This sucker devours bus and train trips. [March 2012, p64]

This isn't meant as a backhand, but Virtua Tennis 4 on PS Vita is virtually identical to the PS3 version, which which was quite good. Smashing, even. [March 2012, p65]

Has made some really solid steps forward in combat but needs a more readily digestible plot to entice newcomers. [March 2012, p68]

Reckoning is not about narrative. In this respect, it's a defiantly linear experience. What it is about is gameplay choice within the oft-rigid of an RPG. The way it accomplishes this is particularly fresh, and maybe even suggests a new precedent in the evolution of the genre. It's about time, right? Big Huge Games has clearly been paying a lot of attention to what's going on, and the result is that Reckoning is a patchwork of everything great that's been done to forward modern RPGs in recent times. [March 2012, p70]

The Darkness II is a radical departure from Starbreeze's old template. Gone is the effortless noir cool, plus the old stealth sections and overworld exploration have been given the barest of lip services here. [March 2012, p72]

In real-life, dog fighting is an elite, Darwinian art form. Here it's often the digital equivalent of school kids running in circles with paper planes, screeching "Nuh uh! I shot you!" [Dec 2011, p72]

So that's Pro Evo 12 – not massively different to Pro Evo 11, but enough of an improvement to warrant the upgrade. So far as comparisons to FIFA go, our view is that it is neither better nor worse, but simply... different. And that's just fine with us. [Dec 2011, p73]

It would be foolish of us to pretend that Dark Souls is a game for everyone. It's perfect at what it does, but a big part of what it does is make you suffer for your mistakes. It is a harsh, uncompromising task master and you will have to work to win its approval, because it certainly won't work to win yours. [Dec 2011, p74]

On Fire is a substantial update to an already excellent game, adding a considerable selection of new features, modes, and unlockables that – taken as a whole – make this the definitive version of NBA Jam. [Dec 2011, p79]

While this version of Crysis comes sans multiplayer, it's also available for a budget price, and the single-player campaign alone is easily worth the price of admission. [Dec 2011, p79]

It's all very fast-paced too, and rewards players who opt for the highest difficulty, but then it's just a fun knockabout when you drop it down to 'casual'. Soloists always have the highscore to keep them hooked, and it's surprisingly addictive. A winner all round, really. [Dec 2011, p81]

This is Resi at its peak. Shame that it's a straight port, though. [Dec 2011, p81]

With a few more tracks this could've been exceptional. [Dec 2011, p82]

Has its tongue so far in its cheek its poking through to the other side. [Dec 2011, p82]

Fast, refreshing and full of tactical nuance; these are the ingredients in the Twisted Metal cocktail, but it isn't without an odd aftertaste. Disappointingly, the single-player covers three fiends, rather than a bunch of dedicated mini-campaigns for the full menagerie of maniacs. It's live-action mixed with CGI stuff that gets a bit cheeseball in spots, but is quite engaging. The solo is decent aside from a few checkpointing oddities, but if you're a soloist we'd suggest the budget buy. [April 2012, p67]

The omission of four-player cooperative play (as seen in its PS3 counterpart) hurts and seems a bit of an oversight but that doesn't stop it from being a damned fine platformer. Rayman Origins looks a treat, plays pretty sweet and walks its own beat. [April 2012, p75]

Very few games have the capacity to go from frustrating and infuriating to magical and sublime in the space of a few heartbeats (particularly when you get into a Zen state of mind and everything literally falls into place) but Lumines: Electronic Symphony walks that tightrope beautifully. [April 2012, p76]

[I]t's the Vita-specific features that may well entice new players to the otherwise hardcore fighting series. The lower difficulty settings actually let you dominate in fights on the easy setting (and there's 'very easy', too), unlike easy on Street Fighter IV, while a wholly touchscreen fighting mode lets you finger your enemies to death. It's not the best way to play the game, but it means that even the greenest newbie can win a fight without having to remember increasingly complex combat commands. [April 2012, p77]

Surprisingly polished and great value for money. Touch controls work rather well, too. [April 2012, p78]

The solo content is phenomenal value for money and the cross-play with PS3 works insanely well. One price gets you both versions and they share players and results. Couple that with an seamless Autolog-style challenge system and this is a must-buy. [April 2012, p79]

Great value despite its brevity and funny too. More charming than Michael Parkinson. [April 2012, p79]

Depending on how brave you are (or your peripheral set up) the handling model can be altered from reasonably forgiving to brow-mopping stressful. Knuckle down and learn the nuances and you'll lose yourself in some glorious moments, recreating key battles and moments, swopping through the air and perfecting the art of dogfighting. [May 2012, p80]

In the end you have a sequel that improves upon its predecessor. It's a better game in terms of presentation and content, and if you didn't play the original then you're going to rip through this with a silly smile on your face. We're not sure that it's going to hold your attention though, and that's a shame as Heller's brutal adventures are amongst the best you'll have. [June 2012, p72]

Being a Japanese attempt at Skyrim, Dragon's Dogma gets a bit overly ambitious in places. Exploration is not a case of 'if you see it, you can go there'. Firstly, because seeing the horizon is difficult; Dogma's graphics engine renders vistas with all the detail of a waterpainting. Secondly, you're held back by locked border towns, or high level enemy mobs, until you have some hours and major quests under your belt. Just as irking is the lack of authenticity to the towns and the NPCs within. You can ransack a house and sell the crap back to the homeowner (while happily stabbing them), or you can score XP by killing their pets. [June 2012, p74]

Never before has a game so gruesomely represented the impact that 9.3 grams of lead travelling at almost one kilometre per second has on the human body. Thanks to this game's disturbing X-Ray Killcam, players are treated (subjected?) to a clinical view of each bullet passing through their target's vital organs whenever they pull off an especially good shot – and by 'good' we mean 'life-ending'. It's brutal, it's disturbing, and we're not quite sure how it got past Australia's over-eager censors. [June 2012, p76]

The single player mode is quite challenging at any difficulty level as the momentum of any battle frequently shifts. There are some balancing issues (particularly on the easier difficulties), which may make going it alone less appealing. Versus and online, however, is where Skullgirls really shines and will keep you equally entertained and frustrated. [June 2012, p80]

Thankfully, Sega's made some tweaks to its Sonic 4-mula that manage to both advance the platforming while bringing the 'feel' of things closer in line with the series' halycon days on the Mega Drive. [June 2012, p 81]

Stupidly charming visuals add to the sense of weight of your floating cloud god as he rains blasts of energy on the demons who are impeding your pilgrims' progress. Damn tricky, too. [June 2012, p 81]

There are a bunch of new modes from previous versions to challenge your timing and they're insanely addictive. It won't just be your gems that'll disappear, it'll be your life. Our (life-crippling) highlight is the Poker mode. [June 2012, p 81]

When the dust from the dirty bomb settles, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier looks noticeably grimy and raw in a few spots, but its mission has still been achieved. The visuals can be iffy, but the feeling of being an elite soldier of the future has been faithfully rendered in other ways. The pace is fast, the gadgets are empowering, and your job can shift from shrewd predator puzzles, to battles of attrition fought on a knife's edge. [July 2012 p.72]

Kudos to Santa Monica for the online code as it's top-notch. We were rarely looking for a match, and although there's only a handful of modes (Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Zones and Capture The Flag, with the latter responsible for many late nights) they're all tried and tested. If you're not online there's a pleasing if short-lived single player campaign and a co-op mode where you'll battle waves of enemies. While the purpose of the campaign is to make you familiar with each of the units in the IKEA-in-the-sky, it's still fun if ultimately forgettable. There's a tale of sibling rivalry, friendship and love lost, but we'd have to hit Google to find the name of the main character. [July 2012, p74]

It's incredibly fast-paced and responsive. Nailing some of the intense combos may twist your fingers off as there are no touchscreen specials except for the X-ray moves that can be initiated once you have a full meter, but fatalities can be executed with finger swipes that match the d-pad inputs. Most of the extra modes, such as Test Your Slice, are gimmicks that either borrow heavily from smartphone games (let's just say you'll slice fruit whilst playing as a ninja) or rely on 'been there, done that' mechanics that use the Vita's hardware. Balancing a man on a beam is old hat, even if he's perilously dangling above a pit. [July 2012, p82]

A riveting cerebral experience. Has that 'one more episode hook'. [July 2012, p83]

The sad reality, though, is that most will probably dismiss LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes as just another block-based kids' game. Don't be one of those chumps, because it's a valiant shot at the stars, built upon a solid brick foundation, which should be applauded. Is it simple? Yes, but often devilishly so, and that doesn't stop it from simultaneously becoming one of the best superhero outings and the definitive LEGO game thus far. [August 2012, p77]

The fact is that having flawless portable versions of Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater (plus the two MSX originals) in a box is worth an exclamation point and a purchase if you're patrolling past it in your local games shop. [August 2012, p79]

After a slow start it builds to a thundering crescendo and slaps on the action thick and fast, and you'll find a city that's yours for a good time, but not necessarily a long time. Dodgy vehicles aside, this has a belter of a combat system and is a lot of fun while it lasts. Get it. [Sept 2012, p.66]

Once you earn and understand how to flick between the dimensions (on all four shoulder buttons) Conundrum will have you calling people over to the TV to boast how "S-M-R-T" you are. That joy is offset, however, by Airtight Games' insistence on pinpoint first-person platforming, something that's a source of intermittent frustration. [September 2012, p74]

Clever, colourful and enchanting. You'll be hypnotised from the start. [September 2012, p75]

Transformers newcomers will be sated by the solid shooting and platforming on offer, provided they don't expect anything revolutionary. But if you are a fan, the many fan favourite cameos conspire to make the stock-standard feel special. [October 2012, p.72]

Sound Shapes' ready-made content is refreshing, creative and fun – but it's also in very short supply. That said, there's a more than capable platformer waiting for you here, and it's backed up by a versatile level editor that's pregnant with possibilities. Queasy has laid one heck of a good egg, and we honestly can't wait to see how many ways the community will cook this up. [October 2012, p74]

The time you spend playing the game – when you're on the field – isn't as rewarding as all the stuff that goes on around it. Scouting is a dream, and the commentary on each player in this mode adds a sense of realism and character, backed by a stream of social media feeds. So, yeah, it's still good, but next year ought to be even better. [October 2012, p76]

While the world may be a tad derivative, Corvo's powers more than make up for it. Blink becomes second nature, and it's obviously informed the level design's go-anywhere approach. There's just enough inventiveness here to elevate Dishonored above its numerous competitors, and it's quite hard to imagine going back to games where you can't teleport to the rooftops, or possess fish to access buildings' cellars. [November 2012, p74]

The bulk of Resident Evil 6 is highly polished, AAA blockbuster stuff. Capcom has bet big here and delivered a tonne of content that not only delivers extreme value for money, but also gameplay to suit every Resident Evil fan type. As impressive as that feat is, one can't help but feel that this sequel is more of a catch-up to other games, rather than a bold zombie into bold new territory. [November 2012, p66]

Any PlayStation gamer looking to broaden his horizons really ought to take a chance on this. If you're like us, and you figured 'turn-based' was longhand for 'boring', you'll be shocked when your 1000th (sissy) save reads: 40 hours played. [November 2012, p68]

TTT2 succeeds on a number of levels. It innovates within the series itself, the genre as a whole, while simultaneously appealing to hardcore fans and those who have only casually played Tekken since it debuted in the mid '90s. The game you get on your PS3 is based on the 'Ultimate' version of the arcade game with a few added characters thrown in, making the already chunky roster even plumper with 50-odd fighters. [November 2012, p70]

The presentation still bites. Players and stadiums look drab, and PES 2013's overall physics can't compete with EA's replication of momentum, but at least Konami's offering is doing some things differently than FIFA, and doing them bloody well. [November 2012, p72]

The game captures the excitement of the sport, forces you to concentrate for laps on end, and can be as much of a time-sink as you choose, either with a full career or bite-sized challenges, and a smart middle ground where you need to beat a roster of chosen rivals for their contracts. [November 2012, p72]

Truth is, Tokyo Jungle is addictive as hell, and there's a heap of pride to be felt from outwitting enemies like a Solid Snake gazelle. And you'll positively beam when you defy commonsense by using a beagle to tear the throat out of a sleeping lion. Throw in rad co-op multiplayer, and this simple-looking PSN title will have you shagging, mauling, or "graduating from bovine university" for ages to come. [November 2012, p76]

Smartphone owners may be familiar with the basic premise, but it's been remixed and added to, essentially making the PS3 release a different game that's worth buying. [November 2012, p79]

The rhythm genre isn't dead, it just got better with lasers. [November 2012, p79]

Beyond the addictive action, where RCR really shines is with its irreverent comedy and fan-service references. Expect to snort milk out of your nose when The Player randomly codecs a Solid Snake wannabe who responds in broken English. Even if you weren't gaming back then you'll get a grin when you're given a DeLorean and asked to run over 88 people to fill your Flax Combobulator. [December 2012, p75]

The formula's barely changed since Just Dance 3. Brightly coloured representations dance on screen, you follow with a Move controller in hand. Or you can do as we did towards the end and sit on the couch and wave it as convincingly and energetically as you can. This works just enough to keep the score counter ticking up, but you'll never hit the max number of stars or nail the new and tough sub challenges that way. These sub challenges ask you to achieve a certain rank in specific part of songs. We just want to let our aching arms recover. [December 2012, p81]

Joe Danger 2 is tough, especially in the exclusive-to-PS3 bonus levels. Tough, but not unfair. You'll need to memorise the courses as you fling your vehicle through the air, and each of machines feels beautifully weighted and satisfying to control. [December 2012, p83]

The 2008 original was dubbed 'the PlayStation's Zelda' and received wide critical acclaim. Despite that, Okami was criminally underplayed and its shallow sales triggered the collapse of a great developer. It'd be an absolute sin to see that history repeated here. So buy this classic. Wolf it down. [Christmas 2012, p.74]

If you can ignore the eyesore low-res video feedback of the PlayStation Eye, the book itself and the creative crap it spawns looks sharp, well animated, and it grows in complexity. Likewise the interactive stories and narration are top-notch stuff. [Christmas 2012, p.76]

LBP Karting doesn't run a perfect race, but it definitely earns its podium finish thanks to a glorious track editor. It mashes together the approachability of ModNation's DIY editor with the overwhelming possibilities of LBP's 'if you can think it, you can create it' motto. [Christmas 2012, p.77]

Though Zero Escape comes with reams of text, it's all well written, thoroughly addictive stuff that encourages multiple playthroughs to see its 24 endings. Any Vita owner looking to try something different is advised to make the leap of faith and scoop this up immediately. [Christmas 2012, p.81]

Take Burnout Paradise's massive open world, strip out the wild, physics-defying, cabin-crushing crashes and insert a generous handful of the world's hottest or most iconic motors. This is Need for Speed that only Criterion could create. [Christmas 2012, p.83]

Could do with shorter 'mini-loads' between retries. But otherwise great. [Christmas 2012, p.83]

Though the formula hasn't exactly been built from the green ground piece up, Telltale has gone above and beyond our expectations. Take, for example, the fact that Middle-earth is one gigantic, seamless hub world that can be be trodden across (or fast traveled through) from one end to the other. [January 2013, p64]

As an interactive story it's one hell of a good piece of entertainment. Taking your first tentative steps into this seriously rich universe, planting the seeds for larger implications later in the series, and tangling with one of the best antagonists ever, Saren, is a trip well worth taking. There's a rich, colourful cast you'll want to meet for the first time (Urdnot Wrex in particular) and very poignant moments to be had (e.g. becoming a Spectre). These are watershed gaming moments that the ME2's 'introductory' comic book could never hope to encapsulate. [January 2013, p69]

By obliterating the worn exterior and souping up the interior, Ninja Theory has done the very difficult, and that is they've made Devil May Cry relevant again. Not only that, they've also made it accessible where previously it was definitely not, both aesthetically and mechanically, without ignoring the hardcore crowd who've been up most nights chewing their fingers into nubs ever since this surprise initiative was announced. [February 2013, p72]

Guardians of Middle Earth's early days are a bitch, and can be made bitchier by the fact it has no local matchmaking. Push through this brief difficult period, and you'll be hooked. It's almost loathsome how addictive this can be. You ever laugh at all those World of Warcraft Gollums? That's gonna be you. [February 2013, p78]

It would be foolish of us to pretend that Sine Mora is for everyone. The fact is most of us simply don't have the time or patience necessary to properly appreciate a game that demands so much from the player. But for those who do: buy it. Buy it now. [February 2013, p79]

Nice one, Clever Beans – this is how you do "casual". [January 2013, p74]

In a decade, God of War: Ascension may very well be looked upon as that weird middle child that nobody really wants to talk to. But for now, it’s still a consistent, well-polished bundle of fun and really, that’s all that should count. [May 2013, p72]

Simple at first but your twitch skills will get a solid workout in the later stages. Bite-sized fun and quite fetching. [May 2013, p77]

Less of everything that marred Atelier Meruru. One of the best JRPGs of the year so far. [April 2013, p75]

Fans concerned about this being the first Sly game not made by Sucker Punch should worry no more. Developer Sanzaru Games ‘gets it’ and has brought a lot of great ideas to the table that show, without a doubt, that action platformers are still a massively entertaining genre. [April 2013, p76]

While it won’t change your life it is full of surprises, and clever too. [April 2013, p78]

Do yourself a favour and play DS3 like a raving masochist, straight off the bat. It’s a slick, AAA sequel that’s worthy of its place in the franchise. but only if you take the initiative and crank the difficulty. We didn’t think it possible, but Visceral has engineered a sequel that will appease old fans and entice new ones, too. [March 2013, p72]

Persona 4 Golden is a Tardis of a game. Initially, it seems cute and friendly and it hooks you with its murder mystery and time management focus. Once you get inside, it opens up exponentially, awing you with its scope. [March 2013, p76]

More than seven years on and Stranger’s Wrath is still fresh. Apart from some annoying pop-up tutorial boxes on PS Vita and some niggling issues when retrieving ammo, it’s still unabashedly brilliant. A must buy for sure. [March 2013, p80]

A very competent, atmospheric shooter that isn’t solely about blowing shit up. If you’re not afraid of the dark and need a change of pace, a ride with Metro: Last Light might be exactly what you need. [June 2013, p68]

For hardcore nerds, it’s a wet dream made real; for everyone else, it’s a spectacle like no other. [June 2013, p72]

If you’ve never played a golfing game before this would be a great place to start. It’s packed with a great introduction to the sport, dozens of hours of content, and there’s few things more satisfying than rocking up to the 18th one stroke behind, only to sink an astounding 35-metre chip for the tournament win. [June 2013, p79]

Basically, the same great PS3 title we reviewed a while back, but portable and with exemplary CrossPlay functionality. Being able to whip out your Vita and pick up from where you left off (by downloading a Cloud save) is an absolute godsend and the synching process is flawless. [June 2013, p80]

One of the most memorable indie games of the past decade. Best played with friends. [June 2013, p76]

A Force bonanza that plays a good game of Sith but fails to use its idea to max effect. [Nov 2008, p.90]

We’re looking forward to the kind of stuff people are going to come up with here, and as the software is designed with different entry points there should be no limit to the type of content that comes out of this game. [Christmas 2009, p.79]

Multiplayer pushed the score up, but the overall experience left us wanting. [December 2008, p.84]

Visually weak, but delivers in other aspects. [Christmas 2008, p.90]

As visions of the future go, EndWar is stuck in the '80s. [Christmas 2008, p.96]

The main reason you will enjoy it is because the twin analogue stick controls are as simple as they are rewarding and each tackle is a cacophony of limbs that is extremely visceral. [July 2010 p73]

An above average shooter that suffers from a lack of imagination. [Mar 2009, p.74]

Although multiplayer rocks, the single player loses its shine rather quickly. [December 2008, p.78]

So dumb it's dangerously good. [Apr 2009, p.72]

A genuine improvement over previous titles. [Christmas 2008, p.85]

Solid, but not quite what we expected. [Apr 2009, p.70]

Fighting section is good...RPG section is problematic. [Summer 2009, p.74]

While it won't satisfy technical fight-fiends, it's definitely a sterling lounge room fixture for a crowded night in of mashing each other into opposing franchise paste. [Summer 2009, p.68]

A tidy little game that will please comic book fans. [Christmas 2008, p.88]

A jazzy, jiving b-ball package, but too similar to 2K8. [Christmas 2008, p.82]

Novelty and genius are not the same thing, and after a weekend with Wolfenstein you will most likely have seen enough. It’s fun, corny action, but it’s not a keeper. [Nov 2009, p.76]

It plays like Bond, feels like Bond and sounds like Bond, if only it moved a wee bit faster and was as smooth as Bond. [Summer 2009, p.66]

Fans of Batman will love it, others may want to wait until the next LEGO title. [December 2008, p.79]

There are some great moments, but they're few and far between. [July 2009, p.80]

Great synthesis of styles. [Feb 2009, p.78]

Rev-heads will adore it, others will struggle. [Christmas 2008, p.93]

Only for those desperate for a winter escape! [Jan 2009, p.80]

If you're into old-school RPGs, then its dose of sci-fi fantasy is good enough to bring a smile to a Klingon's face. [May 2009, p.69]

A lacking update from the 2007 collection. Not sure it's needed. [Apr 2009, p.76]

Bare-bones stuff, really, but the music makes it worth it. [Mar 2009, p.76]

There’s no co-op, which is odd (there are cooperative modes in multiplayer though) – but there are some truly memorable moments, like your first shootout at high noon. Horse mounted battles and even stagecoaches get a look in. [Aug 2009, p.70]

A nice little curiosity, but seriously, Street Fighter V is out. [Mar 2009, p.78]

Above-average Rogue-like space RPG action. More-ish. [June 2009, p.71]

Nothing new, but add enough throatal lubrication and it's a hoot. [June 2009, p.65]

It's still dumb but a lot tighter and more fun than the original. Just make sure you play it in co-op, okay? [Mar 2010, p.74]

It's a head-slicin', chest beater of a slash 'em up. It's derivative though. [June 2009, p.58]

A shade under 50 tracks feature on the disc itself and they’re pretty passable. It boasts a better hit/miss ratio than Guitar Hero World Tour to be honest, even though career mode is a bit nobbled (and not entirely crucial considering every track is unlocked the moment you boot up the game). [Sept 2009, p.68]

It’s very punishing due to the random roaming nature of your monsters and the lack of a timer between levels. It takes a lot of effort to get right. When you do it is very rewarding, a real lightbulb moment, but getting there might prove too frustrating for many. [Christmas 2009, p.79]

Pre-canned cutscenes suddenly give way to in-engine sections where the characters continue to converse, only silently – via slabs of text you need to click through instead of pre-recorded speech. There doesn't appear to be any real rhyme or reason as to when this will happen – it just seems like a cheap way of extending the cutscenes. All it does it undermine the atmosphere – the game goes from a modern, cinematic action-drama to a static, dusty old RPG in the blink of an eye. [Apr 2010 p.70]

Beyond a party game with a crowd, there’s very little in the way of a compelling single-player mode here. Instrument-based games do a great job of making playing solo fun. Karaoke Revolution does not. [May 2010 p.79]

Guitar Hero 5 is proof Neversoft is getting the hang of this caper, but it could've benefited a lot from a more proven tracklist. [Nov 2009, p.70]

Maddening at times this rock-hard puzzler demands a ton of practice to reach perfection. [July 2009, p.89]

If you've got a 3D TV, buy it. [Jan 2010, p.74]

The graphics are solid, the level design more than adequate and the game itself surprisingly fun. Plus it’s AU$15.95 – so unless you loathe tournament shooters you might want to grab this one. [Sept 2009, p.79]

Unimpressive graphics and animation make this an experience that is better than average, but really not much more than that. [Nov 2009, p.71]

A solid racing experience being far too "extreme" for its own good. [Oct 2009, p.72]

Just as robust as we’ve come to expect, although the over-zealous censorship grates a lot. [Feb. 2010, p.74]

MUA 2 is a compelling superhero romp, though the button mashing nature of play needs updating. Still, it’s an absolute hoot and beautiful to look at. [Dec 2009, p.78]

It just needs a little more zest and content. [Feb 2010, p.72]

There are moments of brilliance, in particular the Riviera track where the barriers zip by as you zig around the corners and fly along the straights, though there’s just not enough charm here to keep us engaged. [Nov 2009]

But despite the bland storyline there's no denying that Star Ocean: The Last Hope excels in other areas, most notably with its intense and satisfying combat system and a lively and engaging level progression which gives the proceedings a good pace. While certainly not a classic, this JRPG is fun enough and shouldn't disappoint Japanophiles. [May 2010 p77]

It’s very simple to get in to, and although there are challenges you don’t ever lose, making it more of a toy than a competition. It’s still largely irrelevant for adults, though. [Christmas 2009, p.76]

Reading about it in abstract, one could be forgiven for thinking that Fairytale Fights is a game for deviants and sickos, created to corrupt the young. This is not the case; everything is far too cute to be offensive. While it may sound sinister that the Naked Emperor character has visibly erect nipples, or that the Mother Goose Gun has an inflamed, purple ringpiece, in reality these flourishes are too stylised to make one bat an eye. It’s like the difference between ‘#@%&!!’ and a proper swear word. [p74 Christmas 2009]

It all feels a bit sterile, too, and the weird floating pool cue doesn’t do much to alter that. Solid, but hardly exciting. [Feb 2010, p.77]

Essentially, Dot Game is a next-gen homage to early NES RPGs. This is a 23-year-old game design with a 3D graphic 'overhaul' - no more, no less. If you pine for the past, this should keep you entertained, but it may frustrate new gamers. [July 2010 p75]

The gameplay is ageless and timeless – probably because it’s a shameless copy of a certain plumber’s racing adventures on another console. There are weapons and powerups for both offensive and defensive manoeuvres, powerslides mean turbo boosts, and while the racing’s a bit bland in single player there are missions that earn money in order to unlock more of the cast, music and courses to race on. [Apr 2010, p.76]

Chronicles runs smoothly, but we just wish we had more room to see what was going on in the gem-filled half of the screen. [Apr 2010, p.77]

After Burner is pretty simple kind of game, though that’s not a bad thing at all. Like Outrun, this is an exercise in getting better and better by looking for paterns and refining your skill in twitch gameplay, but the arcade thrills wear off pretty fast due to repetitive gameplay. [July 2010 p76]

Things get better with faster cars but too often it feels like you’re trying to guide a brick through thick porridge. Drifting just shouldn’t this much of a chore, and we constantly crave more momentum when we’re loosening up the rear wheels. Online’s more attractive as these problems are masked by the thrill of the chase. [August 2010 p73]

21st Century standards such as midlevel checkpoints and an inventory system that halts the action so you can equip yourself are eschewed in favour of, well, death. You can't even pause the game, so if you're in for this you're in it for the long haul, hours at a time. [August 2010 p76]

Production wise, there's little reason why this couldn't have been on PS2. With a little patience and a lot of forgiveness, you will have fun with Nier and it's very easy to get into, but there are far richer experiences elsewhere. [June 2010 p79]

Less about providing an expansive footballing buffet of content and more about being authentic Cup paraphernalia, it features no club leagues but instead focuses on guiding one’s preferred international squad through qualification to a virtual World Cup Final. [June 2010 p76]

The biggest problem with Naughty Bear is, while it's subversive, unique and wildly imaginative, it's flawed in a few crucial areas. The camera is the worse offender. It isn't beyond managing, but it could've been more cooperative. [August 2010 p74]

Ostensibly, Lost Planet 2 has been built with multiplayer in mind. As a single player experience is competent but slightly underwhelming. [June 2010 p72]

Toybox mode is where the game hits its peak, offering open-world style gameplay packed with mini challenges geared towards a generation of kids far too young to be powersliding buses through parked cars and prostitutes in Liberty City. [August 2010 p77]

What LEGO Harry Potter is, then, is most probably exactly what you're expecting. A robust yet simple homage to an international phenomenon unleashed upon the world via the medium of coloured, plastic bricks. It's not going to give your PS3 an aneurysm, but it may cause children to spontaneously combust in excitement. [August 2010 p75]

Far from mindless but further from brilliance, War for Cyberton is fun without being engaging, ideal for an undemanding audience. [September 2010 p.76]

Our biggest gripe is it's just too cheap and mean, leaving you very alone and swamped in single player against the hordes of enemies and overpowered bosses. Foes come thick and fast and players who charge at the edge of the screen whilst it's scrolling will get a sudden foot to the face for their eagerness [Oct 2010 p.76]

The other main problems with Dog Days (besides the limitations of its ambitious visual style) are its length, its threadbare story and its realism identity crisis. Dog Days is a decent game by a talented developer, but it's still weighed down by these flaws. [Oct 2010 p.74]

This series is no longer for football puritans. Its for Pro Evolution puritans, and has the same strengths and weaknesses as its last few iterations. The animation and player models are brilliant, but there's still an oppressive, drab tone that could suck the fun out of a happy meal. [November 2010 p70]

What it doesn't do, however, is evolve the series in any truly beneficial way. Rather than make meaningful improvements to the game itself, Neversoft has focused on the more immediate gimmicks. [November 2010 p77]

Evolved's fun but you'll feel little attachment to it and once the campaign's over you won't ache to go back through. [November 2010 p78]

So while you'll be unconvinced by the visuals and voices behind the boy and his beast, when the Majin goes harumphing into battle to save you from the latest onslaught of sinister humanoid ooze, stopping only to breathe his healing gingivitis all over your battered body, you'll find yourself wondering; why this has done for you what the massive production of Enslaved could not. The answer? Heart, baby. Kid's got heart. [January 2011 p72]

It's also a problem that punches and kicks don't usually feel as powerful as you'd like. In Fight Night haymakers sounded like truck accidents. Here they kind of feel like slightly over-zealous high-fives. [January 2011 p75]

Splatterhouse's aesthetic is little bit late '80s and a little bit late '90s, like it started development a lot longer than a few years ago. From Rick's baggy nu-metal shorts to the crusty thrash riffage that occasionally paraphrases a good beat-down, it's all curiously dated in a cool kind of way – just like the license it seeks to re-imagine. While it lacks the production values and fluidity of God of War III, it does ultimately champion excessive carnage for excessive carnage's sake. [January 2011 p78]

While the learning curve is a little steep, the combat and weaponry has an extremely different feel and is well worth a look for the bargain price of 20 bucks. [February 2011 p81]

It's hard to imagine casual types persisting with Apache for too long. It's certainly good enough for a game of its ilk but, once the novelty of pounding the ground wears thin, that's it. With just a single type of helicopter available it lacks the variety you get in most other air combat sims. [March 2011, p78]

Each time it wows you with a neat touch it dashes your enthusiasm with something else. For instance, we get working convertibles but we don't get working windscreen wipers (odd in a game with cabin view and wet weather effects). Just when you're getting into the driving an unskippable cutscene full of people who share more in common with trust-fund babies and hotel heiresses than actual racing drivers yanks you away from the open road. And why is everyone on Ibiza American, including the police? It's jarring and cringe worthy. [April 2011, p.74]

The fighting component, however, is where the game hits a stumbling block. More depth to the combat could have really made this a winner, as you really only have a dozen or so regular attacks and "specials" (and that's when you level cap out at 30) combined, so it can get old after a while. SOE may be hard pressed to sustain interest. [April 2011, p.76]

The biggest problem Bulletstorm has is that it's at odds with itself. It wants you to have a blast killing imaginatively, but gives you limited ammunition, uses cheap tactics and saves the best toys until way too late in the game. It wants you to revel in the wonderfully hackneyed story, but then suddenly gets all touchy feely, serious and humourless for no reason. [May 2011 p.75]

Movie karaoke isn't a new phenomenon but Yoostar 2 has brought it into the videogame space with some digital wizardry. Yoostar 2, in that case, is to movie karaoke what Rock Band is to drumming along to the radio on your steering wheel. There are some technical imperfections; we found the lights in our office played hell with the camera and resulted in elements of the kitchen behind us popping up during gameplay as on-screen artefacts. Dimming the lights mostly fixed this but it remained a little grainy... Yoostar 2 is far from perfect but it is very different. [May 2011 p.76]

Fun in small doses... it's a good knockabout title. [June 2011 p.74]

It's a bit rough here and there but it can also deliver a lot of good times. If you have co-op on your mind, leveling up with mates has its moments but it quickly devolves into a frustrating group training mode. Single-player gamers? Jog on elsewhere. [July 2011 p.82]

We're not entirely sure who's going to play this game, or even who it's ultimately suited for. People who are fans of Mikami and Suda will no doubt snap it up without a thought, and so will those who are tired of the 'usual' slew of action games. Sure, Shadows of the Damned has character and shows of incredible, grotesque and inventive beats, but as a game it's left lacking. [August 2011 p70]

Madness Returns is in a tricky position. It could never offer pistol-quick mechanics because of the character design and it often feels like a chore to finish a stage. You'll also probably get pretty tired of finding and shooting switches to reveal a hidden platform, or slogging through another round of five or six enemies. Yet it dares to be different, so if you're happy to admire it for is own sake then you should find some fun amongst the insanity. [August 2011 p74]

Armageddon is by no means a bad game, it's just a completely different one to what series fans will expect, or possibly want. Unfortunately, in returning to its underground roots, Volition has forgotten to capitalise on what their series does best: geo-modding the crap out of everything in sight - minimum restrictions. [August 2011 p80]

While a bit old fashioned, Tekken Tag Tournament succeeds as an HD update and a cheerfully robust brawler. [January 2012, p.70]

When you take into account the bargain basement price and what benefits you'll reap from it (assuming regular use), Move Fitness could be one of the wisest game purchases you ever make. [January 2012, p.81]

Plays great, looks great, and there's enough in here to keep you entertained 'til next year but the lack of online multiplayer is a real blow. [March 2012, p62]

Not without problems but surprisingly addictive once you get the rhythm down pat. [March 2012, p75]

Shines where it ought to, but much too soggy around the edges. [March 2012, p76]

The bot is pretty special as their outer flies off, and you need to be tactical at times to get the best of them. Not bad, but not great either. [March 2012, p78]

It's hard to genuinely dislike a game like All 4 One. While it's obviously and quite severely flawed in a lot of ways, it's also possessed of a certain irreverent charm that – while derivative – is often enough to keep you playing irrespective of the fact that you're not really having a great deal of fun. [Dec 2011, p69]

Perhaps one of the best things we can say about Sonic Generations is that it feels complete, and that it looks absolutely stunning. 20 years offers a lot of time to draw inspiration from, and Team Sonic's determination to show off everything that Sonic has accomplished is to be applauded. As an homage it's without peer. As a game in its own right it's flawed, but it'll leave you with more smiles than frowns. [Dec 2011, p70]

WRC 2 is a game that, if you were to it to someone, sounds like the perfect rally game. Once it's in your hands, though, you can't help but feel a bit glum. Whether it's a lack of time, money or skill, we're hopeful that Milestone comes back next year with a title to do the license proud. [Dec 2011, p76]

Ultimately, RAGE is soulless and short-lived. Jack up the difficulty for more of a challenge, but underneath a few stand-out moments is a shooter that's been outclassed and out gunned. [Dec 2011, p78]

[Y]ou're only allowed to customise and upgrade the character you're controlling. You can determine who'll be in your squad, but you can't tell them what guns and abilities to use. In fact, AI-controlled squadmates don't even have abilities. They're just grunts with guns and act with all the intelligence of tactical awareness of action movie cannon-fodder, and it affects your offensive options. [April 2012, p.62]

For those expecting a Tarantino-like exploration of the consequences of being a bad person, you're looking at the wrong series. It didn't take long for us to realise that Ninja Gaiden 3 has more cheese than a fondue party, but it works in the favour of this frantic over-the-top hack-and-slash title. [April 2012, p64]

[P]layers won't get much out of SSX until they put a lot of time into each of the game's courses – packed with branching paths, high ridges, and suicide leaps – and work out a custom plan of attack. Without one, SSX can deteriorate into a discombobulating frazzle of questions like: where am I going? Is this the fastest way down? And how come the CPU is 15 seconds ahead of me? While the required exploration means a tonne of replay value, it also means newbies will have to board up a hockey stick-shaped difficulty curve to feel in the game. [April 2012, p70]

While the predecessor was a solid albeit short outing with optional co-op, this sequel seems less polished. The backgrounds lack the eye-catching finish, the plot is just a discombobulated mess strewn together and while Klei Entertainment has evened out the difficulty spikes it lacks the charm of the original. [April 2012, p71]

[G]ripes aside, Gotham City Impostors is a surprisingly solid shooter and with the sizeable first DLC drop, Warner Bros. is promising improvements across the board. If they deliver on that, consider upgrading this score to must-buy status, rather than a nice-to-have. [April 2012, p72]

At its core this is Konami's Ninja Turtles beat 'em up re-skinned for Matt Groening's cash. But whereas everybody gets a rad turtle in TMNT, one poor bastard in every four player posse gets stuck with Marge and a vacuum. [April 2012, p80]

For the skim readers out there; there are two ninja launch titles for Vita. This one cuts the other one a new butt crack. [April 2012, p80]

Heavily recycled from the PS3 version, but still one of the most rewarding 2D fighters around. [April 2012, p80]

True evil never dies. It gets a decent facelift. [May 2012, p76]

This third game in the Ninja Storm series is going to feel like a small step backwards from the previous title for longtime fans. Conversely for newcomers it's perhaps the easiest game ever to get into despite the manic on-screen action – if you have a sense of timing. [May 2012, p77]

Offline, it's a slightly better game than last year. To make it a substantially better sequel you must be willing to be perma-connected to the PSN. That's all fine-and-on-the-fairway for hooked-up Aussie gamers, but it's a sizeable sand trap for the many who aren't. [May 2012, p78]

It's a hell of a slog to win a match and characters are fairly underpowered at the start. It is tactically deep and responsive, but make sure you have mates to play with. [May 2012, p80]

Wrecked is the remake of the PS2 game Mashed. To anybody possessing gaming experience and at least three friends, that opening sentence was the end of the review - the verdict received: must-buy. [May 2012, p81]

If you've been looking for an excuse to dust off your Move controller, this is it. [June 2012, p80]

While Codemasters have made this look the goods from the glossy cars to the vibrant environments, the edge-of-your-seat events are few and far between, and the carnage is limited due to a small field of competitors. You'll either feel indifferent to its attitude or loathe it outright, and your gut reaction will tip you either way. We, and we suppose many others, will be curious to see how this sideshow influences DiRT 4. [July 2012, p76]

As a single-player thing, Sorcery is just okay. You run, you stick your shimmering shield up if things get hairy, you wave spells at shambling horrors, and a lot of the time our boy Finn does something completely mental because the control scheme is a very delicate thing indeedily. It's simple but frenetic, with some surprisingly nutty moments and even nuttier boss battles. [July 2012, p81]

Think: a cheaper, slightly nastier version of 2008's Pure, and you're not too far off the track. [July 2012, p83]

Despite its age, VF5 is still as solid as a palmfist to the midsection from a karateka. This is fast, technical and bereft of 'super technique bollocks' seen in other fighters. If you've never ventured beyond DOA or Tekken try this. [July 2012, p83]

Where Spec Ops succeeds – just – is with its themes of the end justifying the means, the ravages of war on a man's psyche and its portrayal of extreme violence. This is simultaneously its downfall as the team haven't quite nailed the execution until the final moments, where the full extent of what's happened over the last eight or so hours dawns on the protagonists. We wish Yager had teased and fleshed out the concepts sooner than leaving it to the beguiling endings; we doubt many players will bother reaching the credits. A year and half ago we might have been more impressed with The Line, but its poor presentation and boring shootouts completely let it down. [August 2012, p70]

Arkham City is arguably the best superhero game ever made, so it makes sense that Beenox would look to it for inspiration. And while The Amazing Spider-Man seldom succeeds entirely in emulating the accomplishments of its illustrious antecedent, it makes a pretty decent fist of it, for the most part. [August 2012, p72]

With rewarding physics and plenty of content, our main complaint is the tech used to render the game. To be blunt, it looks damn average. Racers are known for pushing the PS3 to its graphical limits, but SBK looks like it's running on two cylinders. While the frame rate and anti-aliasing is tight, the tracks are utterly devoid of detail. The world also appears to be lit by fluorescent tubes, giving it a stark, artificial feel. [August 2012, p80]

The robust character progression is your first clue that Disney isn't dumbing down the formula, the second arrives with the puzzle sections. Some of them are fairly taxing, as they require a lot of doo-dad flicking and switching between the three 'solver' bears at your disposal. Kids may get annoyed. [September 2012, p72]

Persevere past the tail-happy nightmares from Ferrari's silver age and there's a wealth of content here to play with. To the average gamer, looking for something to tide them over until DiRT 4 arrives, this will be seen as a barebones experience that only gives up the goods after a very long courtship period. This is more geared towards the people who remember Richard [Ball Busting] Burns' Rally on the PS2, or the diehards who will do anything to have a sado-masochistic relationship with all things Ferrari. [October 2012, p75]

If you're looking for an ethereal, Limboesque puzzler that will challenge your intellect, this isn't it. What's required of you is always obvious, thanks to a predictable mish-mash of platforming and box puzzles. [October 2012, p76]

While it feels a bit old fashioned with a lot of story to get through, Tales of Graces f is a decent translation. If you've shied away from JRPGs in the past this is as good a point of re-entry as any. [October 2012, p78]

Its inventiveness means there's a lot to like, and the price is definitely right. [October 2012, p79]

DOA 5 is a slick, beautiful mash of fighting polish and icky sleaze. There's a mountain of fun to be had with its characters, combos, and counter system, but it often degenerates into a confusing high-speed mess. [November 2012, p71]

Taking your hands off the traditional controls to manipulate a touchscreen wider than the Nullabor isn't fun. And yet a lot of puzzles in LBP, timed and otherwise, revolve around doing exactly that. You're forever tapping blue blocks to create solid ground, or you're dragging them to solve environmental puzzles. At best, it's disruptive to classic platforming, at worst it'll be the bane of any no-deaths run. [November 2012, p78]

Yeah, the puzzles are moderately difficult, and (we think) the levels are linear, but there's simply no denying childlike wonder Unfinished Swan engenders, nor the indelible mark it leaves upon your heart. [December 2012, p70]

Gone are the wide beams and lovely safety fences around the edges of levels that we'd grown used to. They're replaced with a brand of fiendishness that'll have you tearing your hair out, punching objects and hurling your Vita across the room. Only to pick it up and have another, begrudging, go. [December 2012, p74]

Being Sherlock Holmes is a welcome of pace. He's no Downey Jr., but this videogame version is still an amoral prick who 's totally down with poisoning plebs, breaking and entering, prodding corpses, and threatening some of the ugliest children ever rendered digitally. Aside from explosions, QTEs and loot, more could you want from a game? [December 2012, p76]

Great design and syrupy animation. Busy without being chaotic, and humourous too. [December 2012, p81]

The multiple inescapable tutorials that open Worms Revolution's campaign are an ill portent: for series veterans they're insulting, and the new mechanics introduced don't seem like anything special. It's not until you've played a few games and dipped into the campaign proper that the merits of Revolution become clear. [December 2012, p82]

If you have an existing library of Rock Band tracks you'll dig this. [December 2012, p83]

Battle Royale is an otherwise tightly designed and technically accomplished fighting game. Consulting our crystal balls – not a euphemism – we see it acquiring a small but dedicated following on the tournament scene. It'll never be as big as Street Fighter or Tekken, but it'll always be present on the periphery. [Christmas 2012, p.70]

Though neither of these games can eclipse the love and attention lavished upon other Kojima projects, they're still decent examples of their genre. [Christmas 2012, p.74]

There's no faulting the quality and content. But yeah, wait for a serious price drop. [Christmas 2012, p.75]

Like its forebear Skylanders Giants won't tax the skills of the mature hardcore gamer. But it is a worthy expansion that'll keep the youngins amused on the TV, and in the schoolyard, for hours. [Christmas 2012, p76]

Orcs is unrefined in spots, but Cyanide punches massively above its weight in terms of production values and thought-provoking storytelling. Go in expecting some rough edges, but also expect to be surprised. [Christmas 2012, p.78]