Holy disappointment, Batman. [March 2017, p.107]

The stakes are raised in the closing stretch, but the drama is undercut by the story's brevity. [March 2017, p.106]

This cosy, likeable platformer gives 3DS players a superior alternative to Arzest's insipid New Island. [March 2017, p.105]

It's hard to find too much fault in a game that's so in love with its inspirations, but Rise & Shine is at its best when it's being itself. [March 2017, p.104]

Kat, at least, wants to make everyone happy, no matter their social status, their motives or lack of manners. That's a noble goal, but an impossible one - and one the game that surrounds her, with its bland combat, its stodgy missions, and its wayward camera, fails to provide to the player. [March 2017, p.102]

Such steps forward may seem at odds with the time period, but that late-'80s setting is put to brilliant use in the story. [March 2017, p.98]

While it's unlikely to win as many hearts as Resident Evil 4 did, it's an equally important and remarkable entry in the series' tumultuous timeline. [March 2017, p.94]

The result, for all the longevity of its series and the familiarity of the open-world genre, is a game that evokes feelings we haven’t known for 20 years. Not since Ocarina Of Time have we set foot in a world that seems so mind-bogglingly vast, that feels so unerringly magical, that proves so relentlessly intriguing. Plenty of games promise to let us go anywhere and do anything; few, if any, ever deliver on it so irresistibly. Nineteen years on, Ocarina is still held up as the high-water mark of one of gaming’s best-loved – and greatest – series. Now it may have to settle for second place. [April 2017, p.104]

It's not quite vintage Mario, but this long-awaited mobile debut demonstrates an ingenuity and a keen appreciation of format that is quintessentially Nintendo. [Feb 2017, p.123]

Its ideas cohere into a blaze of brilliant white heat while it burns itself out. [Feb 2017, p.121]

Another slight VR release that serves as an excellent proof of concept but disappoints by not following through. [Feb 2017, p.120]

Under GungHo's auspice it has made its deepest game in years, and one of its most fascinating, too. [Feb 2017, p.118]

It turns out the mountain really does have something to say, but it's only when the noise is gone that its message can really be heard. [Feb 2017, p.116]

It's hard to complain too much about the absence of peril when you're wearing the bottom half of a chicken suit. [Feb 2017, p.114]

Even as you reflect on the rarity of a blockbuster that's willing to take real risks, you'll be left with the uncomfortable realisation that ten years wasn't quite long enough, after all. Those jagged edges are, in the end, just a little too sharp. [Feb 2017, p.110]

The Last Guardian doesn't just live up to its forebears' legacy, it goes further. Despite the callbacks to Fumito Ueda's previous works, it is a unique creation. Outside of indie experiments, we don't get to say that about modern videogames often enough.

With a smart, wry script, a warmly uplifting narrative and a likeable cast, this is a game with its heart in the right place, even if some of its other parts feel a little out of whack. [Jan 2017, p.123]

It promotes a message of kindness and understanding that's never felt more vital. [Jan 2017, p.121]

It promotes a message of kindness and understanding that's never felt more vital. [Jan 2017, p.121]

It's a short game, too - we reached the end after hour hours of unhurried progress. But Robinson's focus is on exploration and discovery, and Crytek provides plenty of distractions for the particularly curious. [Jan 2017, p.119]

There's nothing revolutionary in Lethal VR, but it's an accessible, frequently enjoyable showcase of what its host hardware is best at, let down only by the decision to bring a knife to a gunfight. [Tested with HTC Vive: Jan 2017, p.118]

This focus on creativity over flowcharts perfectly suits the most charismatic, expressive construction and management sim yet. [Jan 2017, p.116]

The core Titanfall moveset is a joy, and it has been thoughtfully expanded with a delightful grappling hook. [Jan 2017, p.112]

The action is so fast, and the time to kill so low, that anyone outside of the hardcore COD audience is in for a rough ride. [Jan 2017, p.110]

The game's greatest achievement is its setting. There's a distinct whiff of a Rockstar production to Watch Dogs 2's San Francisco, with its scale and polish, its savvy skewering of popular culture in general, and Silicon Valley's tech fetish in particular. [Jan 2017, p.106]

Despite a handful of minor issues, then, and occasionally patchy framerates in particularly busy areas, Dishonored 2 is consistently remarkable. [Jan 2017, p.102]

It's difficult to recommend as a standalone purchase. [Christmas 2016, p.122]

The compact nature of the game's arc means its narrative rhythm feels a little off and things clatter to an end well before you expect - or want - them to. [Christmas 2016, p.120]