Creaks with age. But there's still enough juice in these solid veins – the game looks, plays, and sounds just good enough. [June 2002, p.63]

There is one thing I absolutely loathe, and that's the super-hyper-lame-ass "ooh-yeah" and "woo!" they feel necessary to slide in every time you pull off anything even remotely cool, and the similar "what the?" and "careful!" every time you get bumped. [Sept 2002, p.73]

As always, the graphics in NHL 2003 are exceptional... There were times when I thought I was watching an actual hockey game. [Nov 2002, p.88]

It's a little difficult at first, as using the analog buttons properly takes some doing, but it soon feels natural. [Apr 2002, p.63]

Visually, while not the most complex in terms of architecture, the levels in 626 are massive, cavernous and explode with color. [July 2002, p.79]

Even if just for eye-candy purposes, Cel Damage is plenty amusing. [Feb 2002, p.60]

Underwhelming from a graphics standpoint compared to today's top adventures, but still worth a peek if you're fond of a good parody or just really like the backside of a shapely female. [Jan 2003, p.76]

Acclaim has taken the once-spellbinding formula and given it the full GBA treatment, creating a game that plays, looks, and sounds better. [Aug 2002, p.76]

A nice alternative to "Gradius." [Feb 2002, p.66]

Soaked in Club Med tunes, predictable, by the numbers gameplay, and slow methodical pacing; in other words, it ain't the bomb. [Aug 2002, p.71]

It's not the kind of party game that lasts well beyond the immediate draw. [June 2002, p.63]

A great PS game, along the lines of "Driver," only more, shall we say, international. [June 2002, p.63]

The action is always set on high and the immediacy of the appeal lends itself to strong replay. [Dec 2002, p.86]

There is one thing I absolutely loathe, and that's the super-hyper-lame-ass "ooh-yeah" and "woo!" they feel necessary to slide in every time you pull off anything even remotely cool, and the similar "what the?" and "careful!" every time you get bumped. [Sept 2002, p.73]

It's no "Mario Party," but it is a fun romp through an abbreviated Namco Universe. [Aug 2002, p.71]

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

It's just too bad the presentation and vision aren't there to solidify the experience fo rmore than it is. [Aug 2007, p.67]

There's an inconsistency to the overall design quality that really kept me at a distance while playing Kane & Lynch. [Dec 2007, p.75]

[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]

I liked Zapper for its utterly old-school approach to simplicity and twitch-based gameplay, even it if could have been a little better on all fronts. [Nov 2002, p.92]

Hardcore RPG fans should add another star to the score and reserve a copy immediately. [Feb 2002, p.52]

I'd like to recommend Spectral Souls for such an occasion, but unless you're a hardcore SRPG junkie, it might be more frustration than relaxation. [Oct. 2006, p.65]

Somewhat reminiscent of the Genesis classic Alladin, Peter doesn't possess the same precise movement, but the animation and overall level design, which switches between flying with Tink and traditional platforming made better b;y Peter's ability to float, are on par with Disney's best 2D offerings. [Apr 2002, p.66]

Things also tend to get a bit redundant, with the later levels feeling like larger or more populated versions of earlier missions. [Mar 2002, p.50]

Look past the shaky dialogue and you'll find a strong RPG that will especially satisfy fans of the series. [Nov 2002, p.60]

A cyber-punk mech battler's dream come true. [Dec 2002, p.82]

A medium challenge with an all-too-easy ending. [Feb 2002, p.62]

The only big downside to all this is a dated engine that shows wear in the animation, which may have passed the test on Dreamcast but loses appeal in today's arena. [Dec 2002, p.88]

The game flows smoothly enough to be played properly online, but really, the appeal is nothing like the games designed specifically for Xbox Live. [Apr 2003, p.63]

Overly simplistic and staged cause-and-effect do not a good Spy vs. Spy game make. [June 2005, p.56]

Elements such as stealth and stealth kills, blind firing, and the employment of cover in firefights add little to Trooper's mystique; they won't be used much as they slow down the pace to an almost unbearable crawl. [May 2006, p.53]

I've been here and done that. While still nice-looking in the grand scheme of things, the technology is somewhat behind the times and I still have mixed feelings about "zoanthropes". [June 2003, p.57]

As always, the graphics in NHL 2003 are exceptional... There were times when I thought I was watching an actual hockey game. [Nov 2002, p.88]

Blade II's got enough meat flyin', head choppin', body-disintegrating action to fill any daywalker's dance card along with some cool beats and beautiful interiors. [Nov 2002, p.94]

I can't tell how totally creeped out I am by a select screen covered with near naked men so real looking you can see their pit hair, who all look like they're a Skoal can away from a Springer episode. [Apr 2002, p.63]

A game teeming with possibilities. Too bad it's stuffed into essentially an arena-battle format where the goal is just to score points while competing against the clock and other opponent. [Oct 2004, p.77]

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]

The developers deserve credit for tons of on-screen foes, good aesthetics and a nice, high frame rate, but for me, the gameplay grows too stale too fast. [May 2004, p.56]

With a sparse Saturday-morning-cartoon look, the game can become a drag for the adult eye, but just like the best of those cartoons, a certain charm bubbles below the surface. [Jan 2004, p.65]

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

It's a bit clunky and doesn't have the bold production values we've become accustomed to, but... a gradual charm begins to bubble up, elevating the mundane stretches of play. [Oct 2003, p.72]

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]

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

At 30fps on PS2, it's not as great, but still good. [Mar 2004, p.59]

As pretty and nice as the surface is, the gameplay beneath is surprisingly shallow. [Apr 2004, p.60]

Four hours of straight arcade-style action would be one thing, but here you essentially visit five areas, fight five battles to realize Astro's abilities, and then it's off to the final encounter. [Sept 2004, p.68]

Though the seamless integration of action, puzzles and even a tad of platforming is pulled off well, the package it's presented in is rather unappealing. [Nov 2003, p.101]

The custom course editor is still a highlight, and better yet, now you can even save your courses. [Aug 2004, p.61]

A little light on dialogue and only has one village but it supports up to four players and sticks to a formula steeped in nostalgia. [Sept 2003, p.80]

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

The gameplay that's presented is fun, especially with the variety of weapons and upgradeable skills, and the ability to play with four players is much appreciated, but I really wish they'd added more depth and diversity to the experience. [Dec 2003, p.97]

The targeting system, offensive and defensive balance and especially the design are all surprisingly adept, as is the integrated story, about nomadic Earthlings on the run from alien hordes. [June 2004, p.61]

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]

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

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]

New fighting styles, more weapons, added match types, rowdy crowds and some wicked, brutal environmental interactions help make up for the watered-down brawling. [Oct 2004, p.87]

As a Vietnam War shooter, with its strong themes and unforgiving violence, Men of Valor succeeds. [Dec 2004, p.85]

Instead of revelations, we're left empty handed, as tantalizing mysteries are thoughtlessly swept under the rug. [Dec 2003, p.56]

It's a wee bit short and a little slow, but fans should be intrigued by the depth and lore. [Oct 2004, p.75]

The targeting system, offensive and defensive balance and especially the design are all surprisingly adept, as is the integrated story, about nomadic Earthlings on the run from alien hordes. [June 2004, p.61]

The voice recognition just isn't up to par - it's frustrating during exploration and infuriating during battle. I often found myself begging to just be playing wiht a standard controller interface. [Mar 2004, p.59]

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]

Dungeons are just plain dull, especially considering how much time you spend in them. Let's face it: The World wouldn't be a very fun game if it weren't for all the coma-inducing virus outbreaks. [Sept 2003, p.73]

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]

Instead of the marketing-driven production you might expect, Pirates of the Caribbean is a deep and interesting role-playing experience. [Sept 2003, p.81]

It's a blast at first, but as the game progresses, you really feel like you're just going through the motions. [Sept 2004, p.65]

This game experiences such highs and lows, it's as if three separate teams worked on it. [Dec 2003, p.60]

Bouts of bad behavior distributed between T. Hawk-style fun, the highs and lows of the THUG 2 experience truly boggle the mind with various goals so flawed in execution it feels as if the programmers passed out on their keyboards. [Nov 2004, p.58]

Basically a run-of-the-mill action title in a heavily armored car that transforms. [Feb 2004, p.47]

Bouts of bad behavior distributed between T. Hawk-style fun, the highs and lows of the THUG 2 experience truly boggle the mind with various goals so flawed in execution it feels as if the programmers passed out on their keyboards. [Nov 2004, p.58]

Not bad, but not real good either. [Dec 2003, p.81]

Gotcha Force's neat concept didn't follow through in its execution. [Feb 2004, p.46]

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]

Not only is the interface clumsy and hard to view, but the bonus content is poorly edited and sloppily thrown together. [Dec 2003, p.83]

Ironically, some of the most enjoyable levels were the sub-missions, where just your heroes and a small band of troops must crawl through monster-infested caverns. [July 2004, p.75]

It fails to add up to a truly compelling racer, lacking the graphical polish, deeply sorted physics and versimilitude of McRae. [July 2003, p.79]

When compared to its crossover cousin, "Spyro Orange," Crash Purple is clearly a superior game...It still feels cheap, but it's much easier to stomach. [June 2004, p.72]

If only the targetting system weren't so imprecise and the enemies weren't so overly hidden and prone to outmoded respawn, the fine level design and entertaining scenarios could have commanded much stronger impact. [Nov 2004, p.76]

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

Bouts of bad behavior distributed between T. Hawk-style fun, the highs and lows of the THUG 2 experience truly boggle the mind with various goals so flawed in execution it feels as if the programmers passed out on their keyboards. [Nov 2004, p.58]

With a sparse Saturday-morning-cartoon look, the game can become a drag for the adult eye, but just like the best of those cartoons, a certain charm bubbles below the surface. [Jan 2004, p.65]

The graphics and music are pretty nice, and the license is put to excellent use with digitized cutscenes and top-notch dialogue, but it could have been a lot more. [Sept 2003, p.81]

This ain't debatable. The Italian Job is far too short, clocking in at barely a few hours of play in the Story Mode. [Aug 2003, p.75]

The targeting system, offensive and defensive balance and especially the design are all surprisingly adept, as is the integrated story, about nomadic Earthlings on the run from alien hordes. [June 2004, p.61]

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 far too linear. [Oct 2004, p.68]

Garish yet technically strong, the look fits the play style - thin yet fun. [July 2003, p.78]

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]

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]

It's a wee bit short and a little slow, but fans should be intrigued by the depth and lore. [Oct 2004, p.75]

Even though the 20+ songs are all good for dancing, Groove only feels like a fraction of a complete game. [May 2004, p.56]

Carve's saving grace is its online, multiplayer, handset-compatible, team-based play. [May 2004, p.56]

New fighting styles, more weapons, added match types, rowdy crowds and some wicked, brutal environmental interactions help make up for the watered-down brawling. [Oct 2004, p.87]

The arcade mode has been removed from the single-player game, replaced by the medley mode, which, though fun, has little long-term value. [Aug 2004, p.57]

I normally don't mind a very specific, linear gameplay structure, I even invite it, but the ideas in the game don't work within this rigidity. [Jan 2004, p.66]

Not only is the interface clumsy and hard to view, but the bonus content is poorly edited and sloppily thrown together. [Dec 2003, p.83]

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]