The game was over faster than this review. [July 2009, p.89]

Satisfyingly chunky, Pitt's a knockout. [June 2009, p.92]

Wolverine looks great, and deserves recognition as a game that's far better than it had to be. It's not perfect, and it doesn't feel finished, but it's coherent enough to gloss over the cracks and forgive the glitches.

Critical flaws in every major respect, then, and yet it just about hangs together. There's an affecting moodiness to it, a real satisfaction when you do chain together several silent kills, and the low-tech 1940s setting lends a refreshing purity to the sneak 'em up genre. With a little more polish, further adventures for Violette could well be to die for.

Sure to keep you entertained for hours. [July 2009, p.96]

A classic game spoiled by the controls. [July 2009, p.96]

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

Better than the first, but still not brilliant. [Mar 2009, p.93]

Still one of Sega's best racers. [Apr 2009, p.92]

There's plenty to be getting excited about, despite a slight lack of originality and visual finesse. Make no mistake, Dark Athena is first class stealth/action game with a double dose of top-notch entertainment that competently unites elements of "Mirror's Edge" and the "Splinter Cell" series. [Mar 2009, p.84]

That seed of potential excellence is frustrating, when the execution falls so regularly short of great.

Even though it's a bit of a flashy game, Ninja Blade is surprisingly shallow. It's not particularly long either - you can see everything in less than 10 hours, which doesn't help much with replayability. Worst of all, the novelties it wants you to like, it shoves in your face quite rudely many times over - resulting in a hack-and-slash that could have ultimately been a lot, er, sharper.

It's not very good. Who'd have thunk it? [Aug 2009, p.93]

The worst game on Xbox 360 to date. [June 2009, p.93]

The best band tie-in to date. [June 2009, p.79]

Some truly neat ideas made ugly and fiddly.

Okay, it's a lighter package than the annual Smackdown update, but with the inclusion of a huge hunk of videos and a pitch-perfect retro flair, this return to the golden age of wrestling is well worth a look.

There's no multiplayer, and even on the Hard setting this game is a piece of cake. It's fun while it lasts, but it ends so quickly you're bound to be disappointed.

A fun but brief monster mash. [June 2009, p.93]

Resident Evil 5 has to unfortunately go down as one of the biggest gaming disappointments in recent memory, simply because it's merely great rather than unbelievable. It lags behind 2008's better games in each and every facet it seeks to excel in - Dead Space is scarier, Left 4 Dead is a superior co-op experience and Gears 2 is still the best third-person, cover-based shooter money can buy.

It's hugely addictive, enormously satisfying and will only set you back 800 points. What are you waiting for? [May 2009, p.96]

How about pursuing a price drop, EA? [May 2009, p.95]

Perhaps the most impressive thing, though, is that it's managed to feel like a totally authentic Halo experience, rather than just a cynical spin-off. We've no doubt a strategy game will be a hard sell to a lot of people, but if this introduces even just a small proportion of die-hard Halo fans to a rewarding new genre of game, or indeed just a small proportion of strategy fans to the brilliance of Bungie's rich sci-fi universe, then it can be deemed a success that the now defunct Ensemble Studios can be proud of.

HAWX is an enormously exciting shooter, and manages to take modern combat, strip away the technical side favoured by the Ace Combat series, and create a game that's inspired more by the myth of fighter pilots than the reality. And as any three-headed fire-breathing griffin will tell you, the myth is far more entertaining. [Mike Channel]

It's too agonising to play through - and while that might be intentional, it's not in any way enjoyable. [May 2009, p.86]

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

A likeable shooter and a solid weekend's entertainment. [Apr 2009, p.78]

Pretty, but flaws stop it touching the stars. [June 2009, p.86]

This really is absolutely shocking.

Ultimately, if you can put up with the fact that it's aesthetically rough around the edges, you're unlikely to find a more viscerally rewarding racing experience than RACE Pro. [Feb 2009, p.78]

The only major disappointment is final boss Seth. Given how imaginative the rest of the crew are, going toe-to-toe with a bald, blue baddie that bears more than a passing resemblance to Bioshock's Fontaine feels like something of an anticlimax.

For the price, it's unmissable, and it proves that Liberty City can support far more than the two pieces of DLC Rockstar has committed to.

F.E.A.R. 2 delivers some meaty combat, but fails to improve on the original. Where was the ambition to innovate or surprise? It's by no means terrible, but for such a major franchise, more was expected. This is still an enjoyable shooter, just not a particularly hair-raising one.

Old-school Sega fans will be in heaven. [Apr 2009, p.91]

Quirky but not worth the asking price. [Apr 2009, p.90]

X-tremely poor in every respect. [May 2009, p.95]

Sloppy slashwork fails to hit its target. [Apr 2009, p.84]

For obsessive kit hoarders only. [Apr 2009, p.86]

Does what it says on the tin rather well. [Mar 2009, p.94]

Proof that in life, you get what you pay for. [Feb 2009, p.91]

A refreshing change of pace and damn good fun. [Feb 2009, p.82]

Prince of Persia may not be a world-changing nine, but it is a fantastic eight. The look, the feel of the game, is one one that turns back time and makes what was once the waning memory of an ailing genre fresh once more. [Christmas 2008, p.58]

One to avoid like Crypto's anal probe. [Mar 2009, p.93]

The Last Remnant is a game the purists can sink their teeth into, and one we hope isn't the 'Last' of its kind.

We really enjoyed our time with Miss Croft, but it is more of the same and 'dependable' isn't exciting enough. When you take a look at the gaming world around her, you wonder if it isn't time for another re-invention, not of the character, but her universe.

We'd rather be hit by lightning than play Bolt. [May 2009, p.95]

Not too substantial, but surprisingly polished. [Apr 2009, p.91]

This is gaming's equivalent of a B-movie. It might not last long, but with no plot, no fuss and no gimmicks, it's a guilty thrill that will live on in pub conversations, impromptu blasts with mates and the knowledge that if you ever want to sit down and enjoy some carnage, all you have to do is reach for this brilliant twist on survival horror.

So Undercover is a bit off-balance. Its bright spots, like the anticipation it builds for unlocking all the ridiculously fun race types, are dragged down by the slow-paced progression. A good time can be had, but only if you're patient or a really big fan of Most Wanted.

This game is at definitely its larger-than-life best with two players, but doesn't have the longevity to make it an essential purchase.

Shaun White is not for "SSX" fans hungry for more extreme boarding action. If you like your simulations or have a genuine interest in the sport, you'll appreciate its realism. Everyone else, however, will just be itching to pull off a 24-rotation mega backflip.

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

Strategy fans will be in heaven, but thanks to the slick production, amusing cutscenes and accessible controls it could also get a few converts to the RTS cause. It's certainly a great place to start.

Rare's best game in years is quite obviously intended for a younger audience, one that will almost certainly love every minute of it.

The basic act of playing the game is still enjoyable enough, but with FIFA adding loads of great new features like 10 vs 10 online multiplayer, this seems like a step sideways instead of forwards.

Those worried that World War II has been done to death, fear not. Treyarch's willingness to push the boundaries has uncovered a side to the war few developers even knew existed, and we'll be damned if it doesn't make for one hell of a game to boot.

Being a wrestling game, it certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, but for the first time we can safely say that this is a title that fans of the sport can really grapple with and, ultimately, love.

If you want, say, entertainment, then do like they do in real life and move from Superbikes to "MotoGP." [July 2008, p.92]

Established missions are still there - loverlorn villagers still need perking up, and there are races a-plenty - but much more on offer besides. And alongside flashier fights, a more helpful HUD and gorgeous new locations, it helps build the ideal sequel for every budding Hokage. Believe it.

There are very few ways that Gears of War 2 could be improved on. Only the story and the final boss in particular are a slight disappointment. Fanboys will love the fact that only one of a multitude of story arcs is concluded; everyone else will feel slightly unfulfilled. But aside from this, Gears 2 is not just the most exhilarating game you'll play this year, but possibly the most heady and downright shocking piece of entertainment full stop. Hollywood, your days are numbered. [Dec 2008, p.61]

Vigilante 8: Arcade is a glorious throwback to a simpler age in gaming, one that older gamers can appreciate and younger gamers can discover. It will only be as fun for as long as the Live community is there to support it but it's damn fun, so jump on while it lasts.

It's the most accessible strategy game we've played on the 360. The downside of all this user-friendliness though, is that EndWar's not particularly challenging. The single-player game against the computer, while fun and easy to play, doesn't have the strategic depth to keep a man entertained for long.

The problem with this is that Spark is relentless at throwing a huge number of beasties your way, crowding you into a corner and ripping you to shreds. There's not enough breathing space for you to heal yourself and absorb energy to use it effectively as a defensive measure. To say this had us throwing the controller at the telly and cursing is an understatement.

Quantum of Solace never manages to be a Bond game: at the tiniest of nudges, it panics and starts unleashing gunfire. It's clumsy, it's messy, it's not much fun and most of the time, it's not even the right film.

This is a way to acquire the entire set at a lower price, but only hardcore retro collectors need apply. [June 2009, p.93]

Bright and fun, but feels a bit 'budget'.

Better than Episode 1, but still not great. [Christmas 2008, p.98]

It's simple what Bethesda's done here - it's taken Oblivion's engine and design ethos, and applied it to a fresh franchise. The results are truly impressive, and we've no hesitation in slapping on a Must Buy badge, but you can't help but notice that for every problem it's fixed from Oblivion, a new leak's sprung.

MotoGP 08, like Casey Stoner's Ducati, isn't quite as staggeringly fast as last year's model, but it's still a great bike racer. It also lacks some of the shine and party atmosphere that the fantastic THQ MotoGP series had.

There's a massive amount to say about GHWT, from the factoid videos teaching you the real guitar, and the vastly improved backdrop for gigs, to the superb way you can play as a band. This is a vastly entertaining package and a must buy for music lovers and GH fans.

None of this package is new, which is why we've deducted a point. Still Alive is a pricey luxury for Portal fans. But hey, if you've never played it before, feel free to slap that point back on and enjoy one of gaming's tastiest treats from the last few years.

Just like the original Fable, this is a game that's hugely likeable, but only if you put the effort in. Make no mistake, it's genuinely charming, but everything from unclear storytelling to rubbish mini-games to glitchy graphics to sluggish menus makes an appearance, and you've got to take it all with a smile.

Child friendly but not alienating to adults - this is an enjoyable adventure for one or two.

Looks flashy, and fun but ends up being a shallow, repetitive trawl.

Far Cry 2 is this year's equivalent of Assassin's Creed... when it comes to enveloping the player in exotic sights and sounds, Ubisoft has absolutely nailed it. [Issue # 40]

Happy, sunny, cheesy singing fun. [Feb 2009, p.89]

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is most successful when it keeps things simple. The game's checkpoint events and time trials are the best we've seen, and the option to create circuits from scratch adds the potential for some truly epic contests. For slick graphics, intelligent design and pure arcade fun, this is the racing game to keep your motor running this winter.

A decent port of the classic board game. [Mar 2009, p.93]

Booty's multiplayer oozes longevity. [Nov 2008, p.101]

More revolting than it is a revolution. [May 2009, p.87]

Exactly like the original, and that's a bad thing. [Dec 2008, p.94]

This is a truly entertaining game. There's no pretension - just enjoyable mayhem. It doesn't claim to be the Messiah, but it is a very naughty boy. Volition has tapped into nearly every wanton act we'd want to commit in an open world and more besides. [Nov 2008, p.67]

It might not be adding much to the Resi formula, but it's hugely enjoyable despite this. Roll on the inevitable and much-deserved sequel.

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.

The best game in the franchise to date. It's genuinely good enough that it might even convert diehard PES fans if Konami's update this year ends up being as lacklustre as last year's.

A clever idea marred by a dull, dull world. [Nov 2008, p.72]

Pretty annoying. [Christmas 2008, p.97]

This is b-ball for the hardcore. You know it!

Who knew agony could be so much fun? [Dec 2008, p.100]

Workable horror, but missing some charm. [Mar 2009, p.86]

The smartest dumb game on Xbox Live. [Dec 2008, p.101]

Replay value is immense too, thanks to open tactics, large maps and good Xbox Live modes including Co-op.

Tight, fun and fast-paced racing action that just about anyone can enjoy. [Nov 2008, p.89]

Warriors Orochi 2 isn't short on content, but it's unlikely that many will want to persevere past the staggeringly poor frame rate and distinctly old-gen graphical flaws.

Stylish, competent, but a bit too familiar.

Don't be seduced by the trendy soundtrack or gnarly subtitle; there are already too many fantastic racing games fighting for space on the pre-owned racks.

This isn't just another franchise game: it's the closest thing that you'll ever get to a sequel to the movies. It's not the cleverest game ever made, but there's certainly enough excitement, intrigue and massive explosions to keep you interested. [Oct 2008, p.74]

Armored Core is best enjoyed with other enthusiasts, and For Answer has an impressive array of online options. [Sept 2008, p.88]