Despite a number of intensely frustrating elements, I enjoyed my time with Rad Rodgers. The challenging platforming sections coupled with the run-and-gun gameplay and exploration for hidden collectibles immediately reminded me of the dozens of hours that I put into Jazz Jackrabbit 1 and 2 on the PC, and I think this sense of nostalgia helped me push through the multiple frustrating sections that made me want to walk away from the game. If you also have a sense of nostalgia for the bygone era of 90’s run-and-gun platformers, or if you’re just a fan of tough, exploration-based platformers, Rad Rodgers is worth a look.

Some sections of Kinect Star Wars seem so much more polished than others, making this a game that while a bit hobbled, can still be a fun jaunt.

While the lack of new story missions is undeniably disappointing for me personally, the South America Pack is still an excellent addition to Planet Zoo with its huge array of new scenery pieces and fun new animals. It’s encouraging to see Frontier maintain such a high-degree of quality in their DLC releases and frequent gameplay updates to support this ever-expanding universe. I’ve still got my fingers crossed for a massive aquatic animal expansion to be announced any day now, but until then, you can find me working on my Colombian-themed Big Cat Rescue park.

Sakura Wars is a visually appealing and fun game to play overall. While the gameplay leaves much to be desired, it's still a great entry for newcomers to the franchise.

Hotel Barcelona is a blood-soaked, 2.5D slasher action game where you play as Justine, a federal marshal unwillingly sharing a mind with the murderous Dr. Carnival, navigating a hotel full of America’s most dangerous killers. The game mixes intense combat, roguelite mechanics, and branching exploration with quirky NPCs, phantoms from past runs, and risk-reward systems, but many of these ideas feel more like flashes of promise than fully realized features. Its punk-inspired aesthetic, grim humor, and aggressive style give it a distinct personality, yet the short runtime and underused mechanics make the overall experience feel lighter than it should be.

A fun new game, three middling ones, and a fan favourite returns. It's not the life of the party, but we're glad to have it all the same.

Overall I would recommend this game if you have a few hours to kill and don’t want to play anything overly complex. It’s a fun game with solid controls and intense boss fights. Whether or not it is worth the price tag is really hard to make a call on; perhaps buying the game when it’s on sale through steam is the best bet.

Sancticide feels like it has potential that has yet to be fully realised. If you enjoyed Morrowind or Skyrim style combat, and have the same nostalgia for Diablo 2 that I do, you'll probably still have a good time (once the bugs are ironed out).

There are some genuinely standout moments, but I can't help but look back at the likes of Left 4 Dead and just wish Toxic Commando had that same level of charm. It's just missing something—a little personality—a hook, the kind that made Left 4 Dead endlessly replayable.

It’s hard to recommend a game that’s as obviously broken as this. Sure, there’s some fun to be had but all too often this is hindered by a bug that’ll remind you of just how disappointing a porting effort this really is.

Tharsis is an immensely difficult solo tabletop game set in space that will have you spinning more plates than any other game you’re likely to play this year.

There’s not much to Light Fall beyond the unique platforming mechanics, and you won’t find a Super Meat Boy level of challenge, but it’s a neat little game that’s worth picking up if you’re looking for something of a gaming palate cleanser.

Dungeon of the Endless provides a nice mixture of tower defense, RPG and dungeon crawler strategy with a great gameplay experience. The game is challenging, unforgiving, and requires a player who is ready to fail in order to eventually succeed. Every choice can make or break your campaign, and the random dungeon generation provides variability in every attempt you make. It’s 8-bit graphic style provides a nice element to the game while keeping your attention on managing your resources and upgrading your heroes and equipment, which is where the game it at its strongest. The game’s creepy atmosphere and multiple play styles available make it an enjoyable experience worth experiencing on the Switch.

Overall Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord is a solid entry in the JRPG genre and worth a visit if you’re a fan of games of this type of ilk.

Yooka-Laylee seems more targeted towards nostalgic adults than the next generation of young gamers. This makes sense, considering who was responsible for helping Yooka-Laylee become a reality, but it’s also a shame. The 3D platformer seems to have all-but-disappeared and I miss the playful, exploratory joy of these children’s games; I think the current generation is losing something due to their absence. Overall, I enjoyed my time with Yooka-Laylee, but I’m disappointed it chose to be a window into the past rather than a peek into the future.

Brilliant and completely infuriating in equal measures. Citizens of Earth is worth a punt, but perhaps only after some careful deliberation.

The gameplay is unfortunately un-inspirational as are the graphics which is a shame because the premise was there.

Overall, Sker Ritual is a half-decent online shooter hamstrung by matchmaking issues and a player base on par with the number of dog walkers you’ll bump into when going for a stroll along the blustery stretch of Welsh coastline the game is based on.

However with the inclusion of a new level cap, legendary weapons, it’s really easy to be drawn back into the Destiny universe as you commence that grind “again” for the ultimate power. It’s just a shame that Bungie have thrown the baby out with the bathwater so hopefully Bungie will take note of the feedback from this DLC!

Weedcraft Inc. is a good looking, multi-layered and detailed management simulation game. Given the length of time required to be successful, and relatively monotonous ‘mini-games’ I think you would need to be a fan of either the ‘theme’, or tycoon style games to get the most out of the experience.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a light-hearted and casual action-adventure game with the most basic of RPG elements thrown in that will appeal most to younger Switch owners and newer Paper Mario fans. It’s a visual feast, easy to jump in and great for kids. The combat is far from challenging, and there’s far more of an emphasis on light puzzle-solving and breezy exploration that hooks you in with constant paper puns and a fully realised, papercraft world to explore instead of a compelling epic narrative worthy of a storybook.

The bottom line is that My Time at Portia balances out to be an enjoyable farming/life sim game as the dull writing and storyline is propped up by fun crafting and exploration mechanics. If you’re a fan of the genre for the interpersonal relationships and storylines, look elsewhere. However if the idea of exploring an adorable, colourful world and crafting an impressive array of neat stuff sounds appealing, then Portia is just a short boat ride away.

The Definitive Edition mainly includes quality of life features that are likely to go unnoticed if you played through the original release, but the added features make this the obvious version to pick up if you’re looking for some light-hearted platforming to immerse yourself in.

Sadly Urban Futbol only features one game mode which is Balcony Shot, however the developers will add "Street Style" in a future upgrade. Add in online leader boards and 18 unlockable achievements and this is a fun little game to kill a few minutes while you wait.

The Escapists is a game that welcomes and rewards creativity, however the patience required may limit its audience.

The concept is there and it is a nicely crafted challenge for the puzzle-platformer fans, but I would wait for Gamesoft to fix the bugs before purchasing the game. But if this is done, the story, the artwork, and the challenge will make for a great gaming experience.

This game reached its peak (for me) about half way through when it started to become a little too repetitive and tedious. The decisions you make do shape the story (initially) but only to an extent as you are basically forced into becoming a corrupted cop anyway. Instead of it being ‘choice driven’, I found this game to be more about skills management and balancing resources (no matter how corrupted you are) to make sure all parties you interact with are happy. The controversial content (racism, sexism etc.) may be a bit hard to swallow but it certainly adds to the story of police corruption and gives the game a different edge. I would say it is good value for money for the crime buffs among us, but not a must play title.

I Fell From Grace has one of the most unique and interesting narratives I’ve seen in any game this year. The unsettling story tells a compelling and mysterious tale with flawed characters navigating some truly strange events. The traditional adventure game mechanics are serviceable and keeps the narrative flowing, yet the lack of a quest log or general sense of objective means you’ll get more enjoyment out of this one playing with a guide until you become familiar with the various set pieces. Definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of weird stories or traditional adventure games.