New setting, same old intrigues, Democracy 3: Africa is a clever simulation but plays it far too safe. [July 2016, p.90]

Its various components are limited, but this is a clever puzzler/simulation whose flaws aren't too bitter a pill to swallow. [December 2015, p.84]

Frequent crashes and easy exploits make Gratuitous Space Battles 2 quite the superfluous sequel, ironically. [July 2015, p.86]

For the price it's a pretty flimsy product. [Apr 2015, p.101]

Patience is a virtue. [Apr 2015, p.87]

Far too shallow to hold your attention for long. [March 2015, p.92]

Behind the name, there's solid hack and slash with some decent enemies. But Sacred? Not to anyone, it seems. [Oct 2014, p.94]

If you've avoided Premium so far, it's probably not worth purchasing now. [July 2014, p.97]

Like Origins, this lacks notable additions to the Arkham canon, but the shorter form is a better fit for Warner Montreal. [July 2014, p.96]

1849 finds a few glittering flecks in taking a well-worn RTS template into gold-rush California, but no prime nuggets. [July 2014, p.78]

Despite awkward graphics, it uses classic adventure themes to craft a mystery and a world worth exploring. [July 2014, p.72]

Like the series itself, there's satisfaction to be had in sticking to the well-worm path. [June 2014, p.91]

A distinctly average point-and-click adventure that doesn't deliver on the potential of its prison-break premise. [May 2014, p.90]

A bit meagre, perhaps, but for a fiver this is a nostaglia trip worth taking - a short, simple RPG that's a neat pop culture homage. [Apr 2014, p.93]

A relatable game about a common truth: that true happiness is hard to find. [Apr 2014, p.89]

Paper overcomes these minor quibbles because it's just good fun. [Apr 2014, p.83]

With a bit more seasoning, it could have been delicious. [Apr 2014, p.83]

Sadly, the game isn't quote as compelling as its journey. [Feb 2014, p.91]

The problem with discussing MirrorMoon EP is that the fun (and frustration) of it lies in discovering for yourself what you have to do, how, and why. Good luck with that last part - it still eludes me. [Feb 2014, p.91]

A short but sweet adventure game. Bears the wrinkles of age but it's still with spending your time on. [Feb 2014, p.90]

Saints Row IV really was more elegant. [Jan 2014, p.101]

These brief snippets aren't quite worth the return ticket. [Jan 2014, p.101]

Resembles its zombies - pulpy and brainless. [Jan 2014, p.99]

The lack of online play is a shame. [Christmas 2013, p.93]

A game that runs on human tears. [Christmas 2013, p.93]

A clever reworking of the card-based strategy game formula. [Dec 2013, p.94]

It's great to revisit the dungeon crawler genre's crude beginnings, but don't go alone. [Dec 2013, p.89]

It has grown in scale and scope, and become a worse game a result. [Dec 2013, p.83]

Nor is Splatters terribly engaging. [Oct 2013, p.77]

Achingly beautiful. [Aug 2013, p.85]

Vestigial mechanics wrapped around a dated tactical shooter. Play this for the VIP Car Escort mode. [July 2013, p.86]

No arguments, this is one of the most beautiful game worlds created. [July 2013, p.85]

Not quite so original the second time around, Zeno Clash 2 hits hard with ideas, swings and misses on execution. [July 2013, p.78]

A disappointingly uneven offering. [June 2013, p.96]

Occasionally repetitive, sometimes puerile but for the most part amusing. [June 2013, p.89]

A bountiful adventure game with a lot of personality, but one that suffers from its own ambition. [June 2013, p.82]

Monster may very well love you, but it will probably have to get used to you simply liking it back. [June 2013, p.92]

A pretty impressive package for 2 quid. [June 2013, p.79]

Four player co-op always stimulates a baseline level of fun, but this is bare bones stuff. [May 2003, p.111]

It's a mixed bag. [May 2003, p.111]

Procedurally generated levels and items offer plenty of possibilities, but if they're not guided by a designer's hand, it's always going to feel amateur. [Apr 2013, p.109]

Without prods from the story to push onwards, Retrovirus is reliant on the appeal of its three-dimensional shootouts to push you towards the end. Thankfully, they are up to the job. [Apr 2013, p.107]

Its lighthearted retro puzzling gets under your skin very quickly. It's unlikely to stay there more than a couple of days, but for four quid that's plenty sufficient. [Apr 2013, p.85]

If you haven't completed [the main game] yet, though, there's no real reason to pay for this. [March 2013, p.111]

It lacks a sense of lasting import. [March 2013, p.111]

This is not a town you'd want to visit for too long. [March 2013, p.99]

As a distraction, Triple Town is a solid puzzler, especially without the freemium annoyances in other versions. [March 2013, p.99]

Stylish, somewhat hypnotic and sporadically satisfying. [March 2013, p.95]

A well designed game totally let down by the software and structure supporting it. This could have been a must-play. [Nov 2012, p.100]

The extra frills don't add thrills to the tried Pipemania template. [Oct 2012, p.90]

Struggles for relevance as a commercial game. [Sept 2012, p.109]

True to its roots, Dungeon Bowl is broken, and is soured further by a dormant community and no singleplayer. [Sept 2012, p.104]

Clever puzzle concepts fail to coalesce into anything scintillating, undermined by inconsistent physics and a rather witless world. [Sept 2012, p.100]

A puzzler that remains short of an epiphany. [Sept 2012, p.85]

A cute, quirky anime dungeon crawl that will cheerfully kick your arse until your nose starts bleeding. [Sept 2012, p.84]

Not rubbish, then, but one to pick up from the bargain bin. [Aug 2012, p.103]

The detail is there, but thanks to the mild handling and thin, generic audio, the magic isn't. [Aug 2012, p.97]

Great customisation and a compelling clan war layer, but the multiplayer just isn't interesting enough to support them. [Aug 2012, p.96]

A decent slow-mo shooter spoilt by technical issues and a heavy focus on an empty plot. Wait for patches or a demo. [Aug 2012, p.88]

Does it justify the steep price? No. [July 2012, p.99]

Unluckily, it costs 20 quid, which is significantly more than it's worth. [July 2012, p.99]

Exploring is fun, resource exploitation is basic and extermination is tedious. [July 2012, p.84]

What starts out unforgettable, ends up feeling disposable. [June 2012, p.111]

A different take on tower defence, but one that needed more thought before being released on an unsuspecting public. [June 2012, p.110]

The ghosts are fun and have plenty to say, even if the humour regularly falls short. [June 2012, p.105]

The 16 campaign sorties feel so HAWXian so Ace Combatish, you'll swear you've flown them before. [June 2012, p.101]

On its own merits, it's an okay hack-and-slash but one that feels as old as it is - and nothing special when there's the likes of Recettear and Fortune Summoners offering other flavours of action-JRPG in more interesting ways. [June 2012, p.100]

For its price and playability it's well worth a look. [June 2012, p.97]

The MoW formula still satisfies, but familiar units and a stale setting leave this swansong feeling superfluous. [June 2012, p.94]

There are better and more rewarding ways to exercise your creativity. [May 2012, p.113]

An often frustrating game built around a clever idea. It could have become something so much greater. [May 2012, p.112]

Still too dour for most. [May 2012, p.110]

A novel use of fluids, but sometimes scuppered by cumbersome platforming and the annoyingly happenstance physics. [May 2012, p.104]

A solid Motocross racing game that skids and falls flat on its face in the mud when it tries anything else. [May 2012, p.90]

A beautiful alternative to the standard MMO, but unlikely to draw you away from more structured questing for long. [May 2012, p.88]

Unlikely ever to fuel frenetic action akin to Galcon, or plumb great strategic depths. [Apr 2012, p.121]

A poor substitute for more focused action or strategy. [Apr 2012, p.116]

The game's later levels get brutally devious, and the trial and error can become tiresome. [Apr 2012, p.113]

For 8 quid, this add-on manages to bite out Dead Island's biggest chunk of fun. [Apr 2012, p.98]

Two cool new brawling modes with no upper limit on challenges. That's worth 2 quid if you're getting seriously good. [Apr 2012, p.98]

Pretty standard, but entertaining enough. [Apr 2012, p.98]

Does absolutely nothing with this age-old genre. [Mar 2012, p.113]

The one Shogun DLC I have trouble getting enthusiastic about. [Mar 2012, p.109]

A very fair price for the pleasure of their covert company, even if you only end up leading them for a couple of campaigns. [Mar 2012, p.109]

An engaging and enjoyable take on medieval strategy. [Feb 2012, p.107]

Feels like a showcase of a brilliant game mechanic, but that doesn't excuse the sparseness of the game around it. [Feb 2012, p.99]

If you know what it expects of you, there's a thrill to some of Generations' showier moments. If not, prepare to hit a series of brick walls at high speed. [Feb 2012, p.93]

There are a few glimmers of brilliance. [Jan 2012, p.141]

A brave attempt at a promising genre, but not hard-boiled enough to earn the traditional $25 a day plus expenses. [Jan 2012, p.120]

Quickly loses steam thanks to repetition and bland design. [Jan 2012, p.114]

A good idea that allows for some fun co-operative strategising, but too often the mechanics or technical issues get in the way. [Christmas 2011, p.100]

Frustrating for newcomers and disappointing for veterans, Stronghold 3 is a combat overhaul away from being any good.

A less than great RPG-shooter that you may still love to pieces, but keep a pack if aspirin on hand just in case. [Nov 2011, p.140]

Custom BFGs keep it more BFE than BFD, but the modern successor to games like Contra and Abuse this is not. [Nov 2011, p.136]

It's certainly never short of ideas, but inept execution sends Pirates of Black Cove toppling off the gangplank. [Nov 2011, p.134]

Some conservative choices, and it's tough for tourists, but stoical series vets will relish the change of scene and kit. [Nov 2011, p.132]

Not as clever as Recettear, but just as cute, and a strong second outing for the translation team behind it. [Nov 2011, p.130]

Good gags can't save this game from its repetitive combat and bland RPG-lite nature. [Nov 2011, p.126]