A HD remake created with TLC, but it’s still brutally difficult. Argh! [October 2013, p83]

It plays like Bond, feels like Bond and sounds like Bond, if only it moved a wee bit faster and was as smooth as Bond. [Summer 2009, p.66]

Great design and syrupy animation. Busy without being chaotic, and humourous too. [December 2012, p81]

It'll put your reflexes and your memory to the test. Addictive. [June 2012, p 81]

The multiple inescapable tutorials that open Worms Revolution's campaign are an ill portent: for series veterans they're insulting, and the new mechanics introduced don't seem like anything special. It's not until you've played a few games and dipped into the campaign proper that the merits of Revolution become clear. [December 2012, p82]

Your dyslexia serves you well, this should have been called 'Akiba Strip'. Par for the course brawling with lite-rpging, bewbs, but also some man-bulge, too. [September 2014, p75]

If you have an existing library of Rock Band tracks you'll dig this. [December 2012, p83]

Brutally difficult and timelessly fun. Another World is an important game, but also overpriced. [September 2014, p77]

It's hard to genuinely dislike a game like All 4 One. While it's obviously and quite severely flawed in a lot of ways, it's also possessed of a certain irreverent charm that – while derivative – is often enough to keep you playing irrespective of the fact that you're not really having a great deal of fun. [Dec 2011, p69]

Not a cut above the main franchise, but a decent stab at a spin-off. [July 2015, p83]

A solid racing experience being far too "extreme" for its own good. [Oct 2009, p.72]

[T]here are people playing Anarchy Reigns – but there's not a lot of them, and they're all a million times better than you. The terrible shame of it – and the dilemma for us – is that it's pretty obvious Anarchy Reigns would be incredible if only it could only attract more players. Battling it out with the bots, we often saw glimpses of what could've been, and were always left wanting more. [January 2013, p66]

A chill platform puzzler whose dazzling production values aren’t matched by stable framerates or especially memorable moments. Rime’s only reasonable. [August 2017, p79] [August 2017, p81]

We’re looking forward to the kind of stuff people are going to come up with here, and as the software is designed with different entry points there should be no limit to the type of content that comes out of this game. [Christmas 2009, p.79]

Far from mindless but further from brilliance, War for Cyberton is fun without being engaging, ideal for an undemanding audience. [September 2010 p.76]

While this PS Vita version does nothing wrong, the PS3 version's split-screen option makes that the one to get. [February 2013, p81]

Where Spec Ops succeeds – just – is with its themes of the end justifying the means, the ravages of war on a man's psyche and its portrayal of extreme violence. This is simultaneously its downfall as the team haven't quite nailed the execution until the final moments, where the full extent of what's happened over the last eight or so hours dawns on the protagonists. We wish Yager had teased and fleshed out the concepts sooner than leaving it to the beguiling endings; we doubt many players will bother reaching the credits. A year and half ago we might have been more impressed with The Line, but its poor presentation and boring shootouts completely let it down. [August 2012, p70]

WayForward seems to have saved its 'A Game' for their own IP. Book of Memories feels odd, as though a Diablo has murdered a Silent Hill, and is traipsing about wearing its skin. [January 2013, p70]

Sword in the Darkness shouldn't be viewed as a bad episode, but it does lack the expected drama. [June 2015, p75]

Arkham City is arguably the best superhero game ever made, so it makes sense that Beenox would look to it for inspiration. And while The Amazing Spider-Man seldom succeeds entirely in emulating the accomplishments of its illustrious antecedent, it makes a pretty decent fist of it, for the most part. [August 2012, p72]

Push beyond the first world and the erratic difficulty spike (thankfully you can skip stages and come back to them) and you'll have fun with Voodoo Dice. It's a welcome distraction from the currently slew of action titles, though not an essential one. [September 2010 p79]

21st Century standards such as midlevel checkpoints and an inventory system that halts the action so you can equip yourself are eschewed in favour of, well, death. You can't even pause the game, so if you're in for this you're in it for the long haul, hours at a time. [August 2010 p76]

While it won't satisfy technical fight-fiends, it's definitely a sterling lounge room fixture for a crowded night in of mashing each other into opposing franchise paste. [Summer 2009, p.68]

Solid, but not quite what we expected. [Apr 2009, p.70]

Perhaps one of the best things we can say about Sonic Generations is that it feels complete, and that it looks absolutely stunning. 20 years offers a lot of time to draw inspiration from, and Team Sonic's determination to show off everything that Sonic has accomplished is to be applauded. As an homage it's without peer. As a game in its own right it's flawed, but it'll leave you with more smiles than frowns. [Dec 2011, p70]

Not exactly taxing in the puzzles department, and its price-to-runtime ratio is a little out of whack. But gorgeous, memorable and oozing with atmosphere and love. [July 2017, p78]

While cloning the original into this sequel, a lot of enhancements were added (but a just as many bugs got in as well). [June 2015, p78]

Deck13 has stepped up to take a lash at Souls’ patented sadism. Some swings are short of the target, but the bulk have landed where they should. [July 2017, p80]

Unattractive, not as strategic as it could be, and the fighting gets samey quick. [June 2015, p78]

With rewarding physics and plenty of content, our main complaint is the tech used to render the game. To be blunt, it looks damn average. Racers are known for pushing the PS3 to its graphical limits, but SBK looks like it's running on two cylinders. While the frame rate and anti-aliasing is tight, the tracks are utterly devoid of detail. The world also appears to be lit by fluorescent tubes, giving it a stark, artificial feel. [August 2012, p80]

Rev-heads will adore it, others will struggle. [Christmas 2008, p.93]

The game feels right at home here. While it may not exactly push the PS3 to its limits, seeing it run on the PS Vita's 5 inch OLED screen is still extremely impressive. The camera keeps track of the frantic action perfectly, and although a little impact is lost the fidelity of the whole package makes up for it. [January 2013, p77]

While it’s underwhelming in places, there’s a lot to like as you venture into the weirder parts of Andromeda. Frequent technical issues hamper the experience a bit, as does an uninspiring main story. [June 2017, p66]

Bulletstorm has been lavished with a fine new coat of 4K paint. Its linear, skill-based shooting is worth revisiting, too, even if new content is thin. [June 2017, p70]

Much more fun than it is frustrating, and don’t go in expecting evolution. That said, this is still a quill in the cap for a genre that is slowly making a comeback. [June 2017, p72]

Rain World may not be the most forgiving adventure, but stick with it through its trickier times, and when it all comes together it’s capable of producing some genuinely brilliant moments. [June 2017, p76]

A lacking update from the 2007 collection. Not sure it's needed. [Apr 2009, p.76]

It can be a little frustrating, but thankfully these flaws are not so insurmountable that Shards of Darkness stops being a diverting and fun misadventure [June 2017, p81]

WRC 2 is a game that, if you were to it to someone, sounds like the perfect rally game. Once it's in your hands, though, you can't help but feel a bit glum. Whether it's a lack of time, money or skill, we're hopeful that Milestone comes back next year with a title to do the license proud. [Dec 2011, p76]

Ultimately, RAGE is soulless and short-lived. Jack up the difficulty for more of a challenge, but underneath a few stand-out moments is a shooter that's been outclassed and out gunned. [Dec 2011, p78]

There’s so much potential at play in Remember Me that we feel compelled to belabour the cons to emphasise what could have been with the abundance of strong ideas, well-paced narrative beats and an intuitive game soundtrack. It gets more right than it gets wrong though, and it leaves us yearning for a sequel that addresses its unfortunate shortcomings. [July 2013, p72]

An affordable little gem that will merrily kill your time. [February 2013, p80]

If you're into old-school RPGs, then its dose of sci-fi fantasy is good enough to bring a smile to a Klingon's face. [May 2009, p.69]

Beyond a party game with a crowd, there’s very little in the way of a compelling single-player mode here. Instrument-based games do a great job of making playing solo fun. Karaoke Revolution does not. [May 2010 p.79]

MUA 2 is a compelling superhero romp, though the button mashing nature of play needs updating. Still, it’s an absolute hoot and beautiful to look at. [Dec 2009, p.78]

Unfortunately Ninja Storm 3 doesn’t really do anything to distinguish itself from its predecessors utilising the ‘bigger is better’ formula, and while novel in the short term, the huge character list isn’t enough to hide the glaring simplicity of its combat. [April 2013, p77]

Fact is, when Revengeance is firing on all cylinders it’s a great, albeit short (six hours, tops) action game. [April 2013, p78]

Thomas Was Alone comes together into something more than the sum of its multiple simplistic parts. [July 2013, p79]

Chronicles runs smoothly, but we just wish we had more room to see what was going on in the gem-filled half of the screen. [Apr 2010, p.77]

Bare-bones stuff, really, but the music makes it worth it. [Mar 2009, p.76]

It’s very simple to get in to, and although there are challenges you don’t ever lose, making it more of a toy than a competition. It’s still largely irrelevant for adults, though. [Christmas 2009, p.76]

Let’s not pull any punches. This PS Vita version features the exact same pugilism, panty-service and pendulous paired appendages of Dead or Alive 5 on PS3, just in the palm of your questionably-callused hands. [May 2013, p75]

It might look simple but prepare to have your brain tickled and tested. [March 2013, p78]

There’s stunning art direction and addictive platforming, but none of it’s reflective of a reboot that’s risen to new heights. The old edge has been maintained, not honed. [August 2016, p68]

It’s a pity the backtracking mars an otherwise clever title. [March 2013, p78]

This is the prettiest and most polished Omega Force game to date. [Christmas 2015, p72]

Milestone hasn’t lived up to its name with this release – MotoGP 13 isn’t a landmark event in motorcycle racing games. It is, however, a noticeable veer back on track for this otherwise out-of control franchise. [August 2013, p79]

Battle Royale is an otherwise tightly designed and technically accomplished fighting game. Consulting our crystal balls – not a euphemism – we see it acquiring a small but dedicated following on the tournament scene. It'll never be as big as Street Fighter or Tekken, but it'll always be present on the periphery. [Christmas 2012, p.70]

Sadly, not a lot of love has gone into cleaning up these remakes. The time capsule is rusty, but there’s enough old school challenge and timeless dark humour to justify a buy. [March 2013, p79]

Still hilarious. Still addictive. But while the toy/game mechanics are cleverer than competition, far too much extra investment is required to make Dimensions as satisfying and features-full as ye olde TT LEGO games. [Christmas 2015, p76]

Though neither of these games can eclipse the love and attention lavished upon other Kojima projects, they're still decent examples of their genre. [Christmas 2012, p.74]

There's no faulting the quality and content. But yeah, wait for a serious price drop. [Christmas 2012, p.75]

Whip-quick thrills from a homegrown dev. Check it out. [March 2013, p80]

If you've got a 3D TV, buy it. [Jan 2010, p.74]

More accessible than Rock Band 4, and there are odd endorphins to be had from actors praising your efforts. It’s the tight-fisted nature of DLC that holds this back from greatness. [January 2015, p71]

Kinda ugly and bereft of new ideas, but also challenging and fun. Sets a higher bar for PS VR co-op, too. [September 2017, p76]

It's still dumb but a lot tighter and more fun than the original. Just make sure you play it in co-op, okay? [Mar 2010, p.74]

We're not entirely sure who's going to play this game, or even who it's ultimately suited for. People who are fans of Mikami and Suda will no doubt snap it up without a thought, and so will those who are tired of the 'usual' slew of action games. Sure, Shadows of the Damned has character and shows of incredible, grotesque and inventive beats, but as a game it's left lacking. [August 2011 p70]

Like its forebear Skylanders Giants won't tax the skills of the mature hardcore gamer. But it is a worthy expansion that'll keep the youngins amused on the TV, and in the schoolyard, for hours. [Christmas 2012, p76]

Madness Returns is in a tricky position. It could never offer pistol-quick mechanics because of the character design and it often feels like a chore to finish a stage. You'll also probably get pretty tired of finding and shooting switches to reveal a hidden platform, or slogging through another round of five or six enemies. Yet it dares to be different, so if you're happy to admire it for is own sake then you should find some fun amongst the insanity. [August 2011 p74]

Toybox mode is where the game hits its peak, offering open-world style gameplay packed with mini challenges geared towards a generation of kids far too young to be powersliding buses through parked cars and prostitutes in Liberty City. [August 2010 p77]

Armageddon is by no means a bad game, it's just a completely different one to what series fans will expect, or possibly want. Unfortunately, in returning to its underground roots, Volition has forgotten to capitalise on what their series does best: geo-modding the crap out of everything in sight - minimum restrictions. [August 2011 p80]

Mercenary is a big budget FPS on a handheld, done as right as it can be, but it’s still not quite good enough. [November 2013, p80]

A solid Lemmings-inspired puzzler that's bound to make you feel a bit sheepish every now and again. [December 2014, p76]

Orcs is unrefined in spots, but Cyanide punches massively above its weight in terms of production values and thought-provoking storytelling. Go in expecting some rough edges, but also expect to be surprised. [Christmas 2012, p.78]

Only for those desperate for a winter escape! [Jan 2009, p.80]

All-in-all the features add up to a game that is one of the best replications of the real thing thus far, especially with some top notch presentation. Just watch out for those damn ghosts. [November 2013, p83]

Gorgeous eye-candy (mostly) and tunes that stay with you for decades. But years of rhythm games make the once revolutionary Patapon feel simplistic. [October 2017, p76]

Superhot VR was a proof of concept that won the hearts and minds of any non-gamer we handed it to. But for serious gamers, this is an offering lazier than the bullets depicted. [October 2017, p77]

Telltale's most creative adventure has promise, we're just holding out for the more alluring loot. [Feb 2015, p76]

Our biggest gripe is it's just too cheap and mean, leaving you very alone and swamped in single player against the hordes of enemies and overpowered bosses. Foes come thick and fast and players who charge at the edge of the screen whilst it's scrolling will get a sudden foot to the face for their eagerness [Oct 2010 p.76]

It’s still far from perfect – main menu freezes abound and the EU and NA servers will frequently fail to even show up, so you’ll probs find yourself on a JP one – but when it works, it really works. Finally. [November 2013, p84]

While engaging modes shake things up when it all gets a bit shallow, think twice if you’re looking for a fighter with depth. But as a series send-off for obsessives? It’s a knockout. [May 2016, p75]

While the narrative is bonkers, Killer Is Dead iterates on tired gameplay to make a gorgeous game playable. [November 2013, p84]

Basic to look at, but totally delivers bite-sized sessions. Tough, too. [Christmas 2012, p.83]

The other main problems with Dog Days (besides the limitations of its ambitious visual style) are its length, its threadbare story and its realism identity crisis. Dog Days is a decent game by a talented developer, but it's still weighed down by these flaws. [Oct 2010 p.74]

An entertaining distraction needing more variety for true longevity. [Feb 2015, p79]

This is a welcome return to its predecessor’s winning formula, with an extra helping of blood and guts. [May 2016, p76]

Although completable in a single sitting, Grow Home is just as long as it needs to be without overstaying its welcome. [December 2015, p70]

Charming and bargain basement priced, but needs more oomph. [Feb 2015, p80]

On a technical level, sadly, Zombi disappoints. That said, Zombi is saved by an evocative world and a few innovative features that make it feel newer. [December 2015, p71]

There’s a lot here – a lot of scrap to collect and cars to push off the side of the road – but nothing gluing it all together. [December 2015, p75]

It doesn't add much to what's familiar about Monopoly, but it's a faithful adaptation. [Feb 2015, p81]

There’s a level of complexity and polish that belies the lo-fi visuals, the gore, the bonkers story and the motley crew of nutbags that you encounter. Under new ownership, Grasshopper has – dare we say it? – grown up. [March 2016, p70]

Superficially it might look like a reskin, but Battlefield Hardline is no cop out. [May 2015, p71]

The gameplay is ageless and timeless – probably because it’s a shameless copy of a certain plumber’s racing adventures on another console. There are weapons and powerups for both offensive and defensive manoeuvres, powerslides mean turbo boosts, and while the racing’s a bit bland in single player there are missions that earn money in order to unlock more of the cast, music and courses to race on. [Apr 2010, p.76]

Doesn't save the series, but doesn't condemn it further. Great with a co-op buddy, or if you like the score attacks. Only passable as a solo, narrative-driven experience. [May 2015, p72]

Currently an uneven mix of old school vs. new, and goofy vs. serious. A somewhat shaky start. Hopefully this won’t make for a receding heir line. [November 2015, p75]