Yes, it's similar to previous Hawk games at heart - certainly cause for concern for players burned out on the series - but what a monster game it is. [Dec 2004, p.87]

The best mech simulator ever made, embarrassing even de facto favorites like the "Mechwarrior" series on the PC. [Winter 2002, p.86]

For the most part, "Nothing" makes performing these Dondian stunts easy, with its intuitive controls, friendly camera, good level design, and clearly defined goals. But the inventory system could use some work. [Mar 2004, p.74]

An amazing sports game that plays like a song and has all the makings of a classic hit. [May 2004, p.89]

Breathtakingly good when it comes to stadium detail, batting stances, facial expressions, facial expressions and the like, [but] the game lacks an essential bit of realism that keeps it from elite status. [Apr/May 2003, p.90]

Hardcore "Revolution" fans will be most excited by features debuting in Ultramix...Beginners and those who lack a natural rhythm will be disappointed, though. [Mar 2004, p.99]

This is fan service - and competitive gaming - done right. [Dec 2004, p.84]

An extremely well-designed, very playable game with a fair learning curve and gorgeous visuals. Well done. [Fall 2002, p.102]

While level design is solid, NPCs have the personalities of spatulas, and environments are often jarringly noninteractive... Worth the ride, certainly, but this one could have done with a little less fighting and a little more freedom. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.98]

Ultimately, whether 2004 is, in fact, a better game than Konami's "Winning Eleven 7" on PlayStation 2 is debatable; what is clear, however, is that this is easily the finest game of footy to be found on Xbox.

If you're willing to stick it out through a couple of slow-paced early levels, it quickly hooks you and won't let go. [Aug 2004, p.95]

If up-tempo action and innovative control are more important to you than realism and online play, this may be your b-ball baby in 2003. [Winter 2002, p.99]

Competent but uninspired. [Jan 2002, p.94]

Second only to "Halo," Arms is the best shooter on Xbox. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.80]

A superb basketball game, with Grade-A action, intuitive controls, and more bells and whistles than an ice cream truck. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.85]

It's just too bad that for every step forward Midway takes with Alliance, it takes two steps back with sloppy gameplay, cheesy, ridiculously gory visuals, and some truly soulless character design. [Winter 2002, p.89]

Unless you have some pals to play with, Hitz will wear out its welcome due to a lack of strategic depth. [Winter 2002, p.105]

Levels look dazzling, but the actual tasks you must accomplish in them are often so contrived that all the realism fades away. [Winter 2002, p.101]

Controlling Kyle in the lightsaber mode (which is in the third-person, not first like the rest of the game) is somewhat of a pain with the clunky Xbox pad. [Winter 2002, p.106]

It's this combination of thought and reflex that makes Crusaders exceptional despite its faults. [Nov 2004, p.101]

Smooth controls top this delightful meal and tons of replay value make Hit & Run, dare we say it? Ehhh-xcellent. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.91]

With each day presenting a enw opportunity to fly or fall face down, Bustin' Ouot never loses its luster. [Mar 2004, p.83]

The worst of these bonus modes is the "new and improved" Konquest mode intended to flesh out the Kombat universe through an RPG-like interface. What you get instead is a shambling mess of an adventure made up of ridiculous fetch quests and crap voice acting.

Midway's given the game a facelift and polish to great effect, replacing the overbearing amounts of flash and glitter with solid gameplay. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.99]

For motorcycle masochists out there, it's a chance to create spectacular crashes involving helicopters, biplanes, and trucks. [Apr 2004, p.82]

Wolf's added variety pushes its multiplayer componenet into Xbox Live killer-app territory. [Feb 2005, p.96]

Where 2005 really breathes is in its pasing game...The entire system is remarkably intuitive, making the Xbox controller feel as if it's a natural extension of the onscreen action. [Nov 2004, p.98]

What these scenarios lack in creative inspiration, they more than make up for in strategy and gameplay design. [Aug 2003, p.86]

Despite questions about its pacing and multiplayer options, Street will still keep the controller in your hands for hours. [Mar 2004, p.87]

This sequel closes its single-player chapter with a whimper. [Jan 2005, p.94]

Rarely has so much sheer brilliance been nestled side-by-side with such absolute tedium and badly conceived gameplay, along with wild shifts in tone guaranteed to make your head spin. [Winter 2002, p.88]

The recipe for the game's winning formula is twofold: the brilliant water physics and the dynamics of rope play. [Aug 2003, p.77]

There's just enough innovation here to warrant spending another 50 clams, but only if you're a die-hard fan of the series. [Winter 2002, p.105]

Coming out almost a year late than the first Revolution, the Xbox version lacks many of the improvements Harmonix made for PlayStation 2's "Karaoke Revolution Volumes 2 and 3." [Dec 2004, p.88]

It's the curse of making a reasonable, realistic surfing game - it just doesn't offer a very compelling videogame experience. [Fall 2002, p.120]

Star Wars Battlefront is essentially action-figure theater on the television screen, and playing online is like inviting your friends over to take part.

It's not the tightest coding ever seen in a videogame. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.85]

Online play affords Links players an option "Tiger" simply can't compete with. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.94]

Shines like a sequined dress at a Hollywood premiere. Though not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, Oddysee is pretty to look at, and remarkably fun to play. [Jan 2002, p.78]

Pro Race Driver's saving grace is found in the application of Codemaster's acclaimed TOCA racing engine. [June-July 2003, p.92]

Sadly, performance was spotty thanks to ever-depressing and intermittent network lag. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.83]

With all-or-nothing rail and jump placement, the game can sometimes feel shorter and more difficult than it really is, while at other times a bit too easy. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.91]

It's all about control, and Madness 2005 offers plenty of it. [Jan 2005, p.92]

It's definitely a better workout than most Xbox titles, and although its longevity is infinitely better than a human workout video, it's not as motivating or, more important, as sexy. [Dec 2004, p.82]

The world's videogame players require this monstrosity like they need an extra hemorrhoid, a tattoo of child actor Emmanuel Lewis on their buttocks, and the director's cut of "The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine." [Fall 2002, p.119]

Nearly everything about Otogi, from its art direction to its intricately balanced game design, is infused with careful thought, consideration, and much love. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.86]

Its difficulty curve progresses gracefully, its atmosphere is immersive, and its visceral punch is straight to the gut. [Summer 2002, p.80]

Combines slick, well-tuned controls with an accessible combo scheme with unbelievably thick visual effects to create a complete third-person action package. [Nov 2004, p.92]

Surprisingly, the running game – usually the bane of first-time developers – is absolutely top-notch. [Jan 2002, p.82]

The camera itself functions as a de facto enemy -- and possibly the deadliest one of them all. [Summer 2002, p.82]

Unless your IQ is below 17, there are better ways to waste your day. Like drooling. [Fall 2002, p.119]

The most impressive thing about Remix is its clean, intuitive interface. [Aug 2004, p.91]

It's ugly, this gladiator's life. But at least it's got a good personality. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.86]

Embarking on the game's destruction train gives players access to dandy weapons such as the shark gun. [Mar 2004, p.93]

An experience every bit as thrilling, addictive, and shallow as the original. [Dec 2004, p.92]

Graphically sharp and combined with gameplay that has been similarly honed, Buffy is one of those rare titles that does the Xbox justice. [Fall 2002, p.111]

Elementary use of math reveals that a mediocre Sphinx game combined with an excellent Cursed Mummy game averages out to a very solid and enjoyable Sphinx/Mummy hybrid. [Mar 2004, p.91]

Mototrax offers an almost visceral appeal - you can really feel the bike moving under you. [June 2004, p.86]

Despite the much-hated "catch up" feature, Hitz kept us glued. Better than "Blitz" we say. [Jan 2002, p.88]

Choppy movements, mediocre graphics, and limited control options. [Summer 2002, p.90]

If Chessmaster upped its production values, it might be worth a look to casual chess players who just want to get a game in here and there. [Jan 2005, p.90]

Everything in Two Towers - from the rich, lush environments to the lovingly rendered boss monsters - comes impressively close to matching its cinematic counterpart. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.76]

While it may not be the deepest around, FIFA is just plain fun. [Summer 2002, p.92]

Even with all these attempts at variety, there's not much different in any of the modes compared with a typical two-player game. You're just seeing who can match the steps better. [Dec 2004, p.88]

Nascar heads should check this out immediately, others should stay far away. [Jan 2002, p.94]

It packs a good measure of original gameplay concepts; it just suffers a few missteps that keep it from ranking in the upper echelon of Xbox titles. [Winter 2002, p.95]

Beautiful and challenging... A twisting, turning plot tops off the meal and this Sea, simply, demands to be bathed in. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.82]

Brawls eschew any sort of skill and are won by the pugilist who lands the most punches in the least amount of time. [Summer 2002, p.92]

The player has a choice. Doe she coax out Contracts' subtlety, or coes he play essentially the smae game he's been playing for two decades? The first option may have him tearing his hair out. [June 2004, p.90]

The graphics are damn fine, with richly detailed environments, a speedy framerate, and accurately modeled polygonal ladies providing splendid eye candy. [Winter 2002, p.89]

Weighs in a tad too light, and can be readily explored in a long weekend. [Fall 2002, p.118]

Lacks the imagination and polish of "Wave Race," but it's enjoyable nonetheless. [Fall 2002, p.117]

The extra games EA added are attention-worthy treats speaking to the schoolyard athlete in everyone, no matter how uncoordinated or out of shape. [Feb 2005, p.95]

This year's ESPN Major League Baseball seems less polished than its brethren, its new features seem halfhearted at best, and its graphics don't pack the punch they used to.

Aside from the new levels (which, it should be noted are every bit as good as those in the original), everything is pretty much straight out of THPS2. [Jan 2002, p.88]

It’s fresh that you don’t have to search for stuff to hit, but not-so-fresh that you have to wrestle with sluggish controls in order to do it. [Jan 2002, p.94]

Skates in a league of its own when it comes to the most basic function of hockey gaming: realistic physics. [Oct 2004, p.94]

Despite little replay value, Chamber nonetheless provides a gratifying ride. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.84]

The True Crime universe feels emotionally and psychologically barren - and, therefore, inconsequential. [Mar 2004, p.76]

It is the scariest survival horror title to date... We would like to forgive its unsatisfying combat and puzzles, but we cannot. [Winter 2002, p.93]

You will actually find yourself laughing while playing, and virtually anyone can pick up and play this and have a good time. [July 2004, p.88]

Sharp and smart, Blitz 20-02 burns the NFL's rulebook and allows for unparalleled arcade-style mayhem. [Summer 2002, p.92]

It's above-average stuff, certainly, but spotty writing and voice acting pothole the story. Still, despite its flaws, Suffering remains an enjoyable and surprisingly compelling blastathon.

An omelette of a game whose eggs are a bit too runny. [May 2004, p.80]

A good story told well is a rare thing, but for the third time, Revolution has done just that. Players looking for an intelligent adventure will find few better Xbox titles than this. [Mar 2004, p.82]

A rare take on World War II that doesn't involve storming a beach. [Mar 2004, p.94]

Despite its obvious beautifully ugly characters and detailed courts, this Volleyball barely clears the net. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.99]

Features some of the most flaccid enemy designs seen in a long while. [Aug 2003, p.74]

Go play "Calfornia Games" on your Lynx. [Jan 2002, p.90]

The AI in Inside Drive is AWOL. [Spring 2002, p.91]

Definitely not for the squeamish, but if you're looking for a cold, ruthless, and literally bloodthirsty antihero to keep you occupied for 15-20 hours, Kain definitely fits the bill. [Summer 2002, p.86]

It's baseball done for the mindless MTV generation, and it smells like a turd polished to a high gloss. [Aug 2003, p.88]

The first-person view allows only for awkward movement and exploration, with Townshend forced to turn to alter his view. Invincible ghosts prove to be perpetually frustrating, especially in tight spots.

There's nothing to complain about in terms of the game's controls or its trick system; they've been tuned to perfection. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.87]

This is no Tony Hawk. [Jan 2002, p.96]

One of the finest, purest, and most hardcore 2D shooter on any system to date. [July 2004, p.88]

A nice balance of action and strategy, as well as a remarkable technical achievement. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.78]

The finest "realistic" basketball game calling your name...Eat it up. [Jan 2002, p.96]