I really am looking forward to playing friends who have moved across country, recapturing the good old days. [Jan 2005, p.69]

[Street] mode would've been a lot more enjoyable if it weren't for the idiotic AI. Quite frankly, it's downright painful. [March 2005, p.80]

Together with a near flawless play-by-play announcer, excellent sound, music and solid online play, EA Sports has done it again with MVP. [Apr 2005, p.76]

Together with a near flawless play-by-play announcer, excellent sound, music and solid online play, EA Sports has done it again with MVP. [Apr 2005, p.76]

Carving into an enemy with Jake's Plasma Blade carries a weight and reaction so polished, the result is poetry in motion rather than simple swordplay. [Feb 2005, p.66]

Episode II feels less grand than the original, almost like an epilogue to the first game. [Feb 2005, p.61]

Nothing Earth-shattering, but respectable, much like the film. [Apr 2005, p.61]

My only criticisms are that the NES-themed games aren't as creative as before, and the game is a bit easy. [Apr 2005, p.70]

Nothing Earth-shattering, but respectable, much like the film. [Apr 2005, p.61]

I miss Fox's awesome fur mapping, but I guess getting Krystal as a permanent team member makes us even. [March 2005, p.59]

A game that reaches into your primal thirst for violence with no restraint... A bold, fantastic experiment. [Feb 2005, p.60]

Filled with enough espionage, illegal arms trade, intrigue and terrorist activity to make James Bond run for cover. [Feb 2005, p.63]

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]

With one simple change, everything old in KOF is new again, and that change is an actual tag system that allows players to swap characters at almost any time. [Jan 2004, p.66]

The AI is aggressive, but loads of upgrades are available to give you much-needed edge and add an element of strategy. [Apr 2005, p.70]

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]

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]

Give Return to Arms credit for maintaining a good level of strategy and balance to the action. [March 2005, p.54]

Player animations and transitions are seamless; it will astound you how versatile the movements are in the game. [Apr 2005, p.77]

Player animations and transitions are seamless; it will astound you how versatile the movements are in the game. [Apr 2005, p.77]

Though far from bad, A Sound of Thunder just seems to be going through the motions to deliver an isometric adventure game filled with fetch quests amidst bland levels and typical looking puzzles. [Apr 2004, p.71]

I don't wanna sound like a perv, but the first time I got the "Have sex on a couch?" command, well... all I can say is buy a couch early on; Hef likes to get his groove on. [March 2005, p.58]

I don't wanna sound like a perv, but the first time I got the "Have sex on a couch?" command, well... all I can say is buy a couch early on; Hef likes to get his groove on. [March 2005, p.58]

This is the game that the industry should hold up as an example of what gaming can aspire to. [Feb 2005, p.56]

I don't wanna sound like a perv, but the first time I got the "Have sex on a couch?" command, well... all I can say is buy a couch early on; Hef likes to get his groove on. [March 2005, p.58]

A cool concept (handled "PSO" style) for sure, that's unfortunately tethered to stiff controls, an antiquated camera with no look button, and gameplay devices ripe for retirement. [Jan 2005, p.68]

What Full Metal Alchemist lacks in visual punch, visa vie simplistic geometry and slightly stiff animation, it more than makes up for in level design, story, and especially technique. [Jan 2005, p.69]

A cool concept (handled "PSO" style) for sure, that's unfortunately tethered to stiff controls, an antiquated camera with no look button, and gameplay devices ripe for retirement. [Jan 2005, p.68]

The game, like the movie it was also inspired by, has failed to properly tap into the vivid, dark energy of the comic book. [Feb 2005, p.62]

The game, like the movie it was also inspired by, has failed to properly tap into the vivid, dark energy of the comic book. [Feb 2005, p.62]

The game, like the movie it was also inspired by, has failed to properly tap into the vivid, dark energy of the comic book. [Feb 2005, p.62]

Looks good and handles well, but when it comes to the union of cart racing and flying, the game just doesn't gel. [March 2005, p.66]

One of the prettiest games ever and wall-to-wall arcade fun. [Jan 2005, p.58]

Fans of bigger-name RPGs are likely to be put off by Suikoden IV's lack of visual punch, and even role-playing die-hards may be let down by the storytelling. [Jan 2005, p.59]

It's almost like they picked parts of the first that worked really well, and then broke them. [Feb 2005, p.67]

As close as games have yet to get to a true masterpiece - a towering achievement in artistic design, technical mastery and emotion-driven gamemaking. [March 2005, p.58]

Amazing visuals. [March 2005, p.59]

Simply incredible. [March 2005, p.66]

Amazing visuals. [March 2005, p.59]

In the stupidly scripted, overly basic single-player missions, you'll probably find interest trailing off by the swift end. [Feb 2005, p.64]

What I liked most abou this title was how it managed to improve the already perfect control system from the original - especially with respect to Style Moves. [Feb 2005, p.79]

What I liked most abou this title was how it managed to improve the already perfect control system from the original - especially with respect to Style Moves. [Feb 2005, p.79]

What I liked most abou this title was how it managed to improve the already perfect control system from the original - especially with respect to Style Moves. [Feb 2005, p.79]

The game has undoubtedly improved in a number of ways in its transition to PC as a Developer's Cut, making it an essential experience on the platform. [Feb 2005, p.72]

While each conversation is well-written, there's no real flowing narrative backing it up. [Feb 2005, p.80]

If you've ever loved strategy-based RPGs, you're gonna like this. [Jan 2005, p.62]

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]

The best original Mega Man game since the days of Sega Saturn. [Jan 2005, p.56]

What I don't like is the ugly non-Namco designed interface and screwy button configuration when plaing with the stylus, which makes it literally impossible to play with the manual transmission. [Jan 2005, p.85]

The plot is basically a device to rehash the stories of the original Kingdom Hearts. [Jan 2005, p.86]

I absolutely loved The Sith Lords, flaws and all. HK-47 defines love as "making a shot to the knees of a target 120 kilometers away using an Aratch sniper rifle with a tri-light scope." That says it all. [Feb 2005, p.68]

Almost everything that was so great about the coin-op versions is found here. [Feb 2005, p.80]

A solid 10-level package rife with impressive demonic hordes. [Jan 2005, p.77]

An amazingly involving adventure from spirit to atmosphere to richness of setting and exploration. [Dec 2004, p.65]

Pressure Driller adds a nice twist to the standard formula. [Jan 2005, p.85]

An amazingly involving adventure from spirit to atmosphere to richness of setting and exploration. [Dec 2004, p.65]

An amazingly involving adventure from spirit to atmosphere to richness of setting and exploration. [Dec 2004, p.65]

Final Fantasy II... holds up extremely well, with an excellent story and fleshed-out characters. [Jan 2005, p.87]

One of the most endearing and involving online worlds the genre as ever known. [Jan 2005, p.72]

AH is a manic, rock-hard, 2D assault on your motor skills that may lack the polish of the best of this mighty genre, but gets a pass for being the coolest homegrown game ever. [Nov 2004, p.75]

The production's decent enough, but there's such a sense of mechanical design, with flat personality and little flair. [Jan 2004, p.67]

The production's decent enough, but there's such a sense of mechanical design, with flat personality and little flair. [Jan 2004, p.67]

The production's decent enough, but there's such a sense of mechanical design, with flat personality and little flair. [Jan 2004, p.67]

AH is a manic, rock-hard, 2D assault on your motor skills that may lack the polish of the best of this mighty genre, but gets a pass for being the coolest homegrown game ever. [Nov 2004, p.75]

In a perfect world, wouldn't it have been great to get an original Mario game? Isn't that the way it used to be? [Jan 2005, p.84]

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]

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]

On-the-fly switching between ranged and melee combat gives the solid action more depth than you'd expect, and the characters and stages look excellent, complete with nice environmental effects. [Nov 2004, p.75]

Although EA's game lacks the spark and depth that Sega's "College Hoops 2K5" provides, it's still a great game that deserves props for some pretty cool and innovative gameplay additions. [Jan 2005, p.81]

Essentially an Xbox port with improved graphics. [Jan 2005, p.78]

Gameplay was virtually lag-free and response time was so smooth, it rivaled any other sports game played online. [Jan 2005, p.80]

Graphically, I haven't seen this many jaggy looking players since the Genesis/SNES days. Player animations are also sub-par. [Jan 2005, p.85]

A gorgeous game by any standards. [Jan 2005, p.85]

Who can argue with this level of artistry? [Jan 2005, p.67]

Although EA's game lacks the spark and depth that Sega's "College Hoops 2K5" provides, it's still a great game that deserves props for some pretty cool and innovative gameplay additions. [Jan 2005, p.81]

Gameplay was virtually lag-free and response time was so smooth, it rivaled any other sports game played online. [Jan 2005, p.80]

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]

Plays surprisingly well on its foundation of three schools of combat: brawler, marial artist, and grappler. Place it next to Japan's best and the game gets pummeled. [Nov 2004, p.75]

It pulls you along with unwavering RPG depth through the mire of unfortunate execution blunders and it succeeds, despite itself. [Jan 2005, p.78]

I love the urgency of a slow-to-load rifle, the way your fumbling and learned cadence strikes a unique tension in the shootouts; too bad the clumsy grenades aren't nearly as much fun. [Jan 2005, p.60]

For 2D fighting bliss, look no further than Capcom Fighting Evolution. [Dec 2004, p.64]

Far and away the best game in the series, but unfortunately, the creators have still neglected to address the lackluster fighting at the core. [Jan 2005, p.68]

My only complaint is how your progress goes backwards when you fail at a given task; replaying is one thing, but the negative penalization is just kinda mean. [Jan 2005, p.84]

This is one very long, very impressive game. [Jan 2005, p.84]

I love the urgency of a slow-to-load rifle, the way your fumbling and learned cadence strikes a unique tension in the shootouts; too bad the clumsy grenades aren't nearly as much fun. [Jan 2005, p.60]

The fighting manages to feel nimble while still providing a sense of awesome scale, which had to be an extremely hard balance to strike. [Nov 2004, p.60]

This is just masterful game making, pure and simple. [Dec 2004, p.66]

Plays surprisingly well on its foundation of three schools of combat: brawler, marial artist, and grappler. Place it next to Japan's best and the game gets pummeled. [Nov 2004, p.75]

Baten Kaitos isn't bad, but it doesn't stack up to the games it seemingly wants to emulate. [Dec 2004, p.58]

I love the urgency of a slow-to-load rifle, the way your fumbling and learned cadence strikes a unique tension in the shootouts; too bad the clumsy grenades aren't nearly as much fun. [Jan 2005, p.60]

Mildly addictive yet limited fun. [Nov 2004, p.90]

With its choice multiplayer extras in tow, this has to be considered one of the best SP games of all time. [Jan 2005, p.86]

No game this year casts its web with such distinct mood and sci-fi wonder. [Jan 2005, p.54]

Beyond the titillating visuals, Rumble Roses also packs a punch in the gameplay department. [Jan 2005, p.82]

SK's not for everyone, but fans should be beside themselves. [Jan 2005, p.70]

A near 20-hour-long rollercoaster ride that stacks missions of perfectly manufactured platforming, tactical shooting and everything in between. [Dec 2004, p.72]

Personally, steering with my head, jumping and flailing my arms to do tricks didn't do it for me, but if you think you'd get a kick out of learning to race in a whole new way, definitely check it out. [Dec 2004, p.81]

I'm still bummed that the single player arcade mode from the original hasn't returned, but what's here is good fun - particularly when sobriety is lacking. [Nov 2004, p.76]