With no visceral thrills and little reward from exploration, this becomes something of an empty shell, or perhaps a wonky snowman - likely to vanish from memory with the first rays of sunshine. [Feb 2009, p.70]

It's the peripheral distractions of both going out with Roman, and meeting your girlfriends, that really make your virtual life so worth living. Although incredibly simplistic, they're oddly touching...One of the finest videogames ever. [Christmas 2008, p.87]

Takes merciless puzzling into the war room. Obssessive fun. [Feb 2009, p.62]

More rebel yelp than rebel yell. [Jan 2009, p.88]

Stiff, confused. [Jan 2009, p.70]

The remarkable architectural vision, coupled with ultra-smart level design, all produced on such a huge scale, makes this as good as Tomb Raider has ever seen. [Christmas 2008, p.74]

Soccer sim solidly cluttered. [Christmas 2008, p.78]

It's not a bad idea, but it's hardly high strategy, and definitely not high adventure. [Feb 2009, p.72]

It's got all the nail-biting high tension of a control point assault/defence of Team-Fortress 2, mixed with the tightly designed levels of Half-Life 2 and the weapons of Counter-Strike. As long as they keep introducing new missions, there's no reason why it won't be sucking on your bandwidth for years to come.

One expansion to rule them all. [Jan 2009, p.72]

Neither the need or the speed. [Jan 2009, p.82]

Decent fun, but lacking the challenge of earlier episodes. [Jan 2009, p.71]

Still the best looking online world out there. [Jan 2009, p.64]

Another middle-of-the-road glimpse of the future. [Feb 2009, p.71]

Pro Evolution Soccer is still the game to beat. [Dec 2008, p.85]

Proof that more isn't necessarily better. [Christmas 2008, p.80]

Lavish, but retrograde and unbalanced. [Christmas 2008, p.96]

Right up to date - the date being 2002. [Jan 2009, p.77]

Basic competence. [Christmas 2008, p.72]

An elegant and beautifully depicted strategy game that feels logical but fresh. Even if it is a little late to bloom. [Christmas 2009, p.110]

None of the three strategy games I just mentioned can match Red Alert 3's spirit of bloody-minded fun. [Christmas 2008, p.92]

Thrillingly dark, gruesomely adult and one of the most atmospheric games ever. [Dec 2008, p.66]

Dull, repetitive missions and a whiny hero. Super this ain't. [Jan 2009, p.89]

Crucially, MotoGP 08 translates the speed and thrill of the sport to your PC, which "SBK08" comprehensively failed to do. [Christmas 2008, p.98]

Not the Sims you're looking for. [Jan 2009, p.76]

Decent puzzles with hilarious jokes. Surely I'm dreaming? [Christmas 2008, p.99]

Slow but satisfying sequel. [Jan 2009, p.78]

Weak riff on "Elite"'s trading with zero long-term appeal. [Mar 2009, p.75]