By 'refocusing' the game to concentrate on the more realistic side of the sport, Hitz Pro takes the series down a new path that loses any sense of identity that it might have made for itself. [Dec 2003, p.124]

Unwritten Tales 2 comes up unfavourably when compared to the classic games it tries to emulate, contemporary titles that have tried to do a similar thing, à la Broken Sword 5, and games that have tried to modernise the genre such as The Walking Dead. In that context, it would perhaps have been better if those ‘unwritten tales’ remained as such.

PopTop has spent a significant amount of time creating its own 3D engine to show off the trains. But once you've zoomed in on your new Norris locamotive a few times and watched it disappear into the tunnel you've just built, the novelty does wear thin. [Nov 2003, p.123]

By 'refocusing' the game to concentrate on the more realistic side of the sport, Hitz Pro takes the series down a new path that loses any sense of identity that it might have made for itself. [Dec 2003, p.124]

A relentless conveyor belt of cannon fodder ensures the carnage is kept at a suitably frantic rate, yet with every wave of cookie-cutter thrown to the mercy of your crosshair, repetition becomes an increasingly prevalent factor. [Mar 2004, p.116]

A Sonic game struggling for its own identity. [Nov 2007, p.108]

The core gameplay is somewhat lacking. ‘But it’s for kids,’ we hear you cry. Maybe so, but even kids - or those who are just young at heart - will no doubt want a challenge that lasts longer than it would take to watch the original trilogy. [May 2005, p.109]

Half the game it should have been. Whoever came up with the inventive level structuring or spent months mapping LA has every reason to be furious with the lacklustre implementation of their ideas. [Christmas 2003, p.106]

It's not that this is a bad game, but to ignore the more important elements of gameplay in order to add more gratuitous elements to the cauldron is unforgivable, and in that sense The Suffering is most similar to Soldier of Fortune II and the like. [June 2004, p.123]

Half the game it should have been. Whoever came up with the inventive level structuring or spent months mapping LA has every reason to be furious with the lacklustre implementation of their ideas. [Christmas 2003, p.106]

Half the game it should have been. Whoever came up with the inventive level structuring or spent months mapping LA has every reason to be furious with the lacklustre implementation of their ideas. [Christmas 2003, p.106]

It's not that this is a bad game, but to ignore the more important elements of gameplay in order to add more gratuitous elements to the cauldron is unforgivable, and in that sense The Suffering is most similar to Soldier of Fortune II and the like. [June 2004, p.123]

One of the most frustrating things about OV is the fact that there's very little feeling of control. But what seems at first to be a truly pathetic attempt at a sports game does take shape (of sorts) once you put some time into learning exactly how it plays. [Nov 2003, p.125]

The core gameplay is somewhat lacking. ‘But it’s for kids,’ we hear you cry. Maybe so, but even kids - or those who are just young at heart - will no doubt want a challenge that lasts longer than it would take to watch the original trilogy. [May 2005, p.109]

The core gameplay is somewhat lacking. 'But it's for kids,' we hear you cry. Maybe so, but even kids - or those who are just young at heart - will no doubt want a challenge that lasts longer than it would take to watch the original trilogy. [May 2005, p.109]

What we have here is the absolute bare bones of the stealth genre mixed with shock video scenes that attempt to add flavour to the otherwise bland action. Essentially, the gameplay works as follows: track down a Hunter, get behind him, hold down the X-button...and...that's it. [Jan 2004, p.122]

It's a horrible, cynically produced, soulless and poorly designed racing game that manages to be as equally boring as it is frustrating. [Dec 2005, p.107]

Okay, so it's hard to knock the presentation... but when the game's this bland and has virtually no replay value, it hardly seems worth bothering. [Apr 2004, p.114]

When you reach a dead end, it's usually just a case of retrieving a generic puzzle item from a conveniently inconvenient hiding place before continuing. Cue several minutes of primitive platforming and beating up the undead with a functional combat system before the next 'mash the Triangle button until you find something interactive' session begins. [Nov 2003, p.126]

Brian De Palma’s film was an indictment of violence and capitalist greed; here they are your primary goal – the developer is relishing in the brutality and profanity and severely missing the point in the process. [Dec 2006, p.123]

While Worms 3D essentially delivers what it says on the tin, in surrendering its intuitive interface the concept has evolved into a far less attractive proposition. A shame. [Dec 2003, p.126]

Once the contentment of seeing the impressive 'ultimate'look of the Spider-Man characters has faded and the comic book flair has become old news, it's still going to be a very bitter pill to swallow. [Dec 2005, p.118]

When you reach a dead end, it's usually just a case of retrieving a generic puzzle item from a conveniently inconvenient hiding place before continuing. Cue several minutes of primitive platforming and beating up the undead with a functional combat system before the next 'mash the Triangle button until you find something interactive' session begins. [Nov 2003, p.126]

There’s a fun story to be experienced here, but it’s constantly halted by the lack of progression. Any notion of pace, suspension of disbelief or immersion is constantly shattered by obtuse puzzling, aimless wandering and wooden, static performances. [Nov 2006, p.104]

When you reach a dead end, it's usually just a case of retrieving a generic puzzle item from a conveniently inconvenient hiding place before continuing. Cue several minutes of primitive platforming and beating up the undead with a functional combat system before the next 'mash the Triangle button until you find something interactive' session begins. [Nov 2003, p.126]

This is clichéd, tedious, frustrating nonsense, as archaic in its gameplay as it is banal in its story. [Sept 2005, p.120]

Its nicely cel-shaded characters pull off impressively over-baked attack combos in colourful stages, but it lacks balance and plays with no subtlety. [Mar 2007, p.111]

What's truly disappointing is that there are seeds of greatness here. [Issue#161, p.94]

Wait for Pro Evo 6 if you can, and in the meantime be happy with FIFA 06 if you really must play EA’s sim. [June 2006, p.122]

A tendency to lose track of your player amongst hordes of slathering foes and a constantly changing camera spoils any potential fun ... leaving the whole package somewhat less than we were hoping for. [Dec 2003, p.124]

As an exercise in flexing evil, it's far more tiresome than it is enjoyable and as an advert for the freedom of evil, it may as well be Hitler's screaming head in a vacuum-sealed bell jar. [Aug 2009, p.126]

Too short-lived to justify even the standard Live Arcade entry fee. [Aug 2008, p.113]

The non-existent friendly AI combined with the relentless assault of dull attackers makes The Simpsons an almost depressing experience. It doesn’t feel quite right to be laughing when you’re not enjoying yourself. [Chrismas 2007, p.120]

Ironically, the developer has actually been very successful in mapping a superbly intuitive control system to the gamepad, and by enabling direct control of your Titan a basic action element is introduced. Yet by totally amputating any strategic scope from the RTS equation, the ensuing battles becoming virtually pointless affairs. [Mar 2004, p.111]

It's the faintest of pulses on a cadaver we've seen many times before - identikit dungeons, faceless monsters and convoluted menu systems should be a thing of the past by now. [Christmas 2003, p.126]

A gutless turn for a franchise that prides itself on being the exact opposite. [Issue#118, p.115]

It's harmless mass-market entertainment; the kind that any discerning gamer should already know to leave well alone. [Christmas 2005, p.116]

Ironically, the developer has actually been very successful in mapping a superbly intuitive control system to the gamepad, and by enabling direct control of your Titan a basic action element is introduced. Yet by totally amputating any strategic scope from the RTS equation, the ensuing battles becoming virtually pointless affairs. [Mar 2004, p.111]

It's harmless mass-market entertainment; the kind that any discerning gamer should already know to leave well alone. [Christmas 2005, p.116]

While Worms 3D essentially delivers what it says on the tin, in surrendering its intuitive interface the concept has evolved into a far less attractive proposition. A shame. [Dec 2003, p.126]

Capcom may well have delivered a game that can offer an online experience like nothing else currently available, but it's presented in such a haphazard fashion that many gamers will grow frustrated with the connection problems and simply go back to their other online titles. [May 2004, p.106]

Hasn't soured our memories of the original completely. [Issue#139, p.114]

Vampyr has a bold and ambitious concept at its heart, but the execution is sorely lacking, so while it may be packed with good intentions, it's not really worth the effort. [July 2018, p.68]

If Black Flag was a self-contained explosion of quick-witted brilliance, Assassin's Creed: Unity is nowt but wreckage. Stand aside. [Issue@155, p.99]

Dragonball Z: Shin Budokai is as soft a beat-‘em-up as you’re likely to find and, worse still, one that offers nothing more than the previous games, aside from the fact that it’s on a portable console. [May 2006, p.130]

While Worms 3D essentially delivers what it says on the tin, in surrendering its intuitive interface the concept has evolved into a far less attractive proposition. A shame. [Dec 2003, p.126]

Recommended only for DDR completists or people who would seriously consider Mushroom Kingdom cosplay. [Dec 2005, p.122]

The dull broken side of medieval busywork. [Issue#198, p.72]

Nostalgia can be an intoxicating thing, but in the case of this iPad outing it's simply not powerful enough to overcome the boredom borne of run-of-the-mill design. Eternia? More like eternally dull.

There's just no thrill to the combat and no spark to the characters or story, which ultimately makes Magna Carta II a step backwards in an already static genre. [Dec 2009, p.103]

While the deviant design maintains the unsympathetic difficulty, here it feels cheap and archaic within the context of such plodding action. [Christmas 2011, p.107]

It's almost as though the team forgot that games are meant to be fun, because Ghosthunter isn't. Quite simply, you can't do anything (honestly, anything) or go anywhere the game doesn't want you to; it's almost an insult to your intelligence. [Christmas 2003, p.112]

It comes nowhere close to living up to its title's protestations. [Issue#121, p.112]

It’s harmless mass-market entertainment; the kind that any discerning gamer should already know to leave well alone. [Christmas 2005, p.116]

If ever a title were to prove that 3D fighters don't work with sprite-based characters on a small screen, Sonic Battle would be that game. Attack connection is nothing short of a joke and the appalling character balancing doesn't make it any funnier. [Feb 2004, p.116]

While Worms 3D essentially delivers what it says on the tin, in surrendering its intuitive interface the concept has evolved into a far less attractive proposition. A shame. [Dec 2003, p.126]

As you do your first turn and notice your character eerily rotating through space in a box, no apparent bodily movement guiding the trick, the realisation dawns that there's almost no fun to be gleaned from satisfactorily pulling off a stunt in Stoked. [Nov 2009, p.112]

We were disappointed when "Frontline" failed to take advantage of its World War II settings, but it's galling to see that EA still hasn't got it right with Rising Sun. If there's ever a case against World War III, then surely this is it. [Christmas 2003, p.100]

Ironically, the developer has actually been very successful in mapping a superbly intuitive control system to the gamepad, and by enabling direct control of your Titan a basic action element is introduced. Yet by totally amputating any strategic scope from the RTS equation, the ensuing battles becoming virtually pointless affairs. [Mar 2004, p.111]

The problem really lies with the game being far too stilted and linear, shunting players from one mission to the next without giving them much choice in the matter. In drawing the game back to its rawest roots, Rockstar has done the series an injustice by taking one step back too many. [Christmas 2004, p.116]

Far too often your hands will be in the right physical space, but the Wii thinks they’re elsewhere – inexcusable in this kind of videogame. [Dec 2008, p.126]

It's fair to say that playing Advent Rising is about as enjoyable as getting home from a hard day's work to discover you've been burgled. [Aug 2005, p.114]

The touch screen is now just another method of input and, as such, a compendium of weak mini-games will no longer cut it as entertainment. [Mar 2006, p.122]

We were disappointed when "Frontline" failed to take advantage of its World War II settings, but it's galling to see that EA still hasn't got it right with Rising Sun. If there's ever a case against World War III, then surely this is it. [Christmas 2003, p.100]

The more you play, the more it becomes obvious that this is more than a case of shattered hopes. There are some serious issues concerning gameplay and enjoyment that leave this Star Fox game a fair way short of its predecessors. [Apr 2005, p.92]

Sadly, the promising squad-based interface is put to incredibly uninspiring use. Despite the impressive scope, this lacklustre playing experience offers little incentive to persevere and explore the strategic depth on offer. [Dec 2003, p.126]

Ultimately, Shattered Union is just too frustrating to be enjoyable. Its accessibility problems are crippling and even after you've got to grips with how the game works, it still feels unbalanced and confusing. [Dec 2005, p.127]

The most inadequate of games: a platformer that struggles in its platforming. [Issue#110, p.122]

Various publishing houses have pushed and pulled the direction of the game and the resulting product dazzles with its incoherence and dated nature. [June 2004, p.114]

Clichéd, generic, bland, boring and infuriating. [Mar 2008, p.120]

Diluted, disjointed and uninspiring. Feeling more like a staggered set of obstacles than a wholesome game, the action sadly boils down to little more than a tediously dull showcase for your equipment and abilities, which are put into use against some questionable AI stooges. [Jan 2004, p.118]

While SFII itself is obviously still brilliant, there's nothing about this bare-bones package that even nearly does Capcom's classic justice. [Issue#189, p.83]

There's no doubt that you'll find a lot of praise for Episode II out there, since it addresses the physics issues with the first episode so well, but games™ can't honestly recommend a game so under-developed on quality controls alone.

The inanely perfunctory gameplay fumbles in its derivative attempt to emulate the LEGO formula. [Christmas 2011, p.126]

Ultimately, Shattered Union is just too frustrating to be enjoyable. Its accessibility problems are crippling and even after you've got to grips with how the game works, it still feels unbalanced and confusing. [Dec 2005, p.127]

Another Code R commits all the same crimes a bad novel would: the dialogue is uninteresting, the characters unlikeable, the pace slow and the premise so uninspiring that you soon lose the motivation to see what happens next. [Sept 2009, p.122]

Neo Contra sees the series willing to move into a brave new world, but on this evidence it hasn’t put it’s best foot forward. [Feb 2005, p.92]

There's just not much of a game here. [Issue#159, p.104]

For games so wholly focused on delivering key emotional beats and complex narratives, the presentation and optimisation leaves a lot to be desired.

Think of a bug that has annoyed you at some point throughout the videogame-playing years of your life and it’s more than likely that Two Worlds has suffered from it at some stage. [Nov 2007, p.114]

We were disappointed when "Frontline" failed to take advantage of its World War II settings, but it's galling to see that EA still hasn't got it right with Rising Sun. If there's ever a case against World War III, then surely this is it. [Christmas 2003, p.100]

The whole experience isn’t awful, just thoroughly uninspiring; a box of biscuits where some are moldy and all are digestive. It’s fun to be a pirate, but it’s far, far more fun elsewhere, with Risen 3 once again struggling and failing to rise above anything but its own mediocrity.

The genre has moved on, and after over two years in the making we expected more than a basic continuation of the PSone game complete with all the trappings of that generation's first clutch of action titles. [July 2004, p.120]

Rigidity under the façade of freedom … prevents Rogue Ops from being aything other than a sub-standard stealth clone. Against the competition, which is growing stronger by the month, it's hardly surprising, but we expected better than this. [Feb 2004, p.110]

You simply can't ignore the fact that the developer has been unable to match the scale of its ambition in the lacklustre final product. [Issue#109, p.112]

Dilute, disjointed and uninspiring. Feeling more like a staggered set of obstacles than a wholesome game, the action sadly boils down to little more than a tediously dull showcase for your equipment and abilities, which are put into use against some questionable AI stooges. [Jan 2004, p.118]

If seeing The Dark Knight Rises has inspired you to put the cape back on, do yourself a favour and go back to either of Rocksteady's games instead. Because this one is wearing hockey pads.

The story is much the same as the game itself, and while there are moments when it seems it could be picking up, it shoots itself in the foot. Normal enemies that take full clips to dispatch, 'puzzles' that make Doom look like a brainteaser... the potholes are all too common and apparent. [Nov 2003, p.127]

The story isn’t interesting and you’ll often find yourself flying aimlessly through space, waiting for your next set of orders. It may be realistic in relation to the world of Star Trek, but that doesn’t mean it’s fun to play. [Feb 2007, p.107]

Assassin’s Creed couldn’t afford another step in the wrong direction, and yet, here we are again. ACC: Russia is still a few weeks away, but Climax will seriously need to re-evaluate its core systems and mechanics to give it a chance to succeed. Chronicles was a leap of faith for Ubisoft; this time there isn’t a bail of hay there to break the fall.

There are better examples of the genre for sure, it's just a shame they're not on any console. We'll say one thing for it - it's miles better than "Final Fantasy XI." But then, that's not saying much, is it? [Christmas 2006, p.130]

We could well be looking at a number one here. Unfortunately, Batman Begins won’t deserve such an elevated status as it’s average to the core. [Aug 2005, p.106]

There's nothing in Nail'd that is outright offensive, but the sloppiness of its execution damn-near eradicates any fun that could have been gleaned from it. [Issue#105, p.122]

An insipid and trite game that struggles with plot, consistency and character, settling instead for a mindless headlong charge. [Mar 2009, p.118]

Rigidity under the façade of freedom … prevents Rogue Ops from being aything other than a sub-standard stealth clone. Against the competition, which is growing stronger by the month, it's hardly surprising, but we expected better than this. [Feb 2004, p.110]

It’s a real shame that a game with such promise has to be scored so low because of inefficiencies within the industry, especially if the version that’s on retailers’ shelves is now far tighter than the copy in our possession. [Dec 2006, p.125]

The Order clearly sees itself as some sort of bridge between the world of games and cinema, but it fails miserably to create the essence, tones or rewards offered by either medium.

Futuristic racing never felt so outdated. [Sept 2008, p.117]