The shooting just happens to be glorious so you end up shooting until you realise you haven’t done anything that resembles ‘skill’ in around 50 levels, and you’ll go loopy. EDF 2025 is proof it’s possible to have too much of a good thing.

Although visually slick, the cars feel slow. [Christmas 2010]

The action is hardcore. [Jan 2011, p.115]

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

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

It does get repetitive after a while, but there's funny dialogue, simple yet effective mechanics, and 'copter unlocks to keep you hooked. [March 2012, p.95]

It's better than it sounds. [May 2010, p.113]

Worth checking out both as a PlayStation, and gaming, fan if you want to see an evolutionary step on the way to where we are today.

Why would anyone make a game with not one but two sets of crippled controls? [Aug 2008, p.102]

The added HD treatment is a bit of a disappointment though. [Jan 2011, p.118]

Formula One is far from terrible, but it simply can't compete with the balls-out brilliance of "Motorstorm." [May 2007, p.88]

The combat's big and forceful, but you can only shoot dudes for so long when you know that your reward will just be more dudes to shoot. [June 2010, p.118]

Sadly, though, there's an irritating delay when dealing attacks, and when you're trying to compensate for that in a retina-melting arena environment while three tiny blurs of furious colour attack you in unison, it's all too easy to lose track of who or where you are, let alone whether you nailed the previous three button-presses of your desired combo.

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

Despite tweaks to the formula and some interesting ideas, Mortal Shell is tired and familiar while also much less than its inspiration. This Dark-Souls-like should stay dead. [Issue#180, p.77]

This is evocative and immersive but will leave you cold - also like space. [Sept 2017, p.88]

The menu systems are archaic and confusing even for an RPG fan. [Aug 2011, p.111]

No amount of sharp gunplay can redeem Haze's cilched script and patchy execution. [July 2008, p.90]

If you're fully under Potter's spell, though, a few dodgy viewpoints won't ruin the magic. [Sept 2007, p.116]

A shameful and hybrid beast, but one you might just want to tame. [Aug 2011, p.112]

Not as experimental as it wants to be, as Far Cry recycling hampers its endearingly silly premise. Primal finds itself stuck in the past in more ways than one. [Apr 2016, p.85]

The problem is that, even at its best, it's an 11-year-old best. [Aug 2011, p.114]

You never feel dangerous, and no amount of mangled urban concrete can make up for fundamentally hobbled weapons. [Apr 2008, p.98]

It's at its very best when you play it with friends, and the tracks are as fun as ever, but the racing is hit or miss, and ultimately that's what you come for. Shame. [Sept 2017, p.90]

While making a tricky headshot is always satisfying, the environments, enemies, tasks, and plot simply don’t grab your attention in the way they need to. It doesn’t help that the dull enemy dialogue, where present, has a tendency to loop if you linger nearby. AI is greatly improved from the last game, but there are still line-of-sight issues. Ultimately, the experience doesn’t have the tension of Sniper Elite, nor the ingeniousness or replayability of Hitman. Sadly, SGWC misses its mark. [Issue@#171, p.92]

It's sure to put a big smile on your face, but doesn't entirely satisfy as a puzzler. [Apr 2016, p.89]

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]

Although the result is less than the sum of its parts, there is fun for committed shoot-o-philes. [June 2010, p.113]

There are plenty of ideas here, it's just a shame it's so frustrating to get to the good bits. [Apr 2016, p.89]

For all its booms and bangs, Just Cause 3 is never quite the unrestrained fun-maker it threatens to be. Whenever Rodriguez dons his wingsuit, however, it positively soars. [Jan 2016, p.88]

An entire ancient city for you to explore at will and combat that regularly rewards is undermined by constant motion sickness; Golem sadly puts the Vomit in VR. [Issue@#171, p.93]

Clever and beautiful in places, Puddle's just too wet behind the ears to know when its players need a break. [March 2012, p.107]

An experimental storytelling concept that, sadly, results in a scattered sort of game. Thoughtful design shines, but it's sometimes too clever for its own good. [July 2016, p.75]

Feels like a two-wheeled Dirt imitator without the polish. [May 2012, p.107]

Outrageous special moves - Barrage of Lions, anyone? - will have anime fans squealing with glee. [Apr 2007, p.118]

Gameplay is enjoyable but in a brief and shallow way. The longer you spend with it the less you get. There's a lack of imagination where this feels more about keeping you occupied than creating an interesting world filled with atmosphere. It lacks the variety and texture you really need keep things exciting.

For Adventure Time obsessives, there's six hours of simplistic fun to be had, even if this is still far from the game that the show richly deserves. [Jan 2016, p.93]

An over-emphasis on being outnumbered makes a master assassin in real life. Yet here, coupled with a lack of stealth missions, equals one frustrated player. [Oct 2017, p.97]

It's nowhere near sexy enough...Heetseeker just doesn't have the quality to deliver on its premise. [May 2007, p.111]

A cumbersome and confusing fighter that's hard to penetrate, Dissidia NT can be rewarding for Final Fantasy fans once you get your head around the mechanics. [Apr 2018, p.94]

The tactical depth is somewhat let down by an inconsistent technical quality. [Apr 2016, p.94]

It hasn't evolved enough to deal a critical hit to the competition. [Apr 2018, p.95]

The swift gunplay is upgraded with some basic RPG features, but the repetitive quest hunt structure slows down the fun. This Wang needed a virtual Viagra to impress. [July 2016, p.84]

The core fishing can be surprisingly compelling, but tournaments are unlikely to keep you coming back.2 Let’s cut the carp here: Fishing Sim World is great for fishing fans, but unlikely to salmon hordes of new people to the sport. [Issue#155, p.82]

Thanks to an increased, stabilised framerate, and clever use of the DualSense, PS5 offers the definitive version of Mortal Shell. Just remember it’s no Demon’s Souls. [Issue#187, p.84]

There's enough gore-spillage here to satisfy that Japanese horror hardcore. [Apr 2013, p.109]

All the depth of a "Saved by the Bell" special, but just as secretly satisfying. [June 2008, p.106]

All the parts are there for a great party game, but they don't quite fit together thanks to oddly long rounds and an unfortunate amount of scenario repetition. [Sept 2017, p.93]

Despite an initially unique premise that makes a tug of the heartstrings at the last minute, this adventure is also largely forgettable. [Apr 2018, p.95]

For all the filth and frustration it's still oddly fun in places. [Issue#51, p.105]

Repetitive and not exactly original. [Apr 2013, p.111]

While the story sheds light on why solving these brain-teasers matters so much, it lacks the sense of unease the premise warrants. Devoid of any threat, Blind loses its way and you’re left to stumble from one (albeit good) puzzle room to the next with little tangible danger to spur you on. You’re not so much fumbling in the dark for a sense of direction as you are coerced towards a not-so-subtle twist. But you will have fun getting there. [Issue#155, p.90]

It's often said, 'It's the journey that counts, not the destination'. Get Even is evidence that's not always the case, as the sum of its parts fails to gel despite some good moments. [July 2016, p.88]

Controls-wise, the game is near-identical to "X-Men Legends." [Aug 2007, p.108]

Like four boring cover-shooters layered together. Inventive firearms aside, there’s a crippling lack of ideas: the weapon interplay is mild fun, but it can’t elevate the bland whole.

After a few hours the only thing keeping you coming back will be a furious determination to beat the sodding game, rather than actually approaching enjoyment. [Mar 2009, p.105]

Familiar issues hold it back from hooking us on its feeling. [July 2016, p.90]

The best game adaptation of the manga yet, though that’s not saying much. Save for a few eccentric moments, it plays like a forgettable and outdated sidestory. [Issue#155, p.91]

There's a pleasingly deep character creator to fiddle about with. [Apr 2013, p.118]

It's double-handed fun while it lasts. [Apr 2017, p.90]

Much like Laser Quest this is theoretically brilliant but a disappointment in reality. [Issue#51, p.109]

The biggest complaint, as ever, is the controls: until the PSP grows a second analogue stick. shooters are going to feel clunky. [Dec 2007, p.112]

Fight your way through the hideous mechanics and there's a fantastic narrative tucked away in there, a typically Suda-esque yarn that's equal parts compelling, unpredictable and offensive. [July 2016, p.91]

Fiddly controls. [Mar 2010, p.111]

For all of its novelty value, there's no chance of it leaving your feet on fire. [Apr 2013, p.119]

A perfectly serviceable level concept and map with a few neat ideas, but its balance is off and replay value is much lower than that of the other episodes in the series. [Aug 2016, p.84]

The brawling itself is still solid. [Sept 2009, p.112]

It's a fundamental (problem): you're playing Rock Band on a PSP. [Aug 2009, p.112]

The rally fundamentals are there, but so is a disappointingly shoddy career mode. Genre fans will find a lot to love, but this is far from taking pole position. [Issue#155, p.86]

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

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

It's really just a shooting gallery, but everything works. [Feb 2011, p.103]

However good this trilogy was, it feels odd bundling it together because the games are such incremental upgrades of one another.

Fun with friends, but best avoided like the press gang alone. [Feb 2009, p.103]

And it's not scary. At all. [Christmas 2008, p.114]

Good ideas are undermined by overuse and a lack of tension, but Blair Witch does leave you thinking ‘What if?’ and demands to be replayed . [Issue#171, p.97]

Handling can be over-responsive. [Sept 2010, p.119]

A trip down memory lane that's more of a stumble. [Aug 2016, p.94]

Its action isn't really very good. [Nov 2009, p.124]

UEFA plays almost identically to "FIFA 07," but it has fewer teams, which makes it impossible to recommend over its fuller-featured predecessor. Or indeed the mighty "Pro Evo 6." [May 2007, p.93]

The undeniable charm of using automatic weaponry on magical monsters is just about enough to make it worth a look. [Christmas 2008, p.120]

While the detective stories are fun enough, there’s often not a lot to them. This makes the game feel a little too lightweight, as it flirts with the idea of having more detective gameplay but never really manages it – for example, you’re able to save statements in your diary, which is fairly pointless, as the most complex it gets is giving you some multiple-choice decisions to make. [Issue#159, p.82]

A worthy companion piece to the film - against all odds the stealth is actually fun. [Feb 2009, p.100]

Largely decent, if derivative, but glinting away in the torchlight are constant hints of what might have been. [Aug 2016, p.94]

The whole package is, of course, fugly and cheap. But whether it's surprisingly enjoyable dogsledding sections or physics gaffes that often see dead animals inadvertently do the splits, I had a smile on my face throughout.

Big, brutal, and - alas - bloated, Shadow of War is a disappointing follow-up, conjuring battles of grand scale and then deadening their impact through grinding repetition. [December 2017, p.79]

With no campaign to test your trigger finger, the trio of a safe (albeit polished) battle royale, waning multiplayer, and rotting Zombies make BLOPS4 feel like a relic next to a post-Forsaken Destiny 2. [Issue#156, p.94]

It’s a short, by-the-numbers thriller that’s enjoyably creepy even with the limits of the production on full display. [Issue#164, p.89]

With historical challenges, new sticker/ number/helmet decal editors and a brutal Pro Career for the full experience, there’s plenty to keep fans happy. But it isn’t doing enough to appeal more widely than that, and even its target market will lament the technical steps backwards from MotoGP 17. [Issue#164, p.89]

While action is thin on the ground and the performances gave me flashback to my Drama GCSE, I enjoyed my time on the OPM sofa staring at Doctor Dekker's couch, refreshed by its willingness to lean in so intently to its own silliness and B-movie aesthetic. [Issue#151, p.88]

Throwaway fun. [Christmas 2008, p.117]

A fan-pleasing return to form for a long-time PlayStation favourite, with huge future potential if it follows its contemporaries in delivering live roster updates. [Issue#156, p.97]

Despite a few dodgy accents, Omensight sounds decent and looks even better. [Issue#151, p.88]

A game that is often fiddly. As well as action points, there are fire points – some actions require a mix of both – and an awareness bar, which can be spent on special abilities or held onto, because it acts as a secondary health bar. All of that’s a lot to keep track of, and with a squint-inducing UI, you often end up feeling less like James Bond and more like the poor MI6 bod who has to do his paperwork. [Issue#153, p.86]

This can't contest Undisputed as an MMA game, nor the best fighters on beat-'em-up terms. Yet there's a place for it, simply 'cause no one has bridged the gap between these genres. So, who wants to step outside?

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]

If making your own vehicles holds appeals, especially if you have some engineering knowledge, you’ll have a lot of fun with this. Just be aware that the world you’ll explore is little more than a glorified testing ground. [Issue#177, p.144]

Mostly enjoyable game that prolongs things by forcing you to revisit levels; levels that aren't compelling enough to withstand repeated visits. [Issue#151, p.88]