The Crimson Diamond is a cosy retro-style murder mystery with an excellent story, enjoyable puzzles, and a charming protagonist. This is a must-play for anyone who loves text-based adventure games or wants an accessible, modern entry point into the genre.

MULLET MADJACK is more than worth your time and money, a perfect culmination of artistic vision.

The Talos Principle II exceeds the highs of the previous game, bringing a deeper story and a visually stunning world alongside the exceptionally well crafted puzzles we saw in the first game. In my opinion, one of the best puzzlers I've seen in a long time.

Kill Knight manages to mix hectic and ultra-responsive arcade gameplay with a fun layer of resource management and strategy to create a great challenge to bite into. The visuals are splendid, the enemies never stop coming, and the battle is glorious!

A great addition to a genre that most don’t even bother developing for anymore in the shadow of the titans, defying that trend and standing out as a serious competitor. Great mechanics built with an already well-received engine make the game genuinely fun to play, and the variety of small additions really add up to make it feel like a whole game, which others of the same genre struggle with. It’s still a battle royale game, so it won’t be for everyone, and there are a few concerns with balancing and new content, particularly for the future. But seeing as how it’s free you have no excuse not to download it and give it a go.

A near flawless roguelike, Shogun Showdown flaunts excellent depth, and an easy-to-learn but hard to master gameplay loop.

Ignoring leaks and datamines, the return to Switch feels like a revival and if this is supposed to be the B-Team’s game, I think I know what games I’ll be more interested in moving on. But that said, for a Monster Hunter game, the core game is only just better than World at launch but is open about stopping you from progressing further until a later date.

Civilization VI is most definitely the best base-game installment of the franchise yet. There are so many gameplay mechanics included here that it feels like it’s already had a large expansion. I can’t wait to see what Firaxis could possibly add to improve on an already spectacular and complete game. But as much as I hate to say it, with so much to learn this is one of the least accessible games in the series for newcomers. Still, with beautiful visuals,step-up in AI competence, and so much to do, for returning players this is the best Civilization game in history.

There’s very little to dislike about Battlefield 1. What the game is at its core is a beautiful-looking and exciting period shooter that will give fans of the series (and those that have been clamouring for a AAA historical FPS) hours of fun.

In summary, SteamWorld Dig 2 is a stellar addition to the Switch, and it’s a great throwback to the classic 2D platformers and side-scrollers of yesteryear. There’s more to the game than just the main story mode, and going off the beaten track to discover side quests, relics and other secrets is very rewarding. From the unique plot to the charming visuals, SteamWorld Dig 2 excels from the off. I especially loved the Western style music, which suits the theme of the game really well. Indie titles have been flooding onto the Switch since its release, and the highly-impressive nature of them has me excited to see what comes out next.

This is a love letter to classic twin-stick shooters. With input from one of the kings of the genre in Eugene Jarvis, there was almost no way this could fail. It’s a fast-paced, colourful, and bullet-rich affair that will have you coming back for more again and again.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is one of the finest games I’ve played in years, with a gripping story and refined gameplay. It’s still early in the year, but this is definitely on course to be 2025’s Game of the Year.

Rhell: Warped Worlds & Troubled Times is a charming puzzler for those who want the freedom to get super creative with magic. It’s whimsical, fun, and satisfying, so grab your wand and give it a go.

A great game that took five years to make. Subnautica is an open sandbox sci-fi fantasy that can inch it's way into horror as you explore the depths of the ocean world. Just be ready to farm!

Whether you’re a long-time fan of the franchise or a complete newcomer, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a must-play for fans of RPGs.

Square Enix deserve another standing ovation for resurrecting this classic in the manner they have done so. Let’s just hope we don’t have decades of waiting before we get to play Part 2.

A satisfying colony-building sandbox with a lot of replayability that suffers from a lack of polish in the UI. A great aesthetic and quirky sci-fi take on the genre mean there is a lot to like here, it just takes a little digging to get there.

Sea of Stars is an amazing-looking and sounding title that has captured all you love from classic turn-based RPGs and improved upon it. I can’t recommend this game enough; this is how you modernise and pay tribute to a classic genre.

As it is now, Astral Chain is a great action game with a few blemishes. It might not be perfect, but it should be a high priority for any Switch owners, and fans of the action genre as a whole.

Whilst not all characters were incredibly likable with some characters being very cookie cutter archetypes, it’s well written and translated content makes it one of the most recommendable visual novels to play!

Monster Train 2 is a great expansion for the ideas and mechanics of the previous game, with tons of replayability baked in to provide hours upon hours of fun. It’s worth going off the rails on this crazy train.

Both a spectacular jump-on point for newcomers and a strong entry for series veterans, Pokémon Sun and Moon is everything you’d expect, and maybe even a little more. I’m happy to say that, even 20 years after it’s inception, Pokémon remains one of the best RPG series’ out there.

Five Nights At Freddy’s: Into the Pit is a great 2D game with an interesting, tense, and scary story. You might not expect it, but you jump a few times!

Overall, Final Fantasy XVI is a phenomenal gaming experience that I enjoyed from start to finish. With dynamic gameplay, amazing characters, and an emotional storyline, new and old fans alike will love the latest entry in the franchise.

Link's Awakening is a joyous adventure and a treat for the eyes, marred by some minor performance hiccups. It's truly a shame that this title is following up the most ambitious entry in the series' history and feels disappointingly small in comparison.

It was yet another good game from Ubisoft and I always like to be an Assassin again. I look forward to seeing if the next Assassin’s Creed game will be just as big as Odyssey, although not too big please.

Both a spectacular jump-on point for newcomers and a strong entry for series veterans, Pokémon Sun and Moon is everything you’d expect, and maybe even a little more. I’m happy to say that, even 20 years after it’s inception, Pokémon remains one of the best RPG series’ out there.

A unique, technically impressive and mechanically sound addition to the metroidvania subgenre. Hollow Knight is a great challenge, not lacking in any of the quality expected of similar, yet higher profile titles.