It feels largely unchanged from its predecessor, but the general core systems it is based on are well refined enough that it still offers a good challenge for those with the patience to tackle it.

In the end, Just Cause 3 does not make as much of an impact on the genre that it’s predecessor did. But just because that is the case, that does not mean that this is a bad game, it’s far from that, it’s a good game that knows what it wants to be.

It’s far from perfect but it supplies gamers with a decent action experience with an awesome QTE mechanic to show off scenes that are totally outrageous, but so memorable.

Would I recommend the game? Yes, I would. It is fun, fast, frantic, chaotic, rewarding when played in a group and infuriating. So pretty much all the ingredients for a good old-fashioned night in around the TV with some like-minded buddies. It's a shame online wasn't included and not as much effort was made in the game's menu presentation, but for such a low price point, it is definitely worth a purchase.

I feel that Cladun Returns: This is Sengoku!’s repetitive issues will cause some people not to find any appeal in the game – you cannot get around the point that this game is driven by some grind and trial and error elements. If that gameplay loop doesn’t fit for certain people, then those will not have fun. For others, Cladun Returns: This is Sengoku! can offer a amusing challenge that scratches an addictive itch, but those will need to stomach some of its frustrations to find what makes it a good game and reap the rewarding gameplay after taking a few missteps inside its challenging dungeons.

Fans of the genre should fully enjoy what is on offer here, and newcomers who are looking for a few days of cooperative fun - problems with pacing and small glitches aside – should gather some friends and sit back and enjoy a few evenings of Victorian dungeon crawling – it’s finger clicking good.

Despite its faults, it is definitely worth gathering some friends to play it with at least once, and you can figure out how you feel about it from there.

We need more Volt Patrol – it’s too interesting not to push any further than this. Until then, I seriously recommend it if it looks like something you’d be into but just be warned, you’ll come away itching for more and there’s nothing else to fill that void. Also – I hate you drones! How do you work?!

In the end, Fairy Fencer F is a solid RPG that does not break any new ground, but trims enough of the fat for an easily digestible experience.

LEGO: LOTR does enough to be interesting and is a recommended title for anyone who is in the process of a Middle-earth binge.

At a cheap 800 Microsoft points, the game certainly merits trying. It goes without saying that as more people purchase it, the game's experience will only become better. Until then, long load times and a tough reward system ensure that it certainly caters to the niche of insanely fast-shooters, but might be unforgiving and underwhelming to other types of gamers.

Event[0] is a visually appealing game with some great sounds to boot. The story however seems loose and doesn’t get fleshing out enough.

As it stands, PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale is a cool, if limited, way to celebrate the history of Sony's time in the videogame business. It is just a shame that some of the ideas that give the game its own identity spoil it.

In the end, Megadimension Neptunia VII can certainly be classified as the biggest and most competent Neptunia game to date, which may or may not sound as impressive depending how much of a fan you are.

Deathtrap is a game that, although it may sound cliche, is easy to pickup but very difficult to master.

While many, many improvements have been made over its predecessor, The King of Fighters XIII is not without its faults. One of the biggest requests from fans was that of better netcode. The King of Fighters XII was known for its downright terrible and horrendous lag. SNK has stated multiple times that XIII will feature a better online experience but I can't say they've made good on that promise. While input latency has definitely been cut down, it is still quite noticeable.

A few technical issues still remain, such as the unreliable stealth mechanic where enemies will arbitrarily sense a player’s presence even if they are properly concealed, and the AI-controlled character still has a habit of staying behind and/or failing to pull their weight during more heated skirmishes. Nevertheless, this latest episode has gone a long way to raise optimism over Capcom’s latest RE experiment.

It has its flaws, and is by no means the perfect game, but it is the perfect Wolverine-simulator, at least for the time being.

There are some rough edges here but knowing that the team is actively working with the community to sharpen them up is a fantastic sign and I fully believe that if they keep it up, Dandy Ace will be a force to be reckoned with.

Much of the story is kept until the end, with the rest mostly speculation from characters as to what is really going on, forcing you to play through to get more dirt on the mystery as it builds up.

This is another strong narrative release for Dontnot Entertainment, it’s just a shame that it is in a genre that has to be more than that, so Vampyr, while I can recommend, just don’t expect it to hit the superb heights of action RPG classics of the last few years.

M2 has done a solid job bringing this collection together with great emulation across the titles available. It is a real shame that no extras were thrown in to celebrate the history of Darius – a lack of of a gallery is truly shocking. There is also the argument to be made with it missing some games in this collection. Still, what is here is a nice, if expensive, collection of good shmups made for replayability for a niche selection of fans, the curious newcomers or people wanting a trip down memory lane of their childhood video game playing.

Grammar and graphical issues aside, Detention is still a game that is easily digestible, but will still leave a lingering aftertaste once its tragic tale reaches its course. The bar for storytelling in videogames continues to be set higher with every new title, be it Indie or Triple A, and the horror genre continues to innovate in new and exciting ways.

The stripped-down mechanics lead to more pick-up-and-play sessions without feeling overwhelmed by too many rules to follow, and the cast of characters are entertaining enough just to witness in action even if you have no idea about their respective origins.

At the very least, the game's main theme is one of the most catchy heard in years, that has to be worth a few plaudits. [JPN Import]

The Typing of the Dead: Overkill is similar to those outlandish B-movie films that people deep down enjoyed simply for the fact that they are stupid. This game takes a basic premise and runs with it. As it turns out, it’s still a lot of fun, even after experiencing the first The Typing of the Dead.

If you end up buying The Last Guy you’ll probably end up liking it to some extent, and if you can try and pace yourself, and don’t rush through the game, you’ll enjoy it even more.

The story is told and then it ends, but it makes you feel like there should be more, leaving not a craving for another entry but slight disappointment that your curiosity isn’t fully satiated.

AI Limit delivers a solid but somewhat uneven Soulslike experience, offering engaging combat driven by its attack-focused Sync Rate system and versatile frame abilities. At £29.50, it is an affordable entry into the genre, blending a gritty, anime-inspired sci-fi aesthetic with cryptic world-building. SenseGames’ debut succeeds in capturing the rewarding challenge of Soulslike combat, with solid boss fights (Hunter of Bladers is one of the better ones) pushing players to master mechanics. However, late-game areas can recycle enemy styles. Cramped spaces leading to unavoidable deaths and some collision issues also introduce frustration, occasionally disrupting the flow of the game. Despite those flaws, the lack of a stamina bar and its aggressive combat focus make AI Limit more accessible than traditional Soulslike entries. My 25-hour journey through Arrisa’s mud-soaked world was mostly enjoyable, even if some aspects did not feel as polished. It may not redefine the genre as a whole, but neat mechanical changes offer a worthwhile alternative for fans waiting on the next big hit in the genre.

Give the developers some money for their hard work. It’s just kind of sad that such a great game makes you feel like such a mug for actually paying for it.

Confounding puzzles aside, “Fright of the Bumblebees” functions nicely as an adventure game for just about any audience or age group. The humor is varied, the gameplay is accessible, and the challenge is substantial without being frustrating.

If you are a One Piece fan then this is the best game to come out in the UK for the franchise and should satisfy anyone's craving for a bit of Monkey D. Luffy and his peculiar cast of friends.

The lack of an idiots' guide tutorial is not a great selling point, but plough through this confusing opening (on free campaign) and you will gradually learn and lose a surprising amount of time to what is a relatively unique and intellectually-solid title.

This is a solid upgrade for fans, while offering people who enjoy something similar, maybe through the latest Animal Crossing game, to come to Rune Factory 4 with the same mindset of a pick up and play experience, but be met with rewards for all their hard work.

It’s clear this game is aimed at the Games Workshop crowd, and those who understand what Blood Bowl is are the ones that will gain the most pleasure from the game. Others will have to fight through the game’s resistance to stop newbies from playing.

I think fans of the genre will really appreciate what Live A Live is trying to accomplish with its storytelling variety, even if the battles can become grindy towards the end of the game.

It’s not a great RPG – it’s too easy for starters – but I feel Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars is good enough that I can recommend this B-tier social linking, dungeon crawler to the diehard JRPG fans looking for a unique twist on the genre for their Vita.

It's not quite the ultimate Green Day experience that you might have hoped for, but there is nothing else out there in the videogame world that supports the American Trio as much as this.

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

Soul Bubbles is undoubtedly an interesting game, but I have to admit it was hard to express and portray the appeal of the game in words.

If you are looking for a charming and damn right silly plot, and you don’t mind paying a little more for your puzzle action to have it on the Switch, then I feel you will certainly find a lot to like with Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido and its captivating bizarre world of sushi eating puzzle combat.

It's not up to Mario Kart standards, but for a family get together it's an entertaining alternative that sits well with all ages.

Selecting whether you play as the depressed emo girl or the teenage slut might add some replayability, but only if you enjoy the game’s generally sluggish and strange presentation. If it sounds like your cup of tea, you need only shell out ten dollars to walk The Path.

A great concept with rewarding moments of gameplay that is only slightly hampered by a handful of little things, as well as the omission of other things. A little more enemy variety, a little less level wandering and a tightening up of other aspects would have made this game a real rock concert for the ages. But it’s still an entertaining effort that was worth the trip to the back alley….or a friend’s garage, or wherever it is people go to listen to concerts these days.

If you liked the first game, you'll probably like this more as it is better than the original. For newcomers, if you like to cause mayhem and bloody violence, by all means give Prototype 2 a shot. Just don't expect to remember much apart from devouring people and raining blood, the good stuff about the game.

The biggest chunk of praise needs to go to Swordfish, though, who have managed to take what – on paper, at least – is an awful idea and turn it into a decent shooter, even in a very crowded market.

It’s a shame that the console version of Darkest Dungeon couldn’t have been a bit smarter with its controller layout, because the rest of the game shines in brilliant darkness as it did on PC; the 2D artwork is a great mix of hard lines and grotesque imagery, quite similar to Hellboy and other comics by Mike Mignola. The persistent narration is delightfully campy with its dreary delivery and macabre musings, and the fear of death (or insanity) makes every duel feel like a tense brush with death. And players will die, again and again and again. But like a certain other difficult series centered around darkness and sun bros, Darkest Dungeon’s maddening tendrils will manipulate even the most frustrated folks to try again…but consider sticking to the PC version to avoid the added frustration of fumbling around with the controls.

An essential play for any fan of George Lucas’ creation. Unfortunately, the gameplay feels a tad repetitive, un-ambitious and never quite lives up to the superb storytelling.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a slow burner, but once everything comes together, it provides some of the better Musou madness, but now with a better story and much-improved character development, which shows how short the Fire Emblem element was in the original Fire Emblem Warriors. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a recommended title for Musou and Fire Emblem: Three Houses fans, which will keep you entertained until the next entry hits.

Dimps has created a sequel to Xenoverse that doesn’t quite feel like a massive advancement in the series, but there is no doubt that this is a larger and more improved experience. Dimps has decided to keep things similar and use the first game as the foundation to build this sequel on. What this means is that there is so much to do, even when one has finished up the 15 hour single player story quests.

Sniper Elite III is the best entry in the series to date. It still has some issues that stop it from being a truly great stealth shooter, but what’s here is a great extension to the franchise that pushes it in the right direction to unlock some of the potential this series can evolve into.

So, Electronic Symphony is not the ultimate Lumines, then, but newcomers will be blissfully unaware, and to old fans this game remains essential regardless. Scarcity notwithstanding, it is still one of the finest puzzle games there are, by virtue of simply being Lumines.

Strikeforce is a step in the right direction for the franchise. It’s the much needed change that the series was crying out for. It’s just shame the console version is a port of the PSP game.

Look past its unpolished visuals and confusing story, however, and you may yet discover (or rediscover) a unique experience that rekindles an old flame with the long-cherished franchise.

It is a promising start for this huge expansion, with a varied selection of tracks, some straightforward, some complex. It does seem weird the order they are in when it comes to the cup progression, and I do question why we need tracks that are designed as openers in the old games. If Booster Course Pass Wave 1 is the opener, I’d imagine as we get further into the release schedule, those selected will begin to showcase the bigger, larger and more complex tracks, and that makes me stoked. The expansion itself is easily worth it for Mario Kart fans. We are talking about doubling the number of tracks that were in the original Mario Kart 8 Deluxe release, meaning that we get to experience the fantastic Mario Kart 8 gameplay across a whole game worth of new tracks. With the price being as cheap as it is, it is a no brainer that Mario Kart fans should pick this up. A good first wave, so let’s see what Booster Course Pass Wave 2 brings.

This is a review of the PC version, but in reality, Dirt 5 makes a good buy for people with shiny new consoles, having those people see the visual tease of what could be possible with the new hardware. Yet somehow, Dirt 5 finds its gameplay feeling at home in a 90s arcade machine, thanks to the flat handling. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but a change that fans will need to adjust to. Just please, don’t let me have to do any more Sprint events in the downloadable content that is planned in the future.

Strike Suit Zero also fills the void of a genre that has long been forgotten on the PC, and maybe with the interest in this game, we will see the genre flourish once again in the near future.

WRC 3: FIA World Rally Championship is not going to set the fire alight in the world of racing games, but it does what it set out to do – supply fans of rally games with a solid rallying experience that is entertaining.

The team behind Love, Hate and the other ones have done a great job with this pocket-sized game. Sixty puzzles should keep you entertained for a handful of hours with ease – and a pleasurable few they would be.

Well worth the fifteen dollar purchase, especially if you're the type that gets a thrill from being torn to bits by creatures we were never meant to encounter. Happy hunting.

Ultimately, Killing Floor 3 delivers a solid cooperative shooter foundation. It’s fun, frantic, and mechanically good but it needs time to mature through content updates and system refinements to evolve into something great.

While I did often find myself frustrated by it, ultimately I enjoyed my time with Alone With You. But as to whether I see myself playing again, unearthing the secrets and getting to know its cast of characters from another angle – there, I’m not so sure. But for fans of the adventure genre – and particularly visual novels – it’s well worth at least one playthrough.

Mega Man 11 proves that the Blue Bomber hasn’t lost his touch, and that the games can still prove entertaining even during a time where there is no shortage of 2D successors. We can only hope that it won’t take nearly as long for future entries, including a hopeful return of Mega Man X.

Carrion is remarkably successful in so far that its visuals, sound design and interaction come together to create something truly horrifying, beautiful and engrossing, but its novelty wanes, and what you are left with is surprisingly superficial. It smoothly passes through your system the same way its goopy anti-protagonist passes through corridors, and if its sole intent was to let you play the monster in an otherwise familiar scenario, with little effort required to slither across the finish line, I am honestly unsure of what its lasting appeal was supposed to be.

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is a sequel that decides to change a few elements to offer a more streamlined, less frustrating and generally overall better experience than the previous entries in the series. But there is a negative that comes with making the game easier to play and changing the investigation elements to be side-scrolling. While I enjoy this change, the lack of variety in the environments means it can become dreary during the slowly-paced elements between the interesting and climatic parts of each chapter. That said, the main element, the visual novel storytelling, brings a compelling horror tale that blends twists on Japanese folklore with a modernised setting to offer a strong atmospheric story with twists and turns to the end. Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is a game for visual novel fans who enjoy tales about the supernatural with adult themes.

If anyone was ever curious to try one of the growing number of Western releases from Compile Heart, this would definitely be the game to try, especially now that it runs smoothly and carries a budgeted price.

Hardcore fans who love the game will enjoy seeing it in its new beauty, while newcomers get to enjoy its engrossing farming life for many hours before it grows stale. As long as people do not go in expecting the best farming life sim on the market, then this update to an Harvest Moon classic can put a warm smile on your face, especially when enjoyed with a nice glass of freshly milked coffee milk.

Right now it’s still a good time, more so with a full group of friends, but it definitely becomes mundane quickly, especially after figuring out how and when to push spawn points and prepping for fights over hurriedly trying to winch for a desperate win. Those strategies need to be constantly challenged, though, instead of feeling like a to-do list each round. The introduction of a skill ranking system would also go a long way as playing with similarly skilled groups is like a whole different game than when completely crushing a team or getting grouped with those still learning the basics. I have high hopes for Hood. I’d love nothing more than to see a steady flow of engrossing changes to help build a solid community around it but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls might not be as polished as the previous mainline games, but within this handheld adventure is still the fabulous, quality story and tone fans expect from something slapped with Danganronpa on the case.

Ultimately, the biggest problem with RotTK also happens to be its biggest strength. It makes no attempt to open itself up to newcomers, instead choosing to continue to revel in its deep historical accuracy.

A nice evolution of its predecessor rather than been a true revolution of the developers efforts from last gen.

Anybody actually paying attention to the narrative will appreciate the gasp-inducing ending, and anybody under twelve will appreciate the abundance of inappropriate costumes that come included. For everyone else it’s a good, if not quite great platformer, that complements the main game while not exactly revolutionising it.

Deadlight will take you around 3-4 hours to finish. It's not the longest of games, and there's a big chance you probably won't want to play it through again. That said, it must be noted that Tequila Works should be commended for trying to spice up the use of zombies, and while that doesn't make this game great – silly things like that dumb underground lair spoil it - Deadlight is still an enjoyable title to play. When it's at its best, the game is a thrilling experience that tickles nostalgia for the genre it represents.

The budget price and quaint visual style makes Cogs as addictive and satisfying as the old-school toys it references. It'll certainly last longer than a ball-in-a-cup.

Seasons After Fall gets top marks for its pretty painted canvas visuals that are, sadly, the main attraction of the game. It’s a dazzling world that sparkles with beauty, but that isn’t enough to cover its bothersome issues. Seasons After Fall’s simplistic and easy-to-solve puzzle design mixed with the lack of impending doom offers an experience that is relaxing, an almost perfect fit with the visuals, but pacing issues, overuse of backtracking and obtuse directions turn a beautiful game a little sour, spoiling what could have been a brilliant experience from beginning to end.

Zombie Vikings is most definitely one of the best indie games I’ve played through 2015, and I would highly recommend it. It’s a vast improvement on what was a similar-looking yet exemplary game in it’s own right, and it makes me excited for what Zoink have in stall in the future.

In the end, a few technical shortcomings keeps Akiba’s Trip from reaching true greatness, but not from becoming a very recommended title.

Confounding puzzles aside, “Fright of the Bumblebees” functions nicely as an adventure game for just about any audience or age group. The humor is varied, the gameplay is accessible, and the challenge is substantial without being frustrating.

If you are in to the clubbing scene at all, or have any aspirations towards being a DJ you’ll definitely find this game worth picking up.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 includes plenty of content, a lot of similar content where enjoyment is based on how well people gel with the mindlessly over the top, flashy, fun, combo system that is enhanced through the vast unique character move sets, skill selection and Power Rush mechanics. There are some genuine nice additions to the Warriors combat that gets to shine when characters are levelled up, and I hope these get carried to other entries and built upon. As it stands, this is the best Pirate Warriors to date, once it gets going, but it suffers from the repetitive issues and performance that this series is known for, while taking small, incremental steps to improve with each release.

NES Remix 2 is a better attempt at doing bite size challenges of NES games by expanding the quality of the games included.

Armored Core V's enjoyment comes from being able to play the game online. If you have no online capabilities on your system of choice, it's quite hard to recommend playing the game solo.

In the end, SOMA does not quite share the scare factor of Amnesia, but it does exceed it from a storytelling standpoint, as well as nailing that same attention to detail that creates a tense atmosphere filled with both beauty and horror. A definite purchase for the Halloween season.

In the end, Hyperdevotion Noire is a spinoff that breaks from the gameplay norms of its predecessors, but not its overall sentiment: if you can stomach (or even embrace) the pandering amounts of moe and shower scenes, you will be treated to a fun and addicting RPG that does service to several tried-and-true gameplay mechanics while poking fun at several well-known franchises.

People who don’t care for graphics will find a game that’s quite fun and somewhat unique in its multiplayer shenanigans. The classes are more complex and objective focus driven then any of the other multiplayer shooters out there.

What it ultimately comes down to is this: Although it suffers from some of Phoenix Online Studios’ usual technical issues, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition is a perfectly valid way to experience one of the best point & click adventure games of the 90s.

Despite being arguably less than what it could (and should) have been, Arrival probably is just about worth your money. In fact, playing it got me started on another run through both games, so it's done something right. It's testament to a game's strength that even a relatively lacking bit of DLC can have you going balls deep back into its world in the pursuit of alien booty. Not every game could do it, but not every game is Mass Effect.

GRID, as it stands then, is Codemasters delivering what it does best, exciting and superb racing that anyone can pickup and play, but spoiled by shortcomings to its content and online.

Despite being arguably less than what it could (and should) have been, Arrival probably is just about worth your money. In fact, playing it got me started on another run through both games, so it's done something right. It's testament to a game's strength that even a relatively lacking bit of DLC can have you going balls deep back into its world in the pursuit of alien booty. Not every game could do it, but not every game is Mass Effect.

The short nature of this title may actually be its best aspect. It’s the perfect length for this type of comforting game – best played in a single sitting, with a quick break to grab a soothing hot drink and perhaps wrapped in a blanket. Carto exudes this nice, warm feeling through its simple, enjoyable nature and dainty design. It’s certainly not for everyone and the gameplay isn’t considerably fantastic in a vacuum but it’s something a little different and I’m happy I got to experience it.

Existing fans might be wishing for more content or a cheaper price because while the add-ons are a welcomed inclusion, they might not feel like they are worth a full release. For newcomers, this is a very worthwhile package, so if you enjoy a fighting game that is easy to get into, thanks to the rock-paper-scissors mechanics and counter system, then Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate is the best place to start with the franchise.

Despite being arguably less than what it could (and should) have been, Arrival probably is just about worth your money. In fact, playing it got me started on another run through both games, so it's done something right. It's testament to a game's strength that even a relatively lacking bit of DLC can have you going balls deep back into its world in the pursuit of alien booty. Not every game could do it, but not every game is Mass Effect.

There are parts of Remember Me that are likeable – smart, even – and sit teetering on the brink of potential greatness. It helps that it’s backed up with an attractive location and strong atmosphere, which saddens me more that one of its core features – the combat – is not engaging enough to transfer the game into greatness. Mix that up with linearity and its simple climbing sections, and Remember Me is prevented from being anything more than a decent title that will most likely be forgotten by most and remembered by so few.

When all is said and done, SaGa: Scarlet Grace: Ambitions proves why the franchise is often overlooked in favor of its more familiar RPG cousins. The battle system requires much trial and error, and many optional scenarios, party members and outcomes may be skipped over entirely due to the extra challenges they offer for newcomers. Yet there is no denying the dense amount of strategic systems to play around with as well as the massive amounts of replayability thanks to its multiple characters and outcomes. Patient gamers will be rewarded with an RPG experience that is both familiar and fresh at the same time, not to mention another hundred hours to sink into the Switch as it continues to be the ultimate haven for the genre.

Strikeforce is a step in the right direction for the franchise. It’s the much needed change that the series was crying out for. It’s just shame the console version is a port of the PSP game.

So despite its short-comings, Toy Story 3 is a remarkably solid licensed game. It's not going to blow any brains or break boundaries, instead it's going to give kids and even grown ups, certainly Pixar fans, a solid and cheerful experience.

In contrast to last year’s effort, none of the game’s high points are as memorable, and in addition, quite few gunfights start to border on routine as you get further into the game. For that reason, combined with the selection of other erratic blemishes named above, World at War is a notably less appealing game.

City Conquest is a good, solid game, taking the traditional tower defence and RTS genres and creating a hybrid of sorts.