Frustrating instead of addictive. [Sept 2004, p.118]

If you do happen to have four friends who are Zelda fanatics and GBA owners, you are going to have the time of your life playing this game. [June 2004, p.130]

The platforming levels are derivative and uninspired. Though dull, these sections are broken up frequently by minigames that, more so than in "Spyro Orange," are frustrating and not very much fun at all. [June 2004, p.139]

Just a mishmash of concepts that never really gel into anything great. [June 2004, p.139]

Uninspired design, however, keeps this title firmly lodged in the B-class of RTSs. [Aug 2004, p.106]

I wish I could say that Prisoner of Azkaban was a bold new start for the series. It's not, but this is a significantly better game than either of the previous two entries. [July 2004, p.111]

For purists, this is the cream of the crop in retro goodness. [June 2004, p.138]

It's crippled by an over-reliance on the worst game design cliche ever invented: too much collecting. [Aug 2004, p.102]

I wish I could say that Prisoner of Azkaban was a bold new start for the series. It's not, but this is a significantly better game than either of the previous two entries. [July 2004, p.111]

I wish I could say that Prisoner of Azkaban was a bold new start for the series. It's not, but this is a significantly better game than either of the previous two entries. [July 2004, p.111]

All the monsters look like cold-blooded killers that just crawled out of hell. [Aug 2004, p.75]

The control is tight, but the movement icon and camera need work. [July 2004, p.119]

Not only are the visuals ridiculously sweet, the gameplay is unique and incredibly well-paced. Hands down, this is one of the best titles in the Xbox library. [July 2004, p.118]

Even on the easiest setting, Metal Slug 3 is merciless in its attempts to crush your body and spirit. Not everybody will respond with "Thank you, sir! May I have another?", but I sure did. And yes, I may. [July 2004, p.119]

It's a decent play, but it didn't steal my heart the way that I had hoped. [July 2004, p.113]

It's also funnier than I remembered: I had forgotten that the theme from Double Dragon plays during the fight with the Twins near the end of the game. [June 2004, p.139]

While this RPG has some annoyances, its amusement factor is hard to deny. [July 2004, p.123]

It's a decent play, but it didn't steal my heart the way that I had hoped. [July 2004, p.113]

I guess that this game doesn't bowl me over just because I felt like I was always going to finish a level in two (at the most three) attempts. Doing the math, that means a few hours of gameplay for most players. [June 2004, p.137]

There are some cool things to do, like level-up and outfit you hero with items, , which I find to be the most endearing part of the series. [Aug 2004, p.106]

This title has plenty of flaws, but the main issue is that it's simply too typical and too clunky. [June 2004, p.128]

The graphics can only be described as awful, missions are boring, and combat ranges from dull to frustrating. [June 2004, p.123]

The game fails in the simple task of capturing the excitement of actual bowling. [July 2004, p.112]

The game fails in the simple task of capturing the excitement of actual bowling. [July 2004, p.112]

The graphics can only be described as awful, missions are boring, and combat ranges from dull to frustrating. [June 2004, p.123]

At a distance, it looks like an RPG, but it's really just a robot-themed "Power Stone" with some weak story elements in between battles. [Apr 2004, p.101]

The graphics can only be described as awful, missions are boring, and combat ranges from dull to frustrating. [June 2004, p.123]

Merely mediocre in terms of graphics (including the pitiful draw-distance in multiplayer), and simple problems like the inept camera have yet to be fixed. Its strong gameplay manages to squeak out a passing grade. [May 2004, p.97]

Manages to maintain a tongue-in-cheek cheese factor that makes the journey entertaining enough...in that shameless softcore kind of way. [July 2004, p.114]

Manages to maintain a tongue-in-cheek cheese factor that makes the journey entertaining enough...in that shameless softcore kind of way. [July 2004, p.114]

Some of the missions are a bit ambiguous, the respawn ponts don't work as well as they should, and the visuals really haven't evolved too much since the previous installment, but as a whole, The Omega Strain emerges as one of the PS2's most irrresistable online titles. [May 2004, p.98]

Without solid pitching and batting interfaces, you can't help become disenchanted by this title's play. I applaud Blue Shift's decision to innovate, but the formula still needs a lot of work. [Apr 2004, p.92]

Its balanced strategic gameplay is only matched by its tremendous challenge. [June 2004, p.127]

Despite some slightly better AI, a new defensive swarm button, and setting up a qualifying schedule (then monitoring your roster to see who's morale is low), there isn't much here. [July 2004, p.112]

Despite the addition of greater physical damage to your cars this time around, I rarely feared for my life, which is something I look forward to in a rally game. [June 2004, p.131]

Despite some slightly better AI, a new defensive swarm button, and setting up a qualifying schedule (then monitoring your roster to see who's morale is low), there isn't much here. [July 2004, p.112]

Thematically, developer Rockstar San Diego has hit the nail right on the head. You really do feel like the toughest cowboy to ever step foot in the west. [June 2004, p.124]

Thematically, developer Rockstar San Diego has hit the nail right on the head. You really do feel like the toughest cowboy to ever step foot in the west. [June 2004, p.124]

The jokes cater mostly to the kids, and that's exactly who should enjoy this fairy tale jaunt the most. [July 2004, p.112]

The jokes cater mostly to the kids, and that's exactly who should enjoy this fairy tale jaunt the most. [July 2004, p.112]

The jokes cater mostly to the kids, and that's exactly who should enjoy this fairy tale jaunt the most. [July 2004, p.112]

From the moment you create a character, you'll drop into that pleasant buzz that is a quality hit of gaming. [July 2004, p.120]

Deepening the strategic possibilities is key to making a strategy title more fun, and T&P goes the extra mile to make sure that it delivers a more engaging experience than is possible without the expansion installed. [July 2004, p.121]

The potential sweetness of participating in a globe-spanning conflict between thousands of players is huge. [July 2004, p.122]

What I really like about this game is that I always felt like I was getting a new weapon, going to a new area, or fighting a new boss (most of which are ferociously tough, by the way). [June 2004, p.126]

Hidden levels, new features, and cheats all await the dedicated gamer. However, it will take a seriously patient player to not only finish the game, but to go back and earn the gold medals. [May 2004, p.94]

The matches themselves typically last less time than they take to load. [July 2004, p.115]

I really, really wanted to like Siren, but in the end, I just didn't have much fun or feel like the innovative parts of the game were used to their advantage. [May 2004, p.97]

An ambitious release for IO, but the end result is a garbled mess of a game that has lost its way. [June 2004, p.122]

It feels just plain dull. [June 2004, p.129]

It feels a little bit like "Zelda" and has the depth of "Diablo." Not bad. Not bad at all. [Feb 2004, p.114]

An ambitious release for IO, but the end result is a garbled mess of a game that has lost its way. [June 2004, p.122]

One of the bravest works of game creation I've ever played. [June 2004, p.132]

The AI for your defenders is horrible. Attacking forwards don't have the plague, fellas, just the ball. [May 2004, p.99]

The outstanding graphics, unparalleled physics, huge levels, tons of unlockable cards, enormous bosses, and gameplay variety make this a must-have for anyone who pines for the glory days of "Doom." [June 2004, p.134]

Hidden levels, new features, and cheats all await the dedicated gamer. However, it will take a seriously patient player to not only finish the game, but to go back and earn the gold medals. [May 2004, p.94]

Acclaim didn't go out of its way to elevate the series - this is simply an enhanced version of last year's game seen from a new perspective. [Apr 2004, p.92]

Alias, in essence, boils down to an age-old sentence in the gaming review business: Fans will mostly dig it and newbies won't be terribly disappointed. [Apr 2004, p.94]

Alias, in essence, boils down to an age-old sentence in the gaming review business: Fans will mostly dig it and newbies won't be terribly disappointed. [Apr 2004, p.94]

Without solid pitching and batting interfaces, you can't help become disenchanted by this title's play. I applaud Blue Shift's decision to innovate, but the formula still needs a lot of work. [Apr 2004, p.92]

I think this game will be best suited to two groups: those who missed the GBA version, and hardcore WarioWare freaks. [Apr 2004, p.100]

A fresh spin on the NBA that brings great depth, dynamic gameplay, and fevered multiplayer to the video game court. [May 2004, p.92]

Succeeds in creating a completely new formula for the sweet science. [Apr 2004, p.88]

Succeeds in creating a completely new formula for the sweet science. [Apr 2004, p.88]

A fresh spin on the NBA that brings great depth, dynamic gameplay, and fevered multiplayer to the video game court. [May 2004, p.92]

Until a patch can resolve the glaring flaws, this isn't worth your time, much less your money. [June 2004, p.136]

The graphics are crisp and the physics are solid once you get used to how loose they are, but there's nothing to keep you coming back after the initial fun of t-boning someone and watching them explode wears off. [May 2004, p.99]

A surprisingly enjoyable online venture that showcases some amazing gameplay concepts, yet a lack of foresight in the delivery of multiplayer. [May 2004, p.96]

Pacing and AI problems hold this back from its potential. [June 2004, p.135]

Crimson Sea 2 goes to great lengths (making you manage two camera buttons and a radar map) to disguise the fact that the developer screwed up by not simply offering a decent view of the action. [Apr 2004, p.98]

The bland formula of "talk to this person, get item, use item on piece of environment" makes it a mind-numbingly frustrating chore to advance to the next awe-inspiring work of Sokal's genius. [Apr 2004, p.109]

By no means a perfect game, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air within the RTS scene. [June 2004, p.136]

The biggest thing in Sacred that sets it apart from the crowd is the fact that you can ride horses into battle, trampling your foes beneath you or scampering away to pound them with magic or arrows from afar. [June 2004, p.135]

The problem is that many of the tricks you do with the ball simply don't work. Worse yet is the abyssmal AI - particularly for the goalies. [Feb 2004, p.109]

Somewhere between "The Sims" and "Civilization," Northland fills a unique gap in the strategy genre. [Mar 2004, p.113]

If you've ever played "Super Smash Bros.," you'll immediately be comfortable here - even the fighter select screen is strikingly familiar. [Mar 2004, p.104]

Yes, there are exclusives here (single and multi-player maps and offline multiplayer split-screen), but the shared maps are shorter - which can cut down the strategy of using your Zulu go codes. [Apr 2004, p.96]

The worst thing about this title is that there are no dowloadable questions, so you can run out fast. I also don't know why they didn't make use of all the different Trivial Pursuit editions out there. [Aug 2004, p.96]

An amazingly generic action title. It's a shame, as Samurai Jack is easily one of the most unique cartoons on the air today, so this could have been so much more. [May 2004, p.93]

Often frustrating, but overall it's a worthwhile experience that's unlike anything else. [May 2004, p.108]

The worst thing about this title is that there are no dowloadable questions, so you can run out fast. I also don't know why they didn't make use of all the different Trivial Pursuit editions out there. [Aug 2004, p.96]

An amazingly generic action title. It's a shame, as Samurai Jack is easily one of the most unique cartoons on the air today, so this could have been so much more. [May 2004, p.93]

Unquestionably the best MMORPG available for the console, with a high potential to eat away at your free time, and possibly be responsible for some "sick" days at work. [May 2004, p.99]

It is quite possibly the best one-player, action-intensive shooter ever. Yes, the multiplayer is good, but the true strength of this title is in the solo experience. [May 2004, p.105]

Remember the time when we were playing Cy Girls and we had to backtrack to the bathroom in an earlier part of a level to get to the controls of a robotic vacuum cleaner so we could open that door? That was awesome! [Mar 2004, p.107]

Ubisoft has forged a sequel that has the uncanny ability to knock your socks off through every second of play. [May 2004, p.102]

Acclaim didn't go out of its way to elevate the series - this is simply an enhanced version of last year's game seen from a new perspective. [Apr 2004, p.92]

The biggest problem is that Dawn of Destiny restricts your freedom like a galactic despot. [June 2004, p.132]

You spend so much time wandering aimlessly and kicking prone undead that you never really have a chance to get wrapped up in the exceptionally intriguing and involved story. [May 2004, p.100]

The speed and polish of UT 2004 cannot be denied. [May 2004, p.104]

At the end of the day, Jungle Storm doesn't do much to stand out in a crowded genre. [Mar 2004, p.106]

While you can't help but grimace at some of the game's texturing and awkward batting stances, the gameplay package is as solid as can be. The fielding interface is especially praiseworthy, and in my opinion, this year's best. [Apr 2004, p.96]

The graphics have translated nicely to the GBA, and the control works just dandy, but the level design drives me absolutey insane. [May 2004, p.108]

I like that conserving ammo is the name of the game, but found that hit detection was a crap shoot - especially when you're behind cover. [Apr 2004, p.104]

Where the previous games felt like work, A Wonderful Life feels curiously satisfying. [Apr 2004, p.100]

It's not often these days that a developer treats the GBA not as an afterthought, but gives us a title that's solidly entertaining. [May 2004, p.108]

An incredibly good time if you can find an amicable crew of fellow soldiers. [May 2004, p.106]

Offers nothing but mindless button-mashing, boring level design, and horrible pacing. [May 2004, p.100]