Night in the Woods is a masterpiece, which may come across like lofty praise considering its indie nature, but it’s wholly earned in every way. It’s not going to appeal to everyone, but if you are an adventure, Metroidvania, sandbox, 2D platformer, or point-and-click fan, then please do yourself a favor and play this interesting, moving, hilarious, and fun experience.

Super Bomberman R is a Bomberman game through and through. Although the game features the classic Bomberman gameplay, an overall lack of innovation and previously developed customization makes the formula feel stale.

If you have some nostalgia for classics like Forsaken or Descent you’re going find a lot to enjoy here in Sublevel Zero Redux and if you’re new to this type of gameplay experience, well, this is a great place to jump in too. Pleasing on the eyes and ears and featuring smooth gameplay that deftly balances relaxing exploration and intense combat, Sublevel Zero Redux will keep you up late at night as you continuously say to yourself… “Just one more try”.

Darknet is a game of layers and depth in its puzzle-solving approach and economy management. Its addicting gameplay loop of capturing nodes, buying upgrades, and using the different tools pushes the player to play just one more level. But Darknet simply does not utilize virtual reality and its advantages in any meaningful way. A bob of the head is all that differentiates it from a non-VR title and these are the types of efforts that VR doesn’t need in its nascent stages.

It’s such an interesting meld of open RPG, twitch action, platformer, bullet hell shooter that shouldn’t be ignored by anyone. In the slew of amazing games this spring release season, it’s easy to forget about this gem because it’s a sequel. Don’t let that happen to you.

Flywrench is a treat. It’s amazing how Messhof has transmuted the very basic activity of controlling a little bendy line through a minimalistic level, into the feeling of being some kind of superhero. When the music is hitting just right, and you’re flipping through those colored gates at breakneck speeds the game feels somehow important. Like getting to the end of the level has something riding on it. Then you remember that you’re just flapping a little line around the bare skeleton of a game… which makes the illusion all the more impressive.

A Criminal Past is a different kind of Deus Ex, and one that kept me engaged.

While the humor and random aspects detract from the story and premise, if you just get the basic story and skip the rest, it really is a blast to rush through.

On its own, Snipperclips is a charming indie puzzle game, but its quality is magnified due to the size of the Nintendo Switch’s launch list. Snipperclips is a fun, charming title that players will enjoy, and is a great start to the “Nindie” movement that Nintendo is embracing for the Switch.

Ghost Recon Wildlands is a game that is hurt by its own ambition. Its blend of genres results in a game that tries to do everything, yet excels at nothing. The sheer scope of the world makes it impossible to be filled with interesting details, and Ubisoft manages to make the entire country of Bolivia feel boring. Nothing fits together as well as it should, and it all results in one very disappointing package.

While still keeping its staple formula alive by maintaining the aspects of material gathering, simplistic turn-based battles, and alchemy, Atelier Firis is further improved by tweaking them in ways that’ll invite newcomers with open arms while keeping returning fans happy. While visually the game is a little rough, the sheer amount of things you can do and hours you’ll subsequently expend is endless. Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey is a light-hearted and enjoyable JRPG where you can put your alchemy skills to the test.

It has some positive notes, such as the ability to play single player, couch co-op and online co-op (even going as far as offering unique levels depending on whether you played co-op or alone). The characters have some fun animations and some of the platforming was well-designed – you always get a bit of a rush when you nail a great throw of your partner. Unfortunately, the game also has a number of issues too, such as the numerous glitches and steep difficulty curve (particularly in co-op). If you’re looking for a decent co-op puzzle-platformer, then Shift Happens should be able to fill that void.

Overall, I can easily recommend A Pixel Story. Although I was ultimately bested by the game’s brutal difficulty, I can still recognize the excellent design philosophy at work here.

It’s an impressively fast and well-playing arcade racer that will constantly keep you on your toes. While it could use a little more depth when it comes to single player progression, the racing itself is fantastic and quite addicting.

Overall I had a great time with Dystoria. It was almost too short for my liking, but more levels would definitely require more upgrades, music, and ships to unlock.

Skylanders Imaginators doesn’t push the franchise forward or make any significant strides but it remains perfectly suited for kids and it’s a rock-solid addition to the Nintendo Switch launch lineup of games.

Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is a must-play for PSVR owners. Its ability to keep the player interested in its world and characters is second to none, and the ease of its gameplay mechanics makes interacting with the world a joy. The plethora of environments and odd characters you come across, and the subsequent world-building that takes place, keeps the game from ever getting stale alongside its short runtime. In the Rhombus of Ruin is a masterclass of engaging mechanics and brilliant writing, and it’s got me excited for the future of Psychonauts.

If you get mad at touchy jumps that require perfection, you might want to stay away.

I’m not sure who 1-2 Switch is really for. As a full priced title, I don’t feel the core gaming crowd will find much appeal here and for the more casual crowd, there isn’t really anything instantly captivating or fun enough to hold interest for more than a couple hours. Having to constantly swap accessories in and out becomes tedious as well. At the very least, 1-2 Switch does act as a nice little social ice breaker to get the room interacting quickly and there are a few good ideas on display here. I applaud Nintendo for trying new things, even if they don’t always hit the mark.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Nintendo firing on all cylinders. It's not just the best Zelda game yet, it's quite possibly the best game Nintendo has ever produced and is nothing short of a masterpiece.

The frantic nature of the gameplay coupled with the appropriate difficulty of the game combine to deliver a fresh experience that is best suited for co-op play. While the game’s shooting mechanics could be more precise, it almost adds an extra layer of strategy and randomness that, in a peculiar way, makes the game more enjoyable. And while the combat soundtrack is downright boring, the exploration soundtrack is lively and a whole lot of fun to play to. 8DAYS is a game of ups and downs, but its sky-high positives outweigh any menial negatives in this 1980’s era dual-stick shooter.

While it won’t change anyone’s thoughts about the base game, Road to Boruto is exactly what an expansion pack should be. It features a meaningful new campaign, which is fun whether or not you’ve seen the movie, several new characters, and does a good job of scratching the gaming itch for Naruto fans as otherwise there wouldn’t be a new game this year. It’s definitely worth picking up for those that enjoyed Ultimate Ninja Storm 4.

Despite the simplistic part-time job mini games and the randomization of being able to upgrade tools, Trio of Towns hits all of the main points to have a successful daily game loop.

Despite the mechanic shortcomings, there’s still a lot to like and should be enough to satisfy anyone who’s looking for an old school RPG. inXile has some solid talent on board and this strong offering can definitely fit the role of a suitable successor to one of the most enjoyable RPGs of all time.

A delightful romp through Medieval Europe, an art history lesson, and a mind-bending puzzler all rolled into one. I found it a thoroughly-enjoyable experience and a truly pleasant surprise. Its simple, accessible concept will pull you in right away, while its intelligent game design will keep you engaged for hours (depending on how long you spend admiring the artwork).

I know it isn’t fair to judge a game by what isn’t there, but I was really hoping for a deeper crafting system. Arelite Core’s aesthetic didn’t hit the mark for me, but if you like what you see and hear, check it out. Flaws aside, there’s a heart to this game.

Brut@l is a visually unique game that initially feels fun and frantic, but quickly falls prey to a kind of frustration and tedium that will only appeal to a small subset of an already niche fan base. There is a ton of potential for greatness here, but that potential is ultimately squandered in the name of creating a dutiful tribute to a bygone era.

Shadows of Adam does an admirable job of choosing what to excavate from games of yore. The result is a beautiful trip to yesterday, one that doesn’t waste time getting there. Shadows of Adam is a delightful retro experience.