Although it's worth the 5-10 hours of your time that it will take to complete the main game, we honestly expected a little more. [Dec 2003, p.80]

The game falls prey to the traps that eventually led to the degradation of the side-scrolling beat-'em-up: There's nothing more to do. [Dec 2003, p.144]

We had some minor issues with course design; there are simply too many "holes" in the geometry - places where your boarder can get stuck and has no reset... That said, you can learn 'em and avoid 'em. [Dec 2003, p.140]

No amount of staring at Bionicle will allay the feeling that you accidentally booted up a PSOne game. [Jan 2004, p.63]

Button mashers will undoubtedly love it. But shouldn't the debut of a super-villain based on a master strategist be less...shallow? [Dec 2003, p.154]

Definitely worth trying, and legitimately funny in places. [Dec 2003, p.154]

After playing through it, I can safely say that there's nothing redeeming about this dud. [Jan 2004, p.79]

It's like Disney's fantastic ride - sure, you can sometimes see the seams and bolts showing, but what a ride it is anyways. [Dec 2003, p.128]

Live is quite simply the best-controlling basketball game ever. Player control is unprecedented. [Dec 2003, p.152]

If you can stomach the story problems, the spotty humor, and the lack of originality and simply focus on the gameplay, then you'll enjoy Roadkill for what it is... and addictive combination of two more inventive titles. [Nov 2003, p.104]

Body-slammed by slipshod control, uninspired storytelling, and AI that flips between hyper-brutality and empty-headed idiocy. [Dec 2003, p.106]

Mired by clumsy controls and spotty friendly AI, this sequel can't decide whether or not it wants to be a tactical realistic shooter or simply a run-and-gun arcade fragfest. [Nov 2003, p.114]

Controls are idiot-proof, and deliberately simplified to make sure that controlling your squad is never an impediment to the action... This is an approachable and enjoyable shooter. [Oct 2003, p.76]

Hitz is fast. You can barely keep up, making it so arcadey you'll want to shove a quarter in your controller port after each period. [Nov 2003, p.126]

Compared to this new generation of arcade hoopsters, Jam feels unambitious and uninvolving. [Dec 2003, p.146]

It'll take a little while to get the hang of Vince's structure and layout, but he controls so tightly it's fun to get lost for a while. [Dec 2003, p.158]

The beauty of Tiger is its simplicity and depth at the same time. [Nov 2003, p.110]

Dynasty Mode is NHL 2004's best feature. It's literally an RPG. [Oct 2003, p.80]

A splendid dungeon crawler that's one of the best co-op experiences on Xbox. [Nov 2003, p.108]

The entire career mode can be beaten in a single sitting, and the AI offers little or no threat from its racing skills or its use of the game's fifteen weapons. [Dec 2003, p.160]

Runs on pretty graphics and an implausibly irresistable storyline alone. It's a shame that the gameplay hasn't evolved as well. [Nov 2003, p.118]

It's a bafflingly well-done license that not only does justice to the show, but turns out to be a brilliant "Grand Theft Auto" clone in its own right. And one that isn't violent or scary, but is addictive and genuinely amusing. [Oct 2003, p.82]

Other than the unforgivable lack of online multiplayer mode on Xbox, this is one of the best ways to experience NASCAR short of making the pilgrimage to Thunder Valley. [Nov 2003, p.126]

There's a strange delay as characters to from one move to another, and matches with more than two AI opponents can take as much as half an hour because of constant interference. [Dec 2003, p.120]

If this innovative gameplay was attached to visuals like the ones in "Wreckless," we'd still be playing... and I'd have sideburns. [Nov 2003, p.102]

A completely new graphics engine combined with more ESPN-style replays and the excellent play-by-play of Gary Thorne and Bill Clement has vaulted the presentation of ESPN NHL head and shoulders above the competition. [Oct 2003, p.81]

Though the gameplay tends to be somewhat repetitive, there are scores of characters, techniques, and magical items to choose from. [Nov 2003, p.124]

No game, no TV broadcast... flat-out nothing I've ever seen has come close to re-creating the intensity of a real NFL experience like ESPN Football's First Person Football mode. [Oct 2003, p.73]

Surprisingly fun. [Nov 2003, p.130]

Otogi's uncanny amount of spooky artistry, otaku-level challenge, and blissful action make this game a rare treasure and a treat to play. [Oct 2003, p.68]

Just enough to satisfy the console fishing vet. [Sept 2003, p.83]

Feels bare-boned and unrefined compared to the other two. [Oct 2003, p.74]

Level design is well done, giving players the illusion of a non-linear world while deftly guiding them down a path. Well-placed hints ensure that Scooby never gets stuck. [Nov 2003, p.130]

The most polished and enjoyable hunting game ever made. It's surprisingly well-designed, with graphics and environments that actually make you feel like you're roaming the great outdoors. [Dec 2003, p.130]

Crisp, tight controls, hilariously dramatic dialog, and oodles of options make Soul Calibur II an instant classic. [Nov 2003, p.128]

A rather wonderful follow-up, packed with personality, action, and a windfall of extra goodies. [Oct 2003, p.70]

Though it won't best the more enduring genre stalwarts like "Bust-A-Move," it has plenty of challenge for those tired of first-person shooting at full price. [Mar 2004, p.81]

There's no end to the action in Alter Echo, and the game succeeds in its deep fighting system... Unfortunately, the game stumbles with PS2-style graphics as well as repetitive and linear play. [Nov 2003, p.102]

A mighty bleak way to spend quality time with the future's most loveable cast of screw-ups. [Oct 2003, p.84]

The problem is simply that there's no online play, and that's huge considering that the other guys do it, and do it well. [Oct 2003, p.72]

Weather effects are, believe it or not, even better now, highlighted by the blowing rain in the final single-player mission. [Sept 2003, p.79]

Although there's a lot of play time available, this mostly comes as a result of playing the same levels over and over with loads of characters. [Sept 2003, p.82]

It totally lacks imagination or polish. Toss this one back. [Nov 2003, p.102]

The game simply doesn't play well with a controller. It looks and feels as if it were designed for a PC. [Sept 2003, p.78]

Lavish graphics and cinematic cutscenes are worth the $19.99 price tag alone, and though a couple of annoying bugs exist, it's a mature, intelligent journey that will entice any true adventure fan. [Nov 2003, p.124]

A tiresome, soon-to-be-forgotten exercise in tedium. [Oct 2003, p.84]

Nothing short of breathtaking... The "Star Wars" game that fans of the movies have been waiting for since 1977. [Sept 2003, p.74]

A solid game with tons of depth and the best volleyball game ever made. [Sept 2003, p.80]

There are a few bugs we encountered, including one that muddled our quest list. Put it this way: we spent a lot of time saving, loading, and cursing. [Sept 2003, p.85]

The graphics look like polished PSOne visuals, the physics are awful, the trick system is one of the worst I've ever seen in an extreme sports game, and the audio is only saved by a semi-decent soundtrack. [Sept 2003, p.83]

Racing fans are going to eat it up hook, line, and sinker. [Sept 2003, p.82]

Doesn't last long enough to feel like anything more than a bunch of tasty side dishes lacking a main course. [Sept 2003, p.81]

A case of Jekyll and Hyde. Single player isn't bad, but the multiplayer is head and shoulders cooler than than the PC version, thanks largely to the clever use of the Xbox Communicator. [June 2003, p.76]

A massive, fun, diverse, challening single-player shooter that requires you to use a bit of your brain as well as your brawn, and will keep you coming back for more. [Aug 2003, p.82]

Lives up to its hype, but we can't help but think how much better it would have been with a better choice of cities. [Aug 2003, p.84]

Little errors such as collision detection are present, and the bland visual effects result in a game that controls poorly, looks bad, and is generally not much fun at all. [July 2003, p.79]

What pushes the gameplay over the top is how at any time you can let go of the rope, pull off some wild tricks and call the rope back. [Aug 2003, p.76]

The super-smooth graphics and wonderful gameplay mean this is almost a home run. [Aug 2003, p.80]

With bland graphics, unremarkable sound, and a too-fake feel for the high-speed bikes, it just doesn't come close to THQ's two-wheel racer - which now than ever is the real Xbox speed king. [Sept 2003, p.81]

The graphics are solid, the gameplay has some great moments, and the co-op play is a blast. However... it never manages to be the great game we were desperately hoping it would be. [Aug 2003, p.74]

With a good combat system and a high smash factor, The Hulk is a winner. [Aug 2003, p.77]

Minor graphical upgrades, a new hidden character, and new ending sequences. Nothing spectacular, but it adds up to make this the best version currently available. [July 2003, p.81]

About the only thing in Moto GP 2 that hasn't changed is the spot-on handling. Everything else, from the graphics to the gameplay modes, has been overhauled, and it shows. [June 2003, p.80]

Instant replays - There aren't any! There's absolutely no excuse for that... especially on the Xbox. [June 2003, p.82]

Exactly the kind of experience we were hoping to play in this game... too bad we only got to watch it. [Aug 2003, p.79]

FN's only rewarding attributes are the high quality character models and the perfect license. Everything else needs work. [Nov 2003, p.130]

There's so much goodness packed into Tides of War that it's impossible not to find something to like. Return to Castlewolfenstein is truly an incredible, value-laced package. [May 2003, p.20]

What makes the crashing so addictive is the visual, visceral spectacle of the fully deformable vehicles piling into each other, catching air, rolling, and spinning across the highway. [July 2003, p.82]

The problem here is that little about Lotus Challenge really stands out. [May 2003, p.79]

The easy-to-understand controls, functional juke moves, fancy passes, deep single-player game, four-player madness, and competitive spirit make this not just the best alternative b-ball game on Xbox, but the best street ball game period, and the only one worth buying on Xbox. [May 2003, p.82]

The game's one weakness is that it's simply not a lot of fun for a lone combatant. [July 2003, p.80]

Combat in G:DAMM is both slow and simple when compared to smooth, combo-heavy fighters like "Tekken" or "Street Fighter." Giant monsters can't be bothered with fancy combos, juggles, reversals, or counters. [May 2003, p.80]

A surprisingly fun arcade romp with a bit of story thrown in. [June 2003, p.85]

There's a split-second delay between button-press and action, and Wolvie is as agile as a sack of potatoes. Enemy AI is spotty, there are no in-level saves, and boss battles can be puzzling. [July 2003, p.78]

There are hundreds of hours of gameplay to be mine from Sonic Team's gem, and at $39.99 with the first two months free, it's a bargain. [July 2003, p.76]

With washed-out textures and an overall lack of detail, the visual impact doesn't match up to Xbox standards - and unfortunately, neither does the rest of the game. [June 2003, p.84]

A very good game, but unfortunately it lacks that certain "magic" to take it to the next level. [May 2003, p.77]

It's clean and playable. That's all. [May 2003, p.75]

A near-exact port of a dated game, and as such is not impressive visually. [June 2003, p.84]

Sure, it's nice to play around with dinosaurs, but the control and framerate issues keep any interest in the game strictly short term. [May 2003, p.75]

After 20 minutes of watching people run around crazily and aimlessly, you realize that they're mostly just window dressing for very basic, uninspired, beat-'em-up gameplay that we've all played before. [May 2003, p.74]

The game structure itself is where the depth starts to suck you in, and a career mode with garage management, budget responsibilities, and even morale to manage is a hefty challenge. [July 2003, p.78]

Only PC-less coaster fanatics should even think about purchasing. This is still fun, but anti-enhanced. [July 2003, p.84]

The combination of a level-based game, free play mode, and two-player makes for an infinite amount of replayability. It's not an earth-shattering port of the PC game, but it does bring something new to The Sims experience. [May 2003, p.70]

With 110 cars, seven stupidly gigantic courses, amazing (if arcadey) graphics, and staggering freedom of movement (once you unlock free roam modes), it's hard not to recommend this. [July 2003, p.84]

The biggest complaint about Tapout 2 is that it doesn't really capture the wild differences in fighting styles that make the UFC what it is. As is, it's the best non-traditional fighting game on Xbox by a mile. [May 2003, p.76]

It's the same as "Gauntlet: Dark Legacy." And by "the same," we mean "virtually identical." [Jan 2003, p.92]

It's the gameplay in Rayman 3, though, that really keeps you hooked. [Apr 2003, p.84]

It's ultimately dragged down by erratic control, sloppy design, and wildly jarring changes in camera angle. [June 2003, p.82]

Other than the stunning graphics, Tao Feng doesn't excel in any other area, but is quite competent in most. [May 2003, p.72]

Great controls and well-implemented action features, like punching and turbo, that add a different type of depth than that seen in typical baseball games. [May 2003, p.78]

It can't match up to the depth and graphics of "WSB," but if you like to play through multiple seaons, this is the best choice. [Apr 2003, p.82]

The year's best overall baseball title. It's got enough simulation to satisfy the hardcore and sufficient arcadeness to please the casual gamers. [Apr 2003, p.80]

If you can get over the graphics and little glitches, High Heat is an exceptionally deep and fun baseball game that will please baseball purists more than any other baseball game. [Apr 2003, p.81]

It both gets old quickly and also feels frustratingly similar to plaing a Roadrunner cartoon in which your target is the fleet-footed bird and you're the poor, starving schlub strapped to the rocket and headed straight for the cliff. [Apr 2003, p.86]

It's focused tightly on perfectly re-creating the atmosphere and physics of Rally driving, without any arcade-y distractions. [Jan 2003, p.69]

Fun for a quick multiplayer spar, but it doesn't come close to what we were hoping for nor what the Xbox really needs. [Apr 2003, p.85]

The huge number of levels and their often epic scale is backed up by a worthy storyline. [Mar 2003, p.40]