One of the better 5-on-5 basketball games we've played. [Jan 2004, p.82]

Your opponents are unbelievably excellent shots who almost never miss...A clear case of style over substance, XIII is pretty to look at but a bitch to play. [Dec 2003, p.100]

Flight-sim purists will be horrified by SWON's simplicity, but everyone else will be too busy having fun.

With too much style and not enough substance, this one can only Go! Go! so far. [Dec 2003, p.88]

But POP's only really significant flaw lies in its adventure/action ratio: Both aspects are thoroughly fleshed-out but rarely intertwined.

What holds Fire Warrior back is some rather uninspiring gameplay. You play the entire game as a single lowly Tau warrior and must fight your way through legions of increasingly difficult enemies. Pretty standard stuff. [Nov 2003, p.77]

But what holds Fire Warrior back is some rather uninspiring gameplay. You play the entire game as a single lowly Tau warrior and must fight your way through legions of increasingly difficult enemies. Pretty standard stuff.

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.

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.

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.

The emulation is solid, delivering sound and gameplay that's up to par. [Jan 2004, p.86]

If you're gonna buy one college game this year, buy March Madness.

There are a lot of things about HM:FMT that make it ideal for GBA, but the main thing is the bite-sized chunks of time that the game is broken up into. [Dec 2003, p.104]

This poor man's "Spy Hunter" is the part of Everything or Nothing in which nothing is, in all honesty, preferable. [Jan 2003, p.93]

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

If the NPC A.I. were a little more fully realized, CIMA would rank as one of the best GBA games out there. As it stands, it's merely pretty darn good. [Nov 2003, p.90]

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.

If you're gonna buy one college game this year, buy March Madness.

Yeah, we'll say it: Mario Kart: Double Dash is the most fun you'll have with a game this year. And probably next year. And maybe even the year after that.

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.

By upping the number of creatures in a stable, Tecmo has dramatically quickened the game's pace, with only a minimal trade-off in terms of the number of menus a trainer must plod through. [Jan 2004, p.60]

Hit & Run's gameplay is entertaining without the license, but the license considerably enhances the fun, and you can't for ask for anything more from a tie-in.

Though nostalgia hounds will likely be amused, others will probably want more depth from the best beat-em-up 1985 had to offer. [Dec 2003, p.104]

What really sets it apart from other first-person shooters, though, is the attention to technical and tactical detail, as well as the skill it demands from the player. [Jan 2004, p.78]

The trouble comes when Defiance pads its levels with repetitive encounters and identical areas.

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]

If you play only one game set in Middle-earth this year, don't make it this one.

Even without online play, Uru wins points for style and originality. Diehard "Myst" fans probably already have this, but others may want to wait until February to see if the whole online thing pays off.

Arenas are constrained and cliched, and the gameplay is as button-mashy as ever. [Dec 2003, p.86]

This RPG is full of lush graphics and beautiful effects but completely devoid of a decent story, character development, and anything resembling depth.

A crappy lock-on system snaps the Terminator's weapon right to a target, oftentimes one that's right underneath a grate and thus untouchable, all the while ignoring a more obvious threat.

Feels a bit like Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor in that an attempt to make an epic WWII Pacific Theater experience results in a product with brilliant touches mixed with mediocrity.

With the underlying mechanics perfected, Commando gets down to the business at hand and provides a Godzilla-sized block of fun. [Dec 2003, p.72]

The real star of NBA Live 2004, however, is the superb visual quality and the newfound ease with which players can call set plays and change defenses. [Dec 2003, p.84]

It's technically competent, but Crash NKR does not offer a gaming experience anyone would call fun. [Jan 2004, p.56]

The controls just don't cut it...Final Four's controls are quite sluggish, taking a split second or so before the corresponding action occurs onscreen. [Jan 2004, p.84]

The inferior prequel to the outstanding "No One Lives Forever" series, having none of the charm, humor, or creative gameplay of the other games under the NOLF umbrella.

It's more significant for the plot threads it weaves than the gaming innovations ti offers. [Feb 2004, p.92]

The graphics seal the deal. This just doesn't look like an Xbox game. The slowdown notwithstanding, the lighting is bad, the car models look wrong, and the trackside objects are sparse and ugly. [Oct 2003, p.77]

Throw in some uninspired third-person brawling, and, well, this turkey comes out as dry as the Sahara. [Feb 2004, p.86]

The trouble comes when Defiance pads its levels with repetitive encounters and identical areas.

What really wins this skins match is multiplayer: "Tiger" doesn't do it on Xbox, while Links not only offers multiplayer tourneys, but also the promise of new downloadable courses. [Dec 2003, p.82]

Feels a bit like Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor in that an attempt to make an epic WWII Pacific Theater experience results in a product with brilliant touches mixed with mediocrity.

If you play only one game set in Middle-earth this year, don't make it this one.

As awe-inspiring and grandiose as the Pearl Harbor level is, it's still just a rail shooter. The missions are uneven, ranging from uninspired "stealth" levels to well-designed artillery raids.

But POP's only really significant flaw lies in its adventure/action ratio: Both aspects are thoroughly fleshed-out but rarely intertwined.

If you play only one game set in Middle-earth this year, don't make it this one.

Solidly designed, solidly programmed, very pretty, and about as close to "Zelda" as PS2 and Xbox will ever get. This one deserves to be a sleeper hit. [Dec 2003, p.100]

Solidly designed, solidly programmed, very pretty, and about as close to "Zelda" as PS2 and Xbox will ever get. This one deserves to be a sleeper hit.

Solidly designed, solidly programmed, very pretty, and about as close to "Zelda" as PS2 and Xbox will ever get. This one deserves to be a sleeper hit.

Minigames, as always, tread a fine line between clever and stupid. [Jan 2004, p.87]

Factor in the lack of two-player action and all that's left is a tepid experience. [Feb 2004, p.91]

It's competently done, but fairly dull.

Factor in the lack of two-player action and all that's left is a tepid experience.

The game has a bit of a learning curve, and unfortunately, the Practice mode could've been more intuitive, like "Madden 2004's" Minicamp mode.

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]

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

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

The Eye Toy experience suffers from the overall lack of precision one would expect from a game that involves little more than waving your hands in vague motions at your TV, but it's still a bold experiment. [Nov 2003, p.86]

GTA's go-anywhere, do-anything gameplay design is something that truly shouldn't be missed by any gamer. The GTA Double Pack is a must-have for any console gamer.

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

The Practice mode could've been more intuitive, like "Madden 2004's" minicamp mode. It was not only difficult to figure out, but also, ultimately, not even that helpful. [Dec 2003, p.86]

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

The hand-to-hand combat is, despite a handful of unlockable combos, pure button-mashing chaos.

Offers up some solid gameplay, sharp visuals, likable character designs, and a fairly compelling (if somewhat typical) story. Fans of "Advance Wars" will particularly enjoy it. [Dec 2003, p.102]

The hand-to-hand combat is, despite a handful of unlockable combos, pure button-mashing chaos. There's a clever fight in which you shove your opponent into a fiery stove, but that's the only strategic scrap.

The hand-to-hand combat is, despite a handful of unlockable combos, pure button-mashing chaos.

Like Bob himself, this game holds its water and is, in fact, remarkably fun. [Jan 2004, p.86]

The boss battles and platforming challenges vary just enough, and the minigames (such as the side-scrolling shooter level and the "Excitebike"-inspired motorcycle race) are great. [Dec 2003, p.104]

Like Bob himself, this game holds its water and is, in fact, remarkably fun. [Jan 2004, p.86]

Like Bob himself, this game holds its water and is, in fact, remarkably fun. [Jan 2004, p.86]

Between its immature "Mature-rated" content (naughty language is prevalent) and rough gameplay, RoadKill narrowly misses excellence.

Instead of cramming three divergent threads into one game, the developers should have split them up. The Russian campaign could have stood on its own, but it feels like an afterthought.

The novelty of yapping it up boosts this game from mere mediocrity into a somewhat-intriguing solid title. [Dec 2003, p.86]

The real problem is that you'll feel like you've seen variations of all eight missions somewhere else, and without all the hand-holding to solve the puzzles. [Dec 2003, p.96]

Like its football counterpart, ShootOut simply doesn't compete against the might of "NBA Live" or "ESPN Basketball." [Jan 2004, p.82]

Like most strategy-RPGs, it's a lot to bite off at once, but it's a fine game for players who know what they're getting into. [Dec 2003, p.86]

The highest compliment we can give EA's portrayal of JK Rowling's magic-infused faux sport is that it's so much fun (for fans and nonfans alike) that it makes us wish Quidditch were actually real.

The highest compliment we can give EA's portrayal of JK Rowling's magic-infused faux sport is that it's so much fun (for fans and nonfans alike) that it makes us wish Quidditch were actually real.

This game time is artificially prolonged by ridiculous amounts of difficulty. The clunky and unresponsive control scheme is bad enough, but you start so weak that you're forced to do a lot of mindless leveling up before you can do anything interesting.

Offers great rewards to gamers willing to commit the time to it (player-vs.-player between warring nations is coming in January), and the community is filled with surprisingly helpful players, which makes for a deep, compelling, and perpetual gaming environment.

Midway has successfully overhauled their classic series, but it has kept the ultraviolence that made it so popular. [Oct 2003, p.68]

These battles, they feel real. More important, they seem dangerous.

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

Xbox Live support is limited to downloadable content, not the needed multiplayer action, but it's great fun while it lasts. [Nov 2003, p.74]

Factor in the need to half-push the left stick and left and right triggers in order to get style bonuses, and you can see why intuitiveness completely disappears.

As a third-person space shooter, Galactica barely holds its own. [Jan 2004, p.64]

The highest compliment we can give EA's portrayal of JK Rowling's magic-infused faux sport is that it's so much fun (for fans and nonfans alike) that it makes us wish Quidditch were actually real.

These battles, they feel real. More important, they seem dangerous.

The highest compliment we can give EA's portrayal of JK Rowling's magic-infused faux sport is that it's so much fun (for fans and nonfans alike) that it makes us wish Quidditch were actually real.

Never before has a console game offered the flexibility of a PC-strength level editor with the ability to swap and trade freely with a natino of virtual skaters. [Dec 2003, p.65]

Submission moves finally makes sense, thanks to a logical location-based damage system, and wrestlers' weights are accurately presented. [Jan 2004, p.92]

If you're a fan of firefights, Core Combat gives you access to the complete PlanetSide experience, but if you've already got the original, the expansion isn't really necessary.

"Fu-Ma" (the included game) is both useless and boring. It's blurry graphics and awkward control (in an RPG?!) provide a sickening surety that no matter how much time you spend in design, the final result won't be worth playing. [Feb 2004, p.88]

Not nearly as embarrassing as "DDR", Karaoke Revolution is perfect for parties and tribal gatherings. [Dec 2003, p.67]

Few business games currently on the market are as enjoyable as this one.

The stroy is treated with respect and subtle class (that is, if you desregard the lackluster dialogue), with the conclusion providing the foundation for the many evenual battles between the Belmonts & Dracula. [Dec 2003, p.76]

The Versus mode, the generally solid beat-em-up action, and the nostalgia factor somewhat save these turtles from obscurity. [Dec 2003, p.92]