Wattam is not a great video game by any definition. However, it is a great, zero-stress experience that wants to show how great friendship can be. If you’re looking for a game to test your skills or provide you with a mature narrative that makes you think, Wattam ain’t it. However, if you’re having a bad day and just want to unwind by kabooming golden poops all over your screen, Wattam is more than happy to take you under its bowler.

This is the beauty of Mosaic; it’s not just another tale made up for storytelling impact. These are feelings and situations I felt empathy with and that are a current problem within our world today. It’s great to see more developers wanting to go down this route when creating games and wanting to make a difference. I’d be surprised that when the end credits roll on Mosaic, you wouldn’t want to change even the smallest details of your own life for the better.

Disney Tsum Tsum Festival is a complete and utter failure of a party game, with only a match-three puzzle mini-game providing even a small amount of fun.

Espire 1 is a decent stealth action game. It contains replayability through its Challenges mode, but what it offers in terms of main story is a bit short – roughly four hours of story, padded to five or six hours via gates that force you to finish a certain number of Challenges to continue to the next mission. Of course, the main draw of Espire 1 is that it takes place in VR, and it uses that to its benefit. Sneaking around and using the bevy of Espire gadgets and traversal options available to do so feels great, but is overshadowed by a combat system and AI that is so exploitable that sneaking around quickly loses its purpose in the first place.

Star Ocean First Departure R is an underwhelming port of an excellent but often forgotten Square Enix JRPG.

Arise: A Simple Story mixes its narrative-driven adventure with puzzle-platforming in some ways that can be deemed successful. The time-altering mechanic gives the game some variety throughout its four to six-hour runtime, never overstaying its welcome. Paired with its beautiful art direction and well-told story, there is definitely a reason to pick up Piccolo Studio’s new game. However, there isn’t any facet of Arise: A Simple Story that strikes deeper emotional chords; it just lacks any personality. In turn, it does make it very approachable with themes that are easy to understand. You may not need any tissues as you endure the old man’s tale, but if you’re into narrative-driven adventures, Arise: A Simple Story might be for you.

Some aspects of Pokemon Sword do stand out as only being possible on a home console, but the general look and feel still seems stuck in the 3DS era of the series.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun, even if the series is experiencing growing pains with the transition to home consoles.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun, even if the series is experiencing growing pains with the transition to home consoles.

Shenmue 3 is filled with antiquated design choices, a whole lot of charm, and is ultimately a promise fulfilled. Fans got a legitimate Shenmue title in every way possible, warts and all. Nobody else is making 2019 games in the (hilariously named) “full reactive eyes entertainment” genre, but Yu Suzuki is. That’s a beautiful testament to the stubbornness that made this unlikely revival possible.

Death Stranding has its fair share of gameplay issues but also boasts more heart and a willingness to take chances than any other game in years.

A magnificent blend of genres makes Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order a solid game, but technical hitches prevent it from taking the high ground.

Gylt tells a relatable and emotional tale about bullying via a formula refined by franchises like Silent Hill before it. It can feel a bit airy and derivative as a result, but it’s still a worthwhile experience that should be part of any Google Stadia owner’s library. It may not immediately stand out as the kind of game you can only get on Stadia, but I don’t mind if this is the formula Stadia Games and Entertainment takes with the exclusives they decide to put their full force behind in the future.

If Forza and Heat were in a boxing match, Forza would be Mike Tyson in his prime and Heat would be a toddler.

Planet Zoo is a complex and deep sim management title that’s carefully crafted to offer hours of meaningful and educational enjoyment.

Blacksad: Under the Skin is a twisty whodunit that is unraveled by more bugs than you can count.

Doraemon Story of Seasons is definitely the worst Story of Seasons game I have ever played. If you want your farming fix, you should get the Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town remake on Switch. Or grab Rune Factory 4 Special if you’d like well-implemented action RPG elements in your farming life.

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.

The Stretchers is an entertaining co-op game that needs to offer more fun outside of its story mode.

The third time really is the charm, as Luigi’s Mansion 3 finds a perfect blend of humor and gameplay for a delightfully spooky experience.

Though it packs plenty of charm and heart, New Super Lucky’s Tale isn't quite ready to be in the leagues of the platforming greats just yet.

Ring Fit Adventure, the latest fitness outing for Nintendo, packs a full-fledged workout for all ages in a colorful children's RPG package.

Expanding on its original release in every way, Dragon Quest XI S is one of the Nintendo Switch’s best RPGs and a great entry for newcomers.

Elder Scrolls Online: Dragonhold, while moving the needle a bit in terms of zone design, is ultimately more of the same.

Overall, Mario & Sonic is a welcoming surprise that I can see myself playing with friends regularly.

Both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Campaign and Multiplayer may have some issues, but generally, I had a good time with each mode.

While Aladdin got a fairly decent treatment in the Disney Classic Games port, The Lion King is left just as barebones and hard as the original.

Night School Studio's Afterparty falls short of greatness, with an unrewarding narrative, underutilized gameplay concepts, and technical issues.