Strider isn’t the lightning-in-a-bottle remake that Bionic Commando Rearmed was. That was a clever reimagining, where the updates enhanced the experience rather than detracted, and every new armament felt like a natural requirement of the combat mechanics. Here, it’s overstuffed with nary a worthy challenge in sight.

It’s a fun, introspective and occasionally exhilarating ride from one end of the solar system to the other. It’s worth the trip, even if you only want to make it just the once.

Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is a solid collection for anyone still nostalgic for Duke’s brand of gory antics or those wanting to test their mettle against the corridor shooters of old.

While it’s not really much of a looker, and non-fans won’t find much here besides a series of fights, there’s a ton in here for fans of the series to dig into and enjoy.

There’s a spark here, though, and certainly a handful of memorable moments. There are just as many that require restraint, lest you put a controller through your TV.

Hardline is the archetypal spin-off, then; the victim of a franchise treading water until the next big advancement.

And while the story is fun enough, the plot isn’t the centerpiece. This expansion to the Saints Row universe is here to give a new sandbox to blow things up in. It is a sandbox to play around, without either worrying or carrying about the direction of any overall plot.

I simply wish there was more of it. Not necessarily in terms of length, but more combat, a more fleshed out story and more player agency. It has the ingredients to be great but it’s too restrictive and those aspects of its design are used so sparingly or aren’t yet fully formed, that it’s simply disappointing.

It’s a shame those moments aren’t more frequent, though, because I really wanted to like Dying Light more than I did. I still wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it if you’re in need of some schlocky fun, there are just some caveats clutching on to this recommendation that even a bloody hatchet won’t fix.

If you’re not on board with the series’ mashing of shooting and RPG elements, there’s nothing here that’s going to dissuade, and even casual fans might not feel the need to pick up this interquel after they’re still stuffed from Borderlands 2, but for the hardcore fan it’s hard to deny the formula is still plenty of fun and taking things to the moon provides enough of a difference in the mechanics to justify a play-through.

It’s just so cluttered by other stuff that it ends up being a slog to get through once you’re nearing the home stretch.

This War of Mine is a soul crushing thing to consider as entertainment. It is going to make you feel bad and absorb the consequences of your actions. It exists as a piece of indie expression that shows the actual grayness that is inherent in all conflict. There is no winning.

All in all, Dead Rising 3 is a fun, open world zombie-splattering experience that is notably let down by a weak narrative, derivative boss fights and too much emphasis on using crazy weapons to obliterate scores of undead.

As solid as ever and the best it’s been in quite a while. I just won’t be holding out hope for next year.

Murdered is a game that does a lot of things sub-par, but what it does offer is an engaging, well written story. You just have to look past the mess.

There might be an interesting game in this engine, but it’s not here, not yet, and as a result Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is at best a very expensive demo that should only be approached with the lowest expectations.

If you look at that game it’s difficult to see how this has taken such a giant leap backwards. With any hope the next iteration in this series will gravitate towards previous successes.

Here we have a game that borrows too heavily from others – entertaining as those mechanics may be – robbing it of its own unique identity. The hacking rectifies this somewhat, providing that differentiating hook, but even that’s not enough to elevate Watch Dogs above the sum of its derivative parts.

The latest take at JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a fair and accessible fighting game that offers something different from the crowd.

Yaiba is weird. It’s dumb, insanely frustrating and to be honest, kind of insulting. However, regrettably, it’s also a bit fun.

Tearaway may not be the best first-party game currently available on the Vita, but it certainly is beautiful, ambitious and worth a look, if you’re willing to weather the foibles mentioned above.

An underwhelming conclusion for Sony’s duo on the PlayStation 3. It’s a fine game; it’s pretty, it’s got the series’ trademark weaponry, and yet, it’s just another Ratchet game.

Despite its late-game flaws I’m just so surprised the team at Young Horses managed to make this ludicrous concept work as a fully-fledged game that I still wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Need for Speed: Rivals is nothing if not ridiculously dumb fun, but that just makes its multiplayer failings all the more disappointing.

It never quite feels like you get as much bang for your buck as previous expansions.

It’s a brilliant piece of interface design, the defining moment for which will come when the player realises that they’re giving a massage to the device they read their e-mails on.

You might have been to the city before, but in Burial at Sea, it remains as alluring a creation as it ever was.

The game’s utter oddness is enough to grab the attention of the average gamer, but its on-and-off mission structure isn’t going to keep them for long and once again fisticuffs in first-person proves problematic.

Even before I really understood why the things on screen were doing the things that they were doing, it was clear that the developers had done a fine job of coupling the visuals with just the right sound.

Quite simply, it’s hard to tell much difference between this and the 360 version. Textures are muddy, lines are jagged and it lacks the smooth anti-aliasing of the PS4 edition. It’s hard to tell exactly what this version provides that justifies labeling it as a next generation game.

There’s a lack of tension and attachment to these characters. You feel like you’re watching rather than playing and contributing to a piece of interactive fiction, dampening the effect of even its most affecting moments.

The sort of game for which the journalistic cliché “hidden gem” was invented.

It’s a game full of hits and misses, whether it’s the boorish comedy, uneven pacing or erratic level design, but its combat hits more often than not, simple as it may be.

Rain’s emotional potency is progressively diluted by tiresome design, but there’s no one particular grievance that completely ruins the experience.

Really, the whole experience makes for an apt coming-of-age parable: a childlike wonder of space supplanted by the disappointing realisation of its cruel, unforgiving brutality.

It is a game that imitates what works from its console big brothers and does enough to also stand out on its own.

It isn’t as nerve-shreddingly terrifying as its predecessor, but A Machine for Pigs purveys a different kind of horror, revelling in the power of suggestion rather than the substance of real threat.

Clash in the Clouds is a decent enough diversion until the main event, Burial at Sea, eventually arrives. For as long as the leaderboards and museum can keep you entertained, there’s nothing inherently wrong with what Clash in the Clouds is offering.

So much of it is so immensely charming, loveable and inventive that it’s hard to stay mad for too long. You just always feel hamstrung in your ability to extract the full potential out of a conceivably phenomenal game. You want to love it, you do love it, but not its whole, and that’s incredibly disheartening.

Play it for the laid back narrative and faithful recreation of 1970s rural Japan, not for a deep monster-battling system or a well-told story.

Guncraft is addictive and ambitious. Exato has achieved a real feat in utilising Minecraft’s template in such innovative ways. The potential for creativity and its pure gameplay should make Guncraft a hub of imagination once it becomes more populated and utilised.

There’s a good game here and it’s certainly the contemporary title 2K was looking for, but it’s Firaxis’ “outdated” effort that comes out on top if you want a modern taste of XCOM.

Maybe it’s worth checking out for the average ’90s Gamer and a new generation but the original remains the primary experience.

Even if it is at times too orderly and directed, Shelter remains admirably blunt in its emulation of life throughout its short, two hour length.

Beatbuddy has style and charm in abundance, but lacks the mechanics to be truly enjoyable.

If you can look past Divinity: Dragon Commander’s shortcomings, you’ll find a charming and unique experience.

Saints Row IV doesn’t play like a sequel so much as an expansion pack, substituting huge quantities of diversions and weaponry for an engaging campaign. With Steelport recycled and the lack of challenge, it doesn’t offer much beyond short-lived thrills through wanton destruction and the occasionally humorous moment wrapped in science fiction tropes.

Where the modern FPS has become bloated with features and alternate gameplay styles, this is focused on delivering a simple experience that’s true to its origins.

Ill conceived and illogical if following orders, Heavy Squad is the weakest slice of this anthology.

Trichrome might not go so far as to make you reconsider the existence of triangles, but it should, at least, give you a strange new perspective on them.

Yes, you could probably sniff up an old Flash game built on roughly the same premise, but it wouldn’t have the same production values as Castlestorm has.

Like all good arcade games, it never reaches for anything deeper than ‘compulsive time-killer’, and this could lead to voices, both internal and external, saying that it’s an empty, flawed experience not worth spending your time or money on.

Gunslinger feels like a by-the-numbers shooter with a narrative gimmick that, put in the right hands, could’ve made for a truly compelling experience. As it stands, it overall feels like a way to pad out the length (it’s already pretty short at about five hours).

Ultimately though, what makes Magrunner a mediocre experience is that it feels padded. Halfway through the game, the magnetism mechanics stop being entertaining, but there’s still half a story to tell.

As with their past work, Genius Sonority has interesting ideas that regularly get in their own way. Denpa Men 2: Beyond the Wave’s no different and the iteration never comes together. It makes only a bit of forward progress with eShop’s limitations putting strain on the potential. They came by wave and so they went.

It’s played safe, and although its jokes might make one playthrough worthwhile even they struggle to maintain the interest of a game severely lacking the nuance and depth of its contemporaries.

At its core, Joe Danger has intensely enjoyable gameplay, that can sometimes be held back by superfluous elements. If Hello Games had focused solely on crazy stunts, it could’ve found a stronger identity.

Its animation, voice acting and polished presentation are exemplary, and fans of anime should find much to appreciate in the storytelling.

The story provides a nice backdrop for the exploration, and your party members feel like actual humans and not disposable toy soldiers.

The game is rewarding, colourful and has enough accoutrements (including, in true RPG fashion, optional bosses) to draw you back for multiple play sessions. Locked within it, though, are the seeds of a much more complex, far more satisfying experience, one that the developers might well consider pursuing in the future.

It does show a couple original ideas, but they’re never fully executed, and it’s full of small, annoying bugs that sour the experience.

It’s going to need to become more than a sum of its parts if it wants to compete in this modern gaming era though.

It’s clear that Insomniac have more work to do and with a bit more finesse and a personal approach, there’s enough potential to get this right. For now, there are far worse options for a co-op third person shooter and few better ones.

What it inherits from the original are often its greatest strengths. It’s the inconsistencies that do it harm. They’re so close to something truly special here, and I’m confident that 4A Games’ next will be something to behold.

It’s a shame there isn’t some sort of message integrated in the game, because as it is now, it seems unambitious. A plot of some sort would have helped here.

Impossible Road’s fundamentals are so crisply constructed, so itchingly compelling that its lack of iteration doesn’t completely sour the experience.

If you played Resident Evil: Revelations on the 3DS these new features probably aren’t enough to make you want to pick it up again, and they shouldn’t be. This is a game meant for new players, especially those disillusioned with the series’ recent direction.

At first glance the lack of direction appears to be a weakness, but in actuality Legendary Heroes requires you to assist it, to give it the direction it needs.

It’s good and esoteric in an entirely worthwhile way.

It’s definitely more fun than it has any right to be, but its lasting appeal is seriously questionable.

ACE has mostly succeeded in creating an interesting setting – but the joy of exploration is quickly tempered by the game’s reliance on fighting mechanics that are too simple, and too rough to be engaging.

Thomas Was Alone does a stellar job in doing what it sets out to achieve. It uses simplistic visuals and basic gameplay to convey a sense of wonder and tell a very personable, well written and well realised story of isolation and companionship.

The feeling is that Blood Dragon is a straight-to-VHS sequel that occasionally manages to top its blockbuster equivalent due in large part to a sharp wit and an enthusiastic execution on a popular nostalgia.

To their credit, Trion Worlds’ support has been admirable so far, and there’s hope for growth, but in its current state Defiance strikes a precarious balancing act between fleeting enjoyment and impeding flaws.

Taken as a whole, Dead Space 3 is far more infuriating than it is bad.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of Slamjet Stadium will depend on your respect for rules - not ‘the’ rules, but the basic notion that games should have them.

Razor’s Edge doesn’t reach the same heights of fast, brutal action that its predecessors did, but it’s a huge step forward and warrants Team Ninja’s flawed sequel one more chance.

Evoland is a small game, but if there’s anything it could have learned from the big titles it draws inspiration from is that it should have picked one style of gameplay and fleshed it out. Instead there’s several subpar reflections of olden styles, painted in a fresh coat of nostalgia.

Dead Island: Riptide is simply more of the same dumb fun, and while it still might not be the game it could be, I’ve learned to embrace it for what it is, absurd.

You could come into March of the Eagles expecting a glorified game of Risk and go away quite satisfied. That’s reductive perhaps, but there is a solid if unspectacular base strategy game here that’s deep enough for grand strategy fans to sink their teeth into. There’s just not a lot else to enjoy.

Judgment is a worthy addition to the franchise, but it’s a shame the campaign falls short of the high standard of those that preceded it.

It may lack substance in the long-term, but it provides an experience which is admirably oriented towards pure intuitive fun, presented in a way which is great to look at and humorous in tone.

This could have been an amazing basis for combat mechanics, but there’s too much mouse lag and unresponsiveness when playing.

The Banner Saga: Factions’ slower pace and current lack of class variety will be enough to discourage many from trying this particular brand of turn-based strategy. But those who can look past these flaws will find a somewhat deep combat system that necessitates tactical awareness and forethought, and a rewarding experience for those who invest the time needed to learn its intricacies.

There’s also unevenness to the pacing between the high-energy action divided by constant collect-a-thons.

Sporos is an inoffensive and mechanically sturdy puzzle machine.

The flawed functionality and often obtuse environments are fortunately not detrimental to the claustrophobia, perhaps even strengthening it, and this is Killer Escape’s strongest suit.

Alex Kidd & Co. is a fine, if not uneven addition to Sega’s ongoing Vintage Collections. it finds the return of a couple brands which molded Sega into the company they are today and a retro arcade-centric racing game that’s been broadly overlooked with time.

On one hand, it’s a fun, colorful, hearty little game that employs throwback platforming and collect-a-thon elements to good effect. On the other hand, it features a jarring mishmash of gameplay styles, lacks challenge and suffers from enthusiasm-sapping load times.

All things considered, Mirror of Fate is still a decent game, one that is merely injured by some elements of poor design. It’s a unique approach to rebooting a franchise, one that doesn’t seek to reestablish the rules, but instead utilize them as a guide, thus allowing this new version to travel its own direction.

God of War III introduced the scale and spectacle capable on modern hardware with a massive budget, but without the same wads of cash and sense of purpose Ascension feels like a step back. A safe bet that’s simply going through the motions, padding out the end of the PlayStation 3s lifespan with one last hurrah for its angriest protagonist.

If you can, try not to play this game by yourself. As a single player game Nazi Zombie Army can become horribly monotonous. The crippling condition that makes the experience stale and repetitive is quickly remedied by the presence of buddies.

Traal is a fine example when it all falls into place of the home coding, floppy-disk mentality that once reigned during the Amiga days. Download it, squeeze your phone in frustration and come away surprised. I certainly did.

If none of this sounds particularly interesting, it’s because it isn’t. There’s nothing inherently wrong with STX, but that everything it does has been done better before. Its slapdash blending of styles reinforces its image as a generic title trying to catch up to the first Gears of War while jumping on the military shooter bandwagon and being cartoony at the same time.

By including zombies and guns, Sega have provided something new to its cumbersome, juggernaut of a franchise; but it’s been done much better elsewhere.

What lies beneath is a nostalgic, ornate adventure game, weighed down by a few stifling design decisions, but these alone aren’t egregious enough to detract from how enjoyable its style, setting and stories truly are.

A mechanically solid, visually luxuriant package and one of the strongest results of Steam Greenlight so far.

It’s not going to set any new standards in the genre, but it’s a fine foray into the third person shooter genre and proves that this type of game can, and should, exist on the PlayStation Vita.