I think Virtua Fighter 5 was the game that the AM2 development team was dreaming of when they created Virtua Fighter. [Mar 2007, p.48]

Thoroughly engaging. [Nov 2007]

I don’t think Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will manage to duplicate the legendary status of its predecessor, but it has already managed to accomplish a similarly impressive feat: hundreds of thousands of people bought a $250 Wii just to play it three weeks early, and no one seems to regret it.

Backbone could have just tightened things up and given us more of the same for the sequel but instead have completely reworked the formula and created one of the PSP's finest games in the process. [Nov. 2006, p.96]

The first-person shooter is, simply, one of the best games ever made. [Oct 2007, p.86]

Everybody who frequents the game knows the feeling when the prompts melt away and you find yourself actually playing the music; that's why Guitar Hero is the best music and/or mainstream game to hit these United States. [Mar 2007, p.56]

This is why you risked your life and went into debt: For a game console. [JPN Import; Feb 2007, p.80]

Games like Persona 3 are the reason we play games. So, I can't say this enough. Play it. [Aug 2007, p.62]

There are many reasons to praise Half-Life 2 that reach well beyond the surface of its gameplay and into the expression of its complete world of fantasy. [Nov 2007, p.66]

If you're a race fan, break out the adult diapers. [Sept 2007, p.76]

The presentation is extraordinary, but the layers of what draws us most firmly to gameplay are so skillfully applied. [July 2007, p.62]

Instead of a series of self-contained challenges, Paradise offers up an open world where players are free to explore their inner vehicular homocidal maniac to their hearts' content. [Mar 2008, p.56]

Instead of a series of self-contained challenges, Paradise offers up an open world where players are free to explore their inner vehicular homocidal maniac to their hearts' content. [Mar 2008, p.56]

Not only is this the best first-person adventure I've played but it's the most brutal, skillfully detailed and paced as well. [Apr 2008, p.50]

Not only is this the best first-person adventure I've played but it's the most brutal, skillfully detailed and paced as well. [Apr 2008, p.50]

There are many reasons to praise Half-Life 2 that reach well beyond the surface of its gameplay and into the expression of its complete world of fantasy. [Nov 2007, p.66]

Easy to manage hot keys, intuitive controls, a great map that doubles as an objective outline...everything here is spot on. [Apr 2008, p.55]

Easy to manage hot keys, intuitive controls, a great map that doubles as an objective outline...everything here is spot on. [Apr 2008, p.55]

What makes Okami so timeless is an art style that trancends technology. It looks as new today as it did in 2006. [Apr 2008, p.40]

Smart, unothordox, creepy as hell. I can’t recommend Deadly Creatures enough. One of the rare few third-party Wii games you should be proud to add to your collection.

It's so beautiful--so far superior visually to anything on the DS--that it's the kind of game that makes it worth buying the system for. [Apr 2008, p.68]

The gameplay is sheer perfection, the score is superb and the detail for a game this size is plain crazy.

The gameplay is sheer perfection, the score is superb and the detail for a game this size is plain crazy.

An extraordinary video-game. It’s polished, entertaining, and unrelenting. The animation, the dialogue, and every environment is stunning. Video-games, as they are now, don’t get any better than this.

A definite departure from rail-shooters of old, Extraction prioritizes storytelling and atmospheric pacing as much as alien slaying. However, if you just enjoy spilling extraterrestrial entrails, it does that really well, too.

The feature-rich, action-packed gameplay—co-op and solo—is a blast, but it’s the explosive presentation, that literally sees Shanghai falling to flaming pieces all around you, that steals the show and will have you watching your—and your buddy’s—back.

The feature-rich, action-packed gameplay—co-op and solo—is a blast, but it’s the explosive presentation, that literally sees Shanghai falling to flaming pieces all around you, that steals the show and will have you watching your—and your buddy’s—back.

But value and longevity be damned, it’s the emotional impact Modern Warfare 2 brings to the table that in the end deserves the highest of praise.

But value and longevity be damned, it’s the emotional impact Modern Warfare 2 brings to the table that in the end deserves the highest of praise.

You want Bikes, ATVs, Muscle Cars, SUVs, Buggies, Trucks…they’re all in here, along with every conceivable type of race set across thousands of miles of populated ultra-realistic topography, complete with dynamic weather. And it all looks and plays spectacularly. Unless you’re looking for an authentic hard core sim, there’s no reason you shouldn’t leave right now, and even if you are, a little FUEL might just change your mind.

You want Bikes, ATVs, Muscle Cars, SUVs, Buggies, Trucks…they’re all in here, along with every conceivable type of race set across thousands of miles of populated ultra-realistic topography, complete with dynamic weather. And it all looks and plays spectacularly. Unless you’re looking for an authentic hard core sim, there’s no reason you shouldn’t leave right now, and even if you are, a little FUEL might just change your mind.

You want Bikes, ATVs, Muscle Cars, SUVs, Buggies, Trucks…they’re all in here, along with every conceivable type of race set across thousands of miles of populated ultra-realistic topography, complete with dynamic weather. And it all looks and plays spectacularly. Unless you’re looking for an authentic hard core sim, there’s no reason you shouldn’t leave right now, and even if you are, a little FUEL might just change your mind.

The word of mouth on this game is going to be great, unless your friends only play WiiFit. Demon’s Souls is what an 8-Bit game would play like if it were popped open and dumped out in your lap. Gorgeous, thoughtful, and complete unto itself, it’s the second-best title I’ve played this year. Maybe even better.

Turn 10’s done a phenomenal job of crafting an experience that’ll appeal to all race fans. Whether you’re a car porn addict or just a gamer looking for a joy ride, Forza 3’s accessibility—anchored by fantastic difficulty scaling—depth, and breathtaking presentation put it neck and neck alongside the season’s other genre definers Need for Speed: SHIFT and Dirt 2.

The pinnacle of everything that's made the series great from day one pulled together with sheer mastery and polished to a blinding sheen. Insomniac's finest work to date, and that's saying something. You're gonna love the way it looks, I guarantee it.

It’s finally here. Big-time motocross and off-road racing with REAL dirt and separate bike and rider control... Rainbow Studios deliver a pot of pure gold.

It’s finally here. Big-time motocross and off-road racing with REAL dirt and separate bike and rider control... Rainbow Studios deliver a pot of pure gold.

Scribblenauts is a game that will be remembered for a long time. It’s a genesis event. In the history of games, there are few moments where a new genre appears; few dates where something truly novel is given to gamers. Scribblenauts is a birth. It’s Wolfenstein 3D. It’s Mario 64. Scribblenauts is Street Fighter.

Half-Minute Hero is an example of what gaming can be when games are at their best; simple in concept, carefully crafted in design, and utterly excellent in execution.

In all things small and epic, from the palpable graininess of the game's predominantly poorly lit environments, to the endlessly thrilling second installment of the spies vs. mercenaries online competitions, Theory does not disappoint. [May 2005, p.44]

Player animations and transitions are seamless; it will astound you how versatile the movements are in the game. [Apr 2005, p.77]

Every wreck is a visual affair to be savored and a delightful treat for a job nastily done. [Oct 2005, p.66]

It is arguably without peer, the ultimate game for the audience open to its madness. [Oct 2005, p.56]

As close as games have yet to get to a true masterpiece - a towering achievement in artistic design, technical mastery and emotion-driven gamemaking. [March 2005, p.58]

In all things small and epic, from the palpable graininess of the game's predominantly poorly lit environments, to the endlessly thrilling second installment of the spies vs. mercenaries online competitions, Theory does not disappoint. [May 2005, p.44]

Take everything you could possibly desire from a manic downhill assault and amplify it by 10. [Aug 2003, p.76]

Visually, ESPN NFL Football is top notch, especially the tackle and running animations. No other football game comes close in this area. Coupled with tight controls and great online play, ESPN NFL Football is a fine success. [Sept 2003, p.86]

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 initial feeling in the first mission is one of uncanny newness. I can't remember ever being so quickly immersed or captivated by a world. [Oct 2003, p.75]

With the grace, speed and precision of a great 2D fighter placed exactly in a 3D mold, Soul Calibur 2 is the only fighter I'll need for a very long time. [Oct 2003, p.72]

This game is, simply put, brilliant. The music is intoxicating, the locales magical and the overall vibe decidedly dreamy. [Dec 2003, p.77]

It's a game that's just incredible fun, mixing in all sorts of gaming ideas with the thrill of the real sport, painting a final touch of extreme excess and color for scintillating effect. [Nov 2003, p.86]

It's a sweeping, exquisitely crafted, hopelessly addictive adventure that ignites a wondrous spirit of gaming past...A magnificent action-RPG and a terrifically fun video game. [Feb 2004, p.44]

The detail spent on each and every droid is amazing, as are the physics applied, and the locales, from the underground tunnels to the ravaged cityscapes topside, are splendid. [Nov 2003, p.89]

Square has taken a risk with Final Fantasy X-2, and even if they don't always hit the mark, when they do, it's a glorious cupid shot right through our FF-Loving hearts. [Dec 2003, p.67]

When you face a player, it's almost like a fighting game: who will execute the proper move first? [Nov 2003, p.104]

For what it is - the Jak universe plugged into a juiced "GTA" mold - Jak II is damn close to being a perfect game. You just have to want <I>this</I> game. I took some convincing, but the way has been opened. I'll live with the boogie. [Oct 2003, p.64]

The survive-as-long-as-you-can "Dead Man Walking" mode, however, can make a second or third go-round worthwhile. [Dec 2003, p.87]

Few games are as excitingly presented, as gorgeously constructed, as intensely visceral as the extraordinary The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. [Dec 2003, p.52]

Best of all, the song list, spanning over three decades worth of popular American music, contains easily recognizable and fun songs for anyone raised here in the States. [Dec 2003, p.82]

If rich visuals, stunning environments, and the most diversity-packed gameplay of this year or any other sound good to you, I have a ninja for you to meet. [Dec 2003, p.81]

Pulling it all together is razor-sharp presentation, incredible city construction and track design, and a use of sound and mixed tunes that is unrivaled in the genre; praise to EA for bypassing the numbing of ill-placed techno. [Dec 2003, p.62]

If they fix the play balance and are able to add that last bit of audio polish (and adjust that Steph model...she was <I>hot</> in the preview build), the next iteration could be perfection. [Dec 2003, p.101]

Fastidiously laid down, inventirely presented, established with a keen eye for detail. [Aug 2004, p.57]

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

Where Left Field shine, and do they ever shine, is in course design, AI and control. MTX is a gas to see and play. [Mar 2004, p.66]

The most enthralling and disturbing atmosphere seen or heard on the PC so far this year. [Oct 2004, p.84]

The fantastic level design, precise control and underlying weapon-swiping game theory are second to none. [Aug 2004, p.53]

The art direction, cinemas, sound design and control schemes are masterful, and the levels never stop giving. [Oct 2004, p.76]

What's important here is the execution and level of player involvement, not that we haven't done all this before, because we have. And believe me, I was involved. [Dec 2004, p.78]

The presentation and bonus features are top notch - Capcom even included the entire SFII anime movie. [Aug 2004, p.57]

An amazingly involving adventure from spirit to atmosphere to richness of setting and exploration. [Dec 2004, p.65]

Fantastic little touches abound, adding up to a firmly cohesive, engagingly structured, marvelously imagined setting to explore. [Oct 2004, p.67]

By far the best college football game to date. [Aug 2004, p.74]

One of the best-looking and certainly best-playing rally games ever. You will be astounded by the car models and amaze to the incredibly realistic way they take damage, right down to paint being flicked off. [Nov 2004, p.56]

This is the definitive version of Viewtiful Joe. [Sept 2004, p.73]

Thankfully, they took it upon themselves to overhaul the game and create a NASCAR racing experience unlike any other before it. [Oct 2004, p.88]

Some of the changes are hits, others are misses, but the bottom line is that this is another quality effort from Yuke's and THQ. [Dec 2004, p.102]

For 2D fighting bliss, look no further than Capcom Fighting Evolution. [Dec 2004, p.64]

Addictive in the most traditional gaming sense, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance insidiously traps you in its strategy-game mechanics, and there's no way you want to get free. [Sept 2003, p.80]

With its wonderfully satisfying mini-RPG elements that bring welcome depth and structure to its lovingly detailed Nintendo world, this is a game that just loves to be played. [Aug 2004, p.59]

The bold visuals, mechanics, story, and characters are brought together with a seemingly effortless charm. [Dec 2003, p.94]

They've taken a beloved classic game, reinvented it, rethought it, retooled it, and come up with a new game that is not only better, but vastly superior in almost every way. [Feb 2004, p.52]

The shooter stages offer some nice variety, while a surprisingly sophisticated story and a nice character growth feature add further depth. [Aug 2004, p.59]

Easily the best isometric shooter available for the system, it's amazing just how much a tiny GBA cartridge can hold. [Feb 2004, p.53]

Still infinitely playable and impeccably designed. [Aug 2004, p.61]

More than any other game in the Classic NES series, The Legend of Zelda is just as good now as it was back in the '80s. [Aug 2004, p.61]

A great adventure. It's this combination of unique elements that creates and action-RPG experience unlike any other, and it still holds up well today. [Dec 2004, p.100]

Once you leave the guild to embark on your personal journey, Fable becomes dependant on you...and let me tell you, this is the wave of the future. [Nov 2004, p.66]

The attention to detail - from the enemy AI and verbal exchanges to visual clues like dust, ash and fog (I even found physics on old tires rolling off of exploded debris) - is impeccable, and the team play aspects, especially in a one-player campaign, equal maximum immersion. [July 2003, p.78]

It's a game that's just incredible fun, mixing in all sorts of gaming ideas with the thrill of the real sport, painting a final touch of extreme excess and color for scintillating effect. [Nov 2003, p.86]

The detail spent on each and every droid is amazing, as are the physics applied, and the locales, from the underground tunnels to the ravaged cityscapes topside, are splendid. [Nov 2003, p.89]

Few games are as excitingly presented, as gorgeously constructed, as intensely visceral as the extraordinary The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. [Dec 2003, p.52]

Visually, ESPN NFL Football is top notch, especially the tackle and running animations. No other football game comes close in this area. Coupled with tight controls and great online play, ESPN NFL Football is a fine success. [Sept 2003, p.86]

When you face a player, it's almost like a fighting game: who will execute the proper move first? [Nov 2003, p.104]

Pulling it all together is razor-sharp presentation, incredible city construction and track design, and a use of sound and mixed tunes that is unrivaled in the genre; praise to EA for bypassing the numbing of ill-placed techno. [Dec 2003, p.62]

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]

A mesmerizing tone dominates the heavily Japanese landscape, built off of a rich spirit of what feels like ancient folklore and mysticism. This translates - brilliantly, tangibly - into the connection with the combat and the control of the characters. [Oct 2004, p.71]

This game is, simply put, brilliant. The music is intoxicating, the locales magical and the overall vibe decidedly dreamy. [Dec 2003, p.77]

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

If you're unfamiliar with Guilty Gear, then be prepared to get blown away - and possibly overwhelmed - by the incredible depth of this underrated fighting franchise. [Aug 2004, p.50]

Fantastic little touches abound, adding up to a firmly cohesive, engagingly structured, marvelously imagined setting to explore. [Oct 2004, p.67]

An amazingly involving adventure from spirit to atmosphere to richness of setting and exploration. [Dec 2004, p.65]

By far the best college football game to date. [Aug 2004, p.74]

Thankfully, they took it upon themselves to overhaul the game and create a NASCAR racing experience unlike any other before it. [Oct 2004, p.88]

One of the best-looking and certainly best-playing rally games ever. You will be astounded by the car models and amaze to the incredibly realistic way they take damage, right down to paint being flicked off. [Nov 2004, p.56]

This is just masterful game making, pure and simple. [Dec 2004, p.66]

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

With the grace, speed and precision of a great 2D fighter placed exactly in a 3D mold, Soul Calibur 2 is the only fighter I'll need for a very long time. [Oct 2003, p.72]

Where Left Field shine, and do they ever shine, is in course design, AI and control. MTX is a gas to see and play. [Mar 2004, p.66]

The look, feel, structure and incomparable Nintendo touch have been closely preserved, toyed with just enough to be labeled a substantial sequel. [Nov 2003, p.84]

There's just no way to put it except to say that it's quite possibly the ultimate rush. [Jan 2004, p.58]

Exhilarating and beautiful... For as much as the game is about speed and visual impact, it is also about feel and the overlooked art of track design. The game slams you in your seat, but it's also infused with the kind of stubtlety and attention to detail that only truly talented developers can muster. [Sept 2003, p.74]

If rich visuals, stunning environments, and the most diversity-packed gameplay of this year or any other sound good to you, I have a ninja for you to meet. [Dec 2003, p.81]

Once you synch up with Vanessa and the rhythm of the game, it's impossible to put down and clearly meant to be assailed three times (or more), which is also the only path to unlocking every suit and the secrets within. [July 2003, p.16]

There's something about the relative simplicity of the first one that mighit appeal to me more, but I certainly like everthing they've added here in this great sequel. [Oct 2004, p.70]

This game is, simply put, brilliant. The music is intoxicating, the locales magical and the overall vibe decidedly dreamy. [Dec 2003, p.77]

Demonstrates exactly the kind of pure, playful, unadulterated fun that got me into video games years ago. It's innovative platforming at the top of its game. [Sept 2003, p.72]

It's a game that's just incredible fun, mixing in all sorts of gaming ideas with the thrill of the real sport, painting a final touch of extreme excess and color for scintillating effect. [Nov 2003, p.86]

The other big talking point of this game is the inclusion of ground missions, and again, I turn a slightly blind eye to the sloppy control and sometimes frustrating camera because these missions look good and are fun, if only because you are running around blasting Stormtroopers like you pretended to as a kid. [Nov 2003, p.68]

It's hard to fathom how a game that speaks through elementary text, not voice, with characters that look like the once I drew on my Trapper Keeper in fifth grade (barking such eloquent lines as "Link, did you defeat that giant stone eye-thing?), can still hold me captive. But, somehow, it does. [Aug 2004, p.55]

Added to the PS2 extras, like the added indonesian jungle level, alternate pathways and mission reports, this is the quintessential version of the game. [Sept 2004, p.73]

Fantastic little touches abound, adding up to a firmly cohesive, engagingly structured, marvelously imagined setting to explore. [Oct 2004, p.67]

An amazingly involving adventure from spirit to atmosphere to richness of setting and exploration. [Dec 2004, p.65]

In terms of sheer fun, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the best RPG I've played in a long time. [Dec 2004, p.80]

By far the best college football game to date. [Aug 2004, p.74]

The detail spent on each and every droid is amazing, as are the physics applied, and the locales, from the underground tunnels to the ravaged cityscapes topside, are splendid. [Nov 2003, p.89]

Pulling it all together is razor-sharp presentation, incredible city construction and track design, and a use of sound and mixed tunes that is unrivaled in the genre; praise to EA for bypassing the numbing of ill-placed techno. [Dec 2003, p.62]

With the grace, speed and precision of a great 2D fighter placed exactly in a 3D mold, Soul Calibur 2 is the only fighter I'll need for a very long time. [Oct 2003, p.72]

Few games are as excitingly presented, as gorgeously constructed, as intensely visceral as the extraordinary The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. [Dec 2003, p.52]

No question, every game in the series has felt great, but this one is in another league. [Apr 2005, p.58]

Enclave on PC is illegally beautiful; in fact, I'd venture to say it ranks among PC's best-looking ever if you have the power to run it optimally. What a shame and horrible oversight that it doesn't allow you to use a control pad of any kind. [June 2003, p.58]

This version's a hair better than the Xbox one, too. [May 2003, p.60]

I've never experienced so much in the way of trimmings from the source material. [Dec 2002, p.61]

A spectacular, inventive, wondrous adventure. The lead is a bit of an odd-ball, but everything else is the stuff of dreams. [Jan 2003, p.68]

Xenosaga unapologetically challenges our conceptions of love, death, science, and religion, and aims to confound with its multifaceted plot... Just about as good as it gets for RPGs. [Mar 2003, p.59]

As well as this fighter plays (it's like a drug) and as deep as it is, it's the animation that keeps me coming back for more. [Mar 2003, p.64]

For 2003, Sega has upped the ante once again and has developed a near-perfect baseball game. [Apr 2003, p.70]

From the superb modeling of the interior and exterior of the vehicles, the realism of its courses, and the precision of its control, McRae looks and feels just like the real thing. [Jan 2003, p.75]

When it comes to the raw energy and unadulterated action, ZOE2 has few peers. [May 2003, p.72]

It's got style. In fact, presentation-wise, you'll not find a better action game...anywhere. [Nov 2002, p.58]

Quotation forthcoming. [Aug 2005]

Visually there's nothing like it--it is a purely artistic endeavor and as shooters go there's nothing here not to love. [Dec. 2006, p.81]

You don't need to be an experienced MMO player to have fun with this game, and you don't need a beast of a PC to run the game smoothly. [July 2005, p.80]

Warriors succeeds because it wholly engrosses players. [Nov p.82]

There's a clear and steady stream of tactical flow across virtually every map, a rare feat in and of itself. [Aug 2005, p.66]

This port's still brilliant, still mind-bending and (certainly) still Psychonauts. [Aug 2005, p.51]

Essentially, with MX vs. ATV Unleashed, Rainbow has perfected everything they introduced as the pioneers of next generation off-road racing. [Apr 2005, p.74]

Capcom turned the venerable but stagnant series around with Evil 4 [Nov p.72]

EA Chicago should be proud. It doesn't get much better than this. [Apr 2005, p.77]

Together with a near flawless play-by-play announcer, excellent sound, music and solid online play, EA Sports has done it again with MVP. [Apr 2005, p.76]

You'll be astounded by how much game there is here. [May 2005, p.67]

It is a game of tremendous emotion, of sadness and exhilaration, tragedy and wonder. [Nov p.80]

The entire game is bathed in ancient Chinese mystique, from its look to its captivating neo-Asian soundtrack - onf of the best for a platformer I've come across. [Sept 2005, p.]

The tools of the demon-hunting trade define Curse. [Nov p.84]

DJ exemplifies the maturation of handheld gaming - full-fledged console quality in a smaller, more approachable package. [Aug 2005, p.52]

Transfixing. [May 2005, p.67]

It's challenging and furious fun, made only better by multiplayer. [May 2005, p.70]

Spartan Total Warrior doesn't remind me of anything before it, which is extremely rare. [Nov p.70]

I haven't played a puzzle game this addictive since "Tetris." [Aug 2005, p.57]

Every year Codemasters puts out a new version, and it's as sure a bet as anything in this industry that it will be even better than last year's--and that once again it will be mostly ignored by U.S. gamers. [Mar 2006, p.44]

Every year Codemasters puts out a new version, and it's as sure a bet as anything in this industry that it will be even better than last year's--and that once again it will be mostly ignored by U.S. gamers. [Mar 2006, p.44]

Soul Calibur 3 represents the ultimate evolution in weapons-based fighting. [Dec 2005, p.57]

For now, they can bask in the glow of a truly superior achievement. [Dec 2005, p.80]

Jak X: Combat Racing is the best thing to happen to the genre on PS2 [Nov p.90]

With so many RPG’s vying for those last few PS2 dollars, Namco sought to make theirs stick out like a troll at an elves’ convention and so they’ve reached deep into their bag of tricks to present something truly original, while sticking to the genre’s time-honored covenants and their decidedly storybook-meets-manga design etiquette. [Jan 2006]

This is Katamari at its finest. [Oct 2005]

The game neither holds players' hands or pushes them away with a series of jumps only an automaton with computerized coordination could make. [Jan 2006, p.39]

Sega's VT World Tour takes not only intuitive control but reactive animation to the next level... [Nov p.98]

Vile and bizarre, refreshing and absorbing, Killer7 is an aggressive blessing to cleanse us from the masses. [July 2005, p.70]

With 16 players and 16 guns blazing, the game is violent bliss, and certainly a war demanding to be fought over and over again. [Apr 2006, p.58]

With 16 players and 16 guns blazing, the game is violent bliss, and certainly a war demanding to be fought over and over again. [Apr 2006, p.58]

Visually, Condemned will spoil you, as everything is exactly as it should be. Monolith has set the bar extremely high with its first 360 offering. [Dec 2005, p.52]

Stranglehold is fun. It's fun in a "God hand" way. [Oct 2007, p.81]

Splendid (and strangely addicting). [Oct 2005, p.73]

Splendid (and strangely addicting). [Oct 2005, p.73]

Splendid (and strangely addicting). [Oct 2005, p.73]

Tecmo has shown once again that it doesn't take mega licenses or millions of dollars to make a great video game. [Jan 2006, p.50]

Let's just call it very, very good and remind Namco that they'll need to surprise us next time. [Dec 2005, p.55]

Racing fans are lucky this launch season. [Jan 2006, p.46]

This RPG is brilliant, taking me back to the good old days when games like FFVII and Vagrant Story were king. [Nov p.101]

Mastering multiple note, holding notes, and nailing that crazy spaghetti takes (much) practice, but the quality axe is good to go. [Dec 2005, p.66]

If it's Metroid it's in here, and looking absolutely amazing... [Nov p.99]

It's one of the best games of the year. [Dec 2005, p.56]

Driving through the alleyways and suburban sprawls...rain pouring down, thunder clapping, music up; this is (virtual) living. [Dec 2005, p.54]

Grandia III may not be everything it could have been, but it's a great game nonetheless. [Mar 2006, p.39]

Fight Night Round 3 takes the sweet science of boxing to bloody new levels, and he results are certainly impressive. [Mar 2006, p.40]

Fight Night Round 3 takes the sweet science of boxing to bloody new levels, and he results are certainly impressive. [Mar 2006, p.40]

The war, as it was, has been won. [Nov 2007, p.70]

Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max is Street Fighter Heroin. [Mar 2006, p.48]

This is where the PSP begins to run away from the DS. Yeah, I said it. [Feb 2006, p.60]

If it's combat you crave, Field Commander won't disappoint. [may 2006, p.59]

Tomb Raider: Legend is about as good as games get right now. [May 2006, p.43]

Daxter makes a much better lead than he ever did a sidekick. As a lead critter, he's everything I look for and then some. [Apr 2006, p.71]

If you're jonesing for old-school, demerara-sweet gameplay wrapped up in a shiny 21st century paackage, by all means, merge with OutRun 2006. [Jun 2006, p.48]

Massively Open Online Racing has arrived. [Oct. 2006, p.60]

While they could easily have made a straightforward Tetris port for the system, Nintendo instead chose to really go all out for this one, especially in building the one-player portion of the game. [Apr 2006, p.96]

In so many words, it feels like the PSP's killer app. [Sept 2006, p.63]

I love it when I feel like a game has shown me something new. [Aug 2007, p.66]

I love it when I feel like a game has shown me something new. [Aug 2007, p.66]

If they gave this game to depressed people Xanax would be over the counter. [Sept 2006, p.66]

No game has ever afforded this level of freedom, and it's simply breathtaking to behold. [Oct. 2006, p.56]

So finally, after all these years, we have a gameplay-perfect home version of Alpha 3....and you even get every previous game in the series for free. [May 2006, p.44]

It's time to dive back in if you're already a citizen, and if you're not, gain access to the gaming world's most compelling simulated cyber space. [Nov. 2006, p.76]

I'm not going to say it's a better game than FFXII(although a part of me wants to), but I will say this: if you pluck one other RPG off the rack this year, this little gem should be it. [Nov. 2006, p.77]

What Ready at Dawn did for the "Jak & Daxter" series, extracting Jak and fashioning a killer game around his uber rodent, High Impact Games has somehow done for Ratchet and Clank (sans extraction), reinvigorating the series after three turns on the PS2. [Mar 2007, p.67]

Everything about Silmeria, except for the localization, which is good but pales to the likes of FF XII(but what doesn't?)is the stuff that RPG dreams are made of. [Oct. 2006, p.58]

Powers, outfits, gear...everything super about each combatant can be modded, and hot-swapping powers puts the gamut of their abilities at your fingertips. [Dec. 2006, p.82]