For one level, Tools of Destruction is the exciting, Pixar-esque platform brilliance that we anticipated from those early screens. After that, though, it's the same PS2 title as ever, and the tired mechanics of this franchise are dead to us. [Issue#160, p.66]

A polished, high-quality product, but its repetitiveness makes it less than compelling. Criterion seems to have lost sight of the high-adrenaline dynamic that makes Burnout exciting. [Issue#162, p.74]

The PSN title will remain the preserve of retro fans, and those who prefer either a simpler or more affordable game than Street Fighter II's bigger and better sequel. [Issue#176, p.95]

It doesn't look very nice, gets repetitive going to school every day and killing demons nightly, and "Rogue Galaxy" is still available and better. [Issue#162, p.88]

Gets a hell of a lot of things right and is fun - especially if you're willing to experiment with your approach. But some poor design choices and a bizarre level of bugginess let the whole ting down. [Issue#204, p.78]

The gameplay, aesthetics and presentation are solid – impressive in places, even – but we’re not about to turn a blind eye to the shamelessly crass tone. If games are ever to mature as a medium then we need to see an end to this kind of thing.

A nice challenge and it certainly looks good in high definition, but it can become infuriatingly complicated during the later phases of each level. [Issue#155, p.88]

Deeply flawed, but still very playable. If you can bear the frustrations involved then there’s a compelling plot and ample amount of fun with fire to be had before you’ve even started messing around in the map editor.

Hours and hours of extra entertainment. [Issue#179, p.91]

For those looking to flesh out their God of War experience, however, Volume II is a nice addition, if by no means essential. [Issue#210, p.90]

Next time Ubisoft: more focus on stealth and, please, better checkpointing. [Issue#235, p.72]

Demanding, but rewarding for the few who engage it. [Issue#153, p.84]

This does just feel like a slight adjustment over NHL 12, which felt like a minor tinkering of NHL, which... well, you get the point. [Issue#223, p.85]

A good game, but one that feels a bit emotionally bankrupt after the wonders of Infinite and the original BioShock. [Issue#243, p.56]

The aesthetic is arresting, but the gameplay not so much. [Issue#206, p.99]

Graphically stunning, dynamically awesome, aurally beautiful. This is what Project Cars could have been if pest control had done a better job exterminating those pesky bugs. [Issue#258, p.66]

A lack of sustained excitement and some truly horrendous graphics hold back all the good work. [Issue#211, p.93]

Excellent gameplay and presentation can't make up for the fact that the package isn't substantial enough to justify the asking price. [Issue#192, p.80]

The difficulty will leave some cold but there's immense satisfaction to be had here. [Issue#261, p.68]

While this will probably be embraced by the fans, it’s just a little too realistic for its own good, and as such isn’t as fun as it could be. Anyone considering looking for a change could start this year.

Action is tactically deep, yet ultimately staccato. [Issue#203, p.87]

An inferior entry in the series to its predecessor. [Issue#243, p.68]

Over in a flash, Legend is great in parts, rubbish in others. There's simply not enough tomb raiding. In fact, there's not enough of anything. Despite some great moments, there's just not enough gameplay, leaving this sadly lacking. [Issue#139, p.66]

While numerous changes and enhancements have been made to Tearaway Unfolded, it never flows quite as well as the Vita original. It's still fun, mind. [Issue#262, p.68]

Shift 2 has a bevy of neat ideas but none of them are executed to a degree that makes them worthwhile. [Issue#204, p.82]

SuperChargers gambles by mixing up the Skylanders formula, but overall it pays off. Vehicles are a welcome addition to another solid (if prohibitively expensive) adventure. [Issue#263, p.72]

Aside from some ramped-up AI, there isn't much depth here to differentiate one match from another. [Issue#212, p.103]

Beneath the lavish art style and the high quality production..., Broken Age ends up feeling rather empty and desolate. [Issue#257, p.72]

Lovingly presented, but when only one of the games in the 'package' is worth playing then you've got a problem. [Issue#221, p.77]

There's lots of fun to be had with Homecourt. The problem is that it's sometimes so arbitrary you might as well watch footage of it rather than play it. [Issue #151, p.90]

We just wish that there was a little more substance to the overall package and that it was free of bugs. [Issue#185, p.86]

Despite offering a varied structure, missions often disintegrate into wild brawls. [Issue#154, p.83]

Nastily boring. [Issue#161, p.88]

It carefully bridges the gap between its PC flight sim heritage and the arcadey world of consoles. [Issue#183, p.74]

It's compulsive - as all good action RPGs need to be - but lacks the quality to make it a game for all tastes. [Issue#215, p.80]

One of the most boring games ever to have had half a decade of development poured into it. [Issue#211, p.97]

It should be DLC. [Issue#181, p.83]

A fairly conventional shooter. [Issue#202, p.96]

If you don't [own Buzz on PS3] then this is a good, family-friendly game and a reasonable way to spend an beery evening. [Issue#185, p.83]

If you can get around the awkwardness of using the nub this score will seem a little harsh, if not it's more than fair. [Apr 2006, p.90]

Wonderfully realised, atmospheric environments and uninspired, slightly dull shooting combine to create a game just above average. [Issue#231, p.62]

An excellent Lego crossover game, and it's a solid toys-to-life-tie-in. The price is pretty steep, but Dimensions gives you plenty of reasons to invest. [Issue#263, p.68]

A lovely working title with plenty of character. For some that may be enough, but for us it was just that little too frustrating. [Issue#169, p.88]

Quite unlike anything else on PS3. [Issue#236, p.76]

Despite some awkward dialogue when you make the "wrong" choices, stilted movement, and laughably fickle facial expressions, we're still looking forward to the rest of the series. [Issue#252, p.64]

Drop the Football Life rubbish, please. [Issue#210, p.82]

To all but the most fragile newcomer the caddy's inclusion is the opposite of empowering. [Issue#204, p.86]

A surprisingly powerful music-creation tool. [Issue#186, p.81]

A cynical exercise in fan service that leeches off its ancestors in the absence of any merits it can call its own. [Issue#184, p.76]

An interesting story tethered to a frustrating puzzle game. [Issue#215, p.85]

A weird action hybrid, this will go down as a grand experiment that lost its way. [Issue#209, p.90]

Ultimately, Fat Princess is a victim of its own focused creativity. It may have visual appeal and at first seem to offer a lot but it doesn’t take long to realise proceedings are rather dull; matches last a ridiculously long amount of time. In tiny bursts there’s definitely some appeal. It’s just ever so short. [Issue#183, p.80]

Does 50 teams for the price of 570 sound like a good deal to you? If it doesn't, then you don't need UEFA Euro 2008. If it does, you also don't need UEFA Euro 2008, you need professional help. [Issue#165, p.90]

If this game was longer than six hours, we'd give it a much better score, but the length of it isn't quite redeemed by the great story and mediocre gameplay. [Issue#157, p.72]

It's fresh Skyrim and a lot of it, which is obviously good. On the other hand, the wonky design of the Vampire Lord undermines what should be the standout idea, and so there's a strong whiff of disappointment also present in Dawnguard. [Issue#229, p.72]

Far too difficult for its own good. Rendered fair, only by a decade-old mechanism. [Issue#158, p.92]

Arctic Edge is a massive challenge and in no small part raises the technical bar for handheld racers. [Issue#184, p.75]

Mirror’s Edge offers an exciting alternative to the usual FPSs, but isn’t quite as revolutionary as it should have been. Still, if you’re after style over substance, Faith offers thrills and spills beyond the average action game.

Provides a decent distraction for a brain that doesn't want to be pressured into thinking at all. [Issue#219, p.73]

This entry is just not worth bothering with. [Issue#194, p.93]

Survival-horror fans will probably enjoy Blood Curse’s clumsy mechanics and clichéd setting, especially at this price, but we’re not prepared to excuse it. The flagship title of episodic gaming on the PSN ought to know better.

PES diehards will defend the strangely robotic take on the beautiful game, but those wanting a flowing, realistic game should eye up the old adversary. [Issue#185, p.76]

It's the same old trek through the claustrophobic levels, whacking enemies until they disappear. [Issue #151, p.74]

The combat system works and is intricate and balanced enough to provide for the tinkerers. But the rest is just so banal, so by the numbers that, honestly? We often found ourselves bored. [Issue#234, p.74]

It's gorgeous, it truly is, but Unravel falls short of being the emotionally engaging game we were expecting. It's still fun, but feels much hollower than it clearly intended to be. [Issue#267, p.70]

With the introduction of TNA Impact! the climate has suddenly changed; hopefully, though, this will translate to a less-frustrating (but similarly full) release from Yuke’s next year.

Even with its lack of features, Rock Band 4 is still as fun as the series has ever been with friends. Expect the score to rise as Harmonix comes good with updates and new content. [Issue#263, p.64]

Poorly thought out puzzles, pointless gameplay mechanics and horrifically garish visuals all combine to create a thoroughly disappointing sequel. Oh well. [Issue 145, p.91]

Despite a few little things that we'd change, this is an interesting and, at times, thought-provoking experience that deserves to be exposed to a wider audience on PS4. [Issue#267, p.66]

A solid and engrossing title that fans of both adventure and puzzle games will find a lot of enjoyment in. [Issue#163, p.95]

A great example of the new wave of indie horror, Outlast isn't revolutionary or particularly terrifying, but some great jump scares and a fun, cheesy story make it well worth checking out. [Issue#241, p.72]

It's getting harder each year to cling onto the memory of PES being the best footballing game out there... It's not as good as FIFA. [Issue#197, p.84]

Stunning to look at, but the experience within its gorgeously rendered environments ultimately lacks substance. [Issue#230, p.76]

There’s good puzzling to be had, and some engaging stories here, but a lean towards either fictional fun or serious stories would have worked better. And while this was an interesting experiment, we //really// don’t want to see a WWII game presented the same way.

What would be a ridiculously bland and forgettable experience is rendered that little bit less so through a fairly interesting setting and narrative. But it's still not very good at all, and not particularly worth your time. Unless you're REALLY bored. [Issue#220, p.74]

It's certainly good fun while it lasts. [Issue#195, p.103]

While Costume Quest is an utterly charming RPG...it's a rather simplistic affair that offers very little challenge. [Issue#199, p.103]

While the ideas behind it are solid enough, the execution leaves something to be desired, which is a shame as we were big fans of Mr. ESC. Still it's worth a look. [Apr 2006, p.84]

Our time on the Moon was fun, but not nearly as much as Pandora. [Issue#250, p.60]

Feels rather tired nowadays. Great price, though. [Issue#181, p.89]

Balletic it ain't. There are plenty of shoot-outs, though, but these see you jumping about like a loon while you wish they would just end. If anything should ever have 'Rental' stamped on it, then this is it. [Issue#159, p.72]

It's certainly a lot of fun, but TT Games is able to churn out this sort of game with its eyes closed and sadly it's beginning to show. [Issue#167, p.84]

Experimentation is rarely encouraged. [Issue#249, p.70]

If the vehicles were up to snuff then this would be a game worth celebrating. [Issue#223, p.85]

Has now become an extremely formulaic blueprint. [Issue#213, p.90]

It eventually drives the concept into the ground. [Issue#207, p.98]

Certainly charming and different enough to be worth a look, especially given the relative lack of decent Vita titles. But its core structure lacks finesse, and some won't see this fairytale through to its end. [Issue#229, p.83]

At four hours long, Quest For Booty doesn’t outstay its welcome, but it’s devoid of ambition, as is customary with the series. Ratchet & Clank is beginning to feel like a licensed franchise, but without the licence.

A nice idea, but we'd rather play the real deal. [Issue#202, p.97]

There's a fun multiplayer game in there but it's buried underneath a disappointing single-player campaign, awkward controls and a steep learning curve. [Issue#216, p.77]

It can't sustain itself for more than an hour or so. [Issue#212, p.92]

The whole package feels like a full-price reskin and track pack. [Issue#187, p.73]

You'll notice this number is higher than that we gave WWE 12 (50%), even though we complain about a barely-evolved sequel here. Well, the power of nostalgia and the strength of the Attitude era combine nicely. Other than that? This is a pointless game.

A historic game but a flawed puzzler with little to tempt hardcore thinking fans. [Apr 2006, p.113]

With the right people on your side, Evolve can be a surprising blast. However, get lumped with utter idiots, or the shoddy AI, and it quickly becomes very, very frustrating. [Issue#254, p.66]

While Dominator never feels like a broken experience, it isn't one that works well on the PSP. [Issue#153, p.77]

Brilliantly written on a small scale, Firewatch creates believable and engaging characters but is let down by the nonsensical tale they become embroiled in. [Issue#267, p.68]

Suikoden V doesn't remind us of the past, it reminds us how much games have grown since, which is something this franchise seems intent on not doing. [Issue 145, p.90]