With a new handheld format comes a new Yu-Gi-Oh! title, and while Link Evolution offers a compelling and modernised take on the Card Game for both fans and novices alike, with almost infinite play styles and strategy possibilities, it retains the stale interface and storytelling of its original form.

This is one of those kinds of scenarios where the designers set out to make exactly what they aimed for, and achieved it... but only because they were only going for a very simple premise. Cybarian aims low, and succeeds at what it needs to, which was not very much. There is no room for expression for the extremely controlled nature of the gameplay, with the exception of how many times a player might miss an input or get slapped. While it may not be a horrible game, Cybarian is merely mediocre and too strict to have any lasting appeal.

Despite it being an expansion pack, Iceborne is pretty much another game built upon the many layers of Monster Hunter: World. It adds new monsters, a new location, and new armour and weapons to customise, but Iceborne also delivers new details that are fleshed into the core title. The Clutch Claw mechanic transforms the way combat works for the base game, as well as the expansion, and the monster fights are as epic as ever. Each monster gets their own platform to shine, and Iceborne does not end with the completion of the campaign. As most Monster Hunter fans should know by now, concluding this expansions campaign is only the beginning.

For the title that essentially originated the modern hack 'n' slash genre, Devil May Cry holds up tremendously well. Although later entries would flesh out the combat even further, the original's simpler mechanics shine elegantly. Dante is a much more complex character to control by Devil May Cry 5, but his original iteration is already loaded with mechanical depth. Between Alastor and Ifrit, combat isn't hurting for variety, and the title's stellar level design keeps play-throughs fast-paced and pleasantly arcade-y in nature. If anything, time makes it easy to appreciate Devil May Cry all the more.

In Asphalt 9: Legends splashy visuals come first, collecting unlockables comes second, and skill proves to be a distant third. Having said that, it's tons of fun, at least, if not in search of realism, and despite the lack of decent variety, not to mention the fact that it's an always-online product. Moreover, this can definitely be enjoyed in its original, free form, or by simply spending a bunch of pounds to purchase the Starter Pack if you need to save yourself from more than 10 to 20 hours worth of grinding, but beyond that, the game won't really force you to do anything more besides from playing it.

Fans of adventure will find Argonus and the Gods of Stone to be too light on content; both when it comes to its plot, but mostly in regards to its almost non-existent puzzles. Fans of mythology, and especially Greek legends, will surely enjoy some bits of this small journey, but in the end, this is nothing more than an okay-ish (and empty) theme park with a Greek mythology setting.

Despite some obvious flaws, and some parts that were somewhat rough around the edges, Spaceland offers great fun for something not coming from big name studios. While it eschews a typical base building in favour of squad management, the small skill tree and equipment choices are interesting, while leaving a desire for more. Though linear, the tactical elements are largely highly competent. There are things that leave the player wanting more, but the game itself is very enjoyable, and any potential sequels will probably be even better.

The world of Mutiazone is full of life and drama, and its interesting scandal-filled story and engaging characters do a fantastic job of conveying this story in a way that leaves you genuinely invested in the characters and the island itself. Although the world can feel a little small and repetitive at times, the soundtrack and beautiful visuals ensure that the player stays entertained and longing for even more at the story's conclusion.

Nonsense title aside, Alternate Jake Hunter: DAEDALUS The Awakening of Golden Jazz is one of the best written detective adventures to release this gen. Masterfully presented with a gorgeous watercolour art style and a moody, sombre score, every moment in Saburo Jinguji's trip to New York is handled brilliantly, building off his relationship with his deceased grandfather and slowly unravelling a thoughtfully weaved mystery. Splitting gameplay between two phases of Saburo's life, childhood and adulthood, is a particularly inspired touch that keeps the narrative moving in spite of its slow pace while also building a deeper connection between audiences and Saburo himself. Along with the title's fantastically realized mechanics, this is a title every mystery buff needs to experience.

At first, this looks quite promising. The opening levels are diverse enough to keep things interesting and the introduction to the gameplay gives a standard but solid Diablo clone. But the veneer is too thin, and this quickly becomes something that only the most hardcore Warhammer fans will truly enjoy. For the rest of the players out there, this is just yet another Diablo clone atop the veritable mountain that already exists; one with repetitive maps, a lackluster character progression, and dull combat. Not to mention the story. One that is completely without teeth. It's like a YA novel; standard fantasy fare, with some of the worst voice acting in recent memory. This is kind of fun, but there are many other games already that do what it tries to do so much better.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is the best way to experience the original Spyro the Dragon trilogy, two decades after the first entry was released. The games on offer were never major classics, of course, and their heavy collect-athon nature won't appeal to everyone. The new, upgraded version is simply beautiful, making the originals look even older than they truly are, so Spyro fans will simply love this… as long as they have the patience to endure 30-second-long loading times (or more).

GRID Autosport, in its Switch incarnation, is a technically accomplished port of a solid entry in a genre defining franchise that falls right in-between arcade fun and driving sim. The level of polish to ensure maximum performance and visual fidelity in both modes is astounding and Feral Interactive deserves all the praise it can get for it. With solid gameplay, a wide range of difficulty options, and an amount of content to please everyone, it is the de facto best serious racing game on the system at the time of its release. However, repetitiveness and complete lack of multiplayer at launch, hold it back from being absolutely perfect in every way.

Even accounting for the passage of time, and the contempt that familiarity brings, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is still a class act. This traditional tale offers a unique blend of fun characters and engaging exploration. The battle-system is sufficiently deep, and caters to any style of play. There are times where this journey isn't as good as it could be, but absolutely nothing about it stands out as truly awful. All in all, it's a wonderful RPG that deserves to be checked out.

Boo! Greedy Kid is an arcade action title that plays more like a puzzler, and where the name of the game is making old people meet their maker, so that you can empty their pockets to buy a few cans of soda. Sadly, the previous synopsis is far more exciting than the actual experience of playing this, as it soon turns out to be an annoyingly repetitive, forgettable, and unimaginative deal.

For short, nostalgic blasts of fun Venture Kid succeeds in almost every respect. While there's fun to be had here, it's painfully clear that, just like playing the game itself, everything is just going through the motions. The excellent soundtrack may even be enough to warrant a dabble, but with nothing new brought to the table, there's no reason to spend your hard earned cash, when the games that this owes so much to its design and creation can be purchased. There are a lot worse than this, sure, but be aware that once completed the first time, multiple revisits are unlikely. Fun? Certainly, but with little variation in gameplay or level design there is not enough for this to stay interesting in the long term. With a little more risk-taking in development, a craving of individuality, and a creative spark, Venture Kid could have gone far.

Amnesia Collection on Switch may lack the slick polish and fidelity of the PlayStation 4, but at the very least, The Dark Descent survived mostly intact, and is still an excellent version of the scariest game ever made. It is too bad that the other entries in the collection are not quite up to the Frictional Games' standard of quality, but even in their own merits they are decent compared to most other first-person horror titles on Switch. A Machine For Pigs, being the least restraint and absurd, makes it hard to take it seriously, but does have some qualities that make it an amusing guilty pleasure. At the very least it never bores.

A Pixel Story has the potential to be great, but falls just short of capturing that potential. The basic mechanic here is a clever one, and the developers to a good job getting a lot out of it. Unfortunately, they fall just short of elevating it to something truly special, and the final result is a bit more basic than expected. Puzzles are good, but repetitive, and exploration is fun, but simple. This combined with floaty, imprecise controls and an odd insistence from the game to focus on them, makes this fall just below the top tier of puzzle platformers. Fans of the genre might still want to check this out, but everyone else might want to see what other stories are out there.

While Cyanide SA may have had the best intentions to ship a complete and fully-immersive racing experience that perfectly replicates the highs and lows of the Tour de France, it is evident that the 2019 edition needed a lot more time in the oven. The loading screens take way too long, the game constantly crashes mid-race, and the fast-forward option causes an obliteration of the in-game graphics. Of course, this was probably rushed out to try and coincide with the grand race that this title is based off, but it does ruin the overall experience. For cycling purists who just want a game to race in, this is fine, but its issues will test even those with a lot of patience.

Contra: Rogue Corps is not a complete failure. Misguided? Yes. Awful? Absolutely not. The control issues are remedied by loading up the options and adjusting stick sensitivity. Why they didn't put them at max sensitivity from the get go? It's the same reason this has a cold opening and giving no chance to change settings until after the first stage leaves a horrible taste impression with how unresponsive it is. The only true misses are the lack of a continuous soundtrack that doesn't sound like a Metal Gear Solid rip-off. Why wasn't this at 60FPS on Xbox One X? A solid game, with some absolutely baffling design decisions.

It comes as no-surprise that eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 fits into the category of an exceptional football simulator. Superb graphical realism, and tantalising gameplay, create an experience that fans of the beautiful game should absolutely play. Konami really needs to find a way to license the Premier League and La Liga to start tempting those away from FIFA, especially those who are really bothered about licenced content.

NBA 2K20 keeps things fresh with some welcome tweaks to gameplay, refining a product that was already well-oiled and well-drilled. This year's MyCareer mode is an enjoyable enough experience but it, like most of the other modes, is spoiled by microtransactions. Year on year, Visual Concepts continues to push the bar on providing an excellent basketball sim. It would be nice if 2K could finally start providing fan service to match.

Is Final Fantasy VIII Remastered the best way to play it? It really depends on a few things. Being able to bypass most of its questionable design choices certainly makes it more enjoyable than it was, then again that only highlights just how flawed it was in the first place. So, why bother at all? You may as well play it as it was intended, warts and all. This also applies to the revamped visuals; obviously improved in some areas, but the updated HD character models don't go well with the low-res pre-rendered backgrounds.

The Surge 2 rises above both its technical limitations and its predecessor to set itself apart in the action RPG genre. It could even be debated that it makes a case for being lumped in with its genre cohorts - a case that is strong indeed thanks to its innovation and willingness to change and improve upon the foundations set in the first game. While it flits in and out of being a smooth-sailing and sleekly presented package, it nevertheless provides a walloping good time and can't be faulted for its enjoyable combat and exploration, navigation issues aside.

Gearbox long ago managed to make pure concentrated gaming compulsion and they've perfected it here. Insane amounts of fun, blasting across multiple worlds with some of the craziest guns ever imagined, and even more fun with friends… when the frame-rate keeps up, something hopefully the developer will address. The humour may not be to everyone's tastes, and while some elements are obnoxious - again, Claptrap needs to stay dead - and there are just too many jokes, there are plenty that work, and work well. The Borderlands formula works, and has inspired countless other pretenders. Borderlands 3 shows that the original is still the best.

While it is clear that The Council is designed for multiple playthroughs to select different choices to influence different endings, the challenges thrown into Checkmate do make it a grind to have to replay, and to be honest, none of the good endings are even worth pursuing to that extent. The Council tells an intriguing and ambitious story, and Big Bad Wolf have shown the potential of what they can achieve for their next endeavour.

Dragon Quest XI on Switch is a masterpiece of the genre that is only held back by unfortunate occasional crashes during extended play sessions, which we can only hope will be annihilated entirely shortly after release, and a 2D mode that doesn't feel perfectly integrated into the Switch experience. It is therefore not perfect... but came darn close!

AI: The Somnium Files is a masterfully crafted narrative that makes the most out of the adventure genre. Choices that matter, and result in shocking outcomes, and the unpredictable story has a fleshed-out cast of characters. While the Switch version does have some technical short comings that can be overlooked, anyone looking for a genre-bending mystery will be sucked in to Kotaro Uchikoshi's latest and greatest opus.

The original Hotline Miami was that watershed indie game that changed things and influenced others, beginning the trend of '80s nostalgia that has become so popular lately. It is hard not to see why because, this makes the '80s seem so cool, and reminds everyone of simpler age when it was possible to be cool and corny at the same time. Wrong Number has its issues, and most people in the future might even forget it ever existed, but anyone with the guts to make it all the way to the end will never forget it.

Disappointing is the best word to describe GreedFall. The 17th-century-esque fantasy tale of imperialism-versus-nature told here is ripe with potential, but the world/character-building, and story-telling soon runs out of "fuel;" the role-playing element starts great, giving you the chance to choose amongst many a path, only to become way too simplistic and limiting; the combat is fun, but it gets monotonous before hitting the 10-hour mark; and, finally, doing quests quickly gets rid of its "do it your way" mind-set, for an endless marathon that has the player running back and forth between quest markers. Disappointing…

Considering the dearth of Mech games, Daemon X Machina is bound to get anyone's attention. Rather than allow itself to serve as mere niche fulfilment, this rises above through a solid balance between accessibility and depth. With just a little effort, you can make the battlefield your own, cutting through countless enemies like… *sigh* a hot knife through butter. The variety of armaments, armours, and skillsets allow veterans to create a thoroughly customized experience. Of course, they'll have to deal with a rough frame-rate, as well as a dreadful last boss. In the long run, those are small fees to pay.

If My Heart Had Wings is an entertaining, slice-of-life, light romance/comedy tale, which, strangely enough, also delves with the creation and flying of a glider plane, and even succeeds in making that part entertaining. That being said, this will probably only appeal to fans of the genre and no one else, as it's a somewhat generic choice for a visual novel. Even fans, however, should expect something that takes a bit too long for anything to get going. Prepare yourself for lots and lots of reading, which can eventually put you to sleep.

The developer has done an admirable job of maintaining the core of Epic Games' legacy, yet they have been unable to truly improve upon it. It is still the same cover-shooting action it has always been. Still satisfying and very crunchy.

For the new generation who never even held a Game Boy (or picked it up in Virtual Console), this is a chance to experience this gaming masterpiece in its best form to date.

Jet Kave Adventure is a noble effort from 7Levels and mechanically it does show some promise, but it also becomes repetitive quite fast as it fails to nail the smart level design and addictive platforming action of its contemporaries. The level art is gorgeous and does a great job to enliven the sci-fi-imbued prehistoric world that the developer has created, but the platforming itself is far too uniform and simplistic to retain the player's interest. As such, it's best suited to short play sessions but even here, the experience shows too many frustrating cracks to be memorable.

Epitasis is not an adventure game, but a collection of painfully similar puzzles that require minimum effort to solve. On the bright side, the main goal of Lucas Govatos' creation was to provide some simple, casual, relaxing fun, and it achieves that, looking pretty good while at it. Just make sure to grab it when it gets a lot cheaper.

The Sinking City succeeds at its main areas of focus which are exploration, investigation, atmosphere and storytelling. All of those likeable elements are kept intact on Switch and while visual impact is overall expectedly lower than on other platforms, the promise of a preserved artistic direction is kept for the most part by Frogwares. It is still perfectible however in its implementation of combat and overall controls, which still do feel rather janky at times. At time of writing, this feel of roughness coating what is otherwise a good experience at core, holding it back on Switch as much as on the other platforms, even if some extra work went into the audio department to make things feel more authentic.

Star Wars Pinball is packed full with content, and offered at a more than reasonable price given all the goodness found therein, even for owners of the same game on 3DS and Wii U which both only received a fraction of what is on offer here. Moreover, this one brings the same level of graphical fidelity found on the base versions of competitors' consoles, with HD rumble, TATE mode, and portability added on top for good measure. This is a serious contender for best pinball game of all time right here, especially for fans of the Star Wars universe.

There's nothing new to say about Guerrilla that hasn't been said before - its gameplay is solid and enjoyable enough to hold up its shortcomings in the story and graphics departments. They just don't make games like this anymore, and perhaps with good reason. Nevertheless, this is a robust cult classic that houses some thrills up its sleeve. It's intriguing that Red Faction has even made a reappearance… Is THQ Nordic gauging interest for a sequel, perhaps?

For an action-adventure title, inaccurate hit-boxes and level-design that's even slightly off can be a deal-breaker. Rather than get dragged down by its deficiencies, Blasphemous rises above to create a uniquely engaging experience. Exploring the dire realm of Cvstodia is a treat in itself. The lore is intriguing, and the few characters you meet weave compelling narratives. Still, there remains an unshakeable thought that this game is a beautiful painting, but with an askew frame. Then again, maybe it's because of the imperfections that players start to question everything around them. Whatever the case, you'll definitely want to give this a look.

Gamers may not remember Turrican. Thankfully, Gunlord X is here to fill that gap inside everyone's soul, which only fast-paced 2D action can fill. Not since Sonic Mania has a throw-back retro style game been pulled off with this much panache and style. While it may not be lengthy, it is hard to let go of the controller because playing as Gunlord just feels so good and the wake of destruction he can leave feels so satisfying.

A brilliant remaster that has wiped the dust off the original Spyro trilogy and given it a lease of new life in the hope of introducing Spyro to a new generation of gamers. The Nintendo Switch feels like the most suitable home for a family friendly mascot platformer where so many primary colours are at full bloom, so it is a shame that it has taken such a long time for a port. The low level difficulty will be quite off-putting to seasoned gamers, but charming characters, varied worlds and a number of items to collect will keep younger players entertained for quite some time.

Home to an incredibly immersive world and the best combat on the Nintendo Switch, Astral Chain is a must-play not only for fans of the genre, but the medium as a whole. It is a title that understands the importance of balancing gameplay, story, and style without ever sacrificing substance for anything else. It's more accessible than most PlatinumGames titles without ever having to compromise its core mechanics. The slower start may alienate potential fans but sticking with Astral Chain leads to a surprisingly thematic script, incredibly deep combat, and what might be Platinum's best game to date.

Children of Morta is an exceptionally well made ARPG, where the same amount of attention has been given to all its aspects, from the way it plays, to the way it's story is told, to the way it looks. Those in search for something with hundreds of hours of additional content should better look elsewhere, but the pleasure of combat (solo or co-op), and the addictive nature of rogue-likes, combined with the strong narrative, and the fantastic ultra-detailed pixel art style, gives a pretty good reason to put this on your wishlist - NOW!

Catherine: Full Body's narrative contributions may ultimately serve to hinder what was an otherwise thoughtfully written story about self-discovery, but the overall improvement when it comes to gameplay is almost staggering. With hundreds of brand-new stages to play through - both in the main game and in Super Rapunzel - along with deep online multiplayer, this is a remake that offers so much high quality content that it's difficult not to see the whole package as a complete upgrade. In fact, with so much content to play through, it's almost easy to forget just how poorly paced the new scenes are at times. When it comes down to it, Rin isn't nearly as interesting an addition as the new items and blocks are. If nothing else, Catherine: Full Body is far and away the definitive way to play the game… Just not the best way to experience the story.

Altogether, Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is an exemplary update to the 1994 original. Both the new and returning characters have impressive move-sets. Discovering how to implement these techniques is very rewarding. The eight stages aren't especially creative, but they all have strong fundamentals. If players want a spot on the online leaderboards, then they have to take as little damage as possible, and accurately gauge threats. While it is fun to mash on hapless grunts, targeting elites is the only way to survive. This is one beat em' up gem that you don't want to miss.

While just a 10 to 15-hour adventure, more crazy things happen in Anodyne 2: Return to Dust than in any other 100-hour RPG. What starts as a simple 3D explorer/platformer and Zelda-esque dungeon crawler, soon turns into a journey through a realm that is otherworldly beyond any doubt, and yet manages to feel so familiar... like a faint memory, or a place you paid a visit in your sleep. It's not a game that was designed to be experienced by everyone, yet everyone is advised to experience it, if only for its beautiful, vintage PS1 visuals.

This is, for the most part, a disappointment. By no means a terrible game, Vambrace: Cold Soul plays it a bit too safe with its concepts, as most of them are straight up copied from better tactical rogue-likes and RPGs, and especially Darkest Dungeon. Gorgeous character design can only get you so far...

Lucah: Born of a Dream is the type of game that starts off great, but the more someone plays, the more they realize it isn't really so. Combat ultimately is repetitive, the graphics are bad enough that important scenes are lost, and the largest problem is that the 'deep' story is so vague that this becomes an annoyance every time some dark concept is dropped on the player only to never be seen again. To allow a player to finish a sizable play-through and have zero idea on the story is unforgivable.

For the spiritual sequel of the Momodora games, Minoria doesn't really do much to separate itself from them, or add some new mechanics. For some that won't be a problem. Those thirty for more of the same will definitely enjoy this short, marvellously gloomy, and pleasantly unforgiving journey. Undoubtedly, it has a pretty strong, unique charm, and it's far from mediocre, but it's safe to say that much better metroidvania alternatives exist out there.

MetaGal is the store-brand version of - any - Mega Man. It has all of the elements from said franchise, but none of the charm - competent, but unremarkable. The pieces are there for a good experience, but the potential is withheld, and the result is a title that's merely serviceable. With the much better-made, and entertaining Mega Man 11 out, there's no need to bother with this one. Like Mighty No.9, it attempts to be a spiritual successor to the classics, but past the retro aesthetics, there is a game that's simply run-of-the-mill.

Control is in turns silly, satirical and solemn, combining an underlying existential dread with a triumph through heroism in a way that no other superhuman tale ever has. Everything about this title is unique in a good way, from its eerie tone to its vibrant combat to its mysterious story. The design work is fantastic, even though the main thing holding the experience back is the lack of optimisation. This will most likely be fixed in the coming weeks but it's these stutters in Control's step that hold it back from being truly seamless. Nevertheless, this is a very, very good game, and a must play for sci-fi enthusiasts and fans of Remedy's past works.

On a scale of best to worst Final Fantasy titles, XII sits somewhere in the middle. It exists in a bland limbo of mediocrity. The best qualities lie in its art direction, music and animation. Being able to play with a high speed mode truly illustrates just how slow and tedious the combat actually is and by circumventing it entirely, a huge portion of the experience is compromised but also the overall product is made more enjoyable.

Wreckfest is at its best when you don't take it too seriously. It features a great handling model that's sufficiently deep and rewarding to master. The wild and dirty races tend to be quite enjoyable too. Of course, the chaos can sometimes become frustrating. There are few things worse than getting knocked off the track at the last possible moment. It's even more agonizing when it's not entirely your fault. Those who persevere, despite the occasional bout of unfairness, will get a lot of mileage out of this.

Strictly as an adventure-type videogame, Sagebrush is as simplistic one can get. As an experience, though, it's an unforgettable journey to the bizarre world of religious fanaticism, and, more specifically, suicide cults; one with an incredibly immersive, hair-raising atmosphere, in great part courtesy of its incredibly fitting, 32-bit era visuals, and minimalist approach to sound. If a fan of short, narrative-driven, psychological thrillers, this is a must-buy.

Picross S3 definitely improved since its predecessor Picross S2. Especially the newly added colour picross mode is a lot of fun to play and makes a real difference in the gameplay experience. This entry offers more variability, making it easier to play longer and harder to get bored. However, it still has a variety of flaws that could be tended to in the future.

Offering three of the best action RPGs of all time, in one complete package, Collection of Mana is a must play for fans of the series, the genre, and the medium. Final Fantasy Adventure's humble simplicity shines to this day, culminating in an unforgettable adventure; Secret of Mana fleshes out its predecessor's gameplay in all the right ways while establishing the Mana franchise's aesthetic; and Trials of Mana offers western games the opportunity to play one of the greatest sequels of all time with an official English translation. Collection of Mana has its quirks, but there's no good reason to skip out on this legendary compilation.

Oninaki is a welcomed trip down memory lane to the glory days of Chrono Trigger, fully capturing the nostalgia of the time. However, like Tokyo RPG Factory's previous creations, while there's a lot to enjoy here, the flaws cannot be ignored. There is a fascinating premise, and a robust story, but it takes far too long to really get going, and the side-quests are wasted. Also, the scope feels too small. When it comes to the combat, the wide range of Daemons keeps things fresh, changing up the experience enough to keep interest higher but, at its core, the combat is just... fine. There's nothing special - same with the RPG elements that add little extra depth to the whole thing.

Sega Ages Space Harrier is a perfect port of a great classic that remains a milestone in video gaming technology to this day, perfectly preserved for both home and portable play in its Switch incarnation. It could have included a better integer scaling option in docked mode, but it nails it flat on the head in every other area. The amount of content may be a bit small, even with Komainu mode thrown in, but for any Sega fan out there looking to revisit this classic, it's hard to go wrong with this. The 3DS' 3D version still remains attractive for "exclusively portable" gameplay, since it offers stereoscopic 3D, and this one doesn't.

Bitlogic: A Cyberpunk Arcade Adventure is a gimmick or novelty of a video game that is meant for twitch streams or to dupe friends into playing it as a joke. It is not the most enjoyable adventure game but is also not designed to be the great either since it is trying to make a point. It is designed to be played by almost anyone and not counting the directional pad, it only uses one button. By that token it is almost impressive that it manages to be engaging at all.

If in search for a fresh take on the RPG genre, then Artifact Adventure Gaiden DX is well worth discovering. Its uniquely-designed world draws elements from a number of other classics, and then gives it all its own creative spin. Though constant fights can get a little mind-numbing, the speed at which they move helps keep them from becoming dull. The world is packed full of quests and secrets to uncover, yet the typical play-through leans on the short side. Players are sure to have a fulfilling adventure, without sacrificing all of their free time.

With the WRC series on hold for 2018, V-Rally 4 took the rally-title for Kylotonn. Fortunately, a lot of the racing mechanics are streamlined compared to past experiences, easily allowing for newcomers to jump in and pick up the controls quickly, while veterans will still enjoy the difficulty boosts. Some stages wildly inconsistent with their degree of difficulty - and with only a career mode, and online play the features in this complete game are quite lacklustre. While hours of racing can be enjoyed, this will eventually wear quite thin pretty fast.

This remaster brings a few quality of life improvements that make the experience a bit less cumbersome to sit through, and the visual uplift is definitely welcome. However the latter can't help the mediocre English voice acting, and the fact that its character animations have aged terribly, despite the character art itself being good, coupled with the scenery itself having a level of detail that belongs in the PS2 era. That combination of factors means it will be very hard to get into for most newcomers. Those that stick with it long enough, and put in the unusually big effort required to truly grasp all its ins and outs, will find a good JRPG story a few hours in, just one with hit and miss production values.

In short, Wonder Boy Returns Remix accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. This is a remarkable update to the '80s classic. The controls might take a minute to adjust to. Thankfully, the level-design clearly accommodates for them. Each of the 32 stages is filled with secrets and scoring opportunities, so there's plenty of replay-value. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, or just insatiably curious, considering giving it a shot.

Fast, frantic, and far more addictive than it initially lets on, Windjammers is a wild reimagining of Pong, with a well-rounded competitive edge. While there isn't too much depth in terms of what players can pull off, the core mechanics make each round a thrill, emphasizing fast paced action above all else. As expected, the online scene is far from thriving, but playing locally or just with CPUs more than gets the job done. Windjammers is a welcome reminder of how chaotic the arcade scene was in the early '90s.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is hurting without B.J.. While he was sort of made out to be a tool in The New Colossus, his daughters are insufferable dude-bros who only want to kill - they just so happen to use Nazis as an excuse to justify their bloodlust. There are no more soulful internal monologues, instead these girls cause tons of collateral damage, and the game acts like its cute. The gameplay is so flawed on a fundamental level that it is beyond saving and all of it is for the sake of padding. What's the point making the side-quests "optional" if they are necessary? May as well have made this a traditionally linear, first-person shooter in the first place.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a fun JRPG that has a lot to offer the patient player. It doesn't take as long to get off the ground as its predecessor but its complexly woven narrative nevertheless makes it a slow burn. For those who weather that burn, however, satisfaction on an unprecedented scale awaits. Not even the mechanical issues can overshadow just how fantastic the story of Cold Steel II is, how rich the world is, and how compelling the characters are. This is a must-play for those who enjoy jumping into a game for the long haul. Cold Steel III can't come soon enough.

Aside from occasional camera troubles, Vane stands out as one of the most immersive titles of 2019. Whether exploring the world as a child or a bird, the visuals masterfully blend together in a beautiful environment worthy of exploration. In relying on visuals instead of dialogue, players can form a deeper appreciation for the world around them - one open to interpretation. Vane is not a particularly long adventure, but it's one that'll leave audiences reflecting long after the credits have rolled.

Omega Labyrinth Life was created to appeal to a very specific audience, but that doesn't mean it's a bad game - actually, it's very far from that. Matrix Software clearly understands the Mystery Dungeon formula, and they've pulled out all the stops to deliver an exceptional product. Each of the seven playable characters has their own unique qualities, and partnering them together allows for a lot of tactical options. The subject matter is definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but at least there's an option to skip past the more outrageous content. Just don't expect to find anything resembling "family-friendly" here. All in all, this is highly recommended.

Hellsinker. is a showcase for the richness found in the heart of the STG genre. It's boundless creativity and complex subsystems offer a level of engagement that's rarely seen. There's joy in exploring its every aspect, figuring out what works and what doesn't. It'll take an untold number of hours to master each segment. Not to mention there's an incredibly-realized cast of playable characters, all of whom have unique weapon sets worth exploring. Beyond all of that, the simple nature of destroying enemies and dodging bullets is effortlessly executed. All in all, this experience is one that can't be missed.

Sadly, Spirits is nothing more than a mediocre Lemmings rip-off; one that's has less variety in its mechanics and overall look (1991 pixel art FTW!), but mostly one that's just not that fun to play, mostly because of how it relies more in trial-and-error-ing through its badly implemented physics, rather than smart, skilful planning.

Unfortunately, for as aesthetically and stylistically pleasant as the visual novel is, its script leaves quite a bit to be desired. It isn't so much that the story is bad - there's a very intriguing layer of horror that permeates over the narrative - but that dialogue is especially weak. Mordred is not a particularly compelling protagonist, and most of the character writing comes off distinctly voiceless and surface level. The story revolving around serial killing inspired by Greek Mythology is enough to keep the plot engaging, but it's hard to ignore a visual novel whose greatest flaw is its writing.

The original Beyond: Two Souls was an interactive drama with a severely inconsistent level of quality when it came to gameplay and storytelling, and completely consistent when it came to its stunning audio-visuals. This new version, is still an interactive drama with a severely inconsistent level of quality when it comes to gameplay and storytelling, and even better in regards to how it looks and sounds. Any reason to try it out now? Only if you haven't done so before, as the remaster is a bit of a poor one to warrant a second purchase.

Ultimately, Pawarumi is an inventive and engaging STG that's held back by a low frame-rate. Considering the genre, a lesser game would completely fall apart if it ran at 30 FPS. At least with this one, its admirable qualities still shine through. The art-direction is quite interesting and the Trinity Mechanics are really well-executed. That said; dealing with the handicap of having less reaction time is liable to be too much for some players. It's advisable to wait for a possible 60 FPS patch, or check out the version that's available on Steam. Otherwise, expect at least some frustration and anger in your future.

Kill la Kill the Game: IF has fun gameplay and a very appealing visual style, but it is let down by its inaccessible story mode and lack of content to incentivise prolonged play. The small cast of characters is forgivable because of how unique and fun each one is to play, but it's difficult to justify buying this at the full retail price when it runs so light on content. Nevertheless, the fanservice and unmistakable Kill la Kill flair is likely to delight fans, but aside from a few amusing unlockables in the gallery mode, there is little to sustain them beyond playing online.

While Horace himself might not be the most emotionally intelligent protagonist, the same cannot be said for his namesake game. Horace has an emotional depth that even the best scripts tend to lack. It is a testament not only to its medium, but to storytelling in general. Blending genuinely unique platforming with an incredibly nuanced plot, Horace maturely tackles themes of identity, purpose, and war in almost jarringly realistic ways. Coupled with excellent game design and stellar presentation, Horace might very well be the best platformer of 2019.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses can best be summed up as a carefully crafted mix of old and new that feels comfortable to pick up, though perhaps its new mechanics take a while to get accustomed to. Its visual presentation may be slightly underwhelming, and not quite yet the ambitious step-up into the realm of HD that it could have been, however it is so captivating and addictive in every way that those blemishes should absolutely not take away from the exceptional display of balance, and the blend of the new school setting into the very roots of its gameplay. It is an all-around very comprehensive display of mastery on Intelligent Systems' part.

There are hundreds of worse tennis games than Super Tennis Ball, but why really choose this over the few better ones. The gameplay is generally enjoyable, but a lack of something that could set it apart from the competition, and the overall feeling of repetitiveness you'll have to endure, make it a hard recommendation - at least at its current price. In other words: wait for a generous discount.

For a series that has been away for so long, it hasn't missed a step; stuffed full of fan-service for followers of whichever flavour of Marvel is present. The combat is mashy, but meaty and feels really satisfying when the synergy is just right. This is most fun in co-op, yet is also marvellous in solo. There's a mammoth amount of replayability thanks to grinding through, levelling each of the characters up, taking on the Infinity Trials, and a challenging New Game+ to overcome, not to mention the new content to come with the Season Pass. For a long time now, it's been great to be a Marvel fan, and now Ultimate Alliance 3 is another reason why.

While a few bugs are more prominent in Episode 4, hopefully Big Bad Wolf get the final episode just right. Just make sure to have two play-throughs to experience all the twists and turns, as one is totally missable. The Council has been an absolute treat up to this point, and the penultimate episode's new revelations takes the final part to a whole new playing field.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is a high-octane blast that is rich in content, and a ton of fun to play. While the occasional difficulty spike can frustrate at times, Beenox have promised a series of free, seasonal updates that contain new tracks, customisations, and events, giving everybody plenty of opportunity to "get good."

Citizens of Space is an amusing comedic RPG that is very rough due to technical issues. Perhaps after the bugs get ironed out it can be recommended, but in its current state it just has too many flaws that will distract. The side-quests are amusing as varied enough to break up the completely linear main plot and one could easy find these optional diversions to be the most entertaining piece to this package. Anyone who enjoyed Citizens of Earth is certain to get a lot of enjoyment from Citizens of Space.

For anyone out there that wishes to check out a few classic dungeon-crawlers, The Bard's Tale Trilogy is the definitive experience. The three games, warts and all, have been effortlessly reproduced. Accessibility is the least of anyone's concern here, thanks to a slew of convenient features. An auto-map that also tracks hints is a godsend. Of course, the option to ignore all of these niceties is freely available. Whatever the case, this is a fine epic that guarantees many hours of enjoyment.

In short, God Eater 3 more than proves itself to be the best entry in the series. The new and revised abilities give combat an extra layer of depth. Marvelous did a fantastic job ensuring that each weapon-type, new or otherwise, is exceptionally balanced and entertaining to wield. Ash Aragami lend an interesting dimension to each encounter. Players essentially have to learn two move-sets, and one of them is capable of wiping out their entire squad in seconds. Numerous quality-of-life features round out this masterful game.

Konami might be reviving Contra in its own way, but it is unlikely it will scratch the same itch that fans have been grasping for all these years. From the wild rail gun shooting sequence, to the frantic battle with a huge cycloptic Terminator knock-off, Blazing Chrome is worthy to be held in the same league of the action games that inspired it. This is easily one of the greatest 2D action games on the Nintendo Switch, and it is made all the better thanks to its accessible two-player co-op mode. It is fun with friends and enemies. It may not burn for long, but Blazing Chrome burns extremely bright.

rooMaze is good... for something still in the beta phase of development. The simple first-person dungeon crawling gameplay it has, which is served along some appealing, Minecraft-y voxel visuals, could definitely provide some great, rogue-like hacking and slashing fun with a little more care, but since its developer has given up on it, this care won't ever arrive.

Hyperlight Ultimate is a great little arcade shooter that was good on 3DS and now arrives on Switch in a much more complete and satisfying form. The subtle gameplay tweaks here help make things a little less hardcore than in the original game, but this is still pretty tough stuff that comes highly recommended to fans of the genre who like a stiff challenge, so long as they stay away from Panic mode.

Looking at screenshots, and playing the game briefly, it does not seem like it might be as good as it actually is. But there is something oddly addicting trying 'just one more time' to get further. The progression could use some quickening, and other things could use expanding; but the flair the game possesses is hard to deny. Really the only thing stopping this from a higher score is the lack of depth, such as a story, better upgrade systems, or anything along these lines, but for what it is, it is surprisingly solid.

Swords, Sorcery, and Whimsy unite, in this fun feudal take on the Tower Defence Genre. Solid mechanics backed by exceptional use of the hardware's unique properties, and extensive content for the solo player as well as the many, make CastleStorm a worthy acquisition to adorn any Switch home screen.

'Unenjoyable' is a very mild way to describe Blades of Time. This turkey is nigh unplayable depending on a player's tolerance for trashy, glitchy gameplay. With so many elements that are broken, nobody should be playing this, which is too bad because there are some aspects at hand that could have made it interesting. There is a surprising amount of unlockable content that nobody will ever bother to get, because who in their right mind would ever wish to torture themselves? Blades of Time is the skid-row of 3D action games.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is simply everything that its predecessor was and then some, with some improved mechanics, more block types to choose from and a new and more interesting story. This is topped off by a much more social experience thanks to the great implementation of online sharing of creations and the inclusion, at last, of multiplayer.

True to fashion, Senran Kagura Peach Ball takes a ridiculous concept, and revels in it. As a pinball game, it's not all that complex or rewarding. In order to get the most out of it, the player must also be a fan of the franchise and its penchant for perversion. There's some entertainment in learning the ins and outs of each table. However, with only two to choose from, boredom will set in long before the story is completed. It definitely doesn't help that there's not much of a point in chasing high scores. Online leaderboards and a reasonably challenging level of difficulty would have gone a long way towards improving this product.

It's best to think of Punch Line the visual nove/puzzler as a sort of addendum and guidebook to the anime. Fans of the show get to revisit their favourite characters and scenes in a different format, but everyone else might have a little trouble understanding the appeal. The dirty jokes and fan-service are never in short supply. Still, as long as they have the tolerance for it, viewers might happen upon something special. It definitely helps that the characters and voice-work are fantastic. Both work in unison to make every scene work. Oh, and the puzzle elements are nice too. While not deep, they add just enough of a twist to maintain one's interest.

Risk System is a hard game to recommend on a whim, yet also pretty remarkable. Players can't expect to just jump in and blast everything in sight. First they have to get a handle on controlling their own ship, which is an awfully tall hurdle in itself. The bosses are also frustrating, especially when playing for score. Altogether, this is an anti-establishment STG. It features a learning curve of its very own, one that quite a few may never be able to appreciate.

Octopath Traveler has many little and big pros. Its 'HD-02' visual style is beautiful; the music is great; the world is very big, non-linear, and full of things to do; the characters can be customised in many different ways; and, finally, the combat is fast, yet tactical, simple, yet deep. Octopath Traveler is great. However, it also has a couple of cons that for many people will be the deciding factor of whether they should play this or not, and these are, the almost non-existent interaction between its eight characters, its somewhat… artificial vibe, and the lack of a decent main plot.

Assassin's Creed III gave you the chance to enjoy some simple yet fun Assassin's Creed action, in a vast, Colonial-era Boston - and now you can carry all that on your backpack. It wasn't perfect, sure, but the same can be said for the rest of the earlier entries as well. The real disappointment here comes from its new, remastered iteration, which doesn't really upgrade things as much as it should - at least when it comes to the Switch, which is the worst of the available versions.

Megalo Polis works... and that's the only good thing about it. There's absolutely no strategy involved, and the comedy expected from something dealing with the US elections, is restricted to a two-second smile-worthy art-style - you'll have more fun watching the actual elections.

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is an incredibly disappointing RPG, not because it's outright bad, but because it has everything it needs to excel. Gorgeous visuals, a well directed voice cast, and the tutorial's promise of a political drama set in a city that's clearly on the verge of a coup, all make for a compelling experience. Unfortunately, the visuals are let down thanks to a painfully bland dungeon design, the script isn't anywhere near the voice cast's direction, and the actual story opts for a bafflingly generic approach following the intro. It certainly doesn't help matters that load times are abundant, dragging an already slow title to a crawl, and that the core combat is somehow both chaotic and uninteresting. Despite a relatively strong start, this simply isn't worth the time or effort.

There are things that are easy to point out as flaws, such as the unnecessary and weird flying battle system, but the root of Dragon Star Varnir is solid. The story is interesting, the characters create a curiosity to see where the plot goes, and the darker tone is so revitalizing to the genre. Yes, anime tropes exist, but when the plot revolves around girls trying to save their life from the creature growing within them, a lot of these issues can be overlooked. The beautiful artwork of the characters, the graphics of the dungeon, the music are all high points, adding the cool plot brings this package to a high recommended level for JRPG players.