The Surge 2 has some marked improvements over its predecessor but doesn’t color too far outside the lines. It takes a formula that works well and continues using it in satisfying ways, just not in fresh or surprising ones. Still, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a hell of a lot of fun, and once it sinks its hooks into you it’s tough to pull away. The Surge 2 is absolutely a compelling entry into the souls-like genre, yet I can’t help but feel it’s missing an extra spark of creativity to make it a true game-changer.

When Ghost Recon Breakpoint is working as intended, it’s a great game. I hope the visual and audio glitches are fixed over time as this is one of many constantly evolving games on the market right now. Things like the Sniper Rifles will need to be better balanced for multiplayer and upcoming DLC will likely add to the great story as gamers grind out their Year One Pass. After many hours with Breakpoint, I can safely say I’m looking forward to what’s coming next.

Aside from its painfully short single player campaign and “sometimes good, sometimes bad” controls, Star Fox Zero is a very fun game.

The abundance of dinosaurs and the city-building aspect of Jurassic World Evolution is excellent. It’s like creating a lawless piece of land where your guests can wander aimlessly while you continue to neglect their needs for a restroom and instead build gift shops that make 500% profit. A fun and challenging enough simulator where your creations can eat people, both new and old fans of the Jurassic Park franchise will find this game very enjoyable.

While Yakuza 4 and 5 raised the narrative stakes and added ever-more characters and locales to the Yakuza universe, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life feels smaller and brings the spotlight back to Kiryu, and it feels like the respectful sendoff our beloved hero deserves. While we may get less content in the form of Substories and mini-game activities in this last chapter, less feels like more with the nice visual upgrade and gameplay improvements. No, the Xbox version of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life doesn’t quite feel as latest-gen as the PS4 version I reviewed 2 years ago, but Kiryu’s swan song still kicks some serious ass.

Despite some of Thief’s annoyances, the game is rich in detail and hard to put down.

Sea of Solitude does an incredible and masterful job of expressing what it means to suffer from depression, so much so that should you be interested in jumping in and have your own mental health issues I would suggest playing only in short bursts and when you are feeling quite strong. Many of these segments are far too relatable and quite vivid in their depictions of mental distress. The changes made to the Director’s Cut offers subtle enhancements to the game with new voice work that makes it hit home a little harder for American audiences and a photo mode that – while enticing – feels more likely to break the immersion. This is every bit as powerful as it was in 2019, and if you are looking for an emotional story to be fully enveloped in, I can’t imagine something being more passionately and beautifully put together than this game.

It’s easy to pick up and play for a little while without committing yourself, and it’s got the lighthearted charm of a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

As great as Grow Home can be, there is a bit of a tedious process in climbing a 2000m beanstalk and not falling.

There isn’t a ton of variety within Chambara, but what it does, it does extremely well.

Demetrios – The BIG Cynical Adventure is a quirky point n’ click title with a perfect blend of smart, mature, and pop humour that tells a refreshingly new story without pushing itself into the realm of slapstick exaggeration for the sake of a gag.

If you enjoy other rogue-likes or roguelites, there’s a very good chance you’ll enjoy Neon Chrome.

With three very different maps Respawn has shown that they take pride in their level design.

The price is a bit steep considering this is not a new game, but there is probably no better car racing experience on the Switch right now. It may be pretty loose and free in its presentation, but there’s no shortage of fun to be had in Paradise City. When the rubber hits the road, Burnout Paradise Remastered on the Switch has what it takes under the hood.

Despite my lack of excessive enthusiasm for half of what this collection offers, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles is still an awesome bundle to have, if only for the first game alone.

The solid twin-stick shooting is worth the price of admission alone.

Overall, the game is too easy and you can complete it in around 4 hours. Still, there’s a lot of fun to be had. Especially if you grew up in the Atari era or are a big fan of the Atari 2600 era of gaming.

The launch of Rocket Arena feels like season one of Fortnite in the sense that it feels like something huge but it just needs the community and celebrity support behind it. It’s easy to get stuck playing another match after completing one, which is a key hallmark of the battle royale genre. Once I pick up Rocket Arena in any given day, it’s hard to put it down until I absolutely need to. The gameplay is addicting even if the colourful visuals seem more directed towards kids. While Rocket Arena is a great game for adults to master, it’s the perfect game for a kid to enjoy due to the cartoon violence with a competitive edge.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is quite the enjoyable epic journey, warts and all. When realism is the aim, it’s hard not to notice imperfections. We do live in the real world, so it’s hard not to compare. But all the little imperfections don’t keep this from being one heck of a great ride. The story alone is 50-hours of gameplay and overall there are around 100 hours of quests to complete. There is a lot there. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the first time I played Elder Scrolls: Arena 20+ years ago. The sense of scale, that awe of something you were not expecting to be so grand.

While Bayonetta requires a bit more grit during boss battles, both are still easy enough for anyone to pick up and not feel lost or unpracticed, and I highly recommend this bundle as a starting point for interested players. If you are a fan of hack and slash gameplay and creative finishers or fast-paced shooters where you just want to have fun and not think much of it, these games should definitely satisfy your needs.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is a fun and satisfying addition to the Switch’s ever-growing library of games. Being a port built for playing on the go, it feels naturally at home on the Switch for the gamer who likes to play in short bursts, however, anyone interested in sitting down to sink serious hours into a Monster Hunter title might get burned out on the repetition quickly. With solid gameplay, enjoyable and colorful hunting grounds, and customizable combat styles, the only thing holding this hunter back is the immense amount of tutorials and the general lack of a motivating narrative.

No More Heroes 3 is absurd, silly, and ridiculously fun. With its slick aesthetic, accentuating the deep and smooth combat, Grasshopper Manufacture has managed to surpass previous entries in the franchise. Packed with a ton of mini-games, this diverse trip will take you to strange and wonderful places. Although the empty open-world areas are plagued with performance issues, it doesn’t take away from the ingenuity that is imbued within.

Some racing sims split the difference between arcade-like accessibility and realism, but RiMS Racing leans pretty hard towards the latter. While not entirely unfriendly to novices, this is a game geared towards the motorcycle enthusiast. With its emphasis on what happens in the shop between races at least as much as on the races itself, RiMS Racing has a supply-your-own-drama career mode, but excels in supplying an exacting and sometimes thrilling simulator of racing on two wheels.

Partisans 1941 takes some getting used to in terms of controlling a squad while moving the camera around. The artistic graphics play off the brilliant lighting of the Unreal Engine and the diverse voice acting is believable for the setting. Daedalic Entertainment and Alter Games have come together to bring a perfect blend of stealth and RTS with a twist on history full of rich lore to discover.

Between the dungeon size, the bite-size story chunks, and the clear objectives, this is a game meant for picking up at a moment’s notice. Ultimately, players torn between this version and a home console one are choosing either function or form. Dedicated Switch gamers, on the other hand, would be fools to pass this one up.

The game’s style is good, and the basic structure is engaging and challenging. Combat could be a little more tactical, but overall it’s a solid game that provides a great outlet for any turn-based craving you might have.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is an excellent game buried under a few layers of frustration and potential hang-ups. Excavation efforts are easier than they might appear, and the game does an okay job of helping you out. The game can be frustrating and off-putting for some, but if you know where and how to interact with your opponent’s multi-minute combo turns, a whole world will open up for you. Even as I write this, I find myself tempted to boot it back up for “just one more game.” And given how close I am to my assigned word cap, I might do just that.

With beautiful graphics, simple and concise controls, and a decent array of weapons to choose from, Alienation only really falters from a tired plot and lack of character customization.