Patience with Atelier Iris, however, comes with its own rewards as the game manages to open up in more creative ways (besides the mastery of the simple but solid fighting system) once you begin amassing Mana and mana. [Sept 2005, p.106]

It’s not revolutionary by any means, nor is it particularly long, but thanks to some clever creative control the game delivers a funny, engrossing and downright weird experience unlike most other platform adventures. [July 2005, p.104]

It could be argued that Pandemic’s extra-terrestrial effort is a little on the simple side, but in terms of sheer playability, scale and freedom - albeit within fairly limited areas - Destroy All Humans! is a class act indeed. [July 2005, p.96]

Battlefield 2 represents a far better understanding of what war actually entails; an effort to put the player in the heart of a battle where advancement is more strategic than just running around looking for a target. [Aug 2005, p.90]

Bomberman’s raison d’etre, Battle mode, is once again its saving grace. [Aug 2005, p.110]

Live & Reloaded is an odd package indeed. A great-looking port of a decent yet dated adventure isn't going to help Microsoft get a return on its $375 million acquisition. Luckily, the online multiplayer and its new content could write a different story. [Aug 2005, p.94]

It could be argued that Pandemic's extra-terrestrial effort is a little on the simple side, but in terms of sheer playability, scale and freedom - albeit within fairly limited areas - Destroy All Humans! is a class act indeed. [July 2005, p.96]

We could well be looking at a number one here. Unfortunately, Batman Begins won’t deserve such an elevated status as it’s average to the core. [Aug 2005, p.106]

It's almost as though Jam can't decide what kind of fighting game it wants to be, thanks to a dramatic clash of styles in terms of both combat and visuals. [March 2005, p.118]

In relation to the more arcade-based titles available at the moment this game is the leader of the pack, as it manages to deliver everything that makes street racing enjoyable at a high standard, in one neat package. [June 2005, p.106]

It sounds simple and on paper we’re sure it looks to have more than a little in common with Catch! Touch! Yoshi!, but we’re pleased to report that it actually has far more depth. [May 2005, p.112]

In relation to the more arcade-based titles available at the moment this game is the leader of the pack, as it manages to deliver everything that makes street racing enjoyable at a high standard, in one neat package. [June 2005, p.106]

Electronic Arts’ decision to free the series from simply being one man on a very direct mission by creating a virtual battlefield is a wise one but one that hasn’t quite reached as far as it could. [July 2005, p.106]

Samurai Western is a mess of a game, one that dangles a fun-looking carrot in front of your nose before bludgeoning your face in with a mallet. [Sept 2005, p.122]

Electronic Arts' decision to free the series from simply being one man on a very direct mission by creating a virtual battlefield is a wise one but one that hasn't quite reached as far as it could. [July 2005, p.106]

Electronic Arts' decision to free the series from simply being one man on a very direct mission by creating a virtual battlefield is a wise one but one that hasn't quite reached as far as it could. [July 2005, p.106]

Such ambition hasn’t been seen on the PC in God knows how long and Atari has landed itself an absolute classic here. A must-have - no questions asked. [July 2005, p.100]

It's fair to say that playing Advent Rising is about as enjoyable as getting home from a hard day's work to discover you've been burgled. [Aug 2005, p.114]

Don't be discouraged by Sacred Stones' similarity to the previous Fire Emblem game; we wouldn't change it for the world. [Aug 2005, p.116]

Where "Touched" lost some of the series' momentum by pigeon-holing its games into various styles, Twisted! literally swings it back in a positive direction... This isn't just a videogame; it's a tactile test of skill and balance that genuinely challenges more than just your reflexes. [May 2005, p.98]

It’s hard not to like Cold Fear for what it’s trying to do, but it’s also hard not to see the glaring errors that it makes along the way. [Apr 2005, p.119]

Stands as an interesting attempt to broaden the appeal of horror games, even if its innovative successes are counterbalanced by an adherence to old-fashioned adventure sleuthing. [May 2005, p.118]

Even though each puzzle is explained before it gets tough a few stages down the line, there are still a few that are a little too complex for their own good (as if the game wasn’t frustrating enough already.) [Aug 2005, p.96]

It’ll be the online community that makes or breaks Sunrise. Given the way the support for the first game surpassed even the developer’s expectations, we’re inclined to think that this superior sequel should have no trouble in getting fans to rally behind it. [May 2005, p.94]

Quite simply, Revenge… is the worst kind of Star Wars game - one that looks good enough to appeal to impulsive fans, but ultimately fails to deliver by being a horribly derivative, stale and linear example of the genre it so lazily falls into. [July 2005, p.114]

Quite simply, Revenge… is the worst kind of Star Wars game - one that looks good enough to appeal to impulsive fans, but ultimately fails to deliver by being a horribly derivative, stale and linear example of the genre it so lazily falls into. [July 2005, p.114]

Digital Extremes should be reasonably proud of Pariah, even though it falls short of being the be all and end all of the genre that the developer claimed it would be. [May 2005, p.90]

It demands skill without being overly realistic and is challenging without being overly frustrating – an ideal combination that forms the backbone of an incredibly enjoyable game. [JPN Import; Feb 2005, p.116]