The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a really, really good remaster of a iconic ’90s game series that’s due for a revival. And with three games in the bundle, a remastered cut level from the original game (of which GameShark let you play, back in the day), and a brand-new level with level design and art that make it feel like that revival’s probably in the right hands… I think N. Sane Trilogy, past its inherent issues from the source material, is a great set that’s a no-brainer if you’re looking for some platforming action.

Playdead has once again struck gold with this game and hit all the right notes for another classic. If you only download one non-AAA game this year, make it Inside.

Limbo is probably the perfect dark, side scrolling puzzle-platformer.

Despite its RPG trappings, Defender’s Quest isn’t all that far from your typical tower defense game. Kudos to its developers for wanting to give it a little something extra, but in the end, the game is more or less what you’d expect.

If Schacht were free, I could see suggesting people check it out, since it shows some promise, and it suggests that the people behind it may be worth watching. But at a price of literally any amount above zero, there’s just no way you’re getting your money’s worth here.

7’scarlet is by Otomate, which means that you need to go in expecting the story to take more than a few seemingly unnecessary romantic detours. But, like Bad Apple Wars and Psychedelia of the Black Butterfly before it, has a decent story underneath all that romance, and if you’re willing to give it abit of a chance, it definitely pays off.

There’s something to be said for making players figure out and adapt to your quirks, I guess — and if you’re cool with that, then N++ has more than enough content to keep you occupied for weeks — but given the choice between a game that has solid controls and a game that doesn’t, I don’t know why you wouldn’t pick the former every time.

It’s always fun to see games mashing together genres you wouldn’t necessarily think go together. True, it’s even more fun when the mash-up works, but Vostok Inc. deserves kudos (if not necessarily a recommendation) for trying something new.

I feel kind of bad criticizing a game for being too inventive and embracing its vision a little too much — but that’s exactly what I’m going to do here. I’m not going to begrudge Runner3 for going all in on the things that have made the franchise so enjoyable in the first place…but, at the same time, there’s a fine line between just enough and way too much, and Runner3 definitely crosses it.

And damn this game can be tough! Even after sinking about a hundred hours into the PSP game I could never complete the whole thing in one sitting. Here I am in the futuristic year of 2018 playing on a Nintendo Switch and I still feel like I need one of my older cousins around to help me beat some of the harder levels. Yeah my age may show more than I’d like, but it’s kind of nice to feel young again.

With BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle Arc has delivered yet another enjoyable experience which cements them as a premier fighting game developer. The game manages to be simple enough that beginners can enjoy, but supply enough systems to sate veterans of the genre. Unfortunately the Switch is not the hardware where you would get the most out of this title.

I realize that visual novels have a hard time getting the attention of anyone outside of a very specific niche, so raving about VA-11 HALL-A probably won’t mean much to most. At the same time, however, if any visual novel could appeal to people who don’t usually have time for the genre, it’s this one. It’s an innovative approach to a genre that too easily falls into ruts, and it’s well worth the time of anyone looking for something a little different.

2064 is somewhere between a point-and-click adventure and a visual novel, only it seems to combine the less attractive qualities of both genres.

The dinosaurs truly do shine in Jurassic World Evolution, and the game is at its best when it just leaves me to grow and care for them on my own time. Beyond that, Jurassic World Evolution is a very shallow experience, it doesn’t dig deep enough to be a story driven game and it does not maintain enough of the aspects of park building tycoon games to really be considered in that genre either.

The idea underlying The Invisible Hours is really cool, and it’s not hard to see how more could be done with it in the right hands. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case here.

It’s a satisfying RPG with a steady pace and great gameplay. There are also plenty of sidequests if you want to pursue them, but it’s optional. One thing I really like are the raids which will happen on your little castaway village. These happen throughout the game and you can choose to participate in defending everyone from a monster raid. They’re also good for friendly competition with Dogi, and if there’s one thing I think Ys VIII does really well it’s things like this that keep things from ever getting too serious.

At the end of the day this is the perfect way to play Dark Souls. If you are a new player, the game will still be just as challenging but it will look and feel like a much more modern game. If you are a veteran, this is a beautiful nostalgia filled trip through my personal favorite game of the 360/PS3 era.

I know that reviewing daily regulations and double-checking birth dates and passport numbers sounds like it’s the most mind-numbing work ever. And, in real life, you may be right (though having known people who worked at borders, I’d argue otherwise). In Papers, Please, however, they’re tasks that are every bit as weighty as any gun battle or puzzle, and they make for a uniquely enjoyable game experience.

The big problem with Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly is that it contains a lot of fluff. If you want to advance the story, the game forces you to watch bonus episodes that consist of little more than Beniyuri and co. sitting around the mansion. It adds nothing to the story, and, to make matters worse, you have to replay chapters over and over in order to earn points to unlock the bonus chapters. The story would’ve been worked just fine without it, and it all just feels like a bunch of unnecessary padding.

The action here gets pretty repetitive fairly quickly, leaving you feeling like a lot more could have been done. Hopefully City of Brass’ developers take what they learned from this and pour their energies into a well-made sequel, because as it is, this game just feels kind of lacking.

Obviously, it’s unfair to dock points from Devious Dungeon for not being Rogue Legacy. It’s its own game, and deserves to be judged on its own merits. Plus, like I said, it’s certainly enjoyable enough. But, at the same time, it’s impossible to look at what it does and not see how much better all of it was done elsewhere. It may not be fair, but it’s still entirely accurate.

At the right price (which is to say: not very much) and for the right amount of time (again: not very much), Oh…Sir! The Hollywood Roast is worth a playthrough. Only one, mind you, and then you’ll never feel like playing it again, but still, for that one time, it’s kind of worth it.

If you’re looking for a solidly-made puzzle game, you could do a lot worse than checking out Swim Out. It’s got more than enough content to keep you entertained for a good amount of time, and it’s relaxing enough that you can pick it up and play whenever you want without feeling like you’re going to get sucked in and lose a day. There are definitely better games out there, but, for any puzzle aficionado, Swim Out is worth a look.

Obviously, I’m not going to be all hyperbolic and claim that Word Search by POWGI is a GOTY candidate or anything. It’s a solid game, and nothing more than that. But sometimes, solid is good — particularly if you’re a word search fan and you’re just looking to to have 300+ puzzles on your Switch. It’s not going to wow anyone, but it does what it sets out to do.

Obviously, the format will be familiar to anyone who ever played a Picross game on their DS. But just because it’s not brand new that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. Pic-a-Pix Color is sure to ensnare anyone who loves a good puzzle challenge — so if you pick it up, you’ve been warned.

You may only play a couple of minutes (after you pick it up, realize it’s not for you, and quit) or you may play a few more minutes after that (after you get the Platinum, realize you’ve done everything there is to do, and set the game aside), but either way, your time with InkSplosion is going to be quick and forgettable.

I’d definitely urge you to give Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection a go if you’re like me and grew up playing these games either at home or in the arcade, and want a little taste of nostalgia to go along with your modern day fighter. Most of the games in this collection still hold up really well today, and Capcom / Digital Eclipse have done a real solid job in putting this port together.

Azure Reflections is a short but sweet experience that I really enjoyed. It’s not as fast and furious as other shooters of this type, but the difficulty and loads of charm really make it a hidden gem. If you are a fan of bullet hell shooters that really challenge you, you really should give Azure Reflections a try. It may be a little on the short side, but it’s still really fun and engaging. Definitely worth checking out.