A beautiful game that captures the essence of Alien and even expands its fiction. There are some cracks under the polish, but it gets more right than it gets wrong. [Dec 2014, p.91]

Quite the bizarre experience. [March 2012, p.96]

Hob is an obscurist's dream, and while it can flummox, Runic's game offers a connected world that demands to be explored, and pulled apart, and remade. It's brilliant. [Dec 2017, p.92]

Exhilarating, cinematic and dripping in Steve McQueen cool. [Oct 2011, p.106]

Newly fashioned turn-by-turn combat elements, meaningful narrative choices and glorious bears make this Scandi strategy title an exciting breath of fresh air. [March 2016, p.94]

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 supremely challenging (and occasionally infuriating) test of skill, control and composure. [June 2014, p.78]

You'll be humming its infectiously cheerful tunes for weeks. [July 2016, p.85]

At 11.99 this is an expensive slice of PSN, but the end result is so tasty you won't regret it. [Oct 2009, p.117]

A far stronger game than the original in every aspect, and a compelling counterpoint to inFamous 2, Prototype 2 is nothing less than a gore-packed sandbox masterpiece throughout. Like the nefarious Alex Mercer himself, it's absolutely worth hunting down.

That's right, people, a zombie dinosaur. Can I get a "hell yeah"? [July 2010, p.107]

There's not much to it. [July 2012, p.109]

That it's free on Plus is one of the year's best bargains. [Dec 2014, p.94]

If Railway Empire is a toy, it's too often like the one you unwrapped on Christmas morning only to realise you need adult supervision to get it working. [Apr 2018, p.95]

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]

PES still plays fantastically but much of this year’s changes are slight and offline the game still struggles to find an identity. Online it’s great, as always, but the myClub changes could have gone further. [Issue#154, p.86]

The ending is so wrong you'll want to scrub your brain clean. [Mar 2009, p.92]

While engaging modes shake things up when it all gets a bit shallow, think twice if you're looking for a fighter with depth. [Apr 2016, p.89]

FF XIII-2's reliance on recycling locations and reluctance to indicate the next course of action hold it back from scoring as highly as XIII, despite its improvements – but its grand ideas, bigger monsters, and bigger still haircuts make it an adventure worth getting lost in time for. Lightning can strike twice after all.

With a stupidly generous variety of modes, challenges and room for player expression, OlliOlli is one of PS Vita’s most fun and alluring games to date.

A spellbinding little fantasy adventure. [Sept 2010, p.110]

All you have to do is hold R2 to activate the sprint and easily glide past the opposition. It works <I>every single time</I>. Initially, it's fun - but you soon realise it completely unbalances what should have been a giant of a game. [Apr 2007, p.118]

Things look very good for "FIFA 09." [May 2008, p.106]

Echo's biggest problem is that the initial buzz of its concept gets fainter the longer it lasts. [Christmas 2017, p.83]

Though it's mostly good, often excellent and technically spectacular, as a wannabe movie this can't help but fall short of heavenly. [Oct 2007, p.102]

There's just not enough improvement upon last year for me to recommend this. [Oct 2012, p.114]

It’s also the best of the three DLC packs to have finally hit Skyrim on PS3. Deeper than the largely customisation-focused Hearthfire, and more integrated into the game as a whole than Dragonborn, this is a lengthy extra chunk of game that’s well worth the money for anyone looking for an excuse to jump back into Tamriel.

It's far from groundbreaking, but it is a simple golf sim with impressive longevitiy, and that makes it the best golfer around. [Nov 2007, p.94]

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]

Despite being smaller than regular Driveclub and lacking variety, this is serious fun, surprisingly accessible and features a more sophisticated handling model than the main game. Great stuff.

If only it had Dirt 2’s crash damage, this would have scored a perfect 10. Even without it, this is a superbly playable, varied, and visually gorgeous racer. [Issue#182, p.141]

Despite sophisticated wand-waving, this tires fast. [Apr 2011, p.114]

The best thing is that both the game and the Hogwarts setting feel genuinely big. [Aug 2010, p.112]

This is an expensive bacon sandwich, but you'll devour it with gusto. [Feb 2011, p.114]

This PS5 edition offers new ideas and swish next-gen presentation. It looks, plays, and feels a step above PS4 but is held back by a similar need to open your wallet. [Issue#183, p.80]

The faithful obsessives will love it, of course, but others will ask why they should persist with a game that does so little to help them - and isn't exactly easy on the eye. [Nov 2016, p.90]

Long-time Tales fan? Zestria's prequel is a must-play. Crisp characterisation and a battle system with real-time bite? That she most certainly does not blow. [March 2017, p.92]

It’s the game PS VR was made for; dogfighting is fast and nuanced, but it’s the physical act of sitting inside some of the Star Wars universe’s most iconic cockpits that never fails to impress. [Issue#181, p.84]

If PSP Minis were TV, Echoes would be the weird arty cartoon that ran for about five minutes at 3am. [Jan 2010, p.115]

Some will bounce off it within the first half-hour; those prepared to persevere and adapt will find an astonishingly deep and rewarding game of almost limitless longevity. [Oct 2016, p.81]

It's loud, it's ludicrous and more importantly, it's a huge laugh. [Nov 2009, p.110]

It perfectly combines the classic's simple appeal with a quicker pace and slick new moves, making it more addictive than ever. [Sept 2016, p.108]

Tracks are filled with variation and unique gimmicks, but all retain that core challenging premise. Sprinkle in ghost challenges, a superb co-op tandem bike mode, excellent tutorials, and minigames, and this is the best Trials package to date. [Issue#161, p.84]

Another addictive twin-stick blaster enhanced by chasing XP and loot. But a gang of mates is a necessity, as difficulty spikes quickly and brutally. [July 2016, p.87]

Engaging and inventive mechanics. [Apr 2018, p.96]

With a sense of being transported to another world that many games struggle to achieve, this is a beautifully surreal journey. [Issue#175, p.81]

An above-par upgrade for the console’s best-selling sports game, mostly driven by fan feedback – with Volta mode even better than anyone dared expect. [Issue#168, p.83]

There are esteemed shooters to draw loose comparisons with, but The Darkness II essentially exists in a field of one – no graphic novel has been bought to life in such a deliciously gory manner, with offing goons turned an art form. It's the game your inner darkness has waited years for.

A must-download for anyone who likes something a little more challenging than pulling a trigger. [Feb 2011, p.111]

A game even irritating glitches can’t keep you from loving, Wasteland 3 is unique, inventive, and always fun. Make the right choice and put this one on your must-play list. [Issue#180, p.73]

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]

You've never played anything like Mirror's Edge. It's a genuine original. When it's good - like when you're soaring between two rooftop cranes, pigeons scattering and traffic thrumming below, or dashing between roaming sniper laser sights, breaking into an enormous needle-shaped skyscraper - it's a total rush. And even when it's not quite so good, when you can't work out how to get through a particularly tricky section, the compulsion to keep trying remains strong. [Dec 2008, p.84]

Pleasingly meaty. [July 2010, p.118]

If there's one thing it can't be accused of, it's playing it safe. [Oct 2011, p.110]

Only a slight lack of polish lets things down. Although it's generally a pretty game, poor character models and clipping make the cast of genero-men look like beardy versions of Morph. For all the novels sold, Clancy's PS3 titles still can't tell a compelling story, either. Yet with such a brilliantly playful toolset and strong online features (including four-player campaign co-op and a compelling wave-based Guerrilla mode) this is the most impressive soldier since that blue American bloke with the indestructible shield.

A probably-ought-to-be-illegal level of compulsiveness that belies its simplicity. [Nov 2012, p.117]

Revitalised and exemplary FPS gaming. Multiplayer trims back to the essentials, campaign shows sensitivity and Zombies...well it's a new excuse to play CoD Zombies. [Christmas 2017, p.77]

With three modern tiers of rallying plus a load of classic cars to try on 100 unique stages across 14 different countries, WRC 8 uses its licence well, but it’s simply outclassed by Dirt Rally 2.0. So try that first. [Issue#168, p.92]

After a handful of runs you may feel as if you’ve seen everything. The combat system still makes this worth a try if you’re itching for more roguelikes. [Issue#186, p.82]

It's the same old Tiger, at least for now.[Aug 2010, p.111]

There's a technically solid shooter here somewhere, hidden beneath ugliness and questionable design. [Aug 2009, p.110]

A slick, surprisingly heartfelt 2D platformer that excels not in one area but in many. Olija’s a brilliant addition to Devolver Digital’s lineup of experimental indies. [Issue#185, p.83]

Held together by beautifully chromed nuts and bolts, closer inspection reveals questionable lines of code - Detroit fails to be more than the sum of its parts. [July 2018, p.83]

PS3's essential RPG. [May 2009, p.98]

A thoroughly daft, slightly fugly and resolutely old-school action-RPG. [Apr 2011, p.104]

The important parts work perfectly. [Christmas 2010]

Superbly voice acted, and with great-looking animation and environments, AI: The Somnium Files is a decadent production giving you one of the best videogame detective mysteries this generation. [Issue#168, p.78]

NHL 17 plays and feels as great as always, but the improvements plateaued some years back and this year's gameplay tweaks...are welcome but largely inconsequential. [Dec 2016, p.80]

It's rare to see a piece of DLC that's crafted with such care and attention to detail, and given that it's a standalone title, there's no reason why you shouldn't sink your teeth into it. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

A fun and original co-op game, which really satisfies in terms of its action - you'll have a great time with a friend. However, it's story fails to deliver anything worthwhile. [May 2018, p.83]

Though the fun eventually wore thin, finding the ultimate combo of score-smashing power-ups kept us hooked for hours. [Nov 2012, p.82]

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.

Frequent death promotes experimentation with an impressive collection of weaponry and party member traits, making this great for a quick trip and less something for lengthy sessions. [Issue#150, p.94]

Gurumin isn't quite essential, but it is a warm, fluffy, approachable RPG that fits the PSP format like a cashmere-lined glove. [Aug 2007, p.114]

It's genuinely unsettling. [Aug 2008, p.94]

It's game on between the big two once again. [Dec 2009, p.114]

More guns, more planets, more skills, more… more. If you liked the previous ones, this gives you plenty of the same to enjoy. Borderlands 3 is the very definition of the bigger and better sequel. [Issue#168, p.76]

While the success of the storytelling (and its exploration of psychology and mental health) is up for debate, there’s no denying this is a wonderful puzzle-platformer that is intelligent, unique, full of surprises, and, at five to six hours, never threatens to overstay its welcome. [Issue#184, p.91]

Tie-in games can be a shot in the dark, but it’s only blue skies here. The mix of approachable-yet- deep mechanics and a strong co-op story make this a fight worth having. [Issue#173, p.81]

Weirdly compelling. [Oct 2016, p.94]

This has to be every comic fan's wet dream. [Apr 2007, p.118]

Joe Danger's return is as thoroughly enjoyable as his debut – a combination of predictable physics, challenging level design and varied tasks make it more than a "play once, discard" downloadable. Perhaps it doesn't quite leave the safety of the original's blueprint enough, or capitalise on the excellent concept of making a stunt-heavy movie, but it remains a chirpy, robust platformer with surprising depth.

At just 2.99 this offers fiendishly addictive bursts of blood-splattery for your handheld. [Sept 2013, p.94]

A brilliant multiplayer battler with a combat system that captures meaty melee battles like no other, but a mediocre single-player unfortunately drags it down. [Apr 2017, p.86]

It's fun, but only in the same way wanging around plastic trucks was back when you wore Bananaman pyjamas. [Apr 2012, p.118]

While stiff in some ways, Forgotton Anne is gorgeous, and has one of the freshest and most charming worlds and story we've seen in a long while. It'll definitely linger in the memory. [Issue#150, p.92]

Best giant stone frog puzzler ever, ever, ever. [Sept 2009, p.108]

For 30quid there's a ton of high-quality gameplay here. [May 2011, p.106]

So much of the success of the core series came from the sense of attachment to the characters that developed over time, and that was never going to be possible here.

Charming. [May 2012, p.107]

Between the starboard immolation and occasional, rapid decompression aft, it’s silly fun, boasting a bubbly personality that’s hardly stern. One to pull into port. [Issue#155, p.83]

Ni No Kuni has more charm, Resonance Of Fate’s combat is richer, and Persona tells a far better story. And even then, if you’re intrigued by the Tales series then Vesperia is a better starting point. Fast, fun combat let down by a so-so story and lifeless environments. We’ve seen worse – and weirder – JRPGs, but also a whole lot better.

A super likeable (if padded) take on Episode VII...mixes belly laughs, block-smashing silliness and ace aerial combat. [Sept 2016, p.99]

A platform-puzzler with real heart, Unravel makes up for mechanical shortcomings with a world as palpable as it is pretty. It's no classic, but it's a memorable journey all the same. [Apr 2016, p.90]

Interesting is the word. It’s interesting to see how each level works, how each element works together in a level so ingeniously. Stealth Inc’s mechanically fascinating, and holds you in just the right level of contempt as a player to keep you bashing your head against its heavily guarded walls.

A supremely addictive time-waster. [Sept 2009, p.112]

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

Stuffed with clever, creative ideas and brilliant weapons, this challenging sci-fi horror is structured perfectly for PS VR. If you've got the nerve - and the stomach to match - it's a must. [Issue#152, p.88]