Gamers were ecstatic to hear about the Sword Art Online novel series getting its own video game and everyone knew there was a lot of fun to be had considering the story depth and the large array of monsters.

The surprisingly long-running Deception franchise is held together by a core idea: Traps are fun. The entire series is effectively built around a puzzle game atmosphere where you create elaborate Rube Goldberg mechanical monstrosities to kill attackers.

Hardcore trappers only I really liked the original release of Deception IV . It was refreshing to see the series get another lease on life after taking a hiatus with Trapt all the way back in 2005, and newcomer Laegrinna fit right in.

At its core, this is a strategy game with an emphasis on unit placement. Players control Laegrinna (or any of the four new playable leads) through two phases of gameplay: real-time third-person movement, where they must avoid or bait enemies, and placing traps in the most efficient set-up possible...

For those unaware, this game has been ported essentially 2 times now. From Infinity Moment (PSP) > Hollow Fragment (Vita) > Re: Hollow Fragment (PS4). This game is certainly not for everyone, it does not have "mainstream appeal" so naturally it won't review well.

A game largely ingrained in its source material, Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment features a strong combat system and a ton of content at a bargain price, but the perplexing character creator and other flaws may ruin it for those that are not already fans of the franchise.

Excellently designed combat system; Story is perfect complement to anime for fans

Character creator is useless; Frame rate drops and load times in hub town

Hey, watch your step! I can't save you from that bear trap, or that axe either. That aside, welcome back to the world of Deception IV: Nightmare Princess , a sequel to Deception IV: Blood Ties from KOEI TECMO.

Sometimes it takes a few paragraphs to explain what makes a game fun. But that's not the case with Deception. The charm of this long-running franchise is simple. It mixes the best elements from Home Alone with the murderous glee of being a cold-blooded serial killer.

Macabrely original murder 'em-up that defies categorisation, and its numerous rough edges, to make being evil more fun than in almost any other game.

A huge range of disturbingly inventive and often hilariously funny traps, with plenty of unlockables and extra modes; The new content and character are welcome additions

The artificial intelligence is extremely uneven and never feels believable; Ultimately repetitive gameplay that relies too much on trial and error; An expensive update for PS3 and Vita fans

Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess 's value for returning player depends on how much they enjoyed 2013's Blood Ties and if the addition of 100 new quests (which become repetitive quickly), a new female lead, the return of past protagonists is worth the price-tag - it feels like more of a GOTY...

+ Sadist torture simulator; + New stages and traps; + Studio Mode + return of past heroines

- Quest mode gets repetitive fast; - Stage creation limited; - Might not have enough new content to justify a re-purchase for existing fans