If this is only the beginning of what this newly imagined Azeroth has to offer, we can see ourselves living there for a very long time. [Apr 2005, p.98]

If you've already got a version of Winning Eleven 7 or "Pro Evo 3," this is not enough of an update to warrant re-buying, but newcomers who have the means to play import games may want to consider picking it up. [May 2004, p.111]

Sands of Time is very much a 21st century product - sumptuous visuals, intuitive control and many unique ideas. Buy it, play it, love it. [Dec 2003, p.92]

Both a great racer and a great sandbox. [Issue#206, p.74]

We wish that Santa Monica had focused more on the epic scale that the opening of the game promises with such conviction, rather than relying on those elements of design we've already played through twice on the PlayStation 2. [Apr 2010, p.102]

Sands of Time is very much a 21st century product - sumptuous visuals, intuitive control and many unique ideas. Buy it, play it, love it. [Dec 2003, p.92]

The puzzles are refreshingly taut, the design and scope bewildering and its conclusion a triumphant crescendo of storytelling. It's completely iterative, derivative and formulaic, holding few surprises during its eight-hour campaign, yet Naughty Dog twists these familiar tropes into an invigorating rush of agile gameplay and seamless cinematic spectacle, proving once again that Nathan Drake is without equal.

It’s as much a part of the PlayStation legacy as Ico is, as Shadow Of The Colossus is. Its place in PlayStation legend goes beyond its similar presentation and taps into something more sublime, something more exhilarating.

Bloodborne is an incredible game; tight in its mechanics, logical in its systems, rewarding, intense, gloriously frustrating and exciting in equal measure. The PS4 has its first absolutely essential game. As if there was ever any doubt.

Given the constraints of the sport, SSX 3 does a great job of keeping the game as open as possible. If nothing else, the SSX series represents something of a benchmark for snowboarding games, a trend that continues with this instalment. No one title of this generation can claim obvious superiority. [Dec 2003, p.102]

An excellent platformer that never fails to surprise. [Issue#198, p.74]

Forza's driving physics are excellent - with the driving aids switched on the game offers something just on the right side of arcade-style racing. [June 2005, p.99]

Despite the inclusion of new gadgets and stunning visuals, the series is starting to decompose; playing the same thing over and over is beginning to wear a little thin. It’s a good job the multiplayer experience continues to blossom. [Apr 2005, p.90]

Like it or not, the Final Fantasy series has come of age and this new approach to the genre is a breath of fresh air. [JPN Import; June 2006, p.108]

Wild Hunt is a masterpiece of open-world design in which it feels like every last detail has had the same level of care, thought and attention paid to by the team that created the game. It is fascinating to explore, consistently rewarding, always engaging and cements CD Projekt Red’s reputation as a studio to watch.

The tactical battles are better than ever thanks to an improved engine and significantly smarter enemy AI. You can now take up to 400 units into battle, leading to some impressive large-scale scraps.

Forza Motorsport 3's most notable achievement, however, must be its unique ability to make simulation 'fun', not a word you'll often hear used to describe the likes of Race Pro or Gran Turismo. [Dec 2009, p.108]

With multiple endings based on how you choose to play out your run, set pieces that can play out very differently based on your actions and so many incredible moments that we’d love to share but daren’t do so for risk of spoiling anything, Undertale is easily one of the indie standouts of last year.

Given the constraints of the sport, SSX 3 does a great job of keeping the game as open as possible. If nothing else, the SSX series represents something of a benchmark for snowboarding games, a trend that continues with this instalment. No one title of this generation can claim obvious superiority. [Dec 2003, p.102]

Fire Emblem: Awakening is as good as anything Nintendo has produced in the last five years, and as such is very, very special indeed.

Sands of Time is very much a 21st century product - sumptuous visuals, intuitive control and many unique ideas. Buy it, play it, love it. [Dec 2003, p.92]

The final moments are phenomenally powerful. It would be criminal to spoil any of this stirring and heartwrenching story, but this is a heady combination of artful writing and innate knowledge of the power of videogames to draw players into a character. It achieves things that passive artforms cannot. Jake Rodkin and Sean Vanaman have established themselves as game writers at the height of their powers, and The Walking Dead is unquestionably one of the videogames of the year.

It’s not perfect; online multiplayer still harbours some niggling issues, and it still has no answer to Melee’s brilliant Adventure mode. But if you love Super Smash Bros., fighting games or even just Nintendo as a whole, you should snap up this game without a second thought.

The first Hero brought a guitar peripheral to the masses, and for that it was praised. This time, we hope it's the enhancements that sell the product - it truly deserves it. [Christmas 2006, p.112]

Hopefully the innovation and effort that have been put into every area of this title will shine through, and the fact that the setup is worth every penny will become apparent to all. [Feb 2008, p.120]

Where Journey truly excels is in its top-of-the-range visuals, inventive world and its tonal breadth. One moment you will find yourself avoiding the spotlights of menacing, sentient war machines 20 times your size in a barely lit dungeon, and the next plodding through the harsh mountain peaks with almost no visibility, all accompanied by a genuine sense of dread as your character visibly starts to die and can barely walk anymore.

Beautiful, feature-packed and brimming with creative remedies for the ails of a stagnating genre, that NOA should overlook such a shining example of what a JRPG can be paints a very different company to the Nintendo that went out at E3 with a call to arms for the hardcore.

The whole drop-in drop-out nature of the world tour, both online and off, is outstanding. It’s also worryingly addictive. There never feels like a good enough reason to stop. [Jan 2009, p.98]