Ninja Gaiden 4 is beautifully made, blisteringly fast and defiantly old-school in its approach to combat and design. No rules are broken or rewritten, but fans and newcomers will find joy in the game's aggressive, approachable gameplay.

Crimson Desert can feel messy and overstuffed, but it’s also a fascinating, visually impressive, sprawling, and often brilliant sandbox that rewards patience and curiosity in equal measure.

Very much 'Vibes the Video Game', but what a vibe it is. Mixtape expertly captures the joys of youth, where creative flights of fancy turn the mundane into surreal and snappy acts of teenage rebellion. Through its eclectic soundtrack and handmade aesthetic, it's a loving ode to an analogue past you can still reach out and feel.

If you want to drop into the arcades of the 1980s on your Switch, Operation Night Strikers is a collection that demands attention. More than simply letting you replay the games as you remember them, it revitalises that love for snappy, uncomplicated arcade shooters.

After a long time away, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves shows the series is still fighting fit. While its package isn't without some blemishes, this is no throwback but takes its rightful place in this modern era of excellent fighting games.

Clever, organically evolving game design mixes with retro period detail, along with a nod to Stalker, to create one of the year's more rewarding open worlds.

While it's flawed and limited, Project Songbird is also a personal, distinctive, and engaging horror game that bends familiar ideas to its tune.

An ambitious, visually striking cosmic detective adventure that blends smart scanning mechanics with rewarding puzzles. While it rarely threatens, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is soaked in immersive detail that even rises above its bugs.

Tracks new and old look gorgeous, items boast high visual impact, and I'm not yet bored of scooping up costumes, but the top level gameplay changes are not easy to ignore. Perhaps my biggest gripes will be addressed in a patch down the track, but for now I'm not sure World is yet ready to replace my party game mainstay or its predecessor, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

A surprisingly fast and aggressive Soulslike with enough creativity to excite, but fundamentally, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn't subvert the genre or offer enough to break free of its inspirations.

As enchanting as it is dark, South of Midnight elevates an otherwise conventional action-adventure game with a tightly woven and empathetic 10-12 hour story that does justice to its Southern Gothic influences and Black characters and striking art direction.

A game that weaves in Yoko Taro and Fumito Ueda influences, and still feels unique, only the occasional camera friction can dampen Motorslice's brilliance.

Keep Driving knows it’s all about the journey rather than the destination, and it perfectly captures the feeling of being young and free and foolish. The learning curve is initially steep, and the encounters can eventually get repetitive, but it offers a beautifully drawn and wonderfully charismatic adventure that you won’t forget in a hurry.

A stylish, tightly focused horror game with bold ideas and striking art direction, Crisol: Theater of Idols may not push every theme far enough, but its cohesion, world design, and confidence impress.

Avowed may not reinvent the RPG wheel or be the next game that takes over your life but it still does a good job of giving the Pillars of Eternity universe the AAA treatment. With flexible action-packed combat, vibrant world and characters, and engaging moral dilemmas, it's a blast while it lasts.

Like a Dragon's swashbuckling adventure welcomes all for seafaring silliness. Whether you're beating up landlubbers or storming the deck, modern day marauding proves surprisingly easy - and difficult to put down.

An inventive revival that elevates a forgotten series with deep combat and personality, but uneven pacing, thin content, and inconsistent visuals hold Rushing Beat X back.

A bit uneven, but when it’s in motion, swinging, flipping, doing its weird alien thing, it’s hard not to like ChainStaff.

This pixel art throwback nails pick-up-and-play fun, but Basketball Claissics' rough edges, shallow modes, and inconsistent mechanics leave me wanting just a bit more.

While it may drip feed its story for longer than necessary and doesn't really go out of its way to subvert the cosy game, those who are looking for a way to relax will find comfort in the intricate and charming processes of making tea to pass the time.

A relentlessly nostalgic, often rewarding showcase of '90s games, Marvel MaXimum Collection relies on its arcade classics and hidden gems to paper over the cracks made by its duo of Spider-Man & Venom releases.

Ember Lab's visually enchanting debut showcases its animation expertise that translates well to Switch 2, even if its Pixar comparisons are superficial at best, wrapped in a competent but safe 3D action-adventure title.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour isn't something I'd recommend to everyone as their first purchase for the Switch 2 if what you're after is fun first. But if you are intrigued by what's going under the hood of your new console, then this is still a highly insightful and playful way of learning about it. And the price of admission is at least cheaper than a ticket to the Nintendo Museum.

A deliriously vibrant journey into absurdity, Revenge of the Savage Planet is a feast for the eyes and a treat for anyone looking for something unashamedly different, even if the game's Metroidvania style can dampen the escapism.

Ubisoft Quebec renders feudal Japan with breathtaking detail and sets up two fascinating leads to experience its warring period with, but the trade-offs between the dual playstyles and frustrating control issues will likely test your patience during this epic journey. You'll still push through for the sake of Assassin's Creed Shadows' epic narrative and virtual historical tourism, but when compared with other older open world games set in Japan, you just wish it could feel more fun in the hands.

A stylish, slow-burning detective game that rewards patience, observation, and a love of clever storytelling, but it rarely reinvents the genre.

It's hundreds of classic Boulder Dash caves feeding my nostalgia with new levels and a level editor. Though the new visuals occasionally clutter the precise, satisfying puzzle gameplay, the classic caves remain simple and satisfying.

TomorrowHead Studio's debut is technically impressive in its use of UE5's lighting. Will: Follow The Light's execution may be bumpier in other areas, while the story might not linger in the memory for long, but it still makes for a stunning and unforgettable trip to the north in all its desolate beauty.