Anemic character animation and poor modeling, which really don't get much worse in modern game design. [Jan 2004, p.66]

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

A wonderfully entertaining adventure -- one of those rare treats that rises above what we've come to expect in a typical video game, of any genre, surprising us with bursts of originality and engaging us with classic sensibilities worked with such skill that we forget we're playing a game, fully immersed in the conflict of its world. [Nov 2003, p.76]

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

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

Inconsistent AI, weak defense, lame freestyle moves - bottom line is the game is incredibly sloppy. [Dec 2003, p.98]

Any hint of challenge, even in hard mode, is also gone. Magical Quest 2 isn't bad, but should have been better. [Oct 2003, p.72]

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

Anemic character animation and poor modeling, which really don't get much worse in modern game design. [Jan 2004, p.66]

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

Nosgoth is a captivating place to exist in, decadent and elegant, shadowy and mysterious. [Jan 2004, p.56]

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]

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

You find yourself waist-deep in a Zelda-style action/adventure, with a larger emphasis on stealth and platforming. [Oct 2003, p.65]

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

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

Though the action is on the repetitive side, unique aspects help the game rise a notch above average. [Nov 2003, p.73]

The game is simply a picture of beauty, with intuitive gameplay that gets under your skin and never leaves. [Dec 2003, p.74]

This game is, simply put, brilliant. The music is intoxicating, the locales magical and the overall vibe decidedly dreamy. [Dec 2003, p.77]

This game is, simply put, brilliant. The music is intoxicating, the locales magical and the overall vibe decidedly dreamy. [Dec 2003, p.77]

This game is, simply put, brilliant. The music is intoxicating, the locales magical and the overall vibe decidedly dreamy. [Dec 2003, p.77]

The real draw here are the minigames, and as always, they are all new. Of course, some are variations on themes passed down, but there are more than enough that surprise and delight to no end. [Dec 2003, p.80]

The game's main problem, aside from being strictly by the numbers, is the lack of a walk button. The character always runs, an dtoo fast for the game at that. [Jan 2004, p.65]

I haven't seen environments and vehicles this outstanding since "Wreckless," and the replays rank among the most stunning ever. [Jan 2004, p.66]

The game's main problem, aside from being strictly by the numbers, is the lack of a walk button. The character always runs, an dtoo fast for the game at that. [Jan 2004, p.65]

The visuals are pleasing enough without being obtrusive. [Oct 2003, p.71]

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]

What a great, overachieving sequel this is. [Dec 2003, p.84]

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]

There's nothing wrong with simple two-button combat in the spirit of the classic hack 'n' slash, but there is something wrong with making it so mechanical and lifelessly staged. [Dec 2003, p.85]

Few games are as excitingly presented, as gorgeously constructed, as intensely visceral as the extraordinary The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. [Dec 2003, p.52]

Taken by themselves, the 12 minigames and other features of EyeToy:Play are fun diversions, but they get old kind of quickly. However, if you have a group of friends, gamer or non-gamer, it makes an ideal party game. [Nov 2003, p.92]

What hasn't changed, however, is the series' incredibly addictive and impressive-looking wall-to-wall action. [Nov 2003, p.92]

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]

There's nothing wrong with simple two-button combat in the spirit of the classic hack 'n' slash, but there is something wrong with making it so mechanical and lifelessly staged. [Dec 2003, p.85]

They've gone the realism route, and the end result is a mixed bag. [Oct 2003, p.83]

Few games are as excitingly presented, as gorgeously constructed, as intensely visceral as the extraordinary The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. [Dec 2003, p.52]

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]

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]

Few games are as excitingly presented, as gorgeously constructed, as intensely visceral as the extraordinary The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. [Dec 2003, p.52]

Not even the irreplaceable voice acting of Christopher Walken can rescue the mess of a script driving the action of True Crime, a misguided attempt to share the spotlight with the vastly superior "Grand Theft Auto." [Jan 2004, p.62]

Though a few facets of Fire Emblem did get on my nerves - permanently losing characters that fall in battle, for example - they didn't detract from the experience so much that I ever wanted to stop. [Dec 2003, p.95]

Not even the irreplaceable voice acting of Christopher Walken can rescue the mess of a script driving the action of True Crime, a misguided attempt to share the spotlight with the vastly superior "Grand Theft Auto." [Jan 2004, p.62]

Not even the irreplaceable voice acting of Christopher Walken can rescue the mess of a script driving the action of True Crime, a misguided attempt to share the spotlight with the vastly superior "Grand Theft Auto." [Jan 2004, p.62]

What really makes this one tick, though, is a level of creativity imbedded into each scenario that makes it impossible to put down, regardless of your maturity or lack thereof. [Nov 2003, p.80]

Each turtle has his own attacks and skills, plus his own unique set of stages, and it's all tied together with great looks and sounds that make TMNT feel like a really polished SNES game - not a bad thing at all from where I sit. [Nov 2003, p.100]

What really makes this one tick, though, is a level of creativity imbedded into each scenario that makes it impossible to put down, regardless of your maturity or lack thereof. [Nov 2003, p.80]

The angles are fabulous -- never staying in one place too long while framing the action with cinematic flair. [Nov 2003, p.91]

What really makes this one tick, though, is a level of creativity imbedded into each scenario that makes it impossible to put down, regardless of your maturity or lack thereof. [Nov 2003, p.80]

The cutscenes are better off skipped and there's nothing mind-blowing at work here, but the levels are clever, the bosses nicely creative and the mix of thinking and skill-based gameplay fun. [Dec 2003, p.85]

An extraordinary game that any action fan will go nuts over. Everything from the graphics to the sound to the action itself, Infinity Ward and Activision have taken the genre to an all-new level and it's truly something special. [Dec 2003, p.88]

The most interesting shakeup to the action is the emphasis being placed on incapacitating thugs instead of always going in with guns set on blood-thirsty kill, but this idea works much better in theory, growing old fast and never playing out like you might expect. [Dec 2003, p.82]

The stealth in Rogue Ops is serious business, residing somewhere between "Metal Gear" and "Splinter Cell" in terms of mechanics, i.e., not at all passive. [Nov 2003, p.79]

The one area that has improved tenfold is the visuals. Running at a smooth 60 fps, the players and arenas never looked better. [Nov 2003, p.104]

Although the worst soundtrack of all time and less-than-stellar visuals conspire to keep it from reaching its full potential, ST is a fresh racer nevertheless: fun, mode-packed and above all, beefy, especially at 20 bucks. [Nov 2003, p.93]

The cutscenes are better off skipped and there's nothing mind-blowing at work here, but the levels are clever, the bosses nicely creative and the mix of thinking and skill-based gameplay fun. [Dec 2003, p.85]

The most interesting shakeup to the action is the emphasis being placed on incapacitating thugs instead of always going in with guns set on blood-thirsty kill, but this idea works much better in theory, growing old fast and never playing out like you might expect. [Dec 2003, p.82]

The stealth in Rogue Ops is serious business, residing somewhere between "Metal Gear" and "Splinter Cell" in terms of mechanics, i.e., not at all passive. [Nov 2003, p.79]

There's an aura of nobility, barbarism and mysticism at work here that places you in the world and makes you care about the characters, and that's what it's all about. [Nov 2003, p.72]

A vast sci-fi universe to explore, bounties to collect, and an intriguing story that bears telling. [Jan 2004, p.72]

With character models that look like they crawled off the Dreamcast, muddy textures and minor but frequent collision issues, this is not exactly a pretty game. [Jan 2004, p.70]

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]

They've gone the realism route, and the end result is a mixed bag. [Oct 2003, p.83]

Other games have tried to slow the pace down a bit, forcing you to strategize with a more real-world instinct, but none have ever been able to do so with this level of intensity and keen sense of design. [Nov 2003, p.64]

There's an aura of nobility, barbarism and mysticism at work here that places you in the world and makes you care about the characters, and that's what it's all about. [Nov 2003, p.72]

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]

The beauty is in the execution. They've elevated the experience with better production values and a more integrated story, a seemingly simple tweak that goes a long way in a genre plagued by repetition. [Oct 2003, p.69]

Blame slightly unnatural control and a rather generic feeling. [Dec 2003, p.84]

The stealth in Rogue Ops is serious business, residing somewhere between "Metal Gear" and "Splinter Cell" in terms of mechanics, i.e., not at all passive. [Nov 2003, p.79]

Other games have tried to slow the pace down a bit, forcing you to strategize with a more real-world instinct, but none have ever been able to do so with this level of intensity and keen sense of design. [Nov 2003, p.64]

Budokai has style, but the substance is almost non-existent. [Nov 2003, p.92]

The game is so fun and addicting, and the environments so brimming with goodness, you'll care not. Too bad the art is lacking. [Jan 2004, p.64]

If they fix the play balance and are able to add that last bit of audio polish (and adjust that Steph model...she was <I>hot</> in the preview build), the next iteration could be perfection. [Dec 2003, p.101]

Could have been much worse, but with similar games like "Banjo-Kazooie" offering better, deeper gameplay, it's a bit tough to recommend. [Jan 2004, p.76]

The game is so fun and addicting, and the environments so brimming with goodness, you'll care not. Too bad the art is lacking. [Jan 2004, p.64]

The game is so fun and addicting, and the environments so brimming with goodness, you'll care not. Too bad the art is lacking. [Jan 2004, p.64]

Sadly, you can't create textures or models, but those who are able to tame this monster will still find an abundance to love. [Nov 2003, p.92]

Best of all, the song list, spanning over three decades worth of popular American music, contains easily recognizable and fun songs for anyone raised here in the States. [Dec 2003, p.82]

When you face a player, it's almost like a fighting game: who will execute the proper move first? [Nov 2003, p.104]

A bold success as an incendiary action game, brilliantly nuanced in its mechanics and full of atmospheric appeal. And it's also a fantastic version of Castlevania... My criticism comes, mostly, from imagining the triumphant possibilities a Castlevania adventure holds. [Nov 2003, p.66]

The angles are fabulous -- never staying in one place too long while framing the action with cinematic flair. [Nov 2003, p.91]

When you face a player, it's almost like a fighting game: who will execute the proper move first? [Nov 2003, p.104]

Some powerful new weapons have been added in TC3, along with some additional side quests and detail tweaks to the gameplay, but this is still the same Time Crisis you know and love. [Dec 2003, p.84]

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]

An adventurous, high-spirited air-combat game that mixes campy fun with seriously intense action... There really is nothing else out there like Crimson Skies. [Nov 2003, p.74]

A smorgasbord of visual bliss, superb animation and a level of arcade-style design that channels the spirit and fun of Smash TV, bringing that stickiness into the modern era - and what could be cooler than that? [Dec 2003, p.82]

The angles are fabulous -- never staying in one place too long while framing the action with cinematic flair. [Nov 2003, p.91]

It's a game that's just incredible fun, mixing in all sorts of gaming ideas with the thrill of the real sport, painting a final touch of extreme excess and color for scintillating effect. [Nov 2003, p.86]

It's a game that's just incredible fun, mixing in all sorts of gaming ideas with the thrill of the real sport, painting a final touch of extreme excess and color for scintillating effect. [Nov 2003, p.86]

It's a game that's just incredible fun, mixing in all sorts of gaming ideas with the thrill of the real sport, painting a final touch of extreme excess and color for scintillating effect. [Nov 2003, p.86]

Though the action is on the repetitive side, unique aspects help the game rise a notch above average. [Nov 2003, p.73]

Though the action is on the repetitive side, unique aspects help the game rise a notch above average. [Nov 2003, p.73]

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]

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]

The other big talking point of this game is the inclusion of ground missions, and again, I turn a slightly blind eye to the sloppy control and sometimes frustrating camera because these missions look good and are fun, if only because you are running around blasting Stormtroopers like you pretended to as a kid. [Nov 2003, p.68]

EA has done it again, implementing expanded Freestyle control, improved defensive AI, superior graphics and a brand-new announce team...Looking for the best basketball game? NBA Live 2004 is nothing but net. [Nov 2003, p.105]

Though the basic Mega Man tenets remain intact - play through level, kill boss, gain new ability - compared to modern games, many of the 3D levels and the accompanying gameplay feel like a freshman effort. [Oct 2003, p.68]

For what it is - the Jak universe plugged into a juiced "GTA" mold - Jak II is damn close to being a perfect game. You just have to want <I>this</I> game. I took some convincing, but the way has been opened. I'll live with the boogie. [Oct 2003, p.64]