An incredibly deep military flight simulator, Lock On is overwhelming, except to the most die-hard flight-stick jockeys. [Mar 2004, p.83]

A bit of an acquired taste. If you dig its goofy sense of humor, or if you're a fan of previous Worms games, you might find something to like once you get past the 3D-induced flaws.

There really isn't another game like Shadow of Rome, let alone one of similar quality and polish. [Feb 2005, p.102]

The game feels oddly piecemeal: From its bland anime hero on a quest to collect "data chips" to its "downloadable" special abilities, Virtua Quest seems more like a Mega Man Battle Network game than a VF title.

The nice thing about Fullmetal Alchemist that you don't always get in a licensed game... is that the gameplay actually seems inspired by and drawn from the source material, rather than simply being generic with some recognizable characters plugged in. [Feb 2005, p.106]

But it's been streamlined much too much—redefined as absolutely average.

Hiding an otherwise mediocre game behind story and setting doesn't work twice.

Magnificent. It's a terrific, if tardy, showcase for the GameCube, and it's every bit as worthy as the Halos, the GTAs, and the MGSes of this generation. This is a stunning return to form. (Happy Trails, GMR staff!) [Feb 2005]

When you're not blasting baddies, however, it can get pretty dull. Vehicles aren't much fun to drive and, other than a few little challenges, there's not a lot to do. Good thing blowing stuff up in your hijacked tank doesn't get old quickly. [Feb 2005, p.95]

Outside of a slightly boring midgame stretch in which you're tracking down overdue library books (no, really) and an overly tough final boss, this is a flawless portable adventure. [Feb 2005, p.91]

Football fans will have a great time with this one (especially with multiplayer), and there's plenty there for nonsports folk. But in the end, this one falls just short of greatness. [Feb 2005, p.88]

It's far too contrived and boring to titillate. [Feb 2005, p.112]

It may go down in history as the least necessary game of all time. [Feb 2005, p.113]

GL2 might be on the short side, but it's 100 percent pure beef; GL3 feels like cow eyeballs and kangaroo meat are mixed in—even if, in point of fact, the developers have actually expanded the game.

The worst thing that can be said about Viewtiful Joe 2 is that it's a lot like the first game, and that's a good thing. [Jan 2005, p.123]

The best Mega Man X in recent memory and will provide an enjoyable challenge to gamers willing to give 2D another go. [Feb 2005, p.97]

Kuon has considerably limited replay value, and the game is neither ambitious nor unique enough to warrant an especially enthusiastic recommendation. [Dec 2004, p.122]

Competent on all levels, offering solid if unexceptional value. [Feb 2005, p.110]

The levels are repetitive, boxy mazes with nothing interesting in them aside from battles, and the story's for fans only. Still, it's a technically excellent and fun game that begins to wear only through repetition and ease. [Jan 2005, p.84]

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

A fine RPG - it's just not the earth-shattering sequel that people might expect. [Feb 2005, p.100]

Just as polished as the rest of the series, striking just the right balance between familiar and fresh material. [Feb 2005, p.99]

It's a challenging game, but that's Metal Slug for you - everything you liked about the previous games, you'll find here, and that's no small feat on a small platform. [Feb 2005, p.103]

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.

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.

It's hard to ask for more from a portable puzzler, which makes Drill Spirits a tasty (if not completely filling) morsel of gaming goodness. [Feb 2005, p.111]

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.

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.

It's refreshing to look back on the genesis of the world's most popular RPG.

Unless you've got serious Atari nostalgia, most of these won't keep you occupied for more than five minutes. [Feb 2005, p.103]

Wearing a no-holds-barred sense of literalism on its sleeve, this mostly mediocre affair fails to bring anything new to the genre or even match its many peers. [Feb 2005, p.104]

If you want to relive the good old days and hat that your favorite 2D franchises are being recast as crappy 3D shooters, give Hominid a try. [Feb 2005, p.94]

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

The slow tracks still outnumber the fast ones; here's hoping the downloadable packages include a few more peppy songs. [Dec 2004, p.132]

Culminates in one of the greatest ending sequences in gaming and what's probably the most impressive display of the PlayStation 2's untapped graphical abilities.

A surprisingly deep and satisfying ride, made all the more appealing by its $19.99 price tag. [Nov 2004, p.136]

With great presentation and a fantastic dynasty mode, this is the premier college hoops game this season. [Jan 2005, p.118]

It's that A.I. thing that's a killer. The price is definitely right, but basing it on gameplay alone, this one lags behind this season's No. 1: "March Madness." [Jan 2005, p.118]

The superior writing of The Urbz makes it far better than its predecessor "Bustin' Out." There aren't many handheld titles this solid. [Feb 2005, p.113]

While it does a lot right, it lacks the polish the series is known for. [Feb 2005, p.113]

Does nothing extraordinarily special, nor is the DS hardware exploited beyond a map. [Feb 2005, p.110]

It's a game that somehow manages to simultaneously fulfill all expectations yet finish with the player unsatisfied and craving for more. [Feb 2005, p.92]

While the action might not be outstanding, the game world itself is. [Feb 2005, p.98]

Takes advantage of the new lease on life by endangering the lives of its onscreen combatants in much better fashion than before. [Feb 2005, p.84]

While this may at first seem like a great way to pit all of Capcom's best fighters against each other, in reality it makes for an unbalanced mess. [Jan 2005, p.102]

It's the closest any DBZ game has ever come to replicating the insane airborne fights from the show. [Jan 2005, p.114]

A complete aesthetic and mechanical package. [Feb 2005, p.112]

Actually manages to make use of the touch screen in an interesting, though not vital, manner. It's too bad that the rest of the game is awful. [Feb 2005, p.111]

The game's presentation is incredible... Unfortunately, the A.I. should have spent more time in basic training. [Feb 2005, p.87]

Luckily, the insipid offline game serves as a training ground for its exciting online counterpart. [Feb 2005, p.86]

While it's a fun enough brawler, it's not exactly "Virtua Fighter 4." [Jan 2005, p.114]

It's a shame Artoon didn't have enough faith in the gamer to really let this kitty off the leash. [Feb 2005, p.97]

A half-assed first try. Fight Club falls flat. [Jan 2005, p.100]

Unfortunately, unique visuals and a well-made battle system can't always rescue this easy linear game from the swell of mediocrity that often threatens to overrun it. [Jan 2005, p.82]

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]

Lacks elastic A.I. to keep the cars close together. [Jan 2005, p.87]

Good for boredom, bad for creativity. [Jan 2005, p.102]

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]

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

Despite the lacking modes, the new songs and Xbox Live make Karaoke Revolution on Xbox incredibly versatile. [Dec 2004, p.115]

Brings style aplenty, but it rarely stoops to substance and is easily surpassed by its videogame brethren. [Jan 2005, p.85]

Jak 3 doesn't break much new ground, but it is head and shoulders above most of its ilk and is a fitting - and make no mistake, good-looking - send-off for this beloved trilogy. [Dec 2004, p.124]

The bottom line is that if you're going to have an easy-to-play game that doesn't even attempt to push the genre in any meaningful manner, at least feature characters that 8-year-olds won't be too embarrassed to be caught playing as. [Dec 2004, p.126]

A sublime experience that incorporates the feel of flying, acrobatics, and racing all in one. Unfortunately, the finicky EyeToy provides less than optimal control, resulting in intermittent bursts of frustration. [Jan 2005, p.122]

It's almost as if Koei planned this expansion pack long ago just to milk Warriors fans for all they're worth. [Jan 2005, p.102]

The third volume includes features that rocket its entertainment value to an entirely unparalleled level. [Dec 2004, p.115]

The digital surround sound is phenomenal (and the voice-acting peerless), and players with a good A/V system will enjoy hearing enemies approach from all sides due to the sharp positional sound.

Doesn't reinvent the gameplay of its predecessors, but it does refine it. Unfortunately, it's not all for the better. [Jan 2005, p.128]

As anime-based games go, there have been far worse. Unfortunately, there have also been better. [Dec 2004, p.125]

MPT may not reinvent the game, but it definitely whacks it up enough to warrant a revisit. [Jan 2005, p.120]

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.

Scapland's gorgeous set pieces and unique take on "Grand Theft Auto's" open-ended gameplay makes it one of PC gaming's best-kept secrets. [Jan 2005, p.104]

It's just a little too late for a reboot from last year. [Feb 2005, p.87]

The controls are flawless, the weapons are diverse, and the production values are some of the highest in the industry. [Dec 2004, p.106]

Why waste money on Superstars when you can buy any number of hallucination-inducing substances to get your friends swatting at the air for a fraction of the price? [Feb 2005, p.94]

The hardware simply isn't powerful enough to consistently process what Killzone wants to do, in both single-player and online multiplayer modes. Similar to how Rare's "Perfect Dark" stressed the N64 near the end of that system's life, a game with otherwise excellent attributes finds itself arriving much too late for one party and a little too early for the next.

Frustrating but not impossible, The Third Age brings genuine LOTR authenticity and a believable RPG together - a fellowship that works. [Jan 2005, p.112]

Fast and frenetic, ATVOF3 is a great title, so much so that we can forgive the occasional restart from behind an unmovable obstacle. [Jan 2005, p.87]

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

In the ring, inconsistencies abound-weird collision detection, random selling, neutered submission moves, and A.I. that revolves between timid and simply schizoid.

If you're new to Sonic, for 20 bucks you really can't go wrong. [Feb 2005, p.103]

One of gaming's most horrific experiences. [Feb 2005, p.102]

A competent and, at times, genuinely fun platformer, but it will have to rely heavily on its license for a successful run. [Feb 2005, p.99]

It's shamelessly hilarious, leaving no topic or genre stereotype sacred. [Dec 2004, p.110]

There is also a distinct lack of overall polish, mostly noticeable in the smallest ways: ugly character models, cluttered maps (the custom waypoint is a welcomed and downright necessary addition), unnecessarily complex wardrobe management, odd misspellings ("Cobra Marital Arts"), and even repeated references to Los Angeles instead of Los Santos.

Taiko: Drum Master's surreal happy-happy smiling drums and their friends are much more charming and should easily win over the hearts of music-loving PS2 gamers across the globe. [Dec 2004, p.132]

A game designed solely and specifically to appeal to nostalgia-addled fans, released in a country where that nostalgia doesn't exist. [Dec 2004, p.102]

If you're looking for a faithful and compelling GTA adventure, you'll likely be disappointed. [Feb 2005, p.84]

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]

Boasts ideal handling and control, near photo-realistic graphics, and digital surround sound. Where the game staggers is in its defiantly single-player focus. [Jan 2005, p.86]

The disappointing lack of traffic [online] means you'll need at least four competitors on a course to prevent boredom. [Dec 2004, p.123]

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]

The fact that Jaguar's flame katana - a standard weapon - can take down most bosses in less than five slashes...well, that just shouldn't be possible. [Dec 2004, p.128]

Short, linear, and in its best moments, incredibly difficult. But for those who long to feel their hands cramp up around the cold, hard plastic, that might be enough. [Nov 2004, p.108]

In most ways an improvement upon its predecessor, but it's still a far cry from the awesome arcade game that came out in the late '80s...A highly mediocre experience. [Nov 2004, p.121]

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]

An Oliver-Stone-directed theme-park ride. [Dec 2004, p.102]

A highly mediocre experience.