What was supposed to be a revelation, a next generation of sorts, has become instead a disappointing follow-up to a beloved game. [Mar 2004, p.68]

The game drags under the weight of too much walking and item gathering - mostly while looking down at the ground - and not enough engaging action.

Confusing level design, repetitive action, and the vile villain called slowdown eventually start to grate on the nerves. [Apr 2004, p.86]

It’s really no more than yet another extension of a five-year-old gameplay device. Concept, meet the breaking point.

Of the three, only the PS2 version seems prone to annoying split-second jitters and pauses that break up the animation.

It’s really no more than yet another extension of a five-year-old gameplay device. Concept, meet the breaking point.

Due to the fast-paced action, the controls will leave you with aching hands and thumbs...Of course, this level of intensity means that there’s a good game underway, and you’ll want to keep at it despite the pain.

Good, but it never really lives up to its title - a vision that could have benefited from a little more focus... Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. [Jan 2004, p.110]

Its hair-raising visual creep-outs and deft handling of foreboding folklore are undermined by a steadfast reliance on survival/horror-genre trappings and boring gameplay execution.

By today’s standards, these games probably won’t mean much to gamers who grew up on the combo flow-charts of Tekken and Soul Calibur, but these King games are nevertheless very playable thanks to responsive controls and intuitive easy-to-execute moves.

But the core still involves lots of non-skippable cinematic sequences, a fidgety camera (and finicky controls), overearnest voice acting, and tepid platform-style action (any game where the first true action sequence takes place in a room full of crates set up for jumping puzzles is trouble).

Most of the good 'uns ("River Raid," "Pitfall") still hold up surprisingly well, though "Kaboom" is totally unplayable without the paddle controller. [Apr 2004, p.86]

Solid play mechanics, combined with an in-depth story mode (complete with cinemas) and other play facets, give R a solid edge over the competition.

Sure, the chatter between characters is pretty hokey at times - and is that old guy a walking stick with a head? - but that doesn't overshadow that Culdcept is an interesting and unique game idea. It's worth a look to see if it will offer you a break from the routine.

Its uninspired controls, lack of character diversity, and the absence of a story mode make this only a marginally entertaining video game.

It can be tedious to baby-sit both characters, but the game otherwise guarantees hours of enjoyment, even if it’s only to jump and flip around.

Not only the proverbial sequel-better-than-its-original, but it’s also deep, challenging, and intelligent on a level that action games usually don’t reach.

The first game’s take on noir was fresh and powerful; the sequel has the same haunted spirit with less surprise value. While Max Payne’s rain-soaked world is a weary one, it’s also undeniably compelling.

On the control side, Hunt mostly handles just fine. It feels a little funky when you try to rotate the direction he’s facing (to deposit a body in the shadows, for instance), and the item switching is a little clumsy, but neither issue is serious.

It’s still vastly better than 99.9% of the other games out there today, and with properly calibrated expectations, you’ll find that Invisible War is a brilliant game that will captivate you like few others can.

Despite its technical achievements, the real star of Armed and Dangerous is the exhilarating and thoroughly challenging gameplay.

Good, but it never really lives up to its title - a vision that could have benefited from a little more focus... Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. [Jan 2004, p.110]

It’s just weird enough to be worth owning for posterity.

Thankfully, the gameplay shines through in a big way with a nice variety of units that upgrade and control in familiar ways.

One of the biggest drawbacks of Mana is the story. Any RPG—especially any RPG made in this day and age—had better have a great story if it’s going to keep your attention. But Mana’s tale is lacking conflict, its characters are dull, and its towns are full of…well, not all that much interesting.

The sensation of speed as you rocket down the mountain will truly rattle your senses, and the exceptional control pays off nicely.

A nice distraction with lengthy play value for dedicated fans of the series as long as they can deal with the slow pace and limited interactivity. However, anyone looking for a good virtual pet simulator should look elsewhere.

The first game’s take on noir was fresh and powerful; the sequel has the same haunted spirit with less surprise value. While Max Payne’s rain-soaked world is a weary one, it’s also undeniably compelling.