It's a simple game--so simple that it's really not good for anyone over the age of 9 or 10--but it's not bad, and the way it's structured makes it perfect for parents to jump in and out to help when kids get stuck.

I'd rather play the Java-based pool game on Yahoo. [Feb 2006, p.84]

Quite simply, the ideal sequel: The developers have managed to not only bolster and dramatically improve the good qualities of an RE title, but also completely drain out the bad aspects of the RE franchise. It's a perfectly executed reinvention of a stagnating franchise. [Dec 2005, p.128]

Tough but ultimately superb gameplay. Only a hero and story are the game's Achilles' heel. [Nov 2005, p.116]

Namco went all-out and put forth a tremendous effort, showing onece again why the series continues to remain at the top of the genre. [Nov 2005, p.80]

It's cotton candy: full of fluffy, sugary goodness but utterly devoid of nutritional value. [Dec 2005, p.110]

Getting 29 games for $20 shouldn't be a terrible deal, but aside from two or three gems, the selection totally blows - especially when compared to the Japanese releases. [Jan 2006, p.91]

The fighting itself is simplistic, and button-mashing will serve you just fine, but there are a few combos to ferret out and master. Sadly, the movies' smart humor is missing, and most of the dialogue is immature at best.

Modern Combat loses some points for its lack of realism (some guns don't have any recoil, for example) and forgettable story line (something about Kazakhstan), but it still serves as a decent war game for those of us too fragile to enlist.

As a value proposition, there's nothing on PSP that comes close. It's a gigantic game; the core gameplay will probably take you 40 or 50 hours to get through, and it has 33 additional "games" that have the potential to occupy you another five or even 10 hours, if you really want to push it.

The basic formula hasn't changed, and for some of you (including me), it's probably getting old. [Dec 2005, p.124]

A decent kids' game, but only if you've got at least two people playing. [Jan 2006, p.99]

The key to a game like this is to make combat feel really good, which is something Shining Force Neo does a lot better than those middling Champions of Norrath games. When you swing your sword, it feels like it has impact, even if you're only hitting a barrel.

A shallow racer spread thinly over other game styles. [Jan 2006, p.101]

Yet another pretty--but shallow--anime-based fighting game from Bandai that offers some good fun for about an hour.

If you can appreciate artistry in games, if you hanker for an experience that transcends genre, if you want to see what happens when a creative design team is allowed to ignore sales numbers and flavor-of-the-month trends, by all means bring yourself into Shadow's world. [Oct 2005, p.98]

The most fun you can have racing and watching vehicles blow up since "Burnout Revenge." [Dec 2005, p.120]

The fighting system isn't particularly deep (throws and specials tend to win fights), and the graphics are the antithesis of PSP quality. The levels are bland. [Nov 2005, p.121]

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]

The whole package has a polished look. I even watched a few cut-scenes long enough to figure out that the title Earned in Blood makes reference to how Red tries to gain his fellow soldiers' trust. And Brothers in Arms is beginning to earn our trust, too--as not just "another war game."

This is exactly the kind of game the PSP needs. [Jan 2006, p.106]

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

Buy WPT if you watch poker; buy "World Championship Poker 2" if you <I>play</I> poker. [Jan 2006, p.95]

This barely qualifies as a game. [Jan 2006, p.100]

The gameplay is a bit awkward and quite repetitive, but no game has captured the feel of Dragon Ball Z quite like this. [Jan 2006, p.92]

Perhaps the best licensed game on PS2, and one of the best brawlers in years. [Jan 2006, p.74]

It takes the series back to its roots and makes it even more outlandish and brazen than before. It's almost like a big unfriendly gesture (which may or may not use the middle finger) directed toward the NFL, and it adds much-needed character and intensity to a representation of the sport that has become so watered down, static, and just flat-out boring.

Devil Kings' mailed-in gameplay is a classic example of what developers should avoid at all costs in the future. [Nov 2005, p.117]

Quotation forthcoming. [Jan 2006]

Comes agonizingly close to being exceptional but falls too short in too many areas to be more than average. [Dec 2005, p.121]

The series has maintained - or improved - its gritty realism, its immersive, nail-biting single-player campaign, and its extraordinarily engrossing online play in spite of some substantial alterations. [Dec 2005, p.102]

EA's desire to reinvent is admirable, but given that this is the fourth outing for a franchise beloved for being different, the move toward the conventional does nothing but hurt it. [Dec 2005, p.114]

A pretty quick AI that takes advantage of give-and-go's, pick-and-rolls, and backdoor cuts. [Nov 2005, p.115]

Better than its predecessor, improving both the story (significantly) and the gameplay (incrementally). [Nov 2005, p.100]

The game's secret weapon this year, though, is the ball-juggling minigame... I killed more hours trying to keep David Beckham's balls off the ground than I can reasonably justify. [Nov 2005, p.123]

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

Too much choice, not enough direction, and the characters are really creepy looking. [Dec 2005, p.118]

Nightmare isn't a spectacular game, but the development team has done an excellent job of capturing the film's style and spirit (pardon the pun). [Nov 2005, p.96]

It's hard to hit with finesse, not much outside of deep world tour mode. [Dec 2005, p.138]

Decent for tween girls, not anyone else. [Jan 2006, p.99]

The game's still shallow, but on the PSP, ease of play becomes a virtue. It's still not fantastic, but it's a passable novelty with a great license. [Nov 2005, p.121]

If you're going to play a squad-based shooter, why play this one when you could pop in one that's more interesting? [Dec 2005, p.130]

A definite improvement over the first PSP Gretzky, but Gretzky NHL 06 still fails to thrill. [Jan 2006, p.105]

Good for a few little bursts. [Jan 2006, p.107]

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

Play on the field or in the management office - both work surprisingly well. [Nov 2005, p.114]

A decent way for kids to kill some time, though be warned that they may be asking you for help. [Jan 2006, p.101]

Somehow, the PSP version makes Frogger's already-confusing mechanics even more frustrating. [Jan 2006, p.100]

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.

A pretty good collection with a nice mixture of old to help complement the new. [Dec 2005, p.132]

Just like a fine chalupa meal at Taco Bell, you're getting exactly what you paid for, no more, no less.

The hardcore may gravitate toward more advanced games like "In the Groove," but this is an excellent dance title for the rest of us. [Nov 2005, p.94]

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

I still don't know why I have to press L and R to rotate a frog. Is he robotic or what? [Jan 2006, p.100]

Offers up more of the same mindless action of the first game, which can be good or bad depending on your preference. [Nov 2005, p.118]

Though on this, the third time around, the game's template is starting to feel a tad formulaic, it's stil a formula that works well, and fans of the series should be well pleased. [Nov 2005, p.92]

A whole can of polish should have been slapped on to make this one really shine. [Jan 2006, p.91]

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

If I bought one golf game this year, this would be it, hands down. [Nov 2005, p.123]

It's an undeniably great game - it's just not meant for the casual player. [Jan 2006, p.80]

The campaign mode could be just a little more robust. [Dec 2005, p.109]

DICE is so utterly amateurish it's almost depressing. Stay very, very far away. [Nov 2005, p.96]

If tweaking out on robo-parts is your thing, proceed. If serious robo-combat is your thing, abort. [Nov 2005, p.90]

Ultimately feels like an action-platformer for masochistic, smart-aleck kids. [Oct 2005, p.102]

While much more user-friendly than previous iterations, RPG Maker 3 is still a hell of a lot of work. [Nov 2005, p.101]

A brilliant drama that's only slightly damaged by irritating controls and a messy ending. [Nov 2005, p.108]

Even worse, it doesn't do the stuff you've seen before with much panache. It's not comic - it's tragic. [Nov 2005, p.90]

This Katamari is delightulish. [Nov 2005, p.94]

Genji's big downfall is its length. [Nov 2005, p.117]

The core gameplay is definitely up to Madden standards, and for many gamers, that's all that's needed. [Nov 2005, p.122]

A buggy mess that should be avoided in favor of "NHL 2K6" or "NHL 06." [Dec 2005, p.115]

With balanced gameplay, lots of depth, 20-plus-hour play time, and online play, this is what sequels should be: better than the original. [Dec 2005, p.122]

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]

While that addictive quality that the best games of this genre have is missing, Frantix isn't a bad way to waste time. [Oct 2005, p.108]

For a kids' game, Tak is well above average - but that's not saying much. [Jan 2006, p.100]

The game's simplistic look and occasionally spotty camera might be a turnoff for some, but the pure fun the game provides easily overrides these shortcomings. [Nov 2005, p.91]

Another cynical exploitation of a fad, but hey, at least it's portable. [Dec 2005, p.139]

Its cold, sterile presentation and crazy list of components for the armored core itself make it, in reality, a game for veteran AC gearheads. [Nov 2005, p.101]

A quirky, lighthearted third-person action-adventure that's a fun and engaging diversion - ideal for the PSP. [Oct 2005, p.109]

By making a few seemingly subtle but ultimately profound gameplay changes, Criterion has improved a game we didn't think needed improving. [Nov 2005, p.104]

The lack of a quick-continue option is annoying, as is the aiming system, which uses a confusing combination of the R1 trigger and the right analog stick. [Nov 2005, p.108]

Better than "Beat Down." [Oct 2005, p.107]

A fantastic package, and to my mind it's easily the best racer on the system. [Nov 2005, p.120]

Solid graphics and a great story don't make up for a lack of content. Would be a steal at bargain-bin prices, though. [Jan 2006, p.101]

In terms of addictive qualities, it's certainly no "Lumines." But it is a surprisingly solid game. [Oct 2005, p.108]

2K Sports still offers the best hockey at the best price. All that's needed now is a face-lift. [Dec 2005, p.115]

The traditional core mechanics and all-out wackiness should propel it near the top of the heap. It's a very solid effort, particularly when compared to most anime fighters. [Nov 2005, p.96]

Steel-eyed competence, but not a whole lot of flash. [Nov 2005, p.110]

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]

I'll take a well-meaning comedy with a few mishaps over standard RPG melodrama. [Oct 2005, p.103]

Great for players who have absolutely no desire to experience what real poker is like. [Dec 2005, p.132]

The series captures the claustrophobic feel of pack racing beautifully, and that's no small feat. [Oct 2005, p.106]

If you have always intended to buy a collection of classic arcade games, then this is as comprehensive as you're going to get. [Nov 2005, p.93]

More than a knockoff, less than original. [Oct 2005, p.102]

Nice touches like graphics and gameplay elements ultimately don't disguise this fighter's lack of depth. [Oct 2005, p.107]

Generic racing game wrapped inside a cheesy candy shell. With guns. [Nov 2005, p.118]

A nice break from a day spent watching wood-chopping sports on ESPN 2. [Nov 2005, p.118]

Simply smashing... Hulk is easily one of the best superhero games, mainly because it feels like Radical took the subject seriously, rather than treating the game just like another licensed title. [Sept 2005, p.88]