Dave Wallace - December 2013

"The great thing about being an adult is that you don't have to wait until Christmas. Sony's PS4 is the third Playstation console that I've owned (I never had a PS One, but have been a happy owner of both a PS2 and PS3 over the past ten years). And upon buying it - as a Christmas present to myself - I found that I just couldn't wait until the big day to get it out of its box and start playing. Having had a couple of weeks to play around with it (I bought it on release day), I think I've got the measure of how the console feels and what it can offer at this point. And while..." Read more

Ruth Shipley - November 2013

"As a self-confessed Xbox fangirl and owner of an Xbox 360 for several years now, I always knew that I'd choose the next generation of Microsoft's console over its Sony-branded equivalent. I've had an Xbox One reserved since they were available to pre-order earlier this year, and I'm happy to say that the postman delivered my console on the day of release so I was able to launch straight into it as soon as I got home on Friday night. So while reading this review, bear in mind that a) I'm already an Xbox fan and b) I've only had a weekend to play around with the Xbox One, meaning that ..." Read more

Rizwan Nazir - October 2013

"Batman: Arkham Origins - The Joke's on us.... Incredible, that's the only word I can use to sum up what Warner Brothers Montreal have done with Barman Arkham Origins. Incredible in the sense that they managed to ruin one of the most perfect and engrossing superhero franchises ever to grace a console generation. When I heard a new studio was taking over the reigns from Rocksteady, I like many other fans of the previous 2 Arkham games become concerned that the game would not live up to the high standards. Then we started to see some gameplay screens and learned ..." Read more

Gordon Myatt - September 2013

"The latest entry in the GRAND THEFT AUTO series is a great game, make no mistake. GTA 5 takes you on a fun journey across a fictionalised Los Angeles, as seen from the viewpoints of three different characters, all of which have almost infinite scope to explore and participate in the criminal underworld as they see fit. However, it isn't 100% perfect. As good as it is, I can't quite grant GTA 5 a perfect score for two major reasons. One is that it simply doesn't top the previous entries in the GTA canon in terms of fun and enjoyment; and the other is that it's full of little flaws that..." Read more

Jordan Robson - August 2013

"I enjoyed the first couple of Saint's Row games and thought the third one was ok, but this fourth game is the weakest entry in the series yet. Partly because it's the silliest and cheesiest Saint's Row game yet, but partly because it feels a bit lazy and sloppily put together. When a game opens with the lead character zooming up in the sky riding on a nuke accompanied by Aerosmith's theme song from "Armageddon", before disabling the bomb and falling down into the White House to become President of the US, you know it's not going to be a serious or gritty game. And to give it credit ..." Read more

Dave Wallace - July 2013

"Deadpool has always been one of Marvel's oddest superheroes. An unusually self-aware comic character (in both senses of the word) who knows he's in a comic, his adventures are often filled with oddball ramblings, post-modern fourth-wall-breaking self-commentary, and buckets of gratuitous violence (and other 'adult' content to boot). I was therefore surprised when it was announced that such a 'niche' character would be getting his own game, given that most franchises tend to focus on the big A-list superheroes. But High Moon Studios have justified that decision by making the Deadpool videogame ..." Read more

Dan Grainger - June 2013

"Remember Me is built around an interesting concept that involves a future in which memories can be deleted, altered and rewritten. It's an idea that has been explored in movies before (like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Total Recall) but as far as I know this is the first time it's really been incorporated into a game. Unfortunately though, the concept ends up feeling bolted on to an otherwise fairly ordinary game that looks great but which isn't as much fun to play as it sounds. Set in a futuristic version of Paris, the story of the game sees you doing battle..." Read more

Craig Broddle - May 2013

"With GTA V looming, I felt it would be apt to take a look back at it's mainstream predecessor, Grand Theft Auto 4. GTA 4 is based in Liberty City and places you in the worn out trainers of Niko Bellic, an immigrant looking to start fresh with the help of his cousin and other, ethically questionable companions. As always, GTA 4 has it all, guns, girls, cars and more guns. However, the mechanics of the game and how it's played have changed from the days of San Andreas. The combat has been overhauled, you now can take cover with ease when in a gun fight, shoot from behind sa..." Read more

Paul Martin - April 2013

"Bioshock Infinite is the not so much sequel to the classical Bioshock and Bioshock 2. Despite holding the same name the game sets new heights in the series taking a dramatic U-turn from the setting in the dark blue depths of 'Rapture' on the bottom of the ocean floor. Publisher 2K Games and Developer Irrational instead opt to take the gamer to a new location, amongst the clouds, you will find the floating city 'Columbia'. A bold risk you may think, given the vibrant gloomy appeal and lure Rapture held on its audience back in 2007, with the emergence of one of the most..." Read more

George Orton - March 2013

"I'm old enough to remember quite clearly the era in which the Tomb Raider franchise first got started. Exploding onto the gaming scene back in 1996, the first Tomb Raider game was a revelation, mixing one of the earliest 3D game-engines with some impressive graphics, a cool Indiana-Jones-esque action-adventure storyline, and some solid third-person shooter/platformer mechanics. Yes, the game had its faults (I remember spending many hours climbing up to high ledges time and again so that I could repeat jumps that you needed to get pixel-perfect if you wanted to progress in the game), but it still..." Read more

Ravi Nijjar - February 2013

"One game, and one game only, has generated countless column inches and inspired impassioned back-and-forths in the gaming press this month. That game is Aliens: Colonial Marines, and it's a title that seems to have split gamers straight down the middle. After an initial crop of highly negative reviews that criticised virtually every aspect of the game, a number of opposing reactions have quickly sprung up - a kind of "backlash against the backlash" that you often see with games that have been particularly long-awaited, and which have then proved to be disappointments on release..." Read more

Dave Wallace - January 2013

"Portal 2 might just be the best game I've ever played. A puzzle game at heart, the title also mixes platformer elements with a science-fiction setting, a large dose of humour, and even some occasional touches of high-octane first-person-shooter action, to create an incredibly addictive, challenging, funny, maddening, but ultimately hugely rewarding experience that's like nothing else I've ever seen on a console. Making use of a deceptively simple gameplay mechanism - the ability to use a futuristic portal-gun on certain surfaces to create two separate portals, which you ..." Read more

Rizwan Nazir - December 2012

"I had high hopes for Criterion's next racer as if it was anything like their previous masterpiece (Need for Speed Hot Pursuit) then I was in for a hugely entertaining time. Unfortunately this wasn't the case. Don't get me wrong, it's a great game but not quite up to the stellar standards for which Criterion are known for. It's probably easiest to highlight the good points and then explain why overall I was disappointed. PROS. Excellent graphics with lots of activity around you in the virtual city of Fairhaven;. A great selection of exotic, super and concept ..." Read more

Dan Grainger - November 2012

"For the very first time since the end of Halo 3 in 2007, the franchise's iconic hero Master Chief returns to Xbox 360 with this direct sequel to that now-five-year old game. It's no exaggeration to say that Halo geeks have been eagerly waiting for this moment ever since the cliffhanger ending at the end of Halo 3 that left Master Chief's fate hanging in the balance. In the meantime, we've some spin-offs and a prequel game (Halo: Reach) that were fun enough, but didn't quite deliver enough in the way of continuing the story of the Halo saga. So now that we've finally got a proper sequel..." Read more

George Orton - October 2012

"Isn't it great when a brand new franchise comes along and blows you away from the very first moment. Such is the case with Dishonored, a wonderful new game that's been described by many as a mash-up between the Assassin's Creed and Bioshock series, but which is far more original and distinctive than that shorthand description suggests. Set in the fictional city of Dunwall - a huge late-19th-century coastal metropolis with a society built around fishing and whaling - the game casts you as Corvo Attano, a former bodyguard turned assassin, who's tasked with clearing his name and stopping..." Read more

Paul Martin - September 2012

"Autobots.. Roll out! High Moon Studios became to Transformers franchise what Rocksteady was to the Batman franchise when released highly acclaimed Transformers War of Cybertron. Like Rocksteady, High Moon Studios could not say no to a high sought after sequel and began creating Transformers: Fall of Cyberton for current generation consoles and PC. STORY - The story is a direct continuation of the prequel, Transformers: War of Cybertron. The Transformers are still at civil war, split in two factions the Autobots and Decepticons are fighting over control of their homeworld Cybertron..." Read more

Matthew Harris - August 2012

"Ah yes, Borderlands. The game that is equal parts fun AND crazy. Setting itself in the glorious wasteland of Pandora, this RPS (Role Playing Shooter) does something few games manage to achieve: it has character! After picking from one of four different character classes, you are thrust into the beginnings of a wild adventure to hunt down an elusive alien "vault" that promises riches and power to those that find it. Borderlands' story, while somewhat muddled, is never too boring. From the moment you begin, you will be completing a large variety of main quests and side quests that take you to many..." Read more

Alex Decker - July 2012

"Captain America: Super Soldier Xbox 360 Review. This summer has truly been the summer of superheroes. With the releases of such blockbuster films as 'Marvel Avengers Assemble", "The Amazing Spider-man" and just last week "The Dark Knight Rises"; this summer is set to be the most action packed and enjoyable one for many years. With that in mind I really wanted to get into the right mood and learn more about the superheroes that would be appearing on our screens, and so decided to buy the Captain America film tie-in game; Captain America: Super Soldier. Going into this game I had my do..." Read more

Dave Wallace - June 2012

"Remember when you were a kid, and superheroes didn't need to be 'dark' and 'gritty' for you to enjoy them? When just seeing a colourful battle between super-powered men in capes and evil villains in outrageous costumes was all a story needed? If you can remember - and feel nostalgia for - those days, then the Lego Batman franchise might be for you. In 2008, the first Lego Batman game took the world of the Dark Knight and brought it to life in the form of Danish-miniature-building-blocks. As ridiculous as that might sound, it was a masterstroke. All of the classic Batman trappings we..." Read more

Steve Decker - May 2012

"When first seeing this game publicised, I was excited. The mixture of the dark and brooding 1940's atmosphere along with the gritty history of the era, really appealed to me; so I was anxious to get my copy of the game. You are Cole Phelps, a young man trying to live his life again shortly after WW2, and in doing so you solve 21 puzzling cases, spread over 5 desks. You start as a beat cop, surveying his patch of authority, which really serves as a tutorial for the game; and eventually moving on to Traffic, Homicide, Vice and then Arson. I thoroughly enjoyed..." Read more

George Orton - April 2012

"Microsoft's Kinect is a revolutionary accessory for the Xbox 360 that allows you to play games without the need for a controller of any kind. Through a small rectangular bar (which features a camera and other sensors) that can be mounted on top of or next to your TV, the Xbox picks up your movements and translate them directly onto the screen, allowing you to control characters simply by waggling a relevant part of your body, jumping, or otherwise moving about. Whilst it sounds like a simple concept, it's an accessory that has transformed my console from being something that's used only to pla..." Read more

Dave Wallace - March 2012

"It's finally here. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that Bioware's Mass Effect 3 has been one of the most eagerly-anticipated games of 2012 - if not THE most eagerly-anticipated. Now that it's finally available and gamers have finally been able to get their hands on their long-ago-pre-ordered copies, can the threequel possibly hope to live up to the weight of expectation that has been placed upon its shoulders? In a word: yes. This game is everything you liked about Mass Effect, but turned up to eleven. The graphics are more polished and refined, with produ..." Read more

Nicola Whitaker - February 2012

"It's a work of art. I've been using control pads since the days of the wrist breaking joystick, across all consoles and can honestly say that for me, no other controller can compare to the Dual Shock3 It fits perfectly in your hands; the buttons, analogue sticks & D-Pad are all perfectly spaced so you don't have to stretch your fingers to throw that game winning grenade, or pull a handbrake turn. The DualShock3 all the features from the DualShock2 that came with the PS2 console, but adds: Wireless play - It's amazing how restrained you were when controllers had wires, people wou..." Read more

Matthew Brew - January 2012

"Infamous 2 begins in Empire city dramatically with the attack of the revered "beast" shown as Mcgrath's main adversary at the end of the first game. Immediately we can see the graphics have been ramped up a notch, faces are much more alive & lighting is ten times better giving the whole game a "hd" feel compared to the first games grainy graphics of dark grey tones. The game opens with a brief demonstration of Mcgrath's powers and even lets you summon an electrical storm upon your enemy, but this is clearly shown to be nothing against this monster that is the beast..." Read more

Danwen Huang - December 2011

"As you approach the finish line the sense of satisfaction swells up inside you, then a blue shell approaches and blow it all up. Yes this is still the mario kart we love and hate but with a new obscure title- which is much better than calling it the 'super original' mario kart 3D- also means several new additions to the enduring franchise..." Read more

Rizwan Nazir - November 2011

"I'm going to give a different perspective on this game compared to all the other countless reviews that have given this a AAA GOTY status. Yes, the game is brilliant, well thought out and an amazing experience. However there is a flaw. It's TOO GOOD that it's over before you even realise it. When I started playing the game I was taken aback by..." Read more

Andrew Highton - October 2011

"Unbridled freedom to complete story and side-missions dispersed between exciting and useful augmentations amongst other factors make this game a must-own for 2011 and here is why - Story - You are Adam Jensen, the chief officer of security at Sarif Industries and former S.W.A.T member. Sarif Industries has hit the headlines for being able to manipulate the human body and manually reshape your own evolution..." Read more

Yuji Lloyd - September 2011

"If you had asked me a few years ago, prior to the release of 2007's Portal, what I thought about buying a game in which you essentially have to solve a series of puzzles using nothing but a teleportation gun, I probably would have laughed the suggestion off, as would almost everyone I know..." Read more

Matthew Harris - August 2011

"Codemasters' third iteration of the Dirt series could be one of the most fun and beautiful-looking racing games I have had the fortune to play! Having never played any of the other Dirt games, nor any Colin McRae games, I did not really know what to expect from this title. Upon loading the game for the first time, you are treated to a brief introduction to the Dirt 3 menu and various settings such as name and country of birth..." Read more

Daniel Quinn - July 2011

"I have been playing L.A. Noire on and off since its release and to be honest I have really mixed feelings about it. It is unusual for me not to play and complete a game over a single week after release, but with Team Bondis new detective title I felt myself losing interest after short periods in front of my television screen..." Read more

Craig Broddle - June 2011

"The Lego video games have been around for a while now, so while it's no surprise to see the biggest book-to-film franchise being given a Lego approach; it is surprising to see how original this new installment really is..." Read more

Kenji Lloyd - May 2011

"With Madden NFL 2010, we've been given a game that's more than just a game; it is as close to a true sporting experience as you can get inside your living room..." Read more

Paul Martin - April 2011

"The game actually starts early on during the Dragon Age: Origins timeline. The Hawke family are fleeing the town of Lothering, a town which gets devoured and destroyed early on in first instalment ..." Read more

Elio - March 2011

"Patapon is a rather quirky and unusual rhythm based music game unlike anything I have ever played before on console or handheld. No matter what you read or hear about this game be sure to keep an open mind, because although at first it might sound like the stupidest idea for a game you have ever heard of, it's actually addictive as hell and tonnes of fun to boot. ..." Read more

Matthew Harris - February 2011

"When I bought the Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition last month for the low price of £17, I was expecting to play a short and boring game considering the price it was worth. Having never really heard of or played any of the game before I was only really buying it as I had the money lying around. Let me just say how much of a mistake my initial perceptions were! ..." Read more

Andrew Highton - January 2011

"Sly Cooper the raccoon who's also a legendary thief descended from thieves, Bentley the exceptionally intelligent turtle and The Murrrrrrrray; a big pink hippo filled with desire and undeniable strength..." Read more

David Hawes - December 2010

"So it's finally arrived... arguably the most eagerly-awaited title of the year. Does it delivery? Well - yes and no..." Read more

M Chopdat - November 2010

"As soon as Bioshock 2 was announced, I was terrified for many reasons. First of all there was the meeting between old and new..." Read more

Jake Sommers - October 2010

"Enslaved casts you as Monkey, a recently enslaved man so-called for his climbing ability and his agressive but caring nature. The opening sequence does a brilliant job of introducing you to the mechanics of the game, set to the backdrop of a slave ship falling from the sky. It is after crash landing that you meet your companion Trip, who enslaves you (again!) and tasks you with taking her home or facing death" Read more

John Haines - September 2010

"The story of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, sadly, can only be experienced in single-player. It centres around the protagonist (you) named Marlowe, who is a member of a special-ops squad named "Bad Company", hence the title of the game. While not wanting to spoil any of the storyline for you, I will say that I found it quite engaging and very dramatic! However, it can feel a bit short, only taking 6 or so hours to complete." Read more

Philip - August 2010

"Glance and you'll miss it, but look closely enough at the bottom of the game case and you will see a small sticker. This sticker reads, 'This game was not developed, approved, or licensed by the owners or creators of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead'. This text simultaneously aims to deny any breaches of copyright whilst confirming by association that the game and the film are similar enough to warrant such a qualifying message in the first place. So is this just marketing genius to get the zombie fans salivating or a genuine instruction from Capcom's legal department? I guess we'll never know..." Read more

Paul Martin - July 2010

"Since Batman: Arkham Asylum questions have been asked why more well known brands such as Superman, Spiderman and Transformers haven't been able to produce the creative genius that Rocksteady studios produced in 2009. On June 25th 2010 Transformers: War of Cybertron was released on multiple platforms. The game was developed by High Moon Studios who are renowned for their previous outing The Bourne Conspiracy, which didn't receive many high praises from critics or the public." Read more

Simick Sofat - June 2010

"Join John Marston, a former outlaw and awesome cowboy, in this stunning Wild West adventure. Betrayed by his gang and left for dead, the player must travel across picturesque landscapes typical of the era. By the creators of GTA IV enjoy a stunning, interactive experience in one of the oldest and most popular media genres and take an active part in the ultimate spaghetti western in which you make the choices. " Read more

Paul Martin - May 2010

"Are you afraid of the dark? It's a question that will haunt you throughout your playthrough of Alan Wake. Developed by Remedy Entertainment (Most renowned for creating the Max Payne series) and Published by Microsoft the game had been originally announced in 2001 or at least the games early planning stages had been. At E3 2005 Alan Wake emerged into the limelight with mind blowing ideas and promised a story driven action, horror, survival game that would make you scream for more when the final credits appear on the screen. That said Remedy have not fallen short on their promise." Read more