Who says couch based co-op is dead? Gear up, team up and plunder. [January 2015, p66]

Has aged remarkably well, and is polished enough to draw in curious newbies. Veterans should be well chuffed with all the DLC thrown in. [July 2016, p71]

What cannot be understated here is how enchanting these titles remain. We don’t care if you’re a newbie or a returning fan, Yoko Shimomura’s lovingly reproduced score, combined with the absorbing in-game universe it envelops, will hook in many an RPGist. The old magic persists here, folks. Reclaim this kingdom. [January 2015, p68]

Watch Dogs comes close to earning Best in Show, but falters on some critical open-world elements. Bring on the sequel! [July 2014, p74]

Even the odd spiteful stage can’t dull the boisterous appeal, and for every frustrated ragequit it inspires, there’s an hour or more of big dumb grins in this flamboyant bundle of unabashed fun. [July 2016, p73]

Unfortunately the Move controls have turned out to be a real flop. Rather than the same sort of control over your racquet as, say, the ping pong in Sports Champions, Top Spin 4's controls feel significantly dumbed down. There really doesn't appear to be any connection between your player's arm and your actual arm – backhands you perform in your living room will be regularly interpreted as forehands by the game and there doesn't appear to be much difference between a spirited slog and a apathetic wiggle of the wrist. [May 2011 p.77]

Severed is an unusual game that remains compulsively fascinating, making full use of PS Vita’s strengths – feeling like it couldn’t exist anywhere else – to craft a quietly moving tale. [July 2016, p77]

We’ve missed the WWII theatre, and Sniper Elite 4 is a rollicking good reason to get back to Nazi-blasting. Story isn’t amazing, but the joy of stealth-sniping – particularly in co-op – is Reich on target. [April 2016, p74]

Never Alone delivers something different. It’s often frustrating, but hey, it’s windy out, Inuit? [January 2015, p69]

Act now, think later’ is the nature of Berseria’s beast, a battle system that thrives on heat-of-the-moment muscle memory and snappy knee-jerk reactions. [April 2016, p76]

It's a pleasure to be given so much freedom in a shooter to go where we want, solve problems and bag bosses with any concoction of stealth/gung-ho/entrapment tactics. [February 2012, p.74]

Probably should have kept to the arcades, but worth a look if you've got the extra coin. [July 2014, p82]

After a slow start it builds to a thundering crescendo and slaps on the action thick and fast, and you'll find a city that's yours for a good time, but not necessarily a long time. Dodgy vehicles aside, this has a belter of a combat system and is a lot of fun while it lasts. Get it. [Sept 2012, p.66]

Ultimately Dragon Age II feels like a one step past, and two steps back from Origins. It has been specced purely with us console gamers in mind and now has a low barrier of entry that will rally new fans to the Dragon Age banner. That's admirable, but fans who did get into Origins will lament the less masterful storytelling and the noticeably uneven visual presentation. [May 2011 p.78]

You wouldn't play this on your own. It's not quite the new SingStar or Guitar Hero, but it is good simple fun. You can even cheat a bit, like we did, by only moving your hand that grasps the Move controller. Do that, though, and you're cheating yourself. [February 2012, p.78]

Local co-op lives on thanks to the unbelievably enjoyable Sportsfriends. [July 2014, p83]

It might not take you that long to run through and the amount of skeletons you’ll take to pieces might rack up like a Geiger counter, but this is a charming game. [Dec 2009, p.87]

Red River stands out as the more intelligent but vaguely scruffier cousin amongst the likes of Call of Duty, Homefront and Crysis 2. What you have is a thinking man's game that begs to be played in co-op. PS3 owners have been screaming for a great game to play with mates who will work towards the same goal, and this is it. [June 2011 p.73]

Depending on how brave you are (or your peripheral set up) the handling model can be altered from reasonably forgiving to brow-mopping stressful. Knuckle down and learn the nuances and you'll lose yourself in some glorious moments, recreating key battles and moments, swopping through the air and perfecting the art of dogfighting. [May 2012, p80]

Minute attention to detail proves that slow and precise can still mean tense and exciting. [Dec 2009, p.81]

The amount of content you’ll reap from the create-a-wrestler alone will astound. If WWE’s your thing, welcome to nirvana. [Dec 2009, p.76]

The way the series approaches DLC will continue to divide; Tiger Woods 12 features 16 courses on the disc but a further 20 are already available as DLC... The game needs a course creator; it's a feature PC golf games had last century. [June 2011 p.78]

It’s a little short, but still manages to satisfy, is dirt cheap and sure to leave you a smile on your dial. [Christmas 2013, p80]

Where PES trumps FIFA is in its tactical depth. This year it's bordering on ludicrous just how in-depth you can manipulate the way your team plays. [Dec 2009, p.80]

Codemasters has a record of making its racing games shine visually and aurally and DiRT 3 is no different... Each vehicle has its own timbre, and with the inclusion of the riotous Group B cars and bespoke Gymkhana terriers the soundscape has been pushed further than ever before. Revving them out to redline and listening to the motor screaming and straining the bolts is a primordial joy where noise and fury fuel your desire to push these things harder. [July 2011 p.80]

Great multiplayer. Quality, yet anorexic single-player. Knock [20] points off this score if you're an offline-only gamer. [April 2011, p.68]

The defining moment came when, having spied a particularly rare class of collectible, we sent the Overlord in to smash the crate that held it. Before he could reach it, a little pointy-hat-wearing gnome, not even a foot high, darted in and nicked it, gibbering all the way back to its grubby little warren. Our clichéd expectations of fantasy gaming had been shattered. [Aug 2009, p.72]

Once you earn and understand how to flick between the dimensions (on all four shoulder buttons) Conundrum will have you calling people over to the TV to boast how "S-M-R-T" you are. That joy is offset, however, by Airtight Games' insistence on pinpoint first-person platforming, something that's a source of intermittent frustration. [September 2012, p74]