The story is like a bag of bricks I had to heave along as I slogged my way forward...What a disappointment. [Dec 2002, p.172]

For the online play, it basically comes down to this - College Hoops 2K5 has all the features that "March Madness 2005" has and more. [Jan 2005, p.100]

Falling short to a tighter, more polished "Madden." [Jan 2002, p.132]

The first game in the series that tries to accommodate both sides by combining quick action with the technical elements of wrestling, and it works -- almost. [Jan 2004, p.132]

When I took a break from playing, sat back and really thought about it, I realized that I really couldn’t care less if I never played this game again. And that’s just not right. [Mar 2002, p.104]

When it comes down to it, all four car types feel floaty - you never really feel attached to the ground. [Dec 2002, p.164]

It's just too bad that such an intricate--albeit slightly flawed--game is covered in a beautiful wrapper that you can't explore beyond a 2D plane. [Oct. 2006, p.84]

Matches are still way too slow most of the time. Aiming issues make your wrestlers look clownish when they attempt to start a throw and instead just swing at air. And worst of all, tag-team partners--the bane of any wrestling game--are still dumb as dirt and simply don't do what they're told.

Like Scott Spezio, this game is worth having on your roster until a better one comes around. [May 2006, p.96]

Solid, yet unspectacular. [Apr 2006, p.78]

While I have to give the developers credit for trying out a whole bunch of new ideas, I'd much rather play last year's version. But if you like your golf painfully realistic, maybe you'll prefer it this way. [Nov 2005, p.114]

It may be a bit too challenging for its own good. [Jan 2002, p.128]

But it all starts to falter with the gameplay, which generically mimics the sport and ultimately falls short of feeling like an actual college basketball game.

It's strictly for armchair racers that crave variety over substance. [Mar 2006, p.90]

As a game to pick up here and there just to jam through, Gitaroo couldn't rock any harder. [Feb 2002, p.107]

The controls bug me, too. Where's the innovation? [Jan 2003, p.136]

It's just too bad that there isn't much to it beyond the standard gameplay. [Oct 2004, p.92]

Still, for the most part, the better games in this collection outweigh the terrible ones and some still hold up quite well. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

A fantastic presentation and good extras anchor a highly enjoyable game - only its baserunning and fielding are a step behind its competitors. [Apr 2005, p.110]

When the strategic squad combat works, it's neat... The strategic squad combat rarely works. [May 2005, p.106]

The hardcore arcade-style gameplay may be a huge turn-off for some, but if you've always like the Outrun games--even back in the day--then, surely, you won't be disappointed with the face-lift. [Jun 2006, p.103]

A really solid racer that feels a tad dated and features way too much load time. [Aug 2006, p.82]

The basic gameplay and multiplayer are exactly the same as they were before. [Dec. 2006, p.136]

Seeing [the Force] used within the cockpit of a spaceship just doesn't give the desired effect. [May 2002, p.103]

Veterans will have to take a little time to adjust, while newcomers will be able to jump right in without even noticing such problems.

It’s actually better than its pretty PS2 twin. [Feb 2002, p.116]

With this game a 100-mph fastball feels like its coming in at 380...The ball comes in too fast. [May 2002, p.99]

It'll take some getting used to, but but for the first time, a game has made pitching as much fun as hitting. [Apr 2003, p.96]

Outrun 2006 is not a bad game, but in a world where arcade racers have evolved to the quality of the Burnout series, it just feels kind of antiquated. [Jun 2006, p.97]

Builds on a good engine from last year to produce a solid sim with few gameplay flaws, but it lacks the gimmicks, presentation, and general fireworks the other games have to bring it to the next level. [Apr 2005, p.110]

The control issues I've been griping about since the original came out have been remedied. [Nov 2001, p.153]

The problem is that there just isn't much gameplay there. [Jan 2002, p.138]

Still, it has enough charm to keep some people coming back for more even after completing it, but most will probably put Gitaroo man down after that, wishing for more. [Dec. 2006, p.130]

Unless you're into cartoony characters and an overdose of wackiness, there really isn't much here beyond simple competence. [Oct 2004, p.98]

I feel greatly disappointed by the lack of polish that could have made it a killer title. [August 2002, p.108]

Even though the battles may occur in the same settings as the ones in the movie, they lack not only the coolness, but also the soul. [Sept 2004, p.86]

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

As a port of a game from another system, it's disappointing. [June 2001, p.97]

All the fundamentals of the PS2 version and, well, not a whole lot more. [Dec 2005, p.138]

For the first time in I can't remember how long, the yearly WWE game is actually fun to play! [Dec. 2006, p.126]

Great graphics...Unreliable controls. [July 2005, p.79]

A full-featured chess game... But it's flawed in a lot of little ways, and these little flaws add up. [July 2003, p.93]

The game is technically sound, but inferior track design keeps this one from the greatness of its predecessors.

Laugh-out-loud, knee-slapping, "I can't believe that just happened" humor. [Dec 2001, p.164]

I like the fielding. It's the best for baserunning. But where's the crowd noise? [May 2004, p.99]

Simply said, Final Fantasy Origins is a must-have title for any RPG lover - no matter how casual or passionate your devotion to role-playing games. [Apr 2003, p.88]

Maybe "VF4" spoiled things for us all, but there's no arguing that the bar was raised back in March, and Tekken 4 has failed to jump over it. [Oct 2002, p.144]

Remixing is fine for what it's worth, and you can get pretty intricate with the tools provided for you, but if you try to create your own compositions from scratch, you'll bump up against a pretty low ceiling. [July 2004, p.99]

The puck has strikingly solid physics...The trouble is, defense is a joke. [Dec 2002, p.164]

While [Part II] plays almost exactly like the original, it addresses almost all the problems. Gone is the lag, the graphics are much nicer (though still not up to today's standards), and the game is a bit longer. [Dec 2003, p.172]

Rather than fixing what was broken, they just offer tips, which themselves are faulty... Wrath has "rush job" written all over it. [Apr 2003, p.92]

If incessant hack-n-slash doesn't bore you, Dark Alliance II has enough solid gameplay to entertain you until "Champion (of Norrath)." But you're better off waiting. [Feb 2004, p.105]

Basically, we have a four-star Cursed Mummy game held back by a three-star Sphinx game, bringing the overall game average to three-and-a-half. [Dec 2003, p.172]

I can't help feeling like the game would have benefited from another six months or so of development. [Nov 2002, p.192]

The graphics need work, but no other game lets you really play as <I>you</I>. [May 2004, p.99]

A solid but uninspired game that never really grabbed me. [Oct 2002, p.138]

A little too simple. [Dec 2002, p.172]

Just isn't interesting enough to overcome its retro-tinged, formulaic gameplay. [Nov 2002, p.196]

As you might expect, it's great for parties, but the solo modes leave a bit to be desired. [Dec 2005, p.126]

Do you like "Monopoly" but wish it featured more fantasy trappings and colorful cards? Well, has NEC got a deal for you with Culdcept. [Dec 2003, p.156]

It just could've gone a little further to include additional games from the era. [Dec 2005, p.132]

It's Karaoke Revolution--you know if you like this by now, but don't get it if you're looking for much more than just a new set of songs. [Jan. 2007, p.83]

There's enough content to keep puzzle fans busy, but expect plenty of frustration, too. [May 2005, p.96]

Tales of the Abyss starts off as a carbon copy of every RPG ever made. [Dec. 2006, p.119]

It's nice to see EA's NHL franchise starting to turn a corner, but it still has a ways to go before besting 2K Sports' stellar efforts. [Sept 2005, p.90]

Catching a fly witch chopsticks Miyagi-style is easier than whacking a pitch in this game. [Apr 2003, p.95]

It's really more "yawn" than "whoa". [Jan. 2007, p.68]

Offers classic teams, clothing, and a new college classic mode where you can relive some of college basketball's most famous moments - it's just too bad that there are so few moments like that in the game. [Jan 2005, p.100]

All in all, this is about what we've come to expect from a competent World War II FPS: frequent moments of drama and tension and cinema interspersed with some fairly run-of-the-mill shooting.

One has to wonder if Live 06's mostly cosmetic changes are worth $50 this year. [Nov 2005, p.115]

It's just not very exciting to play or to watch, and for a college basketball game that just shouldn't be the case. [Mar 2006, p.90]

The game isn't a bad addition to the series, but it feels like an expansion at a sequel price. [Jan. 2007, p.86]

The overall PS2 surfing champ. [Oct 2002, p.148]

But Ape Escape 3's presentation is what really hurts the whole package. The graphics are mediocre, especially for a first-party game late in the PS2's life cycle. The voice acting is painfully stilted. And the translation is woeful.

Yes, Wasteland has a large, free-roaming world, but it does little to change the game itself.

Playing MTX a month after playing "MX Unleashed" is sort of like driving a Taurus after a month of driving a Viper. [May 2004, p.100]

Although it boasts a host of innovations that are supposed to set it a breed apart from its predecessor, Monster Rancher 4 never captured me in the way MR3 did.

Unless you have friends already playing or a high tolerance for monotony, you might want to give Frontiers a pass, especially with "Final Fantasy XI" around the corner. [Feb 2004, p.101]

A fun distraction for the PSP, [but] slow and repetitive, sometimes to the point of boredom. Just keep the sessions short. [Apr 2006, p.90]

It doesn't help that you seem to be shooting the same handful of monsters no matter where you are&#151;or that the vast majority of these look like offspring of Soul Calibur's Voldo. The shoddy framerate, slippery controls, and blocky character models provide an even more low-rent feel.

It still has all of the stuff that makes it a nice diversion from the typical baseball title. But that stuff hasn't changed enough to warrant a purchase.

Only if you really, really liked the first one - or if you didn't buy it at all. [Feb 2005, p.84]

Like the previous games, it'll satisfy fans of the franchise while being nigh-impenetrable to others. [Oct 2003, p.126]

What Makai Kingdom lacks in visceral appeal it more than makes up for in complexity and nuance. It's fun in a brain-taxing kind of way, but in the end a bit too cold and piecemeal to love. Though it may be fun and challenging, it never quite hangs together as a compelling whole.

You can scalp baddies, but there is no in-game benefit or reward for doing so. [Jan 2006, p.94]

Pros: Solid physics for the central game, lots and lots of bonus content, dirt cheap. [Aug 2004, p.93]

With the next-gen engine already on its second iteration, and the extra time to polish up this year's version since the kickoff of the season, it's hard to swallow that Madden NFL 07 on the PS3 can't even live up to the standard it sets on Xbox 360. [Jan. 2007, p.71]

Wins points for originality, and the gameplay works well, but it lacks a compelling narrative (the disjointed mission objectives don't cut it), and it rarely made me feel as tense as I thought it should. [Nov 2005, p.117]

Gradius Collection should be rated M--not because it's violent.....or because it has nudity. Really, the reason it should have that rating stems from the amount of profanity that will spew from your mouth and the possible injuries incurred from slamming your PSP into a brick wall. [June 2006, p.101]

More laid-back surf tunes would've been nice. [June 2002, p.100]

After low sales killed Midway's interest in the series, it was unknown if "Shadow Hearts" would continue in the U.S.--but Xseed has picked up the torch, and, on balance, it's clear that the company has made a good move. [Mar 2006, p.88]

The game can be beaten in a handful of sessions, and although it offers some replay value with its unique points system..., I doubt most of you will be motivated to bother. I know I wasn't. [Apr 2003, p.92]

Boring. [June 2001, p.98]

With intense, yet user-friendly, action and a full complement of online modes, Heroes of the Pacific is actually worth checking out. It's not going to blow "Ace Combat" out of the sky, but this game's got wings.

The only real draw here is the startingly robust level-creation tool. [July 2006, p.82]

Die-hard fans wresting fans will love this game. [Jan 2002, p.142]

The repetitive environments drag it down a bit, but that&#146;s far from a fatal blow. [Feb 2002, p.107]

Besides the shocking, desensitizing violence that borders on being pornographic (there's no actual sex, but there is plenty of penetration and spraying of bodily fluids, all viewed from lurid camera angles), Manhunt turns out to be a pretty solid game.