Will be remembered for its potential, if at all. [Issue#168, p.98]

Story Of Seasons can be laboriously repetitive at times, but it somehow manages to keep you playing anyway through a combination of charming dialogue and the eventual satisfaction of a farm you’ve sweated buckets to bring up to scratch.

The concept is better than the execution, but that doesn’t stop this being a good game that provides more than enough choice to justify its price tag. [Dec 2007, p.108]

For out money, however, the battles are all too often a test of patience rather than an examination of your ability to strategise efficiently. [Sept 2008, p.121]

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]

Cold War's sense of fun is backed up with a more measured, rewarding battle structure. [Nov 2011, p.112]

Enjoyable mostly for its Persona heritage. [Issue#168, p.99]

Bright in style and execution, but imperfect. [Issue#189, p.84]

Merely an expensive luxury. [Issue#137, p.119]

Volition needs to plan its next steps carefully, or run the risk of losing the fan base it has worked so hard to claw away from those that didn't quite click with GTA IV. [Issue#139, p.86]

There's definitely enough to do while we're waiting for that multiplayer update. [Nov 2011, p.113]

Despite these drawbacks, The Banner Saga is still a solid tactical RPG with a charming art style and a story that, while initially daunting, eventually becomes manageable and memorable.

Outside of its many and varied technical problems, State of Decay is still one of the most accomplished Xbox Live Arcade game to date. [Issue#137, p.121]

Regardless of the fact that the game doesn’t quite replicate the sheer precariousness of hurtling down a track at breakneck speed to the degree it should, the refreshing risk/reward balance merits the perseverance of anyone willing to give it a go. [May 2006, p.108]

There’s plenty to do here and a lot of reward for doing it, which means that MySims is far more than a kids’ game – even if it is exactly the sort of release that children will enjoy. [Nov 2007, p.122]

An improvement over its predecessor, but falters just enough to stop it from becoming an integral strategy title. [Issue#167, p.96]

Test Drive Unlimited is occasionally excellent when racing against humans, yet remarkably pedestrian when simply going for a spin. [Oct 2006, p.116]

Randomly generated puzzles results in increased replayability, but it also means a lack of variety – and that forms the ultimate demise of Road Not Taken when it is so clear there is a direction, an end goal, a climax. Original and novel it is, but there just simply isn’t enough reward to keep you going against the odds.

Ignition has such a simple premise that it’s easy to leave alone and come back to at a later date with barely any need to familiarise yourself with the controls or gameplay. [Oct 2007, p.120]

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

A fantastic finale marred by technical problems. [Issue#170, p.98]

Like Wii Sports before it, this game knows its audience and how to keep them entertained. [Christmas 2008, p.117]

A little perseverance will reap great satisfaction from this polished RTS, and considering there's around 25 hours of gameplay per faction on the campaign missions alone, this is a title that deserves recognition. [Christmas 2006, p.111]

A carefree explosion of ideas both tasteful and vulgar. [Issue#139, p.104]

Fun, but not quite funny enough, and it leaves us still yearning for the hearty chuckles and charm that came so effortlessly before. [Nov 2011, p.120]

Clever inventory management. [Issue#107, p.102]

It's just a shame that there's such a minimal sense of accomplishment from any given task in the game, because this could have been a chance for a star to rise in the West. [Sept 2009, p.118]

Challenging and dynamic. [Issue#139, p.107]

It’s as if Michael Bay defected to Japan and made a videogame, and we mean that in the best way possible. [Dec 2007, p.118]

As great as all the action in Pursuit Force is, the fact that many of the stages are very similar to each other soon begins to grind you down. [Christmas 2005, p.102]

The fun and invention at the heart of Ghost Pirates make it a marginal improvement over the equally likable A Vampyre Story. [Apr 2010, p.126]

Upsets the balance between fun and realism maintained by its immediate predecessor. [Aug 2008, p.108]

It'll only disappoint if you're expecting something on PS3 scale. [Issue#139, p.109]

This being a Takumi videogame, each environment lies awash with engaging characters capable of development over a period of hours.

Ideal for portable gaming - handy, with it being a PSP game - and its mix of action, RPG elements, a challenging (though sometimes unfair) level of difficulty and a few nifty tricks to keep things strategic make it another solid title in the PSP's catalogue. [Issue#107, p.108]

The most assured kid-aimed title to hit the market this generation. [Issue#139, p.112]

A game with much more emotional depth to it than you might expect. [Chrismas 2007, p.116]

Each confrontation is generally exactly the same and victory is sometimes dependent on whether the irritating catch-up AI decides to beat you or not. [Oct 2004, p.120]

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.

A wonderful fusion of genres that is perfectly suited to the PlayStation Portable. [Christmas 2005, p.115]

Mario Kart DS is a polishing of the Mario Kart concept and little else. [Christmas 2005, p.99]

A short, sharp tinge of static electricity rather than the unrelenting shock of high-voltage conductors. [Issue#111, p.104]

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]

It won't appeal to everyone, but Lost in Blue is a solid and inventive title that shouldn't be allowed to slip past unnoticed. [Dec 2005, p.124]

It may short as hell, but it’s a sweet, scary treat for horror fans and never pretends to be otherwise. [Christmas 2005, p.122]

The game feels more like a boss-rush version of a big action game that it does a traditional fighter, and somehow comes off as the best 3D Castlevania game Konami has produced so far. [Jan 2009, p.110]

A storming opener. [Issue#122, p.102]

It's certainly a solid addition to the franchise, just not as memorable as previous instalments. [Issue#107, p.113]

Although it misses a beat on one or two of the RPG genre's values, the rest is classic dungeon-crawling through and through. [Issue#111, p.106]

Full Auto 2 is a deeply satisfying and rewarding experience. It’s fun as a pure racer, but include the massive amounts of carnage you must inflict upon your competition and the game ascends to a new level of satisfaction. [Feb 2007, p.121]

Lots of polish and some truly laugh-out-loud moments. [Issue#107, p.113]

It is the limited content that is Jamestown's biggest letdown. [Issue#111, p.110]

Fixes addressed, Sacred 2 should scratch that nagging ARPG itch between now and Diablo III. [Jan 2009, p.121]

If The Darkness III were to combine the best of the first and second games, we'd have ourselves a winner for the ages – as it stands, we have a game definitely worth a playthrough, but probably not worth tripping over yourself to slap down the cash for.

While Underground tried to seamlessly mix its diversity, humour and gameplay, it was always obvious when you were being dragged away from the combo system at the heart of the series. Thankfully, THUG2 makes a much better fist of keeping classic Tony Hawk's gameplay at the heart of the tasks. Even when skating as Benjamin Franklin or a shrimp vendor, the focus remains on skateboarding. [Dec 2004, p.102]

A fun puzzle game with shoot 'em up sensibilities. [Issue#154, p.114]

The competition is just too strong for Soul Bubbles to ever really elevate itself beyond cute, cult status. A good puzzler then, but not a great one. [July 2008, p.122]

Firewatch is a brief but enjoyable experience set in a stunning and lovingly crafted environment, but there is no real ending – there’s simply the place where you stopped reading the story.

For a franchise usually so keen on reinventing itself, this plays it very safe. [Issue#107, p.116]

An enjoyable, recklessly fun game. [Issue#111, p.111]

Tequila Work's debut's confident craftsmanship and considered design more than compensates for its shortfalls with the narrative's impact and the intermittently niggling handling. It's by no means a smooth ride, but this dank and desolate landscape is worth braving.

For all its tight gameplay and superb visuals, this is simply Treasure by numbers and if you’ve played any of its past games you’ll find nothing here that you haven't seen already. [Oct 2004, p.104]

Project Spark could collapse without a more robust curation system to highlight the creations that need playing. [Issue#154, p.118]

Gearbox should be applauded for taking the first-person genre in a bold new direction, but during the bulk of the game, players must be willing to sit back and let the developer tell the story. [Apr 2005, p.104]

If you're a fan of Nippon Ichi humour and love your games in Metal Slug and Ghouls 'N' Ghosts flavours, then feel free to add a point on to the score because, dood, this game's made for you. [June 2009, p.124]

Those who scoffed at Phoenix Wright’s endless text conversations and backwards-looking point-and-click mechanics will find nothing to love second time out, but Justice For All wasn’t made for them; it was clearly put together with fans of the previous game in mind. [Jan 2007, p.91]

There's no denying the dungeons are a minor addition, however, so anyone who owns the original 3DSWare release may not see the value in upgrading. Everyone else, you'll need to still have that childlike sense of play and a certain ability to make your own fun – or at least some children of your own – to get the most out of this.

There are very real concerns over the game’s staying power, but with six separate difficulty levels as well as a co-op mode both online and offline, how much of a problem this is will depend on the individual. [Jan 2008, p.130]

Despite its flaws, this is one of the year's true surprises, and an absolute bargain at the price.

Field Commander has chosen a good series to emulate, and it emulates it with panache. [Sept 2006, p.130]

It shines brightly for a while but is lacking that extra spark that could have turned it into the cult classic it’s so desperately trying to be. [Mar 2007, p.98]

The story is not the main draw here. [Issue#154, p.124]

It’s an original and fun game that will influence the scene, it just lacks the expected Garriott magic. [Chrismas 2007, p.130]

While Underground tried to seamlessly mix its diversity, humour and gameplay, it was always obvious when you were being dragged away from the combo system at the heart of the series. Thankfully, THUG2 makes a much better fist of keeping classic Tony Hawk’s gameplay at the heart of the tasks. Even when skating as Benjamin Franklin or a shrimp vendor, the focus remains on skateboarding. [Dec 2004, p.102]

Admittedly, the classes and jobs have been wonderfully balanced to make large parties fit together perfectly but this is no excuse for making solo play so difficult for anything but the toughest classes and so distinctly unrewarding. [Oct 2004, p.114]

Highly entertaining and, above all, fun. Despite being filled with all manner of videogame cliches, Metal Arms somehow feels refreshingly new and not at all like the cobbled together title that it so undoubtedly is. [Christmas 2003, p.103]

This is exactly the sort of thing Diablo fans have been waiting for and although there’s little chance that it will change your life, there’s every possibility that it will consume it. [Chrismas 2007, p.126]

It's rare that you can state that no two characters in a beat-'em-up play alike but, in this case, it's absolutely undeniable. [Issue#111, p.120]

Each confrontation is generally exactly the same and victory is sometimes dependent on whether the irritating catch-up AI decides to beat you or not. [Oct 2004, p.120]

Approached with acceptance of its limitations and a willingness to cede true freedom, Afrika can still be a remarkable, memorable experience. [Dec 2008, p.121]

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

All of the areas where the game truly excels are exactly what we expect from the series - and from Lionhead as a studio - while its great leaps forward mostly fall flat and upset the balance of the whole. [Christmas 2010, p.90]

If you like videogames at all - and we're assuming you do, because you're reading this magazine - there's every chance you're going to enjoy Wolfenstein on some level, just don't expect the pushing of any boundaries. [Oct 2009, p.120]

From a single-player point of view at least, Killzone 3 is the biggest disappointment of the year so far. It does have a few exhilarating moments, and it can probably still just about claim to have the best graphics ever, but it fundamentally plays more like a formulaic Call Of Duty clone than a successor to the current generations most intense, visceral FPS.

Capcom certainly puts forward a good case for being able to teach an old monster new tricks. [Issue#111, p.124]

As a game, Bound is clearly flawed – its structure, however, is excellent and well realised to support multiple playthroughs with noticeably different experiences – but as an experience, as a piece of interactive art, it’s frequently sensational.

It's possible to sit through the game in one (admittedly long) sitting and this comes dangerously close to ruining the game. Fortunately, with five initial characters to play as and the typical Dark Alliance secrets, you'll still find yourself going back long after the main adventure is finished. [Feb 2004, p.100]

The question of how much an open city suits Burnout is soon replaced by how well Criterion makes the game work within one. And, thanks to a number of odd decisions on how players progress, the answer is: sloppily. [Feb 2008, p.114]

Think of Blood Bowl as a cross between Hero Quest and Speedball, and if neither of these games ignite a fond memory, then this is probably not for you. [Nov 2009, p.122]

When the game works, it's one of the finest party games on offer, but Nintendo's confusion in what it wants to achieve with the Wii U GamePad results in an erratic compilation short on hits

An invigorating shot of speed and carnage that tops that of the original, even if it does fall short of the mighty "Burnout." [Aug 2006, p.121]

To anyone who knows their Kitty Ns from their Knittys, Technic Beat is a simplistic delight that constantly surprises with quality and entertainment far beyond what its budget price would suggest. [Sept 2005, p.116]

Between well-designed dungeons, thrilling boss battles and a compelling hook in Elena's deteriorating condition, Pandora's Tower is a unique treat for those still loyal to the Wii.

None of Mario Golf World Tour’s changes are revolutionary – ten years away has brought surprisingly few new ideas – but the core gameplay is as fun and attractive as ever, so if you’re looking for a golf game for the 3DS this will do just fine.

Yet another canny elaboration of what continues to be a deeply beloved series of videogames. [Issue#159, p.108]

At times, it can be too clunky and a little finicky, but while The Swindle is undoubtedly a great idea, games of this ilk can’t suffer missteps like infuriating controls – and sadly that does hold this game back.

What would otherwise be a pretty bog standard platform game is elevated by the workshop option. [Issue#159, p.109]

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.