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

If you take only three sentences away from this review, let them be the next ones. Fast & Furious: Showdown is a cash-in that somebody didn’t use half their arse to create – they used one quarter of a buttcheek. The box may look pretty, but the disc inside is like a HD update of Burnout’s beta code. Like, the PS2 [August 2013, p80]

Got a Vita and never played the original? Then get this. [August 2013, p77]

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]

Cross-buy, cross-play, cross-save: the three non-words every ‘PS3ita’ gamer hungers to hear. Zombie Tycoon 2 has all of these, and that’s what it does right. What it does wrong: its solo play is boring, and gets in the way of its rather decent multiplayer action. [July 2013, p80]

Darkstalkers Resurrection is a well preserved piece of history of which no fighting game fan should be unaware. Go check it out. [July 2013, p80]

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

Muramasa is twenty hours well spent amongst some of the most breathtaking visuals and sound on PS Vita. Unsheath your wallet and ninjadash your way to the store now. [July 2013, p76]

Soul Sacrifice isn’t the deepest Action-RPG out there, but it’s certainly one of the most interesting, and it feels right at home on PS Vita. [July 2013, p78]

There are some neat ideas here, like the random modifiers that trigger in each area, and being able to turn on ‘oaths’ that increase the challenge while rewarding you with extra XP and coins. But these features aren’t original, and it’s hard for an unoriginal game to hold one’s interests after the 500th skeleton has had their head shot off. [July 2013, p79]

As a game based on a movie, Star Trek is ok. This is no rush job but it lacks either the expertise or imagination to make it passable as a game in its own right. And who the hell would bother with that. [July 2013, p77]

Grid 2 is a gem of a racer. There’s never been any doubt that Codemasters have the skills and resources to make good looking games with world-class handling, and Grid 2 reinforces that. While its storyline provides reason, the thrilling events are the reason you’re here. [July 2013, p74]

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]

One of the most memorable indie games of the past decade. Best played with friends. [June 2013, p76]

Basically, the same great PS3 title we reviewed a while back, but portable and with exemplary CrossPlay functionality. Being able to whip out your Vita and pick up from where you left off (by downloading a Cloud save) is an absolute godsend and the synching process is flawless. [June 2013, p80]

Team Ninja takes one more stab and tweaks a below par sequel into being barely on the pace. Dismemberment has been reintroduced and shitty button mashing kills are now automated. [June 2013, p80]

This game is surreal. So much so we’re not entirely sure if it was rushed (doubtful, given the 360 original came out in 2010), or if the game designers are deliberately trolling us. [June 2013, p80]

Easily one of the best downloadable titles on the Vita. Grab it pronto. [June 2013, p80]

It almost feels as though developer Terminal Reality ran out of money, right on the home stretch. If only the game was shot in the head long before it ever got to that point. [June 2013, p79]

If you’ve never played a golfing game before this would be a great place to start. It’s packed with a great introduction to the sport, dozens of hours of content, and there’s few things more satisfying than rocking up to the 18th one stroke behind, only to sink an astounding 35-metre chip for the tournament win. [June 2013, p79]

What you’re left with is Max Payne 3 if it was stripped of half its budget, created by Michael Bay and forced into a co-operative experience. Fans might get a kick out of the fire and limb filled explosions, and the cameos from older characters in the series, but make no mistake, it will be short-lived. [June 2013, p78]

A kick-ass second chance at one of the best action RPGs released in the past decade. [June 2013, p77]

A bold and innovative reboot of a classic, but definitely geared for the hardcore. [June 2013, p76]

In a world full of shooters tackling real-world problems, it’s a refreshing palate cleanser when a game decides to give dinosaurs lasers for eyes, just because it can. Can ya dig it? [June 2013, p75]

If Defiance were purely offline you wouldn’t look at it twice. Objects wink out of existence, characters have little weight, and unless you’re in a team the enemies are tough. But it will get under your skin. [June 2013, p74]

For hardcore nerds, it’s a wet dream made real; for everyone else, it’s a spectacle like no other. [June 2013, p72]

Riding boats, a new character, a couple of new skills and light tower defence mechanics is pushing that full retail tag, especially when you can pick up the original for less than half the price. [June 2013, p70]

A very competent, atmospheric shooter that isn’t solely about blowing shit up. If you’re not afraid of the dark and need a change of pace, a ride with Metro: Last Light might be exactly what you need. [June 2013, p68]