Simple fun, but potentially annoying. [Issue#181, p.84]

For true "chillax"-based experiences, however, there are far less pressured examples available. [Issue#107, p.118]

There are no side missions, no conveniently placed ramps, and only a small handful of collectibles that work in harmony with the fiction. 2K Czech has invested serious time and effort into conjouring a peerless sense of time and place – we won't begrudge it for not encouraging players to shatter the illusion.

For or five mindless hours stretched to more than double that. [Issue#154, p.127]

A fun medley of DW-style combat and strategy. [Issue#194, p.75]

When we say that Red Dead is a great little game, the emphasis is as much on the 'little' as it is on the 'great'. [June 2004, p.102]

It's tight, focused and despite its flaws is easily the best shooter to arrive so far this year. In this sense, we can't help but wonder why EA has not made a bigger deal out of Syndicate.

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]

SSX Blur is a genuine triumph and fits in perfectly with the series. [Apr 2007, p.104]

We can't help but have a soft spot for Defiance, if only because it not only looks impressive, but it kept us captivated right up to yet another tense climax; a rare combination for most recent games. [Christmas 2003, p.121]

It feels as though Techland has always had this game inside of it, like it’s been waiting to bust out this technically proficient outpouring of destructive fun. Dying Light is a class apart from its typical output, and a class apart from most zombie games too. A shining beacon in a sea of grisly rotting death.

A great concept that doesn't realize its potential. [Issue#179, p.84]

With an entire ark full of animals on offer and a chapter-based story mode to dive into as well, there's a constantly evolving roster to play around with. It might be bonkers in its concept, but in execution Tokyo Jungle is solid, addictive and best of all, different.

Despite some skinniness in the core mechanics, this is a strong game with a consistently charming aesthetic and challenging progression-based system: if you’re enduring enough to live through the first week or so, you’ll meet a slew of survivors, and you’ll uncover a glimpse of America that’s still celebrated.

The real joy of Darkwatch, however, is its simplicity. It's a pure, no-nonsense shooter, entirely focused on allowing the player to dispose of innumerable undead in ever more amusing ways. [Dec 2005, p.115]

Not only does this look nigh-on identical to the PC version, it still feels as though the two analogue sticks used to control your operative are but a placeholder for the mouse/keyboard combo that shot Counter-Strike to fame. One for Live players only. [Jan 2004, p.112]

The atmosphere is electric, the sense of making tiny in-roads to solve a great problem as satisfying as it is frustrating... Spark never allows you to forget that outside the restrictive confines of the first-person viewpoint there's a much, much bigger fight going on involving thousands of men. [Jan 2005, p.110]

Outlaw Golf 2 is actually a great game, but wading through the cut-scenes and commentary is hard work unless your sense of humour stopped developing when you were 15. [Jan 2005, p.115]

An imbalanced but often enjoyable RPG rogue-lite. [Issue#200, p.82]

A couple of lines of dialogue can often be all you’re given before being plunged into whatever mundane task is expected of you; rare are the significant characters and even rarer are the ones you care about. It just doesn’t maintain the same depth of exploration or profundity that the series is known for, leading to a much quicker-paced Elder Scrolls experience.

This is a sandbox first, and that's what you should base your buying decision on. [Issue#140, p.110]

The laboured cut-scenes could be replaced by a title card that simply says 'Whatever'. [July 2010, p.116]

A remake in all the wrong ways. [Issue#179, p.85]

Kessen III manages to prove that strategy and fun aren’t mutually exclusive in the war sim genre. The series still needs to find the right balance between depth and instant fun, but this is proof that Koei is getting closer to the elusive formula with each sequel. [May 2005, p.106]

A good-looking game that offers inoffensive, simple gameplay that's likely to suit the tastes of most gamers. Due to knowing exactly what you're meant to be doing at all times, it loses the complete immersion that games like "Beyond Good & Evil" and a few others in the genre have managed to accomplish, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. [Feb 2005, p.110]

For those moments of genuine excitement and exhilaration, it’s a game that will put a smile on your face. [Dec 2007, p.132]

An invigorating shot of speed and carnage that tops that of the original, even if it does fall short of the mighty "Burnout." [Aug 2006, p.121]

It is possible to learn the delicate demands of each event of course, but that can often take close to an hour of practice for each one – hardly the mark of a casual-interest game. [July 2008, p.125]