There is little depth to the control of the boards, and we don't see why this shouldn't have been an on-foot racer. [Apr 2006, p.106]

A game of two halves, neither of which is finished … It is so cursed by glitches and bugs, and so devoid of anything approaching AI, that it's really impossible to believe the code sitting in your local store is anywhere near complete. [Aug 2004, p.100]

It’s the touches like the resulting wounds and bloodstains from each swing of a blade or the limb damage that really keep you playing. Indeed, attention to detail is excellent throughout and Colosseum does a great job of creating and maintaining a consistent game world. [Sept 2005, p.108]

Despite the bright colours, cute simians, jolly music and overarching joyous abandon, Super Monkey Ball Adventure is a tremendously difficult videogame. And phenomenally frustrating to boot. [Aug 2006, p.130]

Dead ‘N’ Furious never scares or repulses, and neither does it attempt to be anything more than a shooting gallery with targets dressed up in bloodstained clothes. [Oct 2007, p.124]

Since assembling a team is more luck than judgment, Rumble couldn't be further away from the core values of the traditional Pokemon games. [Issue#118, p.110]

The animation and art direction of the entire Short Peace box is superb. [Issue#148, p.128]

The main problem is that the dungeon creation is constantly interrupted by tedious tasks. [Nov 2008, p.122]

Played with the face buttons though, this becomes a competent Virtua Tennis clone with a decent selection of shots, and great animation, but a clone that reveals its weaknesses over time. [Jan 2007, p.116]

We wouldn't put this too close to the top of the pile. [Issue#106, p.120]

Tiger Woods remains the most accessible golf game, but ProStroke is easily the title for those who find a lack of challenge in its competitors. [Oct 2006, p.124]

Kinect Star Wars is a hodgepodge of ideas that, either through the Kinect's limited functionality or slipshod execution, simply aren't cohesive enough to deliver the Star Wars experience that fans demand. Our advice? Go outside and pick up a stick.

There’s no getting around the fact that it’s often more tempting to run past the majority of enemies and complete the game in a couple of hours, than it is to actually brawl your way through. [Apr 2009, p.113]

An archaic combat engine, pitiful level design, a crushingly dull and unnecessary story and level of galling frustration that reaches and often surpasses even Stuntman for sheer annoyance all add up to the one PS3 launch game nobody should consider for even a second. [Feb 2007, p.122]

This game feels a little bit like it belongs on PS3, with its familiar formula, terrible dialogue, dudebro characters, bafflingly ugly cutscenes and cookie-cutter assets...There's a pretty good game hidden somewhere in here, but you'll have to look quite hard at times. [Issue#188, p.78]

So gratingly tedious in navigating stages that Monkey Ball's overarching identity is lost. [Issue#109, p.120]

Only through a scarcity of decent alternatives could we ever truly recommend this, and that’s just about as backhanded as compliments get. [June 2007, p.113]

We can't fault the solid feel of firing a weapon; there is a degree of variety spread across the chapters; and the game’s engine is reliably stable, but none of this stops the game from qualifying as a major letdown. [July 2008, p.110]

There is little depth to the control of the boards, and we don't see why this shouldn't have been an on-foot racer. [Apr 2006, p.106]

Mercifully, Staff Of Kings is a very short game and it won't be too long before you unlock the vastly superior bonus game, Fate Of Atlantis. [Aug 2009, p.127]

Simply a bit boring. [Issue#142, p.92]

As limiting as it may be, the recreation of a Pokemon universe is a delightfully escapist one, but after the first week or so it'll take some serious staying power to keep coming back to your yellow friend. [Mar 2004, p.106]

Occasionally you’ll have to fight in formation, or against an elephant or a slightly bigger Persian soldier, but none are exciting enough to lift the whole experience above its more banal moments. [May 2007, p.115]

In truth, it's an average game, with the music and the presentation proposing a more dramatic and meaningful experience than is actually manifested in the gameplay. [Issue#150, p.118]

As a place to hangout with friends, and cause chaos, it doesn't get much better than SportsBar VR. [Issue#180, p.48]

As a videogame equivalent of a 1950s pulp science fiction short story, The Assembly works. But it’s nowhere near as good a morality tale, or a virtual reality experience, as it needs to be in order to truly stand out.

Trioncube manages to remain inoffensive at best and is a title we can add to a growing list of Nintendo DS puzzle games that are enjoyable but far from essential. [Aug 2007, p.125]

As a 360 title, average visuals and wretched clipping problems should be an issue, and the slick-at-times physics and ample combat system just can’t make up for it. [Apr 2007, p.120]

It's a trudge of a game, and while it performs its chosen task moderately well, it's about as ambitious and captivating as a drizzle-soaked walk to the local shop.

Reliance on simple motion controls is bound to put off the more serious sports fans. [Issue#142, p.119]

The action is a little too samey, and things become just too repetitive. Aside from scenery variations, FMV cut-scenes and the odd boss fight, the game is practically the same from start to finish. [Jan 2004, p.125]

There's just nothing that's especially worth singing the praises of either. [Issue#160, p.106]

As soon as you pass the initial novelty of feeling like Legolas, or whatever character the Scout corresponds to - though we’d argue its inspiration is the Spy class from Battlefront - half of the gameplay disappears into the ether. [Feb 2009, p.118]

Switching from an open threat such as the desert to the enclosed dangers of the Vietnamese jungle has caused Conflict: Vietnam to effectively cut out much of the need for having a squad in the first place; instead of having more freedom and creativity in taking down your enemies, your team become more like fish trapped in a jungle-shaped barrel. [Oct 2004, p.108]

Rather than feeling like a mastermind escapologist, your actual role resembles that of an errand boy collecting the pieces of a pre-scripted plan. Yet while nothing here really shines, the overall package is solid enough to counter our gripes. [Oct 2003, p.114]

Acquire has included little structure to complement the story's broad narrative scope or offer a sense of attachment, leaving it trapped somewhere between a Kung-Fu style wanderer's chronicle and a point-to-point adventure-lite that simply features too much wandering. [Apr 2010, p.109]

Charmed by the stellar cast and King's saccharin smile and greying 'fro, we were almost blinkered to the fact that a goldfish could still play this game nearly as effectively as us. [May 2009, p.106]

Repetitive tasks have a history as a means of punishment that goes back to ancient myth. Kingdom Under Fire: Circle Of Doom seems keen to emulate this for reasons known only to its sadistic creators. [Mar 2008, p.128]

Suffers from being too faithful to its old-school roots. [Issue#148, p.116]

Nothing more than forgettable. [Issue#142, p.79]

A triumph in its own right and, on a wider scale, a huge step forward for sports games. If NaturalMotion decides to work on a sequel, there's a great chance that all the niggles can be ironed out and a true competitor will emerge. [July 2010, p.122]

While it might be a communism simulator at heart, its roots in capitalism couldn't be much more obvious or off-message. [Issue#179, p.81]

With daft mini-games and Gadgets designed for four players to huddle around a single GBA, it's stupidity of the highest order that Nintendo should invent the 'one man party'. [July 2005, p.102]

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]

A lack of interactivity makes playing Flower, Sun, And Rain an experience not unlike listening to a favourite album, letting images wash through the mind for their own worth. [Dec 2008, p.119]

It's a little dull - particularly without PvP - but shouting "danger zone" at the top of your lungs will no doubt alleviate some of the mundanity. [Issue#150, p.116]

Fans of the genre will appreciate the smart, varied nature of the concept, and the ethereal, abstract art style. [Issue#113, p.110]

Don't force yourself to play it. [Issue#170, p.97]

There’s something strangely likeable about it all – the ambition and passion of the development team is actually oddly appealing. It’s just all so misguided. [Mar 2009, p.124]

By the time the main course is served most will have already left the track. [Issue#161, p.100]

There are no nasty surprises, no ill-considered gameplay changes and no sense that Sonic Team is ever confused about what the game is supposed to be. It’s a game that is totally comfortable with itself. And it has every right to be. [Apr 2009, p.106]

An odd visual style tops off a very poor title in a suitably poor manner, jumping between looking halfway decent and just plain nasty. An unbalanced and sorely broken mess. [Dec 2005, p.106]

There's no shortage of ideas on display, featuring some of the best use of AR tech on the handheld to date, but ultimately the 3DS feels more like a curse for the franchise, rather than a blessing.

As an entry into a series that has failed to realise its potential, this is safe and dare we say it, also a bit boring. [Issue#135, p.106]

Contrived shooter with little to no depth... This is as generic as they come. [July 2005, p.122]

The downside of Boogie Bunnies comes only from the vast number of titles it’s up against. [Apr 2008, p.117]

We wanted to like Spikeout, we really did, but less than a day of enduring what the game had to 'offer' and having so many flaws thrown in our faces was more than enough to convince us never to play it again. [June 2005, p.115]

Omerta will certainly keep you occupied for long periods of time, but only if you’re punishing your attention span. The world itself is quick to drop you into the 1920’s experience, but never amounts to anything more than a lifeless shell. Factor in some embarrassing voice acting, painful writing and a reluctance for Omerta to ever truly let itself go wild with its concepts, and all you’ll left with is a hollow time consuming experience.

Instead of embracing the technology on its own merits, the game is actually more an exercise in forcing Kinect to ape the functions – sometimes for good, but mostly ill – of a standard controller.

Rather than feeling like a mastermind escapologist, your actual role resembles that of an errand boy collecting the pieces of a pre-scripted plan. Yet while nothing here really shines, the overall package is solid enough to counter our gripes. [Oct 2003, p.114]

Sometimes, such fondly remembered franchises can be revived to stand alongside contemporary greats, simultaneously satisfying our younger selves and our more demanding modern expectations. Sadly, despite Stainless Games’ best efforts to recapture the wacky allure of the 1997 original, Carmageddon: Reincarnation is not one of those games.

The cosmetics and style that FaceBreaker offers in spades fail to raise the mechanics and gameplay above average. [Oct 2008, p.125]

From a player's perspective, feels sadly misjudged. [Issue#147, p.123]

Lair amounts to nothing more than an unpleasant mixture of boredom and irritation. Not exactly the system seller that the machine is positively screaming out for. [Nov 2007, p.104]

If this is edutainment, it could do with a lot more of the latter part. [Issue#117, p.118]

Technical issues aside, the main problem is that each set of games is not a random selection from a larger bunch but the same set of five every time. As such, you'll experience all the game has to offer in less than five minutes. [June 2009, p.129]

Anybody who suggests that the volleyball in DOA: Xtreme 2 is a good enough simulation to justify the expense either earns far more money than we do or is simply too proud to admit that animated bosoms float their boat. [Jan 2007, p.110]

Pretty much no frills, but good fun with friends. [Issue#190, p.81]

It’s an acquired taste, and if its appeal lies solely with those of you yearning for a title that allows you to get behind the wheel of wondrously modelled tractors and farming machinery, then this is absolutely the game for you. For the rest of us, it will continue to remain a mystery.

If only the gameplay was as well realised as the engine that runs it, Inversion would be far more recommendable. Regrettably, as it stands, Saber Interactive has created a mechanically robust game, but one that doesn't do enough with the ideas it can lay claim to as its own.

It's just so devoid of soul that it's almost impossible to concentrate on. [Issue#108, p.122]

The Wii remote offers probably the most pleasing way to play the game, but there’s very little that could be considered new or different here. [June 2007, p.120]

The story, writing and the role-playing part of the game is distinctly previous-gen play, if not older.

It's clear that considerable effort has gone into Shred, but for those with fond memories of the Birdman's glory days, this could be the final insult. [Issue#104, p.118]

It's in desperate need of a rethink in terms of its movement systems. [Issue#180, p.48]

Narratively, it's reaching for a mature, considered story, but isn't there yet. [Issue#180, p.47]

Despite the bright colours, cute simians, jolly music and overarching joyous abandon, Super Monkey Ball Adventure is a tremendously difficult videogame. And phenomenally frustrating to boot. [Aug 2006, p.130]

Demands a very different strategy from practically any other kind of shoot-'em-up. [Aug 2008, p.119]

When accurately describing videogames, we tend to use the word 'dross' rarely, but this particular X-Men title has forced the word from us in a spectacular fashion. [July 2006, p.130]

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

An odd visual style tops off a very poor title in a suitably poor manner, jumping between looking halfway decent and just plain nasty. An unbalanced and sorely broken mess. [Dec 2005, p.106]

In the most competitive genre in gaming Bodycount just doesn't measure up, and certainly doesn't get anywhere near the brutal brilliance of Epic and People Can Fly's Bulletstorm. [Nov 2011, p.108]

It’s a fun, frothy take on a scene that could have easily led it to drown in detestable ghetto references and urban nods, but even though B-Boy manages to avoid travelling that dangerous path, it remains no more than a guilty pleasure. [Oct 2006, p.121]

The problem isn't that Eat Lead is bad, it's just very, very average and at no point justifies its smarter-than-thou stance. [May 2009, p.117]

No amount of sentiment can raise this game above the average. [Sept 2007, p.120]

The driving mechanic in itself is an interesting display of ever-increasing possibilities of the kit, and we look forward to seeing its like implemented in more compulsive, sophisticated titles further down the line. [Issue#104, p.127]

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]

We’d find it hard to recommend this due to the dubious controls, but with the game being so fleshed out so well with extras it becomes a decent little package. [Oct 2006, p.128]

Forget any notion of playing this "Again", there's very little here to justify even playing through once. [Issue#96, p.110]

While it can feel rewarding to eventually squash a boss, you’ll very rarely be having fun while doing so – and that’s a feeling that carries through the entire experience.

When accurately describing videogames, we tend to use the word ‘dross’ rarely, but this particular X-Men title has forced the word from us in a spectacular fashion. [July 2006, p.130]

An interesting concept executed with a degree of panache. Plus, if you're familiar with even half the characters available, Cross Edge breathes new life into the personalities you long since laid to rest. [Sept 2009, p.110]

By journey's end, it's only a passing interest in the increasingly intriguing story that holds attention. Indeed, this is a deeply flawed and overly ambitious attempt for a developer unable to grasp the genre basics. Its only real triumph is that it doesn't completely tarnish the licence's sterling reputation.

It is so mortally by-the-numbers that you'll genuinely believe you've already played the game before. [Issue#141, p.120]

When accurately describing videogames, we tend to use the word ‘dross’ rarely, but this particular X-Men title has forced the word from us in a spectacular fashion. [July 2006, p.130]

Navigation and combat [are] incredibly infuriating. [Issue#110, p.126]

When accurately describing videogames, we tend to use the word ‘dross’ rarely, but this particular X-Men title has forced the word from us in a spectacular fashion. [July 2006, p.130]

The core Hustle Kings gameplay is solid and some of the game modes and table designs are a lot of fun to lay with, but some design choices for VR get in the way of a fully enjoyable experience. [Issue#180, p.47]