The animation transitions are sloppy, and the A.I. is lacking on both sides of the ball. The controls are simply too slow to respond to your input, as well. [Winter 2002, p.99]

We can only imagine the title Nickelodeon Party Blast refers to the fact this game can easily blast any party to smithereens. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.89]

Transworld Snowboarding is the girl who always shows up in the teen movies. She's the ugly one who's revealed to be a hottie once the pretty boy du jour spends some time with her. [Winter 2002, p.97]

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]

One of the finest golf games around. [Winter 2002, p.107]

Wins the award for having the ugliest faces. [Winter 2002, p.99]

We're pretty sure that in the very near future, we'll be using Toxic Grind to torture terrorists into revealing their most closely guarded secrets. Such is the game's badness. [Winter 2002, p.106]

Everything here blows up real well, and it's oddly beautiful to witness the rich pageant of the undead splattered in a magnificent hail of hot video lead. [Winter 2002, p.91]

Easily beaten, Mission to Earth provides no real sense of accomplishment or finality. [Winter 2002, p.94]

While there is no questioning the game's ability to sap huge portions of your life, we'd dare say there may be better ways to spend said portions of said life until next year's edition hits Xbox Live. [Winter 2002, p.92]

The game's infinitely looped, saccharine-sweet piano music and French-style accordion tunes may in fact turn children into the hockey-mask wearing, ax-wielding maniancs we always see in the movies. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.88]

The game isn't even remotely balanced. [Winter 2002, p.102]

What really shines through here is the work of extremely talented artists, and the world of Dark Alliance is full of stately detail. [Winter 2002, p.107]

What ultimately lands Defender in the "utterly forgettable" pile are its bland graphics, twitchy controls, and various technical problems. [Winter 2002, p.104]

Rayne has been designed by sexiness experts and dropped into a game that features all the erotic appeal of Rosie O'Donnell scarfing down Canadian ham at an all-you-can-eat buffet. [Winter 2002, p.108]

The game's mutants are ugly and lifeless. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.88]

Take it please, and understand there are absolutely, positively, no returns. [Winter 2002, p.109]

Charming and accessible. [Winter 2002, p.105]

The pace of the action is spot-on, resulting in players who move and react at the right speeds and results that are realistic over a game with 12-minute quarters. [Winter 2002, p.98]

The real trouble with Ty, however, lies in its camera. Ty dashes at a frenetic pace while the camera does a poor job of keeping up. [Winter 2002, p.103]

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]

A nicely balanced, infinitely controllable and visually distinctive ride that simply feels right. [Fall 2002, p.100]

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]

Even seasoned gamers will have to replay Blinx's tougher levels dozens of times before succeeding... but replaying Blinx's levels more than a few times is just plain boring. [Winter 2002, p.90]

Outrunning the cops while racing on gorgeous international tracks is damn fun... [but t]he intense sense of speed found in the PS2 version is missing. [Winter 2002, p.103]

With only a couple of exceptions, every assignment can be tackled in a dozen different ways. [Winter 2002, p.100]

The controls are a bit herky-jerky at times. [Winter 2002, p.106]

Very little about the game stands out. The graphics are relatively bland, and there's no real sense of speed while driving. [Fall 2002, p.120]

It's disappointing to see developer Vicious Cycle nail the look and feel of a Veritech fighter, only to drop the ball on finer details like graphics, level design, and overall story...We wanted something more. [Fall 2002, p.116]

Strafing and running is fine - even more natural feeling than when a keyboard is used - but the Xbox controller's right analog stick just can't compete with the precision of a mouse. [Winter 2002, p.84]

If there was any truth in advertising, Universal would hawk this game as "Lord of the Pointless Fetch Quest" and recommend that potential buyers seek the Fellowship of Many Beers to dull the pain. [Winter 2002, p.103]

You'd have more fun watching tennis on ESPN...even if the TV is off. [Apr/May 2003, p.92]

DW3 provides 110 percent of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin K (for killitude) and, moreover, manages to provide every single bit of its brutality in a most beautiful fashion. [Fall 2002, p.115]

The game lacks the sense of speed that made "Mario Kart" such a thrill. [Winter 2002, p.109]

The same-old, same-old: the same static screens, decrepit point-and-click interface, crushingly slow pace, and confusing layout. [Winter 2002, p.105]

To describe the series of menus used here as "labyrinthine" would be to horribly oversimplify labyrinths. [Winter 2002, p.102]

Inexcusably awful. [Fall 2002, p.115]

Gorgeously cel shaded, sharp, and smart, but ultimately too difficult for the game's intended audience and certainly a little too generous in its repetition of sound samples. [Fall 2002, p.121]

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]

Redshift's well-honed action and lofty technical ambition are let down by a repetitive and dated no-progress-for-second-place structure, overly familiar mechanics, and conspicuous lack of style. [Winter 2002, p.95]

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]

It's "Power Stone" sans fun. [Winter 2002, p.103]

A harmless diversion that any "Tetris" addict will be able to pick up and beat in an hour or two. [Winter 2002, p.102]

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]

If there is an Eskimo in need of ice, surely this huckster will be the one to sell it... To the point, Antz Extreme Racing just plain sucks. [Winter 2002, p.104]

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

Playing the game simply feels too much like work. [Winter 2002, p.104]

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

Had it cooked a bit longer, however, this could have been a classic. [Fall 2002, p.118]

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]

If you're looking for a pure sim with plenty of extras, plunk down the cash for "Madden." If you're looking to smash it up with your buds over Xbox Live, then NFL 2K3 is your best bet this year. [Fall 2002, p.106]

Uneven graphics, hollow gameplay contrivances, and a wholesale lack of compelling drama mar the enormous effort which was clearly put into the game. [Fall 2002, p.104]

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]

It's realism in terms of actual gameplay that NCAA 2K3 lacks. [Fall 2002, p.117]

Hitting shots is a random affair rather than a sweet science, and the impressive array of street-ball moves (the highlight of the game) are rendered superfluous due to faulty A.I. and crude, if easily accessible, controls. [Winter 2002, p. 99]

The reality is that only those with a tremendous amount of talent and perseverance are ever going to see much of it. [Fall 2002, p.119]

Though it still leans towards being a pure football sim rather than an all-out arcade fun-fest, Madden strikes a great gameplay balance...The gameply is superb. [Fall 2002, p.108]

The same damn thing with slightly better graphics and a new create-a-player mode that would've been very exciting in 1992. [Fall 2002, p.121]

Astoundingly close to toppling EA's mighty "Madden" and Sega's "NFL 2K" franchises... It offers near flawless online play. [Fall 2002, p.110]

The game's title perhaps best describes the taste left in one's mouth after playing it than anythihng else. [Fall 2002, p.118]

An exercise in sheer frustration. [Fall 2002, p.121]

Beneath Enclave's pixel-shaded graphics, we find only a trace of a game worth playing. [Fall 2002, p.117]

The most impressive element of the game is its level design: The enormous locales allow for hours of exploration and trickery. [Fall 2002, p.119]

The problem with High Roller is that, despite the addition of the new course, the game plays almost identically to the original. [Fall 2002, p.116]

Perhaps the finest college football game ever made. [Oct 2002, p.117]

The deep create-a-boxer mode is the only aspect of the game that truly excels, but one good feature doesn't even out a sub-standard title. [Fall 2002, p.120]

The twin albatrosses of slowdown and mediocre graphics loom large over Dragon, and shoddy programming allows for honest-to-dreadfulness crashes. [Fall 2002, p.118]

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

The beautiful grass texture made us feel all outdoorsy and sexy. [Fall 2002, p.121]

The biggest disappointment is the game's multiplayer mode; there's now way to send blocks or any manner of taunts to your opponent. For shame. [Fall 2002, p.121]

Everything about the game, right down to its very arcade-style gameplay, is solidly executed and reasonably enjoyable without ever actually being all that exciting. [Winter 2002, p.104]

Outlaw Golf can be played and thoroughly enjoyed on the couch. [Fall 2002, p.121]

Ultimately, Morrowind's biggest selling point - its expansive scope - is also its undoing.[Fall 2002, p.112]

As good as wrestling gets on the Xbox. [Fall 2002, p.121]

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

The game provides a unique feeling of authenticity and a depth of gameplay to a genre all but buried in a glut of car-based racers. [Summer 2002, p.93]

If realism is the ultimate goal of the game maker, then World Series Baseball is the Mona Lisa of games. [June 2002, p.84]

In many ways this is a blueprint for making a game as annoying as possible. [Summer 2002, p.91]

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

A solid competitor - fast and fun and oddly addictive. [Summer 2002, p.93]

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

If there's a mediocre idea to be had, chances are Crash has burgled it. [Summer 2002, p.91]

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

Rough around the edges. [Summer 2002, p.90]

Flawed but solidly fun, deep as a dime, and airy as a zeppelin. [Summer 2002, p.93]

Unfortunately, the game is virtually unplayable. [Summer 2002, p.92]

An oppressive auto-aim system, weak enemy AI, and simplistic puzzles keep gameplay straightforward and repetitive. [Summer 2002, p.93]

The game's odd predilection for nighttime levels ensures that players will be doing double duty fighting and squinting. [Summer 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]

Valkyrie's controls are so klunky...it feels worse than just awkward, it literally hurts to play Valkyrie for more than a couple hours at a time. [Spring 2002, p.82]

As ugly as a Tim Wakefield knuckleball. [Spring 2002, p.91]

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

Incredibly dark - a problem made worse when damaged vehicles ahead of you spew plumes of smoke in your direction. [Summer 2002, p.91]

The Xbox version is noticeably sharper than either the PS2 or GameCube iterations, and full-screen anti-aliasing makes the whole thing look smooth like butter. [Spring 2002, p.78]

Overly long and unimaginative tracks punctuate the wide selection of courses and it's impossible to know them all well enough to become fond of their individual traits. [Summer 2002, p.88]

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]

It's a curse-at-the-controller-how-can-this-be-so-effin'-hard? Game. [Spring 2002, p.92]

Sega Sports has gone back to tweak the intricacies of the series' already stellar gameplay, making it even hotter than its Dreamcast and PS2 counterparts. We're talking tamale on the sun here, folks. [Spring 2002, p.88]