It's a game confident enough in its core ideas to simply offer greater volume and variety of enemies in its later stages, and it has the balance and poise to ensure that's more than sufficient.

Frustrations rarely linger in a game with such a bright, celebratory vibe. This is a love letter to the early history of two mediums - imperfectly written, perhaps, but deeply and sincerely felt. Charming, distinctive and impossible to forget, Cuphead is the kind of game you'll immediately want to talk about, yet be desperate not to spoil. Like we said, quite the paradox. [Christmas 2017, p.114]

Embellished with delightfully grotesque aesthetics and accompanied by some wonderful tunes... [Issue #421, p.112]

Redacted makes no apology, yet somehow escapes from the shadow of its inspiration. [Issue#404, p.116]

It's more an effective reminder of why these games have been so captivating, though than the evolution they'll need, sooner rather than later. [Issue#406, p.122]

Like a kaleidoscope, El Shaddai offers a constant variety – sometimes confusing and out of focus, but often sparkling brilliantly. So long as you're not looking for any deeper meaning, you'll find plenty of novelty and beauty here, if not quite an eternity.

Codemasters is as attuned to track-building and racecraft as it has ever been. [Oct 2009, p.92]

It's unlikely Innocence will lead to an epidemic of similarly snappy games, but we'd love this particular contagion to catch on. [Issue#341, p.116]

The game’s major achievement is an emphasis less on personal advancement, but rather on working as a cohesive unit to achieve your collective goal – the hunting of monsters, truly absurdly monstrous monsters... It’s an excellent exercise in humility and cooperation, and one that should not be passed by. [Dec 2005, p.108]

Halo 5 is full of good decisions and fantastic multiplayer experiences, but in trying to catch up, it might have shown how far behind it really is. [Christmas 2015, p.98]

Tying everything together is an engagement with creativity in all its forms, and a delight in messing with the various shapes videogames can come in. [Issue#406, p.123]

These are the most generous entries since HeartGold and SoulSilver. [Jan 2014, p.123]

Seasoned with tragedy and humour, it’s a poignant tale that courts cliché but which, thanks to its charm and creative twists on well-worn themes, represents one of the narrative high points of the series. [Apr 2009, p.123]

That's clearly how Call of the Mountain has been designed: as a technical showcase first and foremost, pushing visual fidelity further that we're used to seeing in this medium, and taking players on a tour of some of its most tried-and-tested mechanics. Taken as such, this is an all but essential companion to PSVR2. As for whether it's enough to convince people to adopt the technology in the first place? Well, that might prove a steeper mountain to climb. [Issue#383, p.114]

What a laugh. [Issue#338, p.104]

As with Ocarina, at first there is a rush of nostalgia. As it fades, it's replaced by the realisation that, in many ways, the original was the playable prototype and this is the true final product, a fantastic fit both for the hardware's portability and feature set.

It's infectious, and it is difficult to imagine that anyone with any affection for rock music could fail to appreciate it. [Dec 2015, p.116]

As we play, we realise that Pathologic 3 is rich in a large variety of relatively shallow systems. [Issue#421, p.116]

Its characters may initially seem to be lazy stereotypes, but they soon blossom into something deeper, thanks to intelligent writing and uncommonly naturalistic acting. [Dec 2008, p.97]

With a superior control system and a raft of incisive upgrades, this year's update is a connoisseur of the boxing arts. [Apr 2005, p.103]

There is a lingering sense that Jett's ultimate form lies somewhere between The Far Shore's guided storytelling and the hands-off puzzling here, but this generous and welcoming expansion is deserving of any time given over to it. [Issue#381, p.98]

The final riddle's convolutions are forgiven by its payoff... [Issue#422, p.119]

As a snapshot of a moment in time, there's truth captured within the frame. [Christmas 2015, p.106]

These are the most generous entries since HeartGold and SoulSilver. [Jan 2014, p.123]

It occasionally uses those worn tools to achieve something profound. [Issue#421, p.120]

This relaxed, arcade-like approach makes for something that's not so much about simulation, but more emulation; letting you thwack the ball with all the verve of an expert, without the worry of any homework. Fun, then, and lots of it. [Nov 2003, p.107]

Sharp, funny writing is elevated by superb voice acting. [Issue#341, p.119]

It's a process as intuitive and satisfying as any merge-based puzzler... [Issue#422, p.121]