Play Magazine's Scores
- Games
For 2,350 reviews, this publication has graded:
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65% higher than the average critic
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3% same as the average critic
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32% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.8 points higher than other critics.
(0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 76
| Highest review score: | Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest review score: | Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 1,523 out of 2350
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Mixed: 684 out of 2350
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Negative: 143 out of 2350
2350
game
reviews
- By Date
- By Critic Score
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- Critic Score
If you don't own these pieces of gaming history already, you'd be foolish not to get them now. If you already have them, playing through them again is utter gaming bliss. [Jan 2004, p.63]- Play Magazine
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This may just be the best high energy sports game on the planet...Soccer Slam breaths new life into the system and gives us a taste of what real GameCube games can look like. [Apr 2002, p.50]- Play Magazine
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Many a developer has thrown hordes of warriors on screen to methodically mow through, but no one has ever captured the visceral beauty and brutality of medieval war like Phantagram has in Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. [Sept 2004, p.58]- Play Magazine
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What Team Ninja have achieved is no less than a modern miracle, a game that somehow conjures the same stickiness and addictive spirit as its 8-bit juggernaut. Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox is, quite simply, a perfect video game. [Apr 2004, p.53; Grade = A+]- Play Magazine
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I've just played the most majestic, delicately crafted role-playing game since "Chrono Cross." [Dec 2002, p.77]- Play Magazine
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Combined with top-notch sound effects, new weapons, and special moves, it will leave you speechless. [Dec 2002, p.88]- Play Magazine
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Without a doubt, the most definitive soccer game ever released. [Mar 2004, p.70]- Play Magazine
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A Link to the Past is one of the best SNES games ever made, and it's found a new home on GBA, losing absolutely nothing in the translation. [Dec 2002, p.93]- Play Magazine
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If you demand the ultimate in presentation and extras, look no further than Madden NFL 2004. [Grade = A+; Sept 2003, p.86]- Play Magazine
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Not to be outdone by "Winning Eleven 6," EA Sports has pulled out all the stops and created a soccer game that is second to none... I dare you to find a soccer game where the ball moves so dynamically and realistically. [Nov 2003, p.108]- Play Magazine
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The challenge is also perfect, the quick-save option makes the game more playable without being cheap, and the e-Card features are icing on the cake. [Dec 2003, p.95]- Play Magazine
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If you missed this one the first time out (for shame!), here's your chance to play the definitive version of not just the year's best portable offering, but one of the year's most engaging titles offered on any platform. It's a living, breathing Liberty City in the palm of your hand.- Play Magazine
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In its 15th year, this well-oiled machine enters the 2005 season with one of the finest football games ever crafted. Raising the bar to an unheard of level, Madden 2005 is football at its very best. [Aug 2004, p.73]- Play Magazine
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Where most games entertain us with cutscenes to observe, Beyond Good & Evil is a cutscene. This is the first game to fully, properly inject the undeniable power of cinematic technique into the experience. [Nov 2003, p.70]- Play Magazine
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Visually, the SlugFest series has always looked damn good...And SlugFest just wouldn't be SlugFest without the antics of Tim Kitzrow and Jim Shorts. Together they have some of the funniest play-by-play I've ever heard. [June 2004, p.71]- Play Magazine
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For V3, the player models have photorealistic heads and faces - you can actually see facial details and markings. The development team even incorporated cloth animations. [Feb 2005, p.75]- Play Magazine
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Everything's designed with a master's eye for first-person intensity, extensively crafted and technicaly superb. [Dec 2004,p.75]- Play Magazine
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Stripped of its hype-induced hysteria and lore, and isolated as a pure action showcase, Half-Life 2 is one of the most satisfying efforts in recent years. [Dec 2004, p.82]- Play Magazine
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Without question, EA's latest baseball title is our choice for best baseball game for 2003. [Apr 2003, p.70]- Play Magazine
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Not only a blast to play, it is the best looking real-time strategy game to date. [May 2003, p.60]- Play Magazine
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Players will spend most of their time in the new Play Now mode. Here, you're given 50 scenarios where you are immediately thrown into the heart of competition. [Dec 2002, p.90]- Play Magazine
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Without question, EA's latest baseball title is our choice for best baseball game for 2003. [Apr 2003, p.70]- Play Magazine
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No game this year casts its web with such distinct mood and sci-fi wonder. [Jan 2005, p.54]- Play Magazine
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The level of customization is simply astounding. In addition to the typical options like face, hair color, eye color and facial hair, players can change the structure of their cheek, chin and jaws. And not just the appearance, but the width, height and length too. [Oct 2003, p.84]- Play Magazine
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This is simply a superb genre defining experience with two unforgettable endings.- Play Magazine
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For a mere $20, Sega's game is every bit as deep, feature-rich and addictive as EA's powerhouse. I'm not saying that 2K5 is better than "Madden"...but it's just as good - no joke. [Sept 2004, p.84]- Play Magazine
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Not to be outdone, EA Sports has upped the ante with NHL 2004 and it truly has left me speechless. What am I so excited about? One word - Dynasty Mode... For hockey fans, this is a no brainer. [Sept 2003, p.88]- Play Magazine
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Bayonetta’s across-the-boards perfection can’t be measured by any scale. It’s simply in a class by itself. This is where games need to go for my money. Platinum knows no bounds. A modern-day masterpiece.- Play Magazine
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As redefining an experience as "Super Mario 64" was, and we can all remember how that game made us feel, Super Mario Galaxy is the most profound game since "Super Mario Bros." defined action gaming on the NES. There’s something almost transcendental about SMG.- Play Magazine
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Debuting in this '03 renewal is the EA Sports "freestyle" control. Wihout question, it WILL change the way you play basketball games...forever. [Nov 2002, p.88]- Play Magazine
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I truly love this game. It has everything a hockey fan could want. From the improved animations to the great Franchise mode to the great Pick Up and Play mode, NHL Hitz Pro is a necessary purchase. [Oct 2003, p.84]- Play Magazine
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No Resident Evil has established such gloomy mood as effectively as Resident Evil Zero, which paints every screen with a decadent artistry that is unmatched in its extraordinary detail and inspired darkness. [Dec 2002, p.70]- Play Magazine
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If you demand the ultimate in presentation and extras, look no further than Madden NFL 2004. [Grade = A+; Sept 2003, p.86]- Play Magazine
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Assassin's Creed joins the guild as by far the best "sandbox" game created to date, rounding out the best single year I've had as a gamer since I picked up a 2600 pad. [Jan 2008, p.56]- Play Magazine
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It's infectious, fulfilling, and cheeky as all Hades, so enjoy the heck out of Vince, and then make some noise for a sequel. [Nov 2003, p.75]- Play Magazine
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A near 20-hour-long rollercoaster ride that stacks missions of perfectly manufactured platforming, tactical shooting and everything in between. [Dec 2004, p.72]- Play Magazine
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If you demand the ultimate in presentation and extras, look no further than Madden NFL 2004. [Grade = A+; Sept 2003, p.86]- Play Magazine
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Online RPGs are not supposed to have characters that look this good, nor are they supposed to have the sort of atmospheric brilliance exhibited here. [Dec 2003, p.90]- Play Magazine
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The game is simply a picture of beauty, with intuitive gameplay that gets under your skin and never leaves. [Dec 2003, p.74]- Play Magazine
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For the rest of you, Persona 3 FES is one of the best RPGs the PS2 has ever received, and one of the console's proudest moments period. [May 2008, p.58]- Play Magazine
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Let me get it out in the open right away - ESPN NHL 2K5 may be the best hockey game you'll ever play. [Dec 2004, p.103]- Play Magazine
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Rayman 3's most awesome attribute, as incredible as the movies, dialogue, and gameplay are, is a level of visual splendor that defies everything I've come to know about lighting effects in a video game. [Mar 2003, p.47]- Play Magazine
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I truly love this game. It has everything a hockey fan could want. From the improved animations to the great Franchise mode to the great Pick Up and Play mode, NHL Hitz Pro is a necessary purchase. [Oct 2003, p.84]- Play Magazine
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If you've never played a Quest game (and let's face it, not many in this country have), this is an awesome chance to find out why they're so great. [April 2002, p.68]- Play Magazine
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- Play Magazine
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- Play Magazine
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- Critic Score
Visually, the game is amazingly detailed and incredibly animated; in terms of level design and obstacle placement, it is superb. [Oct 2003, p.71]- Play Magazine
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But what's truly astounding about Fight Night is the damage inflicted on the Boxers...Using state-of-the-art facial mo-caps, players will see a boxer's face bruise, swell and get cut during fights. [Apr 2004, p.72]- Play Magazine
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For V3, the player models have photorealistic heads and faces - you can actually see facial details and markings. The development team even incorporated cloth animations. [Feb 2005, p.75]- Play Magazine
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Freedom is the name of this game, featuring a downtown playscape so massively intricate that players can literally do whatever they want, whenever they want. [Feb 2002, p.58]- Play Magazine
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Every single genre of games could learn a thing or two from Braid’s design, and I can’t think of any type of gamer who would scoff at the title. Braid is my ruler for measuring quality in other games. Nothing anyone could say would change my mind: all the pieces fit.- Play Magazine
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With crisp graphics and addictive turn-based gameplay, Etherlords II is an unexpectedly strong adventure/RPG/strategy title. [Dec 2003, p.92]- Play Magazine
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Above all, a better feeling and playing game, boosted by subtleties that you may not even recognize until you've made it to the playoffs.[Sept 2002, p.72]- Play Magazine
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The Legacy mode is incredibly comprehensive and it's something that'll keep players busy for hours on end. [Jan 2003, p.84]- Play Magazine
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In the case of Odin Sphere, however, I am confident that this is a perfect game, and that anyone who comes to it will derive the same. [May 2007, p.16]- Play Magazine
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This is the game that the industry should hold up as an example of what gaming can aspire to. [Feb 2005, p.56]- Play Magazine
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Rayman 3's most awesome attribute, as incredible as the movies, dialogue, and gameplay are, is a level of visual splendor that defies everything I've come to know about lighting effects in a video game. [Mar 2003, p.47]- Play Magazine
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- Critic Score
Where most games entertain us with cutscenes to observe, Beyond Good & Evil is a cutscene. This is the first game to fully, properly inject the undeniable power of cinematic technique into the experience. [Nov 2003, p.70]- Play Magazine
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This is one of those rare games that is so great, on so many levels, that you get butterflies in your stomach just thinking about it. [Mar 2002, p.18]- Play Magazine
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Not to be outdone by "Winning Eleven 6," EA Sports has pulled out all the stops and created a soccer game that is second to none... I dare you to find a soccer game where the ball moves so dynamically and realistically. [Nov 2003, p.108]- Play Magazine
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A triumph, and a very bittersweet one at that. Sadly, it's become the ultimate swan song, marking the end of one of the greatest relationships in videogame history. [Nov 2002, p.72]- Play Magazine
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Rayman 3's most awesome attribute, as incredible as the movies, dialogue, and gameplay are, is a level of visual splendor that defies everything I've come to know about lighting effects in a video game. [Mar 2003, p.47]- Play Magazine
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Players will spend most of their time in the new Play Now mode. Here, you're given 50 scenarios where you are immediately thrown into the heart of competition. [Dec 2002, p.90]- Play Magazine
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Other than Princess Crown and Odin Sphere (which were equally superior in their time), Muramasa defies comparison. The art and animation throughout is so refined it almost seems unfair, the gameplay is intuitive and never grows old; the RPG elements are unique and superbly presented and the score is simply mesmerizing.- Play Magazine
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While the rest of the world pants about the nonsensical "Morrowmind," the pinnacle of action role-playing is right under their noses. Wake up and smell the mace. [Aug 2002, p.58]- Play Magazine
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If this game doesn't make you smile then you probably don't have a mouth. [Dec 2002, p.68]- Play Magazine
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Lucia's tale alone, a cruel sonnet of self realization wrapped in a story steeped in religious overtones, is reason enough to buy this game. [Mar 2003, p.40]- Play Magazine
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In its 15th year, this well-oiled machine enters the 2005 season with one of the finest football games ever crafted. Raising the bar to an unheard of level, Madden 2005 is football at its very best. [Aug 2004, p.73]- Play Magazine
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The true star of the ESPN NHL Hockey is the play-by-play commentary. Courtesy of ESPN's Gary Throne and Bill Clement, this is some of the best commentary I've ever heard in a hockey game. [Jan 2004, p.80]- Play Magazine
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With a revamped Dynasty mode, a new batting system, and my favorite feature, Big Play Control, MVP Baseball 2004 is the complete package. [Apr 2004, p.73]- Play Magazine
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The definitive soccer game for the PlayStation 2. Sorry, FIFA, we're going to have to put you aside, there's a new soccer game in town and we're in love. [Apr 2003, p.67]- Play Magazine
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Among the myriad of reasons why I loved this game more every second I played it...is the way the puzzles and especially the visual presentation evolve. [Dec 2004, p.70]- Play Magazine
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Sonic Heroes will fill you with a sense of pure fun seldom seen in the annals of modern game design. [Jan 2004, p.50]- Play Magazine
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If Links 2004 isn't the finest golf game on the planet, I'll wear golf shoes to next year's E3... The curvature of terrain is truly exquisite, and the detail and lighting is utter perfection. [Nov 2003, p.108]- Play Magazine
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About as close to true perfection as games are gonna get right now.- Play Magazine
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The scale of FFXII is so grand, so overwhelming, so vast, that comparisons to other video games--a proper review, in other words--borders on the impossible. [Jun 2006, p.69]- Play Magazine
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EA Sports BIG and developer NuFX, Inc. have taken their nearly flawless game and made it that much better, taking it to a whole new level in terms of graphics, gameplay, sound and presentation... Right when you pop in the game, you know you're in for a good time. [Apr 2003, p.72]- Play Magazine
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Where else can you skate to Iron Maiden, AC/DC, De La Soul, Public Enemy and the Sex Pistols? "Evolution Skateboarding"? Yeah, right! [Dec 2002, p.76]- Play Magazine
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Anyone who reveled in the joy of the NES "Excitebike" and the original "Motocross Maniacs" will undoubtedly love this update. [April 2002, p.71]- Play Magazine
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Come game time, stellar graphics - easily the best ever for any tennis game - are center court, along with astutely tuned AI - staunch but never frustrating, always in league with your rank. [Nov 2003, p.107]- Play Magazine
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Judge this magnificent game on its own merits, allow it to burrow into your sense of wonder like the best games do, and you might just proclaim that you've played one of the best games of the year. [Dec 2002, p.24]- Play Magazine
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The edge-of-your seat action is incredibly intense and perfectly paced. Combined with ties to real-life events, the immersion level is off the charts. [Jan 2005, p.64]- Play Magazine
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The best overall college basketball game on the market. [Jan 2004, p.80]- Play Magazine
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A more than welcome breath of fresh air on the GBA. [April 2002, p.71]- Play Magazine
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Genius, pure genius... Everything needed to stir the soul of anesthetized gamers everywhere is in here. Just when you think you've seen it all, some designer somewhere in a corner of Japan hits the great-idea lotto and a genre is reborn. [Oct 2003, p.18]- Play Magazine
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In all things small and epic, from the palpable graininess of the game's predominantly poorly lit environments, to the endlessly thrilling second installment of the spies vs. mercenaries online competitions, Theory does not disappoint. [May 2005, p.44]- Play Magazine
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Scribblenauts is a game that will be remembered for a long time. It’s a genesis event. In the history of games, there are few moments where a new genre appears; few dates where something truly novel is given to gamers. Scribblenauts is a birth. It’s Wolfenstein 3D. It’s Mario 64. Scribblenauts is Street Fighter.- Play Magazine
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Every wreck is a visual affair to be savored and a delightful treat for a job nastily done. [Oct 2005, p.66]- Play Magazine
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- Play Magazine
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In the very opening, when Bowser surreptitously swipes the Princess, any Mario fan will smile in newfound satisfaction, ready to re-live, perhaps for the first time since that first time, what it's like to play a gem of a Nintendo game. [Jun 2006, p.52]- Play Magazine
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In all things small and epic, from the palpable graininess of the game's predominantly poorly lit environments, to the endlessly thrilling second installment of the spies vs. mercenaries online competitions, Theory does not disappoint. [May 2005, p.44]- Play Magazine
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The amount of content spread across these three discs is truly staggering, and Persistence is a quick, pick-up-and-play online experience that offers tremendous variety. [Apr 2006, p.52]- Play Magazine
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An y game that can sweep you away like this deserves out utmost reverence. [May 2006, p.51]- Play Magazine
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It's so beautiful--so far superior visually to anything on the DS--that it's the kind of game that makes it worth buying the system for. [Apr 2008, p.68]- Play Magazine
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The feature-rich, action-packed gameplay—co-op and solo—is a blast, but it’s the explosive presentation, that literally sees Shanghai falling to flaming pieces all around you, that steals the show and will have you watching your—and your buddy’s—back.- Play Magazine
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The first-person shooter is, simply, one of the best games ever made. [Oct 2007, p.86]- Play Magazine
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Arguably the best epic platformer since the Rare/Miyamoto days of N64. [May 2005, p.65]- Play Magazine
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Backbone could have just tightened things up and given us more of the same for the sequel but instead have completely reworked the formula and created one of the PSP's finest games in the process. [Nov. 2006, p.96]- Play Magazine
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Not only is this the best first-person adventure I've played but it's the most brutal, skillfully detailed and paced as well. [Apr 2008, p.50]- Play Magazine
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You want Bikes, ATVs, Muscle Cars, SUVs, Buggies, Trucks…they’re all in here, along with every conceivable type of race set across thousands of miles of populated ultra-realistic topography, complete with dynamic weather. And it all looks and plays spectacularly. Unless you’re looking for an authentic hard core sim, there’s no reason you shouldn’t leave right now, and even if you are, a little FUEL might just change your mind.- Play Magazine
