Metaphor borrows defining features of Persona yet executes these ideas in a less meaningful way, and in taking much from the beloved series, it takes a long time for Atlus' latest to carve out its own identity.

Make no mistake, Torchlight 2 is nothing revolutionary. It favors a remix of genre conventions over any true evolution of the action RPG formula, but it is a pitch-perfect execution of those traditions that remains satisfying from start to finish and beyond

If you loved Zero Dawn and simply wanted more, warts and all, this is easy to recommend. But if you were looking for something groundbreaking with a lot more polish, then Horizon Forbidden West is really a mixed bag.

Bravely Default's more interesting ideas, particularly the mechanics behind the battle system, breathe some life into a very traditional RPG. However, the game is also let down by its fair share of derivative and less ambitious features. Bravely Default disappointingly wastes a lot of its potential, but Square Enix will get another shot with the already-announced sequel.

There's some good fun to be had with BattleBlock Theater and it's a mostly charming title. But its fair share of problems hold it back from being an unequivocally entertaining, must-have game.

Hundreds is certainly worth a look for those craving a challenge on their iPad, but only for the most masochistic gamers.

Sound Shapes is really what you make of it. The campaign, while a unique and thrilling musical ride, is criminally short and can be completed in under an hour on your first attempt.

Halo 5: Guardians features an underwhelming, confusing and surprisingly banal campaign that's not actively bad, but equally not quite good enough to warrant a purchase on its own.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on iOS is easily the worst way to experience a game that many people regard as one of the best games ever made.

While the sequel doesn't reinvent the game, it builds on the original enough that the novelty of dashing steel unicorns hasn't worn out its welcome yet.

Leo's Fortune is a fun ride while it lasts though, filled with clever physics puzzles and unconventional controls.

Generous checkpoints alleviate some of the control issues, and the unique visual style is almost worth the price of admission on its own, but Type: Rider falls just short of its lofty vision.

What Royal Revolt lacks in strategy, it makes up for in bright visuals and the ability to become more involved in the sweeping battles. It provides a surprising amount of content for a free game, with equally surprising production values to match.

Taken on its own, Asphalt 7 is the best game in the series so far, but it does little to differentiate itself from its predecessors aside from price.

Aside from the audiovisual presentation, the Advance Wars remake plays it considerably safe. That isn't a bad thing in itself, particularly since the foundations of the game mostly hold up. There is still plenty of fun to be had here. But it also means that this package is less interesting than it could have been.

The game's nonsensical internal logic and humor is a lot of what makes McPixel so charming. The downside is that failing a puzzle means repeating it until you get it right.

For fans who already play and love Terraria on another platform, the iOS port is a decent supplement if you need a fix away from home. But due to control issues and the lack of multiplayer, a supplement for the real thing is all it will be.

The dual-stick shooter impresses from both gameplay and visual standpoints, without bringing anything new to the genre.

At least GT Racing 2 doesn't make you wait for repairs like in other mobile racing sims, but the constant downtime that accompanies upgrades gets in the way of an otherwise smooth ride.

Virtual Fighter 5: The Final Showdown shows its age when compared to triple-A contemporary fighters, but it works well as a budget-friendly downloadable release. While the single player modes don't offer a wealth of longevity, there's enough bang for buck value to be found in the online multiplayer to keep the fanbase happy.

The sequel is impressive for its robust drawing suite and shift in focus toward a community art gallery, but casual artists may find the significant bump in quality intimidating, which could hold Draw Something 2 back from being as big of a hit as the original.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Death Stranding's legacy will be the fascinating and barmy hype train we've all been riding for the last few years. It's certainly been a fun ride, but the destination wasn't worth the wait.

Time Surfer is essentially more Tiny Wings with a rewind feature, which for some fans will be enough, but won't convert anyone who wasn't already fond of the game it's based on to begin with.

At its best, Fang and their friends' journey is affecting and thought-provoking, and while their time threatens to be cruelly cut short, the time we spent at Volcano High was mostly well-spent.

Even though the randomly-generated levels can sometimes seem to be unfair in their layout, the intense rush draws you back in, making Boson X an ideal game for mobile masochists.

Lil' Guardsman is charming and novel enough that it's worth playing, but a flawed approach that skirts around aspects of the core idea holds the overall experience back.

This is not a revolution as far as open-world games go, it's more of a compendium of recognizable elements that have been twisted just enough to make them seem new and different for the uninitiated.

A lack of new levels and the omission of online play definitely damages the title, but the wonderful level design, intuitive controls and addictive gameplay makes it easy to overlook such glaring faults.

If you can wrestle through the controls though, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is host to imaginative levels, clever camera work and an abundance of Disney charm to keep you happily playing for hours.

It may have problems, but Final Fantasy XV is bursting with personality and it's hard to dislike. Like any true friend, you'll learn to love it despite its flaws.

Although Deus Ex GO is a neat little package with great visuals, tricky puzzles and a compact storyline, it's let down by a control system that isn't as tight as its forbearers.

Players uninterested in collecting all of the stars and going back to earn medals will likely feel that Sleepwalker's Journey is over far too quickly. It is, with levels that are meant to be replayed and mastered rather than offering a lengthy adventure.

Stellar Blade is a hard game to pin down in the end. The combat really sings in its moments and the boss fights are some of the most memorable you’ll encounter in this genre, but it’s bogged down by a bland story, uninteresting characters and the need to make boobs wobble in every second of every cutscene. There’s some fun to be had in there if you can look past its issues, but in an age of games costing £70 or over, whether it’s worth that is entirely questionable.

Engage plays confidently and is a highly enjoyable game when you're thrust into battle, the small innovations pushing the strategy and combat into new territory for the series. But it's held back by bland storytelling that fails to provoke much emotion or convey a sense of drive as you canter towards the next destination on the world map. It's a solid Fire Emblem, but lacks the lasting impact to rank as a classic.

Cottage Living will make a lot of fans happy, and there are plenty of positives in the expansion's attempt to make good on the farming and countryside themes. It's a shame then that a number of aspects hold the pack back from realising its full potential. Henford-on-Bagley is a nice enough world, but errs too much on the safe side to leave a lasting impression.

Control issues aside, Lili is a charming mobile adventure game, and a definite showpiece for smartphone visuals for a while to come.

If Far Cry 3 was the dinner entree when it released last year, then Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is an ice cream sundae on top of a slice of chocolate cake for dessert. It goes a bit farther than it needs to for some of its parody, but the game's core is as strong as ever wrapped in a love letter to the '80s vision of cool.

Space Marine 2 is a brutally fun action game that will be best experienced with friends in multiplayer, and while the gameplay and story itself are serviceable and don't do much to innovate the series or genre, fans of Warhammer or anyone looking for an old-school shooter will have a good time turning tyranid swarms into puddles of blood.

For nostalgic fans, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is worth it on iOS just to take one last drive through the city with you wherever you go. But if you actually hope to complete missions and play the story, this is probably the worst version you can get.

That said, with heists, race editors and much more still to come, GTA Online has enormous potential, and we wouldn't bet against Rockstar from tapping into every last drop.

Dream Home Decorator isn't for everyone, but those who enjoy renovating homes will be impressed by a generous variety of items and an engaging new career, even if the amount of new gameplay is on the slight side. It's a shame that the pack has launched with a troubling amount of bugs, and anyone considering making the purchase at this moment in time should keep that in mind.

Infamous: Second Son looks great and plays well enough, but ultimately, the combat, world and story never proves gripping enough to come back for more.

Proteus is very much a niche title. Without any real objective or storytelling hook, the open-ended nature will no doubt bore some. That said, its attempts at emergent gameplay are commendable and worth experiencing if this type of game appeals to you.

The game can become a bit of a grind as more challenging missions may require multiple attempts, but the core swinging mechanic remains fun throughout. Knights of the Round Cable captures the feel of an easy to learn, difficult to master game with controls perfectly suited for touch devices.

The remaster wants to remind you of what it was like to play Oblivion in 2006, but some changes make it lose sight of this and it feels just enough like a different experience to be jarring. At the same time, this version does not commit the other way and retains some of Oblivion's notable flaws – resulting in a game that's caught in the middle and does not quite work either as a remaster or as a remake.

An enjoyable and laid back puzzle game that's easy to grasp but tricky to master. It's a little on the plain side and lacking in variety, but the addition of new puzzle types combined with the promise of user-generated content, should pull players back for more.

Wolfenstein: The New Order is not the most sophisticated of games and it's certainly not perfect, but it wears its silly plot and over-the-top action like a badge of honor, and for that we applaud it.

Temple Run was by no means the first endless runner on the mobile scene, and its success paved the way for an influx of worthy competitors. With this in mind, Temple Run 2 feels like a trek across well-trodden ground, albeit a scenic one, rather than a substantial expansion of an existing formula.

'The Knife of Dunwall' isn't a bad piece of downloadable content, and is in fact good value for money if you're into collecting everything or playing higher difficulty levels. It's fun at times for the same reasons the main game was.

The struggle to portray a vivid world and a sense of place results in the game failing to make much of an emotive impact. Once the credits rolled, there was very little about the experience that stuck with us.

Gears of War: Judgment is not a bad game, but one that very much stands in the shadow of its more illustrious predecessors. It is a bit like going back to a favorite restaurant, only to find that the management has changed and it's just not quite the same anymore...Sure, you'll still have a pretty decent meal, but you'll also leave yearning for days gone by.

As a simple hack and slash game, ORC: Vengeance is a good fit for mobile. But while it may look the part of a console or PC quality game, it lacks much of the depth and customization of its dungeon crawling contemporaries.

Ultimately, the only real sin committed by All That Remains is that it's a first episode to the second season rather than a sixth episode to the first season.

There is the odd flourish of creativity, but it is hard not to feel like it's all been done before, and better. There's still plenty to enjoy, but it doesn't quite carve out its own identity. In short: it's finely crafted, if a bit woolly.

As a Nintendo game, Mario Golf: World Tour feels uncharacteristically clunky. When the tense thrill of the course takes you, it's a great experience that packs a lot of potential depth, but with confused structures and systems, it takes patience to see the best World Tour has to offer.

Infinity Blade 3 offers more of the same for fans, but the constant grinding is showing its age the third time around.

The inclusion of playable villains does just enough to prevent a tried and tested formula from turning stagnant, but with Disney Infinity and Nintendo's Amiibo amping up the competition in the toys-to-life category, future Skylanders titles may have to do more to cement the series' position as market leader.

Just like a trashy novel, Assault Horizon is a decent page turner just as long you try not to think too hard.

Though The Curse doesn't bring much new to the world of puzzle games, it is a substantial collection that will keep players scratching their heads for a long time to come.

The downside is that online matchmaking routinely pairs inexperienced beginners with veterans.

Nimble Quest is a fun twist on the classic Snake game, with the random heroes you collect making it a different enough experience each time to keep you coming back.

The combo system makes it a unique spin on the Flight Control formula, so that climbing the leaderboards takes some skill along with endurance. However, those who are not particularly competitive with leaderboards may find that the joke wears thin in the time of only a few trips to the bathroom.

The final two cases are undoubtedly a huge cut above the others that take place in Kanai Ward, and it's a shame that the game takes so long before hitting its highs. But stick through to the end, and Rain Code eventually delivers a satisfyingly twisty adventure in spite of its shortcomings – helping to somewhat fill that Danganronpa void.

Sprinkle Islands is much harder than it looks, in part due to occasionally wonky physics, but with greater puzzle variety than its predecessor that shouldn't deter fans.

Nintendo has produced a game which is occasionally elating, often frustrating, but which definitely feels like nothing we've tried before. Assuming you're willing to overlook its flaws, ARMS could be a welcome addition to your growing collection of Switch games.

Like the prequel trilogy itself, Angry Birds Star Wars II just isn't as interesting as what came before it, and seems to have forgotten much of what made the series popular in the first place.

The game is pure destructive fun, but that purity comes at a cost. There is no score, leaderboard, or even a level star system, which may turn off some players who want a record of their gaming accomplishments.

Jack Lumber evolves the slashing formula of titles like Fruit Ninja by adding a bit of finesse. Similarly to the food-slashing game, logs will fly onto the screen and it's your job to hack them into pieces.

It's a game capable of delivering real moments of magic, but is too often marred by inconsistent Kinect controls that can turn those feelings of joy into frustration.

The campaign's story is interesting, and even heartbreaking, but it's weighed down by repetitive gameplay and lurks in the shadow of the great moon that is Modern Warfare Remastered...Then there's the multiplayer, which is the same great stuff that you always wanted with some new, tasty additions, but isn't anywhere near as good as that on offer over in WWI with Battlefield 1.

Another strong Kinect title let down by a lack of longevity and a few minor issues. Certainly, the short play time is offset by the inclusion of Fruit Ninja Kinect and the budget price, while occasional control issues are easily overlooked with a little patience. For the most part, Twisted Pixel has crafted another wonderfully outrageous video game, which plays well and offers a great deal of entertainment, however short-lived that may be.

Each dungeon has its own theme and unique enemies, but once you learn the enemy patterns there is little incentive to go back through one you've already completed. Even the infinite dungeon recycles enemies from the rest of the game, making Deep Dungeons of Doom a fleeting but fun mobile adventure.

Though not as experimental or revolutionary as we would have liked, Peggle 2 is as bright, bouncy and brilliant as ever, delivering the same addictive action as its predecessor.

Toki Tori 2+ joins Fez as part of a new breed of exploration-based puzzle games.

Combo Crew is a fun brawler with plenty of content for players to dive into, but all of that content doesn't mean much after a while as it all starts to blend together.

But when it comes to the story itself, there is a nagging sense that either a piece of the puzzle is missing or perhaps that the puzzle just wasn't as interesting as it first seemed.

So while Third Eye Crime is certainly worth a download for curious fans of stealth games, that worth is also dependent on your willingness to pay a little bit more than the sticker price in order to get the full experience.

Not as scary as the likes of Silent Hill or Resident Evil, not as funny as No More Heroes and not as original as Killer7, leaving it stuck in video game limbo.

Once you start an online match everything runs fine, but the initial connection often takes longer to establish than the match takes to play. Connection issues aside, for speedy wordsmiths Writer Rumble is an excellent find while those with slower fingers will want to steer clear for something more turn-based.

The game isn't quite as pick-up-and-play friendly as Temple Run, requiring more finger agility due to the constant switching between lanes, but once you get started it can be just as difficult to put down.

It's a game best played in short bursts, since setting train deliveries only takes a few minutes compared to the longer wait for the trains to actually reach their destinations.

It's not as technical as Street Fighter, not as chaotic as Smash Bros and not as fluid as Tekken, but if it just offered a bit more of a challenge and some more depth, it would be right up there with the best of them.

Ookibloks will disarm you with its adorable visuals, but its devious difficulty makes it a puzzle game that is equal parts satisfying and frustrating.

Combat and exploration is still enormously satisfying, and the narrative is powerful, but without enough fresh ideas that it can call its own, 'Freedom Cry' feels like too much, too soon.

UFC 2 is the best attempt to date at turning the sport into a game, and seasoned fans will no doubt be able to overlook its shortcomings and enjoy it for what it is - a gorgeous-looking but ultimately flawed fighter.

Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure features some excellent rhythm action gameplay, a well-executed narrative and an interesting array of colourful characters. While there are some pacing issues, particularly during exploration, and the odd mini-game that isn't quite up to scratch, this is largely a very successful marriage of music and adventure. If they ever made Professor Layton: The Musical, Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure is what you'd be left with, a charming game perfectly suited to the portable.

Feels like a deconstruction of the first game. The atmospheric plot and tense action segments have each been given their own separate treatments through the story and arcade modes. When at their best, both modes surpass the original in their respective areas, but as a whole their separation doesn't work in American Nightmare's favor.

Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare is not an exceptional shooter by any means – and in the case of its progression, can be quite frustrating – but seeing its classes brought to life in a shooter so effectively, with its trademark humor intact, will win you over for at least a short while.

As it stands, it's a game that could really benefit from some additional content if it's to evolve into the next must-have multiplayer shooter.

Visiting familiar Zelda locations and wiping out hundreds of enemies offers brief but satisfying bursts of mindless enjoyment, just don't expect to be engaged in the same way as a full series release.

It's too early to say whether ShootMania's custom maps will boost its staying power, but we're not sure if an inspired community can draw us back into the FPS.

Legion doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of its San Francisco predecessor. Your team isn’t as endearing, the missions aren’t as fun and the story is just not quite as engaging. Though, if you take the time to explore the streets of London, and make it your playground, there is still lots to like. The gameplay loop is addictive once you get into it and if you can look past the bugs and pantomime voices, you’ll be happy you digitally toured one of the worlds greatest cities, albeit a bleak one.

Immortals of Aveum is the perfect example of a mid-tier experience. There’s some good ideas in there – and some things are executed well – but with so many others not feeling quite right, enjoyment will really vary person to person. We hope Ascendant Studios gets the chance to have a second shot at casting a spell on the genre. If given the space to jettison some tropes and really focus on their concept, there could be something really special here.

What at first appears to just be a simple score attack game of frantic tapping evolves with you the more you play it, making for an experience that could very well be prohibitively difficult to many players but rewards those who put in the time for their effort.

OK, so Unravel kind of runs out of steam, and there are times when the game is so frustrating that you'll want to throw Yarny in the cat's direction. But then this isn't a game that's defined purely by its platforming and puzzles. Indeed, by the time the cracks appear, you'll be too in love with little Yarny and too emotionally invested in the journey to turn back.

It's hard not to smile at the charming cartoonish visuals, though that smile can easily go the other way after a few of the action hero's cringe-worthy one-liners.

The core mechanics are strong and locations are stunning, but the game's pacing and surprising lack of gunplay seems like a bit of a missed opportunity that makes the gaps in action even more apparent. Nevertheless, we're sure fans of the previous games will enjoy closing out the trilogy.

Amateur Surgeon 3 is still a fun and funny romp through medical malpractice, but the tight constraints on progression work against the game's darkly whimsical tone.