Good ideas all, but the execution is a muddled mess. [Feb 2002, p.71]

Someone, please think of the children and put an end to this crap. [Mar 2002, p.72]

Better than the original one in just about every respect. [Holiday 2001, p.79]

This series is beginning to look less like a unique PC off-road racer and more like a console-port knockoff with each incarnation. [Mar 2002, p.74]

Just a kiddie console racer in PC clothing. [Mar 2002, p.74]

Just like "Civ II," it blends a simple start with a vast array of options and pulls them together into a detailed, compelling, and seamless gaming experience. [Holiday 2001, p.65]

As it stands right now, this game is a mess. [Jan 2002, p.77]

A must own for soccer fans. [Feb 2002, p. 73]

A terrific concept that isn’t terribly far away from realizing its full potential. [Feb 2002, p.72]

Aside from the move to 3D graphics and the requisite new spells and characters, changes or enhancement are surprisingly lacking in this sequel. [Feb 2002, p.67]

And really, Lineage isn’t much fun. [Feb 2002, p.80]

Adding to the frustration is that too often you’ll crash when landing, even though you’re lined up perfectly with the ramp. [Holiday 2001, p.62]

It’s so damn fast and pretty that it’s more fun watching than actually playing it. [Mar 2002, p.68]

It borrows from the proven models of other successful games, and puts them in a new venue. It’s fun, deep, and bug-free. [Jan 2002, p.70]

Delivers everything that a dedicated flight-simmer could ask for. This game will be a very hard act to follow for a long time to come. [Jan 2002, p.58]

This game has the imaginative spark of a wet napkin. [Jan 2002, p.76]

As empty-headed a treatment of modern conflict as you’re likely to find on store shelves. [Feb 2002, p.80]

These single-player campaigns are really the only part of this whole pack that came close to disappointing me. [Holiday 2001, p.84]

Zax is good fun, though it suffers from too much déjà vu. [Feb 2002, p.65]

It’s impressively well thought-out, and a highly engaging MMORPG that’s kept me captivated for the last few weeks solid. [Jan 2002, p.80]

This gameworld is essentially a bad parody of a David Lynch production. Every scene is draped in “weirdness wallpaper.” It’s weird, all right, but not exactly engaging.

One of the best strategy titles of the year…an out-and-out classic. [Feb 2002, p.65]

So I just finished playing through “Project Tedium”…wait, make that Project Eden. [Feb 2002, p.69]

Delivers one of the most convincing sensations of raw ground speed that I’ve ever seen in a PC racing game. [Jan 2002, p.72]

It has more questions than "Millionaire," a faster pace, and an entertaining blend of team sentiment and selfish strategy. [Holiday 2001, p. 68]

Designing a coaster has never been easier, and the circuit-closing auto-finish feature is a stroke of genius. [Holiday 2001, p.76]

Be prepared to watch hours of repetitive combat animation. [Holiday 2001, p.92]

Just another tiresome and unimaginative RTS. It’s a real shame. [Holiday 2001, p.72]

It ain’t "Diablo II," but it’s in the ballpark, and frankly, that’s a pretty sweet deal.

Unspectacular graphics only serve to accentuate the game’s myriad physical and visual shortcomings.

Genuinely fun – for the first 10 minutes or so, before it gets repetive. [Holiday 2001, p.68]

It’s exactly the kind of cookie-cutter movie spin-off we could easily survive without. [Holiday 2001, p.88]

Trade Empires simply isn’t much fun. It’ll appeal only to fans of maddeningly dense economics sims "with a twist."

Undoubtedly an excellent game, with its strengths far outweighing its weaknesses. My central frustration, though, is that it doesn’t allow you to play a deliberate, defense-oriented, puck-control style of NHL hockey.

Any Spidey freak will have a blast, and comics fans will delight in Spider-Man’s right-off-the-page super-powered antics. If you want the PC’s best superhero game, this is it.

As far as looks go, Red Faction is more like the cute girl next door than a hot fashion model from the Upper West Side: It’s pretty, but it won’t make a man drop to his knees and thank God for giving him sight.

A pleasant five-hour distraction, but nothing more.

No quarter has been spared in delivering one of the most detailed and complex representations of modern sub warfare ever for the PC. [Holiday 2001, p.88]

A good value-priced game saddled with a clumsy interface. [Mar 2002, p.72]

True, few games let you play as a soldier, tank commander, and pilot in the same sitting, but in order to enjoy yourself you must be able to feel comfortable with your controls and navigate the in-game menus intuitively.

My problem with I-War 2 is its vertical learning curve...Combat is brutal and fleeting — some dogfights ended in my destruction just scant seconds after the first shot was fired.

If you can’t find something to love about this game, dump your computer in the garbage right now. Arcanum epitomizes what people like you and me love most about PC gaming.

Battles are almost always won by veteran troops – which means it all comes down to who’s willing to log in epic amounts of playtime. [Holiday 2001, p. 82]

Undoubtedly fun for the run-and-shoot fans, but a low-impact port all the same.

Mixing a mostly tried-and-true formula with some interesting new ideas, Conquest succeeds as a competent new entry in the genre.

Now this part’s whack. Carson isn’t even in the game! Ohmigod, they so totally got this other MTV himbo, Brian McFayden, to do the talking. And you don’t even see him. What is up with that, y’all?

A tiny bit of truly awful combat has been thrown in when it should have been thrown out, and this may be the last third-person game in existence that doesn’t support the mouse in any way.

This may well be John Tiller’s masterpiece. For dynamic, white-knuckled intensity and fine-grained realism, it comes closer than any previous PC game to replicating the spirit of that legendary boardgame classic "Advanced Squad Leader."

Unfortunately, this ambitious new step for gaming turns out to be dead on arrival. [Feb 2002, p.60]

Much deeper and more complex than it looks to be on first acquaintance; it could be a real sleeper in the wargaming community.

All you get is a well-polished strategic wargame that offers a ton of depth, unique scenarios, and historical accuracy.

After just a few of the 10 missions, it becomes painfully evident that the Myth II engine was simply not designed for the task of modeling modern combat.

If you’re looking for a great thrill ride, an interesting story, and bleeding-edge technology, Max Payne delivers all of them.

A must-own for Worms virgins, less important for all but the most devoted Worms fans. [June 2001, p.74]

This game has it all: Newtonian mechanics, intricate programmable logic, applied physics, and every other reason I decided to drop out of electrical engineering to become a film major.

New life for the Myst franchise, but the non-believers won't be convinced. [July 2001, p.62]

If you can turn off your brain, Enforcer can be fun for 20-minute sessions. [July 2001, p.73]

Proof that the "kill...reward" paradigm still works. [June 2001, p.78]

Tropico passes as a strategy game - just don't expect it to rock your world. [July 2001, p.58]

If you can read this review, you're too old to play Robot Arena. [July 2001, p.72]

An addictive and challenging step forward for team-oriented shooters. [June 2001, p.87]

Only "Evil Dead" diehards need apply. If you're looking for "Resident Evil," buy the original. [July 2001, p.64]

There's a lot to like in this expansion - but it's no replacement for "UO2." [July 2001, p.71]

A fine purchase for Simholics, but don't expect too much bang for your buck. [June 2001, p.58]

One of the most innovative, creative, original, and awe-inspiring PC games ever. [June 2001, p.52]

A very competitive RPG, if not quite up to BioWare caliber. [July 2001, p.65]

A decent interactive shooting gallery at a bargain price. [June 2001, p.56]

Enough "StarCraft" clones. Stop the madness and offer some innovation. [June 2001, p.62]

Given the material, Away Team fails to reach its potential - or even come close. [June 2001, p.69]

The new features/graphics only ehnance what was already the best baseball game ever. [June 2001, p.64]

First-time game developer TimeGate Studios has a winner on its hands. [June 2001, p.82]

If you're dying for an RTS game set in China, here's one. So there. [June 2001, p.80]

Expanding a fine franchise, FT is the king of tactical combat games. [June 2001, p.72]

Owners of "Earth 2150" may want to wait for "Earth III." BUt his is still a very deep RTS. [May 2001, p.83]

Suitable only for the most forgiving, or perhaps younger, Star Wars fans. [May 2001, p.62]

The subject matter severly limits TG's appeal, but if that's not a drawback for you, you'll get your money's worth. [May 2001, p.64]

A near-perfect combination of gut-wrenching horror and intenst action. [May 2001, p.58]

Some good fun to be had here; just odn't expect an RPG revolution. [May 2001, p.80]

Successfully mixes numerous gameplay styles in one compelling package. [May 2001, p.84]

A well-crafted off-road racer that'll appeal to sim buffs and arcade fans alike. [Apr 2001, p.85]

An achievement in cramming as many puzzles into a game as possible. [Apr 2001, p.81]

A thoroughly appalling console port that should've never left its PlayStation jewelcase. [May 2001, p.77]

Not even close to being a worthy successor to "NBA Live 2000." [May 2001, p.60]

The finest racing simulation on the market today - bar none. [Apr 2001, p.70]

TalonSoft deserves a good keelhauling for dumping such a buggy game on shelves. [May 2001, p.82]

The best simulation of the Battle of Britain yet, despite its flaws. [Apr 2001, p.77]

A frenetic, eye-pleasing simulation of theme-park building. [Apr 2001, p.80]

A fun martial-arts romp that could have been a multiplayer classic. [Apr 2001, p.96]

There's fun to be had here so long as you aren't expecting a serious World War II sim. [Feb 2001, p.64]

Essentially a B-movie game. Worth buying if you're hard up for an adventure game. [May 2001, p.65]

Great for RTS newbies or serious "WarCraft" fans, but gaming vets will feel major deja vu. [May 2001, p.39]

History Buffs may consider this "Age of Empires" clone if it's cheap, but all else leave it be. [Apr 2001, p.84]

A botched opportunity for what could have been a cool game. [Mar 2001, p.49]

We saw plenty of good action/adventures in the year 2000. This wasn't one of them. [Mar 2001, p.82]

An extremely flexible sim that really puts you in the middle of the flak at 20,000 feet. [Mar 2001, p.80]

Like "Starfleet Command," an untilmatey rewarding game that may demand a bit too much patience. [Mar 2001, p.70]

A visual masterpiece with enough good gameplay to make it a classic. [Feb 2001, p.50]

There's lots of entertainment here, if you're the patient type. [Mar 2001, p.64]