Rainbow Six Extraction stealthily moves down a well-trodden path, carrying a fairly uninspired narrative that could be described as hackneyed at best. OK, as pithy summations go maybe that's a little bit harsh. Sure, this won't be winning any awards for its high concept themes or originality, but does that really matter when it's so much fun to play? While Ubisoft hasn't reinvented the wheel here, it has at least implemented enough innovative ideas in its core gameplay loop to keep potential React operators engaged in the Archaean struggle. As with any title reliant on repeated playthroughs, there's maybe a slight concern on its longevity, however the promise of regular, free content drops, should be reason enough to warrant regular revisits. It's also worth noting that it's available on Xbox Game Pass from day one, courtesy of Uncle Phil's deep pockets.

Shadowkeep impressed me much less than Forsaken. I hoped that after parting ways with Activision Blizzard Bungie will be more ambitious than to mostly recycle the content we already know. [12/2019, p.76]

By no means the worst in this unfortunate line of adventure games, Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice has forgotten what makes a Leisure Suit Larry game fun. What's that? Well, apart from puzzles that don't drag out so freaking long, a Larry game mostly needs that kind of naughty humour that's less about penis-shaped props, and way-too-obvious dirty jokes, and more about the loser protagonist's lust getting him into all sorts of crazy situations.

A solid title that's genuinely good fun. Loads of modes coupled with enjoyable racing makes for a game that we highly recommend.

Minor issues aside, this is a great pick-up-and-play title for fans of shooters and even fast-paced action games in general.

Chicken Wiggle is a charming platformer that blends simplicity with sophistication into a cohesive whole. There may not be much in the way of originality outside of a slightly unique control scheme, but the "Best of" platforming feeling that the levels give off act as a reminder of not only the great platformers of yore, but how their mechanics have been refined since. Player-created stages add a much needed longevity to the short playtime and ensure that there will always be more chickens to rescue. For a game so ingrained in playing around with pre-existing design philosophies, Chicken Wiggle has a strong sense of self that other platformers should be envious of.

Emotional, alluring, and compelling from start to finish, A Normal Lost Phone is a phenomenal visual novel that takes full advantage of Nintendo Switch in a creative way, while telling a story with a genuinely powerful message. The investigative elements are gripping and require a sincere attention to detail, and the soundtrack is appropriately atmospheric for mobile phone sleuthing.

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition takes a beloved classic of the past that hasn't necessarily aged very well and brings to players who are hungry for monuments of gaming history just the version they needed to finally take a dive if they hadn't already.

With some decent level design and a good few challenging tasks at hand, Bike Rider DX2: Galaxy is still a moderately fun way to kill a few spare minutes.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a triumph in design, both in terms of how stages are crafted and the way the smart puzzles contained within each world are put together. Held back by its control scheme in the past, the shackles have now been removed, making this the superlative edition thanks to the excellent touch screen system now employed on Nintendo Switch, leaving Cubed3 now hungry for an upgraded version of Max & the Magic Marker in the future.

Those in love with the history of the era will love the detail within Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack Bundle, but to those that the history is meaningless the absolute volume of names and relationships is a waste of time. Furthermore, while this has some interesting concepts, it is just too bogged down with minutia and lost in its own stats. The series could really need an overhaul on how to make things more streamlined.

Part dungeon crawler, part economy sim, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian has a lot going on without being too complicated. The graphics and overworld controls land somewhere between nostalgic for PS2-era JRPGs and perhaps underwhelming for a modern game, but more attention has been placed on characters and enemies, which pop with energy and are given extra life by enthusiastic actors. The story and characters have a charm that reflects the laid-back but never underwhelming gameplay, which offers many different subsystems or metagames players can often choose how much or how little to focus on. Performing alchemy is a minigame itself, as is running the shop, and combining it all means The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian offers hours of content, carried by charming characters who have believable motives, often driven by their own care for each other, and making this a no-brainer for anyone who wants a dense JRPG they can pour hours into on the go.

Mario Party 9 is a resounding success on so many levels, adding plenty of extra variety to differentiate itself from previous entries, whilst also learning important lessons from the limited-yet-fun Wii Party.

Even in its current state, Battlefield V succeeds in delivering that familiar, core experience in spite of missing some content, and while the thought of an incomplete game might deter some from pulling the trigger on a purchase, those eager to enlist will still find plenty to keep them occupied. Sure, it can occasionally be a bit rough around the edges, but this doesn't stop those epic 'wow' moments from coming thick and fast. Gorgeous visuals; incredible sound design; unprecedented levels of destruction - DICE is firmly focused on long-term player engagement here and its decision to scrap the Season Pass altogether is definitely a refreshing step in the right direction. Well played, guys.

While there's nothing fundamentally wrong with Psychic Specters - it is, after all, the most compre-hensive entry in the series, and Level-5's signature polish emanates throughout - yet it is also more than a little disappointing to see a fully-priced release add so little to the base game. Hardcore fans intent on purchasing should be aware that the new content is a little on the thin side, although it does make for a decent place for newbies to start their YO-KAI collection.

While it doesn't quite stick the landing, Tesla vs Lovecraft is still well worth checking out. This twin-stick shooter captures the heart of what makes the genre work, and is designed to appeal to every level of skill. It's just such a natural and fun game that anyone will be happy to give up their weekend for it. The only other complaint worth noting is the blaring foghorn. Inception is a fine movie, but the horn it popularised has been a nuisance to this critic's eardrums for quite a long time. Hearing BWWAAAHH every couple minutes is akin to being trapped in the depths of Cthulhu's madness.

Distilled down to a very, very strong portable title, Rebellion brings its A-game with Sniper Elite 3 on the Switch. It's not just that it's one of its best creations to date, but also the fact that it comes with so little sacrifice, and the series unique and visceral gameplay. It seems that the multiplayer is getting a lot of praise as well from those who could play it so. With that in mind there is no reason not to pick up this port, especially if you've not had the chance to play through it before.

Assassin's Creed Origins: The Hidden Ones it the ultimate example of more of the same. Honestly, the core gameplay is as good as the full game and, in places, it's even better, with some real highlights. However, with a disappointing new zone design, a lacklustre main story, and nothing new or bold to set it apart, it just feels like filler and occasionally dull, which is a real shame considering how Ubisoft's track record with original and memorable DLC has been.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a great Call of Duty entry with absolutely stellar ser pieces, fantastic visuals, and plenty of modes surrounding an excellently fun campaign. The only downsides are the muddied stories… not to mention what is happening in the company that published it. Highly recommended for CoD fans and people looking for a bit of mindless fun set in WW2.

There aren't many complaints to be had when it comes to the library, yet the emulation is never up to snuff. Perhaps dedicating such a large amount of resources to the UI wasn't the right call. A number of features are poorly-realised and implemented. It's hard to enjoy the games when nothing sounds or feels quite right. The stuttering is especially baffling. While its appearance is rare, it should be non-existent. In short, fans of the console deserve better.

Many will look at Pandora's Tower as being the weakest of the three Wii RPGs, with Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story easily making Ganbarion and Nintendo's effort seem unworthy of attention. However, such a judgement would be unjust, since this Action RPG takes a totally different slant, offering an almost 3D Castlevania and Metroid feel to proceedings, mixing in a pleasant love story and a brilliantly smooth battle system that will widen its appeal.

Sledgehammer delivers yet another bulging kit bag of fresh content for Call of Duty: WWII, offering up great War and Zombies episodes, as well as a particularly strong selection of multiplayer maps. It, coincidentally, arrives during a transitional time for the title, as not only have the Divisions and weaponry customisation systems just received a total overhaul, but infinite sprint has finally been added, which might not sound like a big deal but it ups the tempo considerably.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is lucky to have seen the light of day. The trade-off is one of the rockiest launches since Cyberpunk 2077. The game is already a very specific acquired taste, but compounded with the hopelessly unplayable state, it cannot be recommended...yet. Maybe one day after the developers' home is free from the global strife, they can take the time to salvage what could be a pretty cool game. Until then, stay safe, stalkers.

This game is part Animal Crossing, part hardcore strategy, and that is largely its weakness as there is very little overlap between those games or gamers. For strategy aficionados, the staggering amount of crafting, structures, and literal Feng Shui will be too much, and for casual crafting/constructing fans there is too much RPG/Strategy elements. It's nice how this is clearly very Asian in theme, but the game is just so strange it is hard to recommend.

Katamari Damacy REROLL is not the best way to play Katamari Damacy. The faster load times and stable frame rate are par for the course with the ports to much more powerful consoles that came two generations later. This should have been so much more; there are too many features that have been bungled or got cut. Even though REROLL may not be ideal, the core gameplay of rolling a Katamari and picking stuff up and building a planet-sized ball is still gratifying and fun to watch.

Death end re;Quest is making its mark on Nintendo Switch with a fine balance of cute anime style graphics to temper the exceedingly malevolent and gruesome violence that truly is necessary for the plot. By the time the end game approaches a melancholic air descends because time is almost up for the beloved Shina and her sweet smile. Replayability is a must for completionists who want to encounter every clue in the game, and also for those who love the very screwed up universe in World Odyssey. Apart from occasional confusion on story progression, there are minimal negative aspects, with difficulty levels making lesser skilled players able to enjoy the intricately layered plot and higher skilled players able to sink their teeth into the complex battle mechanics.

This is a monumentally messed up story wrapped up in a very hostile experience that has no interest in the player's enjoyment. Whether it's the playability, or the confusing puzzles, or the sadistic traps laid by the developers, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is not meant for average gamers. This is one for people with true grit in their hearts...and a little patience.

There are many quality games out there made with RPG Maker software, but almost all of them were created on a PC using a professional tier version. It is possible to make something in RPG Maker With on a console, but anyone looking to create their epic magnum opus will be discouraged by the lack of art assets and the sheer density of complexities that go into making anything, which is made harder on a controller. Gamers who only want to play the RPGs might be better off playing any other indie RPG in the eShop. The user generated content will be amusing at best. The RPG Maker With scene might be more interesting on PC, but on consoles, this is a teaching tool for kids to learn about game design.