Falcon Age tells an admirable story in a careful and considerate way, but Ara’s virtual world is simply too sparse to engage you for long, no matter how hard you fall for that fabulous falcon. [Issue#162, p.94]

A hugely ambitious, immersive RPG that too often works against itself. Perhaps worth playing – just not at full price and not on PS4 without further patches. [Issue#184, p.82]

A rather mediocre adventure. [June 2010, p.111]

While there’s not much to Avalanche’s mechanical uprising, running-and-gunning bad robots with buds is a blast. The arresting Scandinavian vistas are worth visiting. [Issue@162, p.93]

It isn’t bad but we’re sad that there’s not more to it. Mutations are pretty gnarly and this VHS vision is pleasingly neon but unfortunately there’s little to this roguelike beyond its ’80s infatuation. [Issue#166, p.90]

A novel twist on traditional sports games, then, but one that's equal parts New York Giant and Jacksonville Jagu-arse. [Dec 2015, p.91]

It's surprising to see a game from a truly esteemed developer fall into such an indistinct art style, borrowing characters but none of the gripping visuals from Madworld – just as it's surprising that Platinum can botch a camera, deliver another stuttering framerate, and display so many rough edges. But most surprising is that for all these flaws, Anarchy Reigns is still a fulfilling online experience.

At least there's four-player multiplayer to alleviate the hollow AI racing. There's an even bigger spanner in the spokes than dim-witted drivers: it looks perplexingly terrible. The tarmac's shine and rubbering still pleases, but tracks themselves are super-low detail.

Most of the time this feels like a clutter of poorly executed ideas held together with little more than good intentions. [Aug 2007, p.96]

Less fun is how it plays. [Jan 2010, p.119]

Lollipop Chainsaw's core gameplay is distinctly second-tier, and for every endearing exchange between characters or LOL-worthy line, there's a crude sexual innuendo or lingering shot of Juliet's jiggling breasts. Maybe we haven't come a long way, baby.

MKII gives a fascinating insight into how far fighting games have come in the last decade and a half. [Sept 2007, p.114]

While the games vary from must-plays to weak curiosities, this collection lacks the *cough* options of newer retro collections like SNK 40th Anniversary Collection. While we get difficulty adjusts, mid-game saves, and a PDF book, there’s none of the playfulness of SNK’s release. Still, it’s enough to keep your mind off leaked Stranger Things season 3 spoilers. [Issue#163, p.86]

Not even the savvy touchscreen controls can gloss over the real problem: the uninspired world you're forced to inhabit - and for a 20+ hour commitment, that's a bit of an issue. [May 2014, p.83]

It’s rarely original, occasionally frustrating, and often clumsy in execution, but when it clicks there’s a meditative vein to Stranded Deep’s grind that will make time spent indoors sunnier. [Issue#176, p.74]

Wacky character models and environments can only distract you from the repetitive action for so long. Be prepared to submit. [Issue#181, p.97]

Broadens and enriches the racing sim landscape. [May 2014, p.93]

Sometimes ugly, often stupid and always unoriginal, but it still does 'shooting men with guns' well enough to be fun. [June 2013, p.100]

Good dumb fun, and if you expect nothing more it just about delivers. [Mar 2010, p.119]

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.

For fans of the franchise, or anyone with an urge to battle robots, there's much to love here, but its technical flaws and stingy mode options may disappoint others. [Dec 2017, p.95]

Individual elements can delight and there's potential for greatness, but Steep suffers from not being able to make them work together. It's worth playing at least once just for the new effects, mind. [Feb 2017, p.94]

Easy there, space cadet. This platformer has high hopes and certainly looks the part but fails to stick the landing… much like we did over and over again while playing. [Issue#154, p.81]

Repetitive as all hell, but the only real option if you're looking for a little violence. [Dec 2009, p.18]

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]

Reasonably playable. [Dec 2011, p.103]

Stick with bigger bro. [Jan 2010, p.114]

The ground-play remains kinda naff. [March 2018, p.84]