The heavy criticism towards Warcraft III: Reforged has nothing to do with the quality of the experience therein. This remains the wonderful real-time strategy that thousands of people have loved. The real problems begin when you take the changes of this remaster into consideration. The half-baked, unimpressive new engine and hit-or-miss design choices; the numerous bugs and network issues; and, finally, those mind-numbing, corporate-smelling decisions, like the fact that custom maps now belong to Blizzard, or how Reforged effectively ruins the original for those who don't even own the new game.

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.

What remains on 3DS is still very much a good and enjoyable experience for sure, granted that the user manages to get used to the cumbersome control scheme.

Heracles Chariot Racing is a pretty fun substitute for Mario Kart for the price, but it pales in direct comparison to the Nintendo series from which it takes many of its concepts. It's best played in multiplayer, but the necessity to own so much plastic for it to be used to full potential and the lack of online hurt the title.

One more by-the-numbers anime-flavoured RPG, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles turns out to be a title whose most exciting feature is its name. With its boring story, repetitive gameplay, and general lack of challenge and incentive, it's impossible to recommend this to anyone but the most die-hard of fans… and even they can find better alternatives.

For long-time fans, Super Robot Wars Y is probably...maybe...hopefully a buffet of nostalgia. The thrill of assembling a dream team of mechs and watching them interact, however briefly, is pretty darn cool if an afficionado of the genre. As a standalone product? It never rises above its crossover gimmick and is far from a solid recommendation for those in love with tactical games. Oh, and the price tag is ridiculous.

It is mired by a litany of hurdles, that perhaps a more patient player can deal with, but many will really wrestle with this - for them it is advised to seek out PoEII on a platform that it's design is more inherent. At very least, wait until a patch can fix some glitches, and the egregious loading times, in particular. Someone that can get beyond those inconveniences will discover there is a deep novel-esque adventure to be had. This adventure is full of loot, bounties, ship battles, and engaging fetch quests; all of the usual RPG fare that would keep aficionados happy. The island setting is memorable and full of lyrical, witty writing to be discovered which is great. When it works, it can be immersive and no doubt extensively replayable. It's just a shame that it didn't quite nail the port execution.

Citizens of Space is an amusing comedic RPG that is very rough due to technical issues. Perhaps after the bugs get ironed out it can be recommended, but in its current state it just has too many flaws that will distract. The side-quests are amusing as varied enough to break up the completely linear main plot and one could easy find these optional diversions to be the most entertaining piece to this package. Anyone who enjoyed Citizens of Earth is certain to get a lot of enjoyment from Citizens of Space.

Simultaneously acting as a spiritual successor to Gone Home and a creative leap away from its past legacy (under the Fullbright name), Open Roads can’t avoid being a hodgepodge of conflicted identities. It’s a "walking sim" template with artificially-constrictive interactivity woven into a mother-daughter relationship that’s strapped of gripping drama. Improved production values can only paper over what is otherwise this team’s weakest outing to date.

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.

Two things must be taken into account here. First, AT SUNDOWN: Shots in the Dark is extremely light on content. Secondly, and maybe, more importantly, it uses a stealth mechanic that enables hiding from plain sight (your sight included) by walking into the dark; a mechanic that will probably turn out to be quite divisive. Definitely try out a demo before a purchase.

Arcade Sports has a decent mixture of games in its package, but unfortunately a few issues hold back what is otherwise a good collection.

Ultimately, Poison Control is a let-down of how good it could have been. Utterly lacking in the cohesive element, some parts absolutely stand out, where so many others fall far short. The shooting is serviceable, the 'cleaning' gets old fast, and the story doesn't really go anywhere. Poisonette and the main character have a great dynamic, which serves to only show how short other aspects really fell short.

The Count Lucanor is as average as it gets. The most impressive aspect is definitely the animated cut-scenes and how many different ways the story can be completed. The problem is that the whole thing is over so quickly - about as long as it takes to tell an actual fairytale. In-game pixel art fails to impress and the amateurish designs and animations undercut the story and themes as depicted in the writing and cut-scenes. Also, Metal Slug 3 is on the Nintendo Switch and runs perfectly, so there is no reason why The Count Lucanor suffers some egregious performance issues.

Strobopahgia certainly has a lot of potential, with a strong aesthetic and some good core concepts, but it plays as an unfinished experience. With more polish in the later acts of the game, expansion on some of the weaker endings, and fleshing out of the music and ambient sound throughout, the game really could stand out. As it is now it would be hard pressed to impress more casual gamers, but for the more horror inclined player looking for something different it would be an interesting hour or two.

Ice Cream Surfer is a reasonably fun little timewaster, and at a time where shoot 'em ups are fewer and further between, some diehard shooter fans might feel like this is worth a punt.

God of War: Sons of Sparta is a tedious and garden-variety metroidvania that brings nothing interesting to show to the class. This prequel stretches over 20 hours, filled with unnecessary padding and the least interesting iteration of Kratos yet, relying on trite game design and utterly soulless execution. Young Kratos, stripped of his signature rage, is an utter dullard preaching honour amidst joyless obedience. There’s no fury, no peril, just persistent boredom, proving that some origins are best left as a mystery.

KickBeat: Special Edition is thoroughly average.

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.

Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria may have been a hit on iOS, but on a dedicated gaming handheld it's totally out of its league, offering mechanics far too outdated to be considered engaging these days.

5 minutes of Spellagis is fun… but it remains the same even after 5000 minutes. There simply is no variety to speak of. The arenas, the enemies, the abilities of your auto-shooting mage - they are all extremely unimaginative. In essence, this is entertaining enough to keep most playing it until they reach 100% completion rate… which is easy to do in one single day.

Assassin's Creed III gave you the chance to enjoy some simple yet fun Assassin's Creed action, in a vast, Colonial-era Boston - and now you can carry all that on your backpack. It wasn't perfect, sure, but the same can be said for the rest of the earlier entries as well. The real disappointment here comes from its new, remastered iteration, which doesn't really upgrade things as much as it should - at least when it comes to the Switch, which is the worst of the available versions.

This isn't an awful game - it's just that, for the most part, it isn't much of one.

A frustrating case of style over substance, Near-Mage dazzles with its art direction and whimsical Eastern European charm but fails to back it up with compelling storytelling. What begins as something that looks it will turn into a heartfelt journey into a world of wonder, fizzles into a predictable plotline with shallow characters and gameplay that rarely requires more than clicking and walking from A to B. This is undoubtedly a passion project, but passion alone can’t save what can be described as an impressive spell full of sparkle and colour that’s barely potent.

Between the terrible story and characters, and the poor performance on Switch 2, it is really difficult to recommend Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. That isn’t said with any delight, either, as the level of customisation and depth to combat is something to be admired, but with only a dreary open world to explore, and no space combat to be found, there is a lot left to be desired. Mech-obsessed fans that can hook up for party play will find fleeting enjoyment if mission and loot-based gameplay is sought after. Other interested folk may need to hope Marvelous puts in a lot of post-release work to get this one up to standard, though.

Ixion perhaps could be used as an example of flying so high... and then missing the mark and falling pretty far down. There was so much to recommend and enjoy about the game, especially if only checking the first few hours. But the more you play, the flaws, difficulty, unraveling story, and pretty much everything else frustrates the player to such a degree that many players are not going to finish the game, either due to the difficulty, or simply not wanting to do the same thing for 5 hours and hoping their ship doesn't blow up randomly.

For short, nostalgic blasts of fun Venture Kid succeeds in almost every respect. While there's fun to be had here, it's painfully clear that, just like playing the game itself, everything is just going through the motions. The excellent soundtrack may even be enough to warrant a dabble, but with nothing new brought to the table, there's no reason to spend your hard earned cash, when the games that this owes so much to its design and creation can be purchased. There are a lot worse than this, sure, but be aware that once completed the first time, multiple revisits are unlikely. Fun? Certainly, but with little variation in gameplay or level design there is not enough for this to stay interesting in the long term. With a little more risk-taking in development, a craving of individuality, and a creative spark, Venture Kid could have gone far.

Abyss is a tidy mini game with responsive controls and an easy to pick up and play formula, but it's just far too short and lacks any replay value. It's the budget price tag that saves it from being less than an average game, though. For any parents out there that might be after a game that is simple enough for children to play and keep them occupied for a little while, Abyss would be ideal, especially given the cost. However, for anyone else, that couple of quid is probably best saved for something else.

The heart-breaking visual novel known as Empty Horizons is… decent. Definitely far from bad, but, apart from big time genre fans, and, specifically, Ebi-hime fans, most are advised to start with something more meatier, like Asphyxia.

Moco Moco Friends is neither bad, nor is it good. For fans utterly desperate for a monster game that isn't Pokémon, it could suffice.

Mononoke Forest is difficult to recommend, because the learning curve is difficult to describe. Honestly, it's enough to make many gamers turn away, and for good reason. If one were to get past the obnoxious controls and the initially confusing gameplay, however, there's something enjoyable buried here - it's a shame that it's so frustrating getting to it, though.

Even if a fan of sci-fi and visual novels, Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition will largely fail to click with most. The pacing is way too slow, the characters are not interesting, and the overall plot takes too long to get going. Despite a few redeeming factors, it simply cannot be recommended due to the many failings across the board.

With WWE 2K Battlegrounds, 2K has made it impossible to recommend for price and value. All aspects of the game revolve around microtransactions and by offering so little to begin with, the motivation to continue playing isn't present. Even the little things that make WWE games worth playing, such as seeing your favourite star enter the arena, are ruined with short audio clips and the same punch out of casket or box entrance. With baffling modes and gameplay that doesn't ever need to extend past single button bashing, it really highlights how 2K have gone for the cash grab and decided a mobile game may reach a wider audience on consoles. This is one title that needs to Rest….In……Peace.

An enjoyable Klondike Solitaire experience, with some nice anime cutes that make the view better. While there's nothing wrong with that concept, but Pretty Girls Klondike Solitaire PLUS manages to ruin the fun by being way to short on content, be it the time to do everything that needs to be done here, or simply unlocking more girls and/or outfits. Nothing PLUS about this, sorry.

This is the type of game that should be an automatic hit for RPG players, but there is something missing in the complete package. The graphics are good, and typical genre staples are present, but ultimately it gets lost in itself. Overall this is a solid title, but in the end it lacks heart. It does everything averagely, and nothing especially rises above, or provides anything unique - unfortunate, as its ingredients definitely lend itself to what might have been a really great game.

By no means the worst in this unfortunate line of adventure games, Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice has forgotten what makes a Leisure Suit Larry game fun. What's that? Well, apart from puzzles that don't drag out so freaking long, a Larry game mostly needs that kind of naughty humour that's less about penis-shaped props, and way-too-obvious dirty jokes, and more about the loser protagonist's lust getting him into all sorts of crazy situations.

With the pedigree and ideas going into this, Phoenix Point should have been much, much better than it is. The cool ideas are overshadowed by ever-present bugs, glitches, and hiccups that constantly get in the way of the player. Even excusing these, the ideas and presentation come off as incredibly bland very soon into the adventure. Little customization, little options, and little reason to care about your soldiers or base, round out reasons this is in need of massive updates and overhauls if it is to be saved.

Fans going into Contra: Operation Galuga will be very bored and repulsed by the hideous mobile-like graphics. Anyone else who just wants to mindlessly run and gun while taking it easy, might have a few hours of amusement. The lack of polished controls and excessive load times on Nintendo Switch don't do this one any favours, either. This is a very mediocre shooter that plays it too safe and feels soulless.

It certainly has some potential, but Rhapsody constantly disappoints.

Check Nihilumbra out if feeling deprived of some 2D platforming on Wii U, but it is a forgettable experience.

Abomi Nation actually plays better than it looks. What really holds it back is simply optimization and settings that largely don't work. The combat is simplistic, with many moves being useless. One of the advantages is a story that actually is better than might be deigned simply from the pictures. Fans of the challenge mode will likely enjoy it, and with a few patches under them, expect the experience to improve. Other than those looking for something exactly like this, most will be put off by too many other things.

The Low Road is an incredibly standard point-and-click adventure that only manages to stand out thanks to some interesting visuals and its variety of splash screen style puzzles. The automobile corporate espionage plot begins with promise, but unfolds into an incoherent farce that fails to keep any emotional investment. Unappealing character designs and laughable animation give a very amateurish and childish impression, clashing with a mature plot. The Low Road would have made for a more interesting movie than a videogame.

Eternal Hope is reasonably well designed in terms of gameplay, even if the controls feel sloppy and some puzzles do not always make much sense. It is difficult to make puzzle games last very long, but this one definitely has enough length for its low price point. A stronger story or tighter gameplay would have made this game into a great one, and the team behind this adventure certainly has the potential to do it, but as it is, Eternal Hope just lacks focus.

Despite the occasional clunkiness in battles, there is a well-developed battle system lurking beneath the surface that really just needed a bit more polish. Unfortunately, there's a lot of crippling little details between the battles, systems, and presentation that add up to a very lukewarm start for the series outside of Japan.

Curse of Osiris doesn't really do anything to enhance the Destiny 2 experience, aside from the new raid and some nice quality of life upgrades. The campaign portion is tedious and doesn't live up to its potential in the slightest. There's also an annoying reliance on the Eververse system for obtaining the expansion's new gear, to the point where it feels straight up player hostile. For hardcore Guardians, Curse of Osiris is a necessity to keep up-to-date with the latest gear and power level increases, but for everyone else, this is not a meaningful addition to the core game.

A conflicting compilation of Sonic games that does plenty right in remastering some of the blue hedgehog's classic Mega Drive hits, but lets everyone down with unnecessary money-grabbing DLC, while not offering anywhere near the amount of content that really should be here in terms of the Sonic series' vast history. Still with bugs to fix, time will tell if Sonic Origins becomes a respectable overall package, but it will suffice for the more casual fan after a bigger price drop.

There's a fair bit to like about Diablo IV — best-in-class sound design, intriguing character classes, fantastic graphics and occasionally addictive gameplay all feel like the series in its prime. However, even the best parts are let down by an undercurrent of frustrating design choices: the cynical inclusion of a Battle Pass, a bloated open world, repetitive mission structure and progression that too often feels meaningless cast a long shadow that let the latest Diablo title down. Future Seasons may refine what's here, but many of its issues sadly feel baked into the core experience. All but the most die-hard fans may wish to wait for a substantial sale on this one.

Elderand is the definition of disappointing. There's no big flaw to point at, apart from the fact that this is extremely afraid to do… well, anything apart from the basics. The result is something that looks good, sounds good, and feels good, but never really manages to be more than 'ok.' It's a well-crafted 'ok,' with nothing to show for that could separate it from the rest of its competitors, old or new.

Endless Ocean Luminous caught a lot of attention amongst fans of the series when announced. Those who enjoy long, peaceful diving sessions may well feel at home with Endless Ocean Luminous. It's a formula that, on paper, had a lot of potential to have opened up the flood-gates (pun intended) for a comprehensive diving experience - especially with the capabilities of the Nintendo Switch. Initially it's a bright and intriguing but drifts off into the mundane fairly quickly.

Boo! Greedy Kid is an arcade action title that plays more like a puzzler, and where the name of the game is making old people meet their maker, so that you can empty their pockets to buy a few cans of soda. Sadly, the previous synopsis is far more exciting than the actual experience of playing this, as it soon turns out to be an annoyingly repetitive, forgettable, and unimaginative deal.

There's some cross-country joy to be found in Dakar 18, but it could have been much more rewarding and successful considering the unique brand of rallying it represents. It is fun endlessly launching over sand dunes, hopping out of the car to be sporting by towing a competitor out of a jam, and finding one's way back on track after getting lost. Unfortunately, the fundamentals are out of whack.

This one's a particular shame, though, as it's actually got some good gameplay behind it - it's just too short to be recommended, and doesn't deserve any higher than the most average of marks because it's held back by the length issues.

Those looking for a turned-based RPG, inspired by the golden oldies, are advised to look exactly where Earthlock took its inspiration from, as it's not very good at what it does. Some neat ideas have been included, but these can't make amends for a lack of an engaging plot, or fun battles.

When the story hits some of its high points, AI: The Somnium Files is really good, and feels like the same kind of high 999 gave… but it is largely crippled by just how slow and repetitious it all is. Random slapstick and outright unrealistic scenes draws players out very quickly from the attempt at being a serious plot. It goes nowhere fast, and the whiplash between attempts at humour and serious moments are too ham-fisted. The overall plot could easily be cut by more than half, and the overall experience would be better for it.

An appreciated effort then, yet easily forgotten.

Unfortunately, you can only work with what the era of Pogs and Blockbusters gave you and the Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection is a collection of titles mostly for novelty and nostalgia value. There is fun to be had if you are the type of person with a hankering for some raptor spankering, but likely, this will leave most newcomers feeling a little lost and underwhelmed by the difficulty and lack of features to make all on offer here more accessible.

Defenders of Ekron is a Metroidvania-esque mech game, which sounds like a certain recipe for success. While the action is fun when everything is working well, the game-breaking bugs destroy whatever enjoyment this title had going for it, and they are too great to be ignored or overlooked.

Destiny Connect: Tick-Tock Travelers is a child-friendly, happy-go-lucky, time-travelling adventure that's enjoyable... for about an hour or so. Simply put, there are far better JRPGs out there - many of them equally carefree and friendly towards young gamers and newbies, and even more so.

Nothing special once again for the next in line in Shadow of the Tomb Raider's season pass. A simple battle and a different, but not overly difficult, tomb work to pass the time, with a handful of decent rewards on offer at the end. It still does nothing to light up what has been a very average set of download content, though.

With another platforming and puzzle area to tackle before the main tomb itself, this could have been something that topped maybe all of the previous DLCs for Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Instead, The Grand Caiman is over too quickly, despite the decent tomb embedded in the volcano.

Music On: Electric Guitar has tried hard in some aspects to replicate how it feels and sounds to play a guitar. It's certainly not a bad effort, but the lack of additional features hurts the app. In addition, the concept won't appeal to everyone, but those that are intrigued will find reasons to come back for a five minute twiddle when the situation permits.

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.

Unbox: Newbie's Adventure does have appealing factors, such as a breadth of challenges and large sprawling hubs; however, the game is somewhat let down by poor visuals coupled with frustrating platforming sections that can often go wrong by no fault of your own. Unbox has released in a year where mascot platformers have returned with a vengeance, and unfortunately cannot stand toe to toe with them.

Undead Bowling on Nintendo 3DS eShop has a lot of small problems that add into larger issues, but this game still has a lot of fun to offer. There is a nice original game at work here, but it definitely needed a little more care and attention, and sadly proves to be one of the weaker releases on the Nintendo 3DS eShop.

ZAMB! Redux isn't a spectacular game, but it offers a decent time nonetheless. The two playable characters have some interesting designs due to how different they function from one another, and there's enough challenge and extra objectives to go after to make this sometimes feel satisfying. Unfortunately, the gameplay and enemy design don't change enough between levels to equal a memorable experience, but it's still enjoyable enough while it lasts.

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.

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.

Arcade Archives: Karate Blazers offers the retro-loving community a ‘90s beat ’em up that does the unthinkable: it’s even more generic and repetitive than the rest of its ilk. A charmless imitation of Final Fight, while functional and initially enjoyable, its overly long and repetitive levels quickly drain what little fun there is to be had here. Aside from the four-player co-op appeal, it remains an unoriginal, merely “okay” arcade relic mainly suited to devoted old-school collectors - and even they can find better pieces of software to spend their money on.

Some titles grow graceful with age, but others fall by wayside, and, unfortunately, this is a pure example of the latter. This is not to say that Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm does not have redeemable qualities. The foundations of a great fighting franchise were laid in this iteration through its innovative control scheme, but outside of this, it's a pretty unremarkable game, where the positives are too few and far between to recommend in 2018, especially when the latter entries better the fighting formula and are priced the same.

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.

FIFA 13 is by no means the most incompetent of football titles on the market, but it is certainly not a patch on Konami's revived Pro Evolution Soccer series. With a somewhat frustrating updated play mechanic and shoddy presentation it is bad enough. The fact that this is the exact same game as last year's FIFA 12 merely adds insult to injury.

Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love is a point-and-click adventure taking place during the Cold War, that happens to be a light satire of the "Reds." That's not a bad premise, and Artifex Mundi's creation is far from a bad experience - but it's far from entertaining either. Most of the comedy is heavy-handed, the satirical aspect is very hit and miss, and the puzzle-solving can often feel like an array of chores. Lower your expectations upon entering - as if paying a visit to Matryoshka itself.

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.

At best, this is just a very gimmicky adventure game. Each level having its own thing is a bit refreshing from always having to pixel-hunt for objects, tying simplistic stats into the mix adds some planning, and the way this title forces players to commit to their actions is nice. Sadly, as the journey reaches its half-way point, the story unravels in a very unsatisfying manner. Characters are built up and don't get the proper pay-off, while some disappear entirely. Given the hallucinatory nature of the story, it can be difficult to discern what is real and unreal. This was by design since you can't have a Lovecraft story without people losing their minds, but Call of Cthulhu needed to "wow" people in the endings, not betray them.

Some interesting things happen in Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 4: What Ails You, and it is better than previous efforts, but they are the kind of things that should have happened a long time ago, as they don't really have the necessary power to make you as eager to experience the end of this journey as it should.

Great ideas and some outright fun is far too often marred by technical glitches, a maddening GUI, and simply overwhelming amounts of numbers and terms with very little information as to what any of it does. The originality of the game is cool but there are too many ideas were packed in without actually making sure they all work together coherently.

DOOM 64 is considered a cult classic, meaning that the people who love it, really love it. The one writing this doesn't though. It is way too slow, tries to have a horror atmosphere (and almost succeeds), although it is in no way a horror game, and, most importantly, the level design is mediocre at best, as it's more about flipping switches than killing demons. Those who loved the original will be glad to know that this is a very good port, with FHD resolution and an improved frame-rate - just don't expect any new content.

It is a shame that Autonauts has a notable bug that rapidly reduced enjoyment and led to a premature end of the game. The style and concept are well executed, allowing many approaches to completing progression goals that are so numerous completionists will be in heaven. Creating and replacing tools as they break is an acceptable part of the game, but constantly having to stop and start robots in their actions because of an inexplicable error loses the whole automated process that is central to Autonauts' functionality.

Some pretty cool ideas and fun battle set-ups are largely handicapped by bad controls, and the campaign needs some overhauling with its length and unlock structure. These small things get in the way of the simple fun of watching crazy battles unfold. Ultimately, there are only so many things to try before it starts to become boring. Largely the battles are its strength, and far too often the game trips up on itself, when it would be better served getting out of the way.

A fun scrapper for younger minds, and an effective showcase for the 3D effects' capabilities, but the repetitive and short nature of Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D ensures that it won't be long before its time in your 3DS becomes a thing of the past.

Momonga Pinball Adventures is the definition of a mediocre game.

Underwhelming is what perfectly describes Flynn: Son of Crimson, which is a shame, as the pixel art is top-notch (even if it's forgettable) and there are no mechanical flaws to talk about. Sadly, this just isn't enjoyable, with the almost child-friendly difficulty and repetitive gameplay making it hard to remain invested throughout.

Even die-hard True Believers will be hard pushed to find much enjoyment here.

The definition of mediocre, Armored Lab Force VULVEHICLES is fun… but for only a bunch of minutes - which is actually the amount it takes for 10 or so levels to be completed. The saving grace of the game is the variety in the flying tanks called Velvuhicles, but even them (or the anime cuties that drive them) aren't enough to turn this into a big recommendation.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 is a predominantly unremarkable title that fails to hook you in any meaningful way. Combat is an integral part of the game, but it is a largely repetitive and unsatisfying affair due to an over-reliance on under-powered attacks and button-bashing.

While the foundational elements are all here, ultimately, there are bound to be JRPGs that are more worth your time.

There are a lot of classic RPGs out there on PSN and the Wii U's eShop and many of them are definitely worth playing, but Alphadia Genesis is not one of those - unless there is an insatiable desperation for a turn-based RPG, that is.

A compilation does not need to do much to honour its legacy. It is expected that the games play exactly as they did when they released, at the very least. Having them play worse is unacceptable. The technical issues may not be as noticeable in some titles, but they utterly break the likes of Alien Soldier.

It is so difficult to recommend Warriors Orochi 4 right now when the series has made a name for itself through re-released games with added story content, characters and modes. Why would this title be any different? The main story is an enjoyable enough ride for hack and slash fans, but that's really all there is to it (unless you have an online subscription and want to battle with friends). Just wait for the inevitable ultimate edition in a year's time.

The return to Yenching in Legend of Kay Anniversary is not the complete package as one would've hoped for. While the adventure itself stays true to the original, it unfortunately stays too true for its own good. The faults that it contained are still prevalent in here, and the whole mechanics also feel dated and are missing that revamp that other remade platformers contain, such as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. However, when looking past the dated mechanics and annoying camera angles, Kay's journey can be a fun little treat to spend 10 to 15 hours in, though it does require a heap of patience to be able to fully enjoy it.

Simplistic, arcade high-scorer, GAUGE, can definitely be fun for 30 or so minutes, and for those into the leaderboard-ascending business, addicting even - but it will soon get insanely boring, and, due to the LSD-like visual effects, extremely tiring, especially for those who have photosensitivity issues.

The Valiant's story is actually pretty interesting, but the gameplay (one of the core aspects of strategy titles) is just very middling. From unit issues like pathing and not all of them fighting, to the fact that there's not much to really do, and the very "samey" combat unfortunately side-line the story. This feels a little too unpolished to have been released yet.

It's unlikely that Bouncy Bullets was designed to be a time sink, and rather it merely exists to provide a few hours of fun for a low price. It features simple stages that requires fast reflexes to navigate through a series of platforms, while gunning down any enemies or obstacles, with the sole aim to score the fastest completion times for the maximum three-star accomplishment. Bouncy Bullets is fun in short-bursts but it won't last any longer than a couple of hours and it probably won't be an experience worth going back to after the initial run, due to its lack of depth. If anything, the easy-to-get platinum trophy may be the only redeeming factor to make this experience one worth thrashing out for a couple of hours.

To its credit, The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker does work far better than it should given how much the randomness holds it back, but it could have been significantly better with a more focused storyline.

With initial excitement having died down a few months after the game's release, FIFA 19 stands exposed for what it is: another recycled iteration of a franchise that sorely needs refreshing. Both off the pitch and on it, FIFA 19 is a hollow experience, yet another broken promise and a slap in the face of what we have come to expect from good game development. To truly compete in the gaming arena, FIFA must lace its boots and pull up its socks if it is to achieve what it too lazily sets out to each year.

Steel Empire is a good game at its core, and it was far ahead of its time when it first came out. The problem is, though, that at this point and time a lot of the game's elements are extremely dated.

A somewhat droll campaign will greet players of Modern Warfare II. It's a short bombastic romp with some fun gunplay moments and fantastic graphics. The multiplayer, however, is a miss as it is no longer a properly combined entity and the lack of replayability is disappointing. A recommendation for CoD fans but for anyone even slightly on the fence perhaps keep shopping or waiting for a sale.

You can see the direction Awesome Play were trying to go with Speed Zone, but it just doesn't come off. The modes are there, the speed the title touts can be there, but the controls are not what they should be.