Interesting political jaunt, but can feel repetitive. [Issue#170, p.96]

It doesn't justify the time investment. [Issue#148, p.127]

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]

Could have been a much more adventurously designed PlayStation3 debut for the series. Sadly, Armored Core 4 represents a great opportunity, missed. [Mar 2007, p.106]

The resource management and skill chasing on offer is sound, but everything else is repetitive, undemanding, and forgettable. [Oct 2008, p.110]

Heavy on parlour tricks but lacking any real substance. [Issue#136, p.112]

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.

Battles soon take their toll on your controllers due to their frenetic nature and generally lack the strategy or refinement of many other mechanical adventures. [July 2004, p.110]

Great game when it works like it should – but is that a disclaimer we should really tolerate?

There's an alarming lack of polish, with characters looking more like rough sketches than finalised art and only boasting a few frames of animation. The storyline is also hard to follow thanks to roughshod translation and there are difficulty spikes to test the patience of any gamer.

Alien Vs. Predator does a few things right, a whole lot wrong, and somehow manages to feel inferior to a game that Rebellion made ten years ago. [Apr 2010, p.132]

Single-player falls down only by virtue of the fact that repetition of missions is crucial to progress, although with such a clear multiplayer focus, it's no surprise that this is the highlight. [June 2009, p.120]

This is the first James Bond game of the century in which we met the final credits regretting the unexplored potential. Bravo. [Christmas 2008, p.120]

Captures the 16-big feel, but falls short. [July 2018, p.83]

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]

It appears to be aiming for family gaming, but just a little more depth would give it more longevity. What’s here is good, but not worth running to the shops to buy.

While the sequel doesn’t exactly surpass the original, it’s at least a fair crack at the boxing genre…Shame it’s still not as good as EA’s "Fight Night." [Nov 2004, p.119]

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]

For what it is and on its own merits, it's the ultimate version of the world's best online game, period. However, we can't escape the fact that this is little more than Counter-Strike 1.6 with decent bots - a game we've been playing for years and for free. [May 2004, p.118]

Everything required of you feels functional, mechanical, and pedestrian, and each city is sparse and lacking in the kind of lifelike vitality that gamers now demand from their sandbox environments. [May 2009, p.108]

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

Enjoyable, but suffers from a lack of upgrades. [Issue#164, p.87]

Impressive at times, but well-beaten by the competition. [Issue#164, p.89]

Consistently entertaining until its final third. [Chrismas 2007, p.110]

You can comfortably sit back and settle into the sofa during your time with Opoona. [Aug 2008, p.102]

With three difficulty levels. There are several weeks worth of challenge here, making TV Show King much better value than its disc-based competitors. [Aug 2008, p.119]

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

In SuperCar's relentless pursuit of simulation, it's neglected to capture the exhilarating speed-driven fantasy of driving - its sex appeal, if you will. [Oct 2009, p.126]

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.

So if you’re feeling particularly flush and have some yearning to play another block puzzler, Dr. Luigi does a fine job of sitting somewhere in the middle of this well-worn genre. Hardly a glowing endorsement, and a pretty sad way to end Luigi’s very own year.

A reliable, friendly and sumptuous romp through another beautifully built Nintendo world, and yet another great reason to own a 3DS. It’s the machine that keeps on giving.

Horror muted by brevity and flat atmosphere... Imitating teen-horror movies is a novel idea, but duplicating their running time and feeble horror leaves the game wanting. [Nov 2004, p.106]

Afro Samurai radiates style both visually and aurally, but the underlying mechanics do little to raise it above an average experience. [Apr 2009, p.112]

Anyone looking for a more substantial or skill-based party game will be better served elsewhere. [Issue#143, p.107]

The one area it does get right is the driving. [Issue#115, p.99]

Don’t be fooled into thinking this adventure makes any kind of departure from the model arrangement of any of the series. [June 2006, p.116]

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

The license really deserves a little more care and attention than this. [Christmas 2010, p.108]

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]

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]

The repetitive nature of the majority of missions soon takes its toll, and the primary motivation for progressing soon becomes the desire to see how nice the next level looks, not the love of playing the game. [Apr 2006, p.110]

A huge step, but in the wrong direction. [Issue#198, p.80]

Watching it charge forty quid for it is downright aggravating. [Issue#112, p.108]

Smart, brutal and to the point. [Issue#205, p.83]

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]

Dedicated genre fans, meanwhile, will find that the concessions in the gameplay – pre-highlighted hot spots and rumble hints – are both insulting to their intelligence and at odds with the entire point of the adventure genre. [June 2008, p.123]

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]

While it may not be anywhere near the calibre of the PC titles, it does become a perfectly playable action RPG (with the emphasis on 'action') after the first trudging hour or so. [Apr 2004, p.122]

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]

A distinctly average Worms game that will likely only be tolerated by exactly the opposite audience it hopes to enthral. [Apr 2008, p.114]

By not creating one big stage where all the tables are connected, plus bonus screens and integrated challenges, these high-score tables become quite tiresome. [Jan 2009, p.109]

We'll be waiting for Phantasy Star Zero to see if that instead can re-awaken the RPG magic the series once held above all others. [June 2009, p.116]

Lack of design risks and personality spoil the ride. [Issue#203, p.74]

You could do far worse than invest in a copy of Sonic Rivals, and a nice foundation has been laid for a sequel to eradicate the cracks present here. [Jan 2007, p.99]

High on spectacle, low on substance. [Issue#182, p.83]

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.

A title solely for those who really want to relive the 2014 F1 season. [Issue#154, p.112]

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

Fleeting fun and a mild distraction it may be, but The Run finishes this particular race upside down in a ditch. On fire. [Issue#117, p.112]

There is very little challenge. And even when you do start ‘digging’ into the past with the Hollow Pen, this involves simply drawing a circle with the stylus and carrying out an obvious action. [Christmas 2008, p.116]

There's next to nothing for solo brawlers to do. [Issue#120, p.108]

It soon becomes clear that not only is this a deep, well-crafted and carefully balanced RTS, brimming with features, but also that the developer is desperately trying to encourage a wider audience than the core strategy crowd. [July 2006, p.114]

Lacks polish, but worth a try. [Issue#175, p.83]

Not broken, just woefully mediocre... No doubt someone will like it… we just don’t know who. [March 2005, p.102]

There's every chance White Knight Chronicles will start to shine in co-op. As a single-player experience, however, which is surely the main reason for anyone to invest, it's distinctly average, suffering from problems that are genuinely a surprise considering the brains behind it. [Apr 2010, p.124]

There’s hope that the better elements can be salvaged for a future sequel then, but for the time being Sega’s Shining Force isn’t quite as shiny as it should be. [June 2007, p.118]

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]

Combines lovely visuals and irritating characters to create an uninspiring romp. The strong story is limited by genre fail-safes while the combat is suitably tactical. [Apr 2007, p.131]

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]

By spreading itself more thinly, it loses some of the strategic depth which these more focused games provide. [Issue#106, p.121]

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.

Initially some of the decisions surrounding SimCity’s mechanics may seem frustrating, especially for diehard fans of the series, but give it time and you’ll realise – in spite of all of this – this is actually the best SimCity game yet.

The goalposts are moved without warning. [Sept 2014, p.127]

Despite being known for its ability to bring us quality RPGs such as "Kingdom Hearts," Square Enix has done itself pretty proud with this move into the adventuring genre, and the RPG influences that surface throughout the title just add to the quality. We definitely suggest you give this a go. [May 2005, p.114]

A fine option for those on PS4 craving more strategy. [Issue#167, p.93]

Visually stunning, but a slog to play through. [Issue#164, p.90]

Hard to recommend over the far more accomplished "Beyond Earth." [Issue#160, p.94]

A fun but stingy download. [Aug 2008, p.117]

While Wheelman is great fun in a vehicle, on foot it becomes decidedly average. [May 2009, p.122]

It's a shame, really. A first-person roguelike with meaty weapons that calls back to the glory of Nineties shooters sounds like such a tantalising proposition, one that we feel could do so well. Strafe just offers that in a very shallow way. [Issue#189, p.80]

Genuine creative potential, but lacks polish. [Issue#172, p.96]

Micro Machines V4’s only genuine problem is its overbearing similarity to "Mashed," a game that can be bought for a third of the price. [Aug 2006, p.120]

When you’ve wasted 15 minutes watching two pixel people chat each other up but never move to the bedroom to seal the deal; it’s these scenarios where getting caught by the cops or feds becomes a frustration instead of a punishment. It’s almost like some people don’t want to get murdered. Rude.

There's a lot of frantic back-and-forth; every scenario soon descends into little more than an exercise in plate-spinning. [Issue#95, p.116]

The cut-scenes, in all their sincerity, still manage to be completely laughable. Yet it’s hard not to enjoy them despite the fact they’re not really doing the job intended. [Christmas 2008, p.97]

It's free, it's fine, and it's instantly forgettable. [Issue#143, p.104]

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]

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]

The Crew is defined by its unmitigated lack of character. It’s an Ubisoft game first and a driving game second, and has arrived at a point at which it’s facing off against Forza Horizon 2 and DriveClub for most people’s affections. With the former’s more clearly defined vision and mechanics, and even with the latter’s terrible teething problems, it is absolutely no contest in both cases. Personality continues to go a very, very long way.

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]

You'll get most out of the game on Xbox Live. Working alone or with friends, Carve's online races are unique as the properties of water allow for some novel gameplay. By crossing in front of rivals you can create waves that make life more difficult for them - something that works particularly well when working as part of a team. [Feb 2004, p.120]

Dead Souls isn't a bad game by any stretch; it's just extremely by-the-book on every level. [Issue#121, p.114]

A game that succeeds in being like no other but falls short of realising its potential.

Just not quite enough. [Issue#195, p.82]

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]

Although it plods along at a steady pace with a passable story and solid combat, nothing about it feels particularly original, while visually it resembles a cancelled Tales game. [Issue#101, p.107]