It's a lot of distraction for not a lot of money. [July 2012, p.109]

While this doesn’t push any boundaries, it’s great to curl up with for a few hours on a cold day, just like a good cup of… you know. [Issue#172, p.86]

It does feel like this sequel is a little cut down. [Christmas 2014, p.95]

A well-put together action platformer with lots of charms, spiced up with colourful graphics, but one that fails to outgrow its influences in any meaningful way. Fun but predictable. [Issue#153, p.92]

A cheerful, compulsive and enormously likeable action-RPG, it should convert a few Dynasty Warriors non-believers, though DW fans may not be quite so convinced. [Dec 2015, p.78]

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]

A surprisingly thoughtful narrative accompanies each scenario from 1947 to present. [Sept 2012, p.102]

There’s so much Savage Planet gets right: it’s slick, gorgeous, and dense with things to do. However, for all the exploration, much of the action feels quite samey. [Issue#172, p.89]

Lacks harmony in track and mode selection, but is still the best party game going once you get to the singing/drinking/ritual embarrassment. [Christmas 2014, p.95]

Repetitive, Godfall isn’t the Destiny-withswords we’d hoped for. But there’s fun to be had from its core combat, Dreamstones mode, and next-gen visual wallop. [Issue#183, p.76]

Yes, it’s clunky at times, but get past that and you’ll find a deep, beautifully written RPG set in a massive world heaving with treasure, monsters, and moral dilemmas. [Issue#172, p.83]

Awkward at times, the developer's ambition is obvious but the effort never quite comes to fruition. In other words, it doesn't suck but it lacks bite. [Issue#151, p.81]

Mechanically simple and sometimes a bit repetitive, Yu and Kay’s relationship feels original and genuine, and their journey full of chill vibes. [Issue#183, p.87]

It all becomes weirdly addictive. [Sept 2012, p.109]

Immortals has heart and when it comes together it can soar. But those wings are waxy and the sun is hot – tinkering is needed before it properly takes flight. [Issue#183, p.60]

A charming, if insubstantial freeform exploration game that feels refreshingly open thanks to your intuitive climbing skills. It's almost guaranteed to, ahem, grow on you. [Nov 2015, p.98]

It's not bad. [July 2012, p.115]

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

Finally, a Transformers game where the characters look like plastic toys. While limited, this is no mere cash-in. [Dec 2015, p.85]

Clunky car and melee combat, an often visually stunning wasteland, and a funny sidekick make this a solid open-world, albeit one that runs out of gas mid-journey. [Nov 2015, p.103]

The tracklist is one for the generations. [Dec 2013, p.94]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

Compellingly charming. [June 2012, p.104]

Falls into the trap of sludgy platforming. [Dec 2013, p.94]

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]

Magical in conception but uneven in execution, it overcomes the slowest of starts to become one of the most imaginative platformers in ages. [Issue#183, p.88]

A nostalgia trip for Castlevania fans, a flawed but enjoyable adventure for others. Prepare to look up a guide every now and then to find your way, though. [Issue#165, p.87]

Robojam's sole aim is to provide wholesome good times for the under-10s. And it does just that. [July 2007, p.111]

The team have made the most of what was clearly a small budget and the engrossing dialogue obscures the confines of this smaller project for the most part. For the uninitiated, this is a worthwhile introduction to the Masquerade, though be prepared to make full use of the in-game dictionary. The World Of Darkness is a tumultuous place, to say the least, and if you’re already familiar, then you’ll know whether Coteries Of New York’s edgy tone is right up your dark alley or worth a well lit detour instead. [Issue #175, p.70]

Star Wars is a huge draw that's hard to overlook. [Nov 2015, p.108]

No doubt David Moyes would love it. [Christmas 2009, p.117]

Overall, an uneven, slightly flawed but nontheless enjoyable collection that offers a particular brand of gameplay and storytelling you're hard pushed to find from a current release.

Stupid and, frankly, it's pretty good fun. [Jan 2008, p.113]

The digitised card system gets the job done, building on other versions we’ve seen in the past, but still has irritants. For instance, instead of getting a window of time to activate a quickplay card, it gives you a dialogue prompt after every action asking if you want to use it. That said, with so much content, it’s hard to complain. [Issue #175, p.76]

Fighting fun. [Feb 2012, p.107]

Ifbyou can stand the jank and that esoteric intro section, this is one train you definitely don’t want to miss. [Issue #175, p.76]

Some of the puzzles can get quite tough, but you can use the hint button, which can suggest where you should look next, highlight screens that still have things to uncover, or allow you to completely skip puzzles if you want.2 Hidden-object diehards might find it a bit lacking, but it’s a fun romp that strikes a decent balance between searching and puzzles that’s more than worth spending an evening or two with. [Issue #175, p.76]

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]

Body-swapping for new powers never gets dull. HyperParasite is a creative roguelike with major progression issues, but heaps of derisive charm and tight twinstick shooting. [Issue#175, p.77]

It's a lot like zorbing - it's an eye-catching spectacle, and it looks like a lot of fun, but ultimately all you're doing is rolling down a hill in a massive plastic ball. Or car. Whatever. [May 2009, p.104]

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's a little repetitive...and patronisingly easy...but I guarantee that you'll smile the whole way through. [Issue#51, p.103]

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]

While what you do is adequately diverting, it's why you do it that keeps you coming back. [May 2016, p.92]

Fans need to brace for some disappointment, but that shouldn’t distract from a game that delivers a modern and tonally on-point reworking of Resident Evil 3. [Issue#175, p.73]

While this unlikely combination works well enough in quick bursts, you'll breeze through the quest in around six hours. [May 2016, p.92]

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]

The unavoidable truth is that this tracklist simply isn't as strong as those in the previous games. [Oct 2007, p.106]

It’s the price that makes this a tricky one to recommend, rather than the content. For first-time buyers this £20 bundle (which includes the original game) is a bargain, but for the hardcore player it’s designed for, that same price is a big ask when you already own the main course. Veterans should knock a point off, but curious bystanders have the perfect excuse to enjoy an offbeat gem.

Despite a few new skins and some extra tunes - sepia squares with fusion jazz, anyone? - this PS2 puzzler just doesn't have the mantrap bite of its smaller brother. [Mar 2007, p.121]

Roguelike games can sometimes feel very generic, and we’ve seen a lot of them in recent years, but the stylish pixel look combined with a subtle but effective soundtrack helps Colt Canyon stand out from the crowd, and with levels randomly generating each time you play, no landscape will ever be the same as the previous one. This offers a fantastic challenge (albeit sometimes it can be a little too tough) but you’ll keep coming back for more. [Issue@#185, p.87]

A curiosity that rewards, but shouldn’t be showered with praise. There are fewer new ideas in here than it seems in the opening level, but pace-changing pursuits and a dreamy Debussy vibe mean it’s still well worth playing.

Ultimate Fishing Simulator rewards patience and skill like any good sim, and there’s something satisfying about picking your own fishing spot, casting a line you’ve prepared yourself, and pulling in a big one after a fight. Progression may prove to be too slow for some, but for fishing fans, this might just be a kipper app. [Issue@#185, p.87]

An original game with a wicked sense of humour. [July 2008, p.106]

Solo play is as forgettable as it is fun, then, but there's a razor-sharp silver lining in the form of multiplayer.

At heart this is still Bejeweled doing what it's done for more than a decade. [July 2012, p.117]

Brilliantly rookie-friendly. [July 2010, p.114]

The idea of solving puzzles with detachable limbs is interesting, but the execution is a bit simple. Since you can’t take a single step without having to solve another puzzle, the satisfaction of overcoming them is pretty short-lived, too. However, Helheim Hassle offers some excellent, goofy dialogue and characters, so solving puzzles can feel like something you have to get over with in order to get to those bits. The game lives off its cartoony, over-the top art style and absurd situations. Its humour is its biggest strength – dry and self-deprecating, sometimes reminiscent of adventure classics like Monkey Island. While the puzzles are a bit of a letdown, on the whole you get an entertaining game with a few great laughs. [Issue@#185, p.82]

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.

A charming, uncommonly smart spiritual sibling to Contra, full of awesomely crafted homages to action cinema, but troubled on PS4 by a few bugs I'd like to nuke from Orbit. [May 2016, p.95]

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

Occasionally excellent, often mired in mediocrity, Saints Row 4 is inferior to Red Dead Redemption and even five-year-old GTA IV in almost every way. And while you’re always likely to miss when comin’ at the kings, Volition’s effort still falls short of the more cohesive Sleeping Dogs, the expansive frolicking on Just Cause 2’s Panau and the polished pantomime of Infamous 2.

Weaves Lovecraftian mythos into an interesting setting. But it frequently veers into being dull and repetitive, which isn’t what you want from dreamlike horror. [Issue#165, p.89]

A beautifully made project, indeed, but one with limitations that peg it behind the likes of Virginia or Dear Esther. [Dec 2016, p.73]

For a game that should be stacked to the crow's nest with exhilarating swordfights, having such a weak versus mode is an insult. [Aug 2007, p.104]

The one thing that's original about Rocky is the way you recover from a KO: steadying your boxer on his feed by wobbling the analogue nub left and right. Apart from that Rocky feels like a step back to thte clumsy old days of button hammering and counter-intuitive combos. [Mar 2007, p.110]

The puzzles are plentiful and challenging, but the dull looks and worthy brain-training angle make this a dull slog. [Oct 2007, p.113]

Levels are served at random, so you’re not forcing yourself to do the exact same thing over and over again, but we ran into a lot of repeats. There’s something to love here, but it’s all incredibly basic, and perhaps a bit too fiddly to quite deliver with how the controls are translated to an analogue stick. [Issue#186, p.85]

A more-than-passable first effort from a studio more famous for its cricketing output - yet presentation and longevity issues make it less excellent, more AO-K. [Issue#150, p.91]

The sound is also woeful. [Feb 2011, p.114]

With little point in tactical withdrawal, all the missions starts to feel the same. [Nov 2008, p.119]

It's hard to look past the massively fugly engine. While the copious cut-scenes are pleasing to the eyes, the in-game visuals look like a glorified, smudgy PS2 game. And yet for all its flaws, Dead Souls still lets you battle women in bloody cocktail dresses and wannabe Lickers with a sympathetic loan shark. It's this ludicrously bizarre charm that makes Dead Souls more than the sum of its reanimated parts.

While it offers enjoyable and challenging platforming with a delightful visual style, the overall experience is hampered by the frustration at having to repeatedly redo the same gruelling sections. [Issue#150, p.90]

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

More of a snak than a satisfying meal. [June 2008, p.106]

This isn't as cinematic or exciting as "Call of Duty 4," but for people who want to clear rooms instead of triggering events, there's a lot to enjoy. For bullet-junkies jonesing for a fix, it's a perfectly decent form of violent methadone. [Mar 2008, p.110]

Slinging around New York remains a pleasing hoot. [July 2014, p.81]

Boss fights involve light puzzle elements, but once you've figured out the gimmick, victory is quickly mashed out. [Issue#150, p.94]

[Christmas 2009, p.107]

Sadly, it won't leave much of a lasting impression. [Dec 2016, p.85]

Draws intelligently from numerous influences, yet fails to craft an identity of its own. A snack-sized RPG that's a serviceable side-quest to tackle between epics. [June 2017, p.83]

This might jus be the most stupid game on PS3. [Dec 2008, p.121]

Battling and taming dinosaurs is undoubtedly a joyous pursuit. Unfortunately, the excitement is marred by the game's overly grindy nature and your lack of purpose. [Oct 2017, p.86]

Leaves you to grope blindly for rhythm from memory alone. [Sept 2011, p.107]

Ridiculous tricks and the gritty visuals impress, but Street's flashes of brilliance are undone by glaring flaws - such as the ball hitting an invisible wall at the sideline. [May 2007, p.112]

What's here is mostly enjoyable. [Oct 2017, p.87]

Fans of the show won't won't want to miss the chance to bask in the wonder of Luna Nova. [Issue#150, p.88]

A half-baked novelty. One for the curious but certainly not the powerful story that it could have been. [Issue#150, p.88]

It certainly won't get you in fighting shape. [Sept 2011, p.110]

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.

Exiles tries to expand beyond the traditional Conan power fantasy, but has a frustrating lack of polish that affects any enjoyment. It's a missed opportunity. [Issue#150, p.89]

Boss battles are fun, but overall it feels like hard work. [Apr 2007, p.110]

While PS VR ought to be a natural medium for Space Channel 5, it’s hard to see Ulala as more than a nostalgic opening act for the rest of the competition. [Issue#174, p.87]

Loud, dumb and more than a little buggy, The Shadow of New Despair may be average in single-player, but it's a rich source of co-operative comedy. [Feb 2016, p.89]

The game is marked by a crippling inconsistency, and not just in its use of motion-sensitive controls. [Oct 2007, p.110]

A lightweight but enjoyable outing. Comparatively high praise in the world of PS2 movie tie-ins. [June 2007, p.109]

Elegance and simplicity is the intent, but in (virtual) reality, it soon gets old. [Dec 2016, p.94]

There are enough touches for fans to feel the source is appreciated, but outside of seeing your favourites smash each other in the faces, it’s bare bones. [Issue#157, p.88]