A satisfying streak of action-platforming madness together with some great world-building; the intentions and executions may not always come across fulfilled or impactful, but Katana Zero at least is a game that will attract on its narrative substance, as much its dynamic pixel-art style.

GTR Evolution is a good sim racer that fans should be happy to have. For its $19.99 price tag, you get a lot of content and replayability.

Mortal Kombat 1 is a victory with most of its story, gameplay and presentation; it’s just nowhere near a flawless victory.

It would be easy to say that you should just wait until later to pick up Killer Queen Black once more content has poured in, but no, you should check it out as soon as you can. The action is still quick and intense while requiring a healthy dose of strategy, it’s visually stunning and it’s another stellar example of “easy to learn, hard to master.” Top it all off with the insane amount of fun that can be had while playing with friends and Killer Queen Black a no-brainer. Much like the NBA Jams and Mortal Kombat IIs of the ’90s, what we have here is an impressive home version of an arcade hit that can easily keep you tied up for a while.

KuloNiku: Bowl Up! is an enjoyable experience of becoming a chef in an area filled with passion for food and quirky characters. It’s expressive and charming in all the right ways and the experience of giving it your all can be both comfortable and challenging. Players looking for a cozy game with some meat to it are likely to come out fulfilled from giving it a taste test.

While The Plucky Squire could have benefited from being fleshed out even just a little bit more, it still provides a unique genre-hopping adventure, one that perfectly captures a feeling of a childlike wonder in Jot and the land of Mojo.

Perhaps with future content updates and tweaking, Free Lives can elevate Broforce from the good game it is to the great game it can be.

Lies of P is a worthy entry into the soulslike genre of gaming, particularly when the game allows its own unique elements to truly shine, such as its unique spread of weaponry and combat mechanics or its impressive story twists that can have you rediscovering what it means to be human. Top those parts off with large, well-designed levels with a ton of stuff to discover and terrific visuals in both beautiful scenery and terrifying monsters, and you have a great game in general that, despite occasional frustrations, is worth checking out, and that’s no lie.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remains one of the best games ever made and arguably the best Star Wars game. Aside from shorter loading times and higher resolution, nothing is drastically changed on Switch, which is perfectly fine as this is one of those games that doesn’t need much tinkering.

Dust suffers from the typical redundancies of a hack-and-slash, but offers more than enough attractive environments to keep the gameplay fresh.

A Highland Song is a wonderful adventure through mountains that were old before people arrived and will be there long after their ruins have eroded away. Moira’s journey is as much about the Scottish Highlands as it is about her life so far, with history and myth being equally important to both. It can sometimes take some thinking and experimentation to find the way through a new area, clambering back and forth over rocks and cliffs to find a clue that points to the path forward, but the information is there for an attentive explorer to uncover. It all comes together to make for an engaging, unforgettable and frequently musical trek you’ll want to make several times over to learn the histories and hidden paths of Moira’s mountain home.

Pig Eat Ball is a crazed monster of action and creativity, more than a little bit gross, but hugely entertaining to balance it out.

Much like the protagonists, Grounded sees Obsidian heading into new brand new territory that’s still familiar in some ways, and their expedition ends up paying off big-time. Excelling as a survival game with a nice and meaty challenge, an adventure game with a lot of secrets and goods to hunt for and a highly-enjoyable story, and a visual spectacle as you wander around and take in the eye-popping sights of now-majestic backyard clutter (and the more frightening sights of the impressive and imposing insects), this is one trip that’s tiny yet epic at the same time and is not to be missed out on.

Hearts of Iron IV is an easy recommendation for grand strategy fans of all ages and encourages them to take the time to figure everything out.

It's not a game to be entered into lightly: once you start, it may not be possible to stop. [Mar 2007, p.60]

The enhanced RPG-lite mechanics, sheer wealth of content and grade-A presentation values makes this a must-buy title for anyone who considers themselves a lover of Final Fantasy or music in general.

Sure Pokémon Platinum may not exactly seem like the manliest game, but with a sound battle system, a lengthy main quest, and a variety of multiplayer options, it may just be the best hand held RPG available right now.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is not a perfect game and the tech issues in particular are fair grounds for complaints. Even with its faults, however, the positives greatly outweighs its flaws, though some old school Assassin’s Creed fans may be in an uproar over some of the more drastic changes to the traditional formula. Despite its issues, this is a worthwhile odyssey to embark on.

Turn 10 Studios and PlayGround Games have improved the simulation racing aspect with Forza Motorsport. The racing is clearly the focus and the results are best experienced with a wheel as the tire model physics have helped to push this more into sim racing territory.

For all of Odin Sphere's innovations, few manage to have a meaningful impact upon gameplay, and the experience fails to gel into a cohesive whole as a result. [July 2007, p.56]

Terrian Saga: KR-17 is a loving tribute to glorious days of 32 bit sprite-based video games.

Slayaway Camp is a brilliant and funny block-sliding puzzle game that’s drenched in good-humored gore.

While you may have to be prepared for a slow start and a grind, there’s fun to be found in Crown Trick, thanks to its unique turn-based take on roguelike dungeon crawlers, its enjoyable and deep mechanics, and the vibrant world of the Nightmare Realm. Whether you’re a patient player, a strategy buff or just someone looking for something different, NEXT Studios have something for you that might not be an absolute dream, but will be an interesting little fantasy.

Doomblade is an incredible action-fest through a lively but broken underground world, and while one of its final major encounters is almost painfully non-fun, the journey there is irresistibly engaging from start to almost-finish.

Paper Trail delivers the perfect blend of color and art style that's a standout among the puzzle game genre. The technical mechanics are innovative and creatively integrate new challenges as the story goes on, making the experience engaging and thoughtful. While this storybook looks visually stunning, the plot lacks a sense of depth and doesn’t add much to the games’ experience. Paper Trail puts a twist on the simple indie game and centers itself on display for everyone to see in all its splendor.

Despite some of the issues with the game, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a solid arena fighting game that has tons of action and content available to players on day one and is worth a shot for fans and newcomers alike.

OFF is an interesting RPG that exemplifies the unique, creative side of many experiences conceived over the years on RPG Maker. Its style isn’t something that will please everyone, and it feels like the gameplay is relatively uninspired even with the facelift. Nonetheless, it’s still the kind of experience worth checking out, especially for those looking for a thought-provoking, weird new RPG.

Klei Entertainment has once again proven themselves to be at the forefront of creating endless replay value, all while wrecking backlogs near and far.