Best of all, the only real resource you need to manage is the Multiwinians, so the game becomes much less about who has the best build order and more about crushing the two-dimensional skulls of your brightly coloured foes. [Christmas 2008, p.82]

All in all, this version is the quintessentuial FM experience. Aside from a few very unfortunate bugs, this is the most complete FM game to date. It's a no brains purchase for any fan of the series, and maybe even for one or two people yet to take the plunge. [January 2009, p.58]

Intense anti-grav racing for the purist who values speed and control over all distractions.

Gameplay that refused to break any new ground can't tarnish the love and care shown in this nostalgia piece. [Mar 2011, p.68]

Life consuming strategy - after you beat that learning curve. [Nov 2009, p.60]

A little gem of a puzzler. [Mar 2011, p.69]

As a singleplayer campaign, Gratuitous Tank Battles is a glancing hit, but it still offers a deep and intricate take on tower defence. [Aug 2012, p.59]

A content-stuffed expansion that will thrill fans. If only it did a better job of paying attention to events in the first game. [June 2010, p.56]

This is a gem that deserves to march past your defences and into your game collection. [Jan 2012, p.62]

Over the course of its 30 or so hours, Mass Effect defies many of your assumptions about the modern RPG. It’s as innovative as it is traditional and succeeds where you least expect. However, one assumption remains: Bioware still know how to make a terrific game. [Sept 2008, p.55]

A slightly flawed version of each, but still an epic combination of two great franchises. [Issue#252, p.54]

Exceptionally clever, thoughtful, exciting and even heartbreaking. An excellent point-and-click adventure. [Aug 2012, p.64]

Grim and edifying in equal measure. [Jan 2015, p.54]

It's as though someone took military shooters and asked why their protagonists aren't psychological trainwrecks. [Aug 2012, p.66]

The most fun to be had in WOW since it was released 10 years ago. Worth of a re-sub. [Jan 2015, p.56]

An excellent port of a great reboot of a beloved fighting game. [Issue#252, p.69]

An immersive, interesting and addictive take on the competitive multiplayer FPS. Go into this one swinging. [Dec 2012, p.72]

A solid game that could use a little more hand holding, but otherwise another great effort from Relic. [Jan 2015, p.58]

Such incredible innovation deserves to be experienced. [Feb 2010, p.54]

It's Far Cry 3 sporting a likable psychotic antagonist and a less douchy protagonist. Baby steps by Ubisoft, but steps none-the-less. [Jan 2015, p.60]

If any MMO is capable of beating Blizzard at its own game, it's this one. [May 2011, p.56]

A streamlined action RPG with the emphasis placed firmly on the action. [Sept 2015, p.58]

Strange, challenging and strangely affecting, Particulars is a unique puzzle experience. [Jan 2015, p.62]

The equivalent of a man in an art gallery playing a kazoo. [May 2012, p.58]

Far from elemental, Fallen Enchantress will have you under her spell. [Dec 2012, p.78]

An entertaining 12 hour romp with some seriously powerful modding tools that promise many more campaigns to come. [Sept 2013, p.82]

A dazzling reminder of what FPS as pure entertainment can be. Serious Sam is still relevant, and this remake is a real blast. [Feb 2010, p.62]

Prefer a beastly PC over a console? It’s about time you played some Guitar Hero. Fun for kids and adults, great alone or with friends, and perfect for pretending you’re awesome at something you may well suck at in real life. [Mar 2008, p.57]

Despite its quirks, EYE's mind-boggling ambition evokes the best of PC gaming's past, while giving us a glimpse into its future. [Oct 2011, p.56]

It's the best Call of Duty campaign in years, and the multiplayer continues to scratch a certain itch. [Jan 2015, p.64]

Not for everyone, but if you like a mix of solo and co-op play, and big monsters, Evolve is very solid indeed. [Apr 2015, p.55]

If you have the patience to redo the same level over and over again in search of perfection, OlliOlli 2 is pretty damn great. [Sept 2015, p.65]

A challenging, beautiful and rewarding old-school action platformer with a very modern twist. [Apr 2015, p.58]

A great wargame that doesn't sacrifice its depth for strategic challenge. Some puzzle-like scenarios will obfuscate enjoyment. [Oct 2011, p.64]

The hackneyed story doesn't detract from the thrilling world and new challenges of 10,000BC. [Issue#249, p.45]

Same great quality, plus enough subtle tweaks to shake things up for the better. [Aug 2010, p.61]

Everything you loved about Dying Light expanded and improved upon, with a new setting and new elements including buggies, bosses and general badassery. [Issue#249, p.50]

A very strong first chapter of an intriguing new adventure series. [Apr 2015, p.61]

Aimed towards a younger audience but still has enough depth to appeal to mature gamers. [Dec 2015, p.62]

Mesmerising setting, story and battling. Just beautiful. [Apr 2015, p.62]

Does for risk what Plants vs. Zombies did or tower Defense - made it colourful and gave it character! [May 2011, p.66]

Relax - this Total War game is a return to form for Creative Assembly, with a very engaging setting. [Apr 2015, p.64]

The galaxy may be a bit empty, but there's still a lot to love about Rebel Galaxy. [Dec 2015, p.64]

A tighter, louder and gaudier journey than the first, but the core sandbox gameplay still manages to occasionally shine through. It's also the best looking game the PC has ever seen. [May 2011, p.72]

Difficult to get into and somewhat unintuitive, but so wonderfully tactical and complicated! [May 2011, p.74]

We found the different races to be surprisingly equal on the battlefield and if this holds up under super competitive online play UAW could become very popular indeed. [Feb 2008, p.59]

This isn't serious RTS. You may see RA3 trotted out at tournaments here and there, but it will never be a stalwart of the genre. Not in that way, at least. But when it comes to the elusive quality we call “fun”, this is a benchmark title. [Christmas 2008, p.71]

Pretty, punishing, frustrating and great in equal measure. Deathsmiles is what bullet hell is all about. [Issue#249, p.62]

A nice-enough end to a stellar first episodic outing, but some will find the puzzles lacking. [Feb 2010, p.61]

A game that's more shooter than role-playing, and a conclusion that's more spectacular than dramatic. [Apr 2012, p.47]

"A gripping rollercoaster ride." - Stephen King. [Apr 2012, p.52]

A game with real soul. The gut impact is huge, but it may leave some with a faint appetite for just a little more. [Nov 2010, p.56]

Red Tide rewards patience and planning with immense satisfaction. [Nov 2010, p.62]

It doesn't reinvent the genre, but Primordia's rich script, interesting world and solid puzzles make up for its minor annoyances. [Feb 2013, p.72]

It seems Gas Powered Games has really been listening to the fans because forged Alliance builds on the Supreme Commander legacy to make a great game downright amazing. [Jan 2008, p.58]

One of the better games of its type on the market but too similar to the first games to have existing fans cheering for joy. [Nov 2010, p.63]

Having said this, Prince of Persia is one of those games that has obvious flaws but manages to pull together to become so much more than the sum of its parts. The charmingly cliched story, the visuals, audio, and their sparkling polish come together to make the Prince of Persia a modern epic. [January 2009, p.51]

Cute and relatable, and very enjoyable in small, perfectly formed chunks. Much like each new Sword of Ditto!

If destroying Nazi testicles is your thing, then look no further. [Issue#260, p.58]

If you enjoyed Dishonored for its supernatural systems alone, Dunwall City Trials is worth its meagre price. [Feb 2013, p.79]

The 16th game in the Tales series is also the most adult. Who would have thunk it? [Issue#260, p.62]

What Portal 2 gains in cinematic narrative presentation, it loses in puzzle-solving ponderousness. It will delight you and entertain you, but it will not fill you. [July 2011, p.66]

While it may look something like Minecraft, Rogue Islands is definitely its own, very enjoyable beast. [Issue#267, p.56]

A challenging, nuanced and beautifully made exploration platformer resides beneath the charming, cutesy hand painted graphics. [Issue#260, p.63]

Gorgeous graphics combine with a fantastic combat system to deliver a pretty unique experience. [June 2014, p.60]

A tense, grueling, ultimately fulfilling survival experience that's low-fi in nature but brain-melting in execution. [Feb 2013, p.84]

Still a gripping wargaming experience, despite an aging engine. Does a great job of capturing the nuances of the campaign. [Sept 2014, p.58]

Some will fall in love with its stats and leveling, whereas others will abandon it due to its lacklustre story and polish. [Jan 2010, p.80]

In a genre that’s looking for new ideas, this would be a nice achievement for a brand new franchise. That Relic has managed to surprise us this late in the Warhammer day is all the more remarkable. [May 2008, p.59]

There may not be much in the way of story, but Death of the Outsider is a fine farewell to Dunwall. [Issue#267, p.71]

If you are the kind of person who enjoys traditional MMO design you will find Champions one of the best to appear on the scene since Azeroth got connected. [Nov 2009, p.62]

Most will stay for the joy of new discoveries, even if Colonization doesn’t have the same long lasting appeal as the more extensive Civilization series. [Dec 2008, p.71]

Authentically strange, and effortlessly entertaining. [Sept 2012, p.56]

Borrows a little too much from the original game but features some fantastic moment to moment action. [Sept 2012, p.58]

When it works, Diablo III is the best of the Diablo games. When it doesn't, all it does is make you mad. [July 2012, p.54]

We haven't had this much fun since Destruction Derby on the PS1. [July 2012, p.58]

Hong Kong features a wonderful story but patience is required due to the glacial pace with which it progresses. [Oct 2015, p.56]

A slow-burn character study, some quick thinking and a constant air of menace make for a gripping start to a new adventure. [July 2012, p.68]

Whether or not L4D should form part of your gaming collection can be decided with your reaction to a single word: Zombies. If a little chill of excitement tingled down your spine right now, you know what to do. [January 2009, p.47]

Make no mistake; this game is hard. You will die, and die often. [July 2010, p.62]

FM 2008 proves that sometimes a minor tune-up is really all you need. [Mar 2008, p.65]

Derivative but really well implemented, which gives the game a personality of its very own. [March 2014, p.61]

Supreme Commander in name only, this new take on the franchise has a refreshing focus on macro-strategy. [May 2010, p.62]

Frontlines is a great and engaging game that may not steal your life, but if you are a fan of FPS and online combat, this is definitely a worthy game to have nestled beside Battlefield 2142. [May 2008, p.58]

A unique and intense challenge for RTS fans bored of the same-old. [Dec 2009, p.54]

A thoroughly enjoyable fighter that marks out NeverRealm as a brawler developer to watch. [March 2014, p.63]

A thoroughly enjoyable, if somewhat diluted return to a cult favourite franchise. [Apr 2014, p.50]

Thrilling, exciting, and fun as hell, but still a few steps away from true greatness. Nonetheless - it's pure Platinum. [March 2014, p.64]

One of Telltale's best seasons, and a Batman tale that finds something new to do with the Joker. [Issue#271, p.50]

For the serious gamer, expect lighthearted fun and you won't be disappointed. For the casual or younger gamer, expect to be painlessly initiated into the exciting world of strategic deck-based combat. [Christmas 2008, p.77]

An at times confronting, well spun mystery and fascinating setting. [Oct 2014, p.63]

While it's clearly not a game for everyone, fans of the original series will find a lot to fall in love with, and at a bargain price to boot. [Apr 2014, p.54]

Full of funny moments and some great new mechanics but doesn't quite feel like it lives up to its own potential. [Issue#268, p.56]

It may not impress with clever mechanics, but Jazzpunk is a genuinely funny comedy romp that will put a smile on your face. [Apr 2014, p.55]

A brilliant, detailed racing game that stays true to the series lineage, for better and for worse. [Issue#268, p.64]

After an hour or so of play this one is quite hard to put down. [Feb 2010, p.63]

Strangely, Pure is best described through its title. It's not complicated, it's not especially deep, and in parts it's not even that refined. It's straightforward, fast-paced, exciting racing. [Christmas 2008, p.80]

Stealth-action reinvented as easy-to-digest open world RPG-action. [Issue#268, p.68]