All in all, I really enjoyed the tension Twelve Minutes implemented even with its sometimes wonky animation and frustrating elements. I found myself constantly thinking about it when not playing and trying to come up with new ways and ideas that would allow me to finally get to the crux of what was happening and why. It’s also well worth getting another mind in on the action to help guide the storyline along in angles you haven’t thought about which essentially turns it into a brilliant two-player game and a real talking point.

I’m thrilled to see that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has transitioned almost flawlessly over to the Switch.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins is the most memorable entry in the series in years, answering age-old questions like “why are assassins missing their ring fingers?” and is an excellent game to start with if you’re a newcomer.

Metro Awakening is a VR outing that does the Metro series proud. With a story and setting that adds further depth to Dmitry Glukhovsky's magnum opus, incredible visual and sound design, and a wealth of mechanics that represent the Metro staples, this title is a tense, gripping and action-packed blast for VR fanatics. It is a title that focuses a little too much on the survival aspects, meaning the horror is less affecting, and the core gunplay is far from the best the medium has ever produced. But all in all, Metro Awakening is a seminal VR hit that proves that VR is far from a dying fad, and still has a wealth of intriguing experiences to offer.

Outer Wilds takes you on a wonderful mystery through a hand-crafted solar system that is well worth a visit.

If you’ve been looking for your next dungeon crawling fix, I think Moonlighter is an easy recommendation to anybody who’s a fan of the genre. With the addition of merchant simulation, the game manages to stay refreshing throughout.

Reigns: The Witcher does pretty much exactly what it sets out to do. It's a fun and humorous time that represents aspects of the world of The Witcher well. While it could do better in some respects, there's a lot to enjoy here. If you're a fan of The Witcher, it's a great way to have a new experience in the world, and if you aren't a fan, then it's still a good time with some very dark and silly moments mixed in. Reigns: The Witcher is a great take on the world of The Witcher and is an enjoyable, new way to experience it.

Tokyo RPG Factory's Oninaki is the studio's most ambitious project yet with characters and themes that are as fascinating as they are tragic.

Simply put Bridge Constructor Portal is a great puzzle game. It’s fair but challenging, it includes a ton of levels, and best of all it feels like a part of the world of Aperture Science, while at the same time feeling like it’s own separate entry in the franchise.

It’s clear that Remedy has had a clear vision for Control for a very long time.

I’m not sure I can confidently say the game will do waves in the fighting game community, but I think it’ll be enjoyable for all players of all different skill types.

The Deluxe Edition on Switch is not only a great way for old fans to return to the franchise, but an excellent jumping-on point for new players to dive into the Layton series.

Even with its technological hangups, the PC port of Horizon Zero Dawn brings an experience wholly unlike anything else I've ever played.

Throes of the Watchmaker feels like a love letter from Sabotage Studios to all the players and fans who believed in, funded, and engaged with Sea of Stars. The DLC doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, and despite introducing new features, the essence and gameplay loop are the same as the base game. The highlight of the DLC is how it tries to give more personality to the protagonists, Zale and Valere. While it succeeds in doing so in isolation, it still feels like sugarcoating an unfixable problem. If you miss Sea of Stars, try Throes of the Watchmaker. Otherwise, it might not be worth your time.

I enjoyed Poppy Playtime Chapter 5. It's a strong episode, but it's also a slower-paced chapter that has a heavy focus on exploration and information. While I love that part of horror games, players who want more action might not like that. However, there are still a few intense chase sequences that are packed with action, so the balance doesn't feel entirely tipped in one direction.

MARVEL MaXimum Collection brings together some heavy hitters from the 1990s in terms of comic book video games. Featuring six titles across thirteen total versions, this superheroic collection is a wave of nostalgia that is well worth the price of admission if you've ever been a fan of Marvel Comics. The games are a blast, and it also features some excellent bonus content. Online appears to be rather dead, unfortunately, so keep that in mind before you jump in.

Super Mario Maker 2 may make a weaker impression than the game-changing original, but it breaks out the gate with far fewer problems and with much more skill level appeal. Though it misses the mark in some highly-requested QoL improvements, it adds much more in value, diversity, and replayability. Super Mario Maker 2 is the game that keeps on giving, while leaving enough room to build in the future.

Pragmata is endlessly cool, visually sharp, and a testament to the fact that Capcom is really cooking with their IP these days, old and new alike. The combat system along with the hacking gameplay are incredibly intuitive, and it's fun puzzling out each encounter to handle it most efficiently. I do think the core loop of each level is a bit basic in terms of moment-to-moment action, and the game's story, while serviceable, doesn't quite capture the emotions I think it wanted to. Regardless, at the end of the day, this is a very entertaining and impressive video game, and what's been pulled off is worthy of celebration.

While Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream isn't the full-blown life simulator some people may have been hoping for, fans of the original will feel right at home. Despite lacking any concrete depth, I'm still impressed by the wacky scenarios, conversations, and relationships that blossom. It's been a smash hit in the Valentine household, and that won't change for quite some time. I never thought we'd see another Tomodachi Life game, and I'm so happy that we did.

The Surge 2 is still a fun improvement over the original that will win more people over with its tight and well-designed environments and combat.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is full of content for anyone willing to sink into the beautiful island of Hawaii. While its main story may take a while to boil, and never feels quite as good as the side stories, Ichiban's adventures always entertain and delight.

Life is Strange: Reunion feels like something I wasn’t sure we’d ever actually get—a sincere, tender, and heartfelt goodbye to Max and Chloe that understands why people fell in love with them in the first place. It’s far from perfect, with its technical hiccups, underdeveloped side cast, and that lingering illusion of choice holding it back from true greatness. But where it truly matters, it delivers. The mystery narrative holds its ground with a slew of twists and red herrings thrown at you. Most importantly, the emotional depth (finally) lands with a kind of honesty the series has been chasing for a few years. This isn’t about surpassing the original; it’s about making peace with its past. And somehow, against all the stacked odds, Deck Nine manages to pull that off in a redeeming fashion. If you’ve been on this journey since the beginning, it feels like closure, the kind that quietly sticks with you long after the credits roll as you're waving goodbye.

Control: AWE brings back Alan Wake and Bright Falls while smartly integrating the fiction of Control with Remedy's connected universe.

Styx: Blades of Greed is a must-play for stealth enthusiasts. It's not some incredible game that's going to blow you away on every level, but it is a title that knows what it wants to do and does it well. The story is serviceable, and the problems aren't so bad that they detract from the fun parts of the game. If you've played the originals in the series, then you'll have an excellent time. If you're new to the genre as a whole, you'll still find yourself having a lot of fun with the gameplay. With the mix of classic game design and some new age evolution, Styx is back and better than ever before.

Whether you're a die-hard fan of the series or are a newcomer looking for an excellent place to jump in, most players will find something to enjoy in Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a colorful and exuberant new entry in the RPG series. It offers dynamic and fun combat, some decent humor, and a surprising amount of replay value in branching choices and side quests. Despite that, there are some poorly implemented features, such as the Battle Plugs and Power Tap, as well as the sometimes glacial pacing of the adventure. Still, fans of turn-based RPGs will absolutely find something worthwhile in this Switch exclusive.

Hunt: Showdown offers one of the most strenuous multiplayer experiences I’ve ever had and I loved every second of it. There are some defeating lows and victorious highs that come with its addicting PvPvE gameplay. While it definitely has some things that it still needs to refine with its overall formula, as it stands, it’s a really solid game for those into horror elements and hardcore FPS gameplay.

Despite a few missed opportunities to really build on the great games it’s inspired by, Atomic Heart surprised me, with a remarkably inventive world that brings to life (the tears apart) the weirdest, wildest visions of Soviet propaganda. This is a game that’s been through over half a decade of development hell, and come out the other side as one of the best first-person shooters this generation.