Reader reviews, page 256

Reader PC

Mad Paradox review

To play Mad Paradox is to step into a world of mediocrity. It’s an RPG that skimps on all the ingredients that can make an RPG great. The battles are neither unique nor exciting, you’re given only an excruciatingly tiny area to explore…

woodhouse · July 28, 2004

Reader Game Boy Advance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance review

The first video gaming system I owned was an Atari 2600. You could play ports of a vast majority of that time period’s most beloved arcade games on that classic system. Of course, since the Atari 2600 wasn’t the most powerful thing around…

overdrive · July 28, 2004

Reader PlayStation 2

Need for Speed: Underground review

The Need For Speed series has always been about exotic cars on sunny, scenic roads. However, straying far from the beaten path, this installment takes you to the cold, underground world of street racing. You start out as a rookie driver…

heroofthewinds · July 23, 2004

Reader PlayStation Review of the Week

Final Fantasy VII review

Remember the good ol’ days before RPGs were cool? Days when you’d be controlling tiny, blocky characters through a game with little story beyond destroying the forces of evil? While there were a few exceptions to that rule, that was what…

overdrive · July 23, 2004

Reader SNES

Mega Man X3 review

The prolificness of Mega Man X3 is something that very few games can stand up to. It is clear-cuttedly the sleek and shiny diamond of Capcom’s notorious Mega Man X series, having just rebounded off the lusterless sapphire known as Mega Man…

yamishuryou · July 21, 2004

Reader Arcade

Street Fighter II' Champion Edition review

Street Fighter 2: Championship edition was the first revamp of the original World Warrior. Capcom hit solid gold with this version but as they continued the series it lost a lot of its charm and as usual Capcom continually upgraded the…

goldenvortex · July 21, 2004

Reader PC

Call of Duty review

When Call of Duty came out, I didn't give it much thought. I hadn't really heard that much of it but a lot of people were talking about it. For some reason or another, I checked out some reviews of it. I'm glad I did. Call of Duty is a…

gamefreak99 · July 21, 2004

Reader NES

Kirby's Adventure review

1993. Two years after Super Mario World was released and the SNES was strongly showing off its 16-bit muscle. Nintendo knew that an end to their 8-bit powerhouse was inevitable, but they weren't at peace with letting it die in a less than…

retro · July 21, 2004

Reader Genesis

M.U.S.H.A. review

I’d been in a slump as far as shooters went, it seemed. It felt like forever since I’d actually played one that was fun and aesthetically pleasing. Those paying attention to “All Things Overdrive” probably know that among the recent ones…

overdrive · July 20, 2004

Reader Game Boy Color

Warlocked review

In July of 2000, this game showed up in the pages of my then-glossy copy of Nintendo Power, receiving a fine review. Summarized by the magazine, I instantly knew that I had to get this game, and after a month of searching, I acquired a…

yamishuryou · July 19, 2004

Reader SNES

Super Castlevania IV review

One of my favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone is the story of a thief who's killed during a robbery and moves on to an afterlife. He assumes that he's in heaven, since he hits the jackpot every time he gambles, is given whatever he…

bluberry · July 19, 2004

Reader PlayStation

Star Ocean: The Second Story review

Here’s a math problem for you. Take one of the most respected RPG development companies in the world, Enix; add two other talented production houses, Tri-Ace and Links. Now factor in two separate storylines, a party of up to eight…

denouement · July 17, 2004

Reader Game Boy

World Bowling review

Silly ethnocentric me, I had completely classified bowling as a purely American game. Entirely blocking out its ancient origins, I now thought of it only as a pasttime of inflated importance for men with thick, black-rimmed glasses or an…

woodhouse · July 16, 2004

Reader PlayStation 2

Rez review

Rez defied my every expectation. Of course, when you’re dealing with a game like Rez, it’s a bit hard to go in knowing exactly what you’re going to get. The only thing that was clear was that Rez was advertised as a music-based “rail…

hoodedjustice · July 16, 2004

Reader PlayStation 2

Madden NFL 2004 review

Every other year since Madden '98 I buy the new Madden game. This year I wasn't going to break that tradition. Madden 2004 looked amazing. All the screen shots, commercials, and the hype about the new features. I couldn't wait to get it…

espnking2002 · July 15, 2004

Reader PC

Call of Duty review

What would videogames be without international conflict? World peace is undeniably a noble goal, but a game about dancing in a circle with your brother man wouldn't be quite as entertaining as one about, say, fighting the Nazi menace…

autorock · July 15, 2004

Reader PC

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne review

In Max Payne 2, about a third in, there's a bit where you, as the melancholy detective, sneak into the home of an informant in the murder case you're investigating. It's night. It's raining. The howling gale fades to a muted whisper as you…

autorock · July 15, 2004

Reader TurboGrafx-16

Heavy Unit review

I’ve decided I have to be some sort of mentally ill glutton for punishment. You see, when confronted with a shooter of the lowly caliber of Taito’s Heavy Unit on the PC Engine, the average player likely wouldn’t get too far. They’d start…

overdrive · July 15, 2004

Reader PC

Ecstatica review

Ecstatica is a survival horror game that few have played and many have missed out upon. Unlike most games of the genre which tend to start off slowly and allow the horror to slowly creep up on you with chilling awe it kind of throws you in…

goldenvortex · July 13, 2004

Reader Arcade

Golden Axe review

Golden Axe is a game that will remain close to me until they shut the lid on my coffin. For over a decade me and some of my close friends have beaten this game countless times together and also solitarily although I had finished the…

goldenvortex · July 12, 2004