Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess

Although rough around the edges, Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess gives players a chance to kill people in some of the most brutal ways possible. Fans of wanton violence and Rube Goldberg contraptions will have a bloody good time setting off traps. And with two full games to choose from, this PlayStation 4 port will keep sadistic murderers busy for dozens of hours.

While I have some issues with the way Deception IV explores its themes, it is nonetheless a very fine and entertaining game, and I can guarantee you that there is nothing else quite like it on the PlayStation 4.

Anyone looking to get into the Deception series should do so with The Nightmare Princess, it’s as a top-notch game and one destined to be a cult classic down the line.

Here's the bad news for those of you who already bought the original. While the new story is enjoyable and the Studio is fun to mess around with, you aren't really getting a substantial new expansion to pour over for weeks here -- think of it more like a hefty DLC package. In other words, unless you absolutely love Deception, it probably isn't a good idea to shell out $50 for Nightmare Princess.

Still a little bit repetitive, but indeed the best version available. If you're looking for something original, then it's worth a try.

Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess is a surprisingly sadistic guilty pleasure.

There are two sides to The Nightmare Princess. As a standalone package it is impressive. The original game plus the new additions are more than worth the price. The downside is if players already owned the original, there is no simple way to upgrade. It is all or nothing.

Just beware a few sharp edges. [Oct 2015, p.91]

If you’re a fan of torturing foolish NPCs, perhaps in games like Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror, or locking the butler in the fridge back in Tomb Raider 2, then you’re going to have some fun with Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess. It takes some patience to deal with its quirks, and it’s not likely to be something which you can play for hours at a time, but it’s still well worth a look.

Clever as ever, and as much poetic. The game does not bring much in the sense of new content, but extends the successful formula to deliver another puzzle-ish bloodbath. May be pricey, but it's pretty spicy.

In the end, Deception IV has a few kinks in its mechanics, but not enough to explode in your face.

In Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess we find a neat puzzle game where synchronization and pace are essential to earn the highest scores.

With the added campaign, more traps and improved (yet still not contemporary) visuals, the Nightmare Princess on PS4 is the best Deception 4 you can get. Too bad that Tecmo Koei didn’t improve AI as well.

Macabrely original murder ’em-up that defies categorisation, and its numerous rough edges, to make being evil more fun than in almost any other game.

However, despite the new content, it would be tough to tell players of Blood Ties that The Nightmare Princess is worth its $50 price tag, seeing as its repetitive, core gameplay is exactly the same, and the environments are still a bit bland. If, on the other hand, you are a newcomer to the series, its unique and strategic style of gameplay makes The Nightmare Princess somewhat of a novelty, and quite possibly worth your time.

Deception IV on PS4 is fun with all its entertaining traps but does get a little too repetitive and looks dated as well.

As a successor to an admired name from a bygone era, Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess falls short of accrued expectations. As a means of introducing a different style of game to a different time and place, Deception IV is an exemplar of viable defiance against rote standards. Your position determines Deception IV's place—a setting made homelier through The Nightmare Princess' abundance of extra content—but it doesn't impede its lack of conformity.

It's worthwhile just to get the trap sim action on PS4, but the asking price is a bit high for double-dipping if you've already played Blood Ties.

If epic stories are your thing, then you probably won't get much enjoyment out of Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess. But the point of the game is its murderous sandbox, and things have only improved in that regard since the original outing was released.

A good entry point to the franchise if you want one, but The Nightmare Princess has much more appeal for established fans.

An expansion of the original Deception IV which features tons of novelties which really pump up the playability and lastability of the game.

Look past its dated graphics, and players will find a game steeped in strategy and high on challenge. Despite the repetition, there’s no disputing that chaining together a huge combo to torture and kill mere mortals can be an extremely satisfying way of releasing your daily stresses.

Torture, strategy and fun in Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess, lacking a degree but also with a sense of black humor ... pretty.

While attractive in the construction play, the title offers the dynamics a little lazy, which could annoy the majority of players.

High on content, but still full of the flaws that plagued its predecessor, Nightmare Princess is an intriguing romp that can't satisfy discerning palates. It remains quite extravagant in the strategic genre though.

Even with the new additional content in this “Game of the Year” like instalment, it would have been more ideal for the new content to be a DLC package for Deception IV: Blood Ties instead of part of this re-released version.

It's a game that only fans of the saga should consider. Everyone else might find it odd at the very least. The new content is quite a lot, though, so it might be an interesting package for everyone who's already involved in the Deception franchise.

The daughter of the devil will do everything to free her father... that's where you'll have to intervene.

It has an interesting mix of tower defense and action gameplay, with a quite challenging A.I. that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Too bad the technology it uses is quite old and the story so weak.

When you have a game with so many issues to polish, you shouldn't make what you think is a remaster, making the same mistakes. A good example of how not to enter next-gen.

If you are willing to put a lot of time and effort in with The Nightmare Princess in order to unlock the more elaborate traps and levels, then you’ll find a game which will perfectly scratch that sadistic itch. Otherwise, the game’s shortcomings continue to botch a series we would otherwise love.