A pointless game with hardly anything going for it. It's hard to believe that this is from the same company that brought us "Metal Gear Solid" and "Pro Evo." A travesty. [Christmas 2005, p.108]

Fans of the show might want to give it a quick rental. [Aug 2007, p.93]

But no matter how many features they throw at it, there's little doubt that KOF is ready for the knacker's yard. [Mar 2006, p.106]

Shouldn't be fun, but it is. Playing for too long might turn you into a blood-thirsty hunting cretin though, so probably best avoided. [Jan 2006, p.106]

A raggedy-ass pointless cash-in that offers little to anyone and stinks like a fat biker's leathers on a sunny day. [Dec 2005, p.124]

A lazy rehash. [Nov 2005, p.129]

As accessible as a David Lynch film dubbed into Russian and probably about half as much fun, Nine Breaker might keep mech lovers happy, but it'll leave everyone else cold. [Apr 2006, p.98]

You can actually feel your IQ drop as you play. A pretty-looking but otherwise feeble attempt at a political thriller. [Nov 2006, p.148]

Not an awful game by any means, but one totally devoid of anything to recommend it. [Mar 2006, p.106]

Flaccid gunplay, horrible stop/start pacing and dull bosses mean that Shadow isn't ready for the limelight just yet. [Apr 2006, p.84]

It's a strange and giant leap back to restrictive, basic gaming that becomes joyless rather quickly. Play "Onimusha" instead. [Nov 2005, p.123]

Laziness of the worst kind, this is a charmless shadow of the next-gen version. There are plenty of better shooters available on PS2. [May 2006, p.82]

If you're going to buy a PSP poker game, get the other one ("World Poker Tour"). [May 2006, p.95]

More niche than ostrich-whispering and not half as exciting - a beautiful rendition of a sport we can't bring ourselves to care about one little bit. [Nov 2005, p.116]

Same old Dynasty Warriors. New modes can't disguise the almost criminal lack of progress in this hack-'n'-slash relic. [Feb 2006, p.92]

Repetitive and dull retread of a once okay game. [May 2006, p.89]

Until there's an online PS2 poker game where you play with real money, games like this are an irrelevance in the face of the Internet gambling phenomenon. [Christmas 2005, p.108]

The problem with Trapt is that its randomness means you don't really feel satisfied when a masterplan pays off. [Mar 2006, p.96]

We like SpongeBob, but teaming him up with his Nickelodeon pals has resulted in a generic platformer with precious little originality or energy. [May 2006, p.94]

Pretty, but dull. [Aug 2006, p.99]

Inoffensive and surprisingly nonrepetitive, this does exactly as the title suggests, but only an ardent fan will get any lasting enjoyment. [Jan 2006, p.111]

The CG sequences are fairly impressive, but this isn't enough to save Drakengard 2 from extinction. [Mar 2006, p.94]

Mega Man's slow, limited range of movement and attacks make this a frustrating play that never comes close to being fun. [Mar 2006, p.86]

You get Sudoku in every paper, and books of the stuff cost less than a quid, but this costs 30 pounds, making it non-essential for all but the most hardened number crunchers. [Apr 2006, p.96]

It's not as bad as most Trek titles, but TA fails to boldly go where no game has gone before. [Jan 2007, p.92]

"Super Puzzle Fighter II" may still be capable of stealing men's souls, but the rest of CPW is now no more than the stuff of freebie Flash game fodder. Approach with caution. [Mar 2007, p.109]

There's little speed, skill or urgency to any of the platform/shooting action - making this another ignominous entry in Mega Man's CV. [Apr 2006, p.100]

Overflowing with licensed material but severely lacking what it needs the most: involving and exhilarating racing action with decent smash-ups. [Christmas 2006, p.96]

The heavier focus on animations makes the controls feel sticky - press for a pass, a rebound or a block and it might not happen. [Nov 2006, p.103]

All too familiar platforming action spoiled further by oversimplified, unpredictable controls and utterly dreary objectives. [Sept 2006, p.95]

A boring, bland movie tie-in that is hard to recommend even if you're seven and you really loved the movie. [Dec 2006, p.107]

The kids will not be impressed. [Christmas 2006, p.102]

Unique survival tactics and some interesting ideas meant Raw Danger had the potential to be a classic, but poor delivery has crucified it. [June 2007, p.84]

Too many games that involve no skill. [Aug 2007, p.98]

Even ignoring the modernity of "Soul Calibur," "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" and "Guilty Gear" do the 2D thing so much better than this. [Nov 2006, p.107]

The chases and detective elements bring some originality but the main platform gaming is your typical tosh. [Christmas 2006, p.97]

This is virtually the same old hack 'n' slash action that we've been playing for years in the Dynasty Warriors series. Yawnsome stuff. [Nov 2006, p.107]

Less fiery dragon, more a damp squid. [Jan 2007, p.90]

A collection of mini-games and a couple of dreadful driving sections. Just watch the show and play "Need For Speed Carbon." [May 2007, p.82]

The crazy racer is now showing its age up against some strong competition, and its eccentric handling is all over the shop on PSP. [Sept 2007, p.105]

With its veneer of strategy, Empires improves on Samurai Warriors 2, but crowd combat should be more fun than this. [Apr 2007, p.91]

The levels are colourless and lack life, the puzzles aren't anything special and the whole thing is as sterile as a laboratory. [Sept 2007, p.107]

We applaud the attempt to create a substantial RPG for kids, but sadly the flat characters and limited battle options make this rather patronising. [Sept 2007, p.95]

A big, stodgy pudding of a beat-'em-up that lacks any punch or bite. [Mar 2008, p.82]

Frustrating, disheartening and broken in places: a perfect recipe for making kids cry. [Christmas 2007, p.95]

Although once a trusty friend, Bomberman is too old and tired to compete on PSP. [June 2008, p.91]

Pointless, boring and annoying; a one-idea game that's so difficult it'll make your kids hate themselves. [Apr 2008, p.83]

Given that there are flash games that do pool just as well, the loading times are unforgivable - much like the rest of this horror show. [Christmas 2006, p.103]

Wildly derivative and senselessly exploitative, SOE2 neither challenges nor entertains. Thug gaming at the very lowest level. [May 2006, p.81]

A good idea lies somewhere in the middle of this wreck, tucked away behind the messy design and unenjoyable fighting system. Avoid like a debilitating disease. [Christmas 2005, p.106]

Those in search of family-friendly thrills should pick up the last "Sly" game instead. [Mar 2006, p.85]

You'll be asleep before you've clocked mission four. [May 2006, p.89]

Trying to shut and eight-year old up for ten minutes? Tell him Santa doesn't exist instead. He'll still hate you, but there'll be less long-term psychological damage. [Jan 2006, p.110]

A camera capable of making children vomit like lawn sprinklers. [Jan 2006, p.110]

A purebred '80s throwback, Raiden III hasn't a chance of competing with exciting modern shooters - or even the classics of yesteryear. Look elsewhere for your shoot-'em-up thrills. [Oct 2006, p.104]

Oh dear. We've seen some drab ill-judged resurrections of 'retro classics' in our time, but this takes the pixelated biscuit. [Dec 2006, p.94]

A basic RPG witih no redeeming qualities, this is a relic frm the past that's inexplicably managed to find its way onto PSP. [Aug 2006, p.89]

Rubbish. Oh,and you can't play at all without a memory card; when you die your options are "reload" or "retun to death screen." What? WHAT? [Apr 2006, p.113]

Uninspired action, laughable cinematics and repetitive action make this the summer blockbuster tie-in to avoid. [July 2006, p.88]

A poor cut-and-shut of other (far better) titles, guaranteed to fall to bits on your first drive. Avoid Winback 2: Project Poseidon as you would a bullet. [July 2006, p.91]

Quirky games like this work only when there's a huge amount of truly inspired imagination behind them. Here, there isn't. [July 2007, p.97]

A repetitive third-person action game. Dull combat and duller levels mean you should steer clear of this. [Christmas 2006, p.87]

Dull, short, unambitious and misguided, Road to Respect has all the appeal of Big Pussy's body - after it got riddled with bullets. [Jan 2007, p.77]

A criminally bad sports game with atrocious AI and some shoddy, depressing visuals. Stick to the infinitely more enjoyable "NBA Ballers: Rebound." [Christmas 2006, p.82]

An uninspiring collection that's poorly presented and underwhelming to play. You have been warned. [June 2008, p.66]

A shallow and unstimulating attempt at a strategy title with little tactical variety or visual flair. Don't bother with this one. [Christmas 2006, p.89]

This awful game liberally spits in the face of every Family Guy enthusiast, even with its budget price tag. [Christmas 2006, p.100]

Dull, repetitive, [un]inspired - had it been anything like its PS3 cousin, Battlelines could have been a great game. As it's not, it's not. [May 2007, p.91]

An offence to Harley lovers and gamers alike, Race to the Rally crams all the worst crimes in gaming into one package. [May 2007, p.83]

Very average RPG mechanisms, diabolical missions, non-existent storyline, monstrously difficult battles... it's a bleak outcome. [Sept 2007, p.107]

Why would you play this when you have the Olympics of shooters on hand in "Call of Duty"? [May 2008, p.103]

The How-To Guide Guide on how to murder a solid license, the only thing this game succeeds in is being even worse than its predecessor. [Aug 2007, p.88]

The slow pace and dreadful combat are just too hard to ignore. [May 2008, p.85]

It's too slow, too ugly and too pricey for what it is. [May 2008, p.84]

With its horrible looks, non-existent gameplay and shallow controls, every possible effort should be made to avoid this. [Dec 2005, p.111]

Playing this retro collection will only make you realise how much the present day rocks. [Dec 2005, p.100]

We hate it because the graphics are Etch-A-Sketch standard and the load times are outrageous. [Sept 2006, p.95]

Bland, repetitive brawling that lacks both panache and depth. A decent cartoon feel isn't nearly enough to redeem this hollow, tedious experience. [Jan 2007, p.92]

In a hyphenated word: vomit-inducing. Unpleasant, explotative drivel aimed at girls who would almost certainly have more fun staring at a blank TV set. [Jan 2006, p.110]

It's not much return on your 20 quid investment. [Nov 2006, p.140]

Star Trek fans should hate it, and so should people who like games. [Jan 2007, p.87]

We could suggest that the inability of your squad members to follow the simplest of orders is a complex situation of the confusing nature of war, but that would be giving the game way too much credit. [Christmas 2006, p.102]