A fantastic, morally ambiguous detective tale that sometimes struggles to make its interactivity meaningful and fun.

Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic in particular has long been a cult classic, and Age of Wonders III certainly doesn't let it down. It could use a couple patches to adjust balance and minor things such as occasional lag on the strategy view, but the core game is an immediately engaging mix of strategy and tactics.

Fragpunk's bold decision to break almost every rule in the book leads to a captivating shooter.

My nit-picking gripes aside, the sheer amount of gaming to be found here is dizzying. [Dec 2003, p.78]

Don't be fooled by its drab exterior, Wartales is a deep and richly rewarding exercise in party creation.

Gears Tactics' structure couldn't quite sustain the 25 hours or so it took me to get through the campaign, but slap the combat into a sequel with a couple more strategic systems that balance out the variety and pacing, and I'd honestly rather play it over XCOM, a recommendation I never expected I'd make.

South of Midnight's action may not have the strongest hook, but its poignant tale of hope and sorrow tailored to Deep South mythos keeps its head raised high.

Much deeper than "Axis & Allies," but just as accessible. A new strategy addiction. [June 2005, p.70]

One part detective sim and one part chaos generator, Shadows of Doubt lives up to its influences as an immersive sim that actually makes good on its ambitions.

A fine balancing act of challenge and intrigue, with stabiliser wheels courtesy of Ron Perlman's voice.

If you're a PC racing fan, you should buy this game immediately. If you aren't, buy it anyway - it'll make you one. [Mar 2006, p.102]

Still, its charming in its disgusting way, with a thoroughly entertaining story, great gameplay, and a cast of detestable-yet-oddly-likeable characters. [Aug 2011, p.73]

Despite these issues, the game mechanics and Warhammer atmosphere make Mark of Chaos a must for fans of tactical wargaming, and unlike the tabletop game, it doesn't cost a fortune. [Jan. 2007, p.78]

On your first puzzle, you'll notice helpful features, such as spot-lit columns and rows that intersect at selected squares, highlighting each instance of a chosen number on the board. These extras elevate Zen of Sudoku into an original experience, making it an improvement over other Sudoku games and books on the market. [Oct 2006, p. 58]

Beautiful, bold and varied. Slightly Mad are uncompromising in their simulation.

For all its style in terms of graphics, backstory, and iterface, EVE remains a complex and slow-paced game that will prove anathema to anyone currently hooked on the simpler, more immediate delights of, say, "World of Warcraft." [March 2005, p.71]

B:TD is a great online shooter when it gets going, but an awful lobby system makes that way harder than it should be. [Nov 2010, p.72]

"Not every conspiracy has to be the f.cking Templars." If that made you smile, buy with confidence.

A little too streamlined in places, but Rise of the Tomb Raider does a lot to improve upon its predecessor.

After some missteps, it's Battlefield back to focusing on what it does best. [Holiday 2012, p.73]

Defcon is delightfully fun in its simplicity and payoff, so don't expect incredibly deep strategy. [Dec. 2006, p.78]

Hordes' goodness mostly comes down to its deliciously vicious weapons, brawnier spells, phatter loot, and more monumental ass-whupping (allowed by the higher level-cap). [Mar 2004, p.64]

A bright, fun and surprisingly substantial racing experience that does interesting things with Forza Horizon 3's core design.

Its complicated missions and gameplay mechanics make Enemy somewhat time-consuming for newcomers to pick up, but the benefits are worth the effort. [Sept 2003, p.79]

Absolum is ultimately a beat 'em up with a bit more depth and progression than we've seen before in this style of game that has been so resistant to change since it was born in the arcades. Absolum lacks the extensive variance of a true roguelike, but delivers enough intricacy to push the genre into a more interesting space than it's ever occupied.

Accessible yet complex, chaotic yet beautiful, this is the real fighting game deal.

Black Plague actually made me scream aloud in fright at one point. Even horror movies don't have that effect on my anymore. [July 2008, p.68]

Slightly overpriced, but a more than worthy successor to one of PC gaming’s greatest franchises that nails the important part: combat.