I still think a music-customizable rhythm game could be amazing, but Dance Factory falls short of the ideal. [Jun 2006, p.94]

Unrepentantly intelligent, epic, and approachable, this is one of the best RPGs available today and the Rubedo of the Xenosaga series. [Oct. 2006, p.82]

Up to this point I've been recommending "Stacked" for the advanced poker player, and "World Poker Tour" for newbies. I don't see any reason to change that recommendation. [Nov. 2006, p.112]

The challenge mode makes up for a lot of the shortcomings, since it offers great, classic monkeys-in-balls action that fits perfectly with the PSP's portability, but sadly, it's not enough. [Nov. 2006, p.124]

If you're a hugh One Piece fan, then dive in; otherwise, find an alternative. [Nov. 2006, p.114]

Lead Blocker - the new Madden feature that, unlike last year's passing cone, actually revolutionizes gameplay. [Sept 2006, p.82]

The same tight controls introduced by EA Tiburon in "NCAA Football" PSP--L button used with face buttons in lieu of a right analog--plus the revolutionary Lead Block feature, which allows you to take control of a fullback or offensive lineman prior to the snap, give PSP players a greatly improved football experience versus last year's debut. [Oct. 2006, p.93]

This is a great game for kids or people who are chronically bad at racers, and it's not actually offensive to Pac-Man fans. [Sept 2006, p.79]

Load times between rounds are slow, and the wireless play is ad hoc only, so it's hard to imagine the adult who would prefer this to the PSP's other(great)racers. [Nov. 2006, p.124]

At its very best, Dirge of Cerberus is an average action game with RPG elements, nice ideas, and a decent fan service. [Sept 2006, p.80]

Realistic drift physics apparently don't equal a good time, especially when added to a frustrating - and mandatory - tutorial mode. [Sept 2006, p.76]

Features fun, arcadey action and an impressive amount of destruction - with a slightly irritating interface. [Sept 2006, p.76]

Unfortunately, you have to keep playing through the adventure portion of the game, and it really isn't all that worth it unless you're the most ardent fan of monkeys inside balls. [Oct. 2006, p.87]

Rather than craft a generic beat-em-up that follows the plot of the film, THQ has created sort of a kiddie version of "The Sims". [Oct. 2006, p.88]

It's all very, very solid, but perhaps the biggest surprise was what a good fit the arcade mode is for a portable system. [Sept 2006, p.84]

Other than that, Miami Vice is the most unremarkable eight hours you'll sppend en route to a lousy concclusion this year! [Oct. 2006, p.91]

It's not an "FF" title for the PSP, but it is a port of one of the better and rarer games in the company's history. [Aug 2006, p.80]

The quarterback moves way better than in previous games - he can take off and run without having to pull the ball down, making rolling out an throwing the ball on the run more fluid...The best sports game to hit the PS2 so far this year. [Aug 2006, p.78]

Load times and controls are excellent by PSP standards. [Sept 2006, p.85; Score corrected in Oct issue]

Cheesy plot, horrible dialogue and translation, bland graphics, and standard RPG cliches circa 1995 as far as the eye can see. [Aug 2006, p.81]

A robust fighting experience. [Sept 2006, p.81]

Monstrous creations that are just scary enough for third-graders make this a good substitute for grotesque grown-up survival horror. [Oct. 2006, p.88]

It's a very rudimentary action game with some fairly sloppy gameplay mechanics and AI that's so bad it might as well have been programmed by some sort of weasel-like creature. [Sept 2006, p.81]

An excellent game crippled by bad control. [Aug 2006, p.82]

Mototrax starts out with a holeshot thanks to the solid gameplay, but it manages to take a spill before ever reaching the finish line. [Oct. 2006, p. 92]

Ultimately, it's a good, pirate-heavy distraction but, thanks to the game's repetitiveness, it won't do much to keep your attention past the first few levels. [Oct. 2006, p.91]

This was a great game...15 years ago. The new Micro Machines fails to offer anything new or exciting to an already stale series. [Sept 2006, p.79]

The Micro Machines games have stayed the same over the last decade for the most part, so fans of the series will have a general idea of what they're getting into here. Newcomers can consider themselves warned. [Oct. 2006, p.92]

Arcade deliciousness is soured by the lack of a carer mode, but it's still oh so sweet. [Aug 2006, p.83]

Really, if Naruto's your thing, then this game is right up your alley--but even the most hardcore fighting-game fanatics will get a kick out of it as well. [July 2006, p.75]

So, basically, TRL is a good game that kind of lost its way when it came over to the PSP. [July 2006, p.80]

Take the great career mode, the interesting challenges, and solid online play, and you've got one excellent bike racer on your hands, even despite a few speed bumps here and there. [Sept 2006, p.76]

The depth to which NFL Head Coach goes to simulate its world is impressive. Pigskin fanatics will love it, but if I want stress and boredom, I think I'll stick with my day job. [Aug 2006, p.79]

So there you have it: a typical Japanese RPG. With pets. [July 2006, p.85]

That's the story of Urban Chaos--it's an above-average shooter that hits a plateau early and stays there. [July 2006, p.76]

Just an all-around great collection, and fighting fans should be thrilled that Capcom was willing to give these great fighting games the treatment that they deserve. [Aug 2006, p.75]

The Armored Core developers are celebrating the series' 10th birthday by giving you the same mech game they've pumped out since the beginning. [Jun 2006, p.92]

Just average b-ball...Average b-ball means it's not good streetball. [Aug 2006, p.78]

A sloppy, wince-inducing piece. [Aug 2006, p.81]

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

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]

Spectacularly good value, despite some of the same old problems. [Aug 2006, p.74]

Surprisingly polished. [Aug 2006, p.76]

Even if you're a "Cars" nut, there's very little to get excited about on the PSP besides teh movie clips included in this game. [Aug 2006, p.82]

If this game had online play and were a PSP title, we'd be pretty pleased. But it doesn't, it's not - and we're not. [Sept 2006, p.83]

This game is about a realistic Texas Hold 'Em experience against the computer, and not much else. [Aug 2006, p.75]

We don't have to worry about the Hitman franchise feeling like a sports-game series with incremental updates, as Hitman: Blood Money adds three features that make it feel like a real sequel: money, notoriety, and publicity. [June 2006, p.90]

Those who have no emotional investment in a ragtag team of junior superheroes will just find yet another simple beat-em-up. [Mar 2006, p.87]

Defending myself from a shark attack would be more entertaining. [Aug 2006, p.77]

Rogue's greatest asset is its variety, which constantly refreshes the experience before that "new game" smell wears off. [June 2006, p.93]

The devil may indeed be in the details, but if you dive into Freedom with the mind-set of "knowing is half the battle," you'll be rewarded with a game that will provide you with--no lie--over 100 hours of truly compelling gameplay. [Jun 2006, p.100]

Turn-based strategy doesn't get any better than this. [May 2006, p.97]

Steambot is so much fun and so full of possibilities that, while playing, I mentally outlined not just my next playthrough, but the one after that. [May 2006, p.80]

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

Overall, it's just a great pick-up-and-play game, but I don't want to give up depth just because a game is portable. [July 2006, p.84]

With the exception of a few factual glitches (it's Shadowcat that can walk through walls, not Nightcrawler), the game's pretty solid and fun overall. [July 2006, p.76]

The stealth is way too easy, and the exploration is too open-ended. [Aug 2006, p.76]

The few new modes exclusive to the PSP can't offset the lack of unlockable content when compared to the console. [Aug 2006, p.83]

Games based on kids' movies are getting somewhat better, but Over the Hedge reverts to the same old beat-up-a-bunch-of-bad-guys- formula. [Oct. 2006, p.88]

GR06 may be tough, but its thoroughness should be appreciated. [July 2006, p.78]

The "budget" price of $20 is about $15 too much. [Aug 2006, p.75]

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]

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]

There's never a shortage of funny. It's refreshing to play an RPG that doesn't take itself too seriously. [May 2006, p.80]

It's mediocre. And since the more recent RPG choices on the Playstation 2 include quality stuff like "Dragon Quest VIII", "Shadow Hearts", and"Grandia III", it's tough to justify spending any time with a mediocre game when you could be playing something great. [Jun 2006, p.94]

In spite of the lackluster design, Zero is, if nothing else, another addition to the barren landscape of flight games on the PS2. [Jun 2006, p.95]

Due to things like a shared health bar for both routes, bad jumping puzzles, and a camera that has a hard time keeping track, you'll find yourself repeating the routes--a lot. Which gets boring. [Jun 2006, p.92]

Still, even at a budget price, it's hard to recommend this game to anyone but the most hardcore of Rampage fans...if they even exist. [July 2006, p.78]

Even though FIFA 06 came out just six months ago, for fans of the beautiful game, 2006 FIFA World Cup is a must-have. [Jun 2006, p.97

Narrow, winding roads take TXR's already bad handling and make it feel that much worse. [Apr 2006, p.80]

A decent racer that doesn't come close to fulfilling its potential. Still, it's currently the only choice for rally racing on the PSP. [Apr 2006, p.89]

Given the overall level of quality and activity in TOAU, it looks like Square Enix's first MMO has plenty of life left in it after all. [July 2006, p. 74]

We're still waiting for the definitive poker game, but World Poker Tour is certainly moving in the right direction. [July 2006, p.84]

All the time that could've gone into presentation and perfect control instead went to giving gamers an immense ammount of baseball. [Jully 2006, p.84]l

Monster Rancher Evo would've easily succeded in attempting to build a stronger RPG element, but as it stands, the game just falls short of offering a complete RPG experience. [July 2006, p.75]

The most important thing is that Crystal has recaptured what made the first "Tomb Raider" so fun: climbing through tombs, discovering artifacts, and piecing the puzzle together to find the solution. Archaeology is finally cool again. [May 2006, p.84]

What's not so impressive is that actual combat is pretty sucky. The combos themselves are simplistic. [Jun 2006, p.94]

There is no substitute for the real golf experience, but if you are looking for a winter activity, need practice before the next round, or are craving golf on a rainy day, strap on the gloves and play Real World Golf. [July 2006, p.78]

Phenom plays like a refined version of its predecessor, but this time there's a far cooler, more engrossing story line to follow. [May 2006, p.82]

A fantastic idea ruined by ugly graphics, a shaky framerate, and bizarre design elements. [May 2006, p.80]

Tourist Trophy started as a sort of side project for Polyphony Digital, and it was driven by some members who are hardcore bike racing fanatics. The problem is, that's exactly what the game feels like--some sort of half-baked mission pack for GT4. [Jun 2006, p.96]

When it comes to baserunning, controlling one runner works fine; any more it's a mess. [May 2006, p.82]

From Russia With Love adds more unlockable multiplayer characters and hidden challenges; even with these additions, though, it actually has less content than its console cousin. [Jun 2006, p.103]

If this is what happens when you make a game on the PS2's supposed deathbed, then we might not need the PS3 quite yet. [May 2006, p.78]

It's nice that Pandemic attempted to improve "Full Spectrum Warrior", trying to make it feel more like a game and less like something based on military theory. But the host of said improvements take FSW from and interesting if tame combat simulator to an irritating way to spend an afternoon. [July 2006, p.76]

It's a sloppy, rushed port of a game that deserved better. [July 2006, p.77]

Doesn't really offer the same visceral thrill as something like "Guitar Hero" or even any of the "DDR" games. [Apr 2006, p.82]

Formulaic and unchallenging. [Apr 2006, p.94]

A slightly improved port of the GameCube multiplayer party combat game, but it's still too chaotic and random for anyone born before the '90s. [May 2006, p.92]

All of the ports are about as perfect as perfect gets. [May 2006, p.92]

In the end, if you're got a fellow strategy fan sitting within a 30-meter radious of you, then you can have a fine old time with Open Warfare. But, if not, you're unlikely to get more than a rental's worth of gameplay out of it. [Jun 2006, p.102]

Gives you loads of freedom without compromising the classic story around which it's built. [May 2006, p.88]

It does little to update the series' aging formula, but Suikoden V is still an enjoyable experience with a compelling story. [May 2006, p.81]

Perhaps a bit less imaginative than its PS2 counterparts, the game's still a quirky example of pure fun. [May 2006, p.93]

This is one of the least user-friendly gameplay experiences I've had in some time. [May 2006, p.90]

I'll stick to paper and pencil versions of sudoku until a cleaned-up sequel appears. [July 2006, p.82]

If you have a companion who shares your hankering for country music, indulge. If not, give this a pass. [May 2006, p.82]

While MGA2 is a lot more newbie friendly, it still requires a fair bit of strategy. [Apr 2006, p.88]