Ultimately it feels too much like a cheap cash-in to be worthy of your attention. [Issue#143, p.116]

It’s important to stress that Clive Barker’s Jericho is really not a bad game. It’s just nowhere near as good as the top shooters that surround it. [Dec 2007, p.124]

The poor AI becomes increasingly apparent and even more of a chore upon completing the campaign. [Issue#152, p.114]

Players now react quicker and more like their real-life counterparts when handling the first touch of the ball. And first touches are generally smoother now, with players being able to flick on, trap or kick straight away on receipt. In practice, however, it’s not such a massive advancement and the player movement and control is still fairly sluggish. [Nov 2004, p.121]

Boy racers will love Underground's edgy urban chic, otherwise you should stick with the less fashionable but ultimately more enjoyable "Burnout 2." [Christmas 2003, p.125]

An interesting but frustrating space oddity. [Issue#172, p.94]

Wait for the sequel rather than invest in this slightly dumbed-down version. [Sept 2006, p.120]

Section 8's major problem is that, despite offering a huge number of options to the player - in both gameplay and ideas - it feels decidedly empty and the shooting lacks the pace and kick of other shooters. [Nov 2009, p.126]

A blaster of mediocre proportions that might keep you hooked through sheer determination to see it through (if only because you’ll be convinced that mastery of the twitchy controls is actually possible), but isn’t actually much fun to play. [Sept 2005, p.102]

It’s far too easy to tap on a square that’s actually adjacent to where you thought you were planting a tree/erecting a power station. [May 2007, p.125]

With just as many levels where you'll pray for it to be over than where you're actually having fun, the game turns out to be a mixture of styles that don't meld together as solidly as they should, as well as having several frustrating joypad-throwing moments and often demanding extraordinary feats of memory from the player. [Mar 2004, p.114]

The slightly clumsy controls and overly enthusiastic (read: nearly unbeatable) AI, plus with a new Hot Spot system that feels very random, makes the whole game feel rather lopsided and not much fun. [Dec 2003, p.125]

Players now react quicker and more like their real-life counterparts when handling the first touch of the ball. And first touches are generally smoother now, with players being able to flick on, trap or kick straight away on receipt. In practice, however, it’s not such a massive advancement and the player movement and control is still fairly sluggish. [Nov 2004, p.121]

Beige. [Issue#152, p.119]

For all it's button-mashing faults, though, Bloody Roar still manages to be fun. It may not be the most technical beat-'em-up on the market, nor is it the most stylish, but one thing works wonders in Bloody Roar's favour - simplicity. [Nov 2003, p.119]

A clash of approaches that doesn't quite work. [Issue#179, p.84]

In the long wait for Digital Devil Saga we’ve been spoiled by some bar-raising and envelope-pushing efforts in the RPG genre, which make it seem rather tired and staid. [July 2006, p.136]

Despite its pretty environments and swollen production value, Garden Warfare 2 feels a lot like its smartphone cousins, less a videogame, in the noble sense, and more a tar pit, swallowing down your time and providing little in return but useless virtual tat.

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.

Many of the puzzles are somewhat straightforward in design, and while ensuring players are less likely to hit those infuriating brick walls typically found in the genre's great titles, your input into the proceedings once again tends to feel slightly shallow and less rewarding than before. [Christmas 2003, p.108]

Lack of design risks and personality spoil the ride. [Issue#203, p.74]

The traditional Guilty Gear gameplay just doesn’t translate that well to the arena style of play: most of the moves would be better suited to a straight one-on-one fight. [Nov 2007, p.120]

Occasionally you’ll have to fight in formation, or against an elephant or a slightly bigger Persian soldier, but none are exciting enough to lift the whole experience above its more banal moments. [May 2007, p.115]

Unique ideas hampered by finickity gameplay. [Issue#205, p.74]

Despite being a relatively original take on the RTS genre, this suffers from the same problems that have been around since Command & Conquer - eventually you'll just throw masses of troops at your opponent, hoping for the best. [Aug 2004, p.120]

Fleeting fun and a mild distraction it may be, but The Run finishes this particular race upside down in a ditch. On fire. [Issue#117, p.112]

Lego's 13-year-old series needs serious building. [Issue#203, p.81]

Fun but not daring enough to be memorable. [Issue#205, p.77]