Wizardry is still fun in its own way, but you should be prepared for a very slow-paced affair with a sparse story and few bells and whistles.

Outbreak's gameplay differs little from that of the previous two installments...All that said, though, Outbreak is the most engrossing .hack yet from a story standpoint.

There’s just one problem with The Sims Online: It’s almost not a game. The slow-paced activities rely so heavily on social interaction that in some ways it feels like a glorified chat room.

Sure, the single-player campaign can be a letdown. Your money's well-spent, however, once you log on and play with other people. [Mar 2004, p.63]

A simple, arcadey grappler that’s likely to appeal more to enthusiasts of things that are insane than hardcore wrestling fanatics.

The only thing preventing an even higher score is the "Wipeout analogy"—Quantum Redshift matches that standard, but doesn’t deliver something beyond it in terms of gameplay.

The rote play mechanics become tiresome after a few campaigns, and despite a limited combo system, you can eliminate most enemies by mashing the same button.

If you’ve got the warm bodies, Mario Party 4 will bring great gameplay.

Contains the most enjoyable modifications the series has seen in some time. [Oct 2004, p.82]

Urbz offers a nice, fresh twist on the Sims experience, for both veterans and newbies alike. Yet, despite seeing the goofy characters in a new fish tank, there isn't enough freshness throughout to keep you down wid it. It's not bad, it's just not baaad-you feel me?

In short, it's a very good, highly flexible game marred only slightly by an occasionally inconsistent difficulty curve -- and for some people, the lack of narrative progression might put them off progressing through the single-player campaign. Despite these minor issues, however, Sanctum remains a high quality game which the developer remains committed to -- and at the price, it's a complete bargain.

Despite its flaws, I found Payday to be more Ocean's Eleven than Small Time Crooks; it's got some clever moves, a fun sense of imagination, and it makes you appreciate (and rely upon) every member of your cast. Not since Left 4 Dead have I wanted to get my buddies together and spend late nights working together towards a common goal.

Though a bit rough around the edges in places, The Outfit's fearless fusion of action and strategy pays off in a big way. It's engaging, it's addictive, and it's ferociously one-of-a-kind. [Apr 2006, p.74]

The time travel themed story is ineffectively told and the enemy AI is rather brain-dead. You'll also face overwhelming numbers during most battles but the good thing is that your time powers provide a nice edge.

Although it's by no means the deepest gaming experience you'll have on the Wii, The Brave and the Bold is still worth checking out, even if it's just a rental.

There are predictable missteps--the driving sequences are awkward and twitchy, and the camera doesn't always behave itself--but on the whole, From Russia With Love is a convincing and enjoyable ride on the sixties Bond rollercoaster.

With more technical polish on the exterior, some better camera work, and a few more clever level designs, Dual would have been quite a thing...but even as it stands, you’ll still find plenty of gameplay value.

Although Prisoner of Azkaban is still aimed at the tween set, it’s more interesting—visually and interactively—than previous Potter games. And yet, Harry’s still got a ways to grow.

While it's clear that College Hoops 2K6 is capable of satisfying most sports gamers' thirsts for an NCAA licensed basketball game, we can't find a single reason why anyone should pony up the extra cash for the same game they could own on their recently abandoned Xboxs and PS2s.

The highly-detailed graphics create a cluttered screen, making it difficult to locate potential threats, so your success relies more on memorization than skill. [Oct 1998]

It’s good fun for gunslingers who have strong stomachs and who can separate fantasy from reality, but with its average graphics and watery story, Soldier is notable only for its amazingly…um…interactive violence and its place as one of the few semi-realistic shooters for the Dreamcast.

While it doesn't do anything new for the genre and pales in comparison to some of the more substantial XBLA racing games that are currently available, there is fun to be had with Sega Rally Online Arcade if you know what you're getting yourself into. It's a family friendly title, and a good starter game if you're looking to indoctrinate one of your kids (or wife). And if you're a racing aficionado with a nostalgic bent, it's not a bad way to spend some time.

It is a decent soccer game, but with its unbalanced gameplay, the field may be a bit greener somewhere else.

It's still worth the time for aficionados and platform nuts, but All 4 One is much less likely to pull casual fans away from the season's other heavyweight fare.

While I think of Dance Central as a better video game (and Just Dance doesn't come close to matching the game's choreography tracking) I'd still rather play Just Dance whenever I have friends over.

Space Marine's intuitive system will have you carving hordes of enemies with your chainsword, power axe, or hammer in no time.

Untamed is a pup past its prime. [Mar 2008, p.86]

Even though it's shrunken down to fit the DS, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is almost as fun as the Wii version. [Apr 2008, p.85]