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

There's a whole other world of unlockables for anyone who digs '80s nostalgia: commercials. Oh yeah, we're talking pure '80s here. [Jan 2003, p.120]

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]

It's not bad, but the whole experience is so deeply familiar that it's hard to muster excitement for the new PSP features. [Dec. 2006, p.130]

I had to muddle through almost half of this 20-hour RPG before .hack really grabbed me... And now, I'm hooked. [Feb 2003, p.100]

This is the best "pure" boxing you'll find on the PS2. [Dec 2001, p.170]

The actual gameplay is so appallingly unimaginative, so awfully monotonous that by the end of it, I was wondering why they even bothered making a game out of it. [Jan 2004, p.124]

While pretty seriously flawed and diverse almost to a fault, Pursuit Force is solidly entertaining at its core. [Apr 2006, p.89]

An eminently playable actionfest in which you play what seems to be a descendant of Dante—a thousand or so years in the future.

Provides precious little depth, but as a way of getting the kids up out of their seats, the collection works nearly as well. [Jan 2005, p.106]

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]

Outside of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" series, nothing surpasses the complexity of FM4. [July 2004, p.92]

A nice puzzle compilation for those who are dexterous of hand rather than mind. [July 2005, p.78]

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

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

This is a big game, a good 40 to 50 hours long, and those hours are almost all good. But like the over-the-top voice actor gamely imitating Al Pacino, Scarface falls just a little short. [Nov. 2006, p.116]

BloodRayne might surprise you as one of the best bloodsucking adventures outside of Nosgoth.

By far the coolest feature, though, is the ability to partake in the park's attractions. [May 2003, p.97]

While encounters with the underling Decepticlones are somewhat dull, Decepticon boss fights are actually quite intense and difficult - at least until a weakness is revealed. [June 2004, p.92]

As solid as the turn-based gameplay is, I still have to warn you that your brain might fold in half as it comprehends how the game works. [May 2005, p.114]

It's sad that some of the best pure action on the PS2 is paired with such amateurish stealth. [Feb 2005, p.85]

If you can get over the learning curve for the controls, you'll have fun brining it to the streets. [July 2005, p.79]

An engrossing experience for the hardened campaigner. It's chock-full of quests, items, battles, and moral ambiguity, offering a fine-tuned gameplay experience that anyone who's been longing for the next Final Fantasy Tactics should enjoy.

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

Some will find this as addictive as "Lumines", but due to the increased difficulty level and lack of accessibility, Every Extend Extra lacks the broad appeal of Q Entertainment's prior titles. [Nov, 2006, p.124]

What's challenging in hitting home runs with every other hitter? [June 2001, p.99]

It's definitely worth playing, but it could have been better with more mission variety and more powerful hardware. [Dec. 2006, p.122]

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

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

Although Darkstalkers doesn't really possess a level of depth that hardcore fighting fans can appreciate, there's still an inherent layer of novelty in playing an arcade-quality fighting game on the go. [June 2005, p.100]

Also, these types of games are generally better suited for the PSP to begin with. Don't get the wrong idea; it's still a very good collection of games. [Nov. 2006, p.118]

It's a good game, but its depth just won't appeal to everyone. [May 2005, p.108]

Over time, you become so familiar with your player's animation that good swings become second nature, and Smash 2's greatness becomes apparent. [July 2004, p.97]

Features the premiere boxing engine on PS2. [Jan 2003, p.130]

I feel like nothing I do matters. The game is completely out of control. [Jan 2003, p.138]

Rarely more than mildly diverting at best. From the first moment, the game left me feeling decidely underwhelmed. [Mar 2003, p.110]

Therein likes Magic Pengel's beauty... it's the fact that you can bring to life almost <I>anything</I> you imagine. [June 2003, p.106]

The collection is worth it just for the two "Mortal Kombat" games. [Dec 2004, p.119]

Instead of the feeling of freedom found in a really good sandbox game, Destroy All Humans! generates a feeling of, well, boredom. You're walked mercilessly through the main story in baby steps, and side missions are infrequent and uninspired. [Aug 2005, p.86]

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

The technical faults of this shoddy port put a big fat smudge on an otherwise great game. [June 2002, p.98]

But still, it's a solid racer despite the problems. [Dec. 2006, p.116]

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]

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]

It's a bit unfortunate, though, that after a few missions the game starts to feel monotonous.

But if you can get through that, you'll find fun beat-em-ups that serve as a testament to the greatness of simplicity in games. [Dec. 2006, p.134]

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

The average player will struggle with the utterly unintuitive fighting system. [August 2002, p.111]

The best Armored Core yet. [Oct 2002, p.142]

While Romance IX is a more newbie-friendly game, it still has a bit of a learning curve, and the absense of tactical control prevents it from being a breakout strategy title. [Apr 2004, p.100]

Vicarious Visions fails to match the overall magic captured so well by Neversoft's original. [Nov 2001, p.168]

While the rest of the SMT franchise is nigh impenetrable for anyone except hardcore RPG players, Devil Summoner provides a quirky entry point for gamers wondering what the fuss is all about. [Dec. 2006, p.118]

A more exciting, more involving boxing experience than this year's PS2 game. [Apr 2006, p.90]

Beyond seriously creeping me out, Fatal Frame made me feel like a wuss of a gamer: Put simply, it gets tough. [Apr 2002, p.102]

A paradox in game form. It's both a technical marvel and a technical disaster. It's a great game, but it's also just a port. You're going to have to decide which of these aspects is most important to you, but one thing is certain: Midnight Club 3 absolutely wipes the floor with other street racing games currently available for the PSP in both multiplayer and single-player options.

If you're not at least to some degree a Disney fan, you're going to want to look elsewhere. [Oct 2001, p.136]

The controls and enemy A.I. don't seem to be as spot-on as you'd normally expect from a Capcom fighter. [Sept 2002, p.119]

While at times a throwback to the last generation of RPGs, it's surprisingly full-featured and charming; fans of the item crafting in "Star Ocean" will be in heaven. [July 2005, p.75]

In spite of its goofy, vulgar, utterly over-the-top style...the game's damn addictive. [Jan 2006, p.105]

Darkwatch doesn't amount to much more than your run-of-the mill first-person shooter. [Sept 2005, p.91]

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

The manual camera constantly begs for your attention, never where you want it to be. Probably great fun for "Dynasty Warriors" fans.

Already one of the best games on Sony's handheld. [Sept 2006, p.85]

A good dose of classic fun that translates well to portabilitiy. [Oct 2005, p.108]

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

It may not be the deepest (or longest) PS2 shooter, but it's definitely one of the most entertaining. [July 2004, p.98]

This collection almost perfectly illustrates why Sonic achieved what he did. [Jan 2005, p.98]

The controls in the street slalom are so shoddy that it's more annoying than entertaining. [June 2005, p.99]

Something that's just too slow. Ultimately, in this sport, slow equals desperately boring. [Jan 2003, p.128]

The handling and difficulty levels are completely screwed up. [Nov 2001, p.153]

An entertaining game with some real character. I just feel that the lack of depth makes this best as a rental, and with the SSX pedigree behind it, that's a disappointment. [Apr 2002, p.106]

The game features an abundance of fighting styles, and everything from the grapples to the counters comes off incredibly well. [Feb 2003, p.108]

It's filled with cool ideas and a control system to die for. You're not really sneaking around, but you are hiding a lot - and it's the mechanics behind the hiding that makes the game so damn satisfying. [Dec 2003, p.164]

Most Guilty Gear fans will enjoy thse new features, but the incessant manual turning will undoubtedly prove irksome to some, as will the chaos of four-player battles. [Nov 2004, p.142]

With this much style oozing from the game, it saddens me to find it wrapped around something so average... Strip away the gorgeous visage and you have a typical shooter with some good tweaks. [Dec 2003, p.174]

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]

The create-a-player mode is surprisingly deep and offers you a wealth of options. [July 2005, p.79]

I like my sequels with a little more pizzazz. [Sept 2002, p.115]

The game does nothing new - yet I still played through it several times and enjoyed myself thoroughly. [Dec 2002, p.172]

This is so pick-up-and-play that it's perfect for first-time gamers. [May 2002, p.102]

The game looks surprisingly dated. [Feb 2003, p.99]

It's the first must-own PS one game for the PS2-only chaps. And that's a real coup. [June 2002, p.102]

Buy it knowing that you'll be getting a solid chunk of action hijinks, but nothing more and nothing less. [June 2005, p.92]

Fans of the series will no doubt dig the new features, but Alter Code: F remains simply decent. [Jan 2006, p.96]

Does what it does very well, offering a decent challenge, a few hearty chuckles, and plenty of personality. Unfortunately, I-Ninja doesn't do a heckuva lot of, well...anything. You can easily beat this game in a few short sessions, and you'll quickly forget about it afterward. [Dec 2003, p.162]

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

But for this season, pay the extra bucks and go with EA's NHL 07 instead. [Nov. 2006, p.110]

The game is much too hard for a younger player to get through, but still doesn't offer the challenge required for an older gamer to enjoy the entire experience. [Jan. 2007, p.89]

In the end, it feels more like "Xenosaga Episode I: The Deleted Scenes." [March 2005, p.96]

The game looks so freaking pretty, it blows away past version. [July 2002, p.99]

Manages to satisfy any modern gamer out for some good 'ol alien blasting in futuristic spaceships. [Nov 2002, p.184]

SuperNOVA is also the most friendly DDR for newbies and most advanced for veterans. [Nov. 2006, p.114]

While "Blitz" and "Hitz" both fit perfectly into the vision of Midway's crazy, over-the-top, pain-first, scoring-second identity, Red Card doesn't. [June 2002, p.99]

A general sense of "same-old, same-old" throughout. [Jan 2002, p.146]

If nothing else, it beats spending around $200 to $300 on a NeoGeo cartridge the size of a small rodent... Worthwhile for the hardcore crowd. [Jan 2005, p.109]

What really sets this Gundam apart from the rest is that it actually controls pretty well. [Oct 2002, p.149]

It's really hard to complete a pass now - I actually found myself achieving more solid success with the running game. That's not supposed to happen in Blitz! [Nov 2003, p.138]

If there were an award for Most Improved Sequel, Lethal Skies II would be a serious contender. Not for its gameplay, sadly, but most definitely for its presentation. [Nov 2003, p.132]