A worthwhile, if unspectacular, cyberpunk thriller. [Issue#204, p.81]

Improvements and additions over time – including the Raid-style events for catching legendary Pokémon, as teased in the original trailer – as well as ongoing tweaks to fundamental systems stand to improve Pokémon Go as a game, but the quality (and novelty) of the experience of playing, particularly as part of a group, is already there. Go could still one day be the legendary game its immense potential hints at.

By trying to compete in the 'ultimate first-person shooter' squabble, many a title finds its grasp underplayed by its reach. The beauty of Serious Sam is its totally nonchalent attitude towards the genre and the way it plays what could be seen as its weakest card as its strength. [June 2004, p.109]

For those less committed ball fans The Bigs 2 offers a substantially more user-friendly introduction to big boys' rounders. [Issue#112, p.123]

There’s nothing here that would draw in gamers who can’t stand the genre, but if you do have a soft spot for mass slaughter, Dynasty Warriors 5 is as good a place to get your fix as any. [July 2005, p.116]

No matter how hard you search, there's little here that wasn't done by StarCraft, Age of Empires or any other recent RTS... There's no worthy inovation here to raise this above any other title. [Jan 2005, p.114]

What hurts most about Liberation Maiden, however, is that just when it feels like it's getting interesting, with a stage that's basically one epic, shifting boss battle, it unexpectedly screeches to a halt, reminding you that you've bought what was originally one quarter of a bigger game.

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]

Hurtling through dark tunnels to suddenly find yourself bathed in glorious sunshine as you emerge the other side is a breathtaking experience that is only superceded by the ridiculously fast speeds your Blades can reach. [June 2004, p.110]

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]

Home is a must play. Its brevity matches its ambition - it's a game everyone should play, if only to see what's possible with a creative vision and stringent commitment to atmosphere. It's not the scariest, the smartest or the most ambitious game you'll ever experience, but it's also one you're very unlikely to regret. [Issue#125, p.105]

This is a decent stealth game, held back by missed opportunities.

If Birth By Sleep's twee story fails to impress, fans will be delighted to learn that it features the best combat in the series to date. Fast, fluid and featuring a variety of interesting mechanics, it's a huge improvement over past instalments. [Issue#101, p.122]

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]

It’s rare that a strategy game should possess so many levels of complexity and that they should all be so rewarding...Variety is JTF’s strength and it flows to every corner of the game. [Nov 2006, p.122]

There's a good RPG in there somewhere. [Issue#197, p.80]

It’s an elegantly detailed and calculated puzzle-adventure that throws players into an office-clerk nightmare of pie charts and statistics with the only means of escape is some good ol’ fashioned thinking. It’s a strong contender for the best puzzle game of the year so far and, if nothing else, will leave you marvelling at the sheer beauty of its unified ambition.

Genuinely good fun for all – A pleasant surprise. [Feb 2008, p.132]

It delivers a touching story and wraps it around a compelling puzzle platformer. [Issue#166, p.99]

A tactical game this good deserves better. [Issue#145, p.120]

Gamers will revel in the destruction that unfolds as they guide Spanx and Redmond through the Genron labs, but you soon realise that the humorous touches are hiding a basic and rather childish title. [Mar 2004, p.119]

It succeeds at providing enough of a compelling reason to try it out, but in failing to do anything else new it just feels like a rehash of once-standard ideas.

It’s hard not to like Cold Fear for what it’s trying to do, but it’s also hard not to see the glaring errors that it makes along the way. [Apr 2005, p.119]

Silent Hill: Downpour frustrates and irritates, it confuses and confounds. It doesn't scare as much as it should and it doesn't impress as much as we wanted. But there's no denying its ability to keep you playing; to push through to the end.

A delightfully cruel quizmaster. [Issue#106, p.116]

Zoo Tycoon will have a very narrow appeal beyond families. [Issue#142, p.90]

As it stands, it's just another indie game lost in the noise. [Issue#139, p.119]

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]

Quite easily one of the best Dynasty Warriors games for a long time. [Issue#138, p.112]

Fun but not daring enough to be memorable. [Issue#205, p.77]

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]

A promising work in progress. [Issue#175, p.72]

A genuine triumph as a team experience, mind, Splash Damage has proved that it has a serious knack for creating videogames that require so much more than becoming skilled with a trigger finger. Smart, robust, exciting and always ready to play with the original template, Brink is a welcome surprise in a genre that has started to become very close-minded.

Though Vanguard is a solid enough title, it’s up to Sony’s marketing department to pull in subscribers and strike the right balance. [Apr 2007, p.122]

Deep and rewarding, if physically a little uncomfortable to play on the DS, this game will set the tone for future EA titles. [Jan 2005, p.121]

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]

If we're being brutally honest, Lost Planet 2 doesn't really have a single-player mode. [Issue#96, p.104]

Anyone willing to overlook the boring cut-scenes, dated graphics, and god-awful main character will find dozens of hours of fairly generic JRPG value in Tales Of Symphonia: Dawn Of The New World. [Jan 2009, p.112]

Cross-breeds cats and pigs with great success... The whole experience is one that at no point takes itself seriously and the gorgeous cartoon world of the first game returns shinier than ever, complete with similarly insane bouncy tunes. [Jan 2005, p.102]

Competent and charming, if a little disappointing. [Issue#187, p.73]

It’s hard not to think of Space Giraffe as one of the best value games currently available. [Nov 2007, p.126]

While you will unquestionably be embarrassed by the low budget visuals and wish the combat mechanics were tighter, you'll also experience some incredible moments that can't be found in any other videogame. [Issue#101, p.114]

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

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

The Punisher does exactly what it sets out to do. Picking up the controller gives immediate access to a theatre of death and destruction, and while originality is gunned down at some point during the first few levels, there’s plenty of fun to be had, especially for fans of the comic. [March 2005, p.106]

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 refreshing to see Ubisoft applying such creativity and depth to what other developers would typically fashion as a mindless shooter. [Issue#101, p.120]

The battle sequences display commendable ambition and technical brilliance everywhere except in the gameplay. [May 2008, p.102]

A high mid-table finish. [Issue#194, p.84]

An incomplete package. [Issue#142, p.127]

A Shadow's Tale can feel a little discouraging at first, but those who persevere will find that it eventually hits its stride, piling on one idea after another until it evolves into one of the cleverest puzzlers on Wii. [Christmas 2010, p.124]

Ultimately, this is a run-of-the-mill dating sim that, while fun, is a hard game to love. [Issue#153, p.125]

It feels particularly cumbersome in the wake of Need For Speed Hot Pursuit's simple yet ingenious social features. [Issue#107, p.100]

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]

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]

Nowhere near the shallow quality those infernal Miis would suggest. [Issue#102, p.114]

In the space of just one sequel, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights has elevated itself to one of the more interesting and fun racers currently on the market. [Nov 2007, p.130]

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]

It's the game's bare-bones approach (card battling, deck editing and very little else) that makes WCT 2004 so damn intriguing. Under the simplistic exterior lies a game so laden with strategy and tactics that it makes our brains hurt just thinking about it. [Apr 2004, p.118]

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]

Excels where it counts thanks to its imaginative and engrossing battles. [Issue#93, p.120]

Definitely worth a look, but for anyone familiar with the rest of Nippon Ichi's output, Atelier Iris 2 will dazzle and at times almost insult with its simplicity. [Sept 2006, p.124]

There's a great game waiting to burst out of the chest of this one, not least with the addition of a proper co-op mode, and we sincerely hope that Team17 gives it another shot in the future. [Issue#104, p.117]

Most gamers will complete Nightshade within a weekend - it's a fine example of style over substance. But this game is all about its scoring system and it offers plenty of incentives to ensure that you'll be going back for just one more go. [Mar 2004, p.110]

Play it with a friend for a few yours and then forget about it; it's so simple to learn that you'll have [it] mastered in that time anyway. [Issue#156, p.117]

When the average game of Trivial Pursuit comes packed with thousands of unique questions for around the same price, this kind of wafer-thin package is hardly going to impress Mr and Mrs Non-Gamer. [Sept 2007, p.113]

With some of the best motion control yet seen on the console, accessible but deep gameplay and beautiful character animation, Table Tennis Wii is the machine’s premier sports title. [Dec 2007, p.114]

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]

Fable Anniversary's structure is reasonably competent. [Issue#145, p.112]

A game that transcends its weaknesses with the winning combination of pure fun and an unending desire to entertain. [May 2009, p.114]

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.

A hellish task worth undertaking. [Issue#115, p.105]

These robots have heart, but not depth. [Tested with HTC Vive; Issue#176, p.84]

It’s difficult to label Go! Go! Break Steady’s use of two genres as a hybrid, because the rhythm–action and puzzle elements sit side by side, rather than one informing the other in any inventive way. [Oct 2008, p.121]

The slightly clumsy controls and overly enthusiastic (read: nearly unbeatable) AI, plus with a new Hot Spot system that feels very random, makes the whole game feel rather lopsided and not much fun. [Dec 2003, p.125]

Its presentation and entirely un-engaging story let it down, but the game itself is very much worth playing after those suffocating first few hours. [June 2006, p.127]

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.

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

Hopefully tri-Ace will revive these characters for a second game, which can fix the niggling flaws of this imperfect but enjoyable adventure. [Nov 2008, p.106]

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]

While really quite enjoyable in small measures (annoyances excepted), Untold Legends is a massively optimistic game and this is its ultimate downfall. [June 2005, p.100]

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]

Mafia III feels like a small miracle. A sandbox game not only with a cohesive story, but a cohesive story about a young black man waging war against white institutions – how the hell did this get made? On the surface, Mafia III is yet another sandbox crime game. But lose yourself to its machismo and tone, and verily, you will find yourself playing something you have never experienced before.

A survival game that embraces adventure. [Issue#201, p.88]

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]

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]

While its story doesn't quite have the emotional heft it could have had with more character development, it nonetheless gives players a drive, and a reason to persist through a harsh world. [July 2018, p.73]

A brave, different twist on the survival genre. [Issue#176, p.80]

It’s one thing to put out a punishing game, but quite another to punish players for no good reason.

Far less engaging than it should be. [July 2018, p.70]

This game had enough potential to be one of the sleeper hits of the year. Sadly, that’s not going to happen. On the plus side, Overdose delivers what you’d expect. [Sept 2005, p.118]

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]

Family Ski comes highly recommended – even if only to soothe the pain of yet another blue-shell-related defeat. [May 2008, p.118]

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]

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]

Impressive visuals aside, Maiden Of Black Water is unashamedly last-gen in design. It’s creepy enough to give you sleepless nights and the story’s better than that of previous games, but you’ll have to put up with occasionally clunky controls if you want to enjoy this tale. It’s just about worth it.