The enemy AI is slow to react, your character is slow to move. [July 2005, p.98]

A more in-depth take on strategy than normal, but not quite a "Rome"-beater. [June 2005, p.93]

Does little to enliven the usual trail of hacking, slashing and opening boxes. We're pretty sure it shows the world's worst character creation screen: you can change your hairstyle and, er, your clothing. [Christmas 2004, p.122]

Obscure rewards innovation over frenzy, and it seems only fair to do the same in return. [Dec 2004, p.94]

Top-drawer felon-neutralising action that will have you hooked for ages. [June 2005, p.99]

It's as repetitive and automatic as running in with the shotgun was in Doom 3. This joke isn't funny any more. [June 2005, p.90]

Enormously inventive and irreverant silliness, and made of LEGO! [May 2005, p.94]

[July 2005]

Cool, dark and calculating, Splinter Cell finally plays as stylishly as it looks. [May 2005, p.100]

Tragically, we lost a man. Attempting to play World at War, very sadly, he died of the most painful kind of boredom. [Nov 2005, p.100]

Earned itself a 16+ rating, but anyone over that age will find this game too childish. [July 2005, p.94]

Minor bugs aside, the game works, but lacks an inspired storyline and more content. It will frustrate the casual gamers and won't keep a dedicated MMO player hooked for very long. [May 2005, p.90]

A huge, horrible, gut-wrenching car crash, with blood-soaked teddy bears. [June 2005, p.100]

Despite all the fireworks it's hard to suppress the feeling that Act of War is as shallow as a puddle. The objectives leave so little room for cunning that if you want to use your brain, you'll have to look elsewhere. [Apr 2005, p.100]

Not big and not clever, but lots of simple, high-paced fun while it lasts... The story fits the action: it's speedy, unchallenging, over-the-top yet quite entertaining. [Apr 2005, p.108]

From the ridiculous to the sublime: one for fans of undersea combat. [June 2005, p.98]

It's rare that a game with almost exactly the same engine and characters as its antecedent matches it blow for blow, but this is the exception to the rule. [May 2005, p.95]

This is the point where the populist WW2 first-person shooter gets the long awaited reinforcements: New Ideas. [Apr 2005, p.98]

There's fun to be had, but it's harder work than it should be - a case of feature overload. [Aug 2004, p.82]

Fortunately, the action is so focused, the squad dynamic so intuitive and the banter so entertaining that you won't stop to consider the game's failings... The best Star Wars prequel game yet. [March 2005, p.92]

Traditional point-and-click game complete with traditionally rubbish gameplay. [Christmas 2004, p.119]

If we're going to have Sims add-on packs, let's have them like this. [Apr 2005, p.106]

Combine all of this with shocking AI, unfair combat and limited ammo, and you're looking at a veritable festival of the mediocre. [June 2005, p.101]

It's not awful. Just empty. [March 2005, p.106]

Shiny, shallow, and sadly unremarkable. [May 2005, p.105]

It's delicious to watch. Nexus' whirling space charts and system-spanning ships slip past spiraling asteroids, fend of the shadows of "Homeworld" and make your head spin. [Christmas 2004, p.114]

Easily the most engrossing and authentic sub sim out there. [July 2006, p.92]

So nearly entertaining, but the controls are just too crummy. [March 2005, p.96]

A fine add-on that will keep WoW at bay. [May 2005, p.105]

An adult plot, new techniques to unlock your team's back-story, exciting levels and planets, divergent light and dark paths, and a black sense of humor all contribute to a nicely rounded RPG. [Apr 2005, p.94]

One of the most incompetent strategy games of recent times. [May 2005, p.104]

As an alternative to "The Sims," only the abundance of nipples saves it. [Apr 2005, p.104]

Quickly repetitive actin, with ultra-violence that soon becomes mundane. [March 2005, p.100]

This game is Hardcore, with a capital H-Bomb. Hardcore to the extent that even hardcore gronards will need a few quiet nights with the manual before heading out to invade Poland. [March 2005, p.104]

A strong stomach is more important than a Pentium IV for this one. [March 2005, p.113]

The "Serious Sam" of the "D&D" genre: fast, brutal, and ultimately a teeny bit dull. [Apr 2005, p.100]

A decent low-cost dabble if you've grown out of painting little lead figures. [Christmas 2004, p.122]

There are moments that let Butcher Bay down - the melee combat, cack-handed first-person boxing, feels radom and ridiculous; there's some irritating mystical babble; and it's too short - but overall, the game's a gem. [Jan 2005, p.86]

Played the original? Then you'll probably enjoy this. [June 2005, p.92]

Challenging, but not always in the right way. Invade elsewhere.

The role playing element is where this game comes into its own...You can engage in mind games with any other manager, striking up friendships and burn bridges, and your players will react to what they say about you too. The fun that cna be had by continually prodding a virtual Kevin Keegan to see what he'll do next...[Dec 2004, p.82]

While LOTR: BME has the makings of a great strategy title with its "Kohan II" fixed-bases and unit regeneration elements, the lack of consistency in the campaign, mixed with its more generic elements, make it a difficult game to love. [Christmas 2004, p.103]

The relentlessly brain-dead action gets a bit dull after a while. [Feb 2005, p.85]

For intermediate and expert chess players in search of a genuine challenge, the powerful, mature engine and deep analysis available here probably gives Fritz 8 the edge over its rivals. [Jan 2005, p.98]

With so much effort put into Being Whatevercraft, it's a real shame that a bit more time wasn't spent on really trying to surpass it, rather than just being a solid game that's as ultimately memorable as a disembowel movement. [Dec 2004, p.89]

After the beautiful, atmospheric adventuring in the last game, having your new nemesis introduce herself by slowing grinding her barely-clad buttocks in your face is about as welcome as having her suddenly fart into it. Modern? Mature? No. It's gratuitous, tacky and pointless. [Christmas 2004, p.98]

Functional WWII strategy! Again! Gah! [Feb 2005, p.93]

It barely raises a smile, reducing most gamers to a grim comatose zomebie-state, the only sign a life now a dull flicker of hate in their glazed, cold eyes. [Christmas 2004, p.107]

Broadly speaking, in MMOs you hit things, then fashion things to make your hitting more effective. World of Warcraft does that better than anything else on the market at the moment. [Jan 2005, p.96]

This is a blunt bronze dagger to the shining steel halberd of "Rome: Total War." [Jan 2005, p.92]

A little like a tavern wench you met in Trinidad - certainly pretty, very broad, but ultimately a tiny bit shallow. [Jan 2005, p.88]

Nothing revolutionary, but a lot of battlin' and a lot of fun. [Jan 2005, p.98]

A truly spectacular failure. Long may it live in infamy. [May 2005, p.105]

Ridiculously fast, under-developed and frustrating to control. [Christmas 2004, p.119]

It's a gaming experience like no other... A brilliant content-heavy update for an already excellent game. [Feb 2005, p.88]

Revel, savour and bask in the brilliance; this is a game that no gamer can afford to ignore... The PC's finest gaming moment, with a half-life of forever. [Nov 2004, p.83]

So close to brilliance - but, again let down by premature release. [Jan 2005, p.82]

Slightly grotty in parts, but entertaining. [Feb 2005, p.93]

Unimpressive sim that misses a chance to impress with groovy visuals. [Jan 2005, p.94]

Simple, entertaining platform/puzzle fun for the little people. [Feb 2005, p.89]

The fact that there's sod-all to do in the city apart from racing and upgrading means that it soon becomes little more than a glorified menu screen; the chance to pull a burnout in front of a crowd would make it more involving. [Christmas 2004, p.106]

EQII beats any other MMO at release; the developers have learnt a lot from its competitors and there's a full game here, ready to play and have fun with. [Christmas 2004, p.116]

The challenge of maintaining your reputation in the face of a weak Nile, defending the city from attack and completing the scenarios is gratifying, but there's not really enough here to justify long-term play. [March 2005, p.99]

Only the inherent fun of multiplayer dogfighting saves it. [Dec 2005, p.92]

All the thrill of the hunt, without the thrill or hunt. [March 2005, p.113]

Treads frequently to the brink of greatness, only to be tripped by its obsession with repetitive setpieces. [Christmas 2004, p.104]

There's no heart in the design. It's a beautiful world with enjoyable characters and it's engaging for a while, but it runs out of ideas way too soon to be any lasting fun. [Jan 2005, p.89]

The problem is that what worked so well in "Kohan" can't help but feel a little artificial when applied to a more realistic milieu. [Christmas 2004, p.110]

Like a clapped out Huey returning from its final mission - ugly, rusted, outdated and just so shot shot full of holes. [Feb 2005, p.82]

Utterly credible action-adventure with an arbitrarily varied difficulty level. [Feb 2005, p.89]

Glossy, engrossing, and still fun, but just not nearly as essential as it used to be.

At heart, this is hands down the best theme park building game to date. [Christmas 2004, p.112]

The best Pacific-based flight sim you can buy, without question. [Dec 2004, p.86]

A good addition to Galaxies which will only get better with time. [Christmas 2004, p.114]

Come on EA, give us something new to write about with your next release. [Jan 2005, p.90]

A well-timed cue to buy the original game, but not worth buying by itself. [Dec 2004, p.101]

Comprehensive, time-consuming and, so long as you've got a passion for all things puck-related, essential. [Aug 2004, p.84]

All that leaping and fighting doesn't fit very well with keyboard controls. [Jan 2005, p.98]

It's ceaseless fun, but it still falls just short of greatness. [Dec 2004, p.98]

Great for a kickabout but just not as addictive as "Pro Evo 4."

Like anything this complex, it is by turns brilliant, incredibly frustrating and boring. There's too much information to cope with. [Christmas 2004, p.111]

Claustrophobically restricted by some uninspired level design, and all too often your soldiers are boxed in by clumsy dead ends, making more complex troop manoeuvres virtually impossible. [March 2005, p.109]

As used in CS: Source, that ground breaking physics engine is just gimmickry. Likewise, no attempt has been made to make the robotic hostages lifelike. So much for "HL2's" ground-breaking AI. But we have a confession: we just can't stop playing it. [Dec 2004, p.85]

Crude and boring. Stick a cork up Larry's ass and his game in the bin. [Christmas 2004, p.120]

The necessity to move between labs to drop off every single new clue and pick up results is more than a little tiresome. [Feb 2005, p.92]

Just another game MIA in the jungles of Vietnam. It's adventure, but just not adventurous enough.

You're left with Commodore-era finger bruises and PS2-quality graphics, and you don't even get the full complement of Olympic sports. Rubbish. [Christmas 2004, p.122]

The production remains awesome, but everything is cluttered and ultimately the game is just shallow. [Christmas 2004, p.108]

"Prince of Persia's" ugly second cousin. Does not get invited to royal functions. [Nov 2004]

If, however, you've played Myst before and hated it for its slow pace, its limited movement and the distinct lack of (perceived) gameplay, then this new version will do nothing to change your mind. [Dec 2004, p.88]

It’s interesting enough, but it’s lacking any real innovation. At all.

Everywhere you look there's another cute animation and another cool gadget. Combine this with an addictive research tree and a challenging campaign, and you have yourself a great combination of "Dungeon Keeper" and "Austin Powers" - just not a very long one. [Oct 2004, p.94]

Miserable nonsense that would have Holmes reaching for the syringe. Real detective work is tedious, lengthy, frustrating and often pointless. In that sense at least, Silver earring is spot on. This is fun how? [Nov 2004]

It's actually very well put together, with all the right voices, but suffers from an over-profusion of sub-aquatic advertising taken from the film. [Christmas 2004, p.122]

Crosses the rubicon of greatness with a Latin flourish; it's the equal of a hundred lesser games. [Nov 2004]

Fantasy RTS with a very level head.

Ample proof that thinking men are welcome in the modern army.

With so many competing FPS games on the market, Red Mercury falls sadly below par..."Splinter Cell" meets "Serious Sam." Not too bad. Not very good. [Dec 2004, p.90]