The best music game in the world...ever! [Jan 2008, p.79]

A beautiful and haunting exploration of life, death and family tragedy.

Once again Turn 10 has produced the biggest and deepest racer on the Xbox 360.

A brilliant experience. No other license-shackled developer has understood their subject quite as well as Rocksteady, and this is without a doubt the definitive representation of the Dark Knight.

One of the best indie titles since Limbo. [Sept 2015, p.98]

At its worst, Rock Band 2 feels like a massive expansion pack that just fills in all the missing gaps from the original game. [Christmas 2008, p.92]

More of the same, which is fine for now. [May 2010, p.96]

What Dark Souls does, more than any other game, is make challenges that once felt utterly impossible, possible - when the only thing that has changed is you and your understanding of the situation. It may take ten passes at a foe before you even begin to feel out its defences and formulate a strategy, but when that glorious killing blow finally comes, you'll know you've earned it. And that's an incredible feeling.

It’s by no means a flawless victory, but The Witcher 3 is a remarkable, if uneven, adventure that we’ll be dipping into for months to come.

Blizzard at its best, refining a formula until it sings. As good as team-based shooters get. [Aug 2016, p.83]

The corollary of its obsessive refusal to countenance even a hint of compromise is the vast amount of satisfaction it provides when you do finally make those breakthroughs and progress to a new area. If you fancy yourself as a hardcore gamer, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the embodiment of what games are all about. [Issue#177, p.77]

Fast, beautiful and fully featured, it's not only the best Horizon, but the best Forza, too. [Dec 2016, p.81]

Tight action gameplay and beautiful sprite work make this an indie must-have. [Nov 2018, p.86]

The FPS epic comes full circle. Pure quality.

The astounding vistas of each planet combined with swelling synth chords and the cheesy sci-fi plots of Babylon 5, make this a game for lovers of sci-fi and RPG everywhere. Roll on the sequels!

Forza Motorsport 4 is a racing game that tries to be all things to all people, and you know what? It actually pulls it off.

The story isn't amazing, but it takes a cheerful back seat to spending time with the characters we've all grown to love over the last five years. And, best of all, nearly all of the loose ends are tied up. In single-player it's easily the best game of the series - and online the Horde, Deathmatch and Beast modes stand a good chance of making you forget about Battlefield and Call of Duty. Bravo, Epic.

Far Cry 3 isn't too much of a departure, once you actually get to grips with the landscape that stretches behind that fidgety, histrionic exterior. It is, however, handily the best game in the series so far, and deserves to hold its head high among this winter's noisy crowd of sandbox offerings. If madness is repetition, this is one reworking of a formula I don't mind losing my mind to.

The first Assassin's Creed's charm was in the sumptuous graphics and straightforward action - that incredible climbing and free-running, and the visceral thrill of stapling evil people to the dirt with a wristblade. With AC2 the rest of the game has caught up with the brilliance of those central ideas to create a complete and coherent experience. We can think of plenty of words that could describe Assassin's Creed 2 - involving, exciting, cinematic - but there's only one word that sums it up beautifully. Killer. [Dec 2009, p.74]

This is pure videogame from start to finish - escapism at its finest. It reminds you of a time you didn't question why, you just went along for the ride. There's only one question: how the hell do you top it? [Jan 2009, p.92]

If you think you can handle the pressure, deal with the pain and put in the hours, then you'll find this one of the most frenetic, tactical and rewarding squad-based shooters ever made (despite a few annoying foibles and glitches), one that will grip and enthrall you for weeks on end - and justify the outlay for your Xbox 360 setup. [Apr 2006, p.15]

It adds visual punch, improved multiplayer, a better sense of progression (as new licenses must now be acquired to unlock further tracks) and an intimidatingly powerful editor with the potential to punt the game's longevity into the stratosphere. For 1,200 MP this is as unmissable an XBLA title as its predecessor and, while it's not quite an evolution, it's certainly an example of intelligent design.

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.

When you consider the revised physics engine and fine-tuned player AI, this year's FIFA steps up as one of the best updates in a long time. A goal machine of a game and a compulsive purchase that not even Arsene Wenger could resist.

The best in the series by some distance.

Excellent combat executed with stylish flair. A must have for action game fans. [Sept 2018, p.90]

Arguably, Geralt's greatest quest yet. An excellent tale, confidently told and at a bargain price. Essential. [Christmas 2015, p.86]

Charming, beautifully odd, if a little taxing, this hunter will devour your nights.