Like Wii Sports before it, this game knows its audience and how to keep them entertained. [Christmas 2008, p.117]

Each stage is a trial-and-error affair, which is good for longevity but may put some players off. [Christmas 2009, p.129]

ReCore is breezier, smarter and more accessible than a lot of its moneyed, would-be contemporaries. Traversing its empty open world is a chore, but when the game carries you indoors and places you inside one of its finely tuned dungeon-style levels, it’s unquestionably good, old-fashioned fun.

Rigidity under the façade of freedom … prevents Rogue Ops from being aything other than a sub-standard stealth clone. Against the competition, which is growing stronger by the month, it's hardly surprising, but we expected better than this. [Feb 2004, p.110]

Beige. [Issue#152, p.119]

The touch controls start off feeling a little detached, but it will grow on you. [Issue#158, p.109]

A cheerful snowboarding game which, once mastered, provides a great deal of wintry entertainment. [Mar 2006, p.114]

For every moment of satisfaction, there's an equal moment of frustration to match it. It's probably just as well for Ubisoft that the novelty of Nintendo's Wii Remote will carry Red Steel as a launch title. [Christmas 2006, p.110]

It’s a real shame that a game with such promise has to be scored so low because of inefficiencies within the industry, especially if the version that’s on retailers’ shelves is now far tighter than the copy in our possession. [Dec 2006, p.125]

Ultimately, you can only drive where you're supposed to drive - something we never expected to say about a Crazy Taxi game. [Issue#152, p.120]

Approached with acceptance of its limitations and a willingness to cede true freedom, Afrika can still be a remarkable, memorable experience. [Dec 2008, p.121]

You'd have to have a hell of a lot of spare time and cash to make room in your life for this. [Issue#119, p.119]

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]

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]

A hugely frustrating experience, then. Lords Of Shadow 2 is a game with flair and gusto that constantly bogs itself down with design choices that should have never made it past the first week of studio meetings. Dracula deserves better.

Bizarre inconsistencies. [Issue#141, p.106]

Offers little new but still manages to entertain with its blend of reanimated allies, intense action and slapstick humour. [Issue#93, p.128]

A highly polished action title with a Co-op mode that should provides hours of gameplay after completion. [Sept 2006, p.117]

The Order clearly sees itself as some sort of bridge between the world of games and cinema, but it fails miserably to create the essence, tones or rewards offered by either medium.

Horror muted by brevity and flat atmosphere... Imitating teen-horror movies is a novel idea, but duplicating their running time and feeble horror leaves the game wanting. [Nov 2004, p.106]

One of the most frustrating aspects is the unbalanced difficulty curve. You're thrust into some tough and often unfair opening levels, only to find the challenge dropping dramatically as you progress deeper into the admittedly enjoyable storyline. [Sept 2004, p.116]

Futuristic racing never felt so outdated. [Sept 2008, p.117]

A fun game ruined by poor implementation. [Issue#190, p.79]

Manages to be inviting without being too condescending. [Issue#112, p.124]

At its best, it's an inferior retread of some of the first game's finer moments, but at worst, it's dangerously forgettable. [Issue#107, p.112]

Breath of Life will have its fervent champions, but it won't go supernova. [Issue#159, p.113]

Arguably succeeds more as a mood piece. [Issue#100, p.134]

There's no denying the dungeons are a minor addition, however, so anyone who owns the original 3DSWare release may not see the value in upgrading. Everyone else, you'll need to still have that childlike sense of play and a certain ability to make your own fun – or at least some children of your own – to get the most out of this.