005, p.132]

Several tweaks have helped to streamline the racing experience, but there really isn't a lot I'd label as innovative beyond its excellent appearance on the new handheld. [May 2005, p.132]

Delivers simple but enjoyable gameplay. [May 2005, p.136]

Although Brothers in Arms is not light years from your average military title, it institutes important gameplay changes that invigorate the player and influence the way the title is played. [Apr 2005, p.124]

Top off this stubbornly shoddy gameplay with un-funny cutscenes and a glaring lack of online play and, well, there isn't much here to be super happy about. [Apr 2005, p.117]

A good, solid RTS that brings some new things to the table in terms of gameplay, but I never really shook the feeling that I was still playing "Command & Conquer: Generals." [Apr 2005, p.138]

Some minor tweaks are appreciated, like having all of the minigames unlocked from the beginning, but nothing has been done to alleviate SMB's myriad frustrations. [Apr 2005, p.117]

While it does have its weaknesses (the levels are a bit generic and there was a bit too much backtracking for my taste), Musashi succeeds with great visual style, excellent humor, and rock-solid gameplay. [March 2005, p.128]

Fails to establish any real mood or atmosphere, and just ends up being boring. [May 2005, p.110]

It seems to shoot itself in the foot whenever it's poised to really take off and achieve something, but there's still some enjoyment to be had here. [March 2005, p.137]

Top off this stubbornly shoddy gameplay with un-funny cutscenes and a glaring lack of online play and, well, there isn't much here to be super happy about. [Apr 2005, p.117]

Some minor tweaks are appreciated, like having all of the minigames unlocked from the beginning, but nothing has been done to alleviate SMB's myriad frustrations. [Apr 2005, p.117]

Fails to establish any real mood or atmosphere, and just ends up being boring. [May 2005, p.110]

Touch & Go's unique control scheme opens up a world of possibilities for the action/platform genre, and Nintendo has explored exactly two of them. [May 2005, p.126]

As complete a package as one could hope for. [May 2005, p.132]

Don't think of it so much as a game, but more as an exercise in anger management. [May 2005, p.132]

Animation is generally poor, facial modeling is bland, and the AI manages to feel artificial but without the intelligence. [May 2005, p.136]

You always feel like you are a little out of control. The poor collision only makes matters worse. [May 2005, p.136]

A gorgeous game with a couple examples of spectacular level design, but it doesn't have any tricks up its sleeve once the novelty wears off. [Apr 2005, p.130]

It isn't going to blow anyone's doors off, but it's a solid strategy/RPG with a lot of humor, a great presentation, and a lot of expandability in terms of user-created content. [Apr 2005, p.139]

An exceptional release that takes home the crown for being the deepest game of the season. [Apr 2005, p.128]

Offering improvements that add a brand new dimension to the combo-driven demon meat carving, this title takes the concept of a hardcore action experience and contorts it into a humiliating position before administering a handgun enema... DMC3 is, without a doubt, the most difficult game I have played this generation. [March 2005, p.121]

Other military games might be more gung-ho or more over the top, but Brothers in Arms gets closer to the tactics and camaraderie of working as a well-oiled maching in the heat of battle. [May 2005, p.85]

Just as addictive as its predecessors, but features more thoughtful challenges and conquests. [Mar 2004, p.97]

It's brilliant, and I can't wait to see how the team expands on other areas of a sim's life, because now they have my rapt attention. [Apr 2005, p.139]

Another nice addition is the "woozy" camera angles that appear when you or an opponent is nearly knocked down. It's a small touch, but a very dramatic one. [March 2005, p.115]

Questionable fielding holds it back from capturing the Golden Glove. "MVP" still holds that honor, but Major Leauge's innovative techniques make it this year's most exciting baseball game. [March 2005, p.118]

While Ice Nine is based on the "Duke Nukem Advance" engine, it doesn't offer the wit or intelligence (or shooting accuracy) of its precursor. [Apr 2004, p.110]

Although the controls fit as comfortably as Master Chief's glove, the targeting system is too demanding of precision, especially when you are required to unload dozens of rounds into certain enemy types. [March 2005, p.136]

Another nice addition is the "woozy" camera angles that appear when you or an opponent is nearly knocked down. It's a small touch, but a very dramatic one. [March 2005, p.115]

Worst of all, however, are the on-foot sections - which would appear to be in the game for the sole purpose of annoying people. Scrap indeed. [Apr 2005, p.136]

Offers a ton of bloody entertainment, even when going online isn't an option. [Apr 2005, p.131]

Another nice addition is the "woozy" camera angles that appear when you or an opponent is nearly knocked down. It's a small touch, but a very dramatic one. [March 2005, p.115]

The series may feel a little dated, but once you start your training and chain together a massive 10-hit combo that sends your opponent reeling, it's still a tough game to put down. [Apr 2005, p.125]

The story is intriguing in that sweeping fate-of-the-galaxy sci-fi kind of way, without being completely overblown and melodramatic. [March 2005, p.138]

The infrequent annoyances of those nasty levels and the questionable localization are a small price to pay for the opportunity to revisit the 2D nirvana that so few modern games give us a chance to experience. [March 2005, p.140]

Judge Dredd scores a minor victory in its ability to let its roots show through amid the usual indistinguishable mess of guns and guts. [May 2004, p.93]

Questionable fielding holds it back from capturing the Golden Glove. "MVP" still holds that honor, but Major Leauge's innovative techniques make it this year's most exciting baseball game. [March 2005, p.118]

A fabulously executed game that remains a consistent joy to play for many, many moons. But it lacks innovation. [March 2005, p.120]

The game suffers only by clinging a bit too tightly to its roots. [March 2005, p.128]

While the sheer amount of stuff that can happen onscreen at one is impressive, the graphics fall a bit short. [Apr 2005, p.117]

If the passion of soccer leads people to violence, then I would watch out if I were FIFA Street - the game's liable to make some people mad. [Apr 2005, p.120]

This series is close to breaking through, it only needs to tighten up and refine its core elements (as well as expand its linear strucure) to stand out. [March 2005, p.130]

The new material that EA has implemented is minimal at best, and most of the additions don't generate a lot of excitement. With that said, this is still the best-playing baseball game on the market. [March 2005, p.118]

I found the control to be fairly aggravating (especially the airplanes). [Apr 2005, p.142]

While the sheer amount of stuff that can happen onscreen at one is impressive, the graphics fall a bit short. [Apr 2005, p.117]

It sucks in a vomitous, spirit-crushing kind of way. [March 2005, p.137]

If the passion of soccer leads people to violence, then I would watch out if I were FIFA Street - the game's liable to make some people mad. [Apr 2005, p.120]

The new material that EA has implemented is minimal at best, and most of the additions don't generate a lot of excitement. With that said, this is still the best-playing baseball game on the market. [March 2005, p.118]

The new material that EA has implemented is minimal at best, and most of the additions don't generate a lot of excitement. With that said, this is still the best-playing baseball game on the market. [March 2005, p.118]

It's daunting at first, but it'll make you an instant West Point graduate once it all clicks (there's even a map editor for the ambitious). [March 2005, p.137]

Every conceivable feature is executed with a class-B mentality. [Apr 2005, p.136]

The combo system is definitely cool, and the controls are fashioned nicely, but the remainder of the game is just downright appalling. [March 2005, p.132]

This game is a dropped ball of "Devil May Cry 2" proportions. [March 2005, p.126]

I'm a little disappointed that Tenchu isn't pushing the genre forward like "Splinter Cell" and "Metal Gear Solid" have. [March 2005, p.132]

The unique abilities of Constantine and scary atmosphere that Bits has established will make your mouth water, but you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who can tolerate the shoddy gameplay. [Apr 2005, p.120]

The game may be elementary in the extreme, but sometimes the simple pleasures remain the best. [Apr 2005, p.142]

The unique abilities of Constantine and scary atmosphere that Bits has established will make your mouth water, but you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who can tolerate the shoddy gameplay. [Apr 2005, p.120]

It's easily one of the most unique and entertaining multiplayer choices for the GameCube. [Apr 2005, p.131]

It's a blast, and the combat is a great balance between a wrestling and a fighting game, but I felt like a terrible human being. I guess that's the price you pay for being a gladiator. [Feb 2005, p.116]

This game will please neither action fans nor followers of the "Tekken" franchise, and comes off as a marketing scheme gone horribly awry. [March 2005, p.132]

On occasion, your CPU opponents will make some silly mistakes along the lines of using a GameBreaker to shoot a three-pointer during a dunk-only contest, but the AI is still mighty impressive. [March 2005, p.114]

Difficulty aside, I dug this game because a lot of the little touches: the shadows that fall on the track, the shortcuts, the elevation changes, and the way that every race and lap has some surprises in store. [March 2005, p.140]

On occasion, your CPU opponents will make some silly mistakes along the lines of using a GameBreaker to shoot a three-pointer during a dunk-only contest, but the AI is still mighty impressive. [March 2005, p.114]

On occasion, your CPU opponents will make some silly mistakes along the lines of using a GameBreaker to shoot a three-pointer during a dunk-only contest, but the AI is still mighty impressive. [March 2005, p.114]

Though everything is very well-done, it's difficult to shake the feeling that I've been playing this game since "Diablo" came out on PC in 1997. [March 2005, p.124]

I'd avoid picking up the box for fear of contracting something, to say nothing of actually paying for this abomination. [March 2005, p.138]

It's not a quantum leap, but it's the kind of adjustments that will only endear the faithful to this already beloved series even more. [March 2005, p.115]

It's not a quantum leap, but it's the kind of adjustments that will only endear the faithful to this already beloved series even more. [March 2005, p.115]

A Sound of Thunder is chock full of some of the worst box-pushing tasks I've ever seen. Then again, it's also home to some of the worst driving controls and blandest graphics I've seen, so I guess that shouldn't shock me. [Apr 2004, p.110]