The only regret is that it's so approachable as to make it less effective as a dancing tutor: the ability to muddle through moves and still succeed, and the lack of a hardcore boot camp that shows what you actually look like, means Jacko-esque proficiency isn't guaranteed.

4J has turned in an accomplished port, boasting crisp, high-resolution visuals and a reorganised inventory...In terms of console sims, nothing touches it. Minecraft's world is one that everybody should experience.

On top of its game - this is the one to get. [Christmas 2009, p.92]

A clever cross between life sim and silly little collecting game with a lot of fun online party action thrown in, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise will appeal to a hell of a lot of people, thanks to its superbly created and welcoming open world.

Throwing accessibility out of the window like a misjudged motorway Ginsters, Shift 2 is an unashamedly stoic love-letter to hardcore driving fans. For casual fans of the genre, though, it's the kind of correspondence that leads to restraining orders.

Iron Brigade is great on its own - not a perfectly balanced strategy game, but it's great fun finding out what works. With the flesh-filling and reasonably-priced downloadable content, it's an easy recommend.

As a tech demo of Xbox 360's power and a showcase of how fast, skilful and enjoyable simple online battling can be when it's taken back to basics, there's nothing better around right now.

Brief, reasonably entertaining and mercifully cheap. [Feb 2012, p.103]

Resurrection makes a compelling case for a proper sequel.

The actual action-adventure gameplay and the plot is pretty boring for all but hardcore comic book guys, but it's obscured behind a gloss of heroic RPG add-ons. [Christmas 2006, p.84]

Ultimately the game proves how powerful a storytelling medium gaming has become. Like the best cinema, the feeling of being privy to this dark world lingers long past putting down the controller. Its memory festers inside you - of a deeply disturbing experience, and an unforgettable one at that.

As good as we were expecting and hoping, it delivers on its promise to make an 'always on' Xbox Live race world, plus the car handling, sheer size of its island and the way you're left to make your own fun in your own way makes it a breath of pine-scented air in this world full of bland race games. [Oct 2006, p.108]

The game's brilliance is distilled in those heroic moments where you shunt the person in first, whip past and then execute a perfect drift between two mines on the final corner of the final lap. This is the Xbox 360's slick, stylish answer to Mario Kart and we absolutely love it.

The pack feels both more adventurous and more complete - a differently styled distillation of the things Skyrim does best which should last you well into Christmas.

Still brilliant, even by today's standards. [Dec 2006, p.99]

Who knew agony could be so much fun? [Dec 2008, p.100]

Hitman: Blood Money is a unique and hugely enjoyable experience. Sure, it's violently amoral and the controls aren't fantastic, but what really makes it is a palpable sense of freedom.

If you're a metal fan, you'll love it. But if you didn't have to prise your fingers out of the devil-horn pose to play, you'll finish it in a day and feel underwhelmed.

Gloriously imaginative and heaps of fun. [Nov 2008, p.100]

There's plenty to be getting excited about, despite a slight lack of originality and visual finesse. Make no mistake, Dark Athena is first class stealth/action game with a double dose of top-notch entertainment that competently unites elements of "Mirror's Edge" and the "Splinter Cell" series. [Mar 2009, p.84]

The reason it works is it's so damn accessible.

Fluid and uniquely told. A classic reborn. [Aug 2007, p.102]

Satisfyingly chunky, Pitt's a knockout. [June 2009, p.92]

While the [single-player] combat is still brilliant and it looks a lot better, the unskippable cutscenes, unvaried locations, irritating characters and mini-games all really grate. However, adding in the much improved multiplayer with a variety of cool vehicles, Treyarch has really rounded off Infinity Ward's vision. [Dec 2006, p.90]

The moment-to-moment action of narrowly avoiding explosions and falling buildings produces hundreds of those heart-in-mouth moments that Burnout is so famous for. While comparisons to Critereon's superlative series are inevitable, Black Rock's effort is, if anything, even more spectacular.

The love that's gone into this HD remake makes it more than worth its budget price. If you've never checked out this series, don't get bogged down by details: Halo is about a big bloke shooting cool guns at cool aliens in cool places. Ten years later, that's still enough.

There's a great game in Revengeance, buried under the rubble of a previous franchise collapse. With a little less zatsu and a little more dan, Platinum Games could be on to something.

There's no denying that PES 2013 is a huge improvement over the last few offerings. However, the years spent fixing the football side of things have allowed FIFA to eclipse it in terms of game modes, so that's what Konami should now focus on evolving for next year's edition.

A game that celebrates the HD-era Sega rather than the old, forgotten one. Good job it's such a blast to play, then.

It’s strategically strong, with custom setups, objectives and teams available. The ten or so maps are, as always, well balanced though uninspired, and the AI can be a beast – humans even tougher.

Still fresh 15 years on - and just as much fun. [Christmas 2007, p.107]

By far the best, most revined version of FIFA yet - its presentation and 'big game feel' are second to none. [Dec 2007, p.78]

The combination of a compelling plot, plausible characters and a stunning world to explore means that, while rather brief, this is one of the more memorable experiences on the Xbox 360 this year.

Perhaps the most impressive thing, though, is that it's managed to feel like a totally authentic Halo experience, rather than just a cynical spin-off. We've no doubt a strategy game will be a hard sell to a lot of people, but if this introduces even just a small proportion of die-hard Halo fans to a rewarding new genre of game, or indeed just a small proportion of strategy fans to the brilliance of Bungie's rich sci-fi universe, then it can be deemed a success that the now defunct Ensemble Studios can be proud of.

Being the weakest episode in a series that's been so consistently amazing is hardly massive criticism, though. We'd felt quietly confident about it for a while, but the cliffhanger at the end of Episode 4 leaves us in no doubt: the final episode of is going to be an absolute corker. If you've not started playing, it's time to catch up.

As a series reboot this is perfectly acceptable, but it's the new and innovative online aspects that make SSX feel absolutely superb. Packed to the brim with clever ideas, SSX is a truly unmissable surprise. While most other online modes feel like painting-by-numbers, SSX shrugs and tries something refreshingly different. This isn't just brave - it's brilliant.

Indie fun that jumps through all our hoops. [Dec 2012, p.79]

A lack of decent advanced tutorials keeps the bats firmly separated from the boys and the likelihood of extensive replay fairly slim. But for fans of the DCU, it's show-stopping fun. It's the game we deserve, if not the one we need right now.

If you want more of the same but shinier, and slightly more serious Tony Hawk action, this is the best skate game for some years.

Looks so pretty but plays just the same. [Jan 2008, p.90]

Still the best golf game out there, but a short list of new extras means it's not worth the cash if you already own "06." [Nov 2006, p.68]

Solid - but lacks the intelligence of "GTA"... Without a doubt, Saints Row's biggest contribution to the genre is multiplayer. This also happens to be the most fun part of the game. [Sept 2006, p.8]

Star Wars fans, LEGO fanatics or lovers of the first game will be in ecstasy. A must-buy. [Oct 2006, p.94]

This is a truly entertaining game. There's no pretension - just enjoyable mayhem. It doesn't claim to be the Messiah, but it is a very naughty boy. Volition has tapped into nearly every wanton act we'd want to commit in an open world and more besides. [Nov 2008, p.67]

It's Virtua Fighter 5, only tarted up. [Sept 2012, p.105]

The best sports game on Xbox Live Arcade. [Feb 2008, p.103]

A lot of people were disappointed with the last Hitman game. This one's better. Not by much, but it's more user-friendly, has had a slight visual upgrade and the plot and game settings are a big improvement over the lacklustre "Contracts." [June 2006, p.52]

This Middle Eastern adventure is one of the most beautiful cinematic games ever devised, but not one of the most rewarding to play. It's also one of the most mature, thoughtful games of recent years, challenging you with ideas and concepts that are far from clear cut. But where is the freedom of choice? Unless you count the difference between the dagger or the sword, there really isn't any.

Strong, simple concept, executed beautifully. [Mar 2011, p.102]

But casual strategy fans will enjoy dispatching waves of cavalry, artillery, and airplanes in head-to-head online multiplayer matches. Just be prepared to take a few beatings while you find your footing.

As a single-player experience, it's every bit the quality of a full-priced shooter. [Christmas 2011, p.97]

Just Cause 2 is undoubtedly an improvement on the first game. The grappling hook is still enormous fun - even more so this time around - and there's generally more variety in the missions. Sadly, it still follows its predecessor in regularly reaching points where none of the challenges on offer seem even remotely interesting.

For ten hours, longer than many entire games, RAGE feels massive, open and beautiful. It's crushing to discover that it's all smoke and mirrors, but while the illusion lasts, it's brilliant.

While the polish is there, the Rockstar sense of humour and typical depth and complexity of experience are both sadly absent. [July 2006, p.80]

Vampire Smile is the product of just one man. Everything, from the slick lo-fi graphics layered with intense lighting effects, to the urgent, industrial music, is by James Silva....Don't be too quick to be jealous.

One of the finest console strategy games ever. [Jan 2013, p.96]

The longer you spend in Terraria, the more you discover that the Minecraft comparison, while obvious, isn't fair to either. Compared to Mojang's all-conquering virtual Lego set that encourages creativity, Terraria is more of a "game" with definitive goals, rules and progression that deserves to stand on its own merits.

An extremely satisfying and often hilarious campaign.

We can't wait to see what next year holds. [Dec 2012, p.97]

The core puzzling itself is horribly addictive. Poker Smash isn't going to make you want to eat ice cream-topped pizza but it is the perfect way to kill a few hours.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is most successful when it keeps things simple. The game's checkpoint events and time trials are the best we've seen, and the option to create circuits from scratch adds the potential for some truly epic contests. For slick graphics, intelligent design and pure arcade fun, this is the racing game to keep your motor running this winter.

The minimal animation style underscores that this is the deepest strategy and most hardcore game on Live Arcade, if not on the Xbox 360. [Jan 2007, p.96]

If you want all the moves, entrances, costumes and storylines you know and love perfectly rendered, then this is a consummately crafted experience tailored just for you. Yet for the beat 'em up fanboy or non-wrestling fan - newbies beware! - this is going to be very short-lived entertainment.

Still, there's no denying that Ninja Gaiden II has tons going for it, and when the combat works, which it does for most of the game, it can be a beautiful ballet of blood and steel with you at the centre, devising and scrapping split-second plans as you rip your way from alamo to alamo. If you've got the stomach for it, Ninja Gaiden will reward you. They just could have been a little less mean.

Prince of Persia may not be a world-changing nine, but it is a fantastic eight. The look, the feel of the game, is one one that turns back time and makes what was once the waning memory of an ailing genre fresh once more. [Christmas 2008, p.58]

An entertaining, exciting game that looks simply stunning. It really does the genre, and the Xbox 360, justice. And you can't get a higher recommendation than that. [Dec 2007, p.88]

But the thing which pulls this down to a seven is actually its technical aspect - while diving in and out of the subgames would amuse, the constant loading pauses before most fracture its atmosphere.

Bulk can work to a game's disadvantage if there's nothing drastically new on offer, however, and Revelations' later stages are a bit of a slog. It's just as well this is Ezio's final hour, because enjoyable as the game undoubtedly is, the base mechanics were showing their age in Assassin's Creed 2. Recommended, then, providing you're not expecting a massive overhaul.

With Xbox Live play, leagues and mini-games you're never going to be bored - unless you just don't like American football. [Nov 2006, p.100]

So beyond the handful of menu options with flashing "NEW!" logos next to them, and the potential of the Story Designer to deliver some hilarious content, Smackdown vs. RAW 2010 doesn't do a great deal to progress the series. The sweat isn't even noticeably shinier.

If you utterly exhausted last year's effort and are waiting for the revolution the series now sorely needs, keep on walking.

An all-out assault on the brain, a gruesome spectacle to behold. A horrific beauty has once again been born by Monolith. [Mar 2008, p.87]

It's a turbo-powered drifty racer with a loveably fractured premise and a world that's full of challenges and stunts. It's better than it has any right to be.

That Ubisoft saw fit to make a shooter for laughs is enormously commendable, and a step that we hope others will follow. But its commitment to dumbing down means that this is a pure-bred B-game rather than all-star A-lister.

A light-hearted take on heavy-duty subject matter is no more than what we've come to expect from Travellers' Tales. In adding RPG features without shattering the returning mechanics, however, the LEGO team have arguably outdone themselves. You shall not pass this one up.

A magical evening in, and makes you think in a way that's novel and immensely rewarding. But be warned: the limited camera, the fineness of the controls and the tribal AI will occasionally annoy you, and it leaves you positively starving for more.

It's a great game in short spurts, but isn't good enough to play in the big leagues. [Apr 2007, p.95]

The smartest dumb game on Xbox Live. [Dec 2008, p.101]

Electronica genocide is RTS addiction.

It's one of the best shooter-stories we've seen in years - justifying its own ludicrous nature in interesting and unexpected ways. If the ending didn't feel like such a cop-out, The Darkness II could have been on par with BioShock. As it is, the gripping narrative and wonderfully empowering combat mean you'll be talking about it for months after completing it.

IL-2 feels like two separate games: one a solid, fun arcade flyer, the other a testing simulation of true aerial combat circa Hitler-times. It's inevitable then, that if you're at all interested in planes, or just want to embarrass yourself at a different altitude, IL-2 can hardly come more recommended.

The gameplay itself has changed very little. [Dec 2006, p.82]

From giant pandas to Streets of Rage-inspired brawling, this is the most complete fighting game available to-date.

Ultimately, it's all about the online: if you have an active social life on Xbox Live then Skate 3 is near-essential, but otherwise you might as well stick to last year's version.

At the end of the day, you'll be left feeling warmer and happier than if you were in the heaving bosom of Lara herself. That's got to be worth the asking price. [May 2006, p.70]

A game of rich variety and strong personality that never gets boring over its ten essential hours - many more if you stop to check out the full and entertaining world... It's shorter than GTA IV, for sure, but it's also much sweeter. [Sept 2012, p.82]

If you're a fan of the series then that will either be enough for you or it won't. We suspect that it will, because stability is as important as progress in those sports updates that already lead their field, and hey, the addition of some serious next-gen sense-candy doesn't exactly hurt.

If you don't already have the previous games, then this is essential.

Metro: Last Light is one big dose of more-of-the-same. It has the same mid-2000's flavour, and pulls it off once again by offering a varied set of locations and missions. It has no aspirations above being a linear FPS, and if you're OK with that, it's a treat. If you find your arse being handed to you, though - consider sticking to the darkness.

Fable III is still a great game, but something this brilliant deserves a more considered - and climactic - ending.

Warm and inclusive - if you've got the money. [Christmas 2012, p.96]

The only problem with VT3 is also its greatest asset - it really does play and feel identical to the Dreamcast game we played every day for six months back in 2000 and for large chunks of most years since. [Apr 2007, p.84]

It's the same, but it's a good kind of same. [Oct 2007, p.90]

Truncated but still truly impressive. [May 2010, p.95]

It rivals Skyrim's scope, but as a genre piece (albeit a smart one), it lacks the other game's mystery - there's no craggy elusiveness, no glacial hinting at secrets beyond comprehension, to help you overlook the more familiar elements. It's less a world you discover, ultimately, as one you revisit, and that's a failing no amount of fancy footwork can disguise.

Simple but highly effective.

A better way to learn how to play. [Sept 2012, p.102]

Pretty much "FIFA 08" with a new front end and 571 teams removed. [May 2008, p.80]

Much improved, but still behind 2K10. [Christmas 2009, p.93]

A good-looking and therapeutic dose of bird-tweeting, ripples of applause and gasps of mild horror. If you're happy paying the price of admission for a more streamlined experience and the Augusta National, don't let us stop you.

Established missions are still there - loverlorn villagers still need perking up, and there are races a-plenty - but much more on offer besides. And alongside flashier fights, a more helpful HUD and gorgeous new locations, it helps build the ideal sequel for every budding Hokage. Believe it.

Poor car handling pulls down an otherwise impressive package.

Everything about the world revolves around entertaining you, whether it's the wide scope of murder-options or the amazing dialogue in between. Whatever kind of killer you decide you want to be, Absolution is an unmissable hit. [Dec 2012, p.68]

Being a wrestling game, it certainly won't be to everyone's tastes, but for the first time we can safely say that this is a title that fans of the sport can really grapple with and, ultimately, love.

All in all, a decent package for Resident Evil 5 fans, especially those who have a partner to tackle Lost In Nightmares with.

In its natural habitat, with two players sitting on a sofa together, this evokes the best of the '90s 2D fighting boom. It may lack the glossy finish of recent Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Tekken releases, but it still feels slick and rapid enough to stand by its polygonal brethren. If you like your fighting games with a dash of nostalgia, this fits the bill beautifully.

Monaco is a stylish and considered game that's all the more remarkable for being the work of just one man. It's absolutely worth your money.

It's a colourful toy that'll distract young children long enough to give you precious hours in the kitchen drinking fortified wine.

Great new maps, but deleted scene too short. [Oct 2009, p.92]

Rare's best game in years is quite obviously intended for a younger audience, one that will almost certainly love every minute of it.

Great in places, horribly sparse in others.

NHL 07's dual-stick control opens a new world of tactics, but "NHL 2K7" plays for pure fun and speed. [Nov 2006, p.98]

It doesn't really feel like a point and click adventure, and sometimes it barely even feels like a game - but if you're in the mood for something different, this is superb entertainment at a fantastic price. If you're a fan of zombie movies, get involved. We're hooked: bring on Episode 2.

Playing Lost Planet is like battering "Ghouls and Ghosts" for the first time. You simply won't believe how stunning it looks. But more imortantly, it's one of those games that pits you against incredible odds and satisfies by making it just about possible to beat them! [Jan 2007, p.8]

It's addictive and for charity. Nice one. [Apr 2010, p.111]

You'll be asking for an encore come the end.

Mega tough, mega mean, mega good. [May 2010, p.103]

Under seven quid for one of the best one-on-one fighters since "Street Fighter II"? Bargain!

Old-school Sega fans will be in heaven. [Apr 2009, p.91]

A very balanced, very precise game: you can see how it's managed to endure for 12 years. It's also a basic game, and one that offers no reward beyond the inner glow of self-improvement.

Trimming off dead-weight as often as it adds something new, this is the strongest LEGO game yet. We've had seven years' worth of iterations, but these cheeky blocks of plastic are still fantastic.

Burns bright, but won't last long. [Oct 2010, p.110]

If there's anything that vanilla Dishonored could have offered more of, it's Dunwall. With two new locations - a stinking whale slaughterhouse, and an area called the legal district - you get some excellent new places to see, so it's disappointing to retread ground in the final mission.

Relentlessly clever and deviously charming. [May 2012, p.85]

Transformers have a great line in banter, and the dialogue is perfect - Saturday morning black and white cartoon morality.

With practice, intelligence, and a steady aim, you'll find your own satisfying path to greenskin genocide. [Dec 2011, p.99]

Smart, thoroughly fun and just a little ugly. [Sept 2010, p.100]

All it's lacking is confidence. The game might not once dare to underwhelm, but moments of true brilliance tend to emerge from the art direction - creeping into the mouth of a supertanker, shooting your way out of a dank church, clambering through a shattered Nigerian school. That the most impressive thing in a game about wholesale murder is the visuals suggests that Ubisoft might be using the drawing board the wrong way - but regardless, it's produced a shooter that's well worth your time.

It looks the same, plays the same, feels the same and, praise the lord, actually is the same. Maybe a bit too 'the same' if you've played it every year for the last five years, but still. It'll do.

Our main gripe with BMEII? The battles aren't big enough. Though the unit sizes have been increased from the previous PC version, they're still pitifully small. [Aug 2006, p.8]

Better still is the four-player competitive multiplayer - it's exactly what was missing from the Dead Rising experience. A gory, obscene gameshow which revels in the whimsical and moral dilemma-free dismemberment of the formerly living.

The true paradox of Final Fantasy isn't a temporal one. It's how it can conjure a feeling that's a combination of love, hate, derision and awe. XIII-2 gets less love than XIII. And the simplification dampens the open awe of previous games. But it's still the dominant feeling. And the fact I finished the game with only a quarter of the collectible fragments and very little idea of where to find them? Well, I just can't wait for the FAQs to start coming out.

Because it's so similar to the previous games, we can't recommend this as a Must Buy to all - despite all of its cracking quirks it is just that bit too familiar. But if you're a Potter fan and/or looking for a game that both you and your kids can enjoy together, look no further.

Meanwhile the wafer-thin story is told through ugly, badly acted cartoons that spoil the carefully presented atmosphere.

It's wonderfully creative and all it lacks is online co-op and a little more variation in its action. [Mar 2007, p.93]

An excellent slice of '80s nostalgia. [Sept 2009, p.88]

On occasion, what no doubt seemed like a crazy-cool idea down the pub just didn't work well in practice (spirit death-defying in particular) and fun has taken the edge off challenge, but you'd have to be an extremist alien sympathiser not to thoroughly enjoy Prey from the moment it sucks you into its viscera to the moment it squeezes you out again.

Escalation feels less like a map pack as a theme park for Vietnam veterans, not just contested territory but an environment you'll want to explore - rooting under the crust for the inevitable Easter eggs. Black Ops has never felt fresher.

A tale worth telling to JRPG fans everywhere. [July 2009, p.90]

User-unfriendly but eventually compelling. [June 2010, p.105]

An enjoyable twist on tower defence. [June 2012, p.101]

The AI is exceptional and we found the middle level to be a good match for even experienced players. [Sept 2007, p.108]

Beautifully thought through, has wonderfully coloured and varied levels and crazed bosses. [Mar 2007, p.92]

The wrinkles are almost entirely showing on the single-player side, with clunky animation and AI being the worst offenders. But for fans of the original the chance to revisit a favourite in new HD clothing - and take it online - is no-doubt one that should be jumped at, and newcomers will also likely discover a surprisingly deep deathmatch game that's still relevant in 2010.

Both its strengths and its weaknesses are the result of a vision of how the experience of slaughtering tunnel-loving bogeymen should be, and while the results aren't as spectacular or generous as we're used to, they put up a damn good fight.

Easy on the pockets and surprisingly fresh. [Christmas 2012, p.97]

Tiger's looking a bit tired. [Aug 2010, p.107]

Still one of Sega's best racers. [Apr 2009, p.92]

So PES steps on FIFA's toes in a massive move forward but in doing so has opened itself up to criticism it could previously dodge thanks to a different take on the game. But for PES to be able step on FIFA's toes yet again after a lengthy drop in form is a big achievement, and one that should please fans and newcomers alike.

Enormous, intelligent, wily - a true dragon. [Sept 2007, p.98]

Well designed and addictive. [Aug 2008, p.95]

Decent game hindered by hidden costs. [Jan 2012, p.98]

That's some good footballing sir. [Nov 2011, p.110]

Lost Odyssey's heritage is enough to make it great. [Apr 2008, p.92]

A very competent expansion, albeit one that's way too brief. Story mode can be finished in around six hours. It's also one of those add-ons where you rarely feel the developer has stretched itself creatively. [Apr 2006, p.67]

What its "half-modern, half-Attitude" roster might do, however, is appeal to lapsed wrestling fans - those who stopped watching in the early noughties. This is a reminder of why their era was so great and offers a great nostalgia-bomb through a flaming table of joy.

Prototype is something of a mixed bag. It's not quite the empowering experience we hoped it would be, but there is something satisfying about leaping off the Empire State Building and slicing a man in half as you land with a giant mutant arm-blade.

As a roaming RPG it's fun, quirky and worth picking up; as a promo for the wider world of Naruto, it's excellent. [Dec 2007, p.94]

Probably cheaper to buy real gems. [Christmas 2011, p.109]

Probably the best budget game we've ever seen...You'd have a frozen heart not to love it. [July 2008, p.95]

A fantastical, forward-thinking fighter. [June 2012, p.102]

The best of the bunch is Oasis, a posh Middle-Eastern hotel complex full of corridors, courtyards, and shining surfaces. This map has a lot in common with the Hotel level from Black Ops, and provides a real treat for fans of modes like Domination, with plenty of pillars and balconies favouring tactical progression over rush-tactics or camping.

A replay of last year's glories. [Oct 2007, p.84]

"NHL 07's" dual-stick control opens a new world of tactics, but NHL 2K7 plays for pure fun and speed. [Nov 2006, p.98]

While the core game is arguably as fun as FIFA's it just lacks the depth to sustain the challenge. The gap has closed. Can PES regroup and build again to really challenge for the top honours next year?

If you've never played Far Cry before and don't mind your eyes recoiling into your sockets every time you see another monstrously rendered native, pirate or insurgent, then this is a good deal.

It's a delightfully tricky exercise in plate-spinning, complicated further by the need to keep every instrument up to speed to maximise your score.

The production values are consistently impressive, and we've learned at least six new things about bears. You can't say that about Gears of War 3.

Both games are great, but NHL 2K7 wins our vote because of adaptable gameplay that can be set up how you want it. [Nov 2006, p.70]

Extremely bizarre, but still a retro classic. [Mar 2008, p.102]

The problem is the pacing of the game. Missions are too long and repetitive, which causes the drama of the dogfight mode to wear out. The problem is worse in helicopter missions, where the strategy of the dogfight mode is replaced by panic rolls when missiles are close and some rude checkpointing.

Ultimately, this is still the same old Switchball that it ever was, just with one less thing to bitch about. [May 2008, p.92]

Most of the things fans loved about the original are here, and the new features are cleverly mixed with the existing ones, but in terms of the structure, Visceral is treading water. Dead Space isn't dead by any means, but the spark isn't quite there.

A multiplayer game that doesn't work solo. [Oct 2010, p.108]

Too easy to satisfy but enjoyable all the same. [Christmas 2007, p.107]

There's no denying that PES 2010 is an excellent game of football - it's just that PES's 'E', Evolution, is more suited to its chief rival.

Superb tennis sim, but where's Wimbledon? [July 2008, p.85]

Another rock-solid performance from Treyarch.

Two great games and an awful one. [May 2012, p.93]

It's this kind of smooth, easy perfection that floods the game. [Nov 2007, p.92]

Not great for beginners, but fine for flight fans. [Apr 2012, p.100]

If you know anything about good games, you'll love it as much as we do. [April 2006, p.70]

Even on Normal mode, you'll find yourself overwhelmed until the combination of dodge rolls, grabs, pounces, and combos becomes second nature. It's a testament to Shank's new-found competence that this does, eventually happen. Shank 2 has that satisfying feeling of re-mastering a forgotten motor function.

Eets has got the glee of design that made Worms and Alien Hominid exciting and unpredictable, without the violence. [June 2007, p.96]

Quality strategy game that's not for everyone. [Sept 2010, p.103]

Your Shape provides decent replacements for both of these things, with all the arbitrary but absorbing nonsense of levelling up, medals and badges. This might be the first fitness game we'll use after reviewing it.

Where the second through fourth games were exceedingly well-padded, the fifth is SoulCalibur hacked to a sliver, with very little between you and that fiery core. Admirable as that may sound, the result is a dangerously light single player game that's hard to recommend to anybody save SoulCalibur obsessives - or newcomers in search of a populous (because it's recent) online fighter. Notoriously fleet of foot, the series needs to put a bit of weight back on.

Bound in Blood is like a Wild West theme park: corny, but at least there's constant gun smoke and plenty of bad guys being put to rights. It's not a must-buy by any stretch, but it is bearable.

As clones go, The Godfather is one of the better ones. It's got a unique atmosphere all of its own, due largely to the quality period setting, and manages to stay faithful to the film while carving out some interesting takes on classic scenes. [April 2006, p.80]

We can generally overlook a bit of going-through-the-motions in campaign add-ons, but not when the add-on in question mishandles the backstory of a trilogy that defined a genre. Though serviceable, RAAM's Shadow never does its own premise justice.

What FIFA does well is give you time in possession. Play a through ball and get yourself in the opponent's penalty area and you're allowed to control it.

Magic Sword is merely a peculiar bonus: another side-scroller from 1990 that takes a swing at the fantasy genre. Its button-bashing core contains a few RPG fragments, as you can collect protective shields and rescue imprisoned allies who then serve as a support character, and it's a decent, if limited affair.

Though the single-player provides some feasible outcomes to the what-if scenarios posed by the desperate fiscal, military and political interests of the superpowers in Kazakh oil, the multiplayer provides a more realistic answer to what might happen - endless, bloody, war.

While the first half hour of Sonic Generations is jarring, it's really worth sticking with. There's a lot of fan love here, from showdowns with your rivals - Metal, Shadow and Silver - to revisiting some familiar but excellently reworked levels. But it's a scarring shame that the Sonic 1 emulation reminds you how smooth Sonic should be. And he isn't.

For 400 points the game's a steal - it's an enjoyable blast of a bygone era that we'll never see again. [Sept 2007, p.110]

Our favourite addition is the brilliantly insane Karaoke mode, which enables you to sing along to instrumental versions of the famous theme music. Less hilariously, but more usefully, there's support for eight players over Xbox Live to replicate the legendary showdowns that occurred at amusement arcades around the world in the mid-'90s.

We'd rather pay a higher price and get the game proper than being told we'll have to shell out for at least two more packs upon purchase. [Christmas 2006, p.108]

Very good, for the few who can take the pace. [Christmas 2011, p.105]

By permitting Traveller's Tales to parody the movies to such an extent, they've allowed the developer to create something above and beyond the standard movie tie-in. [July 2008, p.86]

Dull genre-bender with more features than fun. [Christmas 2011, p.110]

More than anything, it's a game that, even after completion, we want to keep returning to again and again, adding different ingredients to the freeform formula and seeing what kind of explosions we can create. We can guarantee you won't have played an FPS quite like this on Xbox 360, but now that one's arrived, you certainly should. [Nov 2009, p.84]

Short and sweet, a throwback to the old days when you can pick up a game, play it and engage in some brainless, mindless fun. As a videogame, it has its flaws but as an example of big, dumb fun, you won't find any game that does it better. [Oct 2007, p.74]

You'd be mad to buy an electric guitar and not fork out for Rocksmith as well. [Dec 2012, p.95]

Strategy fans will be in heaven, but thanks to the slick production, amusing cutscenes and accessible controls it could also get a few converts to the RTS cause. It's certainly a great place to start.

The magic hasn't worn off yet. [Jan 2012, p.102]

Fast, frantic, furious and fun. [Jan 2008, p.99]

Still quality, but overpriced. [Aug 2010, p.111]

There's plenty to do and the sheer size of the city will keep you busy for weeks. But Carbon's new features don't stand out enough to make it warrant an immediate purchase if you've already raced through Underground 1 and 2, Juiced or Midnight Club.