There are some cool ideas about upgrading different parts of your army, notably upgrading your main structure provided the most interesting choices, however, A Token War rapidly devolves into very cheap tactics and strategies, often involving baiting the computer that starts with huge edges on each map. A better AI, with more fair maps, would have turn this into a better experience. Overall, it's just too basic to really recommend beyond a quick attempt if desperate for some strategy.

Unbound: Worlds Apart is a game that looks and sounds wonderful, with a central gameplay hook, and it keeps players on their toes. Plus, with a lenient checkpoint system even the most difficult parts feel less daunting. Aside from some performance hiccups on Nintendo Switch and a passable story, this is definitely worth a look or two.

A predictable, but engaging story mode has added some real shine to the F1 franchise, alongside the addition of two player career mode adding more options for players. Each iteration of F1 has gone from strength to strength, and F1 2021 is a great representation of the sport, from realistic presentation, great graphical details on the cars, tracks that feel authentic, and the return of My Team. Fans of F1 who want to keep up to date with the sport and have the latest team liveries and driver rosters, will be totally in love with this.

Moody, thought provoking, and chillingly beautiful at times, Strangeland, is a bizarre take on the point-and-click genre that will stick with players long after the credits roll. The story itself is dense with a script layered in symbolism, but never so obtuse where the uninformed can't get by. Thematically, much of the plot centres around the self - self-acceptance, self-doubt, self-destruction, and self-actualization - along with the pursuit of identity. Puzzles lean into the hostile aesthetic to provide a fair degree of challenge, while hints are always available. It all makes for a well-paced, well realized journey that doesn't outstay its welcome. Strangeland is a short adventure, but one of the finest entries in the genre.

It's as shocking as it is baffling that Nicalis blocked Galati's patch considering just how much better Save me Mr Tako: Definitive Edition is over the original release. A host of quality of life additions shine a spotlight on what was always a compelling adventure, albeit one bogged down in out of place design philosophies. The revamped difficulty curve makes stages far more engaging - lending them a flow that was previously missing - and the new hint system keeps progress moving at a steady pace. Save me Mr Tako may style itself like a typical Game Boy platformer, but it goes beyond mere homage and reaches genuine greatness.

The vibrant detailed scenery coupled with memorable characters and a strong captivating plot make Liege Dragon a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch library of RPGs. The easy-to-understand game play is perfect for newcomers to the RPG genre, and KEMCO also gives veterans an opportunity to play on harder difficulties to test their battle strategy. A mixture of familiar KEMCO game mechanics and new ones make the age-old story of good versus evil feel refreshing and engaging.

Chivalry 2 offers up some exciting, large-scale battles, and a variety of melee weapons at the ready. The balance is almost there, with archers perhaps being too powerful due to their generous aiming. The automatic team balancing system does remove some of the pressure of winning or losing, which can be a net positive. So, unleash a battle cry and join the fray!

The concept of interacting with and aiding spirits might sound on the creepy side, but with a watercolour palette, plentiful humour, and appropriate ratios of compassion and crankiness, Cozy Grove is certainly a fun addition to Nintendo Switch's game library. Regular updates add quality of life improvements, plus the new game mechanics add to its appeal. Hugging a digital ghost bear brings far greater joy than can be imagined, thanks to the latest update.

ENDER LILLIES: Quietus of the Knights is the definition of sky-high potential gone to waste. At first it will seem like this is a flawless diamond. It is beautiful, it controls like a charm, and the story behind it all is mysterious and dark. The more you play, however, the more you realise that, under the wallpaper-worthy vistas lies something that leans more towards generic than awesome, with combat in particular slowly turning into a repetitive slog. Sadly, this is nothing more an 'okay' metroidvania.

Guilty Gear -Strive- is a superb entry in the 2D Fighter genre, and has the looks, sounds, and stability to back the claim. While smaller compared to other titles, the initial roster of fifteen fighters feels distinct, and most picks have a fitting theme to complement their personality and playstyle. The Story Mode does a great job showcasing who these characters are, while providing a good narrative to boot - and while the act of getting matched with other players can be a pain, the online play experience is incredibly solid. Let's rock!

OCO is a nice, simple-yet-complex, pick-up-and-play puzzler, whose mechanics will be learned in mere milliseconds, and yet you'll need to actually activate that grey jelly on your head in order to perfect each stage. Trying to get the best score is one half of the fun here, the other one being the ability to create, share, and play community made content. If there's a flaw here, is that it can get a bit repetitive after a while. Moreover, the PC feels like the worst possible platform to play handheld-friendly titles such as this.

Combining cats and other likeable creatures with a café should be a winning formula, but unfortunately Calico fails to offer an enjoyable time. Cute graphics and inventive concepts alone do not excuse the multitude of issues that give the game a feel of a draft version, rather than a finished product despite post-launch updates. Perhaps one day running a cat café will run like a dream, instead of a cute-themed nightmare.

The bad rap that Skyward Sword received is evidenced here to be undeserved. Even the worst Zelda game is still a good game, and this is by no means the worst Zelda game. It has some dungeons and experiences that are standing side by side with the very best of the whole franchise. While the controls aren't as good as they could have been, and some of the early annoyances remain, this is absolutely a must-buy. It's not the worst Zelda game, not a bad Zelda game, but a great Zelda game.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers starts off on a pretty high note, with various characters and Easter Eggs of the older entries thrown in. Getting new guys and weapons is fun, but fairly rapidly some of the annoyances really start to come through and slow the experience down. From the very slow movement, to the largely repetitious maps, it doesn't take that long before it feels like players have seen most of what there is too see, and begin to feel the need to move on.

Crypto Beyond All Odds is actually fairly solid with its aesthetics, theme and some small memes. Those with no clue on cryptos are going to be in the dark big time about a lot of what is happening, the history, and the jokes. Ultimately the game starts to get repetitive where the waves feel too much the same, and the game devolves into chaos too quickly to allow much strategy beyond just slapping more crypto towers down and usually winning.

Call of the Sea can be described as: a forgettable adventure, sprinkled with fun, but easy puzzles. The exposition-heavy "narration" of the main heroine ruins the atmosphere of this journey, which isn't that strong to begin with, especially for a story dealing with eldritch terrors from beyond. The only reason to play this are the puzzles, although they too fail to keep you invested, as you won't really care about reaching the end, especially if a fan of Lovecraft, which will instantly turn the plot into an extremely predictable one. It has its moments, sure, and the visuals are beautiful, but this is generally a mediocre experience.

The Xbox brand has taken great strides in diversifying its portfolio of first party offerings, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps is quite literally genre-defining. Slightly more linear in nature than its predecessor, Will of the Wisps still manages to make exploration feel fresh and traversal fluid. Stunning graphics, a wholesome and immersive soundtrack, tight controls and fun varied combat truly make Ori and the Will of the Wisps a must-own for Xbox Series X|S owners.

NEO: The World Ends with You is a good RPG in its own right, but it does not live up to its predecessor's legacy. Combat eventually opens up to become chaotically fun and the series' sense of style is as fresh as ever, but the story leaves a lot to be desired. Beyond spotty pacing at times, the script lacks the strong character focus that defined the original. There's too much focus on world building and epic plotting instead of the intimacy that made TWEWY compelling to begin with. The fact that Final Remix's A New Day epilogue plays such a foundational role in the narrative doesn't exactly help matters either. NEO: The World Ends with You has a frantic battle system that only gets better, but the story is sure to disappoint.

By far the most polished and interesting Ace Attorney title to date. It perfects the formula and offers a compelling narrative that bridges not just one but two games. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a masterpiece of "Courtroom drama" and one in which fans and non-fans will find a stunning experience. Heartily recommended to not only Switch owners but to anyone who owns a console on which the collection will release!

Red Colony 2 offers even more fun and titillating campiness than the original, and slightly improves its gameplay formula. The "upgrade" isn't that substantial, to be honest, so the game is better described as 'more of the same,' but it's hard being hard towards this indie, super-low-budget tribute to Resident Evil and Dino Crisis, and how it manages to offer a tale that can take some pretty dark turns, and at the same time look and feel so utterly ridiculous, but in a good way. It's a '70s sci-fi pulp magazine with monsters and busty girls in video game form, and that's never a bad thing.

For those who didn't make the Neo Geo leap with the excellent SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (which is included here anyway), Neo Geo Pocket Colour Selection Vol.1 is where to start. With an excellent range of titles as well as the only way currently to play two superb Metal Slug titles outside of picking them and a handheld up, it's an easy decision to p-p-p-pick up a pack. It's always going to be a tough sale to take a leap if not familiar with the handheld and lacking that deep nostalgic love, but even with some strange additions outside the recognisable (honestly, Dark Arms is bonkers, fantastic fun), there really is a lot to make that purchase totally justifiable.

Cubed3 adored DOOM Eternal for Nintendo Switch when it first released and having The Ancient Gods DLC Part 1 come to the console is another cherry on the cake for the handheld hybrid system. The difficulty will be the biggest barrier to overcome for many; this is a rock solid DLC pack that will test even the most veteran players out there. The three stages on offer might sound like the DLC is lacking, but there is enough content there to warrant the price tag for an extra chance to smash up some demons. Bethesda have already stated that DLC 2 will be coming later in the year, so it is not that much longer to wait!

Mighty Goose won't push players to their limit the way Blazing Chrome does, but it is satisfying to play, thanks to all the mayhem and destruction to be had. The impressive sprite art and animation go a long way at elevating the experience from being just another run and gun action title. There aren't many like this that have so much pandemonium on screen. The harder, unlockable mode definitely seems like it would have been the standard difficulty if this had come out in the era that inspired it, and it feels like the intended way to play. For some reason, causing havoc as a goose is one of those things that makes a lot of sense in a video game.

Balan Wonderworld deserved to be far more than average, as the final game is a marked improvement over the demo. It's beautiful a lot of the time, character designs are mostly wonderful, the unique ideas that appear in each level are great fun… however the overall execution is simply lacking something important. The repetitive bouts, rough edges, and the sometimes awful physics make this a much harder title to recommend. It is full of bubbly unique charm, and is mostly heart-warmingly fun, but many will be put off by the slow, restrictive design, despite this being designed around it. Hopefully, the game will get some traction.

The Yomawari: Long Night Collection represents great value with its two-games-in-one package. Despite both games being quite short they represent the horror genre like no other. The tension is often palpable, and feeling of fear while out on the streets is almost constant. The audio may appear to be basic, but it does a stellar job of immersion with small sounds helping to heighten the paranoia that something could be lurking around the corner. The visuals will appeal to fans of a chibi-anime style and really do help lend to gorgeous backdrops and animations. Yomawari: Long Night Collection is well worth a purchase for horror fans.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a complete package, telling the story of Midgar from two different perspectives. Both the main campaign following Cloud and his journey, and Yuffie's own adventure, are well told with tight and responsive gameplay along with an impressive graphical update. These tales each leave exciting questions to be answered, and this reviewer can't wait to see what awaits Cloud and his friends beyond the City of Mako.

Yui's eventful adventure with its high personal stakes in saving her family and friends, plus her unique ability to travel between her younger self and her current self, makes YesterMorrow a strong addition to Switch's library. The time travel mechanics are simple to execute, harder to master, especially as judgement is required to decide when it is the best time to change time periods. The gripping plot and the desire to save everyone from the, at times, horrific reality, creates a strong drive in Yui that will remain long after the end credits roll, with only initial game issues prior to and shortly after launch affecting overall enjoyment.

Bob Help Them is essentially a simpler, single-player equivalent to Overcooked. The specific tasks one must do are extremely simple, but a harsh time limit creates an engaging challenge that requires genuine concentration and strategy. This title could really use a bit more polish and refinement when it comes to visuals, controls, and quality-of-life features, but those looking for a fun and frantic strategy puzzler will still have a good time with it nonetheless.