After a long and exasperating day at work, Bye-Bye Boxboy! is the kind of relaxing mindgame you want to come home to. It’s cute and laidback while being devoid of the design-based frustrations that plague many puzzle platformers. By remaining user-friendly, Bye-Bye Boxboy! promises that you’ll remain engaged in your journey with Qbby from start to finish through the game’s hundreds of brilliant, physics and geometry-based platforming puzzles. Though Bye-Bye Boxboy! plays it safe in a way that makes it less than memorable, you’ll nonetheless find its gentle challenges rewarding.

A treat for the eyes and brain, Triangle Strategy is a delightful and deeply engrossing experience. It perfectly balances each of its gameplay aspects and is elevated with a rich lore that makes you want to keep playing. A masterfully crafted game from bottom to top that any Switch owner needs in their collection.

A unique, immersive mystery adventure game that is a standout in its genre. The amount of detail present in nearly every aspect of the game makes for a challenging but accessible puzzle solving experience. The game brilliantly combines time-loop mechanics with clever and mysterious puzzles that will put you on wit’s end, while smoothly balancing a creepy plotline with a colorful art style and dry humor. This indie title is a hidden gem that fans of mystery and puzzle games alike will greatly enjoy.

Danganronpa 1 & 2 Reload provides a powerful and gripping experience that will keep players addicted from the opening sequence until the final credits begin to roll. If you enjoy disturbing visual novels, odd characters, and solving murders, then Danganronpa 1 & 2 Reload is well worth experiencing.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 offers an epic journey with a great cast of characters on the go for your Nintendo Switch, but some may find a handful of glaring flaws and system complexity a slightly high barrier to entry.

If you liked the original Advance Wars games back on the Game Boy Advance, this is everything you wanted the re-boot to be. The battles are still deceptively clever, the strategy is still in full force, and the character designs still slap.

At times, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is a prime example of a compilation done right. Smooth gameplay and plethora of extra content are just a few button presses away. However, the lack of other features that have been in previous Street Fighter re-releases leaves a pretty large void. Combine that with shaky netcode, and suddenly the value of the entire package is diminished even further.

Despite some minor graphical issues, Game Freak has managed to build the kind of living world I’ve always wanted from a Pokemon game. The Pokemon feel alive and filled with personality, from the adorable Snorunts to the hyper Aipon to the playful antics of Gengar. And they all exist in a fully realized world with neighboring clans and memorable characters.

Whereas most DLC works as a throw-in gameplay experience that complements the main game, Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City places itself in the role of an unforgettable farewell. Whether you enjoy the haunting vistas, the myriad of new combat encounters, the expansion of the weapon, armor and items catalog or the fond memories of the series at large culminating into a fitting conclusion, it’s hard not to argue that Miyazaki’s level of excellence has persisted throughout the series.

Hitman 2 is a new coat of paint and an updated model of the previous year’s racing car. Sure, it may look similar to its predecessor, but it is improved in almost every facet of production, allowing the player to marvel in its familiar excellence.

An amazing murder mystery and conspiracy story is told through awesome gameplay in Lost Judgment. Smooth combat, amazing cities to explore and fun side quests will keep you coming back for more.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva Mega Mix+ isn’t quite the PC port we would hope for but it is a great start for the series or for PC players to dip their toe into the Weeb-fueled rhythm game.

Shadow of Tomb Raider tells an outstanding coming of age story Lara Croft has so desperately needed to propel her into the next chapter.

While I would have loved to see the addition of online elements that allow you to see your friends’ horses or compete against their best scores, this is still a phenomenal time killer of a game. The bizarre isekai story mixed with the adorable graphics and the occasional dark humor makes for so many elements I never thought I’d see in a solitaire or horse racing game, let alone an amalgamation of both.

Despite some hiccups with the ambitious new story mode, Madden NFL 18 remains a solid entry in the franchise.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is arguably the high point of the series with great and varied tactical action and customization. However, its attempt at being a serious drama about the high cost of war on both sides is undercut by a ridiculous amount of gratuitous objectification.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is more than a solid port of two Nintendo 3DS games, let alone, one that was localized for Western regions. Its enhanced visuals, twist-filled and exhilarating story, and orchestral score create a package that will definitely give fans of the franchise or the visual novel genre a bang for their buck. It’s a game that will test your wits, memory, and logic skills to solve the various cases at hand.

Subnautica: Below Zero feels like more of Subnautica, and that is only a good thing to a certain extent. Where it falls short by copying its predecessor is in the story and thematic department, making it feel like an uneventful and unimportant step in the series.

There’s no denying that Super Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy are all masterpieces of their time. But without modern trimmings, this is a series that will only fully be appreciated by incredibly hardcore fans. Newcomers to these games may find themselves quickly turned off by the limitations of older software and controls. So while fun, the lack of effort put into Super Mario 3D All-Stars is very disappointing.

Beyond a few lacking voice actors and a somewhat unnatural tone at moments, this is a well-made piece of psychological horror. Simulacra shines in its storytelling, and many of the haunting visuals serve their purpose quite well. Kaigan Games has crafted a relatable and frightening thriller for the sleuth in all of us. It is a surefire pick up for those seeking a puzzling and frightening mystery within the confines of a black mirror.

The Banner Saga 3 fails to deliver the complexity of choice some were hoping for, but the compromise allows for a deep narrative enhanced by intelligent combat additions, excellent art direction, and its melancholic soundtrack.

Horace is an enjoyable game filled with interesting platforming mechanics. Unfortunately, its fun platforming and brilliant pixel art are buried beneath a pile of constant pop culture references, an obsessive need for close-ups and a plethora of free domain music.

Laying an excellent foundation for a new IP, Control features a well-crafted world that ignites the imagination. It’s dark, twisted, and a little bit weird in the best way possible.

Little Nightmares 2 is gorgeous and disturbing with smooth controls and a cute little collectible system that allows you to collect hats throughout the game and change them at will. Aside from some random clipping during gameplay, this game is practically perfect with beautifully terrifying environments, helpful AI, scary sound mixing and a story with villains that will give you nightmares.

Some minor flaws aside, Neo: The World Ends with You greatly fixes the hot mess of a control scheme from its predecessor and delivers a worthy sequel with excellent art and storytelling. Constant changes to gameplay and twists in the story will keep you engaged throughout.

MLB The Show 18 is a must-buy game for baseball enthusiasts. And if you’re a casual fan simply looking to dip your toe in a baseball game this year, you probably won’t find anything better than MLB The Show 18.

Make no mistake, Tekken 7 is a game for diehard fans of the series. It features solid combat and a story that, while not very strong, can justify fans wanting a solid conclusion to the nearly 25-year-long Mishima Saga. Unfortunately, this installment falters when it comes to everything else.

Mega Man 11 is a must-play adventure for series fanatics, but not an essential adventure for everyone else. It's a paint-by-numbers experience that offers more of the same game content you've come to expect from over three decades with the Blue Bomber.