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.

Ultimately, as interesting as Spore’s concept is, the actual gameplay works against its offer to let you be creative, and the gameplay isn’t really worth the sacrifice of the creativity - especially when the standalone creature creator was released ages ago. For a fiver.

A good game with a satisfying conclusion to the MercurySteam saga that sadly falls short of its predecessor, thanks to the puzzling inclusion of unwanted stealth elements.

Ereban: Shadow Legacy is a lot like Aragami. And I need more of that, it’s just a kickass concept. But it needs some tough love and design direction if it ever wants its players to really be a part of the world they’re creating or to feel like an Ereban.

Fine for an hour at a time, but shouldn’t be treated as anything other than a lower alternative to better games doing the same thing.

If you are a fan of its Anime aesthetics, or at least willing to tolerate them, the game will suffice as a budget title with an average amount of content to play through.

Deception IV is a strange game that bizarrely makes for a wonderfully unique title, but shortcomings with the gameplay affects the overall quality of the game.

Dead Island Riptide is a stop-gap extension to the franchise that is enjoyable in small doses, but disappointingly fails to address problems that plagued the original game.

There is literally no difference between the PC and the Xbox versions of the game, apart from the clunky keyboard controls, but feel to buy a game pad or map the keys to places you find easier to use… all 17 of them!

If you are looking for a refreshing tower defence title, then there is something in Prime World: Defenders you will enjoy. People who are more fussy with their choice of tower defence games might find this to be an ambitious title with problems.

Is it the best rogue-y game out there? Certainly not, but it’s a nice time-filler that can be enjoyed alone or with friends, even if it’s likely not something that you’ll feel like coming back to again and again.

This is still the same game as the PS2 original, and much of the gameplay still holds up, minus some cheap one-hit death puzzles that prove extra frustrating since they occur during some unskippable cutscenes. While the experimental combination of Survival Horror and Capcom-style Action proved more successful with its sequels, Onimusha: Warlords is still an entertaining prototype that is worth a revisit for fans and a first look for newcomers.

To play The 40th Day in single player exposes a multitude of flaws the core game has, with AI mistakes particularly running rampant throughout. Co-op does a lot to mask these annoyances, but it is still not enough to push the game into the realm of a ‘must buy.’

What’s frustrating is there are some elements that the game does well – your player moves with a weight that not many games on the Vita can match, and the story – while a bit ridiculous and cliche-ridden – still manages to be fun without too many groan-induced moments. But that’s a hard price to pay in exchange for the game’s other, poorer elements; there is a gem of a game hidden in Toukiden, and the universe of the game is one I’d like to revisit one day.

It’s the summer blockbuster movie of the arcade-shooter world, then – a short but mildly enjoyable piece of entertainment, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing to be.

When it’s all said and done, my main quarrel with all of these issues is that they are holding this super concept back from reaching anywhere near its potential and it’s just such a shame to see. Wavey The Rocket has its ups and downs, it’s crests and troughs, if you will, but it is still a good game at its core. There are just a few rough edges that need to be worked on and status quos to break free of. Instead of trying to fit this new idea into an established space, like a wavey peg into a conventionally-shaped hole, I wanted to see it go further, to think bigger!

I did not regret playing Madness Returns, nor could I earnestly recommend it. There's incentive to brave a secondary play through to obtain more unlockables – by way of memories and opening up new nooks by shooting pig snouts, naturally – but the problem is thus: we've been blessed – daresay spoilt – by better action/adventure titles over the past few years for Madness Returns to ever compete. Hopefully we see Alice again. I sensed a great game in Madness Returns and occasionally played one but this spicy gift horse would be best looked in the mouth.

The final hour of episode 3 is its strongest, where the players are able to shape the character development in some really interesting ways that lead to either a satisfying catharsis or heartbreaking submission.

It feels more aimed at Warriors fans than roguelike enthusiasts, and with so many other options in the roguelike genre, Warriors: Abyss ends up being a fun, but flawed experience—an entertaining twist on Warriors gameplay, but not a standout in the roguelike genre.

Severed Steel was fun to play, but I couldn’t recommend it at its current price in its present state. Greylock Studio needs to throw some intense boss battles in there, a few tough enemies, and, in my opinion, rework the bullet time metre. I really hope the developers don’t move onto their next project straight away, and instead turn this game into a series that will make people look forward to the sequel. If you love these types of games, then there is no doubt in my mind that you will also enjoy Severed Steel.

AYIM is a great distraction for any fan of casual puzzles who doesn’t want to blow a lot of cash.