Frustrating and unpolished, it smacks of a rushed movie tie-in. [Issue#92, p.92]

The game is basically an interactive optical illusion. [Issue#169, p.90]

With only the most insignificant flaws remaining, Grand Theft Auto IV is a triumphant epic that no other developer could ever create. Designed with unrelenting passion, the series has categorically set the standard for the coming years.

Measure yourself on a graph that shows 'love of racing' on the vertical by 'impatience' on the horizontal. If you place somewhere around the top-right, then give it a try. [Issue#165, p.80]

Top visuals, and some lovely particle effects create the illusion of a triple-A title. [Issue#164, p.95]

Dark Sector is plagued not only with mechanical issues but user-unfriendliness. Some exciting battles, atmospheric lighting and mere intrigue for the Glaive can't nearly make up for that, but that's all it has. [Issue#165, p.84]

It's as if Hydravision made a list of all that's tiresome about this genre then carefully made sure not one item on the list was left out of this game. Then added co-op to apologise for it. [Issue#157, p.91]

Viking is enjoyable, but not long lasting. [Issue#165, p.82]

It's certainly one of the better Naruto games for any of Sony's consoles. [Issue#172, p.89]

An excellent RPG. Incredibly well paced with a touching and sometimes amusing story, and a great levelling-up/combat system, though you do get the feeling you'd enjoy it more if it was on the PS2. [Issue#167, p.90]

Despite being awash with new features and ideas, Condemned 2 is no match for its predecessor thanks to clumsy pacing and a lack of any real craft of subtlety. Still, fans of extreme violence won't be disappointed. [Issue#165, p.88]

Finely honed, beautifully crafted and offering a mountainous challenge, World Tour reels you in with stat boosts and loyalty rewards and never lets you go. Satisfaction is definitely guaranteed. [Issue#165, p.91]

Sega Superstars Tennis makes banal use of Sega's heritage, and abandons the explosive creativity that Sumo was once associated with. [Issue#165, p.92]

It's simply not as good as the last version. [Issue#164, p.82]

PES 2008 stumbles, rather than sprints onto the PS3, leaving us with the first Pro Evo game that falls short of the FIFA franchise. We expected a revolutionised football title that'd set the series back on course, but this is just shameful. [Issue#159, p.78]

The formula here has already been pillaged, but it's not as suicidal as the PS3 version. [Issue#160, p.98]

It can be so fluid and so slick at times, but by God, it's so bloody annoying sometimes. [Issue#163, p.87]

It's a refreshing change from the standard slew of shooters. [Issue#164, p.86]

While it represents better value than many of the titles it rubs shoulders with in the PlayStation Store, it's too annoying to recommend to anyone without a forgiving, patient and, most importantly, mindlessly trigger-happy disposition. [Issue#165, p.93]

The most thrilling game we've played on the PSP, and it only feels like a moderate step down from the PS2 installments. [Issue#165, p.76]

Poor gameplay, substandard graphics and a lack of vision severely limit its appeal to shooter fans. [Issue#165, p.86]

It's not a particularly fun game, but it does manage to capture the essence of the series pretty well, and has a couple of clever ideas that do make it enjoyable enough to play. [Issue#164, p.93]

Not quite as enjoyable as "LocoRoco," but containing significantly more depth, Patapon will be immediately accessible to some, but may take a little work with others. Once you're into it though, it's a real blast. [Issue#163, p.76]

The laziness of the Playstation 3 port prevents it from being essential. [Issue#163, p.80]

Refreshing, but probably should have been better. [Issue#163, p.78]

Avoid this shameful anathema like a toilet cubicle with an unflushed poo in it. [Issue#164, p.94]

A major improvement for the series, but there's still not enough to it to warrant a hearty recommendation. [Issue#163, p.94]

Nothing new as far as the franchise is concerned. But the formula is so brilliant, why change it? Studio Liverpool tried once with "Fusion" and it took "Pure" to get it back on track. Pulse helps keep it there. [Issue#159, p.94]

Whichever path you choose, Conflict: Denied Ops still leads to a primitive set of cliched objectives. [Issue#164, p.92]

A hollow, morbidly generic, barely functional game. [Issue#163, p.84]

You're going to get it, and you're going to love it because, basically, it packs more glowing fistfuls of sheer entertainment than any other game on the PS3. But be warned: it's an inexcusable pain in the arse when it wants to be. [Issue#163, p.70]

More forgiving than its predecessor, Extreme Justice makes few changes to the "Chase HQ" formula. The graphics are identical and cut-scenes are slightly entertaining, but the ideally replayable missions make this a valid release. [Issue#159, p.74]

The best game we've played this year. [Issue#163, p.92]

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]

Trials of Topoq is tedious, and you really need floating arms to play it. [Issue#159, p.97]

Controlling the snake is just awkward with the stick, and the design style is a bit meek. [Issue#159, p.97]

Horribly frustrating and stressful to play. [Issue#162, p.92]

There might be loads of courses, events and vehicles, but most of them aren't that entertaining, while some are downright frustrating. [Issue#164, p.89]

Epic has created a monster of an FPS that's only slightly let down by its single-player mode. [Issue#162, p.78]

It's five games - every one of which is among the best of its type, if not the best - for half the price of one. Had Valve updated it for PS3 then it would have socred even higher. [Issue#161, p.76]

Congratulations on a massive failure, this one is going in the history books. [Issue#163, p.90]

A waste of time once you've mastered the strike technique. [Issue#163, p.86]

The game will sap you until all that's left is a dry, withered husk. [Issue#162, p.89]

A visciously addictive way to kill time, although it doesn't hold up too well on repeated play. [Issue#163, p.86]

Once you get to grips with the new guitars and find people to play with, Rock Band is a fantastic title that oozes quality. [Issue#162, p.84]

A better FPS mode, gun and conversion would make a huge difference! [Issue#166, p.94]

The lack of any multiplayer at all is criminal, and the price tag is far too steep. [Issue#165, p.87]

A huge leap forward for the franchise and the best Medal of Honor in the series to date. However, it's betrayed by a complete lack of polish. [Issue#161, p.96]

Fun in short controlled bursts, but far too straighforward and repetitive to stand up to long, involved periods of play. [Issue#162, p.90]

One of the best things about Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is that it actually has an ending. [Issue#161, p.80]

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

Entering the ring with a lot to prove, the development team has been both daring and dynamic in its approach. Despite a few glitches, Yuke's has produced a game that can more than hold its own with the quality "SmackDown" games of old. [Issue#159, p.66]

Kane & Lynch probably has the most mature application of cinematic conventions in an action game yet, and it brims with original ideas. However, it's let down by dodgy AI, a poor cover system and a variety of glitches. [Issue#160, p.84]

The best Need for Speed game in years. [Issue#161, p.86]

Another outing for Sonic that has moments of nostalgic brilliance; a brilliance that is sadly marred by some rather questionable tweaks to the gameplay and an annoying AI. [Issue#162, p.95]

For all the tweaking seen in KOF XI it's only really the followers of the series who are going to appreciate the subtleties that hve been introduced. [Issue#156, p.84]

Dumb, violent and pretty dull, this is an old-fashioned back 'n'-slash, with a few odd additions, but not one worth shoulding about. [Issue#161, p.84]

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

Squad Command does have its flaws but cloaks them with a mix of short missions and streamlined gameplay, making good use of the Warhammer license. [Issue#161, p.99]

Boogie will probably hold appeal for any young aspiring X Factor winner that's currently running his bike ragged to buy a PS3. [Issue#161, p.99]

It's a little too strict in its adherence to previous entries, but Climax has done a stellar job. [Issue#160, p.88]

There is something charming about it that Dynasty Warriors fans may find appealing. [Issue#160, p.86]

There's so little here for anyone who's played the previous versions, but a lot for those who haven't. [Issue#160, p.97]

A solid tacitcal offering. [Issue#160, p.90]

It's no revolution, but astounding twists and creative set pieces prove it's a quality purchase. [Issue#160, p.76]

Sheer brilliance. [Issue#161, p.98]

One of the more surprising games of the year - and the best Simpsons game to date. [Issue#160, p.92]

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]

Manhunt 2 offers heaps of grisly and depraved action, and we would have heartily recommended it to fans of the franchise. [Issue#155, p.76]

Not being able to punch people off their bikes is something of an oversight we feel. Punching makes everything better. Always. [Issue#154, p.87]

The boss battles may let it down slightly, but Guitar Hero III is another magnificent rhythm-action beats, sure to appease fans and newcomers alike. [Issue#160, p.70]

The concept for Eye of Judgment remains brilliant, the game itself (with enough cards) is brilliant, it's just that it's going to cost a lot of money before you can make any proper progress in it. [Issue#159, p.90]

The worst ending to a videogame ever and a mediocre start aren't enough to ruin one of the better shooters to emerge in years. Barker's influence is something that elevates Jericho, despite its problems, above many other FPSs. A gory treat. [Issue#159, p.80]

Conan's lack of original ideas and last-gen gameplay, clips the wings of an otherwise thoroughly entertaining action/fantasy romp. [Issue#160, p.95]

But the fact that it is no more than an aesthetic update hurts. [Issue#163, p.82]

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]

If only Arcade mode wasn't rubbish, this would be the complete package. [Issue#160, p.74]

It's old-school racing, that's for sure. Nevertheless, it's entertaining enough for most folk to consider giving it a bash. Much like "Sega Rally," it has put fun first and built everything around that. [Issue#159, p.92]

Spider-Man 3 was okay, for about five minutes. Shortly after, it became a series of painful stabs to the soul, culminating in a single realisation: Activision has put out the worst Spider-Man game of recent times. [Issue#162, p.94]

A colossal disappointment, especially after last year's "Project 8," and most certainly in the face of EA's "Skate." The one thing this franchise needs is a good year off. [Issue#160, p.72]

With a few more levels, it would've been exceptional, but it's unique, engaging fun as it is. [Issue#162, p.82]

It's just such a wonderful game that as long as you can get over the fact that the cars behave in quite a strange way, and the control is incredibly loose, you're guaranteed to enjoy it. [Issue#158, p.74]

It's "Battlefront"... but it's also the closest thing to the console versions so far, making it an evolution. With a good story, decent controls and great space battles, Rebellion hits more than it misses, but there's still a lot to improve. [Issue#160, p.80]

Tactics is as immense as it is intense. With a brilliant storyline and a wealth of options for creating and customising characters, there is no finer RPG on the PSP. [Issue#159, p.88]

A decent, good-looking game that is let down by its linear nature. [Issue#158, p.78]

Foregoing arcade action for a more measured simulation, with FIFA 08 EA has given the gamer - you by all accounts - the most realistic football game yet. Not perfect, but very, very good. The tinkering has finally paid off. [Issue#159, p.76]

Bugbear adheres to everything that makes the franchise stellar, rather than trying to break any new ground. [Issue#158, p.84]

For short, sharp bursts of Multitap action, there's no better game than Off the Rails, and it's a decent crack in single-player, too. [Issue#161, p.94]

Surprisingly unpretentious and an awful lot of fun too, the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. [Issue#160, p.87]

It relies too much on contrived style to mask its simplicity. [Issue#155, p.85]

Linear it may be but as a cinematic action game, you can't fault it. [Issue#161, p.95]

The gameplay here is a sluggish journey in the wrong direction for the NBA Live series. [Issue#158, p.95]

A few kinks in the frame rate and issues with an otherwise-clever and well-executed control system aren't enough to significantly dampen our enthusiasm for Skate. "Tony Hawk's" watch out: this new skater has some sick moves. [Issue#159, p.84]

It won't take long to get the most out of Cocoreccho!, but the 1.99 pound price tag is insignificant, making this LocoRoco experience worthwhile. Still, it isn't lengthy enough to be a game, and after a week it'll lie forgotten on your hard drive. [Issue#159, p.97]

An incredibly satisfying challenge...However, it's not for the faint-hearted. [Issue#157, p.76]

The real bonus is the range of race types available. [Issue#160, p.96]

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 touches on moments of sheer brilliance and is one of the best racing experiences irrespective of platform. But its adherence to realism is also sometimes its biggest enemy. [Issue#158, p.86]