To be honest, we spent the majority of our time just cruising around the county, drooling over the views and picking off random racers that happened across our patrols.

For fans of the series, this is an essential purchase, and for first timers, this is a great opportunity to get hooked. [Issue#167, p.83]

Dead Rising 2 is a sequel that tries so hard to appeal to fans of the original that the rest of the gaming world might not find the mass slaughter of zombies quite so appealing. We loved it from start to (stupid) finish, though the many reasons others might not are plain to see and completely understandable.

A compelling adventure full of great ideas. [Issue#197, p.82]

BitTrip Beat certainly makes for an atmospheric, pulse pounding experience, but it's not one that comes easily. [June 2009, p.128]

Perhaps the greatest achievement of Pokémon Conquest, however, is that it made us want to go back and play one of Koei's earlier, duller and more convoluted Nobunaga games. And any game that can make us feel that way is worthy of high praise indeed.

Despite Virtua Tennis 3's crisp visuals and handful of new animations, it still feels like the original. [Apr 2007, p.127]

Despite high quality, Trauma Center: Second Opinion was outdone by itself earlier in the year. The Wii control method, however adequate, can’t live up to what was achieved with the DS game. [Jan 2007, p.90]

On the occasions when the game flows it’s possible to produce some breathtaking football, but all too often the game slows to a crawl and it’s extremely difficult to produce anything like a constructive passing move. [Nov 2005, p.116]

Even when the game begins to repeat itself, it never ceases to be fun. The initial wonderment may wear off slightly, but the engine is so solid and the gameplay mechanic is so enjoyable that SSX On Tour never drops below stellar status. [Dec 2005, p.102]

Treyarch's shooter comfortably outdoes "Resistance" as the best FPS on PS3, a spectacular light show of WWII horror underpinned by a rock-solid engine and tight controls. [Apr 2007, p.130]

A fast and relatively action-packed water-based arcade racer that's more wacky than something like "Wave Race: Blue Storm" and has stupidly over-the-top stunts but still enough realism in terms of the physics to make it worth a look over other 'normal' racing titles. Three words? It's a renter. [Oct 2003, p.123]

The Trial And Execution Of Guybrush Threepwood has proved that Telltale has what it takes to equal LucasArts's best. [Christmas 2009, p.114]

For all the development trouble, for all the doubts, for all the talk about what Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance could have been – it’s now a Platinum game and it sparkles with the same confidence and verve it would have done had Kojima been at the helm. It’s an absolute joy to play and is almost certainly the best Metal Gear gen released this gen.

Most will be happy with the 20-plus hours of entertainment they get from the expansion - it's more of the same and, for that, we're happy. [Issue#95, p.126]

Broken Destiny is undoubtedly one of the high points for the series so far, and a must-buy for fans. [Oct 2009, p.130]

There's plenty to do and see (within the golf spectrum, naturally) but at the end of the day, there's just not enough real magic to keep you coming back for more. [Christmas 2003, p.125]

Spider-Man 2 emerges as not only a movie licence that eschews the 'fast-buck' approach, but as an enjoyable game in its own right – which is chiefly a testament to just how compelling it is to have superpowers and a vast city in which to show them off. [Sept 2004, p.118]

An engaging and refreshingly svelte JRPG, but one that offers mere hints at where the genre may go from here rather than the new blueprint it could have been. [Issue#121, p.110]

Building on what it achieved with Pneuma: Breath Of Life, The Turing Test is a far more robust, captivating and fulfilling experience. It’s not breaking ground, but it explores some fun ideas and challenges you to follow them. As a sign of Bulkhead’s growing confidence and ambition, it’s a fantastic step.

An enthralling and time-sapping trial of nerve and persistence. [Issue#147, p.125]

Despite being made of patchwork parts, it is never less than good fun to play and, at its best, a surprisingly intense experience – all credit due there to the twitchy and intelligently designed combat system. Reckoning is a big, meaty game that will thoroughly satisfy both RPG and action fans, and if you are a Skyrim player, then you should definitely make room for this too. You'll love it.

This is a high-quality platformer packed with variety - if you don't mind a pushover, you'll find plenty to like. [Issue#148, p.119]

So while Age Of Wonders III doesn’t really offer much that you can’t get elsewhere from the 4X genre, it feels fresh and distinctive enough – it has been over a decade since the last Age Of Wonders, after all – that strategy fans will have something to get their teeth into all the same. Hopefully next time won’t be quite so far away, and a little more consideration for the city management screen wouldn’t go amiss.

Rock Band and Guitar Hero already have the party attitude, but Rocksmith needs to try harder to master this untapped school music teacher approach.

On the occasions when the game flows it's possible to produce some breathtaking football, but all too often the game slows to a crawl and it's extremely difficult to produce anything like a constructive passing move. [Nov 2005, p.116]

This is a marked improvement on its predecessors, both narratively and gameplay-wise, and it’s a huge amount of fun to play from start to finish. However, without trying to sound like a dick, it’s a game much like its protagonist: absorbing until you come into contact with something more appealing.

Between a clever mixture of single-player only score-chasing, fun co-op modes, light karaoke functionality, and a levelling-up system that’s incremental and actually pushes you out of your comfort zone, this is a game that repairs all the wrongs the peripheral-based rhythm action genre fell foul to last gen.

What’s here right now is thoroughly engaging. With more time it could have done a great deal more and found more depth that would serve it well for the future, but what it has done is impressive and most importantly and lot of fun to play.

The whole thing smacks of laziness - of the 12 missions, we count a total of four completely new ones...the annoying thing is that Contracts is an enjoyable game; that IQ had the cheek to crib from its previous work almost doesn't matter when the result is still worth playing. [June 2004, p.98]

Surprisingly good. By being considerably different to the 'bigger' games in the series, Infiltrator is a title worthy of attention from fans and doubters alike, while still having enough links to real events to make it deserving of the Medal of Honor moniker. [Jan 2004, p.116]

Glowing reflection of the past. [Issue#107, p.106]

Electronic Arts has managed to fire yet another positive shot in the football sim battle. [May 2008, p.117]

Football Manager 2015 is the best version in a series that has been peerless for many years. It’s not the kind of overhaul that suggests players of last year’s game desperately need to upgrade, but the hardcore will not be dissatisfied. And if you’re a lapsed fan, then we’ll see you in your suit come cup final day.

The two different modes may play completely differently but they compliment each other far better than we'd anticipated. For that, EA should be commended. [Dec 2005, p.94]

You need to know before paying out for (and therefore committing to) Wii Fit that it has to become part of your daily life for it to mean anything. And if you are willing to commit to it then Wii Fit is a loyal and multitalented trainer. [Feb 2008, p.136]

It may be the most expensive WiiWare release, but it effortlessly ranks as the most notable. [Aug 2008, p.118]

The expansive main campaign runs at a native 1080p/60fp, giving every ship, nebula and hyperspace jump a captivating presentation. The control scheme maps well to the Xbox controller too, providing access to every facet of your vessel. Elite: Dangerous offers an experience like no other, it’s just a shame the sins of the past still sting as painfully as they did on PC.

Disappointment, thy name is Amped 2. [Christmas 2003, p.122]

It's a nice, clean package that delivers enough hi-octane chases and enjoyment to warrant a purchase. [Christmas 2005, p.121]

One of the best things we've played all year. [Issue#201, p.82]

If this is to be Irrational’s last hurrah then it’s a mixed but compelling swansong for a company that often took bold, divisive design and narrative avenues. It might not hit the highs of some of its best work, but it’s a fitting testament to the studio’s unbridled creativity and theatrical magnificence.

It's still a little rough around the edges, but it's a real pleasure to return to the Zone. [Issue#93, p.122]

Its best feature is still its protagonist. [Issue#153, p.112]

New players will struggle at first but for those willing to invest the time, Total War: Attila’s deep pockets repay that investment with a varied and deep campaign and a plethora of additional content.

It's no Super Mario World, but compared to its predecessors this game is huge...finally, Kirby has a game he can be proud of. [June 2004, p.122]

While the Walking Dead demonstrated the potency of interactive fiction, there are times here where Telltale struggles to dispel a disquieting notion: that The Wolf Among Us doesn’t necessarily benefit from the player’s involvement.

Willfully weird and captivating. [Issue#188, p.83]

If there ever was a perfect MOBA ambassador for consoles then it was always going to be Smite. [Issue#166, p.88]

While a few technical hiccups do occasionally spoil the party – there’s a touch of latency in the jumping controls and the odd little bug that makes matters a touch confusing – there’s so little to fault in Bithell’s striking debut. This is a game to admire, to enjoy and evangelise; a thoroughly English slice of indie magic that is every bit as accomplished as anything with a budget and a team. If this truly is the year of the indie, then long may it continue.

Newcomers are in for a real treat. [Issue#150, p.124]

FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage has been aimed squarely at those who are sick and tired of fluffy and generous racing games. Indeed, this is harsh, uncompromising, over the top and at times incredibly frustrating. This feels like the point-blank shot in the face that racing games so sorely need. [Aug 2007, p.123]

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]

The highlight is undoubtedly Motoi Sakuraba’s wonderful score, ranging from memorable, up-tempo tunes to serene orchestral numbers with just about everything you could ask for in between... But it’s the fundamentals that keep us coming back to Star Ocean night after increasingly late night. [Nov 2004, p.104]

It’s more the subtle touches that make the game what it is, a combination of something just that little bit different and a typical Kojima game. [June 2006, p.126]

The sound is unusually quiet, consisting mostly of ghostly bell chimes, only coming to life when battle begins. It's wonderfully atmospheric and gives OTOGI a distinct, mystical feel that's almost as important as the gameplay. [Oct 2003, p.127]

The previous title in this series is still to many the most complete racing simulator ever made, but Forza 5 exceeds it in several ways - not enough to displace it, but enough to fully merit its place on the Forza podium. [Issue#142, p.84]

It's a compelling return to form, featuring some of the series' most well crafted, inviting and testing stages, and while much has changed in the six-year interim, you'll be pleased to hear that Agent 47 hasn't.

A whimsical evolution of the beat-'em-up. [Issue#181, p.83]

Ignore the discordance within its narrative and get your way past the incredibly dull opening stretch: Wolfenstein is a brawny, gratifying shooter experience – the likes of which you probably haven’t played in some time. Consider it a history lesson.

If you just mindlessly consume the thing, it's not entirely unpalatable. But when you pick it apart and consider the ingredients, it isn't hard to see it as a bit of a mess. [Apr 2010, p.116]

As enjoyable and refreshing as Kameo is, we can’t help but feel that it would have been better received long ago on the GameCube, as was originally intended. [Christmas 2005, p.126]

Yes, it's simple, and a classic example of style over substance, but NBA Jam is also a huge amount of fun, and a great example of a developer actually realising what made a franchise so popular in the first place and building it into something far greater. [Christmas 2010, p.118]

It has never looked better. [Christmas 2011, p.124]

Rock Band Unplugged excels at demonstrating how the tight connection of input and music can provide strong gameplay without the need for a plastic guitar or snap-on peripheral. [Aug 2009, p.121]

A modern action epic that feels like a classic.

It's a precarious house of cards. [Issue#121, p.108]

Beguilingly charming. [Issue#115, p.112]

The N64 predecessors are, whether we like it or not, relics of a time when everyone seemed happy just to riff on Super Mario 64, but Nuts & Bolts is a long-overdue move away from that style and a great one at that. [Christmas 2008, p.84]

A veritable knock-out. [Issue#102, p.100]

5th Cell has managed something very difficult: creating a game that's at once simple and also incredibly complex, and doing so with such composure and charm that you'd be doing yourself a great disservice not to give it a go. [Nov 2009, p.104]

An unexpected and unforgettable co-op gem. [Issue#199, p.77]

What Telltale has created here is a narratively-driven game that's as much about people as events, as much about inaction as it is putting walkers out of their misery, and as much about what cannot be changed as the countless choices the player is forced to make. If the developer can now make good on the game's initial promise, and deliver a truly branching narrative that adapts to the decisions taken throughout each episode – something, lest we forget, that not even the mighty BioWare could carry through the Mass Effect trilogy with any conviction – then The Walking Dead could be remembered as a genuine classic of the genre.

It's not the most technical or the deepest fighter you'll ever play, but you'll struggle to find something so skillfully designed to complement its platform in any genre. [Issue#110, p.106]

Lost Planet delivers exactly what you’d expect of a quality Capcom title – a challenging, atmospheric, well thought out videogame experience. [Jan 2007, p.86]

Chime is a small game, but it's one with a big heart. [Issue#95, p.127]

For all its loveliness and in spite of its adventurous battle system, Chopin’s Dream is ultimately too restrained to be classed as revolutionary. [Sept 2007, p.122]

Every moment spent with Echochrome is a refined and edifying one. [May 2008, p.109]

The Evil Within isn’t a return to the genre’s roots or a reinvention, but an exercise in reliving its greatest hits. It’s disappointing that Mikami has lost the wind behind his sails and there seems to be genuine creative apathy here. Nonetheless, The Evil Within is an enjoyable horror romp. It’s a shame it couldn’t be more.

Far too generic to be considered anything other than average. [Christmas 2005, p.114]

It’s far from perfect, but Marvel fans have been served well, and those who like their Gauntlet served with extra statistics will have a game they can place just behind the last Dark Alliance. [Dec 2004, p.109]

Unabashedly mocks you, itself and everything else. [Issue#194, p.82]

Side missions and hidden blocks are suitably distracting, although the use of a difficult-to-read radar over a mini-map displays a certain level of open world naivety that should probably be expected from a developer that has just been going through the motions for so long.

The tongue-in-cheek Cold War-era humour is preferable to Cities XL's hard-faced exterior, but Haemimont's skill in masking the behind-the-scenes mechanisms pales in comparison to Mote Cristo's effort. [Dec 2009, p.118]

Like titles such as Yakuza and Forbidden Siren 2, it’s a late-era PlayStation 2 game that will likely be ignored by the masses and cherished by a bedazzled minority. [Sept 2007, p.116]

Those who’ve played the first three might feel short-changed, especially with the omission of the two-player mode and online leaderboards from New Blood, but players pulling on those surgical gloves for the first time will be doing so with the best game in the series to date. [Oct 2008, p.112]

Another superb feat of strategy gaming...and while the depth of "Disgaea" simply isn't present, there's more than enough here to please the more cerebral gamer. [July 2004, p.121]

Easier than the classics, but not without difficulty. We got properly stuck once and found the rest mildly challenging. [Sept 2009, p.112]

If you've fallen out with the series, then this may be the best reason in years to return. [Issue#108, p.110]

High Moon is really starting to find form and do the franchise justice. And despite the game's flaws, fans will surely find Fall Of Cybertron to be the best reflection of their beloved robots in disguise in many a year. Too bad they couldn't get Grimlock right, though.

Everything about 2048 oozes class, screams quality and does more than enough to force the hardcore to take a serious look at Vita. [Issue#119, p.92]

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]

Here's hoping the rest of the trilogy also heads west. [Issue#117, p.122]

For some, the act of simply throwing little computer people around will remain its most compelling feature. [Dec 2009, p.128]

A strange beast. [Issue#100, p.132]

The biggest complaint is the size of the game - despite the 3D stylings making everything seem bigger, the game is just too darn small to last that long for any but the most inexperienced Castlevania player. [Jan 2004, p.110]

Until Dawn plays with you. It’s an extended metaphor for horror games, one that prides itself on how much it predicts – and counteracts – what you’re doing. If you care about the advancement of meta-narratives and the player/game relationship, this is for you.

Both wit and genre-expectation emerge almost unscathed. [Issue#99, p.112]