The graphics are beautiful, the characters original, the story entertaining, and the control dead-on. [Nov 2004, p.128]

A surprisingly good snowboarder with over-the-top stunts and great course design. [Feb 2003, p.93]

This more expansive and finely tuned sequel takes all that was great about its predecessor and finesses the formula while losing none of the charm. [Dec 2004, p.108]

There are a few places where the game falls short (drivable vehicles would have been nice), but excellent A.I., solid gameplay, and fairly deep multiplayer battles make Pacific Assault worthy of the Medal of Honor name.

Countless mascot racers flooded store shelves during the PlayStation era, and Crash Team Racing was the only good one. Really. [Feb 2003, p.97]

It's somehow mind-numbingly mundane and brilliantly addictive at the same time. [Jan 2004, p.92]

Takes everything The Two Towers did well and improves upon it in every way.

Strangely, the best version is on the least-powerful hardware. [Feb 2003, p.93]

THUG2 may not match "THUG's" charm and novelty, but it's still one of the most addictive and satisfying experiences out there. [Dec 2004, p.116]

Combining the reckless, breakneck speed and high-impact collisions of Burnout with the neon-tipped street culture of Fast and the Furious (and, more specifically, Midnight Club II), Underground is the new definition of white-knuckle.

A Nintendo fanatic's dream, if only for the exhaustive gallery of collectible Nintendorabilia. [Feb 2003, p.96]

It can be frustrating at times, but it's not until around levels 18 and 20 that the true appeal of the game even makes itself known. [May 2004, p.83]

Compared to its predecessor, NFSU2 is more. More city, more courses, more cars, more parts, more style...just more of everything in general. The game is huge. [Dec 2004, p.99]

Perhaps not groundbreaking, Isuka is value-packed to the gills. [Nov 2004, p.132]

An excellent game with brilliant art direction and tried-and-true gameplay. But...feels slightly less powerful than its predecessor. [Jan 2005, p.96]

A stellar third-person shooter that pulses with feverish invention, A&D welds together top-notch controls, a truly mental plot, and some of the most strategic gunplay to hit consoles in ages.

Not having to dig out the SNES and clean out the cartridge port is nice enough, but to play this classic game on the bus? Pure Nirvana. [Feb 2003, p.74]

For the more discerning hockey connoisseur, NHL2K3 has made great strides since its debut on the now defunct Dreamcast. [Feb 2003, p.93]

It still doesn't own the grahics category, but Madden controls better with that same great pace it's known to have. [Sept 2004, p.86]

Play a version of Madden where the Rams could actually win with Kurt Warner. [Feb 2003, p.97]

THUG2 may not match THUG's charm and novelty, but it's still one of the most addictive and satisfying experiences out there.

Takes everything The Two Towers did well and improves upon it in every way.

It's the little things that count, and from the minor (new training minigames) to the major (24 new club teams) to the why-didn't-they-think-of-that-before (referees playing the advantage with fouls), it's all here. [Mar 2004, p.86]

With the improved online play, expansion of the popular lightning challenges, and inclusion of Chase for the Cup, NASCAR 2005 has enough horsepower to last you all year. [Oct 2004, p.102]

With great dialogue, beautiful art direction, and generally high-quality puzzles, it's worthwhile to indulge the designers' crate fetish just to see what comes next.

The control is sublime, the camera is perfectly placed. The vaunted variety of snow-types is no gimmick either - it's an incredibly palpable, almost physical, experience. [Nov 2003, p.71]

If you want to enjoy this game in all its glory, you'd better have a top-end gaming PC and a decent racing wheel. [May 2003, p.66]

Still the best baseball sim there is. [Apr 2003, p.65]

The replays had some of us doing double-takes to make sure we weren't watching real race footage. [Feb 2003, p.97]

These are fantastic (albeit amazingly difficult) games that every RPG should experience. [Feb 2003, p.75]

The massively muliplayer RPG that's so addictive it makes crack look like Sanka. Play this game at your own risk. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Every now and then, however, you strike solid gold, and if "Super Mario 64" is videogaming's "A Hard Day's Night," then Beyond Good & Evil is surely its "Let it Be." [Dec 2003, p.98]

Whether it's speed or stunts, manic or mellow, big air or backcountry, SSX 3 does it all, and it does it all with style.

After numerous shoddy attempts to bring classic Contra gameplay to a next-gen system, Konami finally gets it right. [Feb 2003, p.92]

Still the best baseball sim there is. [Apr 2003, p.65]

One of the greatest 2D platformers ever put to silicon. [Feb 2003, p.97]

04 offers more of the same, but also takes encouraging steps toward true innovation... It's superb in every regard. [Sept 2003, p.72]

It's a great challenge, and it gets tough near the end - but the lead-up to this difficulty level is perfectly executed, and the amazing graphics, weather effects, and car crashes keep you entertained during the frustrating parts. [July 2004, p.88]

A game that no review can adqeuately describe, since the possible experiences are virtually limitless. Is it a game or a playground? Play it and decide for yourself.[Feb 2003, p.66]

Brainless running and gunning is an underappreciated way to waste a couple of hours with a great-looking game. [Feb 2003, p.94]

The title's most remarkable feature is the towrope's physics. Whether you're taking in slack or using it to slingshot around massive lakes, the rope feels absolutely real and must be played to be believed. [July 2003, p.73]

The Xbox controller, thanks to the ultrastiff D-pad and gummi bear-buttons, is the least responsive controller to play SC II with... The graphics are the best of the three versions, though not by much. [Sept 2003, p.63]

Superior simulation of the nail-baiting sport of stock racing, with amazingly realistic physics matched by a sublime 3D engine. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Extremely realistic attack chopper sim that's not for the weak of hear or impatient of trigger finger. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Whether you're using analog or digital controls, the PS2 pad offers the best controls for kicking butts... But the graphics are the least polished of the three versions. [Sept 2003, p.63]

Still the best baseball sim there is. [Apr 2003, p.65]

When it comes to online play, PGR2 knocks it out of the park. [Jan 2004, p.76]

The next game should be unstoppable, but it better well feature Eric B. and Rakim.

The acrobatics alone make Warrior Within a must-buy. Rounded out with superb character design and vast Myst-like landscapes, this Prince is another winner.

A great RPG strong on replay value (the item trading and link-up systems are particularly handy) with great visuals and art style to match (Akihiko Yoshida's character designs have never been better). [Oct 2003, p.79]

The acrobatics alone make Warrior Within a must-buy. Rounded out with superb character design and vast Myst-like landscapes, this Prince is another winner.

Compares nicely to the firmly entrenched Madden juggernaut, and even beats it in some areas. [Feb 2003, p.95]

If you're a D&D nerd then you already know, but buy this one for the multiplayer and user-made mods. [Feb 2003, p.94]

It's one of the most thorough and competent rehash packages in recent memory, offering a slew of great games in top form, along with a few cool bonuses.

A great-looking and playing racer with one major drawback: a tedious password save system. [Feb 2003, p.97]

One of those games you cherish playing - and avoid completing because you just don't want it to end. [Jan 2003, p.93]

It's an all-engrossing interactive soap-opera that grabs hold of you and never lets go. Consider yourself warned. [Feb 2003, p.64]

The expansion pack to EverCrack opens up new worlds, new characters, and tigers with boobies (finally!). [Feb 2003, p.94]

The detail in the fighter models and their movements is frighteningly convincing, and performing a violent action against another human being feels appreciably authentic.

The overlooked early gem of the PlayStation's RPG library. [Aug 2004, p.102]

Does away [with] the traditional overworld, but introduces full voice acting. Artistically beautiful, as always. [Feb 2003, p.92]

Your enjoyment of this game will correlate directly to whether you dig the highly Japanese flourishes and style...If this is your bag, Otogi 2 offers some of the most lavish ass-kicking destruction around. [Nov 2004, p.124]

This one gives you a whole new set of career paths and more clutter for you Sim life. [Feb 2003, p.94]

While lacking the sheer depth of either "Virtua Fighter" or "Soul Calibur," DOA's fighting system offers the fastest 3D fighting around with a slick reversal system tuned for players of all abilities. [Oct 2004, p.108]

Old annoyances have been addressed: You can use voice chat in the lobbies and put your buddies on a friends list to find them and send them messages (even when they are in a game). Also, cheating should be cut way down by other added measures. [Dec 2003, p.94]

A phenom in terms of gameplay and sales. [Feb 2003, p.92]

This is in fact everything you have ever loved about Onimusha buffed out to the max. [June 2004, p.75]

As complete and comprehensive an epic as we have ever seen, and it succeeds on all levels, both plot-wise and game-wise. [Mar 2003, p.55]

One of the most handsome, inventive, and to be perfectly frank, <I>cool</I> beat-em-ups ever conceived. [Nov 2003, p.76]

A deep combat engine and brilliant graphics make this the best RPG available on the GBA. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Nearly perfect. This release from MS Game Studios, despite the glaring lack of competition, is one of the best tennis game you can get.

Zombies running amok in Raccoon City; more B-movie voice acting running amok on your speakers. Enough to fill two disks this time! [Feb 2003, p.97]

Austin Powers ain't got nothing on Cate Archer, the hottest digital chick with a gun since that old hag Lara Croft. [Feb 2003, p.94]

A Mario-esque mascot racer. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Not quite as groundbreaking as "Super Mario 64." [Feb 2003, p.96]

Intensely beautiful, highly playable, and downright inspired, R-Type Final is a somber but fitting end to a legendary series. A stellar combination of style, substance, and class.

Compared to its predecessor, NFSU2 is more. More city, more courses, more cars, more parts, more style...just more of everything in general. The game is huge. [Dec 2004, p.99]

Combining the reckless, breakneck speed and high-impact collisions of "Burnout" with the neon-tipped street culture of Fast and the Furious (and, more specifically, "Midnight Club II"), Underground is the new definition of white-knuckle.

A shooter/strategy hybrid full of weird British humor, unique and beautiful 3D graphics, and naked lady sea monsters. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Nothing's more hysterical than replacing Solid Snake with an old office lady, and watching her sneak off to take care of business on Big Shell, SOCOM at the ready. [Apr 2003, p.63]

Awesome in ways this space doesn't allow us to describe. [Feb 2003]

It's a seamless and nigh-flawless experience that incorporates the best of what we love about gaming. [Aug 2004, p.90]

The only missteps are a super class of cars that are almost too fast for the courses, an abundance of loading screens, and a mostly terrible soundtrack-the latter two problems solved by the Xbox version.

Plenty of cars, silky-smooth graphics, and of all things, a story mode. Best played with the Jogcon controller. [Feb 2003, p.97]

What keeps Street hot in any of its addictive modes is its tight controls, great graphics, and awesome play-by-play commentary (you go, Bobbito!). [May 2003, p.72]

Portable "Super Mario World"... You should buy it. [Feb 2003, p.97]

If you've ever played "Jagged Alliance 2" and thought "Hot diggity, if this took place in World War II and was in 3D, it would rock," here is your dream game.

It's Pandora's Box, a treasure trove of bonuses including extra modes and characters, CG movies, detailed stats, and the original Panzer Dragoon, that will keep gamers coming back. [Feb 2003, p.69]

Still the best baseball sim there is. [Apr 2003, p.65]

A spectacular work with an attention to detail that rivals the Peter Jackson films upon which it's based. [Feb 2005, p.96]

Get your soiree (not to mention your freak) on with this great addition to the Sims amazing stable of add-on packs. [Feb 2003, p.94]

An underappreciated work of art with challenging puzzles, fantastic lighting, and engrossing character relationships. [Feb 2003, p.92]

A deep and ultimately rewarding game that apes soccer completely. From the pace to the strategy to the subtle nuances, it's all there. [Apr 2003, p.62]

A game that moves fast, controls brilliantly, and looks utterly fantastic. [July 2003, p.77]

Takes an excellent original game, loses some ground on control, but gains it back with variety. [Feb 2005, p.109]

"Einhander" is German for "awesome 2D shooter that should have sold way more that it did." That, or "one-handed." We're not sure. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Without a doubt, a contender for racing game of the year. [June 2003, p.74]

Did you know DMC was going to be "Resident Evil 4," before it was spun off into its own series? Oh, you did? Nevermind, then. [Feb 2003, p.92]