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]

Doesn't fully realize its potential, but these are early days.

Just great action, a love of superhero cinema, and not one overpriced level pack in sight. [Apr 2016, p.82]

It's certainly a riot of a shooter that encourages you to get out there and blast away rather than cry behind cover, but it's lasting appeal is diminished by a lack of depth and some flimsy level design.

At times it feels like the mad power trip it ought to be – but repetitive action soon sucks the joy out of its amazing explosions, and unnecessary restrictions get in the way of the fun.

An old-fashioned RPG, solid but unexciting. [July 2009, p.92]

It's three hours you won't want back. [Oct 2010, p.106]

The fiddly controls, narrow field of view and slow pace make this game much more frustrating than it needs to be, but it's built on solid foundations. [Apr 2016, p.90]

Origins is too good to return to the Assassin's Creed games of yesterday. [June 2018, p.86]

To paraphrase Bret Hart, it's the best there is, the best there was, but next year's will probably be a little bit better again.

A varied but over-engineered shooter that's a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothin'. [July 2016, p.84]

Loses gag-traction, but still a laugh.

Too tough, very cool, not as good as Sine Mora. [Christmas 2012, p.97]

There's loads wrong with Dead Island. It's as riddled with holes as the festering flesh of its primary antagonists. Every element of the game you can conceive of is infected with issues that would ordinarily be terminal. By all rights it should fall flat like a faceplanting undead shuffler. But just like those persistent, putrefied corpses, Dead Island keeps trundling on, somehow remaining shambolically entertaining throughout.

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

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.

Temporarily interesting.

It's too derivative and frustrating to contend for Dark Souls' crown. [Xmas 2014, p.78]

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

A vision of retro loveliness. [March 2013, p.85]

A purer, tougher survival game for the core. [Feb 2014, p.95]

Sleek, sleazy and stylish, but lacking the punch and mouldable story that we crave. [June 2017, p.86]

Personality overwhelms in Unbox: Newbie's Adventure, making the world feel alive and kicking - if boxes had feet, that is.

Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits is a brilliant full-band revival of some of our favourite songs from the series, which may not have made it to a straight sequel. With it being a lighter, stop-gap package, though, we'd recommend picking it up in a few months' time at a more agreeable price.

Presentational quibbles aside, though, this is a really good game. A bit more polish (and by 'a bit' we mean 'a lot'), a few more career options and some recognisable licensing and this could become an essential purchase for poker fans.

More old than wild wild west. [Aug 2007, p.98]

Retro City Rampage has all the charm, scattershot wit and entertainment value of a drunk, gabbling child. It's shallow, mindless and simple - that's the point.

Going through the motions. [Jan 2013, p.86]