More than ever, Dynasty Warriors feels like an uncomfortable timefart.

This leaves a loving homage to Castlevania which doesn’t really advance its ideas. It’s faithful to a fault, right down to the bars that run down either side of the screen, locking it into the aspect ratio of a boxy cathode-ray TV. Timespinner could easily be a long-lost classic of the 16-bit era, a cartridge exhumed from a dusty storeroom and ported to Xbox. If you’re in need of a blast from the past, that could be perfect – but don’t expect something that can compete with the best modern Metroidvanias. [Issue#180, p.90]

You've already played the best bit. [Sept 2013, p.102]

Yet no matter how hockey mad you are, there's no denying that the controls are too muddled and the game not quite deep enough to really tickle.

Idea-free shooting. With dinosaurs. [Mar 2008, p.90]

A cheap and cheerful sim at a luxury price. [Oct 2012, p.97]

It isn't entirely awful - even dodgy MOBA games can provide a lot of fun - but the myriad flaws suggests that it's badly misunderstood its audience. It's like being handed a love letter that was written by someone who had Googled 'seduction'. The effort they've put in is clearly endearing, but sorry - we're just not interested.

Neither assaulting nor heroic. [July 2008, p.96]

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

An interesting concept and setting, held back by its rather lacking execution. [Issue#177, p.78]

An average party game regurgitation. Not at this price. [Oct 2012, p.101]

Repetitive and rather mindless gameplay make playing Putty Squad an experience we're unlikely to return to. If nothing else, it's a stark reminder of just how far games have come. [Sept 2014, p.87]

More wet slap than knockout blow. [Oct 2012, p.101]

A tired sports game with wasted potential. [Dec 2007, p.109]

The good, the bad, and the abysmal. [June 2012, p.93]

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

Glorious art is a feast for the eyes, but if you've ever played a platformer, you won't be able to shake the feeling you've seen this all before. [Nov 2015, p.80]

The dogfights in the skies are a lot of fun, but they fly a fine line between tense standoffs and frustration. Achieving a five-star rating and a better designation of your flight rank just doesn't have the same sense of achievement as other games out there.

If you can swallow the pad-mashing mechanics and wince your way through Silicon Knights' ham-fisted attempts at delivering back-story, there's a certain satisfaction to be had replaying to unlock new suits and powers.

Guilty pleasure - with emphasis on guilty. [Oct 2010, p.111]

The Lost Archive will blast an evening from your life, and give you something minor to chew on until Assassin's Creed 3. But this udder sac is pretty much drained.

The game has an admirable variety of modes, from career to arcade to quick play, but with a basic mechanic this crappy, all the variety in the world can't save it. [Feb 2007, p.100]

It's a decent tribute to an overrated series, and the ports are accurate - to a fault. [Nov 2015, p.87]

The new competitive focus and enhanced graphics engine are welcome, but it still feels underwhelming. [Jan 2016, p.88]

Heavily inspired by Hotline Miami, but sadly with none of its precision, purity or style. [Issue#178, p.84]

Charming but flawed, and lacks ambition. [May 2011, p.101]

A mostly forgettable, by-the-numbers JRPG which can try the patience. [October 2018, p.84]

How many more filthy, blood-spattered mess halls, garages and control rooms must we trudge through, in search of loot drops and audio diaries? How many more vents and sinkholes must we wearily inventory on entering an area, in readiness for the moment when the soundtrack jack-knifes and the undead pop into view? Awakened doesn't have answers for these questions.