With Definitive Editions of the later installments on the horizon, Age of Empires is once again poised to be overshadowed. If you have an overwhelming sense of nostalgia about the birth of the series, this does an excellent job of preserving it while making it considerably more palatable, but for a trip down memory lane, it sure is expensive.

A well-made remaster with beautiful modern visuals and outdated platforming rooted firmly in the past.

Mediocre. [Jan 2010, p.80]

Does manage to deliver a passable driving experience - but only if unrealistic driving physics, undamageable cars, and an absentee multiplayer game aren't deal-breakers for you. [May 2003, p.88]

Shadwen begins with promise, but has neither the depth nor the variety needed to fulfill it.

CoD's multiplayer is as dependable as ever, but Vanguard's campaign and Zombies mode fail to capitalise on what could be interesting ideas.

A strange animal, Darkspore doesn't seem to want you to like its characters-and won't let you make your own.

Ugly and simplistic, but surprisingly likeable. [June 2007, p.89]

Mediocre. Fans of the setting may enjoy it, but not too many other folks will. [Feb 2001, p.81]

Essentially a B-movie game. Worth buying if you're hard up for an adventure game. [May 2001, p.65]

Syndicate's confused story gives way to passable shooting with a pointless layer of hacking mechanics. [May 2012, p.68]

Shadowgate isn't just retro, it's retrograde, and the visual update really isn't as impressive as it first appears.

An accomplished piece of fan service, but the excitement fades fast and performance problems spoil it for some.

An empty galaxy and endless grinding mar clever writing and engaging combat.

Overstuffed and underdeveloped, Kyn is a buggy RPG with good combat, but without a great story or engaging character progression.

Arcade offroad racing of the like we’ve played four times previously.

A serviceable slice of Soulslike fantasy that doesn’t do enough to stand out from an overcrowded genre.

Tiny Glade is a stress-free building game with some lovely ideas, but it too often feels restrictive rather than meditative.

In all things, World War Z takes ideas that I've already seen done better elsewhere, gives them an interesting little twist—and then makes that twist not matter. It treads familiar ground, but it's not as clever or fun as what's come before it.

There's a decent space sim buried within Dual Universe, but you'll need to do a lot of digging to find it.

This tank shoot-em-up has a lot of energy, but it's simplistic gameplay wears out its welcome quicker than members of a Hitler Youth group at a Bar Mitzvah. [Dec,. 2006, p.56]

It has a fresh look going for it, but Brink's fancy footwork and terrible AI Interfere with its fast-paced gunplay. [Aug 2011, p.70]

Shoddy enemy A.I. Sometimes you can be standing 20 feet in front of a guard in a well-lit room and remain invisible to him, while other times you may be detected from 50 feet or more while crouching in a dark corner. [Sept 2004, p.60]

A gorgeous world dogged by some terrible quest design. [Jun 2010, p.82]

It could have been great, but this gruesome and ridiculous power fantasy is spoilt by a disgracefully shabby port to PC.

The Last Faith is a beautiful but inconsistent rehash of older, better games.

Swinging wildly between inspired and tedious, Deadpool is an uneven and unpredictable as its lead character. [Oct 2013, p.60]

A family-friendly adventure that captures the essence of the show, despite rough edges and a steep price.