While I love the feeling of crafting my own stuff, slowly increasing the areas that I’m strong enough to explore, and fastidiously upping all my gathering and crafting skills, I can see those charms fading rapidly as the activities become somewhat rote. The dynamics involved in faction wars and territory control seem to be the peppy antidote for the never-ending rock farm in various undead shacks and homesteads. As with other games that lean into this kind of emergent gameplay (RIP Shadowbane), some of New World will be what players shape it into. [Early Impressions]

Outriders doesn't revolutionize any type of genre, and it's not trying to (nor does it have to). From what I’ve played so far, what Outriders provides is a well-thought-out shooter experience with expertly tailored RPG twists. It's an enjoyable ride that is made infinitely better by playing with friends, but not inherently hurt by running solo either. This game takes the best of looter-shooters and the best of sci-fi RPGs and blends these elements into a game experience that is worth diving into because of its high replayability, customizable play style, and fun story.

The Outer Worlds is not at its best on Switch, since the visuals and performance take a serious hit on the system. The textures, framerate, lighting, and more have been downgraded to run on the hardware.

Labo VR is a novelty, to be sure, but it knows its limitations and constructs some fun experiences within those boundaries.

Regardless of its shortcomings, this still serves as a great way to play these three games on modern, portable technology. Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a must-have for all die-hard fans of Nintendo's flagship franchise, but it's unfortunate to have it outshone not only by the collection's contemporaries, but also by the collection it was essentially modeled after nearly three decades ago. If you're on the fence about Super Mario 3D All-Stars, you can't go wrong with these three classic adventures in one neat package. However, you'll want to grab these before they disappear forever; Nintendo currently plans on pulling the sale of Super Mario 3D All-Stars at the end of March 2021.

If you've never played Death Stranding, I think you should. Whether it's the original release or the new Director's Cut, the game is worth experiencing. Not to say it's perfect by any means (read Game Informer's review for a second opinion). But there's nothing like Death Stranding. And there may never be again; I struggle to think Sony or any other publisher will ever let Kojima be this free a second time – at least not with this kind of budget. That's what makes Death Stranding worth experiencing. Gravity Gloves, race tracks, and cargo catapults are just icing on the cake.

Given the breadth of exciting content to play, including Portal’s six classic maps like Battlefield 3’s Caspian Border and 1942’s Battle of the Bulge, this entry is an easy recommendation for fans of the series. If you’re on the fence about purchasing Battlefield 2042 at launch, you can look forward to my full review in the coming days. [Review in Progress]

There is no denying that Dark Souls on Switch is not the absolute best way to play the game. That honor belongs to your PS4, Xbox One, or PC, but the Switch version of the game is perfectly fine. You sacrifice a higher frame-rate for the opportunity to play the game handheld (and have the option to pause!), and in my experience the trade-off has been worth it.

With the basic formula of Dead Cells still highly effective, Return to Castlevania is a terrific and natural addition to any run. From the moment Dead Cells' remix of "Vampire Killer" blasted over my speakers, I lost track of the number of times I smiled. The Castlevania series may feel forgotten by Konami, but this Dead Cells DLC proves there are still plenty of developers and players who still love it. [Impressions]

We may have longer to wait for the official release and Media Molecule’s single-player story levels, but Dreams is already a magnificent wellspring for those who love playing, creating, and thinking about games in all their many forms. [Early Access review score = 95]

The Heist is well worth your time, especially if the post-credits sequences in the main game have you counting the days until a potential Spider-Man 2.

I've thought about playing Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight literally every day since coming home from my preview event. I'm excited to explore the world and chip away at the skill tree, but I'm mainly curious to see how they tie all the Batman stories together. Lego games work for me because they're designed by genuine fans of the stories they adapt, and this is, so far, one of the best examples yet. As a fan myself, it's nice to not only see one of my favorite characters lovingly adapted but to feel seen in the way the developers choose to depict him. When Legacy of the Dark Knight drops later this month, I plan to be first in line. [2-Hour Hands-On Impressions]

I was happily surprised by the breadth, depth, and challenge of the Iki Island expansion. For new players, it will extend an already lengthy adventure into something more. Meanwhile, returning players should be thrilled at how well this experience dovetails out of an already stellar game. Iki Island is what I want out of single-player game expansions. And it’s further proof (as if we needed any more at this point) that Sucker Punch has a standout new property to continue building on.