If we have to make a criticism, it's that The Witcher 2 leaves you wanting more than it offers. [Issue#110, p.110]

We learnt Paint it Black note-for-note in about an hour this morning; that definitely wouldn't have happened without Rocksmith. [Issue#142, p.111]

The question of how much an open city suits Burnout is soon replaced by how well Criterion makes the game work within one. And, thanks to a number of odd decisions on how players progress, the answer is: sloppily. [Feb 2008, p.114]

A confused game, veering from System Shock-style psychological horror to classic Doom mass slaughter via Resident Evil-esque jumpy frights... It’s not until your arsenal is about half full that this begins to feel like the new Doom game you wanted it to be. [Oct 2004, p.100]

The question many will ask, ultimately, is how Halo 4 stacks up against its predecessors, and in truth it's hard to answer at this time. It'll take multiple runs through the campaign, hours and hours more multiplayer, and swaths of Spartan Ops mission to truly understand how good Halo 4 is. There's one answer we can say with certainty, though: this is absolutely a Halo game. And that's all that most fans would ever need to hear.

Year Walk is also presented in a linear visual fashion that, though it is used effectively, creates a repetitive and – if you’re able to rush past its puzzles – rather short experience. But none of this should take away from what is a monumental and truly frightening game that packs more innovation and ideas into the horror genre than we’ve seen from ‘traditional’ games for some time.

Animation still feels stiff and robotic and zoning might well be too strong as it is now but in most other respects, Injustice 2 is a clear success...Another cracking fighter from a studio still on the up. [Issue#188, p.72]

We can't help feel this game deserves better; that Sony should have better prepared its overachieving child for its second run at online domination. Sadly, it's still the average game that SOCOM was, and without any novelties to paper over the mundane gameplay it's hard to see this repeating the success of its predecessor. [Apr 2004, p.96]

If you have the patience, the perseverance and the inquisitiveness, then, The Witness can be hugely rewarding.

While we won't go anywhere near as far to say that this online facing side of the game is an afterthought, it doesn't carry with it the same sense of intense playtesting and meticulous detail as the solo campaign.

BlazBlue is an outstanding fighter that we pray blossoms into the successful series it deserves. [Oct 2009, p.124]

Thankfully, the speed comes at the cost of realistic handling, allowing the player to rip around the tracks with maximum enjoyment and minimum frustration, making Rallisport 2 one of the few games that provides enjoyment even in defeat. [June 2004, p.104]

With many games feeling hampered by a desire to try and blend authenticity with sensationalism, Battlefield 1 is a hell of a lot of fun – a visual powerhouse and a fine return to form for DICE that’s sadly hampered by stretches of extreme frustration caused by the studio’s desire to take one step too many into the past.

While die-hards might still prefer the more expert-friendly features of HeartGold and SoulSilver, the fresh approach and fiercely impressive visuals, draped over a tried and true frame of addictive, highly nuanced battle and customisation, make Pokémon Black/White the defacto catch-all solution to monster collecting on the venerable DS.

Dragon Quest IX, above all else, is a fascinating merger of age-old design and modern sensibilities.

The core formula has had slow refinements enacted upon it for generations, but X/Y feel like a triumphant return to the central philosophy that made Red/Blue great – these are games about exploration, and getting in touch with that childish joy of the undiscovered. A game that prompts that in both adults and children can be considered nothing other than a success.

Patience is still a virtue, and fans of mindless action titles should still give Splinter Cell a wide berth. Unless you're partial to a little online gaming, that is. Put simply, Pandora Tommorrow's multiplayer takes your breath away. [Apr 2004, p.108]

This dripfeeding of improvements is starting to frustrate. [Dec 2008, p.106]

Dirt 3 is different. [Issue#110, p.125]

A complete transformation of a genre. [Issue#162, p.110]

Ultimately, Sun & Moon feels like one of the first legitimately necessary Pokémon adventures in some time.

Solar Empire doesn’t force players to choose between giant locales, depth of gameplay, and explosive real-time space battles, it simultaneously provides them all. [May 2008, p.106]

Heavy Rain isn't the ultimate narrative-driven videogame but the first, a template that should inspire other creators and open up a genre as limitless as imagination itself. And we can't wait to see what stories we get to play next. [Issue#93, p.104]

It's both a sensory delight and a genuinely brilliant score attack game.. not a combo many games can claim to pull off to this high standard. [Issue#113, p.111]

Does what all great remakes should - it improves the game in a way that complements the original design, making you more aware of the gameplay's inner workings and helping you appreciate a classic even more. [Issue#106, p.104]

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]

There’s more new content than you’d usually find in a Special Edition. [May 2006, p.128]

The important thing, of course, is the racing, and the Codies tinkering permeates that with force, adding and subtracting features with gusto. Most alterations in this area, however, are welcome and inherently sensible.