A decent localization, really likeable characters (despite the bland main quest), some rather funny dialogue, and the meaty synthesizing feature are simply too satisfying to pass up. [July 2005, p.84]

Sure, it's still playable; it's just not fantastic. [Sept 2005, p.78]

If you have the patience of a Zen master, MC3:DE can definitely be fun. Unfortunately, for most the amount of time required to get to the fun just isn't worth the wait at all. [Sept 2005, p.84]

The freshest game we've played since "Katamari Damacy." [Aug 2005, p.72]

The missions vary from the mundane to the extremely challenging, and are chock full of sci-fi references and in-jokes, not to mention a whole slew of political zingers. [Aug 2005, p.74]

It's undeniably cool to participate in shaping history, but not everyone will have the patience to conquer China. [Sept 2005, p.75]

Casual Batman fans might flutter a wing, but the hardcore will fly away disenchanted. [Sept 2005, p.78]

Too convoluted and mechanically routine to recommend to anyone except the most subbornly devoted. [Aug 2005, p.84]

Loads of fun to play. Hopefully, THQ has already commissioned "Juiced 2." [June 2005, p.76]

The interface is a bit clunky, and some of the tunes are better than others, but overall, this is an impressive, fun offering. [Aug 2005, p.85]

Beyond all the new stuff, MOH:EA works because it's simply well designed. [Sept 2005, p.80]

The problem is that the story mode is easily beaten in under five hours, and though it's short, it doesn't stay all that fresh. [July 2005, p.85]

The difficulty curve does level off after a while, but the sheer boredom of the endless hit-and-run battles does not. [Sept 2005, p.75]

Unfortunately, each gorgeous game can be finished in about an hour. [June 2005, p.78]

Make no mistake: this is a kiddie game. The difficulty level is super-low, and the gameplay within each area is quite repetitive and straightforward. [Aug 2005, p.82]

Simply a solid hit rather than the round-tripper it could've been. [Aug 2005, p.84]

While its cuteness, simple goals, and short running time seem perfect for the little tykes, its complex controls, difficult jumping puzzles, and rough camera turned off our six-year old test subject after 20 minutes. [Apr 2005, p.78]

So-so for gaming alone, but it's fun enough if you're online or with friends. [Aug 2005, p.84]

A standard, almost old fashioned FPS wrapped around a completely forgettable story. [June 2005, p.75]

Becomes more a decent action game with a cool twist rather than the psychological thriller it's so obviously meant to be. [June 2005, p.79]

Had potential, but it's ultimately too unpolished and player unfriendly for any but the most puzzle hardcore. [July 2005, p.88]

There's a multiplayer versus mode, but the combat system is so broken, it's barely worth it. [Aug 2005, p.78]

Even hardcore racers will find Enthusia's default difficulty setting is soul-crushingly hard, with absurdly demanding physics and cars that feel heavier than battleships, yet spin out at the slightest provocation. [June 2005, p.76]

Unless you're so hardcore into golf that you find Open Tee's big headed goofballs insulting, this is the new king of portable golf games. [July 2005, p.80]

You won't get the full Street experience with Showdown, but it more than gets the job done. [July 2005, p.89]

Unworthy prey. [July 2005, p.85]

Abhorrent AI, limited saves, and sluggish pacing generate frustration. [Apr 2005, p.77]

If you level up enough, later battles devolve into strategy-deprived power clashes that neither inspire nor require you to craft tactical attacks. [June 2005, p.75]

The cyborg designs are freakishly cool, but the bland surface textures and simplistic (but randomly generated) layouts make each room look like the last. [June 2005, p.85]

It's a decent, but far from an otherworldly experience. [June 2005, p.74]

One puzzling omission is a full career mode. [July 2005, p.86]

An annoying game of trial and error. [July 2005, p.84]

There's tons of game modes, customizations, addictive mini-games, and dirt - lots of dirt. [July 2005, p.86]

Though melee fights and arbitrarily thrust on the gamer and Slate's jerky hand-to-hand fighting techniques often connect when they should miss wildly, there's enough here to give this disc a spin. [July 2005, p.82]

You'll see random errors too frequently on routine plays. [July 2005, p.88]

Yes, even our beloved "Burnout 3: Takedown" must yield to this monster of a racer. [June 2005, p.72]

So yeah, it's a virtual exercise tape. But it's cool. [June 2005, p.78]

Would have felt dated even before "Resident Evil 4" redefined the genre, but now it seems downright antique. [June 2005, p.78]

The default control scheme is awful, but the alternate is perfect. [June 2005, p.85]

A great RPG that shouldn't be missed. [July 2005, p.83]

A very solid action game boasting wonderful, stylish visuals and a compelling story. [May 2005, p.73]

Yes, it looks childish, is a bit too easily beaten, and is based on the lackluster Star Wars prequels (all three of them) - but it's also a fun game with charm to spare. [May 2005, p.74]

Most gamers will be put off by erratic controls and wild camera. Too bad; this could have been great. [Apr 2005, p.73]

After seven games in 4 1/2 years, we simply need more evolution in the next iteration. [May 2005, p.74]

Challenging, gratifying, and revolutionary all at once, there's simply nothing out there remotely like [the new co-op mode]. [May 2005, p.68]

It's just not quite all that it could be. [June 2005, p.80]

While definitely dated, Darkstalkers' graphics have never looked better. [June 2005, p.83]

The simple explanation for what makes this game rock is that it just plain looks, feels, and plays remarkably like its full-sized siblings. [May 2005, p.84]

There is, however, one triple bogey: heinous load times, including waits of around 30 seconds between each individual hole. [June 2005, p.82]

But if the motion doesn't bother you, you'll absolutely want this. [June 2005, p.83]

A fun game while it lasts, but it doesn't last long. [June 2005, p.84]

The solid, stay-fresh gameplay and captivating story make for an almost perfect game. [May 2005, p.66]

Be aware that its vehicle-less gameplay resembles "State of Emergency" a lot more than it does "GTA: San Andreas." [June 2005, p.79]

Those willing to beat back the multiple waves of irritating technical snafus will find a highly flawed, yet ambitious and engaging Action RPG. [March 2005, p.73]

A near disaster. [June 2005, p.80]

The overall flow of the game is erratic and the defensive AI is dreadful. [Apr 2005, p.78]

Simply put, it's the best racing game we've played since "Burnout 3," and an amazing portable achievement. [May 2005, p.78]

A collection of the original games would have rocked, but in too many of these games, Sega Classics Collection has reinvented the wheel - and somehow made it square. [March 2005, p.78]

It's also tense and well-balanced and the diverse selection of cards you can put into your deck enables deep customization. [May 2005, p.80]

You can play this one forever. [May 2005, p.82]

The fancy spell effects can sometimes actually obscure your vision, and you can only cast the two spells you have mapped to the hotkeys. [May 2005, p.78]

The PSP has no right analog stick - and this is the fundamental problem with this game. [May 2005, p.82]

TimeSplitters was made with multiplayer in mind, and that's what helps elevate the game above it's shortcomings. [Apr 2005, p.68]

Probably more than any other PSP launch title, Unleashed performs and plays just as well as its bigger PS2 brother. [June 2005, p.82]

The best and most important change is in the driving model, which corrects the overly touchy control seen in last year's "MX Unleashed." [Apr 2005, p.72]

Enemy AI seems patchy, multiplayer is absent and there is no 16:9 widescreen option; it's 4:3 with the map and info windows filling out the space. [May 2005, p.84]

Due to the too-low placement of the analog stick, expect your thumb to get sore after an hour or two. [May 2005, p.79]

The physics on the basketball are too floaty, and player control is wonky. [June 2005, p.84]

Easily the most enjoyable and innovative WWII experience out there. Period. [May 2005, p.72]

It will never replace the original, but as a bargain title, Under Siege! makes for a great little time waster. [Apr 2005, p.76]

It's a simple premise in that brilliant sort of way, and it's helped along by fantastic level design full of undulating terrain, holes, ramps, bumpers, and who knows what else. [Apr 2005, p.76]

Combat gets monotonous and Musashi himself moves far too slowly for a nimble samurai. [June 2005, p.80]

Visuals and atmosphere are quite good, too, though still far from RE4 quality. [May 2005, p.74]

The controls are pretty twitchy, regardless if you use the D-pad or the analog stick. [May 2005, p.80]

A credible, even attractive option for any fan not demanding too mcuh in the realism stakes. [June 2005, p.85]

Control, physics, graphics are pretty solid, though the jaggy sticks stink. [June 2005, p.84]

Too much frustration in baserunning and defense in particular. [Apr 2005, p.64]

The AI is easily duped and the coaching options are limited. EA still doesn't give this sport the "Madden" treatment, and it really shows. [Apr 2005, p.76]

It has everything "DMC2" didn't, and evolves everything that made "DMC1" great. [March 2005, p.66]

Add a bloody mouthpiece, and you've got the most realistic boxing experience you can have without the risk of brain injury. [Apr 2005, p.73]

The online tournaments and seasons in 2K5 can't be beat. [Apr 2005, p.64]

The best game in the series - even if it's not totally original. [May 2005, p.70]

Jumping feels loose and overall control is a tad sluggish, though these issues rarely detract from gameplay. [May 2005, p.76]

Okay in the short term, but there are far too many superior FPS out there. [May 2004, p.38]

We all fell in love with GT the first time out because it was so unprecedented, but on your fourth visit, you'll really wish the damn thing would evolve and live up to its potential. Still, it's riveting racing, it has its own undeniable charms. [JPN Import; March 2005, p.68]

For those who cut their teeth on titles like "Landstalker" or "Alundra," Ys: Ark of Napishtim does them (and its own series) great homage while standing on its own two feet. [March 2005, p.74]

When set against the PS2's existing gallery of not-quite legendary online shooters, this game sticks out like an Oscar-winner at an acting workshop. It's worth a look. [Apr 2005, p.66]

Trick moves are easy to perform, but impossible to defend; you'll stand there frustrated and motionless while guys dance right around you. [Apr 2005, p.79]

Is this thing as addictive as crack-laced Jelly Bellies, or what? The difficulty ramps up almost perfectly, delivering contstant new challenges. [Apr 2005, p.74]

Last year's issues have been fixed, its competitors suffer from annoying quirks or feature omissions, and most importantly, MVP Baseball 2005 simly feels and plays the most like the real thing. [Apr 2005, p.64]

The gameplay, however, wears thin pretty fast. The regular enemies are mind-numbingly easy to beat, while most bosses are impenetrable (usually until you figure out which specific combo will crack it). [March 2005, p.72]

Every enemy has a fatal Achilles' Heel. Once you learn a combo to exploit it, all battles become trivial. [Feb 2005, p.79]

By far the most useful addition though is the ability to pick up bodies so you can hide them. It's a simple little skill that should have been available all along... and now it is. [March 2005, p.80]

Replay value is low; better rent before you buy. [May 2005, p.76]

The violence is so over the top that it becomes funny...It's an uneven game that keeps speeding up, then slowing down, and as a result, it never really manages to keep your pulse racing for very long. [Jan 2005, p.64]

Why there's no training mode to practice the thumb-blistering combinations is baffling and only the truly dedicated will be able to pull off some of the harder moves in battle. [Feb 2005, p.83]

The game's greatest depth comes from online play... What's most exciting, however, is that you can bring your own created players, gear and courts into online matches. You can take on anyone online - on your own home court. [March 2005, p.62]

The graphics aren't particularly impressive - the game looks slightly better than prior efforts - but it's perhaps the best KOF roster yet, and it's a great history lesson for newbies. [Feb 2005, p.80]