All of this delightful action and horror comes wrapped in a bone-chilling soundtrack with enough chanting and "what the hell was that?" sound effects to sen dyou running for the light switch. [Aug 2002, p.62]

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]

The best overall college basketball game on the market. [Jan 2004, p.80]

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]

The Legacy mode is incredibly comprehensive and it's something that'll keep players busy for hours on end. [Jan 2003, p.84]

Mario Sunshine can easily rank as one of the greatest games ever made, perhaps topping the list. [Apr 2002, 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]

Smilebit's marriage of art, music, and gameplay is so profound, I may never stop playing it. [Mar 2002, p.24]

Art is at the core of Panzer Dragoon Orta, and it permeates every facet of the game, from the gross to the subtle. [Jan 2003, p.24]

The epitome of what a handheld title can aspire to - a game you pray as you play it will never end. [Aug 2002, p.72]

Brilliant...Indeed, it's the kind of game that you find yourself playing in your head as you fall asleep at night, counting Pikmin, as it were. [Feb 2002, p.56]

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]

Essentially "Castlevania" with added character interaction, more environments and a deper story. [Jan 2005, p.86]

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]

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]

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]

Possibly the best AI ever found in an RTS. [Aug 2003, p.77]

What MotorStorm has become to racing and Odin Sphere to action role-playing, Heavenly Sword is now to 3D action: Perfection. [Sept 2007, p.17]

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]

Naughty Dog use the PS3 to reinvigorate the adventure gaming experience, combining key elements that every gamer holds dear in a game that looks and feels like a blockbuster film. [Dec 2007, p.52]

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]

If ever there was a pure gamer’s game, Darksiders is it.

The character models and animation are absolutely superb, the backgrounds seamless works of art and the gameplay easily the most diverse and enduring of any “fighting” game to date. I wouldn’t even classify it as a fighter. This is an action masterpiece.

The Legacy mode is incredibly comprehensive and it's something that'll keep players busy for hours on end. [Jan 2003, p.84]

A level of detail never before seen...This is the gold standard for adventure horror. [Apr 2002, p.62]

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]

A marvelous game, and the fact that it's not really changed on the Xbox is irrelevant. [June 2003, p.67]

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]

For someone who feeds off of the connection between game and player, the kind of connection that only the very best can forge, an hour of Wario is worth ten of a game that only pays of sporadically. Wario World pays off every second I'm holding the controller, and that, to me, is greatness. [June 2003, p.60]

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]

The most realistic and technically advanced soccer game to date. It's almost too real. [Dec 2002, p.91]

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]

This game is everything FPS and movie games need to be, chewing up and spitting out the vast majority of the competition. [July 2004, p.68]

A superb game. [Feb 2002, p.59]

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

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]

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]

A much deeper and more immersive racer. WipEout fusion less an exercise in memorization and precision than 3...A triumph, as expected. [June 2002, p.52]

Imagine the visual pageantry of "Devil May Cry" populated with the characters of "Dead or Alive," applied to a Greco-Roman era action-adventure. [Dec 2002, p.58]

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]

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]

The combination of the action, high adventure, quaint bustling towns and villages, Moogle wisdom (like the Yodas they are) and the best Square soundtrack since the SNES days add up to the most immersive overall universe I've experienced on the GameCube, if not on any next-gen console. [Feb 2004, p.38]

The fighting is so nuanced and altogether joyous it never gets old for a second, and the bosses are simply stunning. Like I said, Zelda only better. [Oct. 2006, p.50]

Without question, EA's latest baseball title is our choice for best baseball game for 2003. [Apr 2003, p.70]

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]

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]

Together with a deep career mode, eight new courses (14 total) and, of course, online gameplay, this latest Tiger Woods is as good as it gets. [Oct 2004, p.88]

For this year's game, EA has taken freestyle control to a whole new level. A level so out of control, it's going to change the way you play basketball games...forever. [Oct 2004, p.89]

As much as I praise RE for the way it feels in my hands, I find amazing power in the mood and beauty of its images. There is a detail and complexity in the corners and backgrounds that we could never hope to expect before. [June 2002, p.58]

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]

The finest 3D medieval action-adventure game to grace any console. [Feb 2002, p.48]

There's never been anything like it and there may never be again. Brütal Legend is truly a gift to metal and game fans alike and my new, best 3D game ever.

The most realistic and technically advanced soccer game to date. It's almost too real. [Dec 2002, p.91]

The most realistic and technically advanced soccer game to date. It's almost too real. [Dec 2002, p.91]

Gears of War is truly a breakthrough: The absolute finest game of its kind. The bar has definitely been raised. What Halo did for first-person shooters, Gears does for third person - it's that good.

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]

Nothing can prepare you for the greatness that is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker... Mark my words: there will be no finer gaming experience this year. [Mar 2003, p.24]

If you demand the ultimate in presentation and extras, look no further than Madden NFL 2004. [Grade = A+; Sept 2003, p.86]

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]

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]

With so much to do and unlock, great characters, killer music, and truly sick graphics, it's hard to find fault in freekstyle. [July 2002, p.78]

For this year's game, EA has taken freestyle control to a whole new level. A level so out of control, it's going to change the way you play basketball games...forever. [Oct 2004, p.89]

It's as free-form as a game can possibly be while retaining the qualities needed to remain a compelling interactive experience. [May 2003, p.64]

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]

The true stars of the game are the titans themselves. Each of the four civilizations has their own unique titan. Just watching these lumbering giants in battle is plain awesome. [Nov 2003, p.96]

Together with a deep career mode, eight new courses (14 total) and, of course, online gameplay, this latest Tiger Woods is as good as it gets. [Oct 2004, p.88]

Watching the game run at 1600X1200 left me speechless. Textures are incredibly rich; the lighting is to die for... On the flipside, however, in order to really enjoy Halo, you need a hardcore gaming rig to see any kind of smooth framerate. [Nov 2003, p.95]

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]

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]

I love every single part of this game. [Dec 2002, p.83]

Together with a deep career mode, eight new courses (14 total) and, of course, online gameplay, this latest Tiger Woods is as good as it gets. [Oct 2004, p.88]

The graphics are just bliss: crazy parallax, glistening crystals, heat waves, blinking neon sparks, crazy animation - everything you love about 32-bit 2D (well almost; it's no Astal) is on display. [Apr 2003, p.66]

Take everything you loved about "Metroid" and "Super Metroid" and imagine them magnified, modified, and improved upon. [Dec 2002, p.92]

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]

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 only has the famous slow-down been neatly trimmed back from the SNES, the GBA game features an arranged mode which boasts level selection and all-new levels, some based on the original and arcade games. [Aug 2002, p.75]

The most realistic and technically advanced soccer game to date. It's almost too real. [Dec 2002, p.91]

This is a game that re-invents nearly everything it does, from weapons fire to storytelling to rescue missions to boost-and-hover gameplay to bold new ways to humiliate farm animals. [Dec 2003, p.68]

Together with a deep career mode, eight new courses (14 total) and, of course, online gameplay, this latest Tiger Woods is as good as it gets. [Oct 2004, p.88]

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]

The ambitious use of sound, a component inexcusably overlooked too often, has always elevated this series, and here it continues to chill...We don't play MoH as much as have it happen to us. [June 2002, p.57]

DQ8 is the epitome and ultimate maturation of traditional role-playing, nothing more, nothing less. [Nov 2005, p.26]

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

I've logged 70 hours on the game so far, and I'm nowhere near quitting. Sure, I've finished the game many times already, but the game's structure of almost endless goals keeps me coming back for more every single day. [Jan 2003, p.82]

Sonic Heroes will fill you with a sense of pure fun seldom seen in the annals of modern game design. [Jan 2004, p.50]

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]

A true masterpiece...it holds you in its grasp from start to finish, and then you'll probably want to play it all over again. [Mar 2002, p.59]

You've got virtual movie sets to demolish, ships to fly, buggies to battle in, turrets to command, inventively integrated puzzles. [Dec 2004, p.68]

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]

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]

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]

This is a game that re-invents nearly everything it does, from weapons fire to storytelling to rescue missions to boost-and-hover gameplay to bold new ways to humiliate farm animals. [Dec 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]

Treasure has crafted another masterpiece of hyper-tuned overhead shooter action, the likes of which the world may never see again. [Apr 2003, p.57]

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]

For this year's game, EA has taken freestyle control to a whole new level. A level so out of control, it's going to change the way you play basketball games...forever. [Oct 2004, p.89]

There's never been anything like it and there may never be again. Brütal Legend is truly a gift to metal and game fans alike and my new, best 3D game ever.

The character designs and architecture at work here are pure vintage Core...Special doesn't begin to tell the tale. [Apr 2002, p.46]