In the end, the most meaningful change to FIFA 17 is The Journey. It, along with the increased big-match atmosphere provided by the Frostbite engine, make very compelling reasons to trade up. [December 2016, p78]

Another surprisingly good game feature is the story. Objectives and allegiances chop and change, and the radio chatter drips with comic book melodrama. [July 2009, p.68]

Once you strap yourself into the rollcaged bucket seat of Dirt 4 it’ll be extremely tough to extricate yourself from it anytime soon. [September 2017, p69]

Don’t look at its brevity with a frown: Gone Home is a hugely important game with something meaningful to say. [April 2016, p74]

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]

There's not even the slightest whiff of cash-in here. Greatly expanded and built upon. Ultimax indeed. [Christmas 2014, p73]

A precious package that is both incredibly challenging and rewarding in all the right ways. [December 2014, p70]

An absolutely awesome all-round package. [Christmas 2008, p.78]

The Tekken draftees are the new Street Fighter characters you don't want to go home. Apart from integrating them visually into Ryu and co's saturated universe, each has had their exhaustive move set refocused to align with Capcom's different play style. It doesn't just work, it's brilliant. [May 2012, p70]

F1 2010 is Codemasters doing what it does best. Unadulterated, realistic racing. It doesn't lose its way with a trailer full of empty energy drink cans and promo girl panties; it focuses on the job at hand. That job is to make you feel like an F1 driver and, in this department, F1 2010 far exceeds our expectations. [November 2010 p64]

Sound Shapes' ready-made content is refreshing, creative and fun – but it's also in very short supply. That said, there's a more than capable platformer waiting for you here, and it's backed up by a versatile level editor that's pregnant with possibilities. Queasy has laid one heck of a good egg, and we honestly can't wait to see how many ways the community will cook this up. [October 2012, p74]

For a generation weaned on Rocky movies Fight Night Champion is the ultimate boxing experience. It sounds like a throwaway sentence, really. A platitude you toss at an otherwise good game to get the hard work out of the way. It's completely true though... What's particularly clever about Champion Mode is the way it pulls strings in the background to heighten the tension. During the fights throughout the story you might find yourself nursing a broken hand, or suddenly at the mercy of a bent referee or a desk full of bribed judges. Champion Mode will uppercut you with surprises like these, ones that require you to adjust the way you're fighting, across its duration. Champion Mode is bold, different and we absolutely want more of it. [May 2011 p.70]

A grand, bloody, epic adventure. [Apr 2009, p.66]

To immerse yourself in the inky swirl of its spectacle is to realise that’s it’s not just a Dark Souls III side dish. It’s a main course all on its own. [June 2016, p74]

The occasional flat gag notwithstanding, DotT’s long awaited PlayStation appearance is sublime. [June 2016, p77]

Still the best basketball franchise out there. Avoids greatness due to a smattering of visual bugbears. [December 2013, p79]

What you have is a game that feels like it only has 85 per cent of its content, and a few fighters are horrendously overpowered or have spam-tastic attacks – Phoenix and Sentinel are prime offenders. However, if it was a choice between something that looks and plays as well as this, or had tonnes in it but felt as rough as a $3 steak, we know which one we'd pick. And it looks like we got it. [Apr 2011, p78]

Take Burnout Paradise's massive open world, strip out the wild, physics-defying, cabin-crushing crashes and insert a generous handful of the world's hottest or most iconic motors. This is Need for Speed that only Criterion could create. [Christmas 2012, p.83]

Makes huge strides forward, is held back from total greatness by two things: a story that falls just short of the shading around it, and bugs. [November 2016, p72]

Horribly frustrating to begin with, but more than worth it in the long run. [Christmas 2014, p78]

This is Resi at its peak. Shame that it's a straight port, though. [Dec 2011, p81]

Killzone 3 stands as a fantastic entry to the series and an engrossing action romp for any fan of the first-person shooter genre. All of the things we loved about Killzone 2 have made a return and have been built upon. However, with some minor issues across the board and a campaign length that's a little too Modern Warfare 2 for our liking, Killzone 3 is held back from the dizzying heights of perfection. [March 2011, p64]

Positively hypnotic in PS VR, this is an ideal showcase for your new virtual reality kit. [Christmas 2016, p79]

Undoubtedly the best extreme sports game ever. [Feb 2009, p.72]

Split/Second does a lot well. The key component is the environmental destruction. Each track is littered with dangerous traps and shortcuts that can be triggered by you or your A.I. opponents. [June 2010 p74]

A riveting cerebral experience. Has that 'one more episode hook'. [July 2012, p83]

Resogun is a downloadable crack of the best variety. Buy it. [January 2014, p76]

It truly is a must-have package. A thoroughly entertaining and pivotal part of the Speed franchise and the racing landscape in general, we want more like this. [Nov 2009, p.68]