Loretta is certainly an ambitious title that offers a unique narrative experience without a lot of close comparisons on the Switch. The atmospheric presentation is great and the dark, unsettling story provides a compelling reason to check out Loretta even with all the other issues. However, some technical issues, underwhelming gameplay mechanics, and a slightly uneven story prevent this from fully realising its potential. Fans of psychological thrillers and narrative-driven adventures should probably give it a chance. It offers a glimpse into a haunting world worth exploring as long expectations are tampered a bit at the door.

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is not the best Chibi-Robo - it is not even that great of a 2D side-scroller or platformer, either.

Although only two characters strong, this pass looks to further balance the ratio of females to males, where Tekken 7 is still severely lacking. Kunimitsu and Lidia are excellent additions to the line-up, however, with two massively satisfying combat styles that both look and feel awesome to play. The stages add more variety to the choice of arenas, but although the price reflects the limited amount of content that is included in Season Pass 4, it is unfortunate that there isn't much more to shout about.

By Mario RPG standards, this is not one of the better ones, particularly when it comes to the pacing, design, and story. What saves Mario & Luigi: Brothership from sinking completely is the strategically engaging and fun battle system, delightful animations that go hand-in-hand with the cartoony art style, and the excellent soundtrack. Other gameplay ideas miss their target, and things become a drag far too quickly.

Qomp 2's premise is novel but it is mercifully short. It becomes too annoying to play and there is no replay value. The puzzles and exploration are only made challenging because of the way the ball does its own thing, and once the correct path or sequences are apparent, there is not much else here - yet it is also the entire backbone that Qomp 2 relies on, ultimately becoming a shallow experience.

It is sad to give a rating this low to a game with this much potential. The UI in Hero's Hour is often problematic, and the graphics are just too basic to understand what is happening. Furthermore, there is a very heavy 'rush' element to the game rather than the more plodding pace of older games. If the graphics were better, some balance problems ironed out, and the UI was fixed, this would be an easy game to recommend to strategy players by a wide margin.

Without riding the simulated jet ski model, much of the novelty and magic is lost. Aqua Jet's strongest assets are its audio/visual presentation and the exciting sense of speed when racing on chunky, pixelated waves. Like most arcade games, it doesn't translate to a great home console experience. It's cool to have an option to play Aqua Jet at all, and preserving it is commendable, yet it's not complete without its alluring cabinet. It may look and run better than Wave Race 64, but sometimes that isn't enough for lasting appeal.

Bleed is a short and entertaining romp that will keep anyone glued to their screen. Each stage is packed with fiends to destroy, and the bosses are suitably engaging. The difficulty never reaches a point of needless frustration. Even on the harder settings, checkpoints are generous. There's also a one-life mode for those seeking the ultimate challenge. However, this has largely been rendered obsolete by its sequel, Bleed 2. That's not to say that run 'n gun fans should pass this over, as it is fun and well-designed, but the successor is simply the better pick.

With a bit more time and a few new features, Blek has all the ingredients to become a strong entry into the puzzle world, should a sequel ever transpire.

STAY starts as an nail-biting adventure that's hard to let go of - literally and figuratively. Soon enough, however, it will become an exercise in frustration, partly because of the slow pace of it all, but mainly due to some bad design choices, with the aggravatingly cryptic, and speed-bumpy puzzles taking the biscuit.

When everything comes together, when there is no lag, and when a team works in unison to annihilate their opponents, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is at its greatest. Unfortunately, the netcode is too unreliable, and the distinct lack of modes for offline play just isn't good enough for a game that had plenty of time before it made the transition from arcade to console. There is scope to expand this into something much more, but whether the budget and will is there remains to be seen. For one of the most original fighting games on the market, though, this is well worth dedicating some time to if you're a Final Fantasy fan.

In a fair, yet plausible attempt to establish which kind of audience Defend Your Crypt seems targeted at - or more appropriate to recommend to - it's honestly quite difficult to go beyond those who want to try every single decent-to-good puzzle game available on their 3DS systems. The inherent simplicity of its core mechanics is at the same time a quality and a limit, and while it's perfect for short bursts - making the 3DS its ideal home - monotony lurks in the depths of this crypt during more prolonged play sessions.

A commendable attempt to bring Samurai Shodown to an old portable format, even though the limited nature of the Neo Geo Pocket Color at the time does hinder Samurai Shodown! 2's chances of being able to hold much attention today. One for the diehard fans that will appreciate the effort of what was achieved with the hardware.

Despite this solid grounding though, the price leaves a lot to be desired. This one is best saved for players in unique circumstances: those who lack a smartphone and are craving something in the genre.

An interesting idea that is lots of fun given the right crowd, but despite its best efforts to make for intriguing level design, the more bells and whistles added to the kitchen layout, the more room there is for frustration to creep in. Overcooked! Special Edition is the best value version so far, with DLC already included, and those that enjoyed it before will enjoy it again. However, just be warned that solo players should steer clear, and those wanting multiplayer fun need to make sure those in tow are not inept at juggling numerous tasks under tense conditions or else the entire group will just quickly start to hate the game and each other…

Just Dance 2025 Edition doesn't reinvent the groove, but it delivers another fun-filled compilation with broad appeal. The core experience remains charming, though the limited song list and heavy reliance on a subscription may leave some dancers wanting more. Optional camera controls (via app) are fun, but the game doesn't go too far beyond being just another compilation.

Puzzle Adventure Blockle is one of the better puzzlers, and, luckily, one of the cheaper ones, too. Its only major flaw seems to be its disappointingly low replay value, as well as the absence of a decent "bait," which would force players to try and reach its end.

The systems of Class of Heroes 3 Remaster are some of the most thought through in the genre. The classes are creative and diverse, and there is always a new reward around the corner. However, the early game feels like an early Etrian Odyssey game, while the rest of the main game feels like a more recent Etrian Odyssey game on picnic mode. While neither is bad, those who enjoy the latter would have already been thrown off by the former, and those who want the former will be bored by the latter. In addition to this, the poor translation makes it difficult to recommend it to people who are not massive fans of the genre, and even then, the easy difficulty level will likely make it a bad match for those players as well. For dungeon exploration alone and tinkering with menus, Class of Heroes 3 Remaster is one of the best in class. However, none of the menu tinkering truly matters in terms of actually beating the game.

Picross S: Capcom Classics Edition delivers what is promised: puzzles full of classic Capcom games and characters, with beautiful artwork and a soundtrack to set the scene. Thanks to the different modes, hours of gameplay await both experienced and new players. Train your brain and relive the classic Capcom era!

The folksy ambiance helps Mundaun distinguish itself from most horror indies on the market. The rough and flawed graphics work in ways the developer may not have intended and the frequent backtracking may not be for everyone. With only Curdin's notebook giving any idea of what to do and the terribly unresponsive combat, many people might give up on Mundaun. It may be a slog at times, but this is definitely worth a look for fans of horror classics.

Samsara is a visually attractive puzzler that plays out on two planes. Trying to simultaneously navigate Zee and her shadow self to their respective doorways by manipulating the walkways with placed blocks is a tricky thing to do. With limited blocks, and endless lives, trialling different solutions and seeing what works and what doesn't is a fun and rewarding experience. There are always surprises hidden; whether it's weird deaths or getting Zee trapped between a rock and a hard place. Figuring out these puzzles is a fun little diversion, and Samsara is well worth the time to solve some puzzles.

While not a bad game, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is one of the biggest disappointments in the series in years.

Tower defence games may have lost their popularity somewhat in recent years but PixelJunk Monsters 2 shows why it exploded in the first place. It is insanely addictive and just the right level of challenging, although certain folk may find the frustrating elements a little too much to enjoy. Some will find achieving every perfect rating compulsive, while others will find it wholly off-putting.

In a generation that has struggled with finding the right balance of pace, it is refreshing to see a developer place a great deal of emphasis on patient gameplay and actually pull it off. Vertical progression and slow movements are valued over everything else, and these are the two elements that allow TumbleSeed to thrive as much as it does. Unfortunately, that same level of importance given to fine tuning the controls and concept is noticeably lacking in the level design, as roguelike randomisation is given priority over traditional, handcrafted stages. Along with too many power-ups and unlockable skills that trivialise most of the difficulty, TumbleSeed fails to live up to all its potential despite the clear amount of creativity put into its premise and a strong first impression.

The root of the story is legitimately interesting, but the problem is that there is a lot of work to get there. Between various platform issues and a meandering plot, the payoff often isn't worth it - which is unfortunate as some aspects really stand out. While the overall premise of the story is memorable, everything it takes to get there is not.

VirtuaVerse isn't all bad. It is a solid 10-plus hour plot that is a clear homage to some of the best portrayals of this dystopian vision of a futuristic world. There are a few nice set pieces here and there, and from a graphical standpoint, the visuals pop on the screen and are incredibly memorable. Likewise, the musical score compliments them ideally. However, this is an adventure that never gets off the ground thanks to lacklustre main characters, forgettable dialogue, and a clichéd plot. Worse still, the puzzling point-and-click adventure aspects of gameplay detract from the above more often than they enhance.

Unfortunately, Swap This!, like most matching puzzle games, is exactly that: just a matching puzzle game. It looks good, it will satisfy your need for something fun and casual-friendly, and it carries a killer price... but don't expect something more out of it.

Unlucky Mage is a game that people looking for a specific itch will find attractive. There is nothing here that is going to grab players who aren't already into the JRPG genre, but those that don't mind the bad graphics and simple battle system will like the throwback. The writing is much more mature than what the visuals may imply, and the story is the main draw of the game. Going in with moderate expectations, the game will surprisingly deliver them.