Gearheads may be temporarily amused, but for the rest of us, Monster Garage delivers about as much entertainment value as a fender-bender with a Hell's Angel. [July 2004, p.65]

First up is the AI, which, for both the enemy and your squad, is simply dreadful. [Apr 2004, p.66]

Refreshingly different, Silent Storm is a must-own for fans of the squad-tactics genre. [Mar 2004, p.61]

More of an interior-design sim than the Vegas epic you're probably imagining. [Mar 2004, p.61]

Simply missing too many features to justify the purchase. Collectible-card-game fans should opt for "Magic: The Gathering Online" instead, so they can face truly challenging opponents: other human players. [Apr 2004, p.83]

It deserves some credit for its realistic physics and attempts at creativity, but it's just not a whole lot of fun. We still await the "Virtua Tennis" of bowling games. [Apr 2004, p.78]

Underlying all the advances made in bot technology and the updated maps, Condition Zero is still fundamentally a five-year-old game...but this standalone package should satisfy both the Counter-Strike-curious and the broadband impaired. [Jan 2004, p.90]

The resolution maxes out at an ultra-cruddy 800X600, the sound effects are wimpy, and the dialogue is like a sad butchery of Hong Kong subtitling. [Apr 2004, p.70]

The online option has potential, but fighting human opponents doesn't improve the core gameplay, which hasn't evolved since I was talking all that college smack 10 years ago. [Mar 2004, p.74]

The terrible camera angles will force you to constantly use the manual camera adjustments, which is part of the reason you get killed so often and have to restart levels. [Mar 2004, p.62]

Despite - or maybe because of - its stripped-down gameplay, RC Cars surges ahead as one of hte better recent miniature-car racing games. [Mar 2004, p.80]

Many of the game's varied track environments are on par with those in A-list arcade racers. [Mar 2004, p.80]

A distinguished sim of the most fascinating and closely run campaing ever fought on the Western Front. Grognards will love its depth, and newbies can catch up fairly easily. [Mar 2004, p.77]

Despite all the ongoing updates and patches, the most critical element is missing: The game hasn't received a fun patch. [May 2004, p.68]

Adds a chatty, entertaining social angle to the addictive stable of PopCap-type games that otherwise lead to loneliness, depression, and suicide instead of glory on the lawless oceans. [Aug 2005, p.76]

Gets bogged down in a few of the traps created by its ambitious, free-form design, but an invigorating game emerges anyway. It's certainly in the same constellation as "Freelancer," if a lot more challenging. [Mar 2004, p.66]

Not only the most accessible wargame on the market, but it's also a rich and fascinating tactical simulation. It's war on your computer. [Mar 2004, p.76]

Waiting tables is reduced to repetitive and frenzied clicking in Diner Dash, a $20 restaurant sim that turns simple game-play into an addictive treat. [Apr 2006, p.100]

The worst part is that Sands uses a save-point system - and wouldn't you guess it, save beacons materialize only after you've destroyed every last zombie. [Mar 2004, p.58]

Its dull level design is a shame, but Armed and Dangerous is still a hoot. If you're looking for mindless action mixed with scenes of sheer hilarity, you'll be well-entertained here. [Mar 2004, p.60]

With the right hardware, Invisible War offers a thought-provoking, multi-layered journey with a side order of free choice. [Jan 2004, p.81]

Playing alone with bots is unbearable - the AI players run into walls and can't aim for squat. [Apr 2004, p.74]

Hordes' goodness mostly comes down to its deliciously vicious weapons, brawnier spells, phatter loot, and more monumental ass-whupping (allowed by the higher level-cap). [Mar 2004, p.64]

It not only brings nothing new to the RTS table - it takes stuff away, too. [Mar 2004, p.70]

The lack of any real challenge makes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hard to recommend for all but the very young set. [Mar 2004, p.75]

Even worse are the ridiculously tough environmental puzzles. Unless you're a member of MENSA, chances are you'll need a walkthrough to finish the game. [Mar 2004, p.62]

The fighting is BG&E's weakest element, and there's a bit too much of it for the game's own good. [Mar 2004, p.71]

Not much of a party game. [Apr 2003, p.103]