Fans of the God Eater series won’t be disappointed. Fun, fast-paced fighting – if you put in the effort to master the complexities of the combat system. [Issue#160, p.88]

An online environment boasting razor-sharp hooks even in its infancy. [Dec 2014, p.77]

By no means a bad game, it's hard to shake the feeling it'll end up as a stopgap until Dirt Rally hits. [March 2016, p.88]

Most of the issues have been addressed, making for a much more palatable bike sim. It’s still lacking spectacle and charm, but the quality’s much higher. [Issue#185, p.88]

Short and horrifying, it’s worth coming home to your PS VR headset for this family reunion. These walls talk, and you’ll want to immerse yourself in what they have to say. [Issue#155, p.87]

A solid tribute act, then, but the handling of the series is too timid to be truly great. [Dec 2008, p.120]

This never quite gets free of its cell of mediocrity. [Apr 2012, p.118]

Often dated and simplistic, there’s no denying MW2 delivers a cinematic spectacle. The real fun comes from Museum mode and re-running with unlockable gameplay mods. [Issue#175, p.79]

It is a genuinely exciting arcade racer with just the right amount of meat on its jiggling ass. [Dec 2007, p.102]

At a first glance The Hong Kong Massacre appears to be nothing more than a Hotline Miami clone. However, beneath its samey exterior the game differentiates itself with some quirky mechanics that make it a real blast to play. [Issue#160, p.89]

Its chunky art style gives the whole thing a heart-warmingly retro look. [Apr 2017, p.95]

Relicta, in a lot of places, seems to be a lot more adult-oriented than many other puzzle games. If you can live with the repetition and you really loved Portal, you should find something here to keep you engaged. [Issue@179, p.72]

Reveals itself to be a lot like space: beautiful, but mostly empty. [Christmas 2016, p.96]

The gameplay is addictive as ever. [Jan 2012, p.114]

Proof that style is no substitute for substance. [Issue#158, p.95]

Mike Bithell's long-awaited Thomas Was Alone follow-up is a bigger, fancier puzzle game, but one in which the levels don't quite come together as much as the Robin Hood plot. [Nov 2015, p.109]

An excellent and testing shooter. [June 2010, p.117]

Below-par visuals and production obscure, but don't fully diminish, vibrant design and fresh ideas. [Nov 2015, p.99]

As well as transforming abilities, you unlock room-affecting powers as you progress, and these are a lot more iffy– indications of where to use some are irritatingly lacking. The lack of map markings for currently impassable objects or collected heart pieces also feels a bit annoying.2 Still, it’s a lot of fun throughout its short duration, and the cartoony surface is backed up by plenty of heart. It’s not the best game of its type, but it’s an example worth playing. [Issue#178, p.76]

Sadly, the best Sims game for a long time is almost crippled by tiresome loading times that hobble the action. [Christmas 2007, p.111]

A hearty fantasy banquet. Tuck in. [Aug 2011, p.104]

A complex game for strategy buffs, but tiresome and inaccessible for others. [Christmas 2010]

Buy it and it'll keep you amused for an hour every few weeks. [Jan 2011, p.118]

A roughhouse riot when you find its rhythm, alternating between bloody attacks and essential damage avoidance, Ruiner may be little more than the sum of its parts, but what parts they are. [Dec 2017, p.97]

Fun in short spurts, patchy in quality, this is a club not everyone will want to get into, even if they have the password. [Issue#174, p.92]

This is utterly unique. [May 2007, p.116]

Combat, while smooth, does get repetitive at times. [Oct 2012, p.111]

Despite the familiarity of its mechanics, it's definitely way more fun than stepping on one of the damn bricks. [Apr 2014, p.87]

It won't keep the kids quiet - quite the opposite, in fact - but it will keep them mercifully occupied for a few hours. [Mar 2008, p.108]

While I’ve got my steel toecap in the puppy’s ribcage, I might as well say that the galaxy-trotting do-good gig gets repetitive quickly.

A fun, if short-lived trip back into the mind-bending world of Psychonauts. [Apr 2017, p.88]

Has enough meat on its bones to feed the most voracious action fans. [Apr 2011, p.109]

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 somewhat, as does an uninspiring main story. [May 2017, p.82]

Natural selection has rarely felt crueller. [June 2011, p.112]

Has pleasingly strong gunplay. [June 2011, p.112]

Postcard-worthy space tourism, best dipped in and out of in short spells to avoid mechanical frustrations. It's an otherworldly achievement of an insane scale, with tons of genuinely special moments to offer - but also an acquired taste. [Oct 2016, p.72]

Does little to open the door for anyone other than JoJo vets. [July 2014, p.80]

It's a starting block, but while it's not made of dirt, it's a way off gold. [Christmas 2015, p.95]

One of the most bizarre failings, however, has to be a bafflingly imprecise lock-on system. [Nov 2008, p.114]

A delight for all trivia hounds. [Jan 2017, p.87]

It's funny, but it's not quite fun. [June 2009, p.99]

Frogwares doubles down on the interactive mystery format of the last game with a more lavish outing featuring newly charming leads. The story's tremendously entertaining. [Aug 2016, p.82]

Butcher revels in its ever-increasing difficulty. [July 2016, p.84]

A technical marvel this is not, but beneath the detritus lie some good ideas, at least. Open-world survival horror is a scintillating concept, conjuring images of casing out suspects at will, perhaps stumbling upon situations that blow the mystery wide open by chance. The reality’s much grimmer, of course – with so little to do between missions except tedious driving challenges, you often find yourself sleeping through the day to hurry it along.

Some good camera work. [Feb 2011, p.113]

Considering there’s the touch of an interesting puzzle here and there, we’d have loved something a little stronger than the tasty but weak cocktail we got. [Issue#170, p.86]

Sheltered's survival of the fittest foundation makes it repetitive by nature, but the ability to customise your family and choose a pet makes starting each new game charming, rather than chore-like. [May 2016, p.92]

An accessible and enjoyable racer that really hits its stride in multiplayer. [Spring 2011, p.113]

Always manages to pull you back in for a spoonful more. [July 2015, p.95]

After a strong opening level, the campaign veers off through street shoot-outs and crystal-meth labs – there's only one other actual 'heist' after this. Hostages can be bound up and traded for a respawn, but can't be used for cover.

Those hoping for an entirely overhauled Sims experience will be disappointed, but it's doubtful anyone will harbour such expectations. Mysteries add some nice structure to the otherwise open-ended gameplay, but this is basically – as the name suggests – The Sims with added animals. Which, for plumbbob devotees, should be enough.

An opportunity squandered. [Sept 2017, p.85]

It's the glitches and game-breaking annoyances that most let things down. [Christmas 2012, p.96]

Every action is coupled with a frustrating feeling of unpredictability in a game that really should deliver precision inputs for its harsh, stealthy goals. [Christmas 2014, p.85]

A good core experience with novel ideas stifled by a disproportionately high price tag, embarrassing amounts of repetitive filler, and pay-to-win mechanics. [Issue#156, p.87]

There's nothing else like it. [Dec 2009, p110]

This souls-lite with an artful anime sheen impresses visually and presents an accessible take on the winning formula but fails to endear us with its bland environments and toothless story. [Issue#168, p.84]

Despite some trademark Insomniac humour in the mix, it feels like the reins have been put on a undoubtedly talented studio in order to make this kind of game.

Devotees to the 20-sided dice will be pleased with the level of fan service on offer here, while even those who've never dared step into the Games Workshop will garner some no-thinking-required enjoyment from this fun if basic orc-driller. [Nov 2011, p.98]

Where some mobile games choke on the big stage, Atomicom's space racer finds new form. Surprisingly grinding after the first few stages, though. [March 2015, p.95]

It’s rare to get top-quality Amiga games on PlayStation. Yet this collection can feel bare-bones, with extras only stretching to affectionate TV filters. If you’ve never played Turrican this is a curiosity. If, however, you grew up on the series there’s a sugary hit of nostalgia. [Issue#186, p.85]

Pleasantly distracting. [Dec 2012, p.111]

Throwaway fun. [Christmas 2008, p.117]

Once you've got the hang of it, it's gently addictive in the same way as eating a massive bag of jelly babies. [Feb 2008, p.98]

On PSP, it's just not possible to get lost in the moment. [July 2008, p.100]

Put yourself in the - presumably Velcro - shoes of someone in single digits and it's not nearly as bad as we feared. [Jan 2012, p.110]

Adventurers both young and old will appreciate the frantic battles against a range of fairytale monsters in medieval villages and deep underground caverns. As if by magic, it seems that Move has finally found its happily ever after.

It’s fun in bursts of 20-30 minutes or so, but this is the sort of thing you play in between sessions of games you enjoy more. Worms deserves more love. [Issue#184, p.97]

Colorado scores an unexpected win when it comes to a much overlooked element. [Dec 2016, p.80]

A smart, charming game that makes the most of PS VR for puzzles, but never quite cuts the strings of its technical limitations. [Issue@159, p.97]

A beautiful game with a committed vision you'll enjoy getting lost in, especially in its charming opening hours. Sadly, uneven and poor signposting mar its latter half. [Apr 2018, p.86]

The step-up in fluidity afforded by PS5 makes this feel like a premium offering, but finicky handling, dull Playground mode, and sparse new content hamper the fun. [Issue#185, p.86]

Despite the uber-cute looks, Everybody's Tennis isn't a game that wants to hold your hand, and that only adds to its considerable charm. [May 2007, p.119]

It's sense of adventure and sheer generosity of scale mean it's an essential purchase for fans of brick and beast alike. [Aug 2015, p.93]

Everywhere that 2K9 is good, "NHL 09" is excellent. [Nov 2008, p.111]

A colourful sonic wave of imagination and joy with possibly the best soundtrack of any videogame this year, No Straight Roads is sure to pluck your strings in the best possible way. [Issue#180, p.70]

There are many things to like about Warriors Orochi 3. The over-the-top madness, enormous scale battles, and – bizarrely enough – gibberish storyline all have varying levels of charm. Sadly the overly familiar mechanics and uninspired level design somewhat undermine all of this.

Although the game can look a little rough around the edges, it's still a thoroughly worthy addition to the blood-soaked legacy of Castlevania. [Jan 2014, p.94]

An entertaining oddity that never panders, enriching through tasteful adult gags and a truly earned sense of progression. [Oct 2014, p.90]

For those who see beauty in a solved Rubik's cube, this is the therapeutic engineering equivalent of an adult coloring book. [March 2016, p.88]

This one’s definitely a lighter course overall but feels substantial as it’s filled to the brim with its own unique blend of flavours. Puzzle fiends looking for their next meal absolutely shouldn’t pass up this refreshing snack. [Issue#179, p.80]

While the occasional, inexplicable slowdown is forgivable, what really holds the game back is the checkpointing. It sometimes feels downright unfair as, due to the slowly-slowly nature of play, you can lose ten minutes of progress that’s a real pain to retread. It’s enjoyable enough to keep you coming back, but prepare for some pain in among the pleasure. [Issue@#185, p.87]

A forgettable experience. [Aug 2008, p.100]

It feels like a game that's been buried in a time capsule, releasing just after open-world game design has moved on. Solo play is pointless, and fun with friends is fleeting. [May 2017, p.94]

An atmospheric and compulsive experience. It's only taken three versions of the same game for you to notice it exists, and if you can ignore the clunky controls and concentrate on aiming that gun, there's much to enjoy.

The controls are smooth. [Aug 2011, p.113]

Its appeal lies primarily with that official license and the draw of sitting down for some sim-cade powerslides. I'm down with that - for now. [Dec 2017, p.87]

This playful space is engaging and sequesters some neat solutions but we wish Maquette thought more outside the box and followed its own fun. [Issue#187, p.86]

Loads of geeky fun. [Aug 2009, p.118]

In terms of doing what it says on the box, SingStar Abba simply can't be faulted. [Jan 2009, p.99]

As an exercise in Playstation fear, it doesn't come any purer than this. [May 2012, p.104]

Beyond’s a huge technical step forward for interactive drama, but seems less resolute than Heavy Rain not to stray back into familiar game territory. Commit to it like its actors do to the eccentric plot, though, and the rewards are gigantic – Holmes is where the heart is. Another essential purchase for interactive-drama disciples featuring a knockout turn by Page, but one that spreads itself thin telling its story through so many genres.

The gameplay is so repetitive and robotic. [May 2009, p.101]

Just keep this endgame glory in mind when pressing through the chore-like opening.

What you’re left with is a game that delivers a greatlooking futuristic London, and not much of anything else. It suffered a hefty delay, and the series transitioned from Ubisoft Montreal to Ubisoft Toronto. Something has been lost here, and we can’t help but feel that the commitment to making any character playable is the core issue. That’s been made possible, but just because Ubisoft could, that didn’t mean the developer should have. [Issue#182, p.147]

Mission objectives are simplistic and the multiple sandbox maps are small by modern standards, but creative abuse of the game’s destructive weapons never fails to raise a smile. A welcome reinvasion. [Issue#179, p.70]

A patchy, unbalanced, and shallow racer with obvious technical issues on PS4. Chasing lap times is fun thanks to the superb pad control and track list, but everything else is disappointing. [Issue#180, p.78]

Street only fails to score higher because of its Gamebreaker feature. Activated after you've nailed enough big hits, it virtually guarantees you'll score a touchdown or nab an interception. [Apr 2007, p.118]