If you found yourself starving for a greater challenge while playing World of Final Fantasy, then the Maxima Upgrade will surely light a fire in you. If you struggled and slogged through the game’s many battles, then this upgrade will leave you famished yet.

Omen of Sorrow is an efficient and fun fighting game while in the heat of battle, but it trips getting to the arena. Barebones mode selection, a Story Mode that’s clumsy and doesn’t properly pay off, and some strange dialogue throughout keep the game from reaching full potential. The characters are really cool and the fighting system is worth learning, the game does succeed in that regard, but I still am left wanting more. The true Omen isn’t one of Sorrow, it’s one of where’s the rest of the game?

Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection has three games in one, making it perfect if you are craving a new challenge with familiar songs and characters. Day One edition will also include Shinjiro (Persona 3) and Akechi (Persona 5), so that’s always exciting to have more people on your team. If you are into stylish rhythm games with beautiful colours and characters, even as a non-Persona fan I think it is worth trying out. But if you are a Persona fan and you know you love the songs and characters, you should definitely give Persona Dancing a chance to steal your heart.

Fallout 76 is a confused product that blows it on so many levels. 76 represents a critical misunderstanding about what makes the Fallout franchise special, and sacrifices all those pieces to shoehorn in a half baked and barely functional online system. While I applaud taking a chance on a crazy idea, Fallout 76 would undoubtedly have been a better and more engaging experience as a traditional open world RPG. As it stands, this is a broken, unfun, and repetitive title that I can’t recommend. And that hurts me to say.

A Gummy’s Life is a mixed bag of sweet and sour candies. Free for all mode is a fun experience but after an hour of play becomes stale unless you have friends around to play alongside you. Other modes merely feel like putting sprinkles on a muffin to make it a cupcake. It isn’t a horrible game – it doesn’t have any major flaws or anything; it is a game that is perfect for when you and some friends just want to have a taste of some good fighting game fun. Rag-dolling around, falling over, and tossing each other can lead to some funny, enjoyable experiences. But when isolated to the player and a few bots however, the charm is glazed over by all the flaws of the AI and the online availability issues.

Overall, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus isn’t a bad game. It certainly has its issues, especially in the balancing department, but aside from that, the issues don’t tend to seriously hurt what you’ll be looking for if you’re considering playing this game. The game isn’t ground-breaking, but it’s not a step backwards either.

It’s fun for awhile but the thrills soon peter out as the scope of combat feels so locked down and restrained compared to what you can do in other games. The inherent limitations of the overall game concept really stand out and the one trick pony nature of a Road Rash game just doesn’t fly today.

I love that there are many different options for how your Sims can achieve fame and the kinds of people they can shape out to be depending on how fame affects their lives and personalities. Overall, this expansion pack is solid and entertaining, and while $39.99 still seems like a high price to charge for DLC, it is pretty much worth it for any player who sees themselves using the fame system often.

If you already have the Season Pass, I would say The Forge is worth checking out. If you’re thinking of just shelling out five dollars for the game, I wouldn’t recommend it without getting the whole kit and caboodle: it’s just not enough content for what you get, although it is fun if you’re already a fan of the game. In that spirit, I’m giving it the same score that we gave the main game when it came out, because Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s The Forge isn’t going to change anyone’s mind. If, like me, you loved the gameplay and are willing to sit through a bit of sloppy writing to get to the fun within, it’s worth it. If you thought Shadow of the Tomb Raider wasn’t worth the entry ticket, I’d sit this one out. It’s all about perspective.

The unique integration of a highly tribal, ancient-jungle-meets-swamp world into a game that most typically displays elements of traditional fantasy is done masterfully, and I would recommend any hardcore Elder Scrolls fan to lose themselves in its strangeness and beauty. It will not offer you any new gameplay mechanics, unique quest activities or even a new dungeon, and this is where I find that the ESO DLCs truly have room to grow. Until then, we’ll have to settle in and enjoy the exploration and tireless grinding that this new zone greatly encourages.

Storm Boy: The Game’s biggest flaw is its length. The price point, as of writing this, is unreleased, but it took me less than twenty minutes to beat the game, and so I hope the game stays accordingly affordable. I didn’t skip the minigames—sure, I didn’t get lost in them either, but I did play them all until I was bored. Of course, kids might spend considerably longer on it, getting lost collecting shells and feeding pelicans, but it still couldn’t take much more than half an hour.

In a genre that is filled to the brim with many different titles all competing to be the best, The Forest certainly sets itself apart. It’s hard and terrifying but also rewarding in its own right. Each death taught me a new lesson. There’s a ton of customization and crafting to be done, and the areas that can be explored are very well made. The best part of this is that there is no single right way to play as you can tackle the game’s happenings in any way you want. Anyone who likes crafting, survival and possibly being eaten by cannibals (or eating the cannibals) should definitely give this game a whirl.

I enjoyed Overkill’s The Walking Dead but perhaps more as a concept. Playing with a friend makes the experience much more enjoyable; however, the price point is a concern given all the issues I had with the game. To this day, it doesn’t feel complete. Granted, it has the potential to be an AAA game but given its current state, The Walking Dead certainly feels like a budget title. Before you make the plunge (and I recommend you do strongly consider the purchasing the game), I’d recommend holding out until we see a price drop or when for it gets fine-tuned.

Corpse Party: Book of Shadows is, quite frankly, unremarkable. It’s not atrocious enough for me to say that I hated it. I didn’t hate it. If you’re a hardcore fan of visual novels, you might not hate it. However, I certainly wouldn’t recommend that you seek it out.

Déraciné is an engaging VR adventure with a tinge of darkness to it that other such games often shy away from. There is a frisson of tension in this story that drives you forward through the conservative VR gameplay mechanics to find out if FromSoftware’s reputation for dark material will eventually surface.

All in all, there’s enough happening in Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! that can keep you entertained for a long time. If you’re looking for a challenge, you can try filling out all the Bingo cards, beating your own high scores, and playing with friends and strangers online. There are fun rewards and lots of familiar songs that make this game feel nostalgic yet new at the same time. While there was opportunity missed by not having the drum controller available here, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is still enjoyable by itself.

If you’re looking for a truly authentic retro experience, then you can’t go wrong with Save Me Mr. Tako! just keep in mind that it even comes with the negatives of that age of games. Despite those shortcomings though, it’s a charming romp through and through.

If DICE is telling the truth and Battlefield V develops into a long-term, always evolving online game, fans are in for a treat. The bones of BFV are robust. It looks outstanding, plays great, and the stories of World War 2 are a constant draw for history fans. There are rough patches for the time being, but if those get smoothed out and the content pipeline remains full, Battlefield V stands to have a very, very long shelf life with shooter fans.

The catching mechanics, the upgraded box system, the new HMs and the effortless min-maxing are all excellent additions to a timeless classic. The combat isn’t as feature complete as other modern Pokemon games, and the gen 1 pokedex might turn some people off, but this is a fantastic rendition of Red and Blue that I can easily recommend. Whether it’s your first time or fortieth, Pokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee are a trip to Kanto you won’t want to miss.

The catching mechanics, the upgraded box system, the new HMs and the effortless min-maxing are all excellent additions to a timeless classic. The combat isn’t as feature complete as other modern Pokemon games, and the gen 1 pokedex might turn some people off, but this is a fantastic rendition of Red and Blue that I can easily recommend. Whether it’s your first time or fortieth, Pokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee are a trip to Kanto you won’t want to miss.

If you’ve played previous Just Dance games, you know exactly what you’re getting into and that will probably be enough to sway you one way or another. However, if you haven’t played Just Dance before and you’re are looking for something fresh to play – especially with a group of friends or the family – Just Dance 2019 is an excellent option.

Mutant Football League is a darkly charming take on football video games, taking real gameplay mechanics and blending in ultra violence, explosions, fire, lasers, death, dismemberment, and so much more to catch the eye of gamers who aren’t interested in your average game of football. While the graphics feel dated and the gameplay options limited, what you get is over the top violence, solid gameplay, and a ton of replayability with slapstick humor, dark jokes, nasty insults, and all manner of hilarious content. This isn’t a game to play with the kids, but it sure is a great way to spend a lazy Sunday.

At the end of the day even if you were someone who played it twenty years ago, there’s still something completely satisfying about playing this revamped ode to the classic Spyro all this time later and that’s definitely something worth celebrating.

For all its glorious visuals, endless modes, and virtual reality additions, the game of Tetris needs not more than a set of reliable input methods to snatch a dozen hours from right before your eyes. Tetris Effect is a confident, yet elegant, take on the simplest game in the world and a sheer masterclass of game design, at that.

Despite later LEGO games being more polished and streamlined, LEGO Harry Potter holds up surprisingly well. Even though it’s starting to show some cracks in a few areas, this remastered collection cleans things up quite nicely. In fact, they’re some of my favorite LEGO games Traveler’s Tales have ever released thanks to its excellent use of the license and some truly solid level design. It’s still a ton of fun playing through Harry’s seven years at Hogwarts, and until Warner Bros puts out a truly original Potter game, The LEGO Harry Potter Collection is the best Potter game fans can buy.

Castlevania Requiem is a decent port of two classic, beloved games. At $20, PS4 players are getting a lot of value for their money. Both games have a lot of content with optional levels & a secret playable character in Rondo of Blood and a massive, open-ended map in Symphony of the Night. Castlevania fans wouldn’t be making a mistake by purchasing this collection.

Windjammers has an undeniable charm with its retro aesthetics, simple gameplay, bright colors, and smart design. It’s lack of content, however, means it will only get attention from players who want to compete against their friends after completing the incredibly short single-player content. A lack of characters, stages, or much else to do is a big setback given the demand of games today, however being a port of the original game from ‘94 awards it a little more leeway in our expectations. Here’s hoping the sequel due out next year will give us the modern Windjammers title we need.

Overall, Hitman 2 is a benchmark title in the stealth genre, taking the classic Hitman formula and making it better than ever. With new mechanics, locations, game modes, live content updates, and more, Hitman 2 is truly keeping to their World of Assassination. Whether you are a fledgling assassin or an experienced one, Hitman 2 is exactly what you need it to be with its seemingly endless customization options to tailor the game to your liking.

When Steel Rats works, it works really well. Levels where you’re gunning it through well-charted courses, flipping and spinning through the air, burning through obstacles like a hot knife through butter—these are an absolute joy to play. Somewhere in Steel Rats is a game I would gladly play and recommend. Unfortunately, the pieces just didn’t fall into place often enough for me to call the full game good. The game overall is a very stylistic “okay.”

I enjoy the idea, the concept, it’s all right on the money. I can’t stand the final product though. They had the near perfect game and they let it slip away. You may still find this game fun! You could enjoy it despite the flaws, take it at face value. There are people excited for this game, and I urge them to play it. Even if I didn’t like it at all on a technical level I wouldn’t bar someone from it. I would caution those who play. I had a horrible experience, the game was unstable, so I warn you. Otherwise, enjoy yourself. It’s not awful to like the local brands.

All in all, Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is a game that is easy to overlook and doesn’t really give you much reason not to. There’s fun to be had and it’s an easy way to waste a half hour, but that’s really all you’ll be doing. With repetitive gameplay, a strange storyline, and a tone that oddly feels more like a recruitment video than anything else, Heavy Fire seems like it probably should have stayed dormant. Seriously though, if it does unlock a special invite to join the military, someone please let me know!

Transpose is by no means perfect, but it’s unique take on physics puzzles is compelling, not to mention a great fit for the VR platform. Manipulating time and gravity never loses its charm, and the reward of watching all your past echoes work together in the end is equal parts bizarre and incredibly satisfying. Puzzle fans should find plenty to love here though unless you have the IQ of a genius you will likely get stuck on a puzzle sooner or later and find yourself shouting profanities into the void.

I can easily and wholeheartedly recommend Diablo III: Eternal Collection for the Nintendo Switch. Whether you’ve never played before or you’ve put in over a thousand hours, this game will pull you right in without a second’s hesitation.

In the end, Grip has all the prerequisite gameplay and technical elements. Yet the randomness of the environments and the clunky air handling left little to be desired. It almost feels like a game of chance instead one involving skill. I’ll give it solid marks for the technical aspects but the randomness of the gameplay left me cold. It’s worth a try as you may feel differently.

Fire Pro Wrestling World, for the most part, does what it sets out to do very well. That experience may not be one that’s going to be for everyone. It may even skew more towards those truly dedicated fans or those yearning for a more classic approach. Can it still hold its ground though compared to other contemporary Pro Wrestling titles? Yes, it can, but it takes such a radically different approach than others. It’s definitely good, but it’s definitely different.

I loved the idea of pursuing Black Cat’s storyline, and while I don’t need much excuse to play more Spider-Man, I didn’t feel like this DLC offered much in the way of excitement or variety. I felt this chapter was unimaginative in its features, and for $10 a pop, I didn’t feel compelled enough to want more. If you’ve platinumed the game and crave a few more hours of gameplay, The Heist does the job just fine. Just don’t expect a wildly stimulating plot or any radical new additions. It’s more of the same, and for some, that’s okay.

While I did have some fun playing Gal Metal, I’m not sure it was the game’s intention for this to occur. By all means, check out this game. Perhaps my fumbling skills are the aberration, and I’m speaking right now to an audience of exceptional drummers. I certainly never felt like one while playing Gal Metal.

428: Shibuya Scramble is definitely a must-play for visual novel lovers and those newer to the genre. It is not only unique with well-developed protagonists, but the sophisticated story involving every character in the game creates a masterpiece that is hard to forget. It is not a game you can complete over the weekend (unless you are ambitious!), but it is also not a game that is easy to set aside.

Overall, this game is hilariously entertaining. Friends who joined me could not stop raving about how much they loved its cuteness and appeal, and this game had us in absolute hysterics. One moment we were shouting at the person who timed their switch to the front poorly and left the rest of us for dead, and the next we were cracking up and apologizing for making that same mistake. The fact that the game required extreme amounts of concentration and coordination left us all in agreement about this: you simply cannot play this game while drinking.

What started off as a story that seemed to plod along quickly escalated and kept me hooked from start to finish. Despite its technical hiccups, there’s almost a certain charm to the way game looks and sounds, and those goofy animations at moments, and almost cheesy voice acting from some characters only help it further.

Reigns: Game of Thrones is great fun for fans of the show and books. It’s bite-sized gameplay encourages high replayability and can be surprisingly addicting. You’d do well to try it out yourself and see what kind of ruler you turn into. For me, I have lost all naivety. I know politics now are less about power and more about seeing how long you can survive to hold said power. And if people get uppetity, well… I have a pet dragon. Let’s see how they like that.

NBA Playgrounds 2 can only be described as a sincere effort to take what made those legendary games of the past work in a contemporary context. It just simply doesn’t have the variety of modes one would expect from a game like this. However, almost every other department is full of new ideas that have applied with precision. At half the price of a retail game, NBA Playgrounds 2 is worth the investment, if only to see what the team at 2K can do with a third chance at bat to possibly deliver a generational party game.

If the game was a little more polished on the graphical front and came with a more original story, this one could have been a real gem instead of being good.

The game is jam-packed with content – twenty big levels, a large open-world hub, and plenty of characters to unlock. The multiplayer is pretty good, but I’m hoping TT Games considers online co-op in future games. If you’re a fan of previous LEGO games or a DC comics fan – I highly recommend getting LEGO DC Super-Villains.

I feel like fans of tile-based tactical games and fans of Warhammer 40K will enjoy this entry into the series. With visually appealing designs, Cyanide Studios did a wonderful job with bringing the dark atmosphere of the Blood Angels vs Genestealers to life. Topped up with fairly decent voice work, a solid game design, good writing and a plethora of things to do, Space Hulk: Tactics has got a lot of things right. With working out a few kinks, and hopefully a more active online presence, you’ll certainly be getting your monies worth for this title.

Despite being essentially a re-skin of the Yakuza games, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is still a comically fun video game once you get past the early portions of the game. Fans of the Yakuza series will feel right at home with the game, but so would fans of Fist of the North Star. While a bit more differentiation from the Yakuza series would have been nice, that does not prevent the game from being enjoyable overall.

Whether I'm hunting a legendary animal, participating in a story mission, playing a game of poker, or just exploring the world I've absolutely adored every moment I've spent with the game. It more than fulfills every hope and desire I'd garnered as my anticipation for it grew over the last several years. The phenomenal narrative and performances are emotionally impactful, and the depth of interactivity embedded into the pristinely polished gameplay is nothing short of groundbreaking. Rockstar have outdone themselves with Red Dead Redemption 2 as it ushers in a new era of what the medium is capable of achieving. At this point, I can't wait to start again to explore a different playstyle and especially jump into Red Dead Online.

This is going to make me sound insane, but I never saw these titles as fighting games until now. They were just flashy vehicles for whatever Shonen Jump series Bandai Namco had gotten the rights to. And yet, underneath all that is a complex yet accessible game that rewards exploration, experimentation and practice. A proper fighting game, in other words. If you’re looking for another 3D fighter, give this one a shot. If you’re a My Hero Academia fan however, you absolutely can’t miss My Hero One’s Justice. This could be the start of something beautiful, after all.

I really wanted to like it more than I did. It’s just so full of potential. Each system has so many clever ideas… but the fundamentals aren’t there. This is the first game from HOF Studios and it proves they are a team to watch. But the main measure of a game like this is how much you want to keep going. Do you always want to play just one more turn? When you close your eyes at night, do you see little soldiers marching across a grid? You don’t. Depth of Extinction is clever, but a little shallow.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a fast-paced and gorgeous space adventure that offers the toys to life option for collectors and a strong digital edition for those who just want to play. With fantastic controls and epic music, the game is marred by a drop in texture from time to time and unfortunately repetitive and stale dialogue outside of the campaign. Building and leveling up ships is a lot of fun, and some of the battles can be truly epic. Starlink has quickly become a game hard to put down and I hope this is the beginning of a growing franchise.

If you’re a Switch owner, you probably put a pretty hefty premium on portability. And honestly, the game’s performance is otherwise exemplary. For me, the load times and the game’s performance make this a good experience in short doses. If you want epic, fast-paced combat in a portable package, definitely give Dragon Ball FighterZ a chance.

If you’re a Namco fan, you’ve almost certainly bought these games several times before. If you’re not a Namco fan, these games will likely fail to resonate with you. The whole Namco Museum collection is very much of a certain time. As a collection, they don’t stand the test of time, and they certainly aren’t worth the price of admission. If you’re a Pac-Man diehard, you’ll find a lot to love with the Namco Museum Arcade Pac. Otherwise, I’d give this one a pass.

Luigi’s Mansion is a must play if you’ve never enjoyed it before. If you still own the GameCube version, there really isn’t enough here to warrant a new purchase unless you need the slightly updated visuals and ability to take it on the road. I personally believe this game, like it’s 2013 sequel, Dark Moon, is better suited for a home console experience – and fortunately, we’ll all be enjoying Luigi’s Mansion 3 on the Nintendo Switch when it launches in 2019.

Jackbox Party Pack 5 can be seen as a bit of a course correction after its disappointing predecessor. Though I doubt anything will ever outdo Quiplash in terms of pure fun and replayability, most of the games here are quality Jackbox creations. Some of them could use refining, and I can only see Zeeple Dome appealing to kids, but as a whole, this is a solid addition to the Jackbox repertoire and is sure to elicit plenty of laughs each time you boot it up.

Seven years out from its first release, people already know what Dark Souls is all about and probably know whether that type of brutal gameplay is for them. Love it or hate it, it is what it is. The Switch version doesn’t change that experience. It does run extremely well on the system, and it looks pretty darn good. The failure to adhere to Nintendo button conventions isn’t exactly exclusive to Dark Souls: Remastered either, but it doesn’t make it any less of an annoyance. Other than that, there isn’t much else going wrong.

Warriors Orochi 4 is a pleasantly familiar experience in the long-standing Warriors franchise, offering 170 playable characters across the Dynasty and Samurai Warriors series as well as introducing new support team mechanics and magic-based attacks. While the core hack and slash gameplay is just as fun and simple as you remember, the narrative feels more repetitive than the gameplay, and the dated graphics feel out of place. If you enjoy the Warriors franchise this is a fantastic experience and a joy to get sucked into “just one more battle” but despite its new features it still feels stale.

As a reboot to the series’ story, Soulcalibur VI is interesting and accessible to all players. As a fighting game, the title is just as accessible and is a quality addition to the genre as well. Though the game could use some more characters, Soulcalibur VI brings the series to contemporary gamers with its classic roster of characters, fun game modes, and robust gameplay under a fresh coat of paint and improvements. If you enjoy fast-paced, exciting combat that is easy to pick-up (and hard to master, as per usual), give Soulcalibur VI a look.

My nostalgia for the game isn’t connected to gameplay. Instead I’m wistful and rosy for the zen-like grind and the charming aesthetic. If you’re okay with playing this game in portable mode at all times, I can easily recommend Final Remix. If you’re put off by the motion controls, or if you were looking for more in the way of new content, then purchase this one with caution.

Overall, Star Wars Pinball: Solo Pack is a decent but not great collection of pinball tables for Pinball FX3. The tables mostly have cool visuals, their level designs don’t usually get in the way of the pinball fun, and the sound design certainly makes this table pack feel like Star Wars. However, with a $10 price, Star Wars and pinball game fans alike should probably wait until this table pack goes on sale before picking it up.

For three hours of entertainment, I’m not sure The Midnight Sanctuary is worth the $9.99. However, it does present an increasingly entertaining story with surrealist visuals, so if that sounds like something you’d like, it might be worth checking out. For me, slogging through 3-D models that could have been traditional visual novel artwork for a story that only kicked into gear in the last thirty minutes just wasn’t how I wanted to spend my day. Still, that ending though, right?

Though it’s no game-changer, Evasion’s unique bullet-hell-in-VR gameplay should please those seeking a tough challenge. There’s not enough content or replayability here to encourage you to return for more after the initial play-through, assuming you can even make it through the campaign in the first place. But if you have a friend to play with, then Evasion will provide a fun distraction while you continue waiting for the next VR hit.

While fun and most of the time incredibly satisfying, matches rely quite a bit on the ability to reverse moves. That’s not an issue and can be quite fun in itself as well. There’s even a prompt letting you know a move is coming to reverse, except, of course, when it doesn’t prompt you. There might be the temptation to think, oh well, can’t reverse everything, but if you’ve become accustomed to slamming that R2 button you’ll find that you can reverse moves in which no prompt to do so was shown at all. It’s the sum total of these “oddities” that makes WWE 2K19 like eating from a bowl of M&M’s that someone has slipped a few Skittles into.

One thing is for certain, Black Ops 4 is easily the best multiplayer experience we have seen from the franchise to date. With a robust line-up of multiplayer maps, 3 graphically stunning zombie experiences and featuring the best battle royale shooter on the planet, Call of Duty fans should be thrilled with what Black Ops 4 is offering. Sure, the lack of a single player mode is a bit of downer and I do feel like Activision is positioning itself to monetize the crap out of Blackout. Yet at the end of the day, Black Ops 4 is the most definitive and complete Call of Duty multiplayer experience and is primed to take a big chunk out of PUBG and Fortnite’s market share.

The Council Episode Four Burning Bridges is the best episode of the game so far. The key mechanics are sound, the story is downright baffling (in a good way), and the setup for the finale is spot on. Without that glitch off the beaten path and the sneaky timed objective, I’d be tempted to call this episode a perfect ten, as it’s super engaging from the start. In this post-Telltale Games world, there’s a void to be filled in narrative-based gaming, and The Council emphatically makes its bid for the throne known with Burning Bridges.

There’s nothing overwhelmingly wrong with Twilight Path, but it’s not treading on new ground either. There’s a whole lot of similar VR games to this one and there just isn’t much to make it really stand out from the crowd.

If you’re looking for a game with some clever puzzles, an engaging story, beautiful visuals, and a touching soundtrack – you can’t go wrong with My Brother Rabbit. It’s the perfect type of game to waste away an afternoon. It’s also the type of game that I imagine you’ll probably be compelled to replay again sometime down the road. Even now, a few days after completing it, I think back on my time with it and consider giving it another playthrough. Well done, Artifex Mundi.

It tells a surprisingly deep and emotional story featuring a relatable main character and it all blends uniquely together to make one of the finest gaming experience of the year. Celeste might not look it but, just like the mountain Madeline is so determined to conquer, it towers above the rest quite easily.

There’s plenty to like about Marble It Up! in its current form, but if you’re not a diehard fan of the genre, it may be worth waiting for a sale due to how short Marble It Up! feels. It’s absolutely a well-crafted experience that looks, sounds, and plays great. It’s just a little frustrating to see another indie game on the Switch eShop that feels a little light on content, especially with its price point.

If you need to scratch that survivor game itch, 60 Parsecs will definitely do you good, but it’s not going to blow any minds.

In the smaller moments, Kingmaker captures the tabletop experience better than any single player game I’ve ever played. I’ve never had to set up watch rotations before or go hunting for meal ingredients. I love how every character has a favorite food and how it affects their stats. There’s a lot of game to this game, and I can’t imagine I’m going to want to stop playing it any time soon.

Astro Bot Robot Rescue is more than an extension of flat screen platforming, it is the next evolutionary step that all family members will enjoy.

Beneath a simple shell, there’s a playground of warfare that thoroughly detracts from boredom. And while it may not be a graphical marvel, 8-Bit Armies easily employs more fun factor than some of its graphically-demanding peers. If Petroglyph can build on its factions, I don’t see why it can’t renew the foundations of a neglected genre.

For those who love action-arena games like Gift of Parthax, this game will likely delight, as the pixelated characters are nostalgic as hell and the combat, when leveled properly, can be that right mix of challenging but fun. Unfortunately, for those more casual about the genre, Gift of Parthax doesn’t offer enough to offset painfully unbalanced seasons, the grinding that results, and a leveling system that’s as mystical as its characters.

I have absolutely no complaints about the story: I only wish the gameplay always kept up with it. Frustrating moments often surfaced at bad times due to poor controls which made actually playing the game less of a fun experience, and I’d love to give this game a go on the Switch, where the singing goes smoother. Wandersong also feels a little long, not because the story gets boring, but because the puzzles can get a bit repetitive. However, the strength of Wandersong is such that these complaints feel pale in the face of the kind of relentless optimism that the bard has in spades.

It’s probably easy to just pass off Super Seducer 2 as garbage that’s not worth your time. However, if you do take that time to look at it you’ll find that the idea behind the helpful stuff is pretty sound advice if you’re in need of that kind of direction. The other thing you’ll find is some pretty fun shenanigans. Sometimes the cringe is what sells it, like a train wreck you can’t keep your eyes off of. That cringe factor isn’t an accident, which leaves you wondering if it’s all just a big old trolling of those who have far too much to say about everything. If you’re not so serious about everything all the time, though, it’s a fun diversion.

Super Mario Party features a large character selection, beautiful visuals, fun minigames, fresh new modes, and that fun, party-style gameplay - all of which is great. But I constantly found myself wanting... more. Maybe it's because I see what Nintendo is doing with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - with its massive roster, absurd number of levels, and so much more and I wish Nintendo would put that kind of effort into a Mario Party game. If you have three friends that are Mario Party fanatics - than there might be just enough here to satisfy the Mario Party craving for a while. Otherwise, it's really hard to recommend Super Mario Party - especially if you don't have anyone to play with, the stupid AI will just drive you insane.

Filled with humor, cuddly visuals and some surprising depth, The Escapists: Complete Edition is a big game in a tiny little package. You might feel like a real prisoner at times trying to survive its grueling difficulty, but its charm and reasonable price help to make this stint in the big-house a surprisingly fun experience.

For those seeking an authentic VR boxing experience, look no further than Creed: Rise to Glory. While the campaign lacks in story and length, and the fighting mechanics lean towards being arcadey, neither of these issues detract from the overall experience – as tired as you’ll get from the constant punching.

Aesthetics aside, Arena of Valor sets a very high bar for MOBAs on consoles with its easy control scheme and competitive gameplay. This is as close to the authentic LoL/DOTA 2 experience as a home console has gotten so far, and I’m excited to see the game grow and prosper on the Switch. The MOBA might have found a new home on the Nintendo Switch, and Arena of Valor started it all.

Mega Man 11 brings the series to new heights. Every element of the game is glistening with polish. Yet, the core Mega Man formula remains largely unchanged. If you’re coming to this game looking for massive, sweeping shifts to the Blue Bomber’s oeuvre, you may come away disappointed. My disbelief at the growth that’s happened is tempered by the amount of growth in question. Make no mistake, these are small steps. But they still take Mega Man to a new place, one that I’m quite reluctant to leave. In spite of my constant, low-burning frustration, I've had a blast with this game. Fans can rest easy knowing that Capcom has brought the blue bomber back with a vengeance.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, for better or worse, feels like a palette swap of Origins. There’s a huge new world full of historical coolness and infinite things to do, but the enhancements are few and far between. If you loved Origins and want more of that you’ll gobble Odyssey right up, but Ubisoft need to be diligent about making changes to these games if they’re going to continue pumping them out year after year.

While every game will always have things that could be improved, The Conjuring House needs to improve dramatically to become the game that it’s promising with its trailers. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say whether Rym Games will be able to pull together enough patches going forward to really make The Conjuring House livable.

If the Switch is the only console you own or if you fancy the idea of having one of the best city-building games on the market at your portable convenience, I would definitely recommend the buy. It is as good as anyone can expect a game this busy to be on Nintendo’s travel-friendly console, and I can genuinely say I anticipate its company on many more plane rides and commutes to come.

The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle is another welcome feather in the cap that is their redemption arc that we’ve been seeing in 2018, and if you’re dying to knock heads with Mayor Haggar or rack up some coin with the crew of Battle Circuit, this is an excellent reminder of why Capcom did so much for this genre.

Overall, Life is Strange 2 was not only better than I expected, but I believe it would have been a hit even if no one had ever heard of the first game. It was beautiful, with the mechanics all improved on the original and the choices more meaningful than ever.

If this is indeed the end for the series (and the studio) at least it goes out on a strong note.

Overall, it’s a decent game. There is plenty of content to go around, but it may lend itself to certain types of players more than others. If you don’t like a bit of grind, it may not go down as well. The story is good, the voice acting is excellent, but the more action-oriented parts feel almost like a more arcadey version of Elite Dangerous (but not like, in a bad way). In the end, Star Control: Origins feels like a game that players will either love or hate.

Blind takes a novel VR concept and does nothing interesting with it. There is little here that you won’t be able to find in better alternatives of the genre, even if we’re only talking about other VR titles. If Blind was shorter and had less aggravating puzzles, it may be worth a try out of curiosity alone. But when a game is this testing of a player’s patience, it’s very hard to recommend.

Make no mistake about it, for fans of racing games, Forza Horizon 4 is a must-own. It has a massive world map with dozens and dozens of events to choose from. The changing seasons is a clever way of keeping content fresh. It features a vast multiplayer experience that's sure to appeal to everyone on your friends list. The visuals are stunning and the soundtrack is banging - though I believe they should have included a Britain music station. I'm not a fan of the night driving but that's more personal preference and if you've played previous Horizon games, you'll notice a lot of familiar race and stunt events.

Altogether, Twice Circled has crafted a decent tycoon game that is fun and relaxing, if not a little unimaginative. It won’t thrill or challenge you like Planet Coaster but you’ll find yourself mesmerized by the simple joy of it. It feels like owning a hobby tank of fish…and people. It’s not a bad combination. If you enjoy tycoon games it’s worth picking up. Sit back, relax, and try not to think about eating seafood.

Though Nascar Heat 3 is a solid racing sim overall, it could have raised to greater heights with more exciting content for those outside the niche market, and a few tweaks to the frame rate stability and cheesy voice acting. Despite the lack of replayability and expansive customization options as seen in other games in the genre and in sports games overall, there’s still a whole lot of fun to be had here, especially for those who love racing, Nascar, or both.

If you love arcade-style shooters and long to see what they’re like in VR, saddle up your hobby-horse and by all means check out this cute and charming offering; but otherwise, you’ll find that the less-than-perfect mechanics and simplistic gameplay don’t quite hit the Bull’s Eye.

Remothered is a scary and confident debut from a future auteur.

Another Sight accomplishes that elusive feat of art — making the player care about the characters through their journey and interactions with one another throughout the story.

Hyakki Castle has a lot of interesting elements. Unfortunately, it’s most talked about feature, team splitting, could have used more work and it felt like there needed to be more to it besides switching on some floor panels.

Every so often, a game comes around to demonstrate the untapped potential of VR technology. Transference is one of those games. It grips you from the beginning with its unrelenting atmosphere and doesn’t let up until the credits roll.

CrossCode is a beautiful world loaded with puzzles of all kinds. If you can find your center among this storm of separate genres, you might really enjoy this game.

Overall, The Gardens Between is not particularly complex or subtle with the linear-nature of its puzzle-solving and familiar story, but the level of creativity and depth the game reaches with its uncomplicated parts is not to be understated. It is a game to be played after a long day of school or work, when you might need to take a moment to remember simpler times.