GameSpot's Month in Review for August 2004

Welcome to the back-to-school edition of Month in Review. While parents and students gear up with new notebooks, school clothes, calculators, and pencils, our newest Month in Review feature will advise you on which games you should be stuffing into your backpack. So pay close attention, class, and take careful note of the top games of August. The releases are going to come fast and furious from here until the end of the year. And there will be a final exam.

In contrast to the slow release schedules of the earlier part of summer, August saw a number of high-profile releases across a wide range of platforms. Madden NFL 2005 won the Editors' Choice award on both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms, in part because of new Xbox Live functionality. Another big-name sequel, Pikmin 2, garnered an Editors' Choice award on the GameCube platform, while a licensed game, Astro Boy: Omega Factor, earned our highest rating for a Game Boy Advance game thus far in 2004. Trumping all of these in terms of hype was another hotly anticipated sequel, Doom 3 for the PC, which garnered a great score and set the pace for all PC releases this month. Again, keep in mind that our picks for game of the month are not predicated entirely on review score. We carefully weigh all worthy candidates and discuss which game is truly deserving of the game of the month award.

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Check out our other PC reviews in August

NHL Eastside Hockey Manager (8.4)
"This fantastically addictive management simulation covers the entire world of hockey."

Title Bout Championship Boxing (8.1)
"Title Bout Championship Boxing is an admirable, intricate simulation that you could call lovingly crafted...if the sport in question wasn't all about punching people in the face."

The Political Machine (7.4)
"This isn't the Abraham Lincoln of political strategy games, but it isn't the Jimmy Carter either."

War Over Vietnam (7.0)
"War Over Vietnam is suited for those with intimate knowledge of the subject matter who are willing to forgive several flaws to fulfill their "what-if" strike commander fantasies."

Starshatter (6.4)
"Starshatter provides a welcome dose of innovation to a genre that's been practically rendered extinct, but its originality ultimately fails to translate into a satisfying gameplay experience."

Marine Heavy Gunner: Vietnam (5.1)
"Ultimately, like many budget titles, this one's the poor man's version of its full-priced competition."

Alida (4.8)
"Alida's one notable quality is the fine craftsmanship of its visuals, which at least make the game fun to look at even when it's not fun to play."

Check out our other Xbox reviews in August

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow (8.5)
"Black Arrow will be instantly appealing to anybody who enjoyed Rainbow Six 3, and it also makes a great place to start for newcomers to this intense tactical shooter series."

Galleon: Islands of Mystery (7.0)
"Galleon: Islands of Mystery fails to live up to its incredibly lofty aspirations, but it does so in spectacular fashion."

Pure Pinball (6.9)
"Pure Pinball is a competent, budget-priced pinball simulation."

Test Drive: Eve of Destruction (6.8)
"This one is strictly for the diehard derby-goers, assuming there are still a few of us out there."

Army Men: Sarge's War (5.2)
"After playing through Army Men: Sarge's War, it's likely that you'll find yourself wondering why anyone bothered to salvage the Army Men license at all."

Check out our other GameCube reviews in August

Madden NFL 2005 (8.8)
"Madden NFL 2005 is still Madden. That is to say, it's another superb game of football that continues Madden's long legacy as one of the best in the business."

WWE Day of Reckoning (8.2)
"Day of Reckoning is truly the first great WWE game on the GameCube."

Amazing Island (6.5)
"Amazing Island is decent entertainment for a younger crowd, though they'd probably prefer a game featuring one of the franchises it tries so hard to emulate."

Street Racing Syndicate (6.2)
"SRS tries to deliver an authentic street racing experience, but the racing itself tends to be rather unexciting."

Check out our other PlayStation 2 reviews in August

Viewtiful Joe (8.8)
"Viewtiful Joe deftly delivers a fantastic cel-shaded look while also adding a really great series of unique gameplay twists that make it much, much better than the average side-scrolling action game."

Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (8.1)
"The two games in Street Fighter Anniversary Collection have aged gracefully. In particular, Street Fighter III: Third Strike stands out as one of the best 2D fighting games on the PS2."

Ghosthunter (8.0)
"Ghosthunter is a game that should absolutely be played by anyone who enjoys a good, creepy action romp."

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (7.9)
"The end result is an enjoyable experience, even if the game does not boldly go where no game has gone before."

Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires (7.6)
"Empires brings some much-needed depth to the aging Dynasty Warriors formula."

Phantom Brave (7.5)
"There's a lot of creativity in Phantom Brave, and the audience for whom it's intended--fans of anime and strategy RPGs--will enjoy it for the most part."

Hot Shots Golf Fore! (7.3)
"Fore! can be a serviceable golf game, though if you've been playing any other modern golf game, you'll likely find this one's mechanics and presentation to be a bit dated."

Dog's Life (7.0)
"There's not a whole lot to Dog's Life, but what's there is entertaining enough, and it certainly lets you do things you can't do in just about any other game."

Test Drive: Eve of Destruction (6.8)
"This one is strictly for the diehard derby-goers, assuming there are still a few of us out there."

Gallop Racer 2004 (6.2)
"If you're not already a fan of the series, Gallop Racer 2004 doesn't provide a new, compelling reason to grab the reins."

Astro Boy (4.9)
"It would have been a more valuable homage to the life's work of Osamu Tezuka had Sonic Team simply created a better game."

Check out our other Game Boy Advance reviews in August

Madden NFL 2005 (8.1)
"Madden NFL 2005 is a complete overhaul, with better AI, customizable skill settings, and a great degree of control over play calling."

Catwoman (5.4)
"Only devoted fans of the character will want to take the plunge on the GBA version of Catwoman."

Check out our other Mobile reviews in August

Jamdat Sports NFL 2005 (8.4)
"You won't find a mobile game that simulates the football experience as faithfully as Jamdat NFL 2005."

Super Real Tennis (8.4)
"Super Real Tennis is so accomplished in terms of presentation and gameplay that it almost seems unfair to compare it to the current mobile gaming offerings in the US."

5-Card Draw Multiplayer (8.0)
"If you enjoy poker, 5-Card Draw Multiplayer is simply a must-have game."

Gradius (8.0)
"The sprites may be smaller, but the spirit of the classic shoot-'em-up, as well as its original level designs, remains intact."

Rail Rider (8.0)
"Rail Rider is a fun, humorous first-person action game, with a compact environment ideal for mobile."

CBS SportsLine Track & Field 2004 (7.8)
"The online score competition makes Track & Field 2004 a winner, especially when combined with its challenging gameplay."

Flynn's Adventures (7.3)
"In spite of its flaws, Flynn's Adventures is a step up from most mobile platform games."

Bush vs. Kerry Boxing (7.2)
"Bush vs. Kerry Boxing is a clever repurposing of Sorrent's existing boxing game, providing a rare example of a current events-based game that's actually fun to play."

Galleon: Dawn (7.2)
"Galleon: Dawn offers a challenging combination of jumping, climbing, and swordfighting."

Pac-Match! (7.2)
"Pac-Match! is an enjoyable puzzle game with a lot of replay value."

Baseball Heroes of the MLBPAA (7.1)
"Baseball Heroes of the MLBPAA is an incomplete rendering of the baseball experience. If you can reconcile yourself with this fact, you'll find that there's a lot to like here."

FlipIt! (7.1)
"If you're on the hunt for a good, difficult puzzle game that will keep you busy, FlipIt!'s 50 levels will give you a lot to think about."

Barry Bonds Homerun History (7.0)
"Easy offensive mechanics, combined with Homerun History's range of competitive options, add up to a fun arcade baseball game, even if the scope of gameplay is extremely limited."

New York Times Crosswords (7.0)
"Crossword fans are going to love this game. As for everyone else, there's really nothing fancy or exciting here to draw new initiates into the fold."

SpongeBob SquarePants Bowling (6.7)
"SpongeBob Bowling combines the colorful characters of the Nickelodeon cartoon series with a game closely modeled on what makes Jamdat Bowling successful."

Copa Univision (6.3)
"Copa Univision is a serviceable mobile soccer game, if you can see past its lethargic pacing."

CS Garfield Pinball (6.3)
"The differences between this game and any other pinball title are minimal and come as a result of the Garfield license rather than from original game design."

A Ninja's Tale (6.1)
"A Ninja's Tale could have been a sleeper. Unfortunately, though, it feels decidedly unfinished."

Playman Power Games (6.0)
"Power Games' four events are fun, but they're a little too easy to master."

Bill Parcells Football Camp (5.8)
"There's very little football here to speak of, and what is here just isn't interesting for long."

Aleste (5.2)
"Square Enix and Macrospace managed to squeeze some nice graphics out of Aleste, but it's a pity that the rest of the game isn't as great as its visuals."

Venus Williams Tennis (5.1)
"Venus Williams Tennis isn't a very good game of tennis."

Air Hockey (5.0)
"There's no substitute for a polished gaming experience, and Air Hockey doesn't meet expectations in this department."

I, Robot (4.5)
"I, Robot is a passable platformer, but shoddy controls make it a below-average game."

Actraiser (3.7)
"The mobile manifestation of Actraiser is but a pale shadow of the classic game's former glory."

Dual Threat (3.1)
"An enjoyably prototypical plot is the best thing that this short, repetitive, and poorly produced side-scrolling shooter has to offer."