So, maybe this isn't really a Final Fantasy game. It doesn't really matter, because 4 Heroes is supremely challenging and occasionally inventive - and what recent, successful Final Fantasy game can you really say that about?

A decent game - it just doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from all the other games like it. And while it's true that those games don't blend martial arts with duck-and-cover shooting, Conspiracy's approach to both of those things is just too shallow and repetitive.

Zombi is hardly a deluxe version of ZombiU, with numerous bugs and few graphical improvements. It's still a good survival game, but feels outdated and misses the Wii U Game Pad.

Rogue Trooper may not be cutting edge, but as a simple, straightforward shooter, it’s more than capable of delivering a quick action fix.

Unfortunately, and bafflingly, there is no multiplayer in AHL. It's a huge shame, as the quick-paced, finger-breaking dogfights would have lent themselves well to co-op. Even still, there are plenty of unlockables and challenges to keep gamers in the cockpit. If you're a fan of any Ace Combat entries, you'll find something to love on these horizons.

By the end of the campaign we were satisfied with the admittedly-average story, but the stale combat and chaotic multiplayer that are supposed to sell this game just aren't built well enough. On the cheap, you could probably do worse than this, but we can say for a fact that you can do a hell of a lot better.

A mesmerizing, gorgeous achievement in interactive art, and should be experienced by anyone willing to open their minds as to what video games can be.

Avalon Code's story props up the experience even if the game's combat feels punishing, bordering on unfair, and if you're an old school RPG scholar this one deserves some study.

The rampant nostalgia is incredibly endearing, and it'll be very appreciated by lovers of that period in American pop culture. But games like Bit.Trip and Meat Boy are better than Retro City Rampage, and it's because they don't just emulate classic games, they move past them. RCR instead submerges itself in an ocean of retro references, but forgets to come up for air often enough to make the game all that fun to play.

Funny, colorful, and full of personality, The Lego Movie Videogame not only successfully builds from its source material but is also a great example of why Lego games are so much fun to play.

Digimon World DS excels in being a solid monster collection and training sim. However, the downside is playing through the actual game to collect these monsters. From here it's all Digi-downhill.

Crayta offers a wide range of tools for players to build their own games, and the collaborative spirit of it all is second to none, but the end results are not nearly as fun as the journey.

Doki-Doki Universe uses creation instead of destruction to progress through a rewarding, off-beat story. Some sticky challenges, load times, and other issues mess up its open-ended flow, but they can't keep a good robot down.

Had Joint Assault been released on PS3, 360 or even PS2 with all these features intact, it would have been a good, if derivative game. On PSP, it's a good game marred by control problems and real world visuals that are limited by the hardware.

Andromeda provides an interesting premise and story, but is let down by poor combat, excessive padding, and over-complication.

For around five bucks, Paperboy is a worthwhile purchase. It’s still loads of fun. But like the newspapers our paperboy is tasked with delivering, the game has lost some of its appeal.

A fascinating, fantastical world let down by plodding pacing.

'Little Nightmares 3 nails the mood and atmosphere series fans are expecting, but in most other respects it's a let down with clunky pacing and awkward puzzles. Co-op, rather than breathe new life into the series, ends up feeling more like a burden than anything. A little nightmare indeed.

Morsels' gnarly, gross visuals pair well with a dreamy VHS visual style – you'll immediately be hooked or feel a little sick. Collecting different playable creatures you can swap between is a nice idea, and mastering the chaos of this roguelike shooter can be satisfying. Yet, hewing too close to The Binding of Isaac, annoyances stack up to the point where I end up just wanting to play that instead – an ever present danger in a genre where replayability is the appeal.

It's not without its flaws, but the good definitely outweighs the bad. The action is fast-paced, the combat is smooth, and the new twists on familiar FPS tropes really do make Gotham City Impostors a game worth playing. Even if it is just to pretend to be a backyard Batman for a few nights.

System seller? Not quite. Fun, simple flight game that handles great and conveys a fantastic sense of speed and height? Absolutely.

It doesn't tie itself down by abiding to unnecessary console conventions. We hop in for a 60-second challenge, fail a few times and crawl to the kitchen for some water, leaving the game behind until we once again feel the irresistible urge to fuck up some fruit.

The story may turn off fans of the first two Parasite Eve games, but if you can get past the inane plot and characterizations, there's still a solid action-RPG underneath.

While we've obviously got reservations about the exhumation of a decade-old game, the fact that Resi can still provide tension and enjoyment in equal measure is testament to its quality.

No Man's Sky is impressive, unusual and staggeringly vast. Despite some moments of tedium, its gravitational pull will keep many players perpetually engaged.

"Final Fantasy" followers might be looking for more. Even so, at times tonelico conveys more energy and thoughtfulness than most big-budget RPGs even attempt. It's primarily for the hardcore audience, though any gamer looking for another fantasy outlet should take a look.

It’s solid enough and has depth aplenty, but the lack of spit and polish keeps it on the virtual bench. It’s worth a cup of coffee as a rental, but not quite a spot in the starting rotation.

MercurySteam follow up the career high point of Metroid Dread with a dark fantasy soulslike full of neat ideas. Blades of Fire dares to make the case for weapon degradation being a good thing and succeeds. The fun characters, secret-stuffed level design, and terrific combat don’t hurt either. A really pleasant surprise.