The game's incredible sense of speed, seat-of-your-soild-trousers physics, and overall production polish is second to none on Xbox. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.81]

Basically an all-you-can-kill, hack-and-slash buffet from start to finish. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.82]

The game achieves excellence through realism, feel, and transparent interface. [Mar 2004, p.88]

And then there's Xbox Live play, which functions shockingly well under any circumstances. The game has singlehandedly shown the console world online fighting games need not be plageud with lag of the likes seen in "Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO." [Sept 2004, p.96]

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

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

Developer WOW takes advantage of Xbox Live's potential to deliver truly compelling multiplayer races. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.98]

A smooth framerate, flawless camera, and spot-on control makes the experience nothing short of sublime, and the game a near-perfect mix of exacting artistry and technical wizardry - not unlike snowboarding itself. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.91]

Developer Oddworld Inhabitants has done something quite remarkable in the creation of a first-and-third-person-shooter-cum-adventure combining guts, heart, brains, a sense of humor, and wondrous beauty. [Feb 2005, p.86]

Don't let its sophistication scare you - at the end of the long, mud-splattered day, the game is above all else accessible and fun. [June 2004, p.94]

Unlike most 3D fighters, Calibur II's melee system isn't so mcuh an elaborate re-creation of the canned rock-paper-scissors style gameplay as it is a vast metaphysical playground giving players unprecedented freedom to create their own deadly techniques. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.88]

The first game to truly capitalize on GTA's design paradigm, Mercenaries deserves its war-worn props. [Feb 2005, p.97]

Playing the game through Xbox Live is literally like having a shared arcade machine in your living room. [Mar 2004, p.100]

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]

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]

Overwroght melodrama and third-person-persepctive gunplay make for an excellent mix. [Mar 2004, p.81]

Once again, a maravel of gaming. [Sept 2004, p.84]

The best tennis videogame ever made. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.93]

Hands down, the best baseball videogame ever made. [Apr 2004, p.92]

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]

Graphically exquisite and resplendently crafted, Bay is one of the best exclusive titles in the Xbox library. [June 2004, p.82]

One kick-ass game. If you're a fan of NASCAR racing, you've never had it so good on a home console. [Dec/Jan 2004, p.97]

The most beautiful shooter we've ever played. In fact, it's a work of art. [Feb/Mar 2003, p.74]

The single most glaring problem with 2K5...is the crowd A.I. The audience is just flat-out stupid, and this is terribly unfortunate because it distracts from what would otherwise be a totally immersive NFL gaming experience. [Sept 2004, p.86]

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]

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]

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]

While Club II foes raise the bar for arcade-style racing, it falters in the audio department. [Aug 2003, p.76]