Though still unique, Patapon's crisp, minimalist art design and central mechanic is no longer a strong enough draw to excuse its repetitiveness and price tag. [May 2011, p.99]

A slick production, but its rewards can feel outstripped by the effort required to play it. [Christmas 2016, p.118]

It only betrays itself completely once – in a dismally conventional boss battle around halfway through – though at times Spartan threatens to become routine, it never does, thanks to its strong character, handsome looks and sheer, irrepressible verve. [Nov 2005, p.96]

How curious to find Nintendo's most contemporary tale hidden in a format so beholden to the past. [Issue#402, p.120]

Proves that what works as a prototype does not necessarily translate to a final product. [May 2015, p.123]

As the adrenaline fades, disappointment always creeps in, that meeting this creature more up-close than ever before might have actually, finally defanged it. [Issue#407, p.98]

This may superficially resemble any of a dozen other DS SRPGs, but it has many twists and a clever, manipulative philosophy at heart that lifts it above the crowd. [May 2009, p.97]

Even if the overall package is less than the sum of its parts, an arcade-perfect port of Vampire Saviour is impressive enough alone, and the PSP’s screen definition infuses the visuals with their original, unmistakable vibrancy. [Feb 2005, p.82]

The picaresque form allows the levels to function as discreet puzzles rather than as parts of a story arc: the objective remains pure and always the same. The obstacles and methods open to you are what change, and it's in these areas that Contracts has both expanded and improved. [June 2004, p.103]

Seeing the game from beginning to end reveals its true artistic merit: it never gets stale; every episode has been drawn with minute care and attention. It would have been an incredible achievement if the gameplay had matched the outstanding art direction. [Dec 2003, p.94]

It's a shame that, for all those nifty custom USB sockets, there's no real connection to be found here. [Christmas 2018, p.112]

Repetitive and crude, this is a game that is often let down by the rough edges of a development team that didn't seem to have the time or the money to realise its ambitions. [June 2003, p.102]

Other than some disappointing visuals, there's little to complain about in arcade, exhibition and mutliplayer modes. [July 2004, p.109]

This is, after all, a game that goes out of its way to empower in a way few other games dare. [Jan 2016, p.102]

As a free download, Frobisher Says may not be a waste of your money, but there are many better diversions on Vita to occupy your time.

It spits you out, head spinning, with a message about overcoming failure through unorthodox thinking; one last surprise in a game that encourages you to readjust your perspective in every sense. [Issue#340, p.118]

As it currently stands, the charm of those inventive crafting mechanics can wear off, with progression in the later stages stretched particularly thin. With some further additions stirred into the mix, Potion Craft could yet get closer to reaching its full, heady potential. [Issue#381, p.102]

Though a perfectly engrossing horror game (and a timely reminder that an over-the-shoulder view isn't the only way of looking at an awful place) at times it can feel like a waste of promising concepts. [Issue#347, p.98]

It lacks the original’s elegance and surprise, but as F2P spin-offs go, this isn’t nearly as villainous as you might expect.

The rethink has inspired some of the most cunning, least arbitrary Monkey Ball level designs since the first game, and though Banana Blitz is the model of accessibility, it’s also plenty tough enough. [Christmas 2006, p.85]

As far as either an authentic simulation or a fun re-imagining goes, it’s like some strange negative of the emperor’s new clothes; the pretty wrapping is there but the body is not. [Mar 2007, p.83]

Magic Pengel isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, a rounded and satisfying videogame. But it is, without question, a rounded and satisfying stretch of the imagination. [Nov 2003, p.92]

Many of the new additions do not work. [May 2015, p.116]

Why take such efforts to unearth them in a remaster that goes above and beyond in so many ways, only to leave basic flaws intact? A puzzle for future generations of podcasters, perhaps. [Issue#359, p.114]

It's difficult to shake the sensation that Killer 7 is an important production, as paving for future creative leeway if nothing else. But its likely love/hate status is testament to just how adamant it has attempted to be in its flair for extraordinary presentation. [Aug 2005, p.84]

A smart idea, executed in a very controlled fashion, but could do with letting its hair down occasionally.

You'll want to see each and every one of Pendragon's journeys through, even knowing that its survivors are set to live miserably ever after. [Issue#351, p.100]

When the curtain drops on Binary Domain, you're left with the sense that, while accomplished, this game is largely a rote exercise in genre. It adequately, but not outstandingly, mimics the nuts and bolts of the western cover shooter, while bringing little new of worth to the table.