Star Allies is a respectable entry in the Kirby legacy, but it isn't likely to be held up as one of the better entries. Maybe with some more content, I'd be warmer to the whole experience, but I did have fun and definitely appreciate Nintendo making yet another co-op platformer I can enjoy with my family.

God of War takes a classic franchise and reshapes it into the modern fold. The end result is a dramatic, polished, visually impressive and somewhat by-the-numbers PS4 blockbuster that slots along nicely beside the other exclusives in the console's library. It has plenty of content and fairly robust combat to entertain newcomers, while fans of the original games will likely enjoy the second half of the adventure a bit more.

The twist at the core of Minit, that you play it sixty seconds at a time, is initially intriguing and engaging, but ends up clashing with the puzzle and exploration-heavy gameplay in a way that left me feeling agitated rather than charmed by this nostalgia-driven indie title.

Umiro makes for a relatively straightforward trial and error puzzle game, and if that piques your interest and you can ignore the frustrations of repetitive gameplay, it's worth a look.

An improvement over the previous instalment, Attack on Titan 2 tweaks its combat, character setups, and online modes to create an overall more engaging experience. Unfortunately, the core gameplay loop becomes boring after extended sessions, which takes away from its potential longevity.

The wondrous Dwindling Heights is well designed and gives Tilo plenty of opportunities to use his mousey avoidance skills and disguises to help characters. Although there is occasionally too much backtracking, Ghost of a Tale holds a memorable journey in its tiny paws.

A Way Out pretty much succeeds in spite of itself. The storytelling is amateurish and a weak third act threatens to sour the whole experience. However, the hours before that are the dreams co-op games are made of.

For most of my time spent playing Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, I loved the beautiful world and engaging combat - the core of the game. But every once in a while, everything would grind to a halt and I'd have to deal with the overworld strategy mechanics that feel poorly integrated. Luckily, this sequel has enough great moments to overcome those annoyances.

Sea of Thieves has provided some of my favorite gaming moments this year, but the repetitive voyages and reliance on currently infrequent player encounters to keep things interesting mean the seas are a bit shallower than you might expect in a full-price game.

Despite interesting choices that alter events, Batman: The Enemy Within is not quite a stellar experience. Watching Joker come alive as he interacts with Bruce is alluring and the finale is impressive, but the second season squanders the best features of the original season and has the same problems as Telltale’s other recent efforts.

I don’t think MLB The Show 18 is as good as last year’s game, but the improvements over the last two years are solid enough to carry the franchise momentum forward. Hopefully, next year's version will get back to the winning ways and bring more substantial changes.

Far Cry 5 manages to deliver some satisfying open world action with a focus on co-operative play, but a few poor design choices, disappointing story and occasional bugs hamper the overall impression.

Bit Dungeon Plus isn't the worst game around, but it doesn't do anything particularly noteworthy with its mechanics. If you're just dying for a co-op roguelike, I suppose this will do, but you can find a lot of better examples elsewhere.

Aegis Defenders is an indie that has a chance to be a standout of 2018. Most of the key ingredients to a winning formula are here; engaging and addictive gameplay on both the solo and multiplayer fronts, a nice presentation, and just the right amount of innovation.

Surviving Mars has the interplanetary foundations of a good strategy game, but it gets bogged down in its own complexity, micromanagement, and a surprisingly bland setting.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 manages to improve on its predecessor in just about every way, resulting in a structurally familiar but highly entertaining co-op experience with a surprising amount of depth and variety in its character and difficulty progression.

Even as a simple party game, it's difficult to recommend Frantics. There's just nothing that really stands out as a high point. It's flawed in almost every way that really matters and doesn't offer the levels of entertainment one would hope to get from a game like this.

Yakuza 6 is a fitting end to the journey of Kazuma Kiryu that will not disappoint long-time fans, while also providing an accessible journey to newcomers. Though it does not reach the heights of previous entries in its narrative and optional content, it does deliver a touching tale with a strong thematic core that has even stronger combat chops.

Like the original, Q.U.B.E. 2 keeps the emphasis on smart puzzle design and maintains a core group of mechanics that fit together like a glove.

Distortions adopts the negative connotations of its own name by offering an overpriced mix of poor storytelling, bad gameplay, lack of polish, and an outdated presentation.

Chuchel’s overt humor and slick animations will make for an entertaining few hours but its simple puzzles and throwaway mini-games fail to ensnare deep imagination.

Metal Gear Survive is an enticing, challenging, polished and occasionally frustrating spinoff that doesn't devalue the reputation of the franchise, and offers a unique standalone experience that fans of survival games should enjoy getting stuck into.

Novel and cleverly designed, Roguemance makes for a delightful, tempestuous little fling while its ideas are still fresh, but its failure to make the most of them may leave you with a spot of premature exhaustion.

Celeste has a couple of hiccups in its aesthetics and tech, but the core of what Matt Thorson and his team have made contains a wonderful story of endurance and resilience for both the characters and the player, that begs not to be missed.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance deserves a lot of credit for succeeding in its highly ambitious and original realism-driven approach to role-playing game design, though the amount of broken quests and general lack of polish in combination with an ill-conceived save system bring down the experience significantly.

Fe feels like an experimental platformer trying to make an emotional statement. It leans heavily on the gimmick of using songs to interact with nature, but if you're not floored by this angle - there's not much else for you.

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a very faithful remake that captures every single quality of the original title. That means you're getting a wonderful new presentation alongside all of the blemishes of the past.

The Station lacks the storytelling it needed in order to justify playing it. The lack of gameplay could have been overlooked if the story was up to snuff, but it just simply isn't. What results is a short, boring experience that will only satisfy the most desperate of sci-fi fans.

For long-time fans of the franchise, Dynasty Warriors 9 feels like it has its heart in the right place, but the implementation of the open world and MMO mechanics feels dated, creating a bland experience that does not do the colorful series justice.

While not terrible, Sky Force Reloaded asks too much of the player with too little to give back. With some reworking to the exorbitant grind, I would maybe recommend this, but there are far better shoot 'em ups on the Switch that deserve your time and attention.

All the creative problem-solving satisfaction of algorithm design with minimal nuisance coworkers. Algo Bot is a little bland and tiresome at times, but it’s still far cleverer than you and I.

BLIK uses a typical first-person puzzler template to produce a substandard game. Because of its bad reflection mechanics, playing with mirrors has never been so irksome.

Monster Hunter: World is a fantastic game that kept me enthralled for 60 wonderful hours. I loved exploring the world, discovering new areas, and engaging in epic fights with excellently designed monsters. There's so much gameplay to enjoy, that despite a few snags, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to almost anyone.

Strikers Edge has some decent mechanics at its core, but a lack of gameplay modes, short campaign and deserted online scene make this essentially a barebones local multiplayer title with a high asking price.

Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] should satisfy fans of the fighting genre, if they are willing to look past its flaws and spend time perfecting the art of combat for the game's sometimes shaky online mode. As a single player experience, it is well-suited for a couple of friends to pass the time thanks to being fun and accessible.

Subnautica links progression to dive depth and it pays dividends. It also provides useful tools and varied submersibles that facilitate the steady exploration of wondrous biomes far below the waves.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is an excellent representation of the source material it is based on, with solid mechanics and plenty of variety, and offers just the sort of over-the-top mayhem that fans of the franchise should thoroughly enjoy.

Vostok Inc. is something of an oddity. It offers some competent shooter mechanics dressed up with some playful satire, unique concepts, and plenty of gameplay for those who seek it. But the overall experience feels lacking, uneventful, and repetitive, especially when it comes to the click-fest sim components.

Lost Sphear is a middling JRPG that lacks style, tone, and substance. You can see certain ideas that are working hard to keep things afloat, but with a rough plot, bad cast, generic look, and combat that grows tedious, it fails to stand out.

The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human is a short, but memorable journey. Whether it’s taking down a pair of seahorses, or exploring the last remnants of humanity, the title is full of memorable set pieces that will delight, even in the face of existential horror.

Shadow of the Colossus lives up to the legacy of the original and provides a brand new presentation for fans to experience. Newcomers will get the best playing version of the title while veterans will get the version they always dreamed of. The game is smoother to play, the presentation is top notch and the minimalist storytelling from the original isn’t embellished or altered. This is exactly what you’d want from a remake and I couldn’t be happier with the final result.

Bridge Constructor Portal successfully melds bridge-building with classic Portal gameplay elements, though it fails to emulate the excellent humor of that series. Good value and creative levels with more than one solution make it a slick package for anyone looking to relax while using their brains a bit.

The Red Strings Club is a clever (and occasionally quite confronting) narrative experience that blends a compelling cocktail of ethical quandaries and social engineering, with a fresh slice of low-stress minigames. Served chilled.

InnerSpace features a unique game world with some nice moments of quaint exploration and set pieces, but on the whole it’s a bit too cramped and pricey to truly soar.

Pinball FX 3 is a great update to a well renowned series that deserves a spot on any pinball player’s Switch. That it has such a vast DLC collection also ensures you’re unlikely to ever need another pinball simulation in the near future.

Xenoraid produces a feeling of excitement and balances it out with an almost somber, hypnotic feel as you fly through the black clutches of space grinding away. Its simplistic nature probably won’t lead to many binge sessions, but for quick pick-up-and play action, it does the job well enough.

The story and characters in Life is Strange: Before the Storm help to make it a valued addition to the universe. An alluring friendship between the two main characters is the key to its success. It’s just a pity that ineffectual player choice, weak adventure mechanics, and a lacklustre ending prevent it from creating a lifelong bond with the audience.

You could theoretically play Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for months and not only find more things to do, but likely still enjoy doing them. It’s a robust, well-crafted, and enjoyably addictive ride that JRPG fans, and even some WRPG diehards, should enjoy.

Seven: The Days Long Gone has too much going on for any of it to work well. The developers clearly wanted to build a big and elegant stealth-action game with all sorts of features and mechanics, but their inability to leave anything on the cutting room floor has resulted in game that's a bit of a mess.

Some technical hiccups aside, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds can provide some of the most intense and exciting moments multiplayer gaming has to offer thanks to a clever game mode that supports varied play-styles, and provides a unique self-contained adventure every round.

A polished, well-presented skin wrapped around thoroughly unremarkable stealth fundamentals. Serial Cleaner is not an actively antagonistic experience, just draining and unrewarding.

Frequently more frustrating than frightening, Hello Neighbor is a disaster from top to bottom. There’s a nugget of a good idea here, but between the irrational puzzle design and inconsistent AI, the finished product isn't up to snuff.

Attentat 1942 provides an insightful history lesson into the events of the Czechoslovakian occupation, while its cinematic interviews prove a crucial gateway into understanding the impact those events had on human life. It doesn’t provide the interactivity of Her Story or This War of Mine, but it’s pleasing to see the game format being used to educate.

SiNKR doesn't redefine the puzzle game genre, but it provides a solid entry with some genuinely clever puzzles and a simple to understand interface. Anyone can play this, even without knowing what a video game is.

There's nothing that helps redeem Black Mirror for all of the issues that plague it. There are bits and pieces of a good game but they're buried under bad design and awful tech that keep Black Mirror from ever becoming an engaging experience.

Reigns: Her Majesty is a solid sequel if you enjoyed the original, but it suffers from many of the same issues such as repetition, being at the mercy of the deck, and not really offering role playing choice but rather making you micromanage happiness meters. The low price point helps offset some of the annoyances, though.

Sonic Forces is a mixed bag, but the bad outweighs the good. Its few bright spots - mostly in the form of classic Sonic - get dimmed by the muddled mess of the weaker elements, and the lack of content doesn't help. The game's biggest achievement is the reminder of old school Sonic's superior gameplay.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 will entertain the younger players, but its messy combat and dull open world make it one of the weaker entries in the LEGO pantheon.

Telltale has barely changed their interactive story approach for Guardians of the Galaxy, but that’s not such a bad thing. With a solid application of humor, fun combat sequences, and a well-realised cast, they have forged a bold space adventure.

Detention is a haunting and thrilling experience that’s worth checking out, and is one of the scariest titles I’ve played in years. Those who dig horror and adventure games are in for a real treat.

Although an improved sequel, there is both good and bad in Star Wars Battlefront II. Class-based troopers and a smart reinforcement system are hindered by horrid progression. The large modes succeed, when there are no bottlenecks or balance issues. And if the single player cared about its main character, then it would have complimented the game’s astounding presentation.

Gear.Club Unlimited may be the only racing car game on the Nintendo Switch for the moment, but it squanders this early lead on a repetitive career, underwhelming presentation and functional, but uninspired gameplay with a price that feels too high.

With a cheap price, you really can’t ask for a better deal. High Hell hits some great highs and does so without being padded out for length. Definitely worth a playthrough.

There is a fantastic RPG at the core of Elex with some excellent world and quest design, remarkably diverse factions and environments awaiting those who can get past its slow start, clumsy combat and overall lack of fine polish.

Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection is a solid management game. It has lots of content, solid mechanics to satisfy tycoon fans, and apart from a few gameplay and control issues, should please aspiring moguls and animal lovers alike.

Need for Speed Payback squanders its open world on races against rubberbanding AI, linear escapes from a timer instead of the cops, and a broken economy that will leave you grinding for far too long. Throw in a bland story and unlikable characters, and you've got a franchise on a serious downward trend.

Time Recoil won’t be the cornerstone of your gaming sessions, but it works in providing small rations of fun in between the more major titles, and will at least briefly transport you back to the action-based gaming days of yesteryear.

Nothing in Knowledge is Power really hooked me, but it’s certainly serviceable as a fun distraction. The power plays and bonus rounds mean you and your friends will probably get a good couple of hours of fun out of this, though it likely won’t replace your usual favorite trivia board game.

An insipid and muddled campaign holds back Call of Duty: WWII just as it disembarks. And the plain, inconsistent, and restrictive multiplayer does not quite reach the heights of its predecessors. Its best features come from the new online War mode and the reliable Nazi Zombies, both of which lack the tidal force to wash all the blood from the sand.

While maybe a little too short for some, Expand is a polished, crafty puzzler that boasts a solid challenge and gameplay that will require you to think a little outside the box.

Super Mario Odyssey may not reinvent the Mario formula, but it is a supremely satisfying adventure with a plethora of content and a penchant for the zany. This is a must own for Switch owners and fans of platforming.

Super Lucky's Tale looks and sounds pleasant, and its charming world and characters will appeal to younger audiences. However, despite getting the basics right, some gameplay and overall design concerns lead the game down a few wrong foxholes.

Hidden Agenda isn't very deep, but it's a fun and creative game that you're going to want to share with all of your friends. It's an interesting showcase of making a typical adventure title into a party experience that takes advantage of the PlayStation’s PlayLink platform.

Even though the most memorable moments in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus don't involve much in the way of player input, it remains a satisfying story-driven shooter that that eschews major gameplay updates in favor of a greater focus on its bold storytelling and characters.

Assassin's Creed Origins does enough things differently to warrant a look, but there is still something left to be desired. It's a lengthy game in a huge and varied open world that provides a foundation for what's to come, but it doesn't quite offer the breakthrough that the series was probably looking for.

Though not entirely devoid of the repetitious, occasionally aimless gameplay that afflicts several narrative-driven adventures, Last Day of June quite often redeems its down periods as a filmic, affecting examination of grief.

Charming, playful, and scrappy as a sweep’s stovepipe, A Hat in Time has its ups and downs, but if it can win your heart, it’s well worth the ride. A modern platformer that can truly hold its own.

Though mechanically The Fractured but Whole can feel rather flat, it remains a genuine South Park production with all of the humor, farting and ridiculousness you would expect, and that should be enough to satisfy fans - even if it doesn't wow them.

Gran Turismo Sport debuts on the PS4 without a number in its name, signaling a shift for this long running car racing franchise. While the simulation is still very good, and the presentation is top notch, the lack of content in both single player and online modes will leave most participants unsatisfied. With a full asking price and always-online design, all but the most hardcore fans should approach with caution.

Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition is a bizarre juxtaposition of an off-the-wall premise and aesthetics coupled with some basic shooting mechanics that stress trajectory and timing above all else. There isn’t a ton of meat to the gameplay, but it’s a fun little diversion and overall satisfying gaming appetizer.

Bullet Soul Infinite Burst doesn't reinvent the bullet hell wheel, but it offers a very approachable game for newcomers, as well as a highly addictive gameplay loop for those who get sucked in. It may not be a classic, but it's certainly good fun.

The Evil Within 2 doesn’t have anything new to offer the franchise. It fails to be frightening, the narrative is a mess, and it only manages to keep its head above the blood water with some decent survival-action mechanics.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War’s extensive orc variety and improved nemesis system blends extremely well with its hectic combat. While the story is better than the original, the implementation of quests is poor. Attacking and defending forts is great, although overused in the already lengthy campaign.

The Magical Vortex that serves as the focal point for the campaign proves to be the spark of life that was missing from the series’ first venture outside of historical realms, and alongside a host of other tweaks and refinements, makes Total War: Warhammer II a strategic success that any fan of the series should be able to get behind.

FIFA 18 is a solid continuation of this authentic and highly polished sports franchise that still manages to make meaningful strides forward.

JYDGE is a competently made shooter that can be a ton of fun to play. However, due to poor presentation and limiting mission structure, it doesn’t quite reach the upper echelon of the genre.

It may not be the deepest experience around, but in terms of pure gameplay quality, Cuphead is a must-play for those seeking a challenge thanks to excellent controls and a unique visual presentation.

This may not be the best classic revival around, but Road Redemption is a lot of fun with a pretty well implemented roguelike system. The inclusion of multiplayer is also sure to make this a great party game for some like-minded friends.

Forza Motorsport 7 has the largest car roster out there, great track simulation racing, and impressive presentation. But as great as the gameplay is, critical changes to the career mode, economy balance, and the new homologation system deflate this typically great franchise a bit.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game will provide some fun for fans of the film and the characters, but its high asking price and relative lack of content may underwhelm those who enjoy the typically better LEGO titles.

The occasional design issue aside, restoring Hob’s ramshackle world is satisfying, with its cel-shaded art style and tech-infused nature concealing a complex network of pulleys, valves and hidden paths.

There is an overdose of top-notch cRPG content to be found within Divinity: Original Sin 2, with a deep, dense, slightly verbose adventure that almost completely fixes the failings of its predecessor, and has some great features like online and local co-op for the entire game.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar proves to be a solid turn-based RPG with polished mechanics, interesting dungeons, beautiful artwork and animation, and a lot distractions to keep you entertained. Despite some UI and performance issues, fans of the genre should still find it to be a game that is worth their time.

Over-the-top and frequently overwhelming, Ruiner might be the first cyberpunk game to give an inkling of what it’d be like to have a deluge of sensory stimuli downloaded directly into your head. A guilty pleasure, and a damn good twin-stick shooter to boot.

SteamWorld Dig 2 feels a bit like the beginner’s guide to sandbox games with its relative simplicity, but it maintains a sense of grandiosity and proves nonetheless entertaining with its Metroidvania-style adventuring and its marriage of both linear and nonlinear gameplay elements.

Project Cars 2 has the potential to be one of the best racing simulators, thanks to the wonderful tracks, variety, and awesome vehicles, but AI flaws and a plethora of strange technical issues prevent it from being a consistently great experience.

PES 2018 still plays a solid game of soccer, but is unable to carry on the momentum built up with last year’s good outing. A few gameplay stumbles let down what is otherwise a largely unchanged experience.

Destiny 2 is a really solid game from a studio that feels like it's far more confident in what they have created for the sequel. While not always fun solo, it boasts well-crafted multiplayer gameplay with an addictive shoot-and-loot core loop. The end result is much closer to the original vision that the first Destiny was unable to grasp.