The actual meat of the game--"battling" by comparing card stats--is very smooth. [Aug 2007, p.68]

There's been better narrative games, but none so achingly familiar as Lost Record's quartet of young punks.

An undersea soulslike that's cute and compelling, though weirdly crass.

Ambitious but uneven, Shadowlands is an exciting evolution of World of Warcraft.

Wordle is a fantastic, mesmerizing daily puzzle that's bundled to a community offering some of the best vibes on the internet.

Doom: The Dark Ages is indulgent and deliciously violent, but surprisingly safe.

A lean roguelite that never feels like it's wasting your time, even if it's got some rough edges.

A tubthumping tribute to the 40K universe, with perfectly grim design. Multiplayer definitely needs work on its balance though.

An old school point-and-click adventure with a captivating story, strong characters, and a rich, well-realised sci-fi setting.

An island full of riveting mysteries, stuck with some truly awful and jarring combat.

Emotive storytelling that puts the tedium and stress of work before pleasure, but somehow still has a lightness of touch. [July 2013, p.70]

An excellent co-op adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously, and that's the only place it falls short.

The best simulation of the Battle of Britain yet, despite its flaws. [Apr 2001, p.77]

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the best Dragon Ball game we've had since the PS2 and a generous love letter to Toriyama's classic series.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 may look cute, but it still retains the huge amount of depth the series is known for. No, it's not as expansive or as fast-paced as the likes of Monster Hunter World but that works in its favour. Stories 2 is the approachable series entry point I've been waiting for and has inspired me to return to other games in the series to test out my skills again.

A warmly affectionate remake of a browser classic, with enough new pieces to justify its existence.

A sharp, snazzy and accessible fighting game, held back by the unnecessary sexualisation of its antagonists.

Shortcomings aside, Griftlands is another slice of low-key brilliance from developers Klei. Is there a genre they can't do? The balance of narrative and deck-building made for a much more engaging experience than I often have with card-based titles, even if it feels like more could be done to connect those systems and bolster the storytelling. Still, I'm going to remember my adventures with Sal and the little moments of friendship and betrayal throughout each run. I like playing as a grifter; it ain't much but it's a living.

Would have benefited from a little more graphical polish, but the weather and lighting effects do create a strong atmosphere. [Dec 2002, p.122]

Overboard's more complex follow-up is another great evil detective game.

Though Warhammer 40K: Darktide needs more time to develop, its core gameplay is the best Fatshark has ever created.

Frontlines genuinely feels like a game made by Battlefield fanatics for other fans. [May 2008, p.54]

Rise and Fall is a great addition to Civilization 6 that doesn’t quite go far enough to be essential.

The new classes and super villains are excellent, even if the expansion bloats the campaign a little.

Not for everyone, but turn-based space-sim fans will be hooked. [Mar 2001, p.92]

Despite a capricious early game, Astrea is a very pretty, refreshing & tense spin on the tried-and-true deckbuilder.

Beneath the beautiful new look and smart innovations, this is the same Diablo 2 that came out in 2000.

Between the game's classy commentary and its sensational broadcast-style presentation, soccer fans will find a ton of depth in the championship mode, which you can take online to play others in one-on-one match-ups. [July 2004, p.65]