It's a shame he's such a one-dimensional character, wasting an exceptional opportunity for a compelling psychological backdrop to join the pervasively strong imagery. [June 2004, p.56]

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

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]

It's a shame he's such a one-dimensional character, wasting an exceptional opportunity for a compelling psychological backdrop to join the pervasively strong imagery. [June 2004, p.56]

While World Tour Soccer 2005 may not play better than "Winning Eleven 7," it's certainly a nice alternative to EA's "FIFA." [June 2004, p.71]

The striking image quality of this absolutely gorgeous pastiche of tainted purgatory is a big factor in Painkiller's appeal. [June 2004, p.66]

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]

Franchise mode is by far the deepest of any baseball game out there - including"MVP." [Apr 2004, p.73]

A gorgeous game, painstakingly detailed and lit, and the deeper you go, the better it gets. [May 2004, p.52]

It's rather disappointing how little this game has changed compared to its handheld cousin - all the minigames are identical to the GBA version, right down to the graphics and sound. [May 2004, p.55]

Phatty houses, cars, jewelry...women - if you've seen it on MTV Cribs, you're going to see it here. [May 2004, p.68]

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]

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]

Phatty houses, cars, jewelry...women - if you've seen it on MTV Cribs, you're going to see it here. [May 2004, p.68]

The physics on the cars are kept too simple and there's too much of a reliance on power-ups, but go online and the energy level doubles. [May 2004, p.56]

A lot of what you can do in this game - help the injured, trade items, interact more with the environment, use weapons in more unique ways, like boarding up doors with a nail gun - is more fantastic idea than really effective execution. [May 2004, p.50]

It's all carefully honed and balanced...and, furthermore, harnessed by elegant controls that are adaptable for any combat situation. [Apr 2004, p.58]

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

Exactly the game I wanted, delivered right when I needed it most...a great time with a great character in a great genre - plug and play, instant fun. [Apr 2004, p.56]

Exactly the game I wanted, delivered right when I needed it most...a great time with a great character in a great genre - plug and play, instant fun. [Apr 2004, p.56]

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]

The game consistently looks and sounds incredible. [May 2004, p.60]

The epitome of a solid game: smooth engine, well-balanced gameplay, slick interface...My only real problem with the game is the amount of backtracking involved. [Mar 2004, p.59]

Digging into the online experience can take hours, simply becoming accustomed to the deep strategy of play, which sizzles in the three modes pitting spies against mercenaries. [Apr 2004, p.53]

Franchise mode is by far the deepest of any baseball game out there - including"MVP." [Apr 2004, p.73]

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

Pacing becomes an issue too, as you see a conveniently placed line of goodies on the ground that can literally take a minute to retrieve as you sigh, watching the animation. Same goes for opening doors. [Apr 2004, p.59]

Exceptionally well produced - almost seamless segueing in and out of spoken dialogue and story breaks - and has a strong script brought to life by seasoned anime and voice-over professionals. [Apr 2004, p.64]