Its plot is arguably more satisfying than the ham-fisted narratives of the recent Star Wars films, and it certainly does a better job at conveying moral complexities. [Feb 2004, p.65]

A curious amalgam of campy storytelling and abysmally simplified flight dynamics. [Feb 2004, p.68]

A frustrating action/strategy hybrid where you miss the action while flailing to control the strategy. [Mar 2004, p.67]

I grappled with Victoria for a solid 10 hours before I actually started having fun, and most folks will deem this figure unacceptable. Even then, the game's glaring bugs had a tendency to disrupt the deep and absorbing machinations that eventually develop. [Mar 2004, p.65]

For less than a buck per level, Fire Warrior is a bargain. [May 2004, p.74]

Good but not great, it's sweetly bland adventure porridge. [Feb 2004, p.79]

Although the vehicle dynamics are still conspicuously slot-car like, the game itself is easily one of the finest EA has ever produced. [Jan 2004, p.118]

An awesome achievement, and if you can make the time investment, you'll be amply rewarded...If you have a high tolerance for micromanagement, you'll love the depth of gameplay. [Apr 2004, p.76]

Any repetition is mollified by the fact that you really do have the run of Springfield. [Jan 2004, p.105]

I dream about its puzzles, contemplate solutions in my spare time, and imagine what lies beyond. But most importantly, I've had fun - and that's what adventuring is all about. [Jan 2004, p.100]

Thin and familiar, but it offers some terrific hacking and slashing. [Feb 2004, p.72]

The game's still far from perfect, but NBA Live 2004 is much more enjoyable than last year's version. [Mar 2004, p.77]

Fun, but too short and shallow to be a full-priced expansion pack. [Jan 2004, p.104]

It continually sidetracks you with diversions that aren't in the book, when all you really want to do is get to the good stuff that Tolkien crafted. [Feb 2004, p.76]

A solid action game, but it's no "Max Payne 2" (or "Max Payne, for that matter). [Feb 2004, p.84]

For some reason, Greek developer Anima PPD thought the world was yearning for a new FMV game, <I>and</I> one with the production values of a Malaysian music video. [Jan 2004, p.105]

Finding opponents (on the internet) proved a chore given that there's no central lobby or matchmaking service - you have to know the IP address of another player. [Feb 2004, p.67]

An entertaining game, and though it still can't quite match Konami's "Winning Eleven 6" on PS2, it's heading in the right direction. [Feb 2004, p.74]

What makes each Conquests scenario so compelling is that it demands a unique strategy. [Feb 2004, p.75]

A dreadful-looking but surprisingly playable simulation of a truly complex game. [Feb 2004, p.84]

The game's enormous potential is squandered by bad playbalancing. [Jan 2004, p.82]

While War of the Ring does little to revolutionize the RTS genre, it does serve Tolkien's Middle-Earth admirably while letting you control the actions of the majority of its most storied denizens. [Jan 2004, p.98]

There's a comprehensive and remarkably easy-to-use scenario creator, too... Squad Assault is a delight. [Jan 2004, p.86]

Trainz isn't so much a game as a collection of maps, locomotives, rolling stock, and editing tools with which to develop your own Union Pacific Scotsman clones. [Feb 2004, p.73]

Veterans of previous Patrician games will no doubt feel at home, but new players may be scratching their heads at the vague objectives. [Jan 2004, p.88]

Little more than a two-year-old repackaging job that fixes little and adds even less. [Jan 2004, p.107]

It's the 24-mission single-player experience that you'll remember for years. Call of Duty is a first-rate achievement. The sensory overload is amazing, and the interaction with intricately scripted action set-pieces is a big step forward in the art form. [Dec 2003, p.88]

Other than its being a bit too simplistic, I have no complaints about this game. It's the best PC Potter yet. [Feb 2004, p.88]