Although many stages are re-hashed from other games in the series, there’s enough here to tempt veterans back for more. Newcomers should not hesitate to jump in. [Nov 2009, p.71]

Where PES trumps FIFA is in its tactical depth. This year it's bordering on ludicrous just how in-depth you can manipulate the way your team plays. [Dec 2009, p.80]

Where Street Fighter IV feels like a measured and calculated game of chess, BlazBlue feels more like a game of basketball: it’s easy to get the basics, but once you’ve got to grips with its intricacies you’ll feel be slam-dunking and showing off. [Apr 2010, p.74]

Far and away the best flight game we've played - a huge surprise and thoroughly recommended. [Oct 2009, p.68]

Even though the lashings of blood have been removed, it’s still a sexy and rock-hard title. [Dec 2009, p.79]

The amount of content you’ll reap from the create-a-wrestler alone will astound. If WWE’s your thing, welcome to nirvana. [Dec 2009, p.76]

Compelling, different, addictive - Heavy Rain is all of these things. Will appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike. [Mar 2010, p.70]

Visually it’s a real treat, and the animations are top drawer. It’s a massive step-up from last year and precisely what the series has needed with the long-time critical dominance of the 2K franchise [Christmas 2009, p.77]

It might not take you that long to run through and the amount of skeletons you’ll take to pieces might rack up like a Geiger counter, but this is a charming game. [Dec 2009, p.87]

Derivative and simple, but well-produced and very playable. Please, just go to Hell. [Mar 2010, p.68]

The best basketball you can buy, and a great effort for 2K’s 10-year bash. [Christmas 2009, p.77]

If you’ve waited until now to give this series a shot, Skate 3 is as good a place to begin as are. It’s more of the same in some ways, but certainly better in others. We just haven’t fallen in love with the city. [July 2010 p74]

It's a slow burning experience. Your first couple of hours feel a bit ho-hum but stick with it. Forgive the disappearing corpses and the occasional odd animation and you'll be hooked all over again. [July 2010 p72]

UFC Undisputed 2010 may not have made leaps and bounds over its already excellent predecessor, but it is a straight jab in the right direction. [June 2010, p.68]

Final Fight may not be the longest game in the world, but it has been upscaled to HD. It’s a wonderful time capsule of fun that is worth replaying. The ‘must be online’ DRM hurts the package though. [July 2010 p76]

Split/Second does a lot well. The key component is the environmental destruction. Each track is littered with dangerous traps and shortcuts that can be triggered by you or your A.I. opponents. [June 2010 p74]

It’s simple really. If you’re not into Green Day – and honestly, we’re surprised you’ve read this far – you’ll likely feel it’s a load of dookie. If you are, however, welcome to paradise. [August 2010 p75]

Minute attention to detail proves that slow and precise can still mean tense and exciting. [Dec 2009, p.81]

We reckon it holds its own. It doesn’t even look that bad after a quick 720p makeover. Why would anybody buy Rogue Warrior when you can get something like this for a quarter of the cost? [Feb 2010, p.77]

For the money you're laying down, Deathspank is like the glittering bags of swag it depicts. Highly-amusing and addictive as all hell. [September 2010 p78]

Simple without being simplistic, this is a gem. It requires a bit of patience though. [September 2010 p79]

The graphics are as strong as the combat. While everything's very simple it all runs smoothly and everything's nicely animated. Cutscenes tend to drag, though, and some of the voice acting will have you cringing, but we're truly impressed by the size of the game and the direction. [Oct 2010 p78]

When everything is laid out in the debriefing, it's clear that H.A.W.X. 2 has made worthy improvements on an already solid concept. True, the adversarial multiplayer still won't ignite many people's afterburners, but almost everything else about the game has been tweaked as per player feedback. If you enjoyed the first title, you should definitely engage. If you were on the fence, we think there's enough new stuff here to make you bank over. [Oct 2010 p.72]

You're missing the point if you barrel through this trying to complete the chapters like a workman ticking off his list of tasks. For better or worse, Mafia II sometimes feels like more of a guided experience than a game but then you'll be totally engrossed some of the most epic firefights ever seen, and the sound design is amazing. [Oct 2010 p.68]

As an RTS game R.U.S.E. succeeds. It's tough and it's tight. As an RTS game, however, it's destined to only be embraced by a small, hardcore community. [Oct 2010 p.75]

Shank is one of those games that sums itself up in its own title. It's also a game wears its influences proudly on its arm like a 'mum' tattoo. You're looking at a 2D brawler that nods at classic beat 'em ups and pretty much every arcade game released in the late '80s. Aesthetically it's a beautifully animated homage to the greatest graphic novels and golden-age comics. [Oct 2010 p.75]

The Medal of Honor series has been a bit of a shambles ever since Medal of Honor: Frontline. The quality of this contemporary reboot, then, might surprise you. The presentation is terrific. It's a far more realistic and compelling single-player campaign than either Modern Warfare 2 or Bad Company 2; we were hugely engrossed and thoroughly recommend it. [Nov. 2010, p.60]

We're impressed with this, and you should be too. Sports Champion is a strong first showing, and a great example of the strength of motion controls. [November 2010 p66]