Something as simple as trying to discern whether Pudding is motioning right, left, up or down withi her guitar is almost frustrating enough for a good controller toss. [Dec 2003, p.81]

Its transition from SNES to the comfort of the handheld is flawed in execution. [March 2002, p.62]

If the market allows giant-budget RPGs in the "Final Fantasy VII" mold to continue to be made(and there is some doubt as to that), they're going to look and feel a lot like this game...and for that reason alone, Blue Dragon is an absolute must-play. [JPN Import; Feb 2007, p.74]

The game's core mechanisms, a mixture of platforming, grappling, sliding along walls, creeping in the shadows, and hand-to-hand combat, are tuned to near-perfection. [Apr 2003, p.54]

This is where the PSP begins to run away from the DS. Yeah, I said it. [Feb 2006, p.60]

There's enough strategy to dig into for the added satisfaction, but underneath it all is a foundation of pure fun. [Oct 2007, p.90]

Essentially the show in real time, Hit & Run is so grandiose in its expanse and artisitic rendering it appears altogether more appealing than TV allows - the mark of a truly great cross-over product. [Sept 2003, p.78]

It's a shame that Battlefront 2's core action does not live up to its ambition, and yet it's certainly a game worth playing. [Dec 2005, p.80]

This game just feels like Star Trek. Star Trek with big, death-dealing guns. Star Trek that kicks some ass. [Aug 2003, p.72]

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood is a thematic triumph that makes you look past the gameplay lumps. Come for the western fantasy, revel in the visual presentation and get a decent shot of first-person action in between.

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]

Nothing short of brilliant. [May 2005, p.71]

Character interaction is the great highlight, weak and wandering pace is the low point.

No less than the new king of the dungeon crawl, easily beating the upcoming Norrath in my opinion (although Norrath is online, so if you so desire, its allure is obvious). [Jan 2004, p.54]

The most faithful translation of a classic yet, but there's no denying that the difficulty will turn some off. [Dec 2002, p.56]

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

If you're expecting a revolution, you may come away disappointed. But if you're a fan of the genre, you'll appreciate Lost Odyssey's exceptional craftmanship from start to finish. [Mar 2008, p.48]

A minor masterpiece. [Feb 2002, p.57]

The boss battles earn points for uniqueness alone. [March 2005, p.66]

Charming, full of personality, and with a gentle sense of humor. [Mar 2007, p.70]

Fun, uniquely designed and has an absorbing mystery to solve. [Mar 2007, p.70]

Although it lacks much of the polish we've come to expect from sandbox style titles such as GTA IV and inFAMOUS, navigating Prototype's world—while leaving a chunky bloodbath in your wake—as the remorseless Mercer packs more than its fair share of guilty-pleasure thrills.

The skillfully crafted Project: Snowblind calls on the best of what we enjoy about the genre, but the game feels nicely removed from the norm. [March 2005, p.52]

Computer Artworks has done right by Mr. Carpenter's vision. [Nov 2002, p.84]

This is quite possibly the most visually impressive game I've ever seen. [July 2005, p.72]

And it's gorgeous too; no, it's f-----g beautiful. With everything cranked on (1024x768, 32-bit textures, and trillinear filtering), it's downright sinful. [Aug 2002, p.66]

Animations are silky smooth and the over 3,500 personalized animations put the realism over the top. [Apr 2004, p.73]

Ah the sweet tinge of nostalgia. It was thick with this one. [April 2002, p.66]