Combat is flashy and loud, marred only by the accent-heavy voiceovers. [Sept 2004, p.88]

With its violence, online play, and deep franchise mode, this title will appeal to both hardcore and casual baseball fans alike.

With its violence, use of Xbox Live, and deep franchise mode, this title will appeal to both hardcore and casual baseball fans alike. [Aug 2004, p.96]

A plodding pace serves to slow down the showdown - something as simple as escaping from a steel cage is an extended, boring affair. [Sept 2004, p.81]

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.

Because of its masterful pacing, detail, and variety, Advance Tour ranks up there with the champions of GBA games. Recommended even if you have zero interest in golf. [July 2004, p.87]

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.

Unlike "GTA's" open-ended gameplay, DRIV3R is both linear and confined. [Sept 2004, p.83]

On the downside, you're going to have to bite your lip and accept the fact that the Xbox version does look a bit better. [Sept 2004, p.84]

Is Joint Operations better than "Battlefield 1942"? Yes, if all the pieces come together. But without good players backing you up and a well-populated map, you're screwed. [Oct 2004, p.96]

FM4 isn't likely to win new converts, but it's guaranteed to lease the choir. [July 2004, p.90]

Something this bad defies description. [Sept 2004, p.95]

It's a dull action-heavy first-person shooter emphasizing run-and-gun play rather than tactical warfare - with some noticeable slowdown when enemies and friendlies clog the screen. [Aug 2004, p.96]

While the stealth formula has been done to death, Psi-Ops is saved from mediocrity by the sheer versatility of its mind-over-matter approach. [Aug 2004, p.92]

A more technical take on tennis - or at least it tries to be. [Aug 2004, p.89]

If you're frustrated by "FFTA," this is strategy with training wheels. [July 2004, p.92]

It can be a little too difficult at times, especially when trying to make finicky jumps on a small screen while, for example, riding a bus. But the balancing issues are confined mostly to the bosses. [Aug 2004, p.91]

Nintendo has put together a fantastic cooperative quest, but compared to most single-player games, it's short, and compared to most multiplayer games, there's little reason to go back once you've played through it. [July 2004, p.83]

It's a fine tie-in game, but it's over rather quickly, offering little in the way of challenge. [Aug 2004, p.93]

The most socially relevant videogame in recent memory and should be played not just by fans of the genre, but by anyone desiring a deeper understanding of what it must be like to participate in urban warfare. [Aug 2004, p.98]

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

It's ironic, then, that one of the most striking things you will find on Xbox today is stellar throwback to the halcyon days of 2D gaming. [July 2004, p.87]

Deadly Shadows sticks closely to the formula, albeit with a highly refined touch. [Aug 2004, p.101]

Ultimately, we would have been better served by an all-new River City Ransom. [Sept 2004, p.81]

It's not very polished. [Aug 2004, p.93]

Because may stages aren't too difficult to pass, the game might seem easy at first, but it's really a system that favors rewarding good players rather than punishing poor ones. [July 2004, p.89]

Tons of tracks, 100 cars, 100 parts, and a dozen cool minigames deliver endless customization options. [Jan 2004, p.86]

The controls are where the game falls apart: Movement is imprecise, with every jump a disaster waiting to happen; targeting an enemy with any degree of accuracy is simply impossible. [June 2004, p.81]