Buoyed by a promising concept and Suda51's reputation, we expected and experience comparable to God Hand or Bayonetta. What we got is witless – an embarrassment that shames itself and the industry as a whole. It's idiocy that outstays its in record time. [July 2012, p78]

Like a new wrestler getting a push, the fans will determine if 2K’s series succeeds or fails. [April 2015, p80]

Don't let the fresh new franchise face and the Frostbite screens fool you. Rory McIlroy's has applied some serious back-spin to this once features-rich series. Budget buy this duff. [October 2015, p71]

Improves upon the original in only minor ways, is still repetitive and reliant on you ignoring its unpolished nature, because bewbs. [August 2014, p77]

Offers a great visual upgrade, but the UI and various other tappy mechanics break down in later difficulties. [August 2014, p78]

We love that Way of the Samurai 4 is batshit insane, and about as Japanese as a toilet that sings and shoots rainbows. Even still, that quirkiness quickly gives way to seriously rough edges. Clunky, repetitive combat isn't helped by comically bad animations, and when the visuals aren't bland, they're shredded to pieces by screen tearing. [November 2012, p78]

Buy this looking for massive evolution, and you'll be the one who gets tormented. [October 2015, p79]

Expected features like continuing from the middle of the stage are absent, probably to expand the slender content as much as it can, but it clearly has a heart of gold and lashings of style. You'll like it more with a co-op partner, but Scott Pilgrim is much better. [November 2012, p79]

Most people won't feel the need to replay this eight or so times to piece together all endings into one full nest of a whole. [October 2015, p79]

A brave competitor to Sony's mud king, but it's all a bit too bland to get revved up over. [Nov 2008, p.96]

ROTF is a snack to finish - expect to knock the whole thing, both Autobot and Decepticon campaigns, over in a day - yet there's a perverse sense of accomplishment when the credits roll, despite the hit-and-miss graphics, awful music and weak sound effects. [Sept 2009, p.69]

We can’t help but feel as though this port was booted out of the door without so much as a kiss goodbye. Case in point: you still have the option to toggle ‘vibration’ on and off in the settings menu. Come on, guys... really? The Jak and Daxter Collection should be played by anybody who hasn’t already. But our advice: skip past this port and go for the home console version instead. [September 2013, p74]

Like him or otherwise, Eddie Van Halen is a guitar hero, no doubt. This game just doesn't reflect that. [Mar 2010, p.76]

The problem is the level design in the game is absurdly old hat. While there are a handful of mission types, like Direct Action, Covert, and High Value Target, the levels they take place in and the related objectives are painfully bland. "Move to this point and activate this switch. Now go down the stairs and activate this other switch." Blah, blah, blah… [April 2012, p73]

For all its unfamiliarity and family-over-friendliness Legends of Chima is a technically solid production that should please its intended audience. Oldies can skip it and continue to vainly hope for LEGO Die Hard. [September 2013, p75]

Escape Plan feels way too barebones an experience. There aren't many gamers out there who'll want to revisit and three star puzzles they barely fumbled through the first time due to iffy controls. [April 2012, p74]

The game looks crusty. The sprites introduced last year are pixilated and their animations limited. Plus the game lacks any creative flourishes during the massive super moves. We love the idea of a stunning 2D fighter, but there's no technical or artistic creativity here. Note to SNK – invest some money to make it look like a cartoon made by a ninja Walt Disney. [January 2012, p.76]

In the end the experience of piloting an F1 car around the world's premiere race tracks isn't here. This is one racer that gets the black and white flag for bad behavior. [April 2012, p74]

Top co-op, but solo is forgettable. Unpolished, too. Drug addicts with severe delusional parasitosis will see fewer bugs than a Wildlands player. [May 2017, p73]

When a well-planned incursion comes to fruition, the game is rewarding; the rest of the time, it's plagued with camera weirdness, clipping errors and a clunky combat system. [April 2012, p75]

The good looks of most JRPGs will be in some way anime-influenced, but Time and Eternity is flat-out anime that you play. With that comes the often cringe-worthy plotting of the latterday art form, too.[September 2013, p77]

Flatout’s schtick is its physics-heavy racing, but that engine is antiquated now. Like the nitro it ungenerously ekes out – fun in short bursts only [May 2017, p79]

So-so fighting but an okay diversion. The AR is really cool, though. [March 2012, p63]

Someone forgot to add "fun" to the jetpack. [Mar 2010, p.75]

There’s depth here – you can tool about with settings, text chat to your engineers and view race telemetry – but it will frustrate some. The racing itself, though, is good. SBK fans will likely have a lot of time for this title. Solid, but not for everyone. [Aug 2009, p.68]

There are 14 different rule sets to check out, but all of them fall victim to repetition. Gameplay revolves around dragging your finger across the front display to choose the area where you wish to hit, before pulling it down and then flicking. Rinse. Repeat. Woo. Pass. [April 2012, p78]

The integration of tilt steering and rear touchpad gear shifting is nice, but beyond that, this is a wafer-thin, learner burner experience best left to racing rookies. [April 2012, p78]

You can go online and play with your mates, but it doesn’t do enough to be exciting or even pretty to look at. Diagnosis: take one dose of Final Fantasy XIII and start another of Valkyria Chronicles. [May 2010 p.79]

You can easily lose a few hours stabbing your Vita to Smooth Criminal, Thriller and Beat It. It sucks then, that those hours (two of them) represent the entire runtime of this. [April 2012, p79]

Hard on the thumbs but just as hard on the eyes and ears. Wait for a markdown and play with friends. [November 2014, p77]

A shade too workmanlike in most areas. [Feb 2010, p.75]

An Android platformer ported over to Vita with little aplomb. A fun diversion, but only for a while. [November 2014, p77]

Not nearly as good as you remember it. Shooters have come a long, long way since the days of The Duke. [March 2015, p78]

You're still mindlessly hacking 'n' slashing your way through clones, but now you'll also engage in mini-games that use the gyro and touchscreen in very inelegant ways. [April 2012, p80]

To the right crowd, hilarious. But overpriced and kinda stupid for everybody else. [Christmas 2014, p75]

Brilliant ideas, but the game feels old. Worth a weekend rental but that’s it. [October 2013, p76]

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India does little to curry favour from fans left unimpressed by the last game. [February 2015, p72]

The default end-to-end camera is still a massive pain when it switches for an intercept. Players, most notably the FRF and 2RF, love to drift out of position and hang out on the wings. Also, while expanded controls are welcomed, the game mishandles them – you'll punch walls when any tackle before an intercept gets interpreted as a grubber kick after you gain possession. [December 2012, p75]

It’s gaming’s equivalent of the earnest-but-terrible B-movie; its manifold flaws made enjoyable and riotously funny by its good intentions. [February 2015, p75]

In some matches it almost feels like the AI is taking the piss, effortlessly stringing together combinations and reversals, when it is nowhere near as easy to do this yourself. There's a lot of assumed knowledge and familiarity with the franchise, which can be disconcerting to newcomers. Positioning is key for finishers and signature moves and can get frustrating when your opponent is whaling on you almost effortlessly. [December 2012, p77]

After a weekend with Hazard, you may want to return him. [Apr 2009, p.77]

It's the kind of game you'd hire on a rainy Saturday night because you got to the video shop too late and all the good games were already gone – but then you get it home and it's actually alright. It's plain, simplistic, and totally no-frills, and you'll want to mute the "angry white man" soundtrack immediately, but on the other hand… sick jumps, bro. [June 2012, p79]

Quirky but has been done better and many times before. Wait for Ni No Kuni instead. [December 2012, p78]

New Little King's Story could have been a surprise hit. But, as it stands, all its charm and whimsy is marred by poor menu design and technical issues that aren't game-breaking, just a royal pain in the butt. [December 2012, p78]

Leaving you with no indication on how to progress might have been quirky, innovative game design in 1996, but in 2012, it's an exercise in pure frustration. Replaying the initial laps over and over again, just so you can have another crack only makes matters worse. The original Saturn version of the game is on offer too if you are so nostalgically inclined, but it still doesn't manage to escape the fundamental inadequacies NiGHTS possesses. [December 2012, p80]

A missed opportunity. Entwined could have been something extra special, but is ultimately forgettable instead. [September 2014, p74]

The Godfather II starts off as a robust crime caper, but it alienates fans of the film and confuses those who haven't seen it. [June 2009, p.67]

Get Even needed to get even better to be more than a chocolatey handful of our favourite things.[August 2017, p76]

Amusing and inoffensive, it's a winning formula. The only problem here is that the PS Vita version has a serious case of port-itis. Symptoms include itty-bitty characters and platforming elements that have clearly been optimised for living room-sized flat-screens, and noticeable compression artifacts in the full-motion video and spoken dialogue. [January 2013, p71]

The result is a charmingly clunky yarn that doesn’t wow, but has more to offer than clichés alone. [July 2017, p73]

There are more immediate giggles to be had in the Story Mode, which is rib-tickling to wade through, although "wade" is definitely the word. It really just boils down to running around dodging either projectiles or up-close Family Guy caricatures, like angry college guys with deadly melee bongs. Then you either cap 'em or bash 'em, and maybe collect a few things while being funneled towards your next inane but comical goal. [January 2013, p72]

You need to sit patiently and wait for the perfect opportunity. Only mark this as a serious target after much time, patching, and price drops. [July 2017, p77]

It contains everything you'd expect of a middle-of-the-road puzzle game, and it's executed competently. But the creators of this game suffered from a paucity of ambition. There is a tsunami of innovation crashing through the worlds of online and interactive learning, Rocksmith being but one example. [January 2013, p74]

Battles are random. You’re dumped in at the deep end with little indication of how to do what you’re meant to, and when compared to FFXIII everything feels so last century. The characters have the same emotion as a corpse. It’s not at all streamlined, and graphics are washed out and low-res; it’ll take the most hardcore JRPG fan – and we’re emphasizing the ‘J’ – to accept this. A pity, as the townships and world are intricately designed. [Apr 2010, p.76]

As another foray into the world of interactive storytelling, it's an interesting experiment. But as a game, it doesn't come together nearly as well as it should. [December 2013, p74]

We're happy with the decent foundations that TNA Impact! has laid out, but the content - which is a big deal in wrestling games - is paltry. [December 2008, p.80]

Alright, the new Overwatch it ain’t – but it’s far from tearable. (Sorry.) [July 2017, p83]

Short and puzzling in more ways than one. A clunky oddity. [August 2012, p81]

You can see the improvements in the car models compared to the years before, and the hardcore audience of the sport – the handful that there are – will appreciate WRC 3's spirit to following the source material. Everyone else looking for slip n' slide action should load up DiRT 3. [January 2013, p77]

Short and puzzling in more ways than one. A clunky oddity. [August 2012, p81]

Stressful platforming action made infuriating by a bad camera. [January 2013, p78]

Don’t put out an APB on what is a hilarious yet technically flawed Lego adventure. Apprehend it for little ‘uns at a reduced price. [June 2017, p77]

Lacking challenge and there's not enough new content to justify that full-priced purchase. [December 2013, p81]

[O]nline modes can be great fun, but they have one glaring weakness – within a week of release, they were all but deserted online. Getting into a 2v2 competitive match – which is the only thing that anyone has been playing at all – has been a struggle since launch, which is never promising. If you've got friends who also bought the game, this won't be a problem, but if you're hoping for something to play against random folk online we wouldn't expect this one to have a sudden huge surge in players. [February 2013, p76]

Inoffensive busy-work for the ankle-biters. Nothing more. Nothing less. [December 2013, p81]

Tenchu's in a dire need to go back to its roots. [June 2009, p.70]

Unsexy visuals, thin solo, and menu heavy. Only the hardcore won't look for the ejection procedure. [December 2013, p81]

It's unforgiving as all hell, too: After you've barely scraped through a particularly insane dungeon, you might run afoul of a boss. This boss will, without fail, instantly kick your ass until you memorise his wicked ways, just like the old days. Then it's back to the start of everything with you. [February 2013, p80]

Better than most kids games, but has issues. [Summer 2009, p.80]

Big Sky: Infinity manages to give the player a fun shooter that surprises each time they jump in, but have coupled these good times with utterly broken scoring systems. Why should our latest effort in Arcade mode be judged against the session that opened immediately with a score multiplier zone that severely boosted the points we got from those first enemies? Isn't it unfair that this boss fight occurred so early on? [February 2013, p81]

Fanging through the snow just gets old far too quickly. [Summer 2009, p.79]

Pretty dull. You'll grind rather than grin your way to victory in this limited ride. [Dec 2011, p82]

Casual egg-chasers who played the predecessor could sidestep this and not miss much. But those of you hard-headed types with ears too cauliflowered to hear our warnings will probably buy it regardless. [August 2013, p77]

Generic in most senses of the word, but still dumb fun with friends. [August 2013, p80]

Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory is a compromise between two extremes, which is frustrating because there are so many meaningless textual back-and-forths in between the much improved adventuring that, every now and again, main charrie Neptune will even break the fourth wall and complain about it. It’s kind of like Hideo Kojima stopped by while this game was being made. [May 2013, p76]

If you’re an avid cyclist you’d be much happier outside on a bike, getting fit and savaging your sperm count, not suffering this flat, endorphinless facsimile. [August 2013, p78]

It’s balls-out hard pretty much from the get go, demanding pixel-perfect (snarf) jumps and committing entire levels to memory. There’s a point where it goes from being cute to very annoying, though. [March 2013, p80]

Sure, there are neat ideas here, no question. But problems with Dead Star’s mechanics mean this is one space race that’s only occasionally worth running. [August 2016, p76]

While your characters are nimble – able to double jump, slide on the spot, cling on to walls, ceilings and sporadically placed platforms – the melee combat is pretty tiresome as enemies overwhelm often by number rather than by skill. Cross your fingers you have a ranged attack in your repertoire else you're screwed. [July 2011 p84]

Like a crack dealer in council flats the first hit is free, then the really good stuff is gonna cost you depending on what you want. However, it’s a thrill you’ve had before, and unless you’re really pining for the past (and don’t have all these old titles on your myriad other handheld and home devices) you can leave these alone as they’re presented as arcade perfect with no upgrades. [May 2013, p77]

Epic Mickey 2 smacks of the brilliant game designer many of us admire as Spector attempts to redefine what has defined his great games for years within the confines of a world that can't really allow it. The end result is it's a compromise that, by default, isn't able to wholeheartedly please anyone. [Christmas 2012, p.72]

If you’re all for the idea of chuckling at a game that’s under budget, intentionally offensive and a bit archaic – here you go. But when you find out that same punchline includes a pitiful seven hour runtime and a 70 dollar price tag, we think it’ll probably wipe the smirk right of your face. [August 2013, p72]

Despite a few rays of fun, F.E.A.R. 3 is a production that offers gloom, minus any impending sense of doom. As an action-based first-person shooter it's solid enough to stand alongside is contemporaries in the faceless, grey-brown ranks of the FPS genre, but it does nothing to stand out from the status quo. [September 2011 p71]

While the episode does provide a conclusion to Max’s bittersweet story, its splintered things apart more than tied them all together. [January 2015, p75]

Looks gorgeous, rewards driving out of your comfort zone, has pleasing physics and sense of velocity... but needlessly online-only, pumped full of irritating live-action pap, and runs out of fuel early. [January 2015, p77]

Completely average. [Nov 2008, p.102]

Even the hardcore will be sorely tested by this. [December 2014, p78]

You'll never powerslide around a corner. Seems odd, doesn't it? Kart racers in general have implemented this move since day dot, and while it's one missing attribute that sets Race Stars apart from the competition (apart from the official licence, of course) it feels weird and frustrating. Tight corners need to be taken wide as the karts are especially stubborn in the twisty bits. [Christmas 2012, p.80]

For every idea that’s been given care and thought, there’s one that is far past the realm of cliché. This is less a diminishing return and more a warning that the series is flirting dangerously close with creative extinction. [May 2016, p66]

Time Crisis isn't exactly gaming's Hamlet, but Razing Storm is actually a lot more dumbed down than Time Crisis 4. Deadstorm Pirates is the third game and requires a big install. It's Time Crisis with pirates. Pirates armed with laser targeting fully-automatic flintlock pistols. We'll let that description hang [December 2010 p73]

Despite the heritage, and the memories of the time (if you did play it) promising a nostalgic trip, it's a reminder of how far we've come. In the end, Doom 3 just feels old. [Christmas 2012, p.81]

For every moment awed in the presence of a monumental celestial body, there are ten in which you’re lonely, humbled, and really quite bored. [October 2017, p79]

The least awful Sonic game in years. [Jan 2009, p.74]

The 2017 model splutters far too often. For starters, the handling rarely feels right – it’s a strange mix of too heavy and too floaty. [October 2017, p80]

The dearly departed P.T. finally has some notable competition as your chief nightmare provider. [May 2016, p74]

Shaun White Skateboarding just feels a bit limp. The skating itself is competent but not tactile, and trekking back to a skate shop, rather than just an in game menu, to buy moves wears thin after a short while. Kudos for finding a way of distinguishing the game from its competitors, but Skate 2 is still chairman of the board. [December 2010 p75]

Ultimately, we found Sheltered to be engaging, purely due to its brutal difficulty. It’s quite a shame then that its brand of survival is far too often mundane. [May 2016, p74]

As a cerebral challenge SAW II is refreshing, fares noticeably better than the rushed original and is bloodier than an abattoir killing floor. That said, if you buy it expecting action that feels as visceral as the subject matter, you'll soon feel trapped with no way out. [December 2010 p76]