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]

Struggles to impress beyond its visuals. [March 2015, p.97]

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

Better as a bite-sized diversion than a full day investment. [Christmas 2014, p.]

Fails to excel. [Nov 2014, p.95]

It packs an emotional punch when it counts. [Nov 2014, 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]

A mildly unsatisfying conclusion that still has enough charm and challenge to justify fans' faith in the project. [July 2014, p.88]

The best war sim around. [July 2014, p.86]

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]

Looking for a fulfilling lane defence game? Get Plants vs. Zombies. [June 2014, p.91]

Despite its clumsy handling of some issues, Journal has clever moments. [May 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 short but sweet platformer requiring ninja reflexes. [May 2014, p.85]

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]

A fast, deep and exciting card game let down by its business model. Great when you're on a roll, rough when you're not. [Apr 2014, p.84]

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]

Still dark, cool, beautiful, smart substantial, funny, creative and endlessly entertaining. Only now a bit better. [Jan 2014, p.88]

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

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

Too much is crude or dysfunctional, and with no stellar ambition to justify it. [Christmas 2013, p.83]

Rarely exciting, mostly disappointing. An unfinished tactical shooter let down by technical issues and terrible AI.

A delight. [Dec 2013, p.95]

An original take on the arcade time-trial formula. [Dec 2013, p.95]

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]

FIFA 14 has the same old problems as previous incarnations, but it remains the same great football game. [Dec 2013, p.84]

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]

This DLC passes the fun test in a way the previous games didn't. [Sept 2013, p.97]

It's the best add-on so far, playing to all the series' strengths. [Sept 2013, p.97]

Achingly beautiful. [Aug 2013, p.85]

The whole DLC feels hastily cobbled together to the people who foolishly bought the season pass. [July 2013, p.97]

It can't live up to the hyperbolic name. [July 2013, p.97]

Once the dominion diarrhea is sorted out, an essential purchase for owners of Victoria II: A House Divided. [July 2013, p.96]

A by-the-numbers cover shooter punctuated by mind-numbing hacking minigames and woeful space combat. [July 2013, p.92]

It's Far Cry 3 dressed as trashily as you can imagine; the joke only goes so far, but it's definitely fun to play. [July 2013, p.90]

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]

A gorgeous puzzle-platformer that's both a treat for the eyes and a thorough workout for the mind. [July 2013, p.82]

An attempt to remake the pretty-looking shambler - with no effort to improve the balance of game systems or iron out bugs. [July 2013, p.80]

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

Even if the final chapter justifies the journey, this leg of it is sadly lifeless. [June 2013, p.97]

CTF steals the show. [June 2013, p.97]

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]

A brilliantly realised world wrapped around a story-driven shooter that occasionally forgets you want to play it. [June 2013, p.71]

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]

It's a fun, polished platformer, but a limited one. [May 2003, p.83]

An amazing blend of high stakes and comedic timing, one that will leave you hungry for constant four-player action.

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]

This imaginative, thrillingly fast racer is better than it has any right to be. [Apr 2013, p.107]

A game like this lives on the quality of its script, and Denby and Raze have written a tender, human story that doubles up as the game's primary puzzle. [Apr 2013, p.91]

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]

Beguiles with its military polish and visual appeal. [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]

For only 1.99, it's a trip back in time worth taking. [March 2013, p.95]

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

Comprehensive enough, but the laughable inconsistencies make FIFA Manager 13 impossible to take seriously as a sim. [Christmas 2012, p.102]

Inflexible controls. [Dec 2012, p.107]

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]

Avoid. Run screaming. The funniest - and smartest - part of this game is the fact that the developers told you exactly what to expect when they named it. [Oct 2012, p.109]

If you have the patience to overcome its quirks, The Real Texas is a charming and joyous mixture of ye olde and yee-haw. [Oct 2012, p.109]

A preposterous pleasure. [Oct 2012, p.97]

Short, sweet, and entirely too touching for a platform game about bouncy squared narrated by Danny Wallace. [Oct 2012, p.96]

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]

OotP's baseball smarts may be undisputed, but it struggles to capture the passion and sporting flair of the infield. [Sept 2012, p.106]

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 labour of love, and as a result, it's a pure pleasure to play. [Sept 2012, p.98]

Delightfully drawn and packed with both personality and innovative game ideas, but more tiny than big. [Sept 2012, p.86]

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]