If it had been 800MSP then it would've been worth it, but at 1200 it's probably a bit much, even for fans of the franchise. If money isn't an issue for you, and you're desperate for some more bionic arm-swinging action, then it's a probably a worthwhile purchase. If not though, it might be best to give it a miss, or at least wait for the next XBLA sale.

Nights of Azure can be enjoyable for what it is – an adequate action game with RPG elements – and some people will find sections to like, but it’s not one of Gust’s best, let down with a lack of depth, stopping it being as gratifying as the recent Atelier games. Either way, this should not put Gust off from creating more new titles, as these shortcomings could be fixed in another attempt in the future.

Warriors Orochi 4 doesn’t do much to advance the Orochi spin-off, but it does bring a return to the old formula, something fans will no doubt enjoy after Dynasty Warriors 9‘s misstep. It has the biggest cast of characters yet, a fresh story involving the legendary Greek gods and fun hack-and-slash gameplay. The issue is that it’s a very familiar core, even with the new magic mechanics, it isn’t another to shake that “it’s another one” vibe. With less modes than the previous entry and some changes that feel like the development was short on budget, Warriors Orochi 4 will give fans a fun past time hacking down hundreds of thousands of enemies, but this fails to become the best Warriors game to date.

For the most patient fans of the series, the number of callbacks and beautifully animated representations of their favorite characters will prove to be their greatest rewards as they struggle valiantly to unlock the actual rewards.

One Piece: Unlimited World Red isn’t the best One Piece game, nor is it as good of an experience as last year’s One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2. However, I do feel that fans of the show will get a kick out of the game if they have the tolerance to forgive the standard combat mechanics and unexciting level design.

Edna and Harvey: Harvey's New Eyes is an odd game with an even odder sense of humour. There's a definite Python-esque feel to its jokes, with some genuine laugh-out-loud moments that you won't see coming. Unfortunately, it's held back by some poor puzzle design that dragged out the story longer than it needs to. It's still worth playing, but these flaws really hold it back from being anything more than a one-time playthrough.

In the end, Tears to Tiara II is a well put-together game that’s hard to recommend in the long run. Had the game chosen to either be a full-fledged Visual Novel with proper saving features or a more evenly-paced Strategy RPG, it would have gotten a higher recommendation.

Overall LPECCE is something of a contradiction. While its additional features are aimed at the hardcore lovers of tundran gaming, the fact that it is incompatible with the original Lost Planet is mystifying. Forcing players to start from scratch, with their only reward being some more achievements is an unnecessary irritation.

Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land takes a genre that hasn't received much love in recent years and revamps it for modern devices whilst keeping the original gameplay intact. It's such a shame then that the game's few flaws stifle the enjoyment of what could otherwise be a new classic iOS game.

Blades of Time is a better game than X-Blades, but not by much. The game knows it has a good idea because it abuses the time feature trick a bit too much, and like a kid wanting attention, you'll just get fed up with it being in your face all the time.

From the poor move recognition to the redundantly-blocky and dated character models, it is all too apparent that Country Dance 2 was rushed out of production for a quick cash grab.

If you can stomach the pandering story situations Neptunia throws at you, or if you happen to actually enjoy it (once again, no judging here), the simplistic-yet-satisfactory RPG mechanics and large amount of content (including quests, optional bosses, unlockable outfits and more) results in a decent RPG experience that’s light in commitment, if high in moe calories.

These are only minor complaints, as the game itself is very polished and delivers exactly what it promises – fast paced action with that great arcade feel. For the low price of just £3.52 ($4.99), it’s definitely worth picking up.

It should be noted that the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii versions offer a superior experience.

For the pen-and-paper RPG enthusiast who likes to create their own characters down to the smallest detail (from party role to personality trait) as well as discover every nook and cranny in a gigantic dungeon, Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy offers a lengthy and solid experience. For those who may find the game too daunting, try to stick with it after a few hours in the hopes that its numerous mechanics and micromanagement requirements end up clicking.

No thrills is quite a good description when speaking about V-Rally 4 overall. There is nothing exceptional or bad with the game, it’s just okay, a racing game that can be enjoyable, but has some irksome design choices and a lack of polish. It’s more surprising that the name returned in 2018, but it’s an uninspired sequel with an sterile career mode. At least the tracks featured are good, its visuals are decent enough – at times can set some lovely landscape shots – and the handling, once become accustom to it, is enough to bring some arcade racing fun to the table, if only the song selection was much better, because I am still having nightmares about “the weight of the world”.

My Army is a nicely designed endless runner game, with some fun social elements, but it doesn't offer up anything particularly new for gamers to sink their teeth into. This might not normally be an issue, but in a marketplace full of similar games, you really need a hook to keep players playing, and unfortunately, My Army just doesn't have that.

With the addition of a fun multiplayer mode and some clever challenges to keep a player coming back, this could have been something special, though sadly it ends up a simple game with solid mechanics but little replay value.

By the end of Episode 5, the single most impactful decision reveals itself, leading to all sorts of speculation on how the final episode will play out. It’s just too bad that with that anticipation comes dread, as Game of Thrones now runs the biggest risk of showing just how meaningless the players’ choices will matter, depending on how they handle the key decision made by the end of this episode.

Fishing Sim World is a relaxing experience and is enjoyable in short bursts, but turns into a game that I grew bored with the longer I stuck with it. This is a title clearly aimed for the angling enthusiast, and that’s fine, but improvements can be made to make it a better fishing experience.

The only real “achievement” of EndWar is its voice command system.

Overall, the game is fun but I’d definitely recommend playing in small chunks.

In truth, you’ll probably end up being more shocked by the gore and brutality you see on screen this time round instead of jumping from your seat at the shock of one of the game’s set pieces.

Astor: Blade of the Monolith has a certain charm and fun element to it, but the game’s simplistic combat and repetitive foes take away from the overall excitement. I would like there to be more reasons to use powers against foes, but the variety of enemies is not big enough to support this. Although it provides enjoyable moments, vibrant visuals, and an intriguing setting, it falls short of being truly remarkable or memorable, yet there is a game that can be enjoyed even if it does not leave a lasting impression.

Saints Row: Gat out of Hell supplies more Saints Row IV gameplay but in a new setting backed by an amusing, if short, story. It’s just a shame that its made up of a collection of side content that doesn’t offer the stupid creativity that made up so many moments in the last two Saints Row games.

SNK has a rich legacy to draw from, and there will no doubt be more of these releases, it is just a case of whether the quality will be enough to draw new fans, or simply pander to the same ones they have always had. On the strength of Vol. 1, it is too early to tell.

So, for fans of the movies, in particular the earlier ones, before their overt craziness stepped over the line to complete insanity, there is something to admire here. And it is that niche audience that will probably get the most out of what Saw II brings to the table.

Bleach: The 3rd Phantom is a solid Strategy RPG and fans will enjoy its 25 chapters.

It is not a bad piece of DLC by any means, but I feel that it does not shout out a message of “You Need This” like some other expansion packs might.

In the end, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune vs Zombies is a mediocre action game where its charm and variety rests squarely on its characters.

Overall, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3 V Century is yet another Neptunia game, no more and no less.

The playful childishness of the experience is really what pulls it all together and even though it’s by no means a bad game – it was definitely the angle it needed to hold together all the loose parts. After all, nostalgia can only do so much before players realise that games have moved on and evolved for a reason, especially when an absolute titan like Super Mario Odyssey was released almost besides it and flawlessly shows how to truly mix the old and new into something else entirely. In all I’d recommend A Hat in Time as a quick pick up game when there’s a lull in the market (which 2017 definitely hasn’t had), but not at it’s current price of £22.99, especially with the amount of irritating bugs I encountered throughout.

I would recommend Timelie to anyone who might find this type of experimental time-manipulation gameplay interesting but certainly not for its storytelling.

It’s not an awful game by any means, it’s just a fine JRPG, but with a predictable story and repeated backtracking, this is a game that is lacking any spark to be anything other than a local school orchestra rather than being the London symphony.

Platforming games were always my go-to genre as a kid and Unbox does take me back to that in some sense, but realistically it brings all the difficulty I would expect from a game on a tablet device and I kind of feel that’s where it belongs.

Jumping into a wingsuit in Skydive: Proximity Flight is fun and different at first, but after playing an hour or so, it becomes apparent that there isn’t much else going on with the game.

Burial at Sea – Episode One’s most welcoming addition is seeing Rapture in a state of normality. Given the circumstances we saw the underwater city in previous games; this is actually really exciting to see. But the problem is the game is far too short to make the player care enough.

Fox n Forests isn’t for everyone – it feels more like a game development experiment that resulted in a nice bite-size nostalgia trip and was released just for fun. Those without 16-bit nostalgia, or an aversion to super weird fox/bird relationships, bad English, or puns, may not really enjoy it at all. Personally, I found it both charming and entertaining, but lacking in key game design areas, which I still guess was the point all along, ironically.

An impressive game on the one hand, but lacklustre on the other, There are some things to like about Fort Solis, but the actual interaction element can become a test of patience when walking around such a visually impressive mining facility becomes a slog.

It’s a real shame that the best way to play (with someone else) seems to have been given the backseat to a more solo-focused experience, even though the games are far too shallow to hold any one person’s attention for long.

All of these details come together to form a fairly lifeless game – one with all the fixings and foundation of another epic showcase but without any of the polish or love that is so evident in the team’s previous undertaking. Now I know for a fact this game is going to be incredible. I have confidence in Fatshark; they’ve earned that by showing how much they care about their work and their player base. But, right now, in its current state, there’s simply no way I can call it a worthy successor. The gunplay is wonderful and I’ll no doubt continue to dip in here and there, but longer sessions quickly become dull and there’s no real hook, no grand finale, to motivate me to push on. I can’t wait to see what it’ll become but, in the meantime, I think I’ll take a look back and revel in the masterful predecessor, Vermintide 2, and all of the juicy extra content I never got to dive into. TL;DR Age of Sigmar > 40k.

There is certainly a place for more interactive titles such as Dear Esther when cleverly executed; one great example was the Super 8 interactive teaser included with Portal 2, offering a short but intriguing teaser that promoted the movie in a way that had previously never been attempted. As a standalone title that sells for the same price as other games that provide ambiance without skimping on gameplay, it's a much tougher sell. Still, it's a sell that anyone looking for a potentially soul-lifting experience should consider making.

F1 Race Stars had the potential to be a great kart racer; sadly, some of the gameplay tilts towards the real life sport and hinders the experience. Along with the AI, it becomes something that no kart racer should ever be – a chore to play.

As a standalone game for newcomers to the franchise, the story will leave you baffled compared to someone who would have experienced Corpse Party, and in that regard, looking at its way of storytelling comes off as a disjointed tale of horror that can give you a gloomy (in the right way) and uneasy time. However, I see it this way – go play the first Corpse Party and see how you feel about it. If you want more, then jump into Book of Shadows and enjoy it for what it is.

As a whole, Lollipop Chainsaw is worth a try, but don't expect anything less than a perverted take on zombie bashing with all the comedic qualities of a foul-mouthed school-kid.

Despite its glaring faults, Battle Princess of Arcadias still makes for a decent hybrid of RPG and Beat-’Em-Up, even if it lacks the visual and mechanical polish of Vanillaware’s titles.

Overall, Chariot is a game that is deliberately slow-paced and also demands patience.

This sort of game could tick the right boxes if you’re looking for another strategy game to pass the time until Fire Emblem Fates comes out in Europe. Though if you’re rather picky about these sorts of games, then it’s probably best to wait for something better to come along.

8-Bit Armies minimalistic approach to real-time strategy makes it a good gateway for people wanting to sample the genre, enabling those to get in and instantly pick up the game without worrying about complexity.

You can see glimpses of what could have been, but it is spoilt by some bad choices and a sloppy ending.

While I understand the irony in despising a game meant for a female audience, I really cannot love this game simply because of the female inclination. Had a little bit more love (or the promise of an expansion pack) been put into this game, I may not dislike it so much.

It's not a must-have title, but may provide a refreshing alternative to bald space marines and army recruitment programs.

Harking back to Elika for a second, I have to admit she is a fantastic addition to the series, and as gimmicks go she is significantly better than The Sands of Time.

The Last Tinker: City of Colors certainly has charm and a wonderful colour pallet that smothers the player in a warm and loving world. The issue is that many people won’t be engaged by the stripped down controls and limiting gameplay.

Blue Reflection seems to want to tell a story more than wanting to be an RPG. The focus on delivering a coming of age tale, seeing all the characters deal with their growing pains during a typical school life comes across as genuine. If you don’t mind slow paced stories that dig deep into emotional context, then Blue Reflection will be an attractive proposition, especially for less experienced RPG fans who aren’t good at handling complex battle systems. The issue with Blue Reflection is that the game parts, those battle aspects of an RPG, aren’t well developed and lead to repetitive gameplay that soils the game’s overall experience, which some people might find to be on the tedious side, particularly if you’re more into action than story.

It is hard to ignore Gun Jam’s lack of content in its current state, as it feels like the game should be in Early Access now rather than fully released. There are elements that clearly should be featured, tutorials, and ways to look at high scores, that are criminally missing that hurt the overall presentation, while the limited stages and song count hurt the general package. That said, what is here shows the foundations of the game’s mechanics and quality. Gun Jam feels like the game is a few updates away from being a good rhythm-based shooter hybrid because what is here is fun to play. The soundtrack is top-notch, an absolutely great set of head-banging tunes. Even despite that unfinished feeling, rhythm fans will most likely enjoy and appreciate what is available and what the developers are moulding. With the team at Jaw Drop Games having heard the feedback from players and promising to support the game with content in the future, which I hope they stick with in the long run, Gun Jam should be able to eventually join the list of good rhythm games that its promising beginnings seem to exhibit.

Torchlight III is not a bad game, it’s just a filler, a quick fast food lunch for action RPG fans, one to play once the better games in the genre have been beaten. I feel this game is not one for replayability – once the story is done and the end game content becomes monotonous it is time to move on to something else. This might suit people who do not want to be invested in grinding for hours upon end and simply want to slaughter plenty of familiar enemies for a few hours, but for the hardcore, this will be a disappointment.

The concept and the combat both give it a unique identity over Monster Hunter, and could lend itself to great things that help make it stand out. But the amateurish story direction and outdated control schemes hinder its chances to emerge from the shadow of Capcom’s multimillion dollar franchise.

For the most part NASCAR 09 seems like a solid racer, and I guess it does a good job of simulating the real life product. It is rather boring though, as even if you are a petrol head at heart you can only have so much fun going around, and around and around.

Chopper Mike is an admirable first project for a developer gone solo. It’s cute, easy to pick up, it plays well, and its presentation is endearing (even if not mind-blowing).

The controls are intriguing enough to hook a player in and it’s quite fun to embrace the elementary mastery of them once they’ve become second nature and platforming through formidable-looking obstacle courses is a breeze. Plus, relaxedly exploring the 15 stages for collectibles (20 wisps and 5 coins per level) is made more enjoyable by the charming, bright design and chilled out tunes that accompany it, which is all it really aims to be – a laid back game that shows off a new angle for a bit of fun. No real replayability after the few collectibles or big skill wall to overcome, or even any kind of lesson to learn, but instead to almost act as a kind of sandbox for a new type of control system and whilst it could have been built on, it does do what is set out to do, just a bit lazily.

Fibble: Flick 'n' Roll is a nice first attempt by Crytek at breaking into mobile games, but they don't really seem to have given it their all.

A bit more polish and refinement could have elevated this up from being a fun, violent game of American football to something a bit more exciting and special.

It sounds like I am being hard on Return to PopoloCrois, but that is because I am a little disappointed with Return to PopoloCrois and how it doesn’t blend the two things I enjoy (RPGs and Harvest Moon) in a way that sets a good example for both properties involved.

Sacred 3, as you can establish from this review, is a game that has moved away from its predecessor’s roots to become more of a brawler with light RPG elements.

I went into Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom with a lot of hope that it could successfully achieve all it was set out to do with this unique blend of arena based fighter injected into an action-RPG. The indie studio had a lot of ambition and heart for the project, but it disappointingly doesn’t manage to pull off all these cool ideas together into a coherent package. Shiness has the visuals right, but there are too many minor faults throughout the game across its combat, platforming and performance that it is hard to truly recommend what is actually a refreshing RPG at heart, especially with so many great games releasing lately. That said, there is fun here in small doses, so if you are looking for something a bit different after exhausting all the big guns, then it might scratch a certain itch that people are looking for, and with it not being the longest of RPGs, you might get through it without as much irritation with its faults as I did.

In truth, you’ll probably end up being more shocked by the gore and brutality you see on screen this time round instead of jumping from your seat at the shock of one of the game’s set pieces.

Overall, even though the controls sometimes made me swear in frustration and the hackneyed narration made me laugh out loud, I am still, on the whole, pleased to have played The Descendants. It is worth trying out in a sale, and if you can cope with the shortcomings in design, the story is an entertaining five-episode arc.

Overall, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is another solid fighter from the newly crowned king of fighters, but it is also a disappointingly smaller package than what fans expect from the publisher. By comparison, Dragon Ball FighterZ and Guilty Gear Xrd are longer-lasting alternatives, but for players have grown tired of both, this would be the next logical game to move to next.

As it is, Zero is far too hampered by Nintendo's handheld to be worth a hearty recommendation.

I had a good time playing NEOVERSE – especially Hunter Mode – because at the end of the day the aesthetic of a deck builder doesn’t matter as it’s all about the cards. Finding the card synergies was fun, even though there weren’t too many to find, however because of the lack of cards I can’t see myself playing this game on and off for the next few years like I have with other deck builders. Hopefully NEOVERSE gets some attention from deck building fans, especially now it’s on Xbox Game Pass (at the time of writing), and Tino Games Inc. will add more cards as either a free update or paid DLC instead of charging for schoolgirl uniforms.

The only real “achievement” of EndWar is its voice command system.

Simply looking at the game then, Wreckateer is a one-trick pony that plays it too safe to be anything other than a bit of fun on the side.

If you want something quick to play on, then you could do worse than what Ignite has to offer. It's racing at its simplest, there is multiplayer, and for the price it might just be worth you checking out to see if it is your cup of tea.

In the end, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3: V Generation is as solid as its predecessors, despite being noticeably talkier.

Twinkleby is a decent and relaxing cosy game that delivers charm through its island‑building mechanics. The low‑poly dioramas style gives it a warm personality, and the freedom and ease of decorating islands and adjusting the islands make it inviting for casuals. However, the game is held back by slow unlock pacing in the early hour and frustratingly limited control over villagers, who sometimes wander on their own schedules and ignore the important items they desire, even when placed in front of them. Fans of cosy and casual games will find enjoyment in its gentle pace, making it great to play while listening to a podcast or watching some YouTube videos, but it doesn’t offer enough to be anything more than a cosy pastime, which feels very much like the experience it was created to offer.

As puzzlers go this is a pretty decent effort, good fun for a while, but it does start to feel a bit too much like hard work as you near its end. If you could have just opened up new worlds as you completed the last one then it would be better, instead of the helmet system. But it's still worth a go if you like your arcade-style puzzlers. Not to mention, it definitely won't break the bank at 800MS Points.

If you're new to Assassin's Creed or the genre, go buy the first game on Steam, don't waste your time with this if it's your first entry into the series.

For the most part NASCAR 09 seems like a solid racer, and I guess it does a good job of simulating the real life product. It is rather boring though, as even if you are a petrol head at heart you can only have so much fun going around, and around and around.

As unfortunate as all that sounds, Sayonara’s gameplay is still unchanged from its handheld release, and every bit as fun and polished.

With better MMORPGs already out there and seemingly more great ones coming, The Elder Scrolls Online is using the name to appeal to its large fan base, and I have no doubt some will enjoy, but for the rest, this game is an vacillating anomaly in a packed market.

Unless you are a hardcore fan, existing players will not find much to gain from picking this up. This is a release for newcomers, which to be honest, there will be millions who would have missed this due to the platform it was originally released on. For those people, you can expect a creepy game that oozes atmosphere, but is hampered by cumbersome controls and poor pacing. A trade-off I personally feel is worth taking to experience Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water‘s bespoke approach to horror.

Dokuro features some crafty and creative puzzle designs to stump your brain and a dark presentation that is different, making it stand out in a packed fill genre, and is a fun game to spend time with, but it might be better to play the Vita version instead of this barebones PC edition.

I honestly did not really mind that the game closed without fully explaining itself; the problem was that as the credits rolled my mind harked back to earlier points in the game, trying to give those supposedly standout moments a second thought, and realising none of them really stood out firmly in my mind.

Ultimately, Super Crush KO is a short burst of fun that is priced well for what you get, but its simple level design and lack of building on the combat system make this a title I grew out of after a few short hours of play.

Despite its flaws, The Conduit is undoubtedly the best Wii-exclusive First-Person Shooter, it’s just a shame that particular accolade doesn’t mean much. Graphical prowess is no substitute for great art design, great controls are no substitute for fantastic gameplay, and when it comes to First-Person Shooters, the Wii is just no match for other consoles.

The Mad Ones is, at times, a compelling first step on this journey. However, whilst the episode excels in offering customization it is also quite regressive. Any attempt at a compelling narrative was lost under the weight of the other systems at play. I do hope this balance is righted in future episodes. If so a special game may evolve from this rocky starting point.

What you have here is two thirds of a good show that has been axed by the television network, leaving the studio to sort itself out, bringing an end to the season early, except what was offered for a closure was a cop-out, robbing The Detail of a truly satisfying ending that it deserves.

If you are looking for an exclusive Warriors game on the go, then Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 is just about fine to fill the void, but in the back of your mind, you will be thinking that this is second fiddle to the great game on home consoles.

A lot of sports games can take inspiration from some of the good things Super Mega Baseball 3 offers and I hope that Metalhead Software can steal some good ideas for the training and management side of the sport from other games for Super Mega Baseball 4. Adding franchise mode was definitely a step in the right direction and hopefully it will be a fully fleshed out experience by the time they release the next game in the series. I would also love to see their interpretation of other sports games with the same arcade style and unique mechanics in the future.

Saint Seiya isn't exactly a great game. It's a game that suffers from repetition, an awkward camera, and button bashing to beat generic enemies (bosses save this situation).

Overall, Superdimension Neptune vs Sega Hard Girls is yet another solid entry from the Neptunia series, but it could have been one of the higher recommended titles were it not for the new list of annoyances it added alongside its gameplay improvements.

The gameplay is functional, carrying over much of the mechanics introduced in RE4 while adding enough restrictions that players don’t feel invincible, and the extra Raid Mode does away with the traditional time-trial focused Mercenaries and introduces a more interesting mission-based mode that features RPG-like skills and weapons unlocked through exp and currency.

Had Lost Dimension worked harder in building a cast of likeable characters, its Wild West premise of losing any party member for good would have been more impactful. That aside, the combat is fun despite its small frustrations, and the usual array of customizable skills and plentiful missions should prove to be another satisfying budget RPG experience, though with so many of those pouring in by the month, this game does run the risk of being buried underneath the rubble.

A steeping stone for the series, one that offers hope that EA can achieve better things in the future.

The potential this title had is washed away by it being plagued with performance issues and a lack of variety in its level and mission design. When everything is working, I was having fun, even if it was a little shallow, but these issues cannot save the amusingly raw and brutal combat from being part of a game where the overall experience is repetitive and its cooperative play is cumbersome.

There is something remarkably enjoyable about taking a wild war machine and going ham against a stupid amount of enemies – pushing that enemy count up to as much as your PC can handle in free battle mode and watching all hell break lose is something magical. If only the rest of the game was as brilliant as its impressive shipbuilding.

Betrayer absolutely excels at offering a mysterious and atmospheric world to explore, which is supported with a fantastic monochromatic art direction and strong ambient sounds. It’s just a shame that the combat, AI and structure of the game can become monotonous; losing its magic that it hit you full on at the start of the game.