Small and imperfectly formed. [Issue#190, p.81]

It's almost as though the team forgot that games are meant to be fun, because Ghosthunter isn't. Quite simply, you can't do anything (honestly, anything) or go anywhere the game doesn't want you to; it's almost an insult to your intelligence. [Christmas 2003, p.112]

The biggest enhancements come in the single-player experience - always the worst part of the previous games. This time, Nintendo has clearly put some thought into it and come up with a story mode that actiually has a point, rather than being a player-vs-computer rehash of Party mode. [Jan 2004, p.113]

As a simple platformer, however, its interesting control scheme makes Ivy The Kiwi? a rather fun and unique game, just not a great one. [Issue#99, p.127]

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]

It’s hard to dislike a game that displays such breezy charm, and it would be harsh to dismiss Thrillville as a kids’ RollerCoaster Tycoon as it’s streets ahead of much of the licensed tat out there. [Jan 2007, p.100]

The question of why Capcom even bothered with this HD remaster does beg to be raised, because while it might look like a modern release it certainly doesn’t play like one. It’s time that might have been better spent on something else.

Conan is not a particularly good game, it is an average one made with love and personality. When so many games feel like little more than exercises in turning a profit, we reckon that counts for something. [Dec 2007, p.126]

It comes nowhere close to living up to its title's protestations. [Issue#121, p.112]

There’s no denying its flaws – it can feel rushed, glitchy and rough around the edges, but when it does flow, it’s a magnificent spectacle. [Christmas 2005, p.118]

World Of Warplanes is a neat addition to Wargaming’s repertoire, but it all just feels a little too shallow to really make waves.

While games like Jack Keane keep surfacing, the point-and-click genre will continue to defy those that have long since written it off. [Apr 2008, p.123]

Arslan: The Warriors of Legend doesn’t stray too far from the tried and tested Warriors formula. But, once again, Omega Force has done an excellent job of capturing the essence of a brilliant source material while combining it with a solid, combo-filled slasher – and arguably the best-looking Warriors-style game to date.

Just another brick in the wall. [Issue#186, p.82]

Lack[s] that killer hook of the season's intro. [Issue#161, p.88]

The graphics are, of course, poor by next-generation standards, and while that may not affect the stylised universes of Mario and Zelda, it blunts the power of an experience that thrives on realism. [Jan 2007, p.94]

The best way to enjoy Heroes Of Ruin is most definitely with three friends, but to highlight this as a selling point would be to assume there are going to be people out there with three friends who also own the game, and that will get together and plough hours at a time into it. Realistically, this will rarely happen, and as a single-player looter, Heroes Of Ruin, fairly enjoyable though it is, fails to show the invention necessary to justify its own existence.

Not a bad game, but it is a polarising one. [Issue#119, p.99]

It’s harmless mass-market entertainment; the kind that any discerning gamer should already know to leave well alone. [Christmas 2005, p.116]

Flawed execution and unrelenting difficulty. [Issue#187, p.78]

A worthwhile, if unspectacular, cyberpunk thriller. [Issue#204, p.81]

Improvements and additions over time – including the Raid-style events for catching legendary Pokémon, as teased in the original trailer – as well as ongoing tweaks to fundamental systems stand to improve Pokémon Go as a game, but the quality (and novelty) of the experience of playing, particularly as part of a group, is already there. Go could still one day be the legendary game its immense potential hints at.

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]

For those less committed ball fans The Bigs 2 offers a substantially more user-friendly introduction to big boys' rounders. [Issue#112, p.123]

There’s nothing here that would draw in gamers who can’t stand the genre, but if you do have a soft spot for mass slaughter, Dynasty Warriors 5 is as good a place to get your fix as any. [July 2005, p.116]

No matter how hard you search, there's little here that wasn't done by StarCraft, Age of Empires or any other recent RTS... There's no worthy inovation here to raise this above any other title. [Jan 2005, p.114]

What hurts most about Liberation Maiden, however, is that just when it feels like it's getting interesting, with a stage that's basically one epic, shifting boss battle, it unexpectedly screeches to a halt, reminding you that you've bought what was originally one quarter of a bigger game.

If ever a title were to prove that 3D fighters don't work with sprite-based characters on a small screen, Sonic Battle would be that game. Attack connection is nothing short of a joke and the appalling character balancing doesn't make it any funnier. [Feb 2004, p.116]