Given how addictive the free base game is, hopes are high for CROSSNIQ+. The best puzzle titles are those that keep things simple, removing overly complicated instructions and getting straight into the action, whilst carefully building up complexity at an appropriate pace. CROSSNIQ gets the balance just right, easing gamers in, and then gradually introducing extra elements to bring great levels of depth to proceedings. Excellent in its current form, it has the potential to be a memorable great in its expanded version.

Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits is, at its stronger parts, a fantastic game about being young, curious, and free - a pleasant feeling most either feel or miss from their childhood days. Mixed with this is a huge feeling of impatience, fed by terrible gameplay choices to extend playtime during some of the worst sections of the game, which makes this sometimes feel like it is overstaying its welcome. Overall, it is a good catch 'em all game, but it is rough around the edges.

Antigraviator gets a lot of things right. Its responsive handling and evasive manoeuvres help the racing feel particularly fluid. The boosting system and the lack of a top-speed really enhances the exhilaration factor, too. Managing cells for use between boosting and traps also adds a nice strategic layer. However, the trap mechanic and how it's integrated is disappointing.

Poor performance mars what is otherwise a stellar Disgaea experience with some fantastic new 3D visuals. The new modes and features of Disgaea 6: Defiance of Justice paired with a nice new story and interesting characters puts this high on the SRPG recommendations for all fans of the genre; a great addition to the series and a decent Nintendo Switch implementation of the game.

Worm Jazz isn't an ambitious or largescale title. There's not a large amount of levels, there's no story or context to the gameplay, and there's only a handful of different mechanics, overall. However, it still succeeds in what it sets out to do; the levels are delightfully fun to squirm through, collecting everything requires some real puzzle expertise, and, most of all, the jazz score is simply entrancing. For its price, Worm Jazz on Nintendo Switch is very good value for fans of the puzzle genre, or for anyone seeking a relaxing way to spend a few hours.

Do Not Feed the Monkeys is a testament to the capacity of independent developers to create something unique that makes major league, triple-A products feel trite by comparison. However, while being a paid voyeur turns out to be quite entertaining, this title is not without its flaws, with the most serious one being that, although something that was supposed to have a high replay value, it actually becomes increasingly less enjoyable the more you play. Nevertheless, do get it if intrigued by its original concept. The fun will last for two-to-three play-throughs, but it's definitely worth it.

Style Boutique is enjoyable, though does not last long - although that may partially be because it is quite addictive. It can be repetitive but you are always able to create different styles for each customer. Recommended to any budding fashionistas out there!

Although Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space doesn't hit the same highs as Save the World or Hit the Road, Skunkape Games has managed to offer up yet another compelling remaster. Purists are bound to baulk at some of the changes, but nothing is to the point where Season Two outright suffers. If nothing else, Beyond Time and Space is a better remaster than its predecessor, which bodes quite well for Sam & Max. Telltale has come a long way since the mid-2000s, but Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Remastered radiates a sense of style, charm, and ingenuity the studio lost with time.

Sumo Digital have managed to craft a 'Mascot Racer' that aside from numerous pitstops, manages to be a worthy alternative to Nintendo’s own high profile effort.

Similar to the actual programming idea from whence this takes inspiration from, Human Resource Machine is "easy" to learn but, at the same time, quite hard to correctly apply the acquired knowledge. While this basically means that it can lead to some frequent hair-pulling, and although this is not an experience that will last for long, most puzzle fans are strongly advised to try out Tomorrow Corporation's latest release now it's on Nintendo Switch.

There may be times when the humour falls flat, but on the whole this proves to be a pleasure right until the end.

Deadcraft offers a stimulating farming and harvesting mechanic that keeps the gameplay engaging, despite the easier difficulty level. It targets those who prefer a darker, more punk-nihilistic aesthetic compared to the lighter, cuter style of series like Rune Factory. It runs very well on Nintendo Switch, and while the visuals may not be as polished as a AAA title, Deadcraft makes up for it with its unique style and creative gameplay.

The 2D side-scrolling adventure is a far cry from the original NES version, which was known to be not kind to new players. The lack of tutorial, control explanation and random game crashes fail to detract too much from the overall charm of A Boy and His Blob which is a heart-warming tale of friendship, cooperation, and puzzle-solving. Game completion time will head into double digits especially if completionists want to collect all the treasure, or if player skill level for puzzles and platforming is not at expert proficiency.

For those with little time on their hands, or who are new to genre, Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet is an ideal visual novel on the Nintendo Switch. Short in length, and cute in style, with memorable characters, it makes it easy to replay to discover new aspects to each character and see all the endings without getting fed up of seeing the same text over and over. The truth of the candy golem's creation is a fine plot twist that puts a different view to the start of the tale when replaying it. The genuine life lessons it teaches, and the resulting personality changes are delightful to read, and provide food for thought alongside all the sweet treats included.

Life is Strange: Episode 1 - Chrysalis is a great episode that sets up the high school world quite well and makes it a believable setting. While the story does proceed to get a little slow after the introduction of the time-rewind mechanic, it is necessary for the build-up to set the stage for the series going forward. It sets an intriguing premise that promises an epic finale centring around the mysterious storm that only Max knows is going to hit the small town of Arcadia Bay. While the app isn't perfect, and suffers from momentary lag, or crash issues, coupled with the sometimes clumsy control input that mixes up interactional finger taps with movement taps, this is still a great game to check out for newcomers who don't own the mainline consoles.

"Games as an art form" is still a touchy topic. Little Inferno, however, is very obviously more art than game - an experimental meta piece that is a commentary on the mindless time waster games and consumerism in general around games... and it's both interesting and well put together. However, while it's evident the creators (impressively, just three people, Kyle 1, Kyle 2 and Alan) hold a real disdain for this type of title, they have managed to perfectly capture the compulsive addictiveness these products hold and have packed in some dark, yet witty, writing here and there, along with great presentation. Whilst this may be a commentary on the state of consumerism, though, it loses its own message thanks to one small issue: the cost of it, which may put some off. It's a nice, short, fun offering, but the cost could be a stickler for some given it is something that will only take an hour or two to "complete," and there is little reason to return to it afterwards. Those wanting more bang for their buck may be better off sticking with World of Goo, but those going in with the right expectations will no doubt enjoy this clever creation.

Xenoblade Chronicles X is a very specific type of RPG that can be overwhelming in large parts, but rewards in spades if able to quickly adapt to its sweeping approach and quest-based structure. Locking down story missions to character levels can drastically halt momentum and be an issue for those looking to get caught up in the story, but its strengths lie in the exploration-based format across a beautiful world. It is one enhanced by resolution and framerate boosts on the TV, but the massive hit to handheld play with disturbingly bad visual upscaling is a cause for concern that is hoped can be addressed.

Rebellion has done a splendid job with reigniting the Battlezone franchise, and if the Gold Edition is anything to go by, then there is a great foundation upon which to build.

While the earlier portions of Life is Strange: Episode 2 - Out of Time seemed like a way to flesh out the game time, the story takes a dip into menial tasks and clunky technical issues in a junkyard. However, once that part of the episode is over, the story ramps up into a thrilling conclusion that highlights the importance of every decision that Max has made up to this point. This episode shows that no time can be wasted dwelling on the unimportant aspects, and that Max's time-rewind mechanics can have fruitful results, while also walking on the line of unfortunate consequence. If anything, though, this does a fantastic job of elevating the stakes right through to Episode 3 - Chaos Theory.

The visual style may not appeal to everyone, but Milo's Quest is an indie title worth checking out, with its shorter length reflected in the price. Replayability is dependent more on the ability to appreciate something that's cute, because there are no worthwhile goals once the game is complete - but that in itself is not a negative point for some people. Speed runs are encouraged, yet again are dependent on what a gamer enjoys doing.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is elevated thanks to its cast and writers. This could have gone so wrong in so many ways but it ended up being one of the better movie tie-in games made in the seventh console generation. Some of the situations can get very hectic since there is so much destructible geometry, but don't expect too much variation when busting ghosts. It would have been interesting if the rookie and the guys were stuck in a centralized setting and had to explore and investigate like a Resident Evil style house but instead set-pieces are connected by moving forward and never looking back. Most importantly, this remaster preserves Ghostbusters: The Video Game from vanishing into obscurity like many movie tie-in games tend to do.

Ridiculous fan-service aside, Caladrius Blaze is a very enjoyable STG. Each action-packed stage is filled with exciting moments, and they are all capped by thrilling boss battles. The eight pilotable ships offer a myriad of strengths and weaknesses, ensuring a high amount of replay value. While the graphics are far from cutting edge, at least they aren't unpleasant to the eyes. Everything from enemy ships to their bullets is clearly visible, so there's no chance that something life threatening will get lost in the chaos. The sound balancing is also a little suspect, so feel free to crank the music up, while turning the sound effects down. All in all, this is a worthwhile pick-up, so give it a shot sometime.

More of the same as found in Book One, with the same beautifully drawn characters and locations.

It's great to see a developer so early in its life step out and experiment with new genres, and 505 games has taken its signature art style to create a stunning, original world. The battle system and depth of the roster make for an experience worth replaying and experimenting with, and is complemented by the platforming sequences between the combat. While the linearity of the metroidvania aspects leaves a lot to be desired, the fundamentals of the platforming are wonderfully realised.

Hitman: Sniper Assassin is a great little detour around the mainline game, as it does well to still respect many of the principles that the main series is built upon. While it does limit Agent 47's ability to wander around the environment and wear different disguises to take out his targets, it still allows for creativity-kills and having multiple different paths to success, with a handy challenge mode that rewards point-bonuses to reach the upper echelons of the online leaderboards.

No Man's Sky: Next can be impressive at times. It is dense with features and the sensation of lift off and breaking/entering a planet's atmosphere is genuinely magical. It is a mixed bag of mostly good things, but has some really low lows.

Whether it's down to the sharp, intelligent writing, or fantastic hand-drawn style and animation, Spiritfarer has a charm that could be described as almost Disney-eque… well, maybe that would be true if the first passenger Stella encounters wasn't a chain smoking deer. That charm is without a doubt [i]Spiritfarer[i/]s best asset, and something that many will latch on to consciously or subconsciously when coming to their own judgement on its quality. Yes, it can be slow and repetitive, but that is also part of the point. The 2D take on a life-sim is a path less travelled for the genre, and unique in this instance. It creates an appealing world wherein the developer has gone to great efforts to flesh it out, and make it feel lived in. It all hangs together very nicely, indeed.

The Sims 4: Cottage Living adds a variety of new and exciting opportunities to the base game. The new style is themed very well and fits the country aesthetic. The overall number of added features can be overwhelming at times, but this pack comes highly recommended to anyone wishing for a bit more action in the lives of their Sims.