It's good shooting, of course, pulled off with the studio's signature style, but it's come at the cost of Syndicate's imagination and ambition.

The game’s inimitable character bursts at the seams of what was clearly a limited budget. There is none of SquareSoft’s dull-eyed cinematic waste here, which will no doubt alienate swarms of both genre fans and critics. But the charm of the title coupled with its breathtaking breadth and depth will win over more discerning gamers. [Aug 2005, p.91]

That becomes a bigger problem late in the game, where it resorts to the cheapest method of raising the difficulty by simply throwing high-level enemies at you in increasing numbers. In one battle, you're tasked with holding a position for a given amount of time, before being told that isn't enough; you must now finish off all the remaining enemies. At which point it has become clear that no matter how effective the synergy of our augs, mods and weapons may be, our survival hinges upon us grinding side-quests to raise our level. What a shame The Ascent should make the final steps of its climb so arduous - even if there is evidence here that its maker could yet go all the way to the top. [Issue#362, p.110]

Blur will take you on a fantastic holiday, then, but perhaps not the most relaxing one. [May 2007, p.88]

You get the impression the only person who cares about Kain's legacy any more is the writer. The turgid battling lets an average game down. [Jan 2004, p.107]

It feels best when you're making snap decisions, the action moving along with a satisfying pop, pop, pop rhythm that echoes the films. [Issue#133, p.104]

The world is a pulpy delight: captivating, unique, and a genuine pleasure to spend time in. [Oct 2016, p.116]

Stick with Bloom & Rage through the hard times, though, and you might well be ready to take comfort in that lie. [Issue#411, p.110]

For all Team Ninja's talk of keeping it more real, DOA5 is mostly business as usual. There are tweaks to the formula and aesthetic, but nothing too sacrilegious or enticing. It's disappointing, then, that this has little to offer over its forebear.

And if this animalistic chaos all sounds a little too weird, consider this: strip away the surface strangeness, and you're left with a surprisingly identifiable tale of a mammal negotiating the pits and pitfalls of the concrete jungle, constantly worrying about sex and death as they try to make their way in a hyena-eat-elephant world. Well, at least until the velociraptors arrive.

We emerge from Awakening's eight or so hours feeling as though we've spent much longer underground. [Issue#405, p.106]

One of the most quietly devastating moments involves a character simply shaking their head softly. [December 2016, p.110]

For all its potential, Infected delivers precious little in either world: a singleplayer that blooms too late, and an underdeveloped online experience that withers too soon. [Jan 2005, p.85]

Surviving isn't supposed to be easy, of course. But there's a line between challenging players and screwing them over, and The Flame In The Flood regularly crosses it. [April 2016, p.106]

Nearly all enemy behaviour consists of direct charges, calling on the butt of your gun as frequently as its barrel. While it’s undeniably intense, it soon becomes apparent that this intensity is the only string on the designers’ banjo, plucked with increasingly feverish rapidity instead of ever-changing chords. [Nov 2005, p.105]

Thankfully, the conversion from keyboard and mouse to pad has been made with rare judgement - movement is smooth and aiming is easy. The classic gameplay has made the transition too, and is as rewarding as ever. [Jan 2004, p.110]

Fantastic Four and Captain America-themed tables complete a package of rare value on the eShop; this may not be the finest version of Marvel Pinball you can buy, but Nintendo's store can only benefit from more third-party offerings of similar quality.

While the thrill remains and the audiovisual show lives up to the billing, then, you wonder if the designers of genre classics might have pushed the envelope even more. [Issue#402, p.122]

Despite the vertiginous learning curve, however, Puzzlegeddon’s mechanics intersect neatly and offer some depth – even if most early games will descend into manic clicking. [Feb 2009, p.97]

This is a fine calling card for the Derbyshire developer: far from flawless, but clear proof that this new hybrid has a bright future ahead. [Issue#350, p.102]

There's an unexpected clarity to solo play that's lost amid the tumult of human competition, but what's never obscured – and what stands as its great accomplishment – is its fond and intricate celebration of all things PlayStation.

If only there was substance to match the undeniable style. [Issue#357, p.123]

Flying Wild Hog has re-imagined a cult classic while maintaining Shadow Warrior’s unique personality in a shamelessly flawed and flimsy shooter concerned more with laughs and blood-letting than balance, and the team’s bold embrace of the game’s roots goes a long way to excuse the game’s problems.

The gems that this sequel is connecting - the RPG and match-three puzzler - still need one more to complete the chain: character. [Oct 2010, p.94]

It's totally faithful, and if you're of a certain age worth it without question for the nostalgia hit and sheer fizz of the nutty robots and explosions.

The trappings of high society barely conceal the violence yet to come, and the air crackles with anticipation. [Issue#384, p.108]

But as brutal as its buzz-saw races can be, they pale compared to the marketplace for online multiplayer into which it's throwing itself. [Issue#403, p.110]

Buy into Arma 3 now and you’re buying into many promises. Bohemia’s pledge of a coherent campaign, its promise of a wider array of military toys to play with, and its intent to tweak and update AI errors, scripting issues, and pathfinding problems. But these promises are backed up by thousands of the world’s most dedicated players, people who’ve spent years crawling through Arma 2’s rough terrain to find the comparatively even ground of Arma 3. Buying Arma 3 at launch is buying a promise, then, but few games are so meticulously realised, or show so much promise.