The quintessential "barely trying" annual sports entry. [Christmas 2014, p.95]

Small-time smiting just isn't good enough to summon me back any time soon. [Jan 2017, p.118]

The two-player co-op prevents total shame. [Jan 2008, p.114]

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

There's simply no warmth here, just an unrelenting parade of death and loss and regret. With bad controls. [Christmas 2007, p.98]

For all that grappling, it has too few hooks. [Jan 2017, p.128]

We'd still prefer an actual game of Twister. [Sept 2012, p.105]

Part of the problem is that it's nearly impossible to make any sort of properly rude image on the tiny grid. Believe me, I tried. For hours. [June 2010, p.113]

This is a game that might actually be better without VR. [Jan 2017, p.128]

Overall this is unimpressive, yet oddly playable through all its flaws. Still, the agonising wait for a formidable rugby game on PS4 goes on. Anyone for tennis? [Issue#172, p.97]

In booting out such a shamelessly phoned-in product it shows a flagrant lack of faith in Vita as a format. If you own FIFA Football, there's no way you should buy this… unless you really can't bear to see the Arse line up minus Santi Carzola. Naughty FIFA.

Go for last year's Overkill for your undead shooting needs. [July 2012, p.115]

The large open world is filled with props, vehicles, and hazards. While they add variety, the game suffers from a lack of structure. You can attempt deliveries together or solo in any order but there’s generally not enough here to consistently make your own fun (which the game is too reliant on). As sandboxes go, Team OPM did enjoy plenty of hijinks – including one memorable caper where Ian trapped Oscar on a ferris wheel, swiftly followed by Oscar’s revenge. Unfortunately, all too quickly we found we’d had our fill. [Issue#175, p.80]

You'll have had enough of the quirky humour in roughly 90 seconds. [July 2012, p.115]

Often it simply feels like too much work for a single player, as you're constantly bombarded with conflicting tasks.

Doom 3: BFG Edition has its darkly atmospheric highlights. But a generous amount of content can't salvage a package that's decidedly dated. If you want a cracking Id shooter, buy Rage on PS3 for about a tenner, because this is one mission to Mars you're better off skipping.

If this had been the whole game, it might have been something special. Unfortunately, it throws all the previously mentioned elements in too, none of which are given the time, care, or attention that they need.2 Thus you have sections that are poorly explained or feel almost superfluous, choices with consequences that don’t always make sense, a judge who for some reason wants to control the whole of Paris, and characters who it is very difficult to become attached to. [Issue#165, p.84]

It never reaches the breakneck speeds you're hoping for. [June 2012, p.115]

A compelling take on the future hampered by a story very much of our time. When I think about it, this is one I’d struggle to recommend that you pay much mind to. [Issue#153, p.87]

Gimmicks aside, however, this is fairly rote and restrictive by modern tower defence standards. [Nov 2015, p.108]

The overall atmosphere is weaker. [Feb 2011, p.113]

It's all rather one-note. [July 2013, p.100]

Looks lovely, but it offers few thrills. [June 2009, p.102]

We keep rubbing our eyes, hoping that the game it clearly wants to be materialises. Unfortunately we can’t overlook its many flaws. [Issue#165, p.97]

Just to add insult to injury, Inferno Pool started out as an iPhone app - costing a paltry 59p. Boo. [July 2009, p.97]

A solid idea, but that's all. [Dec 2016, p.73]

The story is muddled and not engaging, which could be forgivable if the action was more involving. Using the monocle to see clues is a nice idea, but it’s underutilised and poorly implemented (though it’s possible some of this could be a porting error). The encounters with the Mother are successfully tense, and the (few) monster designs are good. It’s almost a shame you don’t see more of them. Silver Chains does achieve some solid jump scares and would be worth a run-through with friends if you can pick it up in a sale. Overall, though, it sadly lacks both substance and polish. [Issue#186, p.85]

The lack of multiplayer is baffling. [July 2014, p.80]