Dragon Quest II is a long game. Unlike Dragon Quest, it can’t be beaten in one sitting. The original was one of the few NES games that had a battery save for a reason. The Switch is a great console to experience this adventure because of its portability. You can visit towns and dungeons at home, while grinding your heart out on the go.

Captain Spirit is an absolute must experience for those who enjoy a heart-filled narrative. It’s easy to overlook the simple character models when you understand the scope of the situation and depth of their character. With easy controls, a detailed environment, and perfect soundtrack, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a feel-good hit that expands on the Life Is Strange universe in a beautiful way.

Not only does this Shadow War DLC offer a complicated, dark, and genuinely fun conclusion to Nazi Zombies, it also rounds out the multiplayer game modes quite well. Despite a few weird choices in the latest War map and a multiplayer addition in Chancellery that makes it hard to run around in, this final DLC is a nice little nightcap on a fairly solid Call of Duty experience in WWII overall. In fact, it’s the strongest one of the entire game.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is an excellent roguelike adventure that faithfully translates the tactical, frenetic combat of the main series into an immersive side-scrolling experience. Each character feels distinct, with unique abilities that encourage experimentation with the game’s multi-layered systems, resulting in builds that differ from run to run. While the complex narrative doesn’t fully land and some systems aren’t clearly explained, the moment-to-moment action is superb and will quickly get its hooks in you.

I have noticed considerable framerate inconsistencies when trying to get around a level quickly or when using the spyglass to zoom. I feel as though I should mention these issues, but they didn’t detract from my experience of the game. I’m still in love with the level design and I still think the ability system favors the use of one or two abilities.

Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition is the best boxing VR game to date. The new controllers allow you to freely move around the ring and pick out your shot. This increases the immersion to create some incredible moments. Unfortunately, the new campaign follows the same loop of the original and doesn’t offer anything new. However, the actual in ring action is a knockout combo.

All in all, Death’s Gambit: Afterlife is a tough but rewarding exploration of a grim fantasy world populated by ruthless immortals, mindless constructs, and weary civilians whose lives have been horrifically twisted by forces beyond their control. The revamped movement options made traversing the expanded world a treat, though I would’ve liked a fast travel system that didn’t clash with my hoarding instincts. If you like Metroidvanias and Soulslikes and always wanted to know what it would be like if the two genres fused, then Death’s Gambit: Afterlife is for you.

LEGO Bricktales was one of the best and purest versions of the brick building experience. On the Meta Quest 3, and especially in the AR mode, the game takes on a whole new life that comes very close to the real thing. The puzzles are challenging and the tone is lighthearted. Aside from some fiddly controls, LEGO Bricktales is more proof that the Meta Quest 3 is the VR headset to have.

Thanks to offering only two factions and a limited number of modes, Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector might not be the deepest or most complete strategy game ever made, but it’s definitely one of the best and most authentic uses of the license to date. Challenging strategic battles, appropriately melodramatic voice work, more than decent graphics, and a respectful translation of the tabletop game to a digital format make this a must-have for fans of the franchise, and even appealing for casual strategy fans who are not yet invested in all things Warhammer.

Through its minimalist silhouettes, you get a cliched tale of oppression and freedom. The simple haunting music sets a tone. Platformers are one of the oldest genres of video games, and while this one controls differently, it is still a classical platformer at heart. But you want to hear the protagonist sing. You want to fly. She wants to fly. And in video games, there’s nothing more powerful than the moment that the player and the character’s desires become one.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was a sleeper downloadable hit of 2010. Crystal Dynamics have unquestionably done it again as Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is quite easily one of the best twin stick puzzle solving cooperative action games we have seen on next generation consoles to date.

At least visually, Pentiment is unlike any game in the marketplace, and its execution is never less than impressive. As a reflection on the role of the artist and the fundamental, unchanging nature of the human experience, it can be thoughtful, amusing and moving. The game’s mechanics, some of the writing and pacing definitely take a back seat to the aesthetics. Taken as a whole, playing Pentiment is another great reminder that not every videogame experience needs to overwhelm the senses, challenge reflexes or be the product of market research. Pentiment might not be for everyone, but that’s ok. Not for everyone is sometimes exactly what we need.

While it may borrow from games we already know and love it does so with its own flair and separates itself from other less than spectacular zombie themed games out there.

A competent arcade racer that is sure to get the heart rate up with some real ‘edge of your seat’ cops vs racers action.

Overall I’m really enjoying Pac-Man 99. It’s a great pick-up and play title for when you have just a couple of minutes and are looking for something to do. The gameplay is fast-paced, competitive, and surprisingly addicting. If you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, there’s no reason not to give the game a shot.

Flying your ship feels good, the galaxy accurately conveys an immense sense of scale, the use of real life stars and planets adds an amazing sense of wonder, and the trading and combat systems have strong cores. Overall, Elite: Dangerous is really cool, but mostly as a tease of what it could be.

Although I personally love Monster Hunter World just a little bit more, Rise is a thrilling and engrossing game. Sunbreak does what it needs to do. It adds some awesome new monsters, sweetens gameplay, and folds in a new way to hunt with NPCs. It takes a while to get to the really good stuff, but fans of Rise probably won’t mind. Thanks to the Master Rank quests and ultra-challenging hunts, Sunbreak pushes experienced players to take their already impressive skills to a whole new world.

Pinball FX VR does many thing right. Visually, the game is excellent. The tables, including the digital recreations of iconic pinball tables, all look great. The gameplay is as smooth and accurate as ever – Zen Studios definitely excels in this area. I truly felt like I was standing at a pinball machine. The three games included in the base game are pretty good, and the optional modes and my desire to get all the achievements should keep me coming back. The cost of DLC is a bit of a bummer, and it’ll be hard to justify purchasing every new DLC machine as they become available – especially if you’ve already purchased the machine for a previous Zen Studios release. The Mixed Reality mode is a mystery and I hope a future patch makes it accessible (or at least clarify how to access it). If you’re a pinball fanatic and want the best pinball experience on the Meta Quest 3, Pinball FX VR is a no-brainer.

The whole thing was breathtaking.

For the fans who may be picking up this title as their first Miku game, there’s an absolute ton of content featuring your favourite songs and adored pop idols. For those whose been playing since the early days of Hatsune Miku you may be a bit disappointed with the lack of new songs. But with the added addition of Mix Mode, there’s still enough content to grab your attention.

Absolum enters the crowded roguelike space with a refreshing and appealing art style and classic-feeling beat-em-up mechanics. Playable solo or in 2-person co-op, each of Absolum’s characters caters to a very specific playstyle, and it’s fun to switch between them. Although character progression is a little slow, and the movement mechanics occasionally frustrate, Absolum should appeal to fans of engaging action adventures, roguelikes, and brawlers. Absolum has something for almost everyone.

Lost Ark is a polished, solid, substantial, and engaging free-to-play MMORPG that is very solo-friendly and offers a vast amount of well-made content for just about everyone. The combat is exciting and fun, the classes are appealing and varied, and the world is colorful and lush, if not necessarily state-of-the-art. The story isn't going to turn heads, but the number and range of quests and side activities will keep you happily entertained. I've only scratched the surface, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the end game has to offer and what kind of community coalesces around Lost Ark.

If you’re looking for an addictive puzzler to compete against friends and strangers, you really can’t go wrong with Puyo Puyo Champions. Highly recommended!

It’s almost unfair to assign a score to KIDS, because the experience is just so subjective. What you take away from it depends entirely on what expectations you have. Those looking for traditional gameplay elements or a cohesive story with a beginning, middle, and end will be sorely disappointed. But if you’re up to experience something wacky and stylistically unique, KIDS is well worth your time, even if you walk away confused about the meaning behind it all. After all, the point of art is to get people talking, and since I’m here talking about it, that must mean KIDS has done its job.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a beautiful Metroidvania that features wonderful platforming segments alongside challenging encounters. The world encourages exploration, with each route rewarding you, further incentivising you to venture into the unknown. Although the game follows conventions, it delivers a fascinating adventure that fans of the genre will adore.

For the most part, though, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life gives fans of the series what they want, plus a new level of polish and smoother gameplay. And if you’re new to the series, this is one of the better titles to start with, and you’ll catch on to what you’re supposed to do pretty quickly.

Between the DLC and the Switch’s portability, there’s a lot of new life breathed in. On the other hand, if you’ve never played this game before, this review is more of a warning. Spend your money wisely, for countless hours can vanish in a blink.

All my complaints with the gameplay aside, Spectra is a very well-crafted love letter to similar titles of old, and to see some developers still aim to make a game legitimately challenging without feeling unfair is refreshing to see.