The organic integration of puzzle elements makes for one of the best detective games around.

The instant challenge and frantic pace make it perfect to just pick and play for 15 minutes, while the tight controls and potentially limitless number of floors makes it easy to pour hours into.

Outside of those pesky load times, it's hard to find fault with Crystal Crisis. This is just a well-made game, a genuinely fun puzzler that challenges players to imagine new strategies with every character they try. And with memory mode beckoning me to play again and again, I don't imagine I'll be taking up any of the other Switch puzzle games for a long, long time.

Earth Defense Force 6 is easily the best game the series has seen so far, and it attains that title in an unexpected way. While its gameplay could be charitably described as a continuation of EDF 5 (or a complete rehash, if you want to be mean for some reason), the way it uses its narrative to repeatedly spin things in surprising ways drastically changes the feel and flow of the mission-to-mission gameplay. It’s still the same loveable mix of possibly deliberate tokusatsu campiness and jank, but something’s different this time. If you’ve never been able to decide if the EDF series is completely stupid or remarkably brilliant, this will keep you wondering, but also fascinated.

Everything about Minit should feel overwhelming. It doesn't. Instead, everything feels attainable in due time. There's this weird and perfect harmony about knowing you're rushed and also not caring. It's liberating. I could keep gushing about Minit but, given the source material, this review is already too long.

The design concepts, level variety, and engaging gameplay are elements that outweigh the failings. Puzzle title enthusiasts shouldn’t have a problem footing the bill for the game, but be weary if this stuff usually isn’t your cup of tea.

Below its cartoony surface and morbid fascination with killing orcs in as many brutal ways as possible, Orcs Must Die! is a surprisingly deep and challenging game that begs you to delve into it and slaps you until you do it right.

I really like this game, despite the fact that it can get a little repetitive and the Fallos look sort of ugly.

Everything that makes Dynasty Warriors great has been built on and amplified in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. The fast-paced combat is more fluid and satisfying than ever, and I think the decision to allow players to build up their own character is the right move for the franchise moving forward. I wasn’t sure how Omega Force could take a series coming up on three decades old and make it appealing to newcomers while appeasing long-time fans, but they found a way. For me, this is the best Dynasty Warriors yet, and I’m excited to see what’s next.

Combat isn't really what I found myself wanting from Prey. Neither is conflict. Solving issues and making things right works in the power fantasy of a video game, but it doesn't really suit what Arkane excelled at with this effort. Prey is about discovering a place that people lived and worked in. It's especially interesting in the context of all the sci-fi plot devices that power everything, but it's also the human angle that's undeniably fascinating in its weird posthumous voyeurism. Danielle Sho seemed like a hell of a scientist, but I found myself caring more about her love life and musical talents.

PAYDAY 2 is undeniably rough and needs a couple of updates to fill in a few blanks, but the thrill of robbing banks, smashing jewel cases, and cooking meth is too great for the asking price not be returned to the player in spades.

It's a seductive old-school sci-fi yarn, with characters that somehow manage to represent greater ideas and exist as fully-formed beings.

It's a nice little slice of Dead Rising which stands perfectly fine on its own and I can honestly recommend it to people who want to kill zombies for a few hours but would not otherwise enjoy the time-based mechanics and rigid scheduling necessary to complete a longer Dead Rising title.

Until Dawn knows exactly what it is, and it doesn't pretend to be anything more. In that process it allows for some predictable plotlines, hammy acting, and lack of meaningful choices, but I'm glad that it exists, and every horror fan owes it to themselves to play it at some point -- especially at a price cut.

New Pokémon Snap is a sign of the times in that way, but while it's adapted to the age of Instagram, it hasn't lost its soul in the process. This is the Pokémon Snap you remember, with a few additions that don't always hit as resoundingly, but the foundation has been well-kept. It was a blast to spend a weekend just blasting through every ride this park had to offer, and they're varied enough that I know I can go back today, tomorrow, and months from now, and still find new things to photograph, new interactions to fool around with, and a good time to be had.

I’m merely lukewarm on Cultic’s first episode, which is to say that I liked it, but it didn’t get my thighs grinding. It’s a solid experience that helps prove the point that a solo-developer experience doesn’t have to mean that concessions have been made. It didn’t make me feel like I had to cut it any slack when comparing it to titles from larger developers, which is good because I wouldn’t anyway. Even if it’s not a massive win, I still think it belongs in the heavyweight category. And for its launch price, it’s a steal.

As a single-player game, though, DeathSpank really shines. The addictive nature of leveling up and looting treasure chests and fallen enemies is here in spades, not to be missed by fans of the genre. It's also one of the better-looking and most polished titles in the digital space.

With all of the innovations LittleBigPlanet 3 brings with Toggle, Oddsock, and Swoop, it's a shame they aren't allowed to show off their stuff on a regular basis, because they are the best thing to happen to the series in years. It would be nice to see them return in a big way in a potential sequel, but for now hardcore LBP fans should have enough creation options to last them until that point.

A great title... Between the impressive campaign, the myriad of co-op options and the added replayability of the mission challenges, as well as the expansive multiplayer component, it's as solid a package as military shooters provide.

Again, don't expect Ys Seven to blow your mind. It won't. But you may be surprised at just how pleasing it is to play. I couldn't put it down after I got started.

If it had expanded the latter half of the adventure more and focused less on the plant puzzles, it would have been near-perfect.

Hardcore Final Fantasy nerds will be dazzled by the fan service on offer and will likely let a lot of issues slip by unnoticed, just because Kefka is in it. However, Dissidia really isn't a great game. It's a solid, if annoying, hack n' slash title that had a shedload of potential, but just isn't tight enough to truly realize the greatness it could have achieved.

If you happen to miss this return to Kanto that's perfectly fine, but I was mostly delighted to go back.

It's been a while since I've played a game with a cast of characters that was so good it elevated the rest of the experience.

While Stick It to the Man! isn't a particularly long title (it may only take you between three to five hours to complete the game's ten chapters) there's loads to observe and listen in on, and dozens of minds per level to explore, leaving you wanting more. I couldn't get enough of it.

If you believe you’re ready to take the plunge on a journey that just might end you, La-Mulana 2 is highly recommended. Just be sure to look out for false tablets…and don’t stand still too often…oh, definitely listen when the game tells you to stop reading.

The selfless girl of A Hat in Time is not only a great role model, but she forges her own identity as a true mascot, with subtle notes of likable heroes like Dr. Who (complete with her own time-manipulating Tarvis). Any game that makes me smile while I'm glued to it is a great one.

In many ways, Stella Glow is a by-the-numbers strategy RPG, but it does have a partially interesting cast, some unique storylines, and a working combat system. Imageepoch has had some ups and downs in their lengthy career, but thankfully they can at least end on somewhat of a high note.