A storming opener. [Issue#122, p.102]

Its world isn't as evocatively rich as Skyrim, it's action-oriented combat doesn't have the killer appeal of Dark Souls, and it's single-player focus is completely at odds with the co-op-centric Monster Hunter. However, as Capcom's first foray into the open-world RPG this is a worthy achievement, and further proof that the East-West divide should be breached more often. And not just by dragons. [Issue#122, p.94]

Ultimately, none of the story beats or polish mask the fact that Max Payne 3 is very much a refinement of an old formula, and if you're looking for something brand new or revelatory it just isn't here. However, what is amazing is how Rockstar has fallen back on its trademark production values and sublime attention to detail to update the franchise in a compelling way. Factor in some impressive multiplayer offerings and it's still head-and-shoulders above most of its trigger-happy ilk.

This is a true multiplayer experience, which despite its accessibility, demands commitment and communication to enjoy to its fullest. It's also a game, though, that deserves to be loved.

It's a good shooter, then, but one that struggles to hit the same heights of Cave's other Xbox 360 output.

It's a trudge of a game, and while it performs its chosen task moderately well, it's about as ambitious and captivating as a drizzle-soaked walk to the local shop.

It's a bit of a shoddy finish that doesn't marry up to the realistic bullet physics of the hardest setting, but this is still a sniper's Mecca, perfect for those that like to do their shooting from as far away as possible.

What Telltale has created here is a narratively-driven game that's as much about people as events, as much about inaction as it is putting walkers out of their misery, and as much about what cannot be changed as the countless choices the player is forced to make. If the developer can now make good on the game's initial promise, and deliver a truly branching narrative that adapts to the decisions taken throughout each episode – something, lest we forget, that not even the mighty BioWare could carry through the Mass Effect trilogy with any conviction – then The Walking Dead could be remembered as a genuine classic of the genre.

If you like your games to tell an engaging story or to break new ground, Prototype 2 will probably make you vomit up your own pelvis through sheer outrage. If you're looking for powerful messages or the advancement of a medium, you'll likely be left with little but a sour taste in your mouth and the desire to write a strongly worded letter to Radical expressing your dissatisfaction with the whole experience. But if, on the flipside, you're someone that goes into a game armed with nothing more than a desire to be entertained, you'll struggle to find a more accommodating host than Prototype 2.

There's little reason for the lonely man to pick this up. [Issue#121, p.117]

The nuts and bolts of Tiger Woods 13 do more than enough to restore the golfer's digital reputation. [Issue#121, p.116]

Dead Souls isn't a bad game by any stretch; it's just extremely by-the-book on every level. [Issue#121, p.114]

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

An engaging and refreshingly svelte JRPG, but one that offers mere hints at where the genre may go from here rather than the new blueprint it could have been. [Issue#121, p.110]

A game that anybody can, and will, enjoy. It's like Wii Music never happened. [Issue#121, p.109]

It's a precarious house of cards. [Issue#121, p.108]

A truly disappointing sequel. [Issue#121, p.104]

Between well-designed dungeons, thrilling boss battles and a compelling hook in Elena's deteriorating condition, Pandora's Tower is a unique treat for those still loyal to the Wii.

It's a crazed urgency that you'll embrace until completion, threading your way round Polytron's crazily idiosyncratic open-world masterpiece until every corner has been reached and, more importantly, understood.

Kinect Star Wars is a hodgepodge of ideas that, either through the Kinect's limited functionality or slipshod execution, simply aren't cohesive enough to deliver the Star Wars experience that fans demand. Our advice? Go outside and pick up a stick.

Perhaps if there was something more interactive about the exploratory portion of Rhythm Thief, the low frequency of rhythm-action action wouldn't be so galling, but plodding through the streets of Paris, no matter how amusing the dialogue of its citizens, feels like a cheap way of stretching out the game length. Which was actually an unnecessary trick if you ask us.

It's a quick thrill – a little bit of fiery eye-candy and raw destruction to pass the time – but as its explosions grow more tiring, there's little else to see among the streets of Shatter Bay, and its focus is clearly muddled. While Unbounded is no doubt a step in the right direction for the franchise, perhaps it was a little early to leave the safety of Ridge City behind.

Its puzzles are unlikely to engage your intelligence or imagination at a particularly deep level, but that might not matter, as Escape Plan's personality might just win you over anyway. [Issue#120, p.114]

It's ironic that a game about robots wanting to be human has so much heart, but is failed by technology that simply won't reach as far as its developer would like. [Issue#120, p.112]

What Warp lacks (or, perhaps, borrows) in personality it more than makes up for with gameplay that's so finely honed, it proves impossible to put down until every corner of its cutesy horror has been uncovered. [Issue#120, p.109]

There's next to nothing for solo brawlers to do. [Issue#120, p.108]

A majestic evolution of its hit puzzle game. [Issue#120, p.107]

Judged as an Xbox Live Arcade game, American Nightmare has the production values but the novelty soon quickly wears off. [Issue#120, p.105]