A ton of fun. [Christmas 2007, p.66]

Ultra-generic. [Dec 2009, p.99]

Frontloads truly excellent stuff, then has a snooze shortly afterwards, becoming formulaic and lacking quests. [Dec 2009, p.88]

The Complete Edition is a great way to introduce newbies to this RTS masterpiece. [May 2009, p.93]

An outstanding experience. It manages to create a constant sense of threat, includes some stunning set-pieces, and introduces a cast of breathtaking beasts, all within a combat system that is one of the most versatile and violent we have ever seen. [Dec 2006, p.98]

Unimpressive sim that misses a chance to impress with groovy visuals. [Jan 2005, p.94]

A game destined to be forgotten. [Sept 2011, p.98]

Immense fun, very addictive. [Apr 2011, p.104]

Momentarily entertaining clicky clunky puzzling, but lacking enough real imaginative freedom to make it truly essential. [Sept 2008, p.110]

Christ on a bike, though, it's ugly. I mean like school bus traffic accident ugly. [June 2007, p.52]

I'm thoroughly impressed with Blood Bowl. [Oct 2009, p.99]

Surprisingly more depth than there at first appears.

Like GTA used to be before it got all serious. This isn't just a sandbox, it's a brilliant, personalised playground of fun. [Mar 2009, p.92]

Diverting mob brutality, but nothing like the films, and downright ugly. [May 2006, p.95]

It's completely let down by the actual developers. [Feb 2010, p.94]

It's picking the wrong fight - taking on MMOs on their own turf, instead of truly daring to be something different. It tries. Often it succeeds. Just not enough to stop the sound of its stalling engine ringing as loud as the gunfire. [June 2006, p.92]

It’s stable, easy to learn, cheap and has plenty of scope for development, which is perhaps more than the competition offers.

An engaging, if sometimes brain fizzing, option. [Sept 2008, p.114]

It definitely simulates railways, for better, but mainly for worse. [Christmas 2007, p.68]

Overall, the simplicity is really the only thing that holds Operation Genesis back: it comes across as more of a children’s game than a fully-fledged management title and doesn’t have the enduring challenges to really snare the proper calculator junkies.

An enjoyable kill-a-thon then, though sits unsteadily alongside the now-classic Valve title. [Oct 2009, p.98]

All the licenses you could want, but sluggish controls hold it back. [Christmas 2009, p.93]

It’s astoundingly beautiful, too – by contrast, "Freelancer’s" visuals are like watching a brick float around a bucket of custard. But, needless to say, X² isn’t for everyone – but if it’s immersive liberty rather than fast thrills you’re after, it offers an almost incomparably satisfying experience, just so long as the really bad stuff doesn’t stop you from putting the hours in.

Utterly standard adventure devoid of novelty. [Christmas 2005, p.102]

Hour after hour of repetitive gameplay. In space, no-one can hear you snore. [Aug 2006, p.99]

Leader of the field of one, until some credible opposition appears. [Dec 2005, p.92]

A simple but entertaining take on the game of golf, if you don't pay for it. A shallow meaningless farce if you do. [June 2010, p.98]

If the repetitive invasion missions could be handled by the AI, "Total War"-style, it would've been a definite winner in my book. [Mar 2007, p.75]