This third game in the snowboarding series features a complete overhaul, dropping the whole race-circuit idea and taking a more open-ended, Grand Theft Auto–like approach to snowboard competition.

Patience is required to get through this game. [Jan 2004, p.60]

About as challenging as a wordsearch, but still fun for on-the-go gaming. [Jan 2003, p.48]

Have you ever played the classic arcade game Robotron 2084? Imagine a crappier version of it in 3D with horrible controls. That's what the on-foot missions of Rebel Strike are like.

Right away, you'll notice that the camera just doesn't work very well.. Promising but poorly designed 3D levels drag down the fun. [Nov. 2003, p.51]

The most inventive, entertaining action-platform set pieces I've ever seen in a 3D world... One of the best games of 2003. [Nov 2003, p.50]

It would have been nice for Rockstar to learn from past mistakes instead of rehashing them. Still, no other game on any platform better mimics the look and feel of Hong Kong action films.

Just what I want to see happen to the Mega Man series - classic gameplay with extra enhancements for more depth, Zero 2 is a fantastic step in the right direction. [Nov 2003, p.70]

A mixed bag, providing plenty of fun action, along with some aggravation. [Nov 2003, p.60]

This game does nothing new except offer a ton of foul language to get you in trouble with the 'rents. Next, please.

Mediocre on all fronts....This game does nothing new except offer a ton of foul language to get you in trouble with the 'rents. [Nov 2003, p.60]

The real fun began when I grabbed a few friends and switched from the main Air Ride to the Top Ride and City Trial modes. [Nov 2003, p.66]

What could have been an exciting and graceful fighting system instead feels dull and stilted. [Nov 2003, p.51]

The graphical style is truly innovative, something I haven't been able to say about a game in a long time - it truly looks like a manga come to life. [Oct 2003, p.47]

The game is awfully short (it takes only six to seven hours to complete), and the multiplayer does little to extend its replay value. [Oct 2003, p.63]

Co-op mode didn't make the cut. This was one feature that kept the repetitive level design from showing its ugly face - between those great, open terrain stages are lots of boring back-and-forth mazes.

If you like strategy, but don't want something super hardcore (like say "Dynasty Tactics 2"), this is your game. [Nov 2003, p.53]

One thing I'm wishing for more of in Hitz is crazier hitting, fighting, and commentary. [Oct 2003, p.62]

More than any strategy game I've played, DT2 forces you to think five moves ahead at all times. [Nov 2003, p.52]

Hardcore DDR fans will see the flaws, but DDRMAX2 is still a blast. [Nov 2003, p.52]

The mechanics of egg rolling, egg bouncing, and egg hatching are so well done and fun to execute that they infuse the whole omelet - er, game - with deliciousness. [Oct 2003, p.50]

Yes, checking is part of hockey, but it's overdone in NHL 2004. [Oct 2003, p.62]

The levels often feel flat and uninspired. [Nov 2003, p.62]

Slower-paced than "Dark Alliance," and it feels a lot more soulless and generic. [Nov 2003, p.54]

Gone are the days when bouncing off another car to make a turn was acceptable. In Thunder 2004, you can still pull crap like that, but don't be surprised if your victim stuffs you into the wall on the next lap. [Oct 2003, p.63]

You're really going to have to learn which units to use, when to use them, and how to use them effectively. [Nov 2003, p.64]

If you like your games with a crazy twist, then you'll totally get into this one. [Oct 2003, p.52]

Capcom basically flushed our beloved series straight throught its proverbial airlocks and created a blatant and mediocre "Aliens" knockoff. [Oct 2003, p.54]

While hardly original, Hit & Run offers lots in the way of solid gameplay, excellent controls, and pure unadulterated fun. [Oct 2003, p.57]

You won't find a smoother hockey game. [Oct 2003, p.61]

With the bugs ironed out, we'd have a good game on our hands. [Dec 2003, p.66]

Forgive me if I wanted more. I still love this series, but I had higher hopes for this sequel. Nonetheless, it's great fun. [Oct 2003, p.58]

Tries to capture the excitement and intensity of old-school 2D shooters, but the end product is just a boring hodgepodge of gaming cliches. [Oct 2003, p.49]

What sets this game apart from every other is the obscene amount of tweakage you can do to your character. [Dec 2003, p.70]

The business, and if you even pretend to like RPGs in their purest form, you have to play it. [Oct 2003, p.51]

Players will come to love the game's fine grappling and reversal system. [Nov 2003, p.67]

The best of the series. [Nov 2003, p.58]

Some weapons are not so hot, but it has some great new maps. [Oct 2003, p.65]

I actually dig this game. It's so good, I can even deal with the cutesy characters. [Oct 2003, p.60]

While Disgaea sure isn't as elegant and polished a game as "FFTA," it's definitely fun. [Oct 2003, p.58]

Once you begin figuring out the combo system and how to manipulate the dice, Bombastic becomes oddly addictive. [Sept 2003, p.54]

While the online component is nice, actual gameplay is where things really fall apart. [Nov 2003, p.53]

SCII is a rare thing. It has expertly designed fighting mechanics, a gorgeous graphical presentation, and a magnitude of features and play modes... The fighting still feels perfect. [Grade = A+; Sept 2003, p.48]

What sort of waste of time is this vulgar mediocrity? [Sept 2003, p.55]

Frustrating at times. Restarting a level 38 times before you beat it makes it hard to look upon the experience fondly, after all. [Oct 2003, p.57]

Rookies and vets alike will become annoyed at the tiny area of each lake and river they're actually allowed to fish in, as well as the fact that they get absolutely no hints as to where they should cast their lines for the best chance at catching the fish. [Sept 2003, p.56]

Still a ways to go if Fever is gonna compete with "Madden." [Nov 2003, p.54]

Does an admirable job of using the Scooby license to its full potential. [Oct 2003, p.56]

SCII is a rare thing. It has expertly designed fighting mechanics, a gorgeous graphical presentation, and a magnitude of features and play modes... The fighting still feels perfect. [Grade = A+ ; Sept 2003, p.48]

SCII is a rare thing. It has expertly designed fighting mechanics, a gorgeous graphical presentation, and a magnitude of features and play modes... The fighting still feels perfect. [Grade = A+ ; Sept 2003, p.48]

A brilliantly executed first-person adventure. [Oct 2003, p.64]

Like "Wario Ware," this is a perfect handheld game. Instantly playable. [Nov 2003, p.72]

I couldn't stop playing F-Zero GX. It's refreshing to see a racing game ditching the sim elements that seem to be a prerequisite nowadays in favor of more arcadey gameplay. [Oct 2003, p.46]

The puzzles are more interesting, the learning curve isn't as steep, and the opportunity to take control of all of Buffy's pals mixes up gameplay nicely. [Oct 2003, p.50]

Aside from its lousy story, poorly designed levels, and uninspired character design, Alter Echo does have some good points - tight control, pretty visuals, decent cameras, and smart A.I. [Nov 2003, p.58]

The longer you play, the worse this RPG gets... After a few hours, the hate sets in. [Nov 2003, p.64]

A brilliant fighting game, perhaps second only to "Soul Calibur II." [Sept 2003, p.53]

Without question, the year's best football game...again. [Oct 2003, p.61]

Apart from the minute-to-minute madness, Chaos Legion rocks a pretty cool amount of depth. [July 2003, p.56]

Newbies may be shocked at the strategy and planning this game requires, but they'll most likely enjoy the quick learning curve, thanks to Ghost's user-friendly interface. [Sept 2003, p.60]

It's an interactive nightmare, complete with off-kilter logic and unnerving imagery, both of which are bound to stay with you for weeks. [Sept 2003, p.52]

If only Ride Gone Wild was online this year, I'd be even more impressed. [Oct 2003, p.60]

Cheap play mechanics and absurd difficulty level totally sink the experience. [Sept 2003, p.58]

A console-friendly RTS that delivers lots of tactical action without the headaches of ports like "Commandos 2." [Sept 2003, p.59]

License aside, this is the best golf title I've ever played. If you dig the sport and don't have a GameCube, it's time to buy one. [Oct 2003, p.48]

There's almost no sense of strategy once you learn that bum-rushing the opposition is the best (and sometimes only) course of action. [July 2003, p.62]

The technical courses can get devilishly demanding. [Sept 2003, p.53]

Not that the missions in this game aren't good - they're just hampered by a control scheme that needs to be more intuitive. [Aug 2003, p.36]

The delicate balance of combat and exploration is done to perfection. [Sept 2003, p.61]

One of the great things about this MMORPG is that it's just <I>massive</I>. [Grade = A+]

This game may be deep and technical, but playing it is almost as fun as getting beat up. [Aug 2003, p.34]

It feels like a new game, so you'd better start rethinking your strategies, 'cause the old ones ain't gonna work anymore... A must for fans of "Warcraft III." [Sept 2003, p.62]

What it lacks in curves and naughty bump-mapping, it makes up for in sheer gameplay. [Sept 2003, p.54]

Naval battles are where Pirates shines. The game's ocean settings look spectacular, with some of the most gorgeous graphics on Xbox. [Sept 2003, p.56]

The PC version has better visuals, more comfortable control, and fewer bugs. And online patches might stamp out the bugs that do exist. [Sept 2003, p.51]

No, it's not revolutionary, but there's enough variety that it never feels monotonous or repetitive. [July 2003, p.54]

FMX is crippled by a trick-modifier system that makes big combos too irritating to complete. [Aug 2003, p.34]

The drawing system is brilliant - simple sketches transform with ease into wonderfully animated creatures. [June 2003, p.50]

Since it uses the same engine as the GBA "Tony Hawk" games, the skaing and grinding action works very well. [July 2003, p.52]

Forget about the old-school gameplay and squatty heroes of the original games - Twilight features expansive 3D worlds, cool anime-style characters, and radically reworked gameplay. [July 2003, p.57]

The game plays out like an extended TV episode in which you have to solve a great mystery - only this mystery gets solved mostly with guns and ammo. [Sept 2003, p.63]

If you can get past the fact that you've played this twice before, you'll love it. [June 2003, p.45]

Definitely one of the meatiest handheld games out there, and if you let it, it'll absorb you as intensely as some of its larger siblings. [July 2003, p.51]

Like a plate of pasta without the sauce: not bad, but missing all the flavor. [Sept 2003, p.57]

My biggest beef with Wario World is that it's over too quickly... If you love looking for secrets, though, Wario World is a great diversion. [July 2003, p.47]

The sloppiest major game release I've ever played... an inexcusable mess. [Sept 2003, p.50]

Just an average Resident Evil knockoff with a gimmick. [July 2003, p.58]

Although SOF2 is ultimately just disposable entertainment - the kind of game you'll forget about minutes after beating it. [Aug 2003, p.33]

This version isn't as good as the original. There's a lot of choppiness going on, most of the lighting effects have been dialed down, and the soundtrack is scratchy and distracting. [June 2003, p.39]

The problem is that the interface used to control the eye is so unintuitive, your invisible assailant will most likely kill you before you can see him get off a shot. [Aug 2003, p.36]

The gameplay experience never becomes even remotely fun... An excruciating bore. I've never had less fun playing a videogame. [July 2003, p.55]

While its gameplay is neither fantastic nor bad, overall, it's a solid action-RPG that does a great job of capturing the phenomenon on which it's based. [July 2003, p.50]

If it wasn't for the inexcusably idiodic enemy intelligence and questionable controls, this might have been a great game. [Aug 2003, p.30]

It doesn't have the polish or intensity of "Midnight Club II." [Aug 2003, p.31]

There's a lot to like about Transmission, but its difficulty really drags it down. If you can handle it, though, you'll have a good time. [June 2003, p.37]

This is definitely for the hardcore, as lesser folk will be scared away. [Aug 2003, p.28]

Since there are no multiplayer options, replay value is kept to a bare minimum once the ride's all over. [Aug 2003, p.35]

As an online game, Tetris Worlds works really well, and I never encountered a bit of lag. [Sept 2003, p.58]