Battletoads is a stunning return for both the toads and Rare, a team that hasn't had much output recently. While it can become a little tedious to play alone, this is an excellent game to try with a small group of friends on a Friday night. Humour, variety of gameplay, and local co-op make this a great addition to anyone's library.

It is nice being able run your own 2018 season in tandem with the real thing, but the Career Mode is nothing special. Even if the online mode and the eSport Championship function well enough, the lacklustre collision detection will hinder that side of the experience, too. This is flawed and rushed.

Even as a simple update with 150 brand new puzzles, Picross e3 is always going to be a guaranteed great purchase at under £5 for both those who are already addicted to this simple but testing series, and to people that have never tried a Picross game before.

Mario and Sonic's sporting antics make for an enjoyable 3DS debut that radiates character and graphical prowess, together with a wide array of varying competitive events and versatile methods of play, though a weaker multiplayer offering ensures a Silver Medal for Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games' long-range appeal.

ABBA: You Can Dance is a thoroughly entertaining package for both long-term fans of the Swedish pop sensation and those who simply love jiving along to infectious tunes.

The problem is the precise touches combined with the time attack aspects that only make for an annoying experience.

For its price and the fun factor alone, this is thoroughly recommendable.

It's hard to believe that Aperion Cyberstorm has a story with characters and text to read. Most of the time players will likely be fighting the urge to skip every line of dialogue since the story is completely frivolous and separate to the gameplay. Why so many interruptions for dialogue in what is essentially a bullet-hell shoot 'em up? It is this kind of unintuitive and backwards decision-making that has led to Aperion Cyberstorm in the first place. This comes recommended to those with sleep disorders.

A fun but obviously niche title that throws players into a deeply ecchi experience that will satisfy fans of the genre, Gal*Gun: Double Peace is excellently made for what it is, and only really falls over when it comes to performance. A thoroughly weird, perverted, but ultimately hilarious game that is going to fit well into people's Switch libraries if they are a fan of this style of content.

Lack of online aside, the game is a worthy addition to the Wii U line-up and a game-night roster.

Playing against other players in Galactic Civilizations 3: Mercenaries offers far more bang for your buck as far as this DLC goes. The AI does not seem to utilise the expansion, whereas with humans it can indeed be a very intense rush for the good ships. It will feel slightly cheap to those just beating on computers, though.

The story in this sci-fi crime drama is nice and all, but a combination of below average voice-acting, awkward-looking characters, and bad pacing ruins it all. What makes the pacing so bad? Boring puzzle after boring puzzle, with very few of them having any connection to the plot, and even less being fun to solve.

The story is horrendous, hugely convoluted, lacking any sort of pivotal moments, or interesting characters. The combat system is too manic and messy to master, leaving it as a real disappointment, overall.

This is not an RPG, but it is a highly creative and imaginative adventure game that has some spotty controls and overly cryptic puzzles.

It comes highly recommended to fans of harem style shonen anime stories and JRPGs but, in the state that it is in at time of writing, with a reservation that if portability is not a huge factor, it is better experienced on PS4 or PC, if those are available options.

It's not clear why Code of Princess on 3DS was ever a cult hit; maybe because it was the only action RPG on the 3DS at the time? Organising a local multiplayer session ends up taking up more time than the time spent playing together since the core gameplay of Code of Princess EX is very shallow and very tedious. Battles just drag on for an eternity as heroes constantly wail on goons, making everyone who is playing feel only regret. What a waste of excellent character designs that they have to be used in such a milquetoast beat 'em up.

Runaway: A Twist of Fate is a solid port of the original point-and-click adventure game for the PC.

Old lady Talma's melancholic tale of utter loneliness and inevitable end does provide some tasty breadcrumbs every now and then, but as a whole, this farm sim/narrative-driven title overstays its welcome, doesn't manage to be enjoyable, and ends up being a chore that just happens to include some pretty, and mildly coloured vistas, as well as a nice calm-and-then-ominous aura.

Appreciating the narrow focus on the game they sought to deliver was one of the better points of the experience. By stripping away a lot of excess systems it allowed a better core experience. The issues are bad optimization that leads to heavy lag and frequent crashes. Additionally the gameplay is too fast for the 'art' style of attacking to truly be effective resulting in a major loss of what was the initial draw of the game to begin with.

When in full flow, Star Overdrive gives a great sense of speed and fun from its hoverboard dynamic. It's unfortunate, then, that any reason for the exploration is missing, with similar bland puzzling and the same rinse and repeat scavenging mechanic. With the exception of some fun boss battles and hoverboard mechanics, this one doesn't stick the landing.

New graphics, quality of life improvements and humour make Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World an enjoyable platformer. Its level of challenge depends upon player experience in the genre. It is unfortunately let down by the final level which had little challenge and numerous small issues that should have been easy to fix. It is a sound title on Nintendo Switch that could do with some tweaking to make it shine at its best, but for those who love the graphic style and just want to have fun there is plenty to enjoy.

Bleeding Edge has almost nothing to offer. What potential it has in it is woefully stuck in a product that is so meagre and void of content. It is like taking a single slice of cheese, and trying to cover an entire pizza pie; there just not enough here to make this work passed a few hours, and that's all. There are not enough modes, not enough interest in the community to keep it going, and the combat is way too simplistic for high level play.

The repetition of said features, plus the lack of the Wii U's strengths being put to use is unfortunate, but dedicated One Piece fans and patient newcomers will find a lot to love.

Mr. Shifty's shifting is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable combat mechanics ever conceived. Teleporting through offices, smashing furniture and enemies in a flurry of kicks and punches is a wonderful visual spectacle, as well as an adrenaline-fuelled treat. Allowing the story to take a back seat so the action leads the way certainly feels like the best move in this case, but there's certainly some room for a more thought-out and quirky narrative. Meanwhile, some frustrating checkpoints can make the more frustrating fights that bit more annoying.

Beneath the promising concept, Home Sweet Home is as generic and bare bones as it gets for horror titles on PlayStation 4. Playing it with PSVR might be a game-changer, but without it, expect a mediocre and pedestrian first-person adventure. With only a few cheap jump-scares and some clever space twisting, this is only for people who are desperate for some scares.

Sonic Unleashed proves that Sonic Team are back on track with Sonic in some respects, but there's still a way to go before they get it right - trimming the unnecessary night-style stages away, or evening the mix of gameplay, would be a great start.

Action roguelikes are a tough genre to screw up, yet Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree manages to do that. From lacklustre in-run upgrades, to permanent progression that is boring, to perhaps the biggest problem of how utterly dry combat is, it drops the ball in many locations. The better parts, such as the banter and voice acting, are not enough to carry the woefully lacking core gameplay.

The Outer Worlds's appearance on the Nintendo Switch is welcome due to the fact that it was one of 2019's best titles. However, while still fun to play, it doesn't leverage the Switch's hardware effectively and is subsequently unpleasant to look at. This has a big impact given that the game's charm on other home consoles and PC is due in large part to its visuals. For this reason it's difficult to celebrate it until it receives a substantial performance patch.

Vambrace: Cold Soul is not bad, but it quickly becomes a mindless, repetitive, grinding slog of the same battles that require very little strategy, not to mention the lack of any sort of enemy variety. Enemies come in different forms, but basically consist of similar attacks, with varying curses, and Lyric and her party members are hardly any better. The gameplay loop of exploring, fighting and healing only suffers due to the tedious battle system and the similar-looking dungeons. Beyond that, the story and lore of Icenair is a rich world that deserved better treatment, as the various codex entries enrich the world. Vambrace: Cold Soul had a lot of potential, and while it pulls off some things well, the mechanics hold back an experience of what could've been.

While deserving accolades for trying something different and having two separate campaigns, ultimately they both end up feeling repetitive. Melee-focused combat is a fun idea, but there are too many problems and glitches. Though there are different classes, the combat is too repetitive and too much of the same thing to be fun for long. Something new was tried here, and that's commendable - it just did not hit the mark.

This is the Police is basically a visual novel disguised as a strategy videogame. Apart from a lack of any depth in its mechanics, choices don't really matter, as almost everything happens no matter what you do. The story section is a lot better, and the audio-visuals even more so, but these won't be enough to satisfy strategy enthusiasts.

It's best to think of Punch Line the visual nove/puzzler as a sort of addendum and guidebook to the anime. Fans of the show get to revisit their favourite characters and scenes in a different format, but everyone else might have a little trouble understanding the appeal. The dirty jokes and fan-service are never in short supply. Still, as long as they have the tolerance for it, viewers might happen upon something special. It definitely helps that the characters and voice-work are fantastic. Both work in unison to make every scene work. Oh, and the puzzle elements are nice too. While not deep, they add just enough of a twist to maintain one's interest.

Thanks to its familiar settings, independent storyline, and range of gameplay styles, Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded works well not only as an introduction to the series, but also as a continuation of what is most likely the zaniest storyline in gaming today.

Nintendo was wise to enlist CING once more for this second edition of Another Code as the developer has taken the best elements of both its previous DS titles, Two Memories and Hotel Dusk, poured them onto the Wii and mixed in a whole host of clever extras that make this by far the most enjoyable adventure for Nintendo's home console so far.

An iffy camera system and questionable design decisions only slightly mar what is otherwise an enjoyable battle system and notably engaging narrative in Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon for Nintendo Switch. Veterans of the first game will find a snug fit, with new players quickly welcomed in.

It gets all the basics of the genre right, but it simply lacks any depth, and becomes an incredibly grindy only a few missions into the campaign. Interestingly, all the basics are there, it merely is lacking any exciting options, choices or selections; this is in addition to a very bad 'dead zone' tactical problem that is a huge contributor to the slog. Very rapidly a player will have seen everything there is to offer and there just isn't much beyond it. The game just starts to become frustrating the more it is played.

Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility has all the staples of a successful Harvest Moon title as well as a few new welcome additions, but it's not without its flaws.

It holds amusement for a brief period, but the novelty factor phases out hastily.

Those gagging for Tennis action, or something that offers a little more than Wii Sports, should consider Nintendo / Camelot's effort as one of the better sports titles out there.

Cooking Mama 3 is a nice progression for the culinary mini-game series that has become a roaring success around the world.

It's quite telling that Ever Forward's demo (released independently with the subtitle Prologue) isn't that much shorter than an actual full play-through. Despite the title's tense stealth sections, and fairly involved puzzle-solving, the fact of the matter is that the final product plays out like the tutorial to a much longer adventure that never starts. By the time Maya's story starts to breathe, and the core gameplay begins introducing complex and layered puzzles, the journey is more or less over. The atmosphere is commendable, as are the puzzles actually present, but the is sure to leave genre veterans disappointed, and newcomers desperate for some meat to chew on.

It is really depressing to play a game like Hyakki Castle. It has some things that could have made it a good game in a vastly underrepresented genre. It got the atmosphere just right, which is one of the most difficult things to nail perfectly. However, it is dragged down by many things that while independently does not ruin a game, it destroys the game when combined. Bad mouse and keyboard controls would not ruin a game, but the painful process of making gamepads work with the game does as it is almost mandatory to use a gamepad to enjoy the game at all, and do not even get started on the hunger system that makes exploring, which is one of the core pillars of enjoyment in the genre heavily, punishable. In the end, while it is easy to want to like Hyakki Castle and see how it could have been a great game, it is too hard to not see that it isn't a good game.

For the most part the touch screen provides a great interface for constructing buildings and managing units. Unfortunately, poor path finding and AI tarnishes the experience and adds a great deal of frustration to the mix.

Kirby Fighters 2 gets a recommendation for die-hard fans of Kirby in particular and to parents looking for a game that's not too expensive and easy enough to get a grasp on for younger kids who won't mind that this is all about Kirby and no other character. There is nothing intrinsically bad about it and it is a fun experience in multiplayer, no doubt, but strip it out of the Kirby license and this falls short in terms of actual content variation. Hardcore fans of brawlers with deep gameplay mechanics like Smash Bros. will find this one somewhat lacking.

Dragon Quest Swords, despite it's rather unfortunate full name, is an all-round solid title.

Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal plays it safe with the series' established formula, which is ironic considering these titles are anything but safe. The series has always stuck to its roots and embraced the perverseness that in equal measures repels and attracts gamers, and this entry does little but remind the gaming world that these games exist. Aside from Burst Re:Newal being a ground-up remake, there's surprisingly few innovations to take the series into uncharted territory, but the combat is nevertheless enjoyable, and the story interesting enough to just about support the weaker points of the experience.

Aquanox Deep Descent is the "perfect" mediocre game. It does nothing bad, but nothing that good either. From the weak story, characters, and atmosphere, to the almost uninvolving gunfights, and unimaginative quests, this fails at being a big recommendation - especially to fans of the series. Oh, sure it has no competitors in the 'First-person Subaquatic Dystopian RPG' genre, but this doesn't mean it gets a free pass.

The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered is a solid JRPG, but its story leaves something to be desired. There is almost nothing to emotionally latch onto. However, it offers a satisfying gameplay loop for those who enjoy grinding out weapon skills and spells, and exploring vast regions. If you're looking for a more engaging narrative and deeper gameplay systems, however, Emerald SaGa might be a better choice. While both games share similar turn-based combat, Emerald SaGa boasts a richer story and more robust mechanics.

2 Fast 4 Gnomz is a very solid, challenging and fast-paced 2D platformer with a quirky atmosphere and definitely a good purchase at £4.49. While the game won't last very long, it's a very fun experience all the way through that's worth checking out, particularly for fans of Bit.Trip Runner. QubicGames has another hit to add to its roster, after the excellent AiRace and AiRace: Tunnel on DSiWare.

Gear.Club Unlimited 3 offers solid handling, a generous car roster, and welcome two‑player split‑screen support, yet the overall experience struggles to rise above average. Technical inconsistency across both visual modes, dated presentation, rubber‑banding AI, and a repetitive progression loop limit the game’s impact, while the absence of online multiplayer reduces its long‑term appeal. There are enjoyable moments, particularly in short sessions, but the Switch 2 debut of the series falls short of the standard set by Eden Games’ earlier work.

A good effort on Nintendo's DS - especially with the inclusion of wireless multiplayer and quick puzzles.

The Red Lantern has the certain indie game charm one may expect. Timberline Studio Inc. makes a decent first effort with a simple premise, good 'choose your own adventure' structure, and a cast of diverse dogs for your crew of five with a beautiful day and night cycle to top it off. Unfortunately, the title suffers from some dialogue and choice repetition and a few bugs or animations that could use some improvement.

As a homage to a classic cult anime series, Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening sort of works. The animation has the right feel, and fans of the show and those nostalgic about it will absolutely have a blast with that part. Unfortunately, the gameplay completely disregards that nostalgia this title relies on to appeal to its audience. It doesn't help that the level design is at times a massive disaster. While impressive, the boss fights, anime cutscenes, and campy '80s feel do not save this.

Definitely download this title at the earliest convenience as it is certainly one of the best eShop titles currently available on the 3DS format.

Kung Fu Rabbit is a worthy contender to an afternoon of rabbit leaping, challenging platform action. It looks pretty and handles well but still feels very much like a mobile game at heart.

A disappointing effort from the series veterans and creators - it feels as if the Wii version was considered last, with faulty controls and a blatant lack of planning when it came to motion control. There are plenty of features to dig your teeth into, but the lack of care makes it difficult to tackle without many compromises. Worth trying if you're a fan of the sport or Virtua Tennis, but only worth buying if you can become accustomed to the controls.

The general quality improvement in this game, over past entries, is mind-blowing for how solid everything is. The dark parts of the story mixed with heavy sci-fi elements are a welcome reprieve in a generally dry genre as of late. Some elements such as random combat deaths and some serious tonal dissonance at times, with its soft yuri tea party themes, is going put off some players. That aside, the solid graphics, generally interesting story and overall solid package make this an easy recommendation to JRPG fans.

Space Invaders Forever is a three-game package, where one of them is downright excellent, one of them is an interesting and fun concept, but isn't the most comfortable to play with on Switch, and the last one is only a bit of fun in multiplayer. The first of the bunch itself could justify the purchase if the package was priced a bit more sensibly, but this should really have included more of the excellent updates to the Space Invaders formula that have been released over the years. Furthermore, people who have purchased the digital package at launch on the eShop had issues getting Arkanoid vs Space Invaders to install on their system. We're told this is not a problem anymore though.

With several secrets to uncover in each stage and a risk versus reward checkpoint system, FOX n FORESTS comes off a creative action platformer with a strong identity of its own.

Overall, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Nintendo's Wii U is a decent addition to the series but lacking anything special to elevate it to that next level.

More of a refinement with extra bells and whistles over the original DSiWare game, this version of 99Seconds keeps the basic-looking overtone of the concept and adds more of what works.

The only drawbacks of this enjoyable Action RPG are the times where it is not always too clear where to head next, and the unfortunate glitches/bugs that have crept in during the transition to the 3DS system from its home console origins.

At its low price it comes highly recommended to people looking for a pure arcade experience on their console that is not pinball.

Geki Yaba Runner Deluxe, despite being ostensibly low-budget, is intrinsically a lot of fun, offering addictive, simplistic gameplay for a relatively cheap price.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is the epitome of cult, as it's clearly a love-or-hate video game, since its purposely bad control scheme and comedic approach to things is far from most people's cup of sea water. As for those who think that this is up their alley, it's best to wait a bit. Not because this isn't fun or anything, but because it's currently a bit too pricey for what's on offer.

Anyone who was already a fan of de Blob will likely enjoy replaying it on the PS4. This is as straightforward as ports go, with no added features or graphical effects. Regretfully, the pre-rendered CGI cut-scenes have not been given the care they deserve, and the controls were not carefully considered when translating them to a DualShock 4. There should have been a bit more effort put into this instead of almost none. Some annoying control quirks aside, the core gameplay still manages to be addictive. The timeless style of the visuals and jazzy music gives this a charm that is rarely achieved. Hopefully, this will pave the way for the superior de Blob 2's PS4 conversion.

Unepic is deliciously old-school and thoroughly addictive, but it feels like a snapshot of an earlier time and, as such, those who have never experienced the games that this is a love-letter to may find it hard to get on with. The writing is very hit and miss - mostly miss - but it tells a decent enough story, until its final act and the horrible endings… Ultimately, a fun but flawed experience.

This is what an expansion for this series should look like - something that doesn't feel minor and can impact choices in many areas of the actual main game itself; even ones not directly related to it. While Crusader Kings II: Jade Dragon is certainly not quite as epic as other expansions in the series, there is no denying the positives it brings, either, making it well worth the investment for those that have been enjoying the Crusader Kings II experience so far.

Spelunker Party! offers a rather meaty package that will certainly provide dozens of hours of gameplay to the right audience, those able to stand the controls and difficulty or are looking for that sort of experience. Such people certainly exist out there and, while of course the unfairness certainly doesn't reach the levels of the NES or 8-Bit computer versions, the stiffness and accuracy required when playing still feels like something from a different age that won't necessarily appeal to everybody. With that in mind, however, Spelunker Party!, like other Spelunker games, chooses that approach on purpose so as to appeal to its fan-base and certainly does succeed in that regard! It is, therefore, a fairly good rendition of the series on Nintendo Switch that should lend itself well to multiplayer Spelunker parties amongst fans both online and locally, on the go.

From its story, to its aesthetic, to its gameplay, War Tech Fighters feels like a traditional mecha anime brought to life. It's by no means perfect, often falling into the tedium of repetitive as far as its combat is concerned, but its presentation and novelty are more than enough to keep it a memorable experience all throughout. It perhaps also could have benefited from a story that felt more appropriate and in sync with the genre it's paying tribute to, but, as is, War Tech Fighters is a charming take on the giant robot niche with plenty of love to give around.

There is definitely a lot of potential here and a base to build on for future titles. Where it slips is simply a lack of content and imagination on the narrative front, with a lot of stereotypes employed within the setting. However, the gameplay fundamentals here are solid, with a fine shooting system and some impressive graphics. A bit more scale in terms of expanding from simply a linear on rails with only 180 degrees of movement stops Naked Sun from really excelling over some of the competition which have done this genre a bit better.

Other than the amusing boss battles, Nefarious is barely competent. Controlling bosses from various genres is a novel spin on the concept of the boss battle and if this was just a series of battles, like Cuphead, there could have been something worth playing here. Everything else, which is about 90% of the game, is just soul-crushing. It is the kind of title that feels like work, and continuing is just exhausting because of how poor the playbility is.

Omega Labyrinth Life was created to appeal to a very specific audience, but that doesn't mean it's a bad game - actually, it's very far from that. Matrix Software clearly understands the Mystery Dungeon formula, and they've pulled out all the stops to deliver an exceptional product. Each of the seven playable characters has their own unique qualities, and partnering them together allows for a lot of tactical options. The subject matter is definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but at least there's an option to skip past the more outrageous content. Just don't expect to find anything resembling "family-friendly" here. All in all, this is highly recommended.

Other than the common camera issues, Weakless is an interesting experience that does a great job of expressing two characters and how they view the world. Sight and sound are senses that are often taken for granted in other titles, so having an adventure that allows both, but not at the same time, makes for an interesting puzzler. Puzzles aren't too extreme and are easy to figure out and solve. Rather than treating this as a 'game,' think of it more as an experience instead, as it does away with the typical game-y aspects, to focus on exploring a world with the sensory disadvantages.

While impressive from a technical standpoint, Ultracore carries way too many flaws from the past to be a solid recommendation, whether you are a retro fan or not. Repetitive, unpolished, somewhat unfair, and very trial-and-error-y, it's pretty evident that the game's current owner didn't really do much before porting this interesting piece of old-school history to modern systems.

A commendable attempt to bring Samurai Shodown to an old portable format, even though the limited nature of the Neo Geo Pocket Color at the time does hinder Samurai Shodown! 2's chances of being able to hold much attention today. One for the diehard fans that will appreciate the effort of what was achieved with the hardware.

Collar X Malice delivers a dark and twisted thriller, filled with some of the signature elements that have made Otomate the best in what it does. The presentation and writing are absolutely some of the company's very best. While the heavy romance elements of its other games could be inhibiting to those outside its core demographic, this feels like the most inclusive of all of their titles, and one any visual novel fans could truly enjoy. This version brings the quintessential experience too. The extra side stories, and the alternative story are solid enough additions, but it's in the epilogues that this really shines. It's always wonderful to see a "What happened next" in games; addendums to the tales that deliver satisfying conclusions for each character, and that's exactly what's on hand here.

The concept of taking care of a bird of prey during a rebellion is highly appealing for bird lovers. Unfortunately most expectations of bird care and the intriguing story of Falcon Age were not met. What could have been an immersive game ported smoothly from VR, was the exact opposite with poor game mechanics, a weak ending that made playing this feel pointless and a complete waste of time. What works in VR does not always translate into an ordinary non-VR title, and Falcon Age should have remained a VR exclusive and not be released on the Nintendo Switch.

HyperBrawl Tournament plays like a big-studio freemium title, but without any of the big studio polish… and it isn't free. It might work well enough within its own context, but the player base is non-existent, plus the AI is too frustrating to make bot matches fun. There seems to be plenty of content to unlock through ranking up, but frustrating matches offer little incentive to do it. If the developer can build up a player base, this might offer a bit of fun, but as-is there's just not much to keep people coming back to this Switch version.

Ace Angler: Fishing Spirits combines the Zen of fishing with an arcade-esque gameplay loop that'll keep players coming back for more. Not every game mode is a hit - with Shark Fever and Ace Angler Party standing out as duds - but Ace Angler+, Legend of the Poisoned Seas, and the core gameplay loop more than make up for it. There is a massive variety of fish to catch, with several different stages and Rods to unlock as well. The actual fishing mechanics aren't explained too well in-game, but they're intuitive no matter the control scheme. Load times are on the long side and the gacha elements needed for unlockables aren't exactly welcome, but they're not deal-breakers, either. At the end of the day, it's just fun to sit back and experience a more action-packed take on fishing. Ace Angler: Fishing Spirits offers fishy fun for everyone.

Like past SIACTRO titles, Super Kiwi 64 does have a lot of secrets and even has a password mechanic where players can play with other skins if they find the codes hidden in the levels. It isn't a deep game and, as mentioned earlier, it is over in about an hour. However, Super Kiwi 64 is a very pleasant and cathartic experience for anyone who grew up playing Nintendo 64 or for children who are learning to play 3D games. There are not too many obstacles, most threats aren't threatening, and Kiwi's mobility and tight controls make him manageable for neophytes.

It's clear from the very first hour into the dark fantasy world of GRAVEN that this retro-flavoured FPS was not a victim of an incompetent developer, but one more example of internal problems that didn't let the team behind it complete its homage to titles like HeXen. The end result remains fun despite its many issues, like its unnecessary long length and unbalanced mechanics. Sadly, it's also very likely that players might stumble upon a game-breaking bug that will ruin hours upon hours of gameplay.

Shadow Labyrinth isn’t an awful game. It is fairly competent on a technical level and provides a lot of weapons and abilities to unlock. Unfortunately, it is lengthy and the way it is paced means the majority of it ends up dull and repetitive. The strength of its story and the occasional high points in gameplay prevent it from being terrible, but in a genre as oversaturated as search-action, this is just not good enough.

Past all of the cringe dialogue and turgid gameplay, perhaps Dustborn’s biggest sin is feeling more like vacuous agitprop than an actual story. Whatever fight against fascism Pax – and by extension Red Thread Games – had in mind, it's an unintentionally hilarious one since her words feel as plastic as her bat.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is, well, fine. It will provide a good few hours of harmless fun and raise more than a few smiles in the nostalgia sector of the cortex as Reptar beats on April O'Neil. Underneath that initial sheen however is nothing of real interest. Thankfully, support seems to be very much active and maybe the initial issues will be focused on to provide a more well-rounded, in-depth experience. For now, though, the shadow of its inspiration looms heavy and ensures that this will not be challenging for any place in the top tier of party'esque fighters for some time.

Jet Kave Adventure is a noble effort from 7Levels and mechanically it does show some promise, but it also becomes repetitive quite fast as it fails to nail the smart level design and addictive platforming action of its contemporaries. The level art is gorgeous and does a great job to enliven the sci-fi-imbued prehistoric world that the developer has created, but the platforming itself is far too uniform and simplistic to retain the player's interest. As such, it's best suited to short play sessions but even here, the experience shows too many frustrating cracks to be memorable.

If all you expect from your RPGs is groundbreaking graphics and tear-shedding cinematics, then Opoona is definitely not for you. On the other hand, if you look for a RPG that dares to stray far from the established rules of the genre, then this hidden gem in the Wii library might just be what you need, and is sure to provide loads of enjoyment -- as long as you know that it has some flaws before you jump in.

Paradoxically, Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is both too long and too short. The ingredients are there to make a surprisingly awesome game, such as a type of sphere grid, tons of different moves and equipment. However, in reality it is largely a button masher that needs far too much grind which artificially inflates the length. Overall, it was surprising how good it actually was, and there is hope they make a second one.

It isn't without its flaws in some of the duff games, but is a well-rounded package to consider for Wii U.

Kill la Kill the Game: IF has fun gameplay and a very appealing visual style, but it is let down by its inaccessible story mode and lack of content to incentivise prolonged play. The small cast of characters is forgivable because of how unique and fun each one is to play, but it's difficult to justify buying this at the full retail price when it runs so light on content. Nevertheless, the fanservice and unmistakable Kill la Kill flair is likely to delight fans, but aside from a few amusing unlockables in the gallery mode, there is little to sustain them beyond playing online.

Whilst not a travesty in the platform stakes, unfortunately Yoshi's New Island is rather bland and nowhere near the quality of Yoshi's Island on the SNES, and probably not even as interesting as the oft-criticised Yoshi's Island DS.

Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles never pretends to be anything more than a bare-bones package offering up a wealth of Picross and Sudoku puzzles, which definitely works in its favour, as gamers know exactly what they are getting - 1,000 brain-taxing teasers to help wile the time away, whilst flexing that oh-so-important muscle, the brain.

Antigraviator gets a lot of things right. Its responsive handling and evasive manoeuvres help the racing feel particularly fluid. The boosting system and the lack of a top-speed really enhances the exhilaration factor, too. Managing cells for use between boosting and traps also adds a nice strategic layer. However, the trap mechanic and how it's integrated is disappointing.

For experienced fans of the genre, the game may be a little on the easy side, but it is certainly enjoyable none the less.

Odd design choices lead to a not so stellar action game with an unfortunately generic, asset-y world design. Valkyrie Elysium has great moments but is stuck in a mediocre shell that is missing the unique draws of the previous entries in the series. Once the story gets moving it's a good Valkyrie story, but a lack of polish leaves this game floundering instead of standing tall.

Far from being the most challenging game around, its demographic of younger gamers could get many hours of enjoyment out of this one for a small price if it was able to even bring a few smiles to some boring game reviewer's mouth through its occasional clever design.

The Malgrave Incident is not only the best in the seek-and-find genre on Wii, but one of the best on the market in general.

Pathologic 2 is extremely unpleasant and crushing to play, but that is seemingly the entire point. The thought and effort poured into the balance of all the economies to make every action carry immense weight took courage from the developer. Haruspex are healers with a single purpose and live to save lives, but living does not come so easily in Pathologic 2. Those who are fascinated by the prospect of an immersive survival game where the fun is trying to make the best out of a losing situation will find this worth their time. Just keep an eye on your blood pressure while playing.