It may lack an ambitious single-player campaign but this value for money proposition serves to highlight that sometimes less really can be more. [Sept 2014, p.98]

With slightly more content and slightly improved visuals, it would have been essential. As it is, if you want a brief and thoroughly entertaining alternative to Banana Blitz, roll with this. [Feb 2007, p.124]

In relation to the more arcade-based titles available at the moment this game is the leader of the pack, as it manages to deliver everything that makes street racing enjoyable at a high standard, in one neat package. [June 2005, p.106]

Dewy’s Adventure feels like a full-blown game rather than a collection of brief remote-based tasks that have seemingly become the Wii norm lately. [Oct 2007, p.125]

Its fluid action and bustling open world full of character will draw you in, while the deeply engrossing narrative will keep you hooked until the emotionally fuelled finale. [Issue#199, p.70]

Everything Prey needed to succeed is in there, somewhere, but it doesn't gel. The game is too undefined, too broad in its ambition and application of its powers, spaces and weapons, that it fails to find and carve out its own identity. [Issue#188, p.69]

The one thing gamers quite reasonably demand from a sequel is a sense of progress, and for the most part that's strangely absent. If Crackdown's mix of free-form structure, grinding and exploration was enough to pull you in, then Crackdown 2 will almost certainly do the same. But when all's said and done, you might be left ruminating over the same question as us: Is that it?

The game’s innate charm and mixture of overbearing tension and fear still works as well today as it did back in 1996. [May 2006, p.117]

What’s the eventual goal here – watching an entire 90 minutes from the dugout? Clearly, a compromise must be struck, somewhere along the line. [Jan 2009, p.124]

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.

Disappointing after such a long wait then, even if Twisted Metal is still immensely good fun at its core.

This is a satisfyingly realistic and detailed simulation, and if you have the motivation to get accustomed to its ruthlessly realistic controls it will last you a very long time. [July 2006, p.122]

Worthy of your time, despite being predictable. [Issue#199, p.74]

An admirable effort that just falls short. [Issue#187, p.79]

Amazing highs marred by a few missed opportunities. [Christmas 2009, p.102]

Electronic Arts' decision to free the series from simply being one man on a very direct mission by creating a virtual battlefield is a wise one but one that hasn't quite reached as far as it could. [July 2005, p.106]

Much like the recently released Street Fighter V, Pokkén Tournament is a fighting game that only really comes into its own if you plan on playing it in local or online multiplayer. Solo gameplay is fun in short bursts, but to get the most out of this one you’re going to need a partner to duke it out with.

You often die for reasons beyond your control. [Issue#91, p.126]

So compelling are the first seven or so hours that the filthy tricks of the finale can't even sour them. [Issue#166, p.96]

An adventure you shouldn't miss. [Issue#187, p.81]

The mish-mash of styles and derivative elements on show make the whole game seem like a whistle-stop tour of the last generation’s classic action titles. [Mar 2007, p.116]

When we say that Red Dead is a great little game, the emphasis is as much on the 'little' as it is on the 'great'. [June 2004, p.102]

Essentially, what we have here is a further improved and expanded version of Xbox 360’s Ridge Racer 6. And that in itself makes Ridge Racer 7 notable as a great sequel. [Jan 2007, p.109]

A gorgeous but sometimes galling nostalgia trip. [Issue#188, p.81]

Worthy, but better if you're new to the series. If it's just nostalgia you're after … you could probably pick up the original …- it won't be pretty, but it will be a similar experience. [Apr 2004, p.98]

It turns out that, so befuddled is Star Wars Battlefront, that simply celebrating it for what it is feels dishonest. It’s an extraordinary mess of brilliant ideas melded with utterly harebrained ones; of thoughtful and charming fan service doing battle against a piledriving Palpatine and idiotic dialogue that sounds like it was recorded in a toilet.

A solid expansion to better the original. [Apr 2008, p.119]

A fine curtain raiser as we await Persona 5. [Issue#176, p.82]

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]

It's the strength of the stories that helps carry what would otherwise be a fairly linear and uninteresting concept. A niche title, then, but one that those looking for something unique should enjoy with relish. [Dec 2005, p.118]

There’s no denying its flaws – it can feel rushed, glitchy and rough around the edges, but when it does flow, it’s a magnificent spectacle. [Christmas 2005, p.118]

It may not deliver the same level of precision and polish exhibited in other titles in the genre, yet its imperfections seem to add to its charm. [Issue#199, p.83]

Both refines and expands on the ideas introduced in Mark Healey's adventurous pet project. [June 2009, p.121]

There’s a certain atmosphere to the hotel itself, augmented by the three-dimensional exploration and sketch-realistic characters, which creates a sense of actually existing in this mysterious building full of secrets to discover. [Mar 2007, p.118]

A hugely impressive game overall. [Issue#95, p.108]

A handful of minor niggles, like the inability to pause outside the start of your own turn, and the rather cautious approach of CPU competitors, detract little from an uncommonly smart and genuinely tactical game. It might have fared even better without its primary-coloured fripperies but Boom Street remains good enough to turn a blind eye to its rather untimely celebration of capitalism.

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

Fun that's over way too fast. [Tested with HTC Vive; Issue#176, p.84]

A rich, deep and insanely customisable world of strategy action awaits those brave enough to take on its steep learning curve and string of battles where a single mistake can lead to defeat. [May 2009, p.131]

A rare gem that takes the time to commemorate a tragedy, exploring its human cost in a way that's both meaningful and moving, and relying upon core interactions that are mostly about helping others rather than harming them. [Sept 2014, p.114]

The single-player element is distinctly average, so play Frontlines: Fuel Of War for its online mode, as that’s what it will be remembered for. [Mar 2008, p.118]

Despite sharing a name, Galaxies is a very different experience from Retro Evolved and in its own more considered way, it is every bit as appealing. [Jan 2008, p.118]

A beautiful technicolor journey into darkness. [Issue#188, p.83]

Played as intended, though – in short, brain-intensive bursts – this is a very challenging and inventive PSP title, worthy of attention. [Apr 2006, p.120]

A challenging and fresh take on Sci-Fi. [Issue#188, p.84]

The combat is very well implemented, taking place all round, over large distances and constantly second-guessing the player as to which direction to turn next. [Aug 2004, p.102]

This represents an unusual and attention-grabbing way for Sonic Team and Sega to make their entrances on a new platform and will succeed among the initial batch of launch games. [Jan 2005, p.121]

The game itself is fast, reasonably original and a great deal of fun. Trozei’s disadvantage is its complete lack of modes. [May 2006, p.126]

Very ambitious, but we’d urge them to concentrate on the game; with poor matchmaking, few maps, overly simple game modes and a limited free game, players might not stick around. And that would be a shame.

The fact that 1942 was such an enjoyable title means the gameplay's already a proven factor, but combine this with all the other new goodness you get for your money... and you get a game that really entertains, albeit in a fashion that some of us might well have seen before. [Apr 2004, p.102]

A more solid, playable and visually splendid grappler than this will be hard to come by... If it weren’t for the fact that you can easily clock Story mode and unlock everything in a weekend, we’d have a much easier job recommending Fight For New York. [Nov 2004, p.108]

Handheld gaming is designed for brief sessions and, in bite-sized chunks, Daxter is a very tasty proposition. [May 2006, p.116]

There’s a wonderful nugget of a game in Spirit Of Justice. The writing, as always, is gripping and clever – even if the puns aren’t – and the series hasn’t looked this special since the intricate sprite art animations of the first three games. It’s a shame that it’s wrapped up in what feels like nervousness – the worry that a visual novel can’t compete with the big boys.

Singularity contains the sort of smart, fun gameplay ideas we assumed first-person shooters had given up on. [Issue#99, p.120]

More of the same with some nice extra touches that don’t quite fulfil their potential. [Feb 2008, p.118]

It's the hulking great monsters that steal the show. [Issue#106, p.108]

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]

The percentage of actual game in Front Mission 4 is the best piece of mech strategy that you will play on the PS2. If only it was built just as a game and not to tell a story mimed by blathering idiots, we’d be looking at something very special indeed. [Sept 2004, p.108]

There are a couple of interface problems that mar this otherwise solid and entertaining DS title. [Aug 2007, p.117]

Controls are noticeably improved over past installments, but still imbued with a degree of inherent clunkiness. [Issue#197, p.66]

Feels like a familiar proposition from the get-go. [Issue#106, p.114]

Rayman Raving Rabbids is a fun-size Wii title with universal appeal. It can’t be considered a serious gamer’s game by any stretch, though it will make you laugh a lot, and even has some staying power with the multiplayer challenges and extra modes to unlock. [Jan 2007, p.108]

A brief, nostalgic, slick and endlessly stylish trip down the memory lanes of the NBA’s greats, but not quite the bona fide hoop dream. [May 2007, p.116]

A game with enough quality and playability to appeal beyond the boundaries of its subject matter. [Sept 2006, p.122]

A more casual and accessible game than the more complex series to usually come out of Telltale. [Issue#99, p.123]

Patience with Atelier Iris, however, comes with its own rewards as the game manages to open up in more creative ways (besides the mastery of the simple but solid fighting system) once you begin amassing Mana and mana. [Sept 2005, p.106]

Ultimately, this offers little over the first Desert Storm other than a new campaign and several engine tweaks but given the game's setting, there's precious little more you could ask of it. [Oct 2003, p.126]

Sadly, the adventure itself is far too linear; there’s little in the way of side-quests, and you have no freedom over where you go or what you do. If you can overlook this, though, The Third Age does mix a neat battle system with a great franchise to provide a surprisingly enjoyable adventure. [Dec 2004, p.107]

As with many Nintendo products, it's the 'feel' that sells this title. It's near impossible not to have fun while playing - even if you're determined to hate it - and it's one of those titles you've really got to play to understand. [Sept 2005, p.104]

There are better RPGs out there, there are better RPGs on DS, but better Sonic Adventures? You’d be hard pushed to find one. [Dec 2008, p.114]

Whereas the first game dragged, Darksiders II offers loot, side quests, an engaging skill tree, and a world four times bigger than the first that constantly keep you engaged with the experience. What's more, its various inspirations and genres feel more solidly packed together, robust and stable like a diamond formed under the pressure of the earth. It's a rough diamond, certainly, lacking the sharper, polished facets that make a real gem like Zelda so irresistibly good, but there's a dull gleam there nevertheless.

We hope Atlus takes its time to deliver a more compelling and intelligent game with the next Persona, as the series has some remarkable potential. [Jan 2009, p.126]

The game does get bogged down in far too many unskippable and boring dialogue sequences. [Issue#110, p.118]

Konami may have created the most robust digital version of its popular CCG yet, but it has married it to a distinct lack of gameplay modes and player interaction. [Sept 2014, p.123]

An intelligent and original gaming experience for those strong enough of stomach and mind to see it all the way through. [Dec 2005, p.108]

Stubbornly quirky, unashamedly inventive, strangely relaxed and only a little bit broken, Steambot Chronicles is a game quite unlike anything else out there at the moment. [Aug 2006, p.122]

As a celebration of the FPS genre's base instincts, Painkiller crosses the finishing line in first place; anything more than that and it doesn't even make it out of the blocks. [June 2004, p.100]

The combat is as fluid as ever and there's nothing more satisfying than combining your ski and jetpack abilities to gracefully glide over an enemy's head and launch a grenade that robs him of his last wedge of health, forcing him to watch the rest of the match from the sidelines.

Imitating a swing with the analogue stick is still as satisfying as ever, and the balance between control and room for error is nigh-on perfect. However, it would have been nice to see a few more changes to keep the experience fresh. [Oct 2003, p.122]

As both a companion to the Cube version – with which the game links up – and a standalone game, Advance Tour has more than enough to keep you satisfied. [Sept 2004, p.121]

This is a good time for adventure games and there are superior examples out there, but none more loveable than Time Gentlemen, Please! [Oct 2009, p.123]

The city-building genre has been crying out for a boost, which is what Children Of The Nile delivers. Unlike many games of this ilk, it caters for both micro- and macro-management, allowing for as series of small challenges to take place within a much bigger story arc. [March 2005, p.120]

Though retro in style, Strania certainly isn't without original ideas. [Issue#110, p.127]

Isn’t it amazing that a game featuring rappers fighting, and one made by EA no less, can be considered one of the most original games so far this generation? [Apr 2007, p.98]

As a sequel, Titanfall 2 is everything it was supposed to be. By extension, that means it isn’t a game changer; it isn’t as inventive or surprising as its predecessor, but then again, it couldn’t be. Titanfall changed the trajectory of the FPS in a powerful and immediate way, and that success isn’t to be simply re-created but iterated upon dutifully. Despite Respawn’s best efforts, the game’s obvious advancements and its spectacular engagement across multiplayer, Titanfall 2 doesn’t offer the same determined focus and balance that defined its predecessor.

Story aside, everything that's in the game is very competent and enjoyable but it doesn't quite go out of its way enough to push the envelope as far as the overall experience goes, when compared to where the genre is today. [Oct 2004, p.116]

It’s stringent, stripped back and sometimes a chore, but when things click for The Escapists it can be a delightful challenge to overcome.

A rather dry experience. [Issue#108, p.106]

While it lasts, Cave's genre breakout does a great job of making you feel like a nimble little paper ninja. [Issue#110, p.128]

Featuring more complex subject matter and a much grittier feel than virtually every other platformer out there, Naughty Dog has fully capitalised on the popularity of 'mature' games by producing a similar title that younger players will legally be allowed to play. But there's something about the GTA-cum-platform gameplay that just doesn't gel. [Nov 2003, p.112]

A brave game that deserves recognition. Gladius rises above its initial shortcomings and delivers a lengthy and enjoyable experience. [Dec 2003, p.112]

It’s not revolutionary by any means, nor is it particularly long, but thanks to some clever creative control the game delivers a funny, engrossing and downright weird experience unlike most other platform adventures. [July 2005, p.104]

Despite all of its faults, its lack of content and distressingly limited modding options, Gran Turismo Prologue 5 still feels a cut above the pack. [June 2008, p.112]

Just don't believe everything you read on the box. [Issue#110, p.130]

Mechanically, this is a game that is worth your time investment. [Sept 2014, p.128]

Monster Hunter is without question the PS2’s finest exclusive online title. The scope and scale make it like nothing else we’ve played on a console. [June 2005, p.110]

Good quality writing and voice acting help things along, but this is a game best experienced as a whole and does nothing to claim any but the most enthusiastic of point-and-click experts. [Issue#144, p.100]

The touch controls start off feeling a little detached, but it will grow on you. [Issue#158, p.109]