Feels like a familiar proposition from the get-go. [Issue#106, p.114]

Rayman Raving Rabbids is a fun-size Wii title with universal appeal. It can’t be considered a serious gamer’s game by any stretch, though it will make you laugh a lot, and even has some staying power with the multiplayer challenges and extra modes to unlock. [Jan 2007, p.108]

A brief, nostalgic, slick and endlessly stylish trip down the memory lanes of the NBA’s greats, but not quite the bona fide hoop dream. [May 2007, p.116]

A game with enough quality and playability to appeal beyond the boundaries of its subject matter. [Sept 2006, p.122]

A more casual and accessible game than the more complex series to usually come out of Telltale. [Issue#99, p.123]

Patience with Atelier Iris, however, comes with its own rewards as the game manages to open up in more creative ways (besides the mastery of the simple but solid fighting system) once you begin amassing Mana and mana. [Sept 2005, p.106]

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]

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]

As with many Nintendo products, it's the 'feel' that sells this title. It's near impossible not to have fun while playing - even if you're determined to hate it - and it's one of those titles you've really got to play to understand. [Sept 2005, p.104]

There are better RPGs out there, there are better RPGs on DS, but better Sonic Adventures? You’d be hard pushed to find one. [Dec 2008, p.114]

Whereas the first game dragged, Darksiders II offers loot, side quests, an engaging skill tree, and a world four times bigger than the first that constantly keep you engaged with the experience. What's more, its various inspirations and genres feel more solidly packed together, robust and stable like a diamond formed under the pressure of the earth. It's a rough diamond, certainly, lacking the sharper, polished facets that make a real gem like Zelda so irresistibly good, but there's a dull gleam there nevertheless.

We hope Atlus takes its time to deliver a more compelling and intelligent game with the next Persona, as the series has some remarkable potential. [Jan 2009, p.126]

The game does get bogged down in far too many unskippable and boring dialogue sequences. [Issue#110, p.118]

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]

An intelligent and original gaming experience for those strong enough of stomach and mind to see it all the way through. [Dec 2005, p.108]

Stubbornly quirky, unashamedly inventive, strangely relaxed and only a little bit broken, Steambot Chronicles is a game quite unlike anything else out there at the moment. [Aug 2006, p.122]

As a celebration of the FPS genre's base instincts, Painkiller crosses the finishing line in first place; anything more than that and it doesn't even make it out of the blocks. [June 2004, p.100]

The combat is as fluid as ever and there's nothing more satisfying than combining your ski and jetpack abilities to gracefully glide over an enemy's head and launch a grenade that robs him of his last wedge of health, forcing him to watch the rest of the match from the sidelines.

Imitating a swing with the analogue stick is still as satisfying as ever, and the balance between control and room for error is nigh-on perfect. However, it would have been nice to see a few more changes to keep the experience fresh. [Oct 2003, p.122]

As both a companion to the Cube version – with which the game links up – and a standalone game, Advance Tour has more than enough to keep you satisfied. [Sept 2004, p.121]

This is a good time for adventure games and there are superior examples out there, but none more loveable than Time Gentlemen, Please! [Oct 2009, p.123]

The city-building genre has been crying out for a boost, which is what Children Of The Nile delivers. Unlike many games of this ilk, it caters for both micro- and macro-management, allowing for as series of small challenges to take place within a much bigger story arc. [March 2005, p.120]

Though retro in style, Strania certainly isn't without original ideas. [Issue#110, p.127]

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]

As a sequel, Titanfall 2 is everything it was supposed to be. By extension, that means it isn’t a game changer; it isn’t as inventive or surprising as its predecessor, but then again, it couldn’t be. Titanfall changed the trajectory of the FPS in a powerful and immediate way, and that success isn’t to be simply re-created but iterated upon dutifully. Despite Respawn’s best efforts, the game’s obvious advancements and its spectacular engagement across multiplayer, Titanfall 2 doesn’t offer the same determined focus and balance that defined its predecessor.

Story aside, everything that's in the game is very competent and enjoyable but it doesn't quite go out of its way enough to push the envelope as far as the overall experience goes, when compared to where the genre is today. [Oct 2004, p.116]

It’s stringent, stripped back and sometimes a chore, but when things click for The Escapists it can be a delightful challenge to overcome.

A rather dry experience. [Issue#108, p.106]