Not all of Metamorphosis' disparity necessarily works in Republique's favor, but it's at least emblematic of Camouflaj's focus on simultaneously managing progress and refinement.

Overall, War Theatre for the Nintendo Switch is a tough hoss of a turn-based game, which harkens back to the day of Dragon Force and Advance Wars, though not quite as perfect as those games. It ups the ante of difficulty, while requiring you to think before you move, or else you’re in for a long day. It’s a challenge, but a welcomed one.

Winning Putt is an interesting title that isn't perfect, as some gameplay elements need some re-thinking, but it's good fun as whole. Certainly an interesting spin on a typical golf game experience.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica X HD, despite the re-learning curve, is still one of the best games that came from the four original RE titles.

Infinite Monkeys has done a fantastic job with this small title. They have wrapped up the complicated and well thought through gameplay with humor and simplicity. They have certainly made a unique flower in the typically weed-driven world of puzzle games.

Atari 50 – The Wider World of Atari from developer Digital Eclipse adds to the overall Atari 50 historical package but doesn’t bring the strongest line-up of history or games seen in the original release.

Rayman – 30th Anniversary Edition, from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Ubisoft, shows off the original game on various platforms. While there is no doubt some repetitiveness with seeing the same game repeatedly on various systems, the collection still brings some good video game history and some fantastic gameplay.

Short but very much worth the time and price of admission, The Charnel House Trilogy should be on any adventure gamer's playlist.

Overall, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is every bit of Bubble Bobble and more. I’m just not sure the price tag justifies the gameplay.

Code Vein is a pretty strong entry into the genre and it’s always refreshing to see new IP. While it has a few (mostly patchable) drawbacks, Code Vein is one I would recommend with just a little bit of hesitation.

For diehards or even the new/casual fans of Formula 1, ‘EA Sports F1 ’24’ is a good installment of the franchise and worth your time behind the wheel.

It won’t be the next Forza or the next great sim, but it doesn’t need to be at the end of the day. It’s a charming little arcade racer that, even for all its quirks it takes you on a journey. Back to the days of eating too much pizza in the arcade at a birthday party. Going wild cause mom let you have all the quarters in the ashtray of her 1998 Ford Explorer and running to the cabinets to play whatever arcade games are there. In a world of sim racing rigs, VR headsets, and top-dollar racing equipment, it’s nice to have something that gets racing and rally back to its basics. So go order some greasy pizza and maybe an ice cream, and rip around the course to be the new World Rally Champ.

Decline’s Drops is a heavily stylized indie experience that takes standard platforming mechanics and combines it with its own unique vision. The atmosphere of this game is meticulously crafted to tell a melancholy story about environmentalism. If you’re a fan of platformers, I would recommend checking out Decline’s Drops, though be warned about potential frustration at the hands of imprecise controls. Overall, Decline’s Drops is a good game that can become truly great with a little more gameplay tweaking.

Overall, at $20, Drop Dead offers a lot of zombie-blasting action with a few notable, but not necessarily deal-breaking flaws. For fans of the old light-gun games, this is definitely worth checking out.

ARMS offers a very colorful and well animated fighting adventure with more strategy and depth then it might first appear. The initial offering feels just a little bit thin though in that despite the customization options in-game, you cannot customize or remap the controls and the single player modes are kind of thin — challenging, but not particularly captivating or appealing especially when the going gets tough. Online play is, like any other game, largely based on what you make of it and how the community does. Technically, my limited experience with it worked well, but time will tell if this game will have the legs to continue into something larger and sustained. For a new IP though, Nintendo has done another impressive job overall, but I would not consider this a must-have title for all Switch owners.

Midnight Murder Club from developer Velan Studios is a cool idea that will have hardcore online gamers frothing at the mouth to show their stuff. While the entry point for novice players might be difficult, and the lack of longevity beyond modes is a tough sell, what you get with the price point you pay is enticing.

If you’re a fan of the series, you want to support the HD Remaster, but at the same time it’s had a rough go out of the gates that might give you pause. I’d recommend keeping an eye on this one and seeing what develops, but RTS fans should definitely make it a point to play this series if they haven’t yet.

Red Dead Redemption will always hold a special place in my heart and mind. To me, it was what storytelling could be for games. It also showed me that Westerns could be more than just what Dad watched. The PC Port is fine. It’s nothing special to groundbreaking to write home on. There isn’t any new story additions, but I do think it’s a great game to pick up if you want to roam what is left of the untamed west while you still can.

WRC 10 is a solid entry into the franchise. While there are usually updates, pretty landscapes, and nods to the parts and history of the sport that’s about all that’s new. It feels like last year’s edition, but just with some more polish and finesse. That’s fine, but I’m just not sure if it’s worth taking your keys and trading them in for the newer model. It is a fine ride and time, but overall nothing special to take for a spin.

This Collection is a decent tip of the hat to games of old, though it’s a shame that NG3 is still as bad as it is. The Master Collection is also priced fairly at $40, but it’s too bad that these games did not get more love on this release — the Master Collection is about as barebones as you can get for a compilation release. Still, if this is maybe an indication that the door to a whole new NG adventure is forthcoming, one that embraces the design of the first two, then that’s great news. Anyway — speculation aside — if you’re looking to relive these games or want to get into the franchise for the first time, this is very good way to do it.

Layers of Fear 2 is a worthwhile experience, and even more so if you consider the launch price of $30. I can’t say I found it as thought-provoking or chilling as the first Layers, but it’s still pretty solid. The story, writing, sound design, much of the game design overall really, outlasts the lesser, but still very significant, flaws of the game.

I Dracula: Genesis is a game that knows what it is. Even with all the clutter is a good game. It’s not a groundbreaking game, and it can get in the way of itself at times, but overall it’s a fun time.

Overall, Skylanders Imaginators on the Switch is a solid game and as good place to jump into the franchise as any if you haven’t to this point. That said, the only real advantage to the Switch version over say the PS4 or Xbox One version is the portability, but even that might not be that important to you. Additionally, the PS4 or Xbox One versions are cheaper than this release, and both of those offer a higher fidelity presentation. Still, if you’re looking for a fun, kid-to-adult friendly game, Skylanders is an excellent choice.

For $20, you can do a lot worse, but to find a game this instantly accessible and fun, you may be harder pressed to find.

God Eater 2: Rage Burst’s gameplay is driven by a bevy of missions, some great enemies and a variety of different, interesting loadouts to help make the experience fun and somewhat deep. The shortcomings are outweighed by these positives, though those shortcomings come in the form of linear landscapes, plain graphics and difficult controls.

As a whole, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers will entertain the young gamers in the household, while providing short spurts of entertainment to seasoned ones. Avengers may not be the best in the LEGO series, but it does fit firmly within the LEGO gaming family.

Hyrule Warriors delivers a wonderful Legend of Zelda action game with a large cast of familiar characters, identifiable worlds, a great upgrade/leveling system and endless amounts of action. It’s far from a perfect game, especially in regards to controls and repetitiveness, but it’s much better than expected.

It’s not perfect, but if you’re hunting for a good stocking stuffer this holiday season that the whole family can appreciate, Family Game Night 2 is head and shoulders above most other casual fare.