My best analogy for this title is that it’s oddly like Donut County, a charming, well written title which you only really need to experience once and it’s best cost of entry comes from the mobile port (there is a 10 dollar surcharge to buy Say No! More on Switch/PC). The experience is indistinguishable from it’s console brethren. I guess I would say No! to getting this title on PC/Switch and saying Yes! To picking this up on IOS if you want a fairly short, but uplifting experience.

As we learned from another relic/artefact of the same era, great soundtracks can help overcome a lot of flaws. But at the same time, this is just a mindlessly fun game where you can run around chomping on brains, and that sort of thing never goes out of style.

Conceivably, more and better guns would make Thunderflash more interesting…but at the same time, this is a game where you just move forward constantly if you want to win. There’s only so much more interesting it can get. That may have been enough 35 years ago, and it may still be enough for people who miss those days of gaming, but in present day, it just feels kind of lacklustre.

Overall I feel this really isn’t the ideal way to experience this title. That doesn’t mean that Doom 3: VR Edition is a bad game by any means, it just doesn’t mesh well with VR. With that being said, I can still recommend this for your PSVR library. It’s not horrible, but not exactly the best experience you can have.

GENSOU Skydrift may be essential if you’re a Touhou Project fan who always wondered, “Hey, how would those girls work as racing karts?”, but for everyone else, there are plenty of other much better racers out there.

There’s nothing good to be said about this game, and as much as I’d hoped that MLB The Show’s expansion to other consoles would push this series to be better, it’s very clear that’s not the case. This has to be the low point in a series of low points for the revived RBI Baseball franchise — and given how bad it’s generally been to date, that should tell you something.

If you can get The Game of Life 2 on sale, it may just be worth it. Again, your enjoyment of it will likely be proportional to how many people you have to play the game with, but as board game ports go, this one isn’t too bad.

Even if Gods of Almagest had tried to explain itself, though, I don’t think it would’ve been significantly better. Everything here is terrible, from the incomprehensible story, to the baffling gameplay, to the lousy graphics. It’s a shame that this is one of the final games of the Vita’s lifespan, because it’s hard to imagine a worse send-off (apart, you know, from the one Sony is giving it).

Don’t get me wrong, if it didn’t crash, I’d still be raving about it. It’s not often you see the tower defense genre not just rethought in such an interesting way, but also paired with a lively soundtrack and sleek visuals. But factor in Rip Them Off’s literal game-breaking technical performance, and suddenly, it becomes impossible to recommend the game.

If you’re a Switch owner who is still a little sore that Capcom never ported Monster Hunter World to the Nintendo console, then I’d argue that Monster Hunter Rise is a really great consolation prize. I’d even argue that Monster Hunter Rise might actually beat out World in a number of ways, and I’m glad to have a new Monster Hunter game to sink time into as we roll into Spring. It’s a really fantastic experience, and I’d highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already.

Because PUSS! is so odd, it feels like calling it “good” or “bad” is missing the point. This is the kind of game you should play when you really want something totally different, and you want your senses assaulted the whole time you’re playing. It is what it is — and even though I’ve always hated that phrase, it’s the most appropriate way to describe PUSS!

No matter what good things it has to say or how nice it usually looks, it never does so well enough that you can overlook how obviously it borrows from other sources. It’ll be fine if you’ve never played any of those influences before, but otherwise, you’ll just be thinking of games like Limbo, Braid, and Contrast.

Chicken Police is an off-kilter approach to a well-worn genre, but it’s so well done that it’s worth playing if you’re any kind of fan of adventure games or visual novels.

Normally this is where I’d note some flaw or issue that stops Kaze and the Wild Masks from being absolutely perfect, but I can’t think of a single complaint. It’s just a phenomenally well-done that captures its influences without being completely indebted to them, and it’s one an early contender for one of my favourite games of the year.

Tropico 6 may take its time to allow you to do exactly what you want, but you can at least be confident that you’ll know what you’re doing and how to do it. But again, there’s only so much I can sugarcoat things. Tropico 6 is one of my favourite city-building games and I’ll never say no to playing it on the go, but if you’re interested in it, you need to know that the experience you’re getting is a little rough — to put it mildly.

A lot of effort went into creating distinctive worlds, and they help the game constantly feel fresh and fun. Really, that could be the tagline for Crash 4: fresh and fun. It may be based on a franchise that started a few decades and generations ago, but this new entry feels resolutely modern. It’s a wonderful addition to a series that you’re sure to enjoy, regardless of whether you’ve been waiting for it for many years, or you’re coming to Crash Bandicoot for the first time.

The fact that the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise has withstood the test of time is a testament to the care that Neversoft put into the original game over two decades ago. If you’re a veteran skater or just someone looking for a fun skating experience and have access to a next-generation console most certainly consider checking out Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2.

As a swansong, the RGG team has crafted something that is absolutely befitting of the stoic hero who has carried the series for since 2005. It would’ve been easy to have this be the most bombastic entry of the series and have all the series fan favorites show up, however the fact that a majority of characters involved are mostly new allows you to really focus on Kiryu’s final story. We’re not gonna sugar coat that a new hero has already risen and has held his own, however it is heartening that the series has gotten enough support that it has finally escaped the PlayStation ecosystem and can be enjoyed by gamers everywhere!

The collection is a great entry way to get some underrated portable fighting game, however the genres being represented are a bit lopsided. The presentation is somewhat underwhelming but you can’t deny the value of the collection versus buying these titles piecemeal. That said there’s still some gems in the NEOGEO Pocket library and let’s hope volume 2 will include a certain crossover card game, that’s all I ask!

It at least achieves being middling, which is certainly a lot better than some visual novels could aspire to. In fact, couple it’s average-ness with the fact that it’s short enough that it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and you can see why, if you squint just right, Autumn’s Journey is totally passable.

Though “frustrating” probably overstates how strongly I felt towards Professor Lupo: Ocean. It’s a forgettable puzzle game that may be interesting if you loved the original and want more of its world, but otherwise, you needn’t bother with it.

I would absolutely recommend Bravely Default II to any RPG fan out there that’s in the market for something new, regardless of whether you have any prior experience with the series or not. It’s a really solid, charming RPG that will provide you with hours and hours of entertainment. The job system is remarkably diverse, and the battle system is just unique enough to keep it from feeling like a chore even after countless encounters. Definitely check out Bravely Default II when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Cruel Bands Career is a harsh game is all kinds of ways, and you should only check it out if you’re in the mood for a bit of masochism.

I was very impressed with Mundaun from the beginning, and despite that impression faltering a bit while I got my bearings and came to grips with some of the wonky controls and design choices, it ultimately delivered an experience that was beyond what I could have hoped for. I was drawn to this game from the first announcement, mostly because of the unique art-style and intriguing story, and it really managed to deliver above and beyond the initial promise. Stick with Mundaun past the growing pains, and I think you will really enjoy it too.

This is clearly a deeply personal labour of love, created by a pair of developers who have nothing but fondness for that SNES-to-PS1 era. And to their collective credit, they’ve made a game that captures that feeling and that era perfectly. If you’re in the mood for that — or just for seeing a game that’s really not like anything else out there at the moment, then be sure to check it out.

Summer Catchers does some things very well, but because it’s burdened with gameplay that seems like it was rejected from a not particularly fun mobile game, it never hits the heights that it could have (and probably should have).

It’s not as if twin-stick shooters are generally known for being memorable, so simply by being a little different from the norm, UltaGoodness 2 stands out. It’s not going to be the greatest game you’ve ever played, but if you like the genre and want something a little different, it may be worth your time.

Haven is the rare game that excels at making its characters seem believable and human, especially when it gives them nothing more to do than just being themselves. The end result may feel a little familiar for anyone who’s lived through the past year, but that doesn’t make the game any less worthwhile.

It’s too bad that the gameplay is so poor, because in the right hands Picklock could have been fun — albeit for a very short amount of time, given there are only about a dozen levels here. It’s got a decent sense of humour, as evidenced by the visual gags you’ll find here and there. It’s also got a fun voxel-art style, and an enjoyably jazzy soundtrack. Games are a lot more than their aesthetics, obviously, but fun graphics and music can go a long way towards making them worthwhile. Not in Picklock’s case though. It doesn’t matter if it looks and sounds this good when it also plays this poorly.

Obviously, there’s nothing groundbreaking going on here, and despite the talk of Chosen Ones saving the world, QV never feels all that weighty. But it doesn’t really need to. It’s a simple puzzle game that offers a few hours of fun, and sometimes that’s all you need.

To be sure, you’ll need to be fond of visual novels if you’re going to play it. No matter how many monsters you slay, you’re still only reading it here, not actually doing anything. But if you’re looking for a visual novel that’s like nothing else the genre has to offer, Swordbreaker The Game may be right up your alley.

Super Sports Blast is a pretty enjoyable package of sports games. I’d have no problem recommending any of its component parts individually (though Super Volley Blast would have some caveats), which means that all three together are — to borrow a sport that Unfinished Pixel haven’t yet tried their hands at — a slam dunk.

Ghost ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a mighty fine game. It is insanely hard, and it will test you on a variety of levels. New players may be a little turned off by its difficulty, but if you continue to chip away and don’t completely give up, you can make progress. Rest assured, you will die in this game, a lot, but it’s definitely true to form. This is a must have for anyone who is looking for an overbearing challenge, just make sure you don’t take out your frustrations on your poor Joy-Cons.

Would my feelings towards Kaptain Brawe be any different if it featured voice acting? It’s quite possible — after all, it’s hard not to imagine that it would’ve given the characters and the game more of a personality, which would make it a lot easier to get into. As it stands, however, it doesn’t, which means we’re left with what’s on offer here — and that, unfortunately, isn’t enough to make the game stand out.

Overall Nioh and its sequel are a worthy additions to the Soulslike genre, both games are fun and incredibly challenging and the Yokai look every bit the part of a Japanese demon. The biggest issue with this collection is the popup on the original Nioh, though aside from this it is a good collection. Also if you already own Nioh on the PS4, make sure you are playing the PS5 version by clicking on the options button and selecting the PS5 version (the first time I launched Nioh on PS5, I was playing the PS4 version). Also, of note, if you have the PS4 version of Nioh 2, you can upgrade that to the PS5 version for free, but the original game you will have to purchase in order to get the remastered edition.

Given how many other games aren’t just being inspired by metroidvania platformers of the past but also taking them in interesting new directions, it makes it difficult to recommend Cathedral. It’s fine to play if you’ve already played all those other games, but if you’re into the genre and you haven’t, then the best Cathedral can do is sit at the very end of your backlog.

The sorta-good news about Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is that it might just be one of those games that’s so laughably bad and over-the-top stupid that it’s almost, kind of, in a way…fun. I wouldn’t ever suggest paying full price for this game. I wouldn’t even suggest buying it unless it’s down to well, well, well below $10 (or maybe even under $5). But if you can get it for, say, two or three dollars? Then the laughs you’ll get out of all of this nonsense might just be worth it.

While Capcom Arcade Stadium is a good collection, having everything broken into packs, the weird sound issues on some games and the omission of some US versions take a few points away from it being perfect. The Class System and the online leaderboards are OK, but I think online co-op would of been a better choice in that area. Also, I feel the currency earning system (CASPO) could have been used for more like unlocking art galleries and music tracks. Still even with those little speed bumps, Capcom Arcade Stadium is a fine collection of classic games that many people will enjoy. I can recommend this to any classic arcade fan looking for an old school challenge or someone who wants to get acquainted with Capcom’s colorful past.

Of course, the game doesn’t look so incredible that it’s able to overcome being your standard adventure game fare — perhaps because, looks side, Gibbous is your standard adventure game fare. That’s great news if you’re a genre fan looking for another hit, but if you’re not already a fan, nothing here is likely to make you one.

It’s pleasant enough to look at, but it falls into the category of Ratalaika games that aren’t even worth the relatively minimal effort they usually require to get a Platinum. It’s just a poorly-designed game that’s not worth the frustration.

Overall the game still looks and plays fantastic (although to maximize your experience, please look into using a controller that isn’t the joycons, I would recommend anything from 8bitdo). My only hope is that this collection somehow finds its way to other platforms and that SNK vs Capcom Card Fighters Clash will eventually enter this line up. It’s always good to look back and thankfully SNK is willing to give some love to a platform who couldn’t surmount Nintendo’s portable juggernaut.

Again, to be totally fair, this is still a big step up from the last trivia game from these developers, so kudos to the binary company for making something a little more interesting this time out. But there’s still a massive gulf between “mildly interesting” and “worth playing”, and Save Farty is far, far too close to the former to be worth picking up.

I’m not saying that Loot Hero DX would be better if it was harder — given that the whole thing is built around killing monsters and picking up loot as quickly as possible, I’m not sure it would even be the same game if it was harder. But I am saying that, in this state, unless you feel like paying a couple of bucks just to get a few minutes of “gameplay” and a Platinum trophy, there’s not much reason to pick this game up.

Little Nightmares II is a wonderful follow-up to the original, and manages to feel similar yet unique. The world-building is amazing, the puzzles are simple but fun, the story is intriguing, everything adds up to a really great experience. Tarsier Studios has outdone themselves with Little Nightmares II, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for us next.

It’s kind of weird to use that word, “derivative”, to describe a game where your character is a piece of uncooked pasta. But that’s just the world we live in. If Freddy Spaghetti had come out ten years ago, it might feel fresh and new, but now it just feels a little stale.

To be sure, it’s not perfect, and to enjoy Wrestling Empire you need to be willing to overlook a lot. Provided you can do that, however, you’ll find that you’ve got one of the most enjoyable wrestling games in years at your fingertips.

If the platforming were better, then Journey of the Broken Circle might just have challenged Thomas Was Alone for that “best platformer starring inanimate objects” crown. As it stands, it’ll simply have to settle for being a very, very good game.

All in all, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Persona 5 Strikers. I’ve played a whole lot of Dynasty Warriors and spin-off games in that genre, and I would argue that Persona 5 Strikers feels like one of the more unique takes on a Musou game that I’ve ever seen. It really, honestly feels like a full-fledged Persona sequel, in both story and combat, but with a heavier emphasis on action. Combining these two distinct flavors of video game franchises works exceptionally well here, and if you’re into either type of game, you’ll likely find something to love about Persona 5 Strikers.

If you don’t mind the narration and you’re able to get into the narrative, then you’ll probably delight in uncovering all the neat objects and stories this island and its inhabitants are hiding. For me, though? It never quite hits the mark. I Am Dead has some interesting ideas, and it executes on a lot of them, but taken as a whole, it’s just not as good as it could be.

When things start getting really explosive — which is to say, almost immediately — what you see is a game that’s a whole lot of fun. Destropolis may only do one thing, but it does that one thing very, very well.

The more time I spend with the title, the more my opinion changes of this game. I started off thinking this game is unnecessarily punishing (A multi-phase boss on the first level…really?) to this it is only hard if I’m not playing methodically. As I got into the upgrade system, the more I find myself hoping the random drops go a certain way (I do enjoy a Skul that can do passive damage or equipping projectile based skulls vs melee based builds). If you want a challenging rogue-like to start 2021, Skul: The Hero Slayer is definitely a viable option, if the Greek Pantheon isn’t your cup of tea.

Under the Jolly Roger is best described as so-so. As mobile ports go, I’ve certainly seen a lot worse, but if you want something deeper, keep looking (or, of course, just get Black Flag instead).

Visually and mechanically it will be a bit jarring for players who cut their teeth on the series with 0 and the 2 Kiwami games. However those who can forgive these shortcomings, this collection is still quite a value. With 3 titles whose play time can clock in around 20 hours each and even more if you indulge in the plethora of mini games and substories, it’s an absolute steal that the bundled price is $40. The value is even better as this package is available to members of Microsoft’s Game Pass program.

More Dark most definitely falls into the former camp: it’s not the worst game in the world, but it’s flawed enough it’s hard to enjoy it. Given all the other retro-flavoured puzzle-platformers out there that don’t feature lousy design choices, you’re probably better off skipping More Dark and playing something else instead.

Within its limited scope — its very, very, very limited scope — Writhe does alright for itself. There’s clearly something here to build on, and even if that doesn’t mean you should pick this game up now (wait for a very deep discount from its current $10 price), it does mean that eventually it might turn into something worthwhile.

If you’re in the mood for some retro-infused 2D ninja action, Cyber Shadow is highly recommended. It’s a really enjoyable experience, with an absolutely fantastic soundtrack, and certainly worth checking out on any available platform.

Sure, it’s overly serious, and sure, my experience had a few blips along the way, but ultimately, it allowed Agent 47 to do his thing — and finish up this part of his story — in a way that felt true to this reborn version of the series. It may not be my favourite entry in the series, but it’s a good way to finish things off, and for that reason, it’s well worth your time.

There’s something awfully satisfying about getting in a groove and answering question after question, and S.U.M. – Slay Uncool Monsters is built around allowing you to do just that. It never gets in its own way, which is a bigger achievement than many games can ever muster. Sure, it’s basically designed for Grade 2 students learning their times tables — but when it comes to S.U.M. – Slay Uncool Monsters, that’s the sort of nostalgia I can get behind.

What makes all of this especially strange is that you get the sense Tin & Kuna could’ve been a fun game if it had stayed out of its own way. It’s a bright, colourful world filled with fun-looking characters, and the level-based gameplay means it’s the sort of platformer you can drop into and out of easily. What’s more, the levels are a good size and feature a good amount of variety in their island landscapes, so under different circumstances, I could totally imagine wanting to explore every bit of the game’s little world. If it had been less ambitious — or even just made it so that you weren’t expected to roll one ball with another ball — it’s easy to imagine how the game’s charm could have made it a sleeper hit. But instead, Tin & Kuna is built around the most frustrating mechanic imaginable, and it’s impossible to enjoy as a result. It may look like a happy 3D platformer, but dig just below the surface, and you’ll see that it’s nowhere near as fun as it could be.

It would be amazing if Electro Ride was secretly intended to be a critique or polemic or something. But that’s giving it way too much credit. Instead, it’s just a boring racing game that tries to cover up its significant flaws with some pretty lights and a cool soundtrack. No matter how cool Electro Ride tries to look, it can’t hide the fact that its tracks are dull and its cars can’t drive straight.

I constantly found my attention drifting as I tried focusing on where a specific square landed when a cube exploded, or guiding one cube towards another cube on a path across other cubes. Cubes, cubes, and more cubes, and at no time does the game threaten to become interesting.

It doesn’t try or claim to be anything more than a basic Metroidvania-style platformer, and it delivers that. It’s just..it’s so basic, and so forgettable, it’s hard to feel very enthusiastic about anything here. If you want a game you can play for 2 hours, see everything it has to offer, and then never think about it again, Micetopia will deliver that, but it’s hard not to think that you should want a little more out of what you’re playing.

Of course, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t every bit as addicted to Roundout by POWGI as I am every other word and puzzle game that Lightwood has released. It may not be my new favourite game, but it’s still a solid enough word game that I’ve sunk a substantial amount of time into it already, and I’m quite sure that I’ll be sinking many, many hours more into it as I try to 100% the remaining puzzles too. If you’re the kind of person who loves thinking up word combinations to pass the time, then this is sure to be right up your alley as well.

There’s enough good stuff present in Cloudbase Prime that it’s not hard to imagine how the game could be reworked into something significantly better with just a few tweaks, but as it stands, it’s feels more like a promising demo than a fully fleshed-out game.

It doesn’t take long for it to become apparent that Even the Ocean is much more ambitious than your standard platformer, to the point that it goes beyond one genre. Luckily, the game is more than able to pull off the genre-bending. There aren’t too many other visual novel-adventure-RPG-platformers out there that I can think of, but I can confidently state that Even the Ocean makes a pretty solid case for why there should be more of them.

This is definitely not a classic collection of Space Invaders Games, but a mash-up of classic and modern that is underwhelming. I really can’t recommend this release at full price, but it would be a good one to grab if on sale for Space Invaders Xtreme alone. Sadly, this is one “Classic Game Collection” that can be skipped.

As someone who owned the original, It brings joy to heart that this game is once again made available to those who want it and on a platform which is a bit more evergreen than consoles *cough cough PC cough cough*. I will say that there are other titles people could’ve been enjoying if they wanted an excellent beat’em up experience (such as Fight’N Rage and River City Girls). Now if you’ll excuse me I need to find the cash I need to buy the bevy of physical edition of this title from….you guessed it, Limited Run Games. Cause they can’t delist it if you own the disc/cartridge!

All in all, I think Super Meat Boy Forever is a really great follow-up to the original game by Team Meat, but also understand that the auto-run mechanic may take some getting used to. If you’re willing to spend more than an hour with it, running through a handful of early stages and tackling the first boss encounter, I think you’ll start to feel the rhythm of the game, and come to appreciate the puzzle approach to the way the level chunks are designed. It’s a really satisfying experience and one that shouldn’t be missed in the post-holiday game release slump.

As cute as the pug — and the game — may look, don’t be sucked into Double Pug Switch if you’re looking for a family-friendly platformer to play with kids. This game is as challenging as they come, so only pick it up if you’re in the mood to die a whole bunch.

Bizarrely, despite the toughness, what really sticks out in my mind when I think of GONNER2 isn’t the action, but rather how it looks. I’m pretty sure that “insane psychedelic fever dream” isn’t a genre or a style, but I can’t think of any other way to describe the visuals here. There are flying eyeballs and you enter new levels by being swallowed by worms and the colours are all over the rainbow and…it’s just craziness. It’s gorgeous, in its own way, but it’s still nuts to look at. For most people, though, I think the insane difficulty will be what they take away from GONNER2, not the insane visuals. Which means that if you’re looking for a platformer or a roguelike that will truly test your abilities, it’s most certainly worth your time.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy my time with Falcon Age. It certainly has its share of flaws, but it also features some pretty great moments, and on the whole the latter outweighs the former. Plus — and this can’t be overstated — you really do get attached to that falcon.

By any objective measure, it’s mediocre at best. But given how little I was expecting of the game going into it, mediocrity counts as a pretty major achievement.

On top of the decently-realized characters, the game looks almost hand drawn, and you can tell that the developer has affection for everything you see on the screen. None of that, of course, will be enough to interest anyone who’s put off by visual novels or extreme quirk. But if you can put up with both of those things, Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet is a pleasant way to pass an hour or so.

The underlying concept behind Her Majesty’s Ship is pretty good. As you may have guessed from the title, it’s a management game set on a ship in the British (or French, or Spanish, or Portuguese) navy in the 1700s. With that kind of setting, there should be plenty to do, whether it’s rationing stocks, swabbing the deck, flogging miscreants, or, of course, engaging in naval warfare with the other continental powers. In practice, however, the whole thing is a baffling mess.

Giraffe and Annika is definitely one of those games where the whole is greater than any of its individual parts. It doesn’t do anything incredibly well, yet, somehow, when you put it all together in a package like this, the end result is delightful.

Overall, I think there’s a lot to like when it comes to Cyberpunk 2077, which has been unfortunately marred by poor performance issues on a number of platforms, and some poor communication (along with some overpromising) on the part of the publisher. It’s clear that a lot of work went into putting this game together, and it’s unfortunate that it had to release in a state that feels a little unfinished. It’s still a game you can very much derive enjoyment from, even in its current state but your ability to overlook open-world bugs and performance issues is certainly going to factor in quite a bit.

It’s just a shame that the core gameplay here is so dull. Everything else in Bugsnax would make it a strong GOTY contender, but the sheer repetitiveness of the game’s main task drags it all down. Still, given how high the rest of the game flies, there’s only so far down it can go — and as it stands, that still means you’re left with one heck of a game.

Go in without any preconceived notions, and you should find yourself pleasantly surprised.

If you’re a fan of clickers, I guess Car Demolition Clicker counts as a good one? Can clickers even be judged by traditional standards of “good” and “bad”? You click a bunch of times, and the game doesn’t break. If that’s what you’re after, this delivers, and it has car explosions to boot.

While I wouldn’t say that Yumeutsutsu Re:Master is the greatest use of your time or money, I’m quite confident that if you’re a fan of the Nurse Love games, you’ll be a fan of this one, too.

I wouldn’t say it’s a case of style over substance, since there’s really quite a bit of substance here to sink your teeth into, but it nonetheless feels like the game needs a few tweaks here and there in order to live up to its ample potential.

I know that Visual novels aren’t the most demanding genre, but the good ones still reward you in some way, even if it’s just with an engaging story. The Language of Love doesn’t even have that, which means it’s very safe to skip it.

Ultimately, what stays with you longer from this game is less the message that the game is trying to get across, and more the fact it just has you doing mindless, repetitive tasks for very little payoff. It’s easy enough to get that in the real world, so it’s hard to see why you’d need to turn to Need A Packet? to get the same in a game.

Throughout the five stories on offer here, you always feel like there’s something new around the bend, or some order in which things can progress. That’s a whole lot of words to write about a game that doesn’t use many to get its point across, I know, but Ord. is all about making players fill in the gaps, and it does a pretty good job of it.

There are pieces of a great game in Ghostrunner, and again, I’m sure it’s a fantastic experience elsewhere, but on the Switch, it’s more an exercise in frustration than anything else.

As far as I’m concerned, the good of Katamari Damacy REROLL far outweighs the bad. No small frustrations can compete with the sheer joy that is seeing arms and legs and cars and wings and dogs flailing around, as the crazy music in the background. Katamari Damacy REROLL doesn’t add much (or anything) to the formula it created 16 years ago, but when it started out this well, it really doesn’t need to.

If you’ve managed to miss out on Dragon Quest XI so far, then this is surely the version of the game you should get. It’s a great RPG, packs a lot of content in to keep you busy throughout the holiday season, and the nifty 2D mode makes for a fun nostalgia trip to boot.

Even though I’m a cat person, spending a couple of hours with your dog in Rainbow Bay is enough to get you invested in its success — and by extension, in the game. The other people were tolerable (okay, a couple tolerable, most were still pretty annoying by the end), but I was really rooting to see my rescue pup become more comfortable around people. That may not mean that Best Friend Forever is a success as a dating game, but if you’re after a pet-raising sim, it’s a nice way to pass a few hours.

If you’re looking for anything like logic in an Earth Defense Force game, you’re missing the point. These games are designed to allow you to blow up as much of the world around you as possible with a minimum of fuss, and, like I said, you get a rocket launcher in the very first level. Earth Defense Force 5 won’t win any awards, but if you want more of the same from this now-venerable series, it’ll deliver everything you could possibly be looking for.

A couple of annoying moments here and there can’t detract from an overall fun experience, so as long as you go into Bug Academy with that mindset, you should be able to enjoy it.

The touch controls are awful. It’s hard to manipulate the camera. It’s hard to move the board/cube around. It’s hard to move the game pieces. Basically, whatever Unlock the King 3 wants you to do, it constantly gets in your way of doing it. And that, more than anything else, is why it’s impossible to recommend it. Even if Unlock the King 3 were the simplest, most straightforward game imaginable, it would still be a constant chore to play it. Couple lousy controls with gameplay that’s not all that interesting or intuitive, and you can see why — whatever the platform — it’s probably not worth playing.

If you’ve ever wondered who would win in a fight between Luffy and Goku, this game will satisfy that itch…but if you’re someone for whom the first half of this sentence is meaningless gibberish, then there’s really nothing here that you’ll find appealing. And honestly, despite the number of Japanese games I play (which is entirely due to my Vita addiction, rather than because of some fondness for anime), I can’t say that I fall into that camp. Which means that all that’s left in Jump Force is an ugly-looking game with extremely repetitive action — and honestly, why waste time or money on that?

Even if it’s the first Bioshock that still stands out as a milestone in gaming, for me the real high of the series is Bioshock Infinite. Just about everything in the game is perfectly done, and despite the fact it came out seven years ago, it feels as fresh and interesting as it did then. Taken together with the other two games in the series, there’s a pretty good argument to be made that Bioshock: The Collection is one of the must-play games on the Switch (and whatever other system you have).

What stays with you afterwards is how incredibly dark this game gets. That may not be what you want from a puzzle game, but if you’re after that, Reflection of Mine might be right up your alley.

Personally, I thought Ary and the Secret of Seasons was worth it, but you’d be well within your rights to figure it’s more trouble than it’s worth, and look elsewhere for your Zelda-like needs.

Pumpkin Jack is an excellent 3D platformer that’s well worth your time, whether you’re playing it at Halloween or any other time of the year.