Early missions can be a bit of a grind, and you can't buy anything fancy right away, even if you have the cash. [March 2005, p.66]

Tries to be two games in one, and ends up doing neither terribly well. [Jan 2005, p.80]

Mass murder by dragonbreath has never been so monotonous. [Feb 2005, p.71]

Features some challenging and logical puzzles and an entertaining story. [Feb 2005, p.72]

A disaster. [Feb 2005, p.60]

The final insult is the atrocious console save-system. The game saves automatically between each level and a couple of times during each level, but if you stop playing, you have to restart teh entire level. [Jan 2005, p.86]

Ultimately, like so many franchise tie-ins, it's just criminally mediocre. [Feb 2005, p.68]

All you get here is abysmal action, miserable controls, and a story ripped piecemeal from the cartoon. [March 2005, p.75]

The crappy force-feedback effects and poor controller support (both my FF joysticks proved useless for playing the game) are sharp reminders of CMR 2005's console roots. [Holiday 2004, p.96]

Like any good ride, it delights at every twist and turn and leaves you wanting more. [Jan 2005, p.74]

The best-ever WWII sim gets new planes, new settings, and carrier operations. [Jan 2005, p.76]

It's a fantastic expansion that adds even more gameplay depth to a game that was already incredibly complex. [Jan 2005, p.96]

The biggest problem with online play is that it's far too easy to dominate with a single player. [Feb 2005, p.52]

One of the best values you'll ever find in a $10 add-on. [Feb 2005, p.72]

A strong sports sim, with depth to spare. [Jan 2005, p.83]

The story wouldn't be half-bad if it weren't for cliched dialogue (delivered by overly dramatic voice actors) and forgettable characters. [Jan 2005, p.81]

Pitfall has enough charm to win me over, even if linear platformers are a bit dated. [Jan 2005, p.81]

The new design focus has created a schizophrenic game in which neither single-play nor multiplay is successful. [Holiday 2004, p.90]

The sandbox play that makes up the bulk of Superpower 2 is alternately tedium and lunacy. [Feb 2005, p.70]

A treasure of a wargame. It aptly portrays his fight to conquer the world, and it works hard to transport you to the scene of its battles. [Feb 2005, p.75]

Unfortunately, the gameplay grows stale real quick, and any joyful fantasies about dropping smoke-jumping firefighters into an inferno are quickly put to rest. [Jan 2005, p.75]

It's one thing to make a bad game - that I can forgive. It's worse to take one of the great PC-game franchises and ruin the hell out of it. This isn't Leisure Suit Larry - it's just annoying softcore porn. [Holiday 2004, p.106]

Yes, there is groping, discrete heavy petting, and conveniently concealed canoodling, but it's all rendered in fewer than 10 different animations...which get old quickly. [Sept 2004, p.68]

This third Law & Order game is not only the most faithful to the atmosphere of the TV show, but also offers an engaging story. [Jan 2005, p.90]

The videogame equivalent of a bad Vietnam B-movie. [Jan 2005, p.88]

THUG 2's combination of goofball story, challenging skate stunts, and ever-more-ridiculous objectives is so addictive that I'd learn to play with my feet if my hands fell off. [Jan 2005, p.97]

A formidable simulation, but landlubbers are likely to run aground on its steep learning curve. [Oct 2004, p.90]

Even if you never log on, it's a killer laptop game with lots of replay value for just $20. [March 2005, p.74]

It's just another in the crowd of well-meaning but ultimately pointless games that offer more tedium than entertainment. [Jan 2005, p.83]

Its generic plot and presentation are so bland, the game's few inventive features are very likely to be lost on most who play it. [Holiday 2004, p.94]

Despite its captivating graphics and enchanting music, Myst IV feels stunted. It ships on a DVD and has a 3GB install, so why can't I move around freely? Where's the adventure in my adventure game? [Holiday 2004, p.101]

The combination of drop-jaw visuals, absorbing missions, and overall realism make for good times...Better suited for casual players. [Nov 2004, p.102]

If you're the slightest bit impatient, you'll be bored within five minutes. [Feb 2005, p.59]

Its excellent production values and clever design make for a very satisfying package. [Dec 2004, p.104]

A cool new twist on a grand strategy, hampered by technical problems. [July 2004, p.74]

The mystery is why you would insult yourself by playing it. [Feb 2005, p.61]

Do be advised that the game is shockingly short: If you were to pay it and watch the movie side-by-side, it'd be a toss-up as to which you'd finish first. [Holiday 2004, p.93]

To say I loved every minute of Rome: Total War is a tremendous understatement. For my money, it's the ultimate strategy game. Not only does it effortlessly combine turn-based strategy with raucous real-time warmongering, but it delivers them in a package that is accessibe and easy to play. [Nov 2004, p.76]

I'm not a big fan of the game's pacing, either. Kohan II can be agonizingly slow in the beginning, which on the one hand is nice because it discourages rushing, but on the other hand...well, it's boring. [Nov 2004, p.104]

A rich content upgrade that'll please masochistic vets looking for the equivalent of Hercules' 12 labors. [Feb 2005, p.62]

An intense and demanding simulation of modern urban combat. [Dec 2004, p.70]

There's nothing here gameplay-wise that's new or original, or even competitive, given the season...The lag in online bouts is atrocious. [Holiday 2004, p.34]

We're given lots of initial wow factor, but Battlefont can't go the distance against the likes of the "Battlefield" series. I can't complain too much, though, because I still left the experience with a wide grin on my face. Battlefront is definitely a Star Wars geek's dream. [Holiday 2004, p.110]

There's virtually no plot, and a lot of the mid-level game seems like a repeat of the novice-level game. [Jan 2005, p.84]

It'll remind even the most jaded RTS fan how much fun total carnage can be. [Holiday 2004, p.84]

With eight new courses and three returning ones (plus the option to import courses from "Tigers 2002-2004"), this is simply a beautiful day at the links. [Dec 2004, p.88]

May not be the most ambitious follow-up ever, but it does fix most of what was broken in the first game while introducing an attractive, badly needed, 3D makeover. [Dec 2004, p.108]

A turd of a third-person shooter that so revels in senseless violence and horrible design, I needed a shower every time I stopped playing. [Holiday 2004, p.100]

United offensive really sines during the Russian campaign...And then there's the harrowing house-to-house clearing in Kharkov. [Dec 2004, p.80]

The new defensive controls make it a must-buy (for those with a dual-analog pad). [Holiday 2004, p.108]

Pretty, mindless action that only superficially resembles hockey. [Holiday 2004, p.98]

Only big "PR" fans should bother; everyone else, wait for the new "Pirates!" [Jan 2005, p.82]

I'm a sucker for giant robots. Especially when it's giant robots dishing out beautifully rendered displays of mass destruction. With Arena Wars, that's exactly what you get, wrapped in an extremely simple but nonetheless fun RTS package. [Holiday 2004, p.94]

Hardcore fans will be enthralled by the (optional) authentic engine-management procedures necessary to keep each of these magnificent machines airborne. Also, in a cool departure from current industry practice, an honest-to-goodness 155-page printed manual is actually included in the box. [Dec 2004, p.102]

It's a must-have for any West Front aficionado. [Feb 2005, p.75]

Does little to innovate or excuse its technical shortcomings. [Holiday 2004, p.102]

Where this game falls short is the actual gameplay. Your apartment serves as a hub and you go back to it repeatedly, either to save your game or to retrieve adn drop off items from your limited inventory. I don't even need to tell you how tedious this backtracking gets. [Holiday 2004, p.99]

You never really feel engaged in this run-of-the-mill shooter. [Nov 2004, p.86]

AO addicts should buy this add-on - solo-ers and MMO noobs, not so much. [Jan 2005, p.97]

The challenge isn't necessarily soliving puzzles, but making sure you've examined every single bit of every screen. [Dec 2004, p.89]

Sure, a little more aeronautic authenticity might have made this good game great, but for what it tries to deliver, Wings of War succeeds admirably. [Holiday 2004, p.104]

Even more annoying is the omission of any kind of multiplay, which is where the real joy lies in this kind of game. [Sept 2004, p.70]

It may not be the most authentic simulation of American politics, but Political Machine does have some educational value in helping you understand the nitty-gritty of how 270 Electoral Collage votes are cobbled together. [Dec 2004, p.96]

As complete a chess package as you could want, although it's missing a few friendly touches. [Oct 2004, p.88]

It's a Tiller design that hits all the notes you expect from his workshop. [Dec 2004, p.102]

Doom 3 is a masterpiece of the art form - staying true to the frantic legacy of the Doom series, while ambitiously reaching new heights and bashing down the doors of the next generation of PC shooter. The bar is raised. Let's see someone else climb over it. [Sept 2004, p.34]

Only for hardcore fans of Halle Berry or aficionados of softcore porn. [Nov 2004, p.96]

Sounds promising, but from the shoddy graphics to the horrid enemy AI, this game fails to be any fun at all. [July 2004, p.68]

Refreshingly, cheating is often the best way to go. [Sept 2004, p.70]

Solving The Path of the Shell without a walkthrough will require endless patience and the ability to brainstorm in four dimensions. [Nov 2004, p.88]

A useful learning aid for beginners, but you can find better alternatives for free. [Nov 2004, p.90]

An efficient and well-designed galactic fighter. [March 2005, p.75]

The only drawbacks to Soldiers are its murderous difficulty and speed. [Sept 2004, p.72]

Most interesting when you're diddling with the terrain, but it gets old fast when the missiles start flying. Not the breakthrough it could've been, it'll appeal only to experimental-RTS fans. [July 2004, p.62]

It's one of the most inaccessible games I've ever played. [Oct 2004, p.90]

Come enter! Our game interface is impressively awkward: you'll click three menus to find one performers statistics. [Nov 2004, p.94]

The PC version is nothing more than formulaic action/adventure that's been dumbed down for kids. It's a waste of everyone's time...A colossal disappointment. [Oct 2004, p.92]

My chief criticism of Missing is that it relies too heavily on arbitrary puzzles and too little on sleuthing. [Oct 2004, p.100]

Sure, it has some substance - Omaha and two other poker types supporting the main Texas Hold 'Em - plus multiplay that can be set up over a LAN mixing real and AI players. But its obnoxious personality makes it the fish of the group. [Apr 2005, p.65]

If you're dying for an excuse to play as a sniper, or you have $20 you're itching to spend, Marine Sharpshooter II certainly isn't the worse budget military game we've ever played. [Oct 2004, p.95]

Hardly revolutionary, but still a hell of a lot of fun. RTS fans should pick it up. [Sept 2004, p.64]

All the gameplay ingredients are here, but a complete lack of seasoning makes this one dish that should be tossed down the disposal. [Oct 2004, p.98]

Shoddy enemy A.I. Sometimes you can be standing 20 feet in front of a guard in a well-lit room and remain invisible to him, while other times you may be detected from 50 feet or more while crouching in a dark corner. [Sept 2004, p.60]

While hardly perfect, Joint Ops is an adrenaline-fueled good time that provides a tactically deeper alternative to "Battlefield Vietnam." [Sept 2004, p.58]

Aside from its supply tedium (and lack of multiplay), the game's horribly wonky pathfinding AI remains the ultimate knock against an otherwise great title. [Sept 2004, p.61]

A first-or-third person shooter that is one of the most chilling, disturbing games I've ever played. And I mean that in the best way possible...The Suffering's main downside is that its graphics engine isn't the latest and the greatest. [Sept 2004, p.62]

The bastard twins of sucky AI and sucky pathfinding are both present and accounted for. [Sept 2004, p.66]

Normally, a weak narrative isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but in this case, where the technology is so horribly dated, the reason you play Spiderweb's games is for a great story and memorable characters. And Blades fails in that regard, instead using rehashed gameplay, leveling mechanics, and inventory management. [Oct 2004, p.96]

If you've just taken a course on Greek history, you might appreciate the setting, but for both strategy and visuals, Spartan is very...well, spartan. [Dec 2004, p.106]

Not everything it should've been, but sporadically brilliant and usually fun. [July 2004, p.56]

While Prisoner of Azkaban lacks the all-ages appeal of the books and movies, its colorful graphics and not-too-challenging gameplay should certainly do a good job of keeping young kids entertained. [July 2004, p.58]

Not nearly as good as its predecessor, and in need of patching. [July 2004, p.54]

The controls are awful...L.A. is nowhere near fully modeled. [July 2004, p.60]

Almost-passable fare for a wacky-golf game, but it can't hold a candle to the superbly crafted "Links" and "Tiger Woods" games of even several years past - both of which are available for this game's $20 price. [Dec 2004, p.106]

Between the game's classy commentary and its sensational broadcast-style presentation, soccer fans will find a ton of depth in the championship mode, which you can take online to play others in one-on-one match-ups. [July 2004, p.65]

Definitely a kids' arcade game with the extreme simplicity of a console title, Shrek 2 offers enough comic mischief to make children love the big green guy all over again. [July 2004, p.58]

If party trivia is your thing, buying the Trivial Pursuit board game is a better investment. [Nov 2004, p.87]

If you're an RPG junkie, Beyond Divinity is definitely worth your time and money. Just don't expect to extract any extra gameplay hours out of the random dungeon generator - it's just not going to happen. [July 2004, p.64]