Perhaps the most nonsensical game on PS3 - and all the better for it. [Christmas 2009, p.107]

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

It plays like Street Fighter, but can't look it square in the eye. [May 2013, p.114]

It's fun, frantic and, yes, quick as a flash. [July 2016, p.91]

A good game, but one you’ve played before. The single player is sorely lacking innovation, but the online side is strong like bison, even if the power of PS4 is sadly missing.

Hot damn, are those cartoon dinos adorable. [July 2016, p.91]

Despite its simplistic premise and exterior, Forma.8 lacks neither ambition or challenge. [Apr 2017, p.90]

While the grappling side of the sport still needs to step up, it's a strong MMA game from EA and a vast improvement over the slender first effort from back in 2014. [May 2016, p.89]

Underneath the ever-jiggling and moaning surface, Dead or Alive 5 Plus is a solid and addictive fighter with plenty of compulsive brawling to enjoy on handheld. [May 2013, p.115]

Mirror's Edge Catalyst offers free-running fun like no other game, but overly long fights and a truly sticking story force Faith to lose her footing along the way. [Aug 2016, p.78]

While it's a lively and enjoyable adventure, it does take a while to reach its stride in terms of actual challenge. The latter half, however, certainly makes Toromi a worthy contender for your next holiday destination. [Issue#151, p.84]

Project 8 is a breath of fresh air after Tony Hawk's Underground disappeared up its own halfpipe. [Oct 2007, p.112]

A game that's full of extreme highs and lows. [July 2016, p.96]

If you nailed the original game's single-player, there's not nearly enough in Plus to warrant a second purchase. [Apr 2008, p.109]

Positively brimming with quantity, if not always quality, it struggles to find a fitting template to consistently showcase its strengths. [Apr 2017, p.92]

For those who value and atmospheric adventure and inventive puzzles, there's a lot to love. [July 2016, p.96]

My advice? Play it alone and relish the fan service, which is truly exceptional. [Apr 2010, p.108]

An unusual assembly of parts, but captivatingly weird. [Apr 2017, p.94]

It's no Towerfall; you'll still spend some time wondering how or why something happened, but at least you'll all be in the same blocky boat. [July 2016, p.96]

Better than the already-out Inferno Pool, and worth a look. [Feb 2010, p.111]

Like morning after pizza, Sky Fighter is more enjoyable than it has any right to be. [Issue#51, p.117]

In its single-minded effort to deliver the best console racer handling the world’s seen, Polyphony lets a number of technical issues drive on by for yet another game.

We're glad to have it wash up on our shores. [Sept 2010, p.119]

A haunted walk through beautiful Norwegian countryside. Come for the mystery, stay for the chat, leave with more questions than you bargained for. [Issue#173, p.88]

If you can live with the pervading sense of confusion, there’s a lot of game here for no money. Whether it convinces you to part with some cash or not, you’ll still keep coming back.

Great value at a penny under five quid. [Dec 2008, p.121]

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]

In places it feels like a rush job, but there are also enough fresh ideas to challenge any co-op team. That’s reason enough to grab a brush and get involved. [Issue#171, p.89]

A simple, accessible, and fun action RPG that’s particularly good fun in co-op. Generic as they come, but what’s here is well balanced, detailed and smooth in motion. [Issue#164, p.92]

A brilliantly inventive, beautiful and tender experience. Just don't let its looks blind you to its issues, like that smack-peddling glamour model you pursued at uni.

Thrilling moments of mid-air diving, twisting, and fighting like a hero are chipped away at by some niggling flaws. And yet, if you overlook it foibles, Ace Combat 7 has enough in its hangar to love. [Issue#159, p.84]

The cost of this is a forgiving difficulty level and racing that subsequently feels a bit anodyne compared to MC on PS3. [Christmas 2008, p.119]

Parachutes fail, chopper pilots die, warheads count down to detonation. All of this makes me wonder, is Sam's heart still in stealth? [June 2007, p.106]

With just 13 (visually interesting and welldesigned) levels, the long-term appeal lies in loot grinding; earning chests for better weapons and accessories, while levelling up each character individually. Otherwise, it’ll only last you about five hours. Bot AI and server activity can support this approach, though whether your tolerance for playing the same levels again and again can is another matter. [Issue#159, p.82]

A big, dumb, action movie blast. And that's fine by us. [Oct 2009, p.108]

The game keeps you busy collecting crafting recipes and materials while giving you a purpose other than to simply survive. Sure, most of Smoke And Sacrifice comes down to inventory management and what are essentially fetch quests, but unlike the sandbox-y nature of other survival games, this one gives you a solid reason to keep going as you root for Sachi to uncover the secrets surrounding the fate of her missing son. [Issue#159, p.82]

Skyrim is a game you really make your own, and building a home in Hearthfire is a natural and enjoyable extension of this concept. It’s not quite up there with the excitement of slaying beasts and looting dungeons, but homebodies will love it nonetheless.

It's definitely a brilliantly accurate recreation of real army life, but that's not always best for a great night's entertainment. [Nov 2009, p.106]

The frustrating thing is that with a bit of judicious trimming, this could have been a smaller, tighter and significantly better game.

Extreme Justice works though, because it delivers simple, primitive thrills with absolute clarity. [Dec 2007, p.103]

Broken Sword 5 is clearly a real labour of love on Cecil and co’s part, but their desire to recapture the spirit of the beloved early games has left this one feeling more than a little dated.

Pulpy fun that writhes in its take on Lovecraftian lore. Call Of Cthulhu is a Hammer Horror-like cult classic in the making that overcomes its shortfalls to offer an RPG you’ll stick with through its many endings. [Issue#156, p.92]

It's a fine example of how licensed games should be done. [Sept 2008, p.96]

Each campaign offers enough of a twist on the core loop to keep things interesting, either with environmental effects such as a health-sapping chill in the air or otherwise by switching up the rules of engagement. Acquainting yourself with each class’s specialities, especially as you equip better weapons and unlock new abilities, is a treat as well. However, there’s little to recommend to those who are not already fans of the genre and eager to roll some dice. [Issue#164, p.90]

Resistance is a fine game, and easily capable of standing up to the scrutiny a big launch title attracts. But it doesn't quite do enough to make us add 'the Chimera, on Tower Bridge, with the Bullseye' to our list of classic shooter moments. [Apr 2007, p.104]

A lot of love has gone into this game. Jokes and nuggets of DC lore are scattered throughout – they’re glittering little studs of care and attention. Sadly, they don’t build into such a wonderful whole. [Issue#156, p.84]

If you don't own a Vita, Velocity Ultra for PS3 is still a must-play - just keep in mind that you're getting a less-than-flattering upscaling of a modern handheld classic. [Jan 2014, p.84]

It's old and occasionally clunky, but this is a little piece of history that definitely holds up. [Jan 2010, p.118]

Old-school puzzle game with a weird galactic theme. [Sept 2009, p.107]

One thing New Dawn does superbly, however, is prevent player fatigue. After the first dozen hours, you feel empowered, you’re comfortable with the rhythm of outpost captures, and there’s still plenty for you to do. Which weapon or vehicle will you hunt materials for next? That double jump you’ve unlocked will come in handy for the treasure hunt you couldn’t quite finish. And so on. [Issue#160, p.91]

Genuinely hard not to enjoy. [Apr 2009, p.100]

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]

An approachable fighter with plenty of depth for those wanting to sink their teeth in. It’s much more than a pretty face, but why does it keep insisting on flashing its pants at us? [Issue#160, p.86]

Especially commendable are Cricket 19’s best-in-show customisation options. While only England, Australia, and Australian domestic sides are licensed, all non-licensed sides – and there are loads – can be immediately overwritten with fan-created versions. Giving you ‘real’ names and kits for the exotic likes of Barbados Tridents, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and, uh, Denmark. Oh to have such touch-of-a-button editing functionality in PES. [Issue#164, p.89]

There’s a lot to love about Ryza’s new adventure – Atelier’s cutesy charm is still infectious – but it ends up feeling less sure of itself as a game about alchemy than prior entries (such as the great Atelier Lulua), while also being a promising setup for things to come. [Issue#170, p.86]

This instalment of Burnout strikes just the right balance between addictive and repetitive, especially as it features big bro's groundbreaking Autolog system for competing against your buddies.

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]

Solid shooting and a handful of suicide-inducing party tricks can only get you so far, and it's this absence of atmosphere and lack of connection to your surroundings that holds Syndicate back from becoming a fulfilling experience.

For the large part, whether offline or on, Operation RC manages to successfully inject old skool Resi charm into an enjoyably frenetic shooter. If the idea of battling rooms full of stretchy-tongued monstrosities with athletic controls in iconic surroundings has your Umbrella sense tingling, this is well worth a look.

Elsweyr is something of a drab comedown from Summerset’s embarrassment of floral riches, but there are compelling quests, and you can’t dislike anything with dragons. [Issue#164, p.93]

For all its simplicity and frustrations Grip is an intense arcade racer that’s inherited the flaws of its vintage along with Rollcage’s strengths. [Issue#156, p.86]

Whenever you die, you are returned to the Refuge and the world resets, with the order and position of the ‘rooms’ changing. But while death means you lose any consumables you may have picked up on your adventures, you keep any Sparklite you’ve collected, taking the sting out of what could otherwise be a frustrating mechanic. And while it’s not in the realm of soulslike difficulty, there’s enough challenge for this game to feel rewarding and make you want to keep playing. [Issue#170, p.92]

Lair Of The Clockwork God is sometimes very, very clever, although this cleverness leads to rare instances of self-indulgence that obscure the way forward, which is thankfully the exception rather than the rule. When the disparate parts fit together, and you overlook the ropy platform controls, there’s an unusual game in here with personality. It’s a jolly (and occasionally filthy) adventure, the likes of which we’d love to see more of. [Issue#183, p.65]

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.

Never enough to convince you that it wouldn't be much better if it ditched the retro hardline and splashed out on some graphics. [May 2010, p.113]

A pleasant, if somewhat hairy, surprise. [Sept 2008, p.104]

A great Yakuza spinoff that stumbles over its well-meant but clunky detective gameplay. More doing, less talking, and a sense of humour could’ve elevated it. [Issue#164, p.83]

To make a game based on real events can be difficult, but thanks to the nuanced writing it becomes clear that in such a conflict, there is no black and white. It’s an earnest attempt at tackling real events, teaching you about a foreign culture in the process. [Issue#153, p.86]

It can be restrictive, but overall The Warriors works thanks to its recreation of '70s NYC. The clothes, music and graffiti combine to lift a simple fighter into an atmospheric trawl through the Big Apple. [Apr 2007, p.111]

A quirky platformer. [Christmas 2009, p.116]

A solid overall package, just lacking some finesse. [Apr 2010, p.107]

Expect an open world Hot Pursuit and you’ll be enthralled in the maniac violence of weapon-fuelled cop chases and beautifully rendered exotics. View it as an ambassador for next-gen racing, and it falls a little flat.

Crazy fighting wherever you like, personalised contestants and a knowing sense of humour make this far more fun than catching a fly with chopsticks.

An escape room adventure that’s thrilling, frustrating, and rewarding. Last Labyrinth is an enjoyably disturbing workout for the brain that ought to go a little easier on you. [Issue#170, p.87]

The concept and delivery deserve praise. [Jan 2016, p.115]

It's undeniably simple. [Christmas 2014, p.88]

As mixed in quality as you’d expect of an arcade collection spanning the ’80s , it’s the rare gems and added extras that make this a treat. [Issue#160, p.97]

Boasting bitcrushed soundbites and bitpop beats by Defense Mechanism, it sounds the part. As for looks, the sprite work has the bobble-headed charm of chibi art styles. The vehicle aesthetic is more realistic but they still look like they’re straight out of the doll’s house. The art direction feels far more confident rendering nuts and bolts rather than our protagonists, but the pixel art is nothing to sniff at. There is a clear understanding that bosses are sold not only through their challenge but also via visual spectacle. They’re still diminutive but not to be trifled with, bringing the pain with screen-sweeping attacks in standout arenas. The Beljantaur Kingdom can take us on again any time. [Issue#177, p.156]

So-so gameplay is buoyed by a fantastic script and great acting, offering an unofficial stopgap for R&M fans waiting for season four. [Issue#164, p.97]

The Heat meter effectively turns GTA’s wanted level into score attack, which is awesome. But the open-world busywork, generic city, and too-flimsy obstacles dilute the otherwise decent gameplay. [Issue#170, p.88]

Play alone, if you dare. [Jan 2016, p.115]

Less polished than PS4’s big-money sporting contingent, AO2 nonetheless pleases thanks to user-friendly controls, cute details and a clever creation-sharing mechanic. [Issue#172, p.92]

Given the dodgy quality of Batman games in recent years, this may be the best one ever. [Dec 2008, p.121]

Some may enjoy a thoroughly planned itinerary but the brochure led us to believe this fine establishment would allow us to go with the flow just a little more. [Issue#164, p.88]

A great novelty knockabout, dwarfed by a near-flawless game you should already own. [May 2008, p.108]

A splendid adventure, but it's also one that never steps out of the comfort zone. [Aug 2007, p.112]

It's got multiplayer appeal that deserves a busy community, pick-up-and-play appeal for the casual speedster, and a clear sense of character that gives even experienced players a genuine challenge (and a unique play style). So while it stands out for lack of serious competition rather than ingenuity, new Dirt is nonetheless a show worth buying a ticket for.

This isn’t a game for hunting high scores or even for getting your hands on new lore (you get about 20 minutes of new, low-stakes cutscenes), but it is a good fit for lovers of Kingdom Hearts music or young players who are usually put off other rhythm games by the high difficulty. [Issue#183, p.81]

It can't quite live up the the standard set by its more playable big brother. [May 2007, p.108]

You have to admire the commitment to staying true to the series. In so doing, it remains a wholly unique, slowpaced detective game that fans will love. Not a fan? Maybe you should be. [Issue#170, p.84]

Despite (literal) rough edges, Time Machine VR conjures up dino wonder like an aquatic Jurassic Park. Pity it's a little too short to fully justify its price tag. [Jan 2016, p.116]

Flat Heroes is great if you want to square off against a friend. Just don’t expect it to change your life or linger in your memory. As much as it keeps your brain in shape, the developer hasn’t thought too far outside the box for this one. That said, if you’re a platformer fan, then be here or be square! [Issue#172, p.80]

This gruesome shooter is a must-have for any zombie-slaying aficionado. Know that its solo mode pales in comparison to co-op, where utter havoc can be wreaked. [Jan 2016, p.117]

It suffers from a couple unfortunate problems but counters these with some neat new innovations. [July 2012, p.101]

Subtle uses of the new console abound, with the DualSense’s triggers ‘hardening’ if a power is still in cooldown.2 Running at 60fps in 4K, Chaosbane manages to feel fresher than it should. Even when the screen fills with enemies, zinging notifications, and colourful projectiles, it never misses a frame. All that said, Chaosbane remains the same generic game behind the PS5-ness. [Issue#183, p.67]

While far from being the Uncharted-meets-Sekiro-meets- Star-Wars we expected, and plagued by problems, Fallen Order still manages to feel like a Star Wars epic. [Issue#170, p.81]

Visionary ideas unfortunately fall to a formatted medium. The game world is ambitious and brilliantly realised, but sadly the fighting and platforming can’t keep up. Still, Remember Me is fictionally fresh with a finger on the pulse.

Though the game is brief, you’ll return to it for a go at beating your high scores, or to take on a pal in the competitive mode featuring the Prince’s colourful cousins. It’s a truly bizarre game through and through, but all the better for that. [Issue#183, p.67]