The Sydney Morning Herald's Scores

  • Games
Select another publication »
For 862 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 31% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 65% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 3.9 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 71
Highest review score: 100 Donkey Kong Bananza
Lowest review score: 20 Army Men: Sarge's War
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 403 out of 862
  2. Mixed: 401 out of 862
  3. Negative: 58 out of 862
862 game reviews
view
per page
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Def Jam: Fight for NY
    The fact that it's got the deepest story ever seen in a fighter simply adds to the realistic feel of the brutal combat within.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    TOCA Race Driver 3
    Car handling is impressive. You can really feel variations in surfaces and the car losing traction if pushed too hard. Passing in heavy traffic takes skill and patience.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Gears Tactics
    The prequel story may not be revelatory, but in moment-to-moment strategic gunplay Gears Tactics is a delight. Both as an extension of the franchise to a totally new format and as a bloody and aggressive take on turn-based strategy, it's a successful experiment that should satisfy anyone who enjoys both chess and chainsaw bayonets.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Yakuza
    A captivating, story-driven fighting adventure with great characters, but not everyone will enjoy the violence and repetition.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Trace Memory
    Puzzles are wonderfully innovative, utilising the touch-screen and microphone. Solving such tricky conundrums is satisfying but there is little replay appeal.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
    One of the best new features is the Speed Kill, a stealth attack that requires timed button presses for successful take-downs - a brilliant addition to the already exhilarating game play.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Donkey Konga
    The beginner's level is a breeze, but Konga later becomes deliciously challenging, with hilarity-inducing flustered panic as you start to fall behind and surprising levels of concentration required to clap instead of drum. Hysteria soon prevails.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It Takes Two
    Despite a shaky allegorical narrative that's much shallower and less mature than it first appears, It Takes Two is an ambitious and worthwhile zany two-player experience. From high-speed ice-skating and spider-riding to co-operative school homework and fighting a clockwork bull, I honestly never knew what was coming next, but it was generally delightful and always thoughtfully tuned for co-operative play.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
    The addition of smart and relentless police pursuers has reinvigorated this popular driving series.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Heroes of Might and Magic V
    The lovingly detailed graphics can be rotated and zoomed, but the core game mechanics remain intact.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Heroes of the Pacific
    Some of the bombing runs in the solo campaign can prove quite arduous, but the dazzling pyrotechnics and adrenaline rush of flying your P38 Lightning through anti-aircraft fire make it easy to press the restart button if you fail your objectives.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Empire Earth II
    This ambitious game spans half a million years of human history and is so vast it could take months to explore all it has to offer.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth
    Much of the complexity of other real-time strategy titles has been stripped away to keep the game approachable and the pace lively, but it is disappointing that computer opponents are suicidally dim.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Conker: Live & Reloaded
    The potty humour will not be to everyone's taste but many films are hilariously lampooned.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    NBA Street V3
    But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Doom 3
    The best new inclusion in this console version of the PC hit is a two-player co-operative mode that lets mates tackle 20 intense missions together. It's a blast.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Resistance: Fall of Man
    An accomplished shooter providing many fun online modes, engaging solo missions and superb weapons.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
    Battles are spectacular, thanks to the detailed animation of units, and provide instant feedback on your progress.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)
    The various combatants are well-balanced and there is a huge variety of vehicles and aircraft to pilot, including X-wings, TIE fighters, speeder bikes and hulking AT-STs.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Nintendogs: Lab & Friends
    A glorified Tamagotchi, but infinitely cuter and more appealing.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
    While equally entertaining, Partners in Time inevitably lacks its predecessor's impact.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Heroes of the Pacific
    Some of the bombing runs in the solo campaign can prove quite arduous, but the dazzling pyrotechnics and adrenaline rush of flying your P38 Lightning through anti-aircraft fire make it easy to press the restart button if you fail your objectives.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee
    The deceptively cute presentation belies a comprehensive golf simulation with terrific depth. As the title suggests, anyone can tee off and have a ball, but expert command of the golf ball is possible.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords
    There's certainly enough here to keep you busy for months, and if anything, it's a great excuse to return to what is an undeniable classic.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
    A fast-paced and accessible combat game, far superior when enjoyed online with players working together during epic, frenetic battles.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    F.E.A.R.
    With cutting-edge graphics, thumping surround sound and good design engineered to scare the willies out of you, F.E.A.R. is quite a dazzling experience.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset
    Summerset follows Morrowind's lead of excellent writing, good voice acting and interesting characters, with a main storyline tackling surprisingly contemporary issues and focusing more on the plights of individual characters than the protagonist becoming a wizard god. Though the multiplayer structure still keeps the storytelling here from reaching the heights of the single-player games, it's about as good as it gets in the MMO space.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
    Exploring the labyrinthine citadel is rewarding, although backtracking and frequent deaths can be frustrating.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Need for Speed Most Wanted
    The addition of smart and relentless police pursuers has reinvigorated this popular driving series.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Resident Evil Requiem
    The premiere interactive schlock horror series has been on a roll in recent years, but combining its two successful formulas into one game was a huge risk. It mostly pays off in Requiem, a double feature that's one part terrifying suspense and one part gory action movie. The connective tissue is the weakest part, with a bombastic story that struggles to digest 30 years of nonsense while also moving things forward, but it's nonetheless a thrilling ride throughout.
Page:

Top Trailers

See all »
See all trailers »