Nauseatingly basic and lazily produced, this should be avoided by all but fervent PS devotees. [Jan 2013, p.63]

It's certainly not worth losing weeks to. [June 2013, p.75]

There's a reasonable amount of potential for some multi-player monster fun, but all that impromptu city demolishing action all gets old real quick. [June 2006, p.79]

Predictable action game that fails to excite or exploit the great characters at its disposal. [July 2006, p.74]

There's nothing here that you haven't seen before. Expect more from your PS3. [Apr 2007, p.59]

This weak effort 'peys' the price for its dazzling dullness. [May 2007, p.85]

Further damning evidence that this Eastern atrocity needs to commit 'seppuku' - and fast. [Sept 2007, p.76]

Average, simple and very non-Wii - this takes the extreme out of extreme sports. [Oct 2007, p.72]

Bomberman needs a refresher course in high explosives - or a holiday. [May 2008, p.85]

Nasty motion blur and a dismal career mode. It offers little to NFS fans. [May 2008, p.82]

Intelligent Sixaxis use and fine characters make this a strike. [Mar 2008, p.84]

Another non-game for the DS that leaves us slightly puzzled. [Mar 2008, p.84]

It's just mental arithmetic, not a game or entertainment. [Apr 2008, p.85]

Short-lived fun that will only appeal to the most devout enthusiasts. [May 2008, p.84]

Good idea but it's not as clever as it likes to think. No one likes a smart arse. [July 2008, p.82]

A simple but clever game too shallow to offer any long-term enjoyment. [Dec 2008, p.84]

A compilation of winter sports events that feels too thrown together together, too difficult to control and too random in the difficulty level stakes. [May 2009, p.84]

As an entry-level game for younger skater enthusiasts this is great, as a balance board game it's merely okay. [July 2009, p.82]

A novelty, but if you're after a sim buy Skate; if you want stunts, find Tony Hawk. [Issue#232, p.91]

In short: nice trousers, crap game. [Issue#231, p.97]

Rather lacklustre. [Sept 2011, p.87]

The feeling of deja vu pecks away at you like a disgruntled penguin. [March 2012, p.102]

Sadly, the gameplay is drab and badly paced, with lots of fetch quests and a few uninspiring puzzles. [May 2012, p.89]

Incredibly simplistic, it works poorly with a pad and grows tiresome all too quickly. [Sept 2012, p.101]

It's a messy and repetitive interface. [Apr 2013, p.86]

The pick of the formats, but this is still mediocre. Shrek the turd, more like. [Aug 2007, p.73]

It's just more of the same, but worse. [Mar 2009, p.76]

A vast improvement on Spider-Man 3, but a few fatal flaws are holding him back. [Jan 2009, p.82]

After Broken Steel and Point Lookout, this is a regression. Makes Anchorage look fun! [Oct 2009, p.77]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

A fairly unappealing prospect. [Dec 2011, p.96]

Enemies run towards you and you shoot them over and over until they die. Shallow and dull. [March 2013, p.79]

A game that just can't keep up with Clancy's ever-evolving war zone. [July 2006, p.80]

Playable, but deflatingly tedious. [Feb 2007, p.68]

A Sims game too far; it offers very little that's new in terms of gameplay. [Dec 2006, p.74]

Interesting license and competent combat, all made redundant by mindless repetition. [July 2007, p.67]

Ideal pet care title for the target audience. Not so much for others. [July 2007, p.84]

Time Crisis has always looked out of place on consoles and this just doesn't work. [Feb 2008, p.76]

This is one Worms game that should be left to float off in space. [Apr 2008, p.76]

There's very little to differentiate this from other Warriors titles. [June 2008, p.82]

An irritating experience that unfortunately has to go down as a Marvel disappointment. [June 2008, p.68]

They still haven't worked out how to go beyond button-mashing without breaking people. [Aug 2008, p.75]

Ninja Blade isn't without merit, but little of what it sets out to do is well implemented. [May 2009, p.64]

Full of energy, humour and zest, but the actual gameplay is far and few between. [Apr 2010, p.85]

A twisted shrine to mediocrity. [Aug 2010, p.104]

A twisted shrine to mediocrity. [Aug 2010, p.104]

The second part of the treacle-paced xenomorph blaster is far duller than it should be. [Issue#232, p.85]

Levels are too long, too sedate and too tedious. It's the gaming equivalent of a Chinese Finger Trap. [Issue#232, p.95]

Too cheap and nasty by half. They used to crusade against this kind of thing. [Aug 2011, p.91]

Don't get this - go seek out last year's War For Cybertron game instead. [Sept 2011, p.88]

Long-term Ape fans will be disappointed. [Sept 2011, p.92]

Don't get this - go seek out last year's War For Cybertron game instead.

The gameplay elements are there, but only hardcore fans are likely to find them. [Oct 2011, p.95]

Laughable next to other sports titles, like FIFA, despite being technically competent. [Nov 2011, p.91]

The combat can be entertaining but the occasional nice idea falls flat through some poor presentation and execution. [Christmas 2011, p.94]

The entirety of Black Knight Sword is spent fighting against the staccato movements and flimsy combat. [March 2013, p.81]

A blend of XCOM and Tropico that boils down to shallow strategy in a Goodfellas skin. [Apr 2013, p.78]

The ability to switch between classic and HD visuals is a brief curiosity, but nothing more. [May 2013, p.81]

A royal pain in the ass. [June 2013, p.83]

Too simple to be strategic, too slow to be a shooter, too basic to be next-generation. [Sept 2006, p.70]

An utterly forgettable racer devoid of charm or pizzazz. [May 2007, p.66]

A limp action game that fails to capture any of the jaw dropping action of the film. [May 2007, p.75]

An average sword and sorcery flight sim, let down by the dodgy camera and controls. [Nov 2007, p.82]

Bleach is one of the deepest, most interesting shows out there. The game, sadly, isn't. [Apr 2008, p.84]

Underwhelming. Only slightly more fun than a maritime museum. [June 2008, p.83]

Bare-bones American football without the entertainment we enjoyed in "NFL Street." [Apr 2008, p.73]

We should expect more. [Jan 2009, p.82]

A good idea lies buried somewhere beneath a lot of generic levels and abysmal controls. [May 2009, p.68]

Fun up to a point, the exploration eventually grows tired before the end. [Jan 2011, p.89]

It all gets repetitive quickly. [Oct 2011, p.96]

A lack of realistic fighting dynamics stops the game living up to its visual spectacle. [Jan 2012, p.89]

Second rate Smash Bros. with a first-rate cast. Fun for a bit, but quickly gets tired. [June 2012, p.83]

Snore. [Aug 2012, p.77]

Suffers from horribly blurred environments and rather buggy (ho!) collision detection. [Sept 2012, p.101]

Best not leave your fingerprints on this one. [Dec 2012, p.83]

It's too pricey, too inconsequential - and too late. [Feb 2013, p.85]

Admittedly superior to the dire "Battle Nexus." Only one percent superior, mind. Poor-poise. [May 2006, p.58]

If you love slow, old-fashioned gameplay, you'll be in heaven here. [Oct 2006, p.84]

Modern missiles are too good to make games any fun - give us crap biplanes any day. [Sept 2006, p.65]

Not really a game as such, but a capable if uninspired introduction to the wonders of Wii. [Christmas 2006, p.85]

Boo. We were hoping for mindless and stupid, but not THIS mindless and stupid. [Nov 2007, p.67]

No real spark, character or cunning. Will entertain only the extremely undemanding. [June 2007, p.81]

As dynamic and exciting as being slapped with a warm flannel. [Aug 2007, p.78]

Impressive technically but ultimately spoiled by control and AI issues. [Dec 2008, p.57]

Lots of people enjoy this type of game but we feel it needs more to it. [Dec 2008, p.85]

Simply too shallow to recommend. [Apr 2009, p.80]

Really rough. [Jan 2009, p.70]

Way too frustrating to control and lacks any sort of gameplay polish. [Mar 2009, p.82]

If you want to play cop on your DS, try to Import "Tokyo Beat Down" instead. [Oct 2009, p.80]

As a falling-down-a-cliff simulator, it's second to none. As fun software, fail, it does. [Dec 2009, p.85]

It's not a game, but how long this will entertain you will depend on your, er, recreational pursuits. [Christmas 2009, p.80]

One case best left unsolved. [Feb 2010, p.82]

There's very little here to appeal to even the most traditionalist of Japanese RPG fans. [Apr 2010, p.70]

We've spent more entertaining evenings rearranging our fridge magnets. [May 2010, p.83]

Other games do the same things much better. [July 2010, p.98]

Needs more braaaaains. [July 2010, p.95]

Lacks the smile to go with the style. [Sept 2010, p.99]

It's a generously proportioned campaign, laden with collectibles; shame it's not a bit more fun to mess about in. [Issue#232, p.87]

Forgettable. [Jan 2011, p.91]

It's very one-note stuff. [May 2011, p.91]

Horribly overpriced. [May 2011, p.93]

A disappointment. [July 2011, p.93]

Of all the games they could have chosen, why did it have to be this one? [Oct 2011, p.95]

Better versions exist elsewhere (on DSi, for one) for less. [Dec 2011, p.91]

Could have been properly ace if it has used Kinect and a controller in tandem. [Dec 2011, p.95]

A missed opportunity. Our advice is simple: stand very still and let this one pass. [Feb 2012, p.86]

You won't find a more unique title all month, but with zero replay incentive and little in the way of memorable moments, this curio's cost is awfully hard to reconcile. [March 2012, p.102]

A dry game of golf. [June 2012, p.83]

There's no denying that it has enough tournament action to keep easily pleased fans happy. [Oct 2012, p.92]

This one's for nostalgia-soaked veterans only. [Jan 2013, p.79]

Ideal for complete beginners and Amy-haters, it's one to miss for the rest. [Feb 2013, p.85]

Frustrating because of its terrible implementation of its fantastic ideas. [March 2013, p.87]

The App Store gets yet another endless runner (in this case a flyer). Great visuals, but too little variation, an insanely pricey IAP to unlock everything and occasional lag, drags the experience down. Still it’s an enjoyable (and free) snack, when you need to pass a few minutes with some hefty arcade-gaming.

It's borderline slapstick at times. [June 2013, p.75]

Technically polished and full of character, but as a game it's horribly frustrating. [Christmas 2006, p.70]

Proof that the best idea ever on paper translates into B-grade mush. A stinker. [Sept 2007, p.73]

Really difficult and mean-spirited. Puff was magic; Spyro is a jerk. [Christmas 2007, p.84]

Not a nightmare, but you'll be wistfully wishing for more excitement. [Sept 2008, p.84]

In a crowded genre filled with great titles, this is so far off road that it's in a ditch. [Feb 2009, p.78]

It isn't even a half decent fighter! [Apr 2009, p.77]

The king of Neo Geo struggles to find its footing on XBLA. [Dec 2008, p.84]

A repetitive load of rot. [Apr 2009, p.80]

Go and see the movie instead - it's cheaper, it stars Ricky Gervais and they serve popcorn. [July 2009, p.82]

Go and see the movie instead - it's cheaper, it stars Ricky Gervais and they serve popcorn. [July 2009, p.82]

Even if the Elder Scrolls cold turkey is hurting bad, buying this would still be a daft decision. [Mar 2011, p.92]

It's incapable of holding your attention for long enough to warrant a high review score. [Feb 2011, p.91]

It's not awful just basic to the point of tedium. [Aug 2012, p.84]

The simplicity of the web game is lost in this flabby, oversized spin-off. [Nov 2012, p.85]

Stylish visuals can't save this from being a repetitive and uninspiring experience. [May 2013, p.81]

Passes the time of day in multi-player but single player is slow and dull. [Christmas 2006, p.101]

A 14-game collection that inspires only fleeting nostalgia. [Christmas 2006, p.101]

A child safe damp squib of a game that has none of the edge of the cartoon. [Aug 2007, p.73]

A joyless mess that would have looked dated five years ago. In 2007 there's no excuse. [Sept 2007, p.82]

A minigame compilation that lacks any real charm, and simply isn't enough fun. [Jan 2007, p.69]

A first stepping stone to RPGs but this will be too basic for most. [Oct 2007, p.85]

Unfriendly and dull. If Advance Wars had an evil twin, it would probably look like this. [May 2009, p.71]

A disappointingly basic skateboarding game with a controller that doesn't work well. [Christmas 2009, p.75]

Uninspiring puzzles. [Aug 2010, p.104]

Pretty, but oddly unsatisfying to play. [July 2011, p.87]

A surprisingly empty game lacking structure or purpose. [Feb 2012, p.93]

The only good thing here is the endless retro mode - a fleeting thrill only. [Feb 2012, p.101]

Pitch-perfect nostalgia spoiled by borderline unplayable matches. [Apr 2012, p.92]

If (only) the stylus recognition worked. [Oct 2012, p.89]

Fiddly controls make this apparently futuristic accelerometer abuser a complete waste of space. [Feb 2013, p.87]

And levels that bit wider than the DS screen? Irritating and just plain rubbish, a bit like this game. [June 2006, p.79]

The handling is awful, with cars skidding all over the shop as it's easy to oversteer. [Feb 2007, p.84]

Dull, dumb predictable and annoying to play. Sorry, Scooby. [Christmas 2006, p.101]

In an attempt to be a game for all, it turned into a game for no one. [Jan 2008, p.78]

A horrendous collection you'll never want to revisit. [Jan 2008, p.78]

Fun for young gamers but no real substance as a "real" racing game. [Aug 2008, p.83]

The levels are colorful but dull, and after a mere five minutes a lurking sense of deja vu descends. Dead poor. [July 2008, p.82]

Everything good about Amy is undone by laborious puzzles and miserable controls. [March 2012, p.95]

Ploddingly dull retro RPG. Half the 30 hours is backtracking. [June 2006, p.80]

It's not really much of a game, unless you really like watching cut-scenes and fighting. [Jan 2007, p.65]

It technically functions as a shooter. But it needed to be a lot better to fits its gimmick. [Apr 2008, p.75]

Passable as a single-player game but completely falls apart in co-op. Avoid. [Christmas 2008, p.64]

We accept there's a place for this sort of thing, but it fails on the standard of its minigames. [June 2010, p.78]

For a game featuring a carefree monkey, this is linear and boring. [Oct 2006, p.84]

A one-trick pony, and that trick's been done better elsewhere. Giddy up and get outa here. [Oct 2008, p.78]

Dodgy monster beat-'em-up that doesn't get anything right. [Mar 2008, p.79]

We love original ideas, but there's no point in crazy innovation if you don't nail the basics. [Sept 2008, p.80]

The kind of thing you'd regret downloading to your mobile. But more expensive. [June 2008, p.71]

Zack and Wiki remain the only pirates worth dealing with on Wii. [Oct 2008, p.84]

Yeah, it's bad. [Aug 2010, p.104]

Yeah, it's bad. [Aug 2010, p.104]

As far as bears go, this is Pooh. [Sept 2010, p.103]

Creaky. [Oct 2010, p.75]

Undeniably inventive ideas are spoiled by a steep learning curve, poor signposting and duff controls. [Issue#232, p.89]

Tedious in a way we can barely describe, and almost broken in places. Don't buy this. [Sept 2006, p.76]

Yoostar doesn't so much put you in the movies as put you next to a mangled clip of the movies. [June 2011, p.89]

Limited promise is buried under an avalanche of technical failings in this derivative FPS. [Oct 2011, p.86]

It's still just a bit too steep at 4.50 quid. [Christmas 2011, p.89]

Less is more, even when girl-punching is involved. [Feb 2012, p.95]

Nothing more than Bland Bland Racing. [Sept 2012, p.101]

Spirited, but deeply flawed. [Feb 2013, p.89]

Spirited, but deeply flawed. [Feb 2013, p.89]

It's a wonderful game, but the mod-friendly PC is original is the one to plump for. [March 2013, p.87]

Co-op trash aimed at under-10s. Give us Mickey and Donald anyday. [June 2006, p.80]

A tepid bundle of mini-games that fails to raise a laugh or even the pulse. [Dec 2006, p.100]

Fans might enjoy the sing-a-long. But the game part of this is seriously lacking. [Feb 2008, p.68]

The forgotten chapter that should have stayed unwritten. [May 2012, p.84]

A terrible "Mario Party" clone that offers nothing for gamers over five. [Nov 2007, p.85]

A perfectly fine control scheme wrapped in the most hideous of gaming packages. [July 2007, p.82]

Without the fitting visuals, this would be unbearable. [May 2008, p.84]

Rather boring. [July 2010, p.93]

Overly cutesy. [May 2011, p.89]

It should have been uDraw's killer app, but Pictionary is just too obtuse to work effectively. [Feb 2012, p.92]

Neat arty ideas but terrible controls and a lazy narrative undermine the gameplay. [Aug 2012, p.79]

Stamps on our fondness for the original until all of the squishy bits ooze out of the sides. [Christmas 2008, p.73]

More an advert for the cartoon than a game. [July 2007, p.84]

The lackluster level designs and jerky controls make you feel empty. [Jan 2008, p.76]

Love Ben 10? Buy anything with his face on? Well then you don't need our opinion do you? [Mar 2009, p.79]

About as much fun as a Transformer that converts into a lump of coal. Give it a miss. [Sept 2010, p.99]

Turgid stuff. [Oct 2010, p.77]

Incompetent. [Jan 2011]

This just can't compete. [Feb 2011, p.91]

A meagre, mostly unjustifiable package whose ambitions plough the soils. [June 2006, p.70]

When it does work it's dull and when it tries something new it fails miserably. [June 2007, p.69]

A magical menagerie of neat ideas, ruined by horrid execution. [Feb 2011, p.81]

A seed of a good idea prematurely chocked by numerous technical and design shortcomings. [Feb 2012, p.96]

One of the weakest, most boring Bond games of all time. The brand deserves much better. [Christmas 2012, p.83]

The same Disney games you've played 300 times before. [May 2006, p.80]

If this was a fiver we might - might - consider it worthwhile. Until then, avoid. [July 2007, p.71]

It should come packaged with "Diamond/Pearl" for an extra 5 quid. It doesn't. Avoid. [Jan 2007, p.70]

Derivative of "Spider-Man 2" and with double the problems. [July 2007, p.74]

Quite simply the worst game to bear the Nintendo logo in a generation or two. [Feb 2008, p.78]

Shoot, swerve, shoot, swerve. In space, no one can hear you snore. [Oct 2008, p.84]

Gamers have outgrown games so utterly basic and brainless. [May 2009, p.80]