As an experience of mood and horror - the villain delivers scenes of shocking violence - CT III works. [May 2003, p.62]

It's all a little generic and heavily recycled, but the powerslide system from "CTR" pulls it together. [Dec 2003, p.85]

Has the market cornered on urban style in the massively multiplayer genre. [June 2005]

You may have been expecting yet another "Crash" afterthought scheming to fleece you of another fiddy, but this is a rebirth well worth the investment. [Nov 2007, p.68]

It looks good but not great, feels good but not great, has some very cool moments before running into duller moments right around the corner. [Nov 2007, p.60]

"The old cart racing mold has (finally) been broken...make that shattered" [Nov p.87]

If you're looking for a pure racing experience, you can't go wrong with Downforce. [May 2002, p.55]

The game part of the game has you snapping pictures and keeping stray dinos under control, which couldn't be a more miscalcualted idea in modern game design. [Apr 2003, p.62]

A lack of variety hurts in the end, and while the visual style is enjoyably simple and nicely handled within its constraints, you start to want more meat on the bones. [May 2004, p.56]

There's still no significant camera control, and the fighting certainly still gets repetitive, but series fans probably won't mind one bit. [Apr 2005, p.61]

With any luck Krome's overhaul will prove lucrative enough to warrant them continuing the brand, flying Spyro into next-gen skies and who knows, perhaps a veritable rebirth. [Oct. 2006, p.54]

The game is far too linear. [Oct 2004, p.68]

If you're the type of person who likes to get lost in fantasy worlds, Kya is your oyster. [Dec 2003, p.78]

The fighting constantly evolves and always has an angle beyond mere versus encounters. [Mar 2004, p.72]

The speeds are insane, the courses almost incomprehensible and the immersion factor deep, provided you have patience and surgical analog skills. [Oct 2003, p.72]

Use of certain weapons and locomotion across the map can be cumbersome, and the game just doesn't have that same pendulum energy of before in the fights. [Apr 2004, p.64]

As a first-person shooter, Painkiller flat out excels, crucifying nearly all comers on Xbox. [Jun 2006, p.47]

A fine, if not predictable, bit of movie gaming. [Jan 2006, p.49]

The controls may be simple, but the game is not. Between fighting, gunplay, stealth an dexterity challenges..., repetition is kept at bay but do-overs aren't. [Mar 2004, p.56]

The game is also beautiful beyond measure, with water, weaving grass, snow, mud, and other terrain effects that, at least for now, are pretty much unequalled, and boast sound effects to match. [Oct 2002, p.68]

Look past some simplistic visual designs and enjoy the bright, unique style the artists have worked into Whiplash and you'll find a solid game that entertains after you've had your fill with the holiday A-lists. [Jan 2004, p.66]

A leaden feel of backtracking and other nags here and there tie the game down from anything memorable. [May 2005, p.54]

Packed with nuances that, for aspiring fans and drivers must really float their Skoal. Drafting, line selection, pitting...this is a great simulation covering 20 seasons. Not for me. [Oct 2002, p.84]

While World Tour Soccer 2005 may not play better than "Winning Eleven 7," it's certainly a nice alternative to EA's "FIFA." [June 2004, p.71]

Alive with animation and color, TP is easily the best isometric game on the GBA. [Nov 2002, p.103]

It is possible to dress up a cell phone game and make her the belle of the ball on the Nintendo DS. Unfortunately, ID has not done this with Orcs & Elves. [Jan 2008, p.64]

Things start off a little dodgy, but in the end this is a fitting game for a film that has so very much to live up to. [Dec 2005, p.64]

There's no way to imagine these fights as anything but someone's absurd rap fantasy that was somehow shoehorned onto a fighting game. [Mar 2007, p.53]

A sequel that's innovated and improved in every conceivable way, groomed like its predecessor for a discerning palette. [Apr 2005, p.48]

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]

Tak is one of the most detailed platformers I've ever seen, and possesses a measure of style that sets the universe apart, akin to what Michel Ancel accomplished with "Rayman." [Nov 2003, p.82]

Jack in and enjoy this one. [Nov p.100]

Anyone looking to go old-school, I mean like really old-school (like Amiga old-school) should put down the bong and break out a little Jazz Jackrabbit. [Jan 2003, p.86]

This iteration still hasn't fixed the one problem that's been plaguing the series since its inception: snooze-inducing level design. Another decent entry in the series, but nothing more. [June 2004, p.73]

Engaged me more heavily than any FPS I've played this year. [Dec 2003, p.54]

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

Taking out the trash, I kid you not: 30 minutes of mundane pre-scripted yawn inducing tedium. They even mark where to go to on the map. [May 2007, p.65]

One of this year's biggest and most pleasant surprises. [Oct 2005, p.64]

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]

If you own multiple consoles - although the game is solid across all three platforms - the Xbox game takes the prize, with eight competitors to the GC and PS2's six, along with a four-player mode compared to the other consoles' two. [Mar 2003, p.64]

If only Goblin Commander's visuals matched the majesty of its design... I absolutely love it, though. [Dec 2003, p.83]

Besides paddling faster than most boats, the surfing action in Next Wave is second only to "Kelly Slater's," the reigning kahuna of surfing games. [May 2003, p.61]

Easy to manage hot keys, intuitive controls, a great map that doubles as an objective outline...everything here is spot on. [Apr 2008, p.55]

Both on the field and in towns, LoH is big on events...and character development. [Jan 2006, p.51]

If you're so inclined to prowl the mean streets for pinks, Juiced certainly deserves your registration. [July 2005, p.78]

More often than not, I found myself totally absorbed in this moment, rocking back and forth like an idiot while my heart raced as the finish neared. [May 2003, p.74]

If you own multiple consoles - although the game is solid across all three platforms - the Xbox game takes the prize, with eight competitors to the GC and PS2's six, along with a four-player mode compared to the other consoles' two. [Mar 2003, p.64]

With MAT 3, the definition of treasure is stretched thin enough to cover the distance from, say, New York to Disappointmentvile. [Oct 2005, p.70]

It feels like you're constantly going through the same motions - although there are some really cool sequences. [Oct 2004, p.75]

The game just has this awful, clunky, ugly interface that had me dreaming of the elegance of "Phantasy Star Online." But even so, there is a level of addiction to be had here as there is in any decent online game. [Nov 2004, p.76]

A delightful movie game that's sure to satisfy. [Nov p.92]

Atelier Iris 2: Azoth of Destiny may seem out of place on the PS2, but it has a simple charm that will win over anyone with fond memories of the 16-bit RPG era. [May 2006, p.47]

Justice here isn't always pretty. But it gets the job done. Barely. [Dec. 2006, p.68]

While the GameCube version doesn't quite live up to the integrity of the Xbox game, it's impressive nevertheless. [May 2002, p.58]

A fine, if not predictable, bit of movie gaming. [Jan 2006, p.49]

A little drab, mechanical and laden by an antiquated feel, Nightshade is an on-again off-again sequel to the similarly flawed "Shinobi." [Mar 2004, p.59]

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]

It may not keep you busy for long, but Ninja Blade is a goofy, thrilling roller-coaster ride of a game that’s hard not to enjoy.

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

The game isn't perfect. For starters, the AI could've been more challenging - I was able to break it down fairly easily and score at will. [Nov 2003, p.105]

Justice here isn't always pretty. But it gets the job done. Barely. [Dec. 2006, p.68]

Something a bit more aboriginal would be nice too... it's definitely time for Ty to get some edge. [Nov p.95]

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]

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]

The speeds are insane, the courses almost incomprehensible and the immersion factor deep, provided you have patience and surgical analog skills. [Oct 2003, p.72]

It's been too long since I've played an FPS that contains this much engaging challenge and fierce energy. [Oct 2002, p.80]

If you're so inclined to prowl the mean streets for pinks, Juiced certainly deserves your registration. [July 2005, p.78]

Graphics that don't particularly push the power of the PSP and fun-crippling loading times that are often in excess of 30 seconds. [May 2005, p.69]

The levels require a lot of unnecessary exploration, setting up missions of collection and inevitable labored backtracking; add a strike for boring objectives that have you scouring confusing areas for far too long. [Oct 2003, p.71]

It feels like you're constantly going through the same motions - although there are some really cool sequences. [Oct 2004, p.75]

The best thing to happen to shooters in a long time. [Aug 2005, p.54]

A few rough edges aside, Advent Rising is gaming's latest and most promising future epic. [July 2005, p.74]

Who knew kicking arse with a chicken (wielding a yo-yo, no less) could be so super-cool? [Nov p.93]

The game's battles are simply the best in the turn-based bunch...Oh, how I wish this game was more polished outside of the battles. [Nov 2002, p.85]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news for WWF fans, but Raw falls well short of expectations. [Apr 2002, p.62]

All the characters have a cartoony look to them, and few of the faces look like the people they're supposed to represent. [Nov 2003, p.107]

The cornucopia of stages and fighters, underpinned by the perfectly honed combat, satisfies for months. [Nov 2002, p.96]

Though its dungeons could have benefited from smarter design, I found Wizard of Oz to be a beautiful, whimsical adventure.

No boundaries are pushed, but no crippling mistakes are made. Still, I say we abandon the status quo and further distinguish Western games from their brightly-colored Eastern counterparts. For mechs, I prefer rust to shine, and crude oil to cold fusion.

Overdose looks and plays great, the anime-style cinematics reek with personality, and there's a big, meaty bonus in the form of two unlockable characters: Rocketbilly Cadillac and Kabane Juji. [Oct 2004, p.66]

Its look isn't uplifted by sophistication, but the overall effect of the visual presence is engrossing. [Apr 2002, p.52]

Engaged me more heavily than any FPS I've played this year. [Dec 2003, p.54]

With mind-blowing visuals, music, dialogue, and animation to die for, KFC is the most filling Chinese you may ever encounter. [Mar 2003, p.60]

If you like it old school, only updated--the game controls nicely holding the Wiimote sideways--do not hesitate to lock and load. [Apr 2008, p.60]

For people new to the game, or those only with arcade experience, this will be a great home version. [Apr 2006, p.62]

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

There are some great scenes staged in Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions, and if you haven't been introduced to this well-crafted world on Xbox 360, the 40 dollar price point this time out is worth the cash for gamers who especially appreciate the Japanese aesthetic. [Mar 2008, p.60]

The experience comes across as rather dry, and while I don't need sizzle when I have steak, the boxing-like gameplay is also pretty drab. [July 2003, p.79]

The characters are surprisingly well animated and detailed, but the backgrounds are sadly flat, devoid of any line scrolling or parallax. [June 2002, p.68]

I think the game would have benefitted from being based on the anime rather than distilled directly from it. [July 2005, p.79]

Tomb Raider: Legend is an impressive technical achievement on PSP, mirroring the console versions closer than you might think. [June 2006, p.55]

The models and animation capture the look of the short films, yet look rough around the edges; the camera is decent, but fights you when it really matters; and the music is quite good but strangely out of place. [Oct 2003, p.73]

The AI is pretty intelligent and will give a decent level of challenge, but when the game doesn't force you to think outside the box, it can get stale real quick. [Jan 2004, p.70]

Flat control, annoying fish-eye perspective, and a schizophrenic camera that never settles down. [Jan 2003, p.80]

Though the story is short-lived and the rest of the missions are repetitive, the main game is strong enough to rise above the shortcomings to provide enough action-packed thrills and spills to satisfy anyone after a game to just have fun with. [Issue 145, p.70]

While there's certainly no shortage of PSP racing games on the shelves, there's a veritable drought when it comes to Rally games: a drought that Bandai Namco Games intends to eradicate with the impressive WRC. [Mar 2006, p.50]

But here again, another fun idea inevitably joins what feels like a game thrown together out of genre spare parts. [May 2005, p.39]

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]