Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1 is everything you’d want from a DON’T NOD game: realistic characters, a gripping journey, and a sci-fi-infused adventure. While it doesn’t break new ground in the genre, it delivers a well-rounded, intriguing story. The first part lays the foundation for multiple compelling narrative threads. With its rich character drama and lingering mysteries, Tape 2’s release on April 15th can’t come soon enough.

Good Goliath is a fun game that’s great for families and parties.

Republique is an excellent contribution to the stealth genre. With a unique twist on gameplay, a captivating story that leverages paranoia, surveillance and civil liberty and copious amounts of Easter eggs, this is one story that is definitely worth diving into.

I was hoping for more depth and permanence in the skill system like you might find in more traditional RPGs, but I can appreciate the choices the developers made given the core mechanic of the game: fast-paced combat with a variety of weapons and enemies.

If you like classic RPGs and don’t mind a toned-down art style, Avadon 3: The Warborn is for you.

Ultimately, One Piece: World Seeker is a super fun game that does the iconic franchise justice and serves as an engrossing and delightful standalone experience. Now more than ever, I’m eager to dive into the series egregiously long story and see what else the Straw Hats have been up to for the past two decades, and what brought them to where they are in this title. The game’s shortcomings are easy to overlook thanks to the gorgeous environments, captivating music, engaging story, and utterly loveable characters. I highly recommend it for fans of the series, curious newcomers, and pirate enthusiasts everywhere.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a strong debut title for Sandfall Interactive, with compelling characters and an original, unsettling story that’s part allegory, part surreal fantasy. Its turn-based/real-time hybrid combat is well thought out and grows more interesting as the game progresses. Some narrative pacing issues and repetitive enemy encounters pull Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from the brink of greatness. Still, it remains a unique and engaging take on both fantasy storytelling and JRPGs.

Apart from a camera that despises the view from a corner, some buggy and inconsistent team matchmaking mechanics, and the curious decision to add punishing roguelike elements, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a polished and potentially fun and action-filled romp through a corner of the Alien universe and lore. Played without human squadmates and reliant on AI stand-ins at anything but the easiest difficulty, the game’s more repetitious aspects begin to grate, as failure will be inevitable. Played with a trio of living beings possessing some situational awareness, reflexes and the ability to communicate, using an arsenal of cool guns and toys against swarms of iconic Xenomorphs is a mindless, if not mind-blowing, good time.

Going back to when Final Fantasy XII first released, I must say that I regret not giving the game a fair shot. Roughly 12 years after its release, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age brings an epic narrative and deserving entry to a classic franchise to the Nintendo Switch. The game also feels right at home on the console and brings with it all the improvements and additions from throughout the years.

Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics includes some of the best fighters in the genre and is a must-have for enthusiasts. Packed with a range of features such as the ability to alter display filters, online options, training modes, and even a music player, the game is comprehensive. Although I would have liked to see a museum-style mode with interviews and commentary on the game’s creation, the quality-of-life improvements and rich selection of fighters make this a standout collection.

Silver Dollar Games has not only delivered on making the perfect palette cleanser game, they’ve also made a damn fine, addictive, and unconventional beat ‘em up. Fans of the original game might be a little upset it’s not a massive leap forward but, honestly, when you’re having this much fun, does that really matter? And when you factor in the low entry price on the Switch eShop, One Finger Death Punch 2 is a no brainer purchase for a game you’ll be happy to return to again and again…and again.

It’s a casual laid back type of game that possesses tons of character. And characters. As you play you’ll come across many colorful – both in terms of personality and design – NPC characters. My personal favorite is a Gandhi type character who spreads peace and love. The hip-hop funky aesthetics of the game crossed with Dr. Suess visuals make for a chilling, laid back experience whether you play it solo or cooperatively.

It is a good game, but not a great game. It does some good things for the series, but yet misfires a few steps along the way. Sure, the visuals and sound are solid, and there is an interesting story, but this same story manages to miss a beat now and then, like the lack of a details for Baird and Cole at this juncture in the Gears timeline, and not enough of a story at all for the new characters Sofia and Paduk. At the end of the day fans of the franchise will no doubt enjoy much of what is offered, as will newbies to the series, but I can’t help but feel that it is somewhat less than the games released before it.

Ultros is a game with a very strong visual identity, trippy theme and a few unique mechanics, like its gardening system for upgrades and abilities. Strip away the psychedelic art and gauzy narrative, however, and you’re left with a somewhat familiar-playing 2D Metroidvania. That isn’t necessarily bad, but I wish the game’s combat and exploration matched the imagination of its art.

I for one enjoyed what I played, and the added content of past DLC, plus all the bonus goodies that have been tacked on above that make the whole package a pretty good value. There is a lot of gameplay to be had here too and those who haven’t played the game before are in for hours upon hours of zombie mayhem.

After many failed outings, the Super Monkey Ball franchise is back. Bubbling with content, there’s plenty to do whether you want to play solo or multiplayer. Whilst the nature of the game can cause frustration, the removal of the lives system has helped to improve the experience. The infectious presentation combined with the lovely gameplay makes this an absolute joy and an essential purchase for fans of the series.

In the end, Withering Rooms’ somewhat clunky and graceless combat is not enough to seriously detract from what it does well. Withering Rooms looks unlike any recent game in the genre. Its setting is haunting and haunted and its blend of roguelike, puzzle, and action mechanics guarantees variety. It’s a compelling choice for fans of action games with more than a dash of horror.

It has rough patches, but Days Gone is a good time. Ripping across the vast wilderness looking for hordes to wipe out is undoubtedly fun, and Deacon’s sort of comic book story is competent. Is it an excellent open world game? Not quite. Is it worth playing? Oh yeah. The gorgeous and well-built environment is a treat, and the mechanical twists on the Sony’s first party formula make Days Gone a nice spring surprise.

As long as the network issues can be sorted out, I have a lot of great expectations for Helldivers. This can easily be one of the most fun co-op experiences all year, for both indie and AAA titles.

The Rally Adventure expansion is not a bad way to close the chapter on Forza Horizon 5. It’s definitely not as epic as the Hot Wheels expansion was. However, it brings with it a pretty significant new area, new vehicles, and a new variation on racing that the Forza Horizon 5 hasn’t fully explored before. The price of admission isn’t too pricey, so if you’re still engaged in Forza Horizon 5, or looking for a reason to jump back in, the Rally Adventure expansion isn’t a bad investment.

In the end I see Wonderbook: Book of Spells as being a a hit with the kids and it is a good start for the peripheral that makes it all come alive. Sure, there is certainly some room for improvement; however, the future is bright for future "books" that utilize this unique peripheral and I cannot wait to see what is next.

Super Mario Party Jamboree marks a significant advancement for the series. With customizable gameplay options, you can tailor your experience by removing elements you don’t enjoy, making it more accessible for everyone. Nintendo has also integrated more online features, allowing you to engage with friends and other players even when they aren’t physically nearby. While some of the additional modes might feel a bit weaker than others, the overall variety provides plenty of ways to enjoy this party.

If this review hasn't spelled it out for you already, there is a lot of content and potential included in this package to make it more than worth your while and keep you coming back for more as Nintendo Land is a pretty darn good game.

The story moves at a comfortable pace and the characters are all easy to love. Despite the fact that none of them speak a single word and their backstories are nothing extravagant, there is a certain charm to each of them.

My frustration never soured my enjoyment of Observation’s story and its wonderfully unnerving atmosphere.

Draugen is not a revolutionary game, but it is a smart one. The story teeters between being overly explanatory and too ambiguous but never manages to succumb to either. Additionally, the two lead characters feel deftly crafted and relatable. The short length and a lack of replay value may deter some, but Draugen is a mystery worth losing yourself in.

KSP is an amazing space flight simulator, with some issues that keep it from being an amazing game as well.

The beauty of this arcade game is that you can play multiple games in a very short period of time. For a mere fiver you get a lot of fast and furious fun.