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]

I can honestly say that I have logged more hours playing Final Fantasy XI than any other game in my life. [May 2004, p.46]

If you don't own these pieces of gaming history already, you'd be foolish not to get them now. If you already have them, playing through them again is utter gaming bliss. [Jan 2004, p.63]

This may just be the best high energy sports game on the planet...Soccer Slam breaths new life into the system and gives us a taste of what real GameCube games can look like. [Apr 2002, p.50]

Many a developer has thrown hordes of warriors on screen to methodically mow through, but no one has ever captured the visceral beauty and brutality of medieval war like Phantagram has in Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. [Sept 2004, p.58]

What Team Ninja have achieved is no less than a modern miracle, a game that somehow conjures the same stickiness and addictive spirit as its 8-bit juggernaut. Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox is, quite simply, a perfect video game. [Apr 2004, p.53; Grade = A+]

I've just played the most majestic, delicately crafted role-playing game since "Chrono Cross." [Dec 2002, p.77]

Combined with top-notch sound effects, new weapons, and special moves, it will leave you speechless. [Dec 2002, p.88]

Without a doubt, the most definitive soccer game ever released. [Mar 2004, p.70]

A Link to the Past is one of the best SNES games ever made, and it's found a new home on GBA, losing absolutely nothing in the translation. [Dec 2002, p.93]

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

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 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]

If you missed this one the first time out (for shame!), here's your chance to play the definitive version of not just the year's best portable offering, but one of the year's most engaging titles offered on any platform. It's a living, breathing Liberty City in the palm of your hand.

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]

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]

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 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]

Everything's designed with a master's eye for first-person intensity, extensively crafted and technicaly superb. [Dec 2004,p.75]

Stripped of its hype-induced hysteria and lore, and isolated as a pure action showcase, Half-Life 2 is one of the most satisfying efforts in recent years. [Dec 2004, p.82]

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