It's an undeniable blast in co-op. [May 2015, p.90]

Another intense Blazkowicz adventure - but a little over familiar. [July 2015, p.74]

Flashy and frantic brawler hamstrung only by its devotion to online co-op. [Aug 2016, p.79]

We can't wait to see what next year holds. [Dec 2012, p.97]

It has far too many rough edges. [May 2015, p.93]

By turns brilliant and infuriating, this falls just short of being a score-chasing classic. [Aug 2016, p.80]

But Space Marine's key flaw isn't, oddly, that it tramples its brainy heritage to mush. It's that the game doesn't trample hard enough.

Unapologetically rugged retro-romp where every inch of progress is cause to break out the celebration cake. Not for the faint of heart, but in the short term, it's a pleasing challenge for the faint of wallet.

Each of the three play styles - stealth, gadgets and guns - become tedious if you doggedly stick with where your skill points have been spent. But if you're able to keep changing your style, and can forgive the attention-breaking idiocy of the enemies, you'll see there's potential here for a great sequel and series.

Enjoyable anime nonsense robot attack. [Oct 2011, p.103]

Lobsters should be invited to every party. [Dec 2012, p.7]

A few action-related missteps don't stop this being a decent first season. [Feb 2017, p.86]

Not quite worthy of its dev pedigree, but there's enough here to keep our tails wagging. [Nov 2016, p.73]

A surprise - a likeable and entertaining family game that throws up the occasional tough challenge. [Sept 2011, p.102]

More of the same great game, but it's time for an upgrade. Bring on Fallout 5. [Aug 2016, p.88]

Meanwhile the wafer-thin story is told through ugly, badly acted cartoons that spoil the carefully presented atmosphere.

A great classic with a few flaws. [March 2013, p.85]

Full of imagination, but you'll need a will of steel to get through its toughest trials. [Aug 2016, p.80]

It has the feel and production values of a blockbuster game, but lacks any big-budget thrills. If you can get over the inane storyline, there's enjoyment to be had from the solid game play and co-op moves, but don't expect the fun to live much longer than those Iraqis you're shooting at.

It's heavy going at times, but the imposing sweep of Jotun's world is Asgard as it gets. [Nov 2016, p.79]

Syndicate can't quite escape the series' lingering problems, but it gets by on the breezy charm of its leads, ably assisted by a sprightly score and winning script.

Lacking a map-editor, co-op, and charismatic central villain, Primal sacrifices its forebears' 'big event' status, but this back-to-basics approach makes for an all-natural off-the-reservation romp.

It's the most accessible entry to date, but not the most compelling. [Apr 2008, p.80]

Like the outfits its drab protagonist wields like weapons, Lightning Returns is all style and very little meaningful substance. Combat works well, but the world is altogether forgettable.

Caught in the right light and this glitters like a racing visor in the sun, but it’s very similar to last year’s game. Ultimately only worth it if you’ve spent years out - and haven’t picked up stablemate, Ride.

No surprises here. If you're in the market for an NFL game in 2016, look no further. [Nov 2016, p.79]

Ironically, in trying to cram loads into Blitz: The League II, Midway has actually made it less enjoyable. The tacked-on mini-games only delay the proper action. That's not to say it's not a fun game: it's just not consistently fun. Shame.

Won't give you shivers, but will make your thumbs itch.

Adds four decent new maps and the chance to see Bruce Campbell firing John Malkovich. [Aug 2015, p.97]

Traveller's Tales could use a magic compass, we suspect - there's a definite sense of diminishing returns here, a worry that for all the franchise's simple amusements and dumbshow gags, LEGO is sailing close to the rocks.

Ballsy cartoon guts and supersploding stupidity. [March 2013, p.89]

Asura's Wrath begs for negative criticism. But no unhelpful intellectualising about the boundaries of TV and videogame can magic away the wide grin that sat on our face for most of the game. If you're a fan of massive-attack anime and characters who are only mortal when the battle ends, Asura's Wrath is Naruto for post-pubescents. It's not great value, but it is spectacular entertainment.

One of the better sci-fi puzzlers not starring GLaDOS, with plenty to keep grey matter happy. [Nov 2016, p.86]

Short and sweet but still satisfying. [Jan 2010, p.115]

True to its heritage, the combat is the weak point. Upping the enemy numbers to double figures for most battles looks impressive, but the fighting system is still surprisingly ungainly for such an acrobatic warrior.

A unique sci-fi horror which is deliciously complex, if a little ugly. [April 2017, p.94]

A game that doesn't always balance the line between reward and challenge. [May 2018, p.78]

All in all, a decent package for Resident Evil 5 fans, especially those who have a partner to tackle Lost In Nightmares with.

But casual strategy fans will enjoy dispatching waves of cavalry, artillery, and airplanes in head-to-head online multiplayer matches. Just be prepared to take a few beatings while you find your footing.

A pleasantly straightforward and playable racer, Gravel is capable but ordinary. [May 2018, p.80]

A treat for fans and better than "NBA Street." [June 2008, p.66]

Sadly, the floaty handling returns, which limits the feeling of tactile connection to the game. Similarly, while the simplistic trick system is adequate for boost hoarding in races, the stunt events are a fiddly chore. Techland still hasn't entirely 'nailed' it then, but you definitely won't feel robbed for the price.

Gotham City Imposters adds daft gadgets and a massive dose of style and humour to an old template, and it's a hugely entertaining way to pass any number of evenings, once you get through the matchmaking. But its biggest problem is that the unlocking system and stingy coins system constitutes its own form of psychological warfare with the player. And there, it misfires.

On-rails action for the morally oblivious. [Jan 2012, p.100]

A busy, challenging, and intriguing take on the city-building genre. [May 2018, p.86]

We'd happily plough through the whole thing just to hear the jokes and see the characters again. [Christmas 2007, p.102]

It's cute, and you can use the character creator to build some ruddy adorable puppies and kittens. But if you've got The Sims 3, this might feel like little more than a loveable but only semi-substantial expansion pack. On it's own, it's yet another decent slice of wholemeal life-sim.

A huge action RPG that is bursting with love and detail. And a fair few bugs, too.

Not perfect, but decent gun-run fun. [Jan 2012, p.103]

If flipping through digital pages of text doesn't float your boat though, then look elsewhere. Shallow plot aside, you're looking at four hours of getting jumped by giant animals in a dusty canyon.

Only falls short of its own grand ambitions. [Jan 2012, p.103]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

There's enough frenzied destruction to entertain for an afternoon - just leave your brain at the door. [Aug 2008, p.94]

There's plenty to do and the sheer size of the city will keep you busy for weeks. But Carbon's new features don't stand out enough to make it warrant an immediate purchase if you've already raced through Underground 1 and 2, Juiced or Midnight Club.

While the first half hour of Sonic Generations is jarring, it's really worth sticking with. There's a lot of fan love here, from showdowns with your rivals - Metal, Shadow and Silver - to revisiting some familiar but excellently reworked levels. But it's a scarring shame that the Sonic 1 emulation reminds you how smooth Sonic should be. And he isn't.

Respectable though its faith to the old-skool way is, it's not going to satisfy the modern gamer. If you and your three mates still adore the original arcade game you'll get a kick out of playing this prettier version, but everyone else will be snoozing within the hour.

Unexpectedly good stuff, despite its flaws.

Played on a gamepad, Powerstar might not have the grandma-pleasing intuitive appeal of a Kinect-powered title, but it's still a sweet and inclusive family game.

It's an inconsistent package that doesn't fully deliver on the single-player, nor distinguish itself enough in multiplayer to make it an Xbox Live contender. A real shame.

Losing Kinect doesn't lost the joy of this ride. [Aug 2012, p.107]

Lococycle is as hard to put down as it is hard to love. Even if the comedy scratches your itch, there will be times when the shortage of depth and aversion to polish become impossible to forgive.

It's a harrowing tale, but a frustrating one too. Odd arcade touches and cost-cutting measures poke through the skin like broken bones. Bluffing your way out of a fight sounds promising, but it's a clunky, repetitive business and bodycounts are high.

For all its shallowness, I couldn't help but fall for Zoo Tycoon. While its charms may indeed be too quickly exhausted, they're potent while they last, and there's an overpowering wholesomeness that's difficult to resist. There are a lot of great ideas, wonderful moments and potential memories to be made here that make it more than worth a look, but much like my experiences with real-life animal parks, Zoo Tycoon becomes less likely to delight upon each subsequent visit.

If you long for the carefree carnage of Destruction Derby and you're happy to ply the bulk of your trade online this is well worth a look. Otherwise you'll probably want to write this one off.

We'll find out next year if WWE's stable-change to 2K really changes the world of digital man-squeezing, but for now, like Wrestlemania, WWE 2K14 is a comforting combo of familiarity and nonsense.

In terms of what you actually do, though, Burial at Sea is fairly tepid stuff - a fetch quest followed by shoot-outs that introduce Infinite's Tears and Skylines to Bioshock 1's Splicers and turrets, a puzzle that involves finding a new Plasmid, a puzzle that involves doing X of Y, and a boss encounter that's all about attrition.

An old-fashioned shooter in both looks and gameplay, but done with enough conviction that you can be forgiving. [June 2006, p.58]

Our x-ray vision can see through this one. Not quite super enough. [Christmas 2006, p.126]

Over the Hedge isn't anywhere near perfect, but it's still reasonably entertaining and not quite bad enough to be dismissed as a 'cash-in' (aren't most games made for cash?). [Aug 2006, p.62]

Button bashing by the numbers and very repetitive. Only superhero fanboys need apply to this Justice League. [Jan 2007, p.125]

A basic-yet-endearing trip down memory lane. Don't bother if you owned these games in a past life, though. [April 2006, p.92]

A jaunty, fairly interesting collection of mini-games, but it's been done better a hundred times before. [April 2006, p.89]

A great license and great idea scuppered by the 'seen it all before' feel of the gameplay. Big shame. [Nov 2006, p.72]

In spite of its unspectacular style and its translation-glitch quirks, Over G is a little weird, but lots of fun. [Aug 2006, p.92]

Retro action without much new to offer. [July 2009, p.97]

While its core modes are shallower than the competition, NBA Live 15 is breezy and fun to play on the court. [Jan 2015, p.82]

The best thing that can be said about ProStroke Golf...is that you can speed through a game pretty efficiently. [Issue#65, p.97]

Unlike the game's spotting endings, our conclusion has a bit more force to it: Holmes is guilty of gimmickry, but gets time off for good intentions. [Dec 2014, p.78]

Modern, pretty and competent, but devoid of stupid fun and a soul. [Dec 2014, p.78]

As valiant an attempt as its name suggests, but ultimately this is a story simultaneously too big and too personal for the tappy trappings it's been couched within.

Let down by money-grabbing that manifests in entirely unsubtle nudges towards buying new characters. [Dec 2014, p.79]

Eurocom's recycled but robust offering might have been worth it if Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 weren't stealing the limelight this Christmas. Golden Eye Reloaded is fun, but fails to square up to the FPS big boys.

Despite this being one of the best 3D fighters of a generation, it's hard to recommend SoulCalibur II HD Online due to a silly price tag and some seriously poor online multiplayer implementation. The SoulCalibur name deserves more than this.

We can't wholly recommend its gameplay, but as a vessel for an endangered culture, it's a worthy project. [Jan 2015, p.88]

A jarringly inconsistent first poke at next-gen hockey. Makes bold leaps forward in terms of game day presentation, physics and AI, but large swathes of it seem unfinished. [Dec 2014, p.82]

Perfect for quick blasts of fun. [Jan 2010, p.112]

Tries to juggle too many balls at once, ends up dropping most of them and hoping you won't notice. [Dec 2014, p.83]

A throwback party game that's clearly aimed at a very specific audience.

A light, breezy and immediate racer that's perfect multiplayer party fodder. [Jan 2015, p.89]

Not bad if you can bring the skills. [Nov 2009, p.95]

An average game made viable by its low barrier to entry - but outperformed in almost every way by the giants of its genre. One to dabble with, but think before committing real money.

Performance problems spoil a slick city-builder with a lot of potential. [Sept 2017, p.82]

They've proved themselves capable of better than this.

Colourful but uninspired. [Aug 2013, p.87]

They need to start working on their polish and QA. [May 2014, p.91]

Summer Athletics gets off to a good start with a generally competent control system. It's a shame that its lack of features means that it can't quite go the distance, and ultimately ends up coughing, wheezing and spluttering after just four or five hours of gameplay.

A fast, scrappy FPS with gorgeous art that’s sadly much less than the sum of its parts. [Issue#179, p.76]

A well-made and exceptionally pretty poker game, but we're not entirely convinced Pure Hold'em's show-stopping looks justify the price of entry alone.