Revita offers a very solid roguelike experience, with a tough but interesting risk-reward system as its hook. The early moments of the game are fraught with uncertainty as very little is explained directly to you, but through trial and error you can gradually figure out how to extend runs and upgrade Memoria Station. Developing the hub area adds to the goals you can accomplish and the loot you can find in each dungeon. That said, there isn't much in the way of permanent stat growth outside of consumable metro tickets you can activate before a run, so it'll take patience, skill, and perseverance to make it all the way through the clocktower, and then again at higher difficulty levels. To make that goal more approachable, though, you can adjust the setting to reduce enemy damage or slow down time. Nonetheless, it will take many hours and many deaths to find every hidden secret and discover all that these darkened subway stops have to offer.

The main mode of the game is a little short, and some poor game structure choices dampen the playability a bit, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the game includes some of the best platforming experiences available.

Ultimately Side Order is a fun gameplay concept while it lasts. I’d suggest Splatoon fans play through the mode with each weapon once then bounce off. It’s a great game to play while listening to a podcast or something, but the lack of variety makes the mode get repetitive by the end especially if you’re trying to unlock everything. Hopefully this mode makes it into the inevitable next Splatoon with much more variety than what’s currently offered here.

Not Tonight is the video game equivalent of a protest song – a piece the artist releases to the world with the intent to elevate a social movement or perceived injustice. I suspect the story will act as a Rorschach test of your political alignment depending on whether you love or hate it. Some could critique it as being too on the nose, but the lack of subtlety feels genuine in this moment.

If you don’t really care for brawlers, the games in this collection aren’t going to change your mind. That said, there is a lot of value in the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle, and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre or those who love couch co-op games.

It's an incredible multiplayer game that takes a simple concept and transforms it into a deep, competitive experience.

It’s not this year’s Shovel Knight, but it comes from the same place of love. It’s definitely worth your time.

It's also worth noting that this is the second piece of software that's exclusive to the New 3DS, so if you're itching to get some use out of the thing, Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is your only other option after Xenoblade.

Although there may be plenty of options in this genre, Shift Quantum stands out with its polished look, unique concept, and a soundtrack though unremarkable, never wears out its welcome. If the prospect of new puzzles is appealing, it’s reasonable to assume consistent new content since the community has existed since the first version of Shift released as a flash game back in 2008.

Moving forward, any developer looking to create a point-and-click adventure would do well to look at The Journey Down as an example of the genre done right. My recommendation before you decide to pick up the first chapter is to ensure you’re committed to the long haul. By the end of the first chapter, you’ll be left wanting more, and it only gets better from there.

I found the first couple runs mildly entertaining with diminishing returns on each subsequent playthrough.

Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark is a terrific option for fans of the tactical RPG genre who are looking for a title with a more retro feel. It provides that feeling of nostalgia while still making its own unique mark. Wonderfully written dialogue and a plethora of customization options will provide hours of entertainment for those who get sucked into its world.

While the learning curve in Deep Sky Derelicts is very steep, as I began to really understand how the systems work I enjoyed it more and more. There’s a lot of replay value here with the different classes and the ships being procedurally generated, and a greater understanding of the mechanics helped me appreciate how well they all work together. If you enjoy deep RPGs in sci-fi settings, Deep Sky Derelicts is worth the effort.

At its core, Journey to the Savage Planet is an incredible game that only misses a couple quality of life issues that make navigation a little more frustrating than it should be. That being said, the rest of its excellent design blows right past that oversight. The Switch version in particular brings with it its own unique issues, but once again the design outshines these issues. While I can’t say the Switch is the ideal way to play this game, it is worth playing in whatever form you can.

Curse of the Dead Gods could have easily been an also-ran to solely capitalize on an upcoming release that has a lot of buzz (think Antz to A Bug’s Life). Instead, I’ve been greeted with a roguelike that, while definitely sharing DNA with other dungeon crawlers, has enough interesting backdrops with a few neat combat ideas to make it its own. Curse of the Dead Gods’ unique features don’t all hit dead-on, but what’s here is a game that while not as refined is still plenty of fun in its own right.

It's undeniable the amount of content that Samurai Warriors 5 boasts. Completing Nobunaga's campaign unlocks even more missions, and that's in addition to all of Mitsuhide's and assorted side missions not required to reach the end credits. While mission variety and challenge felt lacking, there are reasons to replay stages to complete every objective and shoot for S rankings, which are actually tied to opening up some of the post-game content. Ultimately, there's a type of mindlessness to playing a game like this that serves as both a nice break from more mentally demanding ones and also a reminder that musou games are still quite niche, and perhaps for good reason. If you enjoy breezy, repetitive gameplay with hours and hours of missions to play and stuff to unlock, Samurai Warriors 5 will do just fine. However, I can't see it doing enough to bring new fans into the series.

I was intrigued by ANNO: Mutationem when it came to other platforms earlier this year, and the Switch version seems to largely offer the same experience but with added portability. Its interesting story and decent challenge, in addition to some compelling world building make a strong case for adding the game to your digital library; a free eShop demo is also available for those who want to dip their toes in first. If you can stomach the miniscule text size and a somewhat flat middle portion of the story, ANNO: Mutationem offers an enjoyable and brisk cyberpunk-flavored adventure.

From the live-performed songs to the funny writing and memorable characters, Jester and Sok's journey is one I would heartily recommend and makes my Dutch heart incredibly proud.

If you can get past the technical issues, Caravan SandWitch is an incredibly unique adventure game. It is simultaneously a very pleasant world to exist in, while not shying away from its inherent post apocalyptic themes. Driving around, exploring the world, and helping the characters you meet forms an excellent gameplay loop that can be surprisingly difficult to put down. This is an endlessly charming game, but one that comes with somewhat severe caveats if you choose to play on Switch.

The characterization and writing are top notch. I felt a genuine connection with the members of Sigmund Feud and the world of Afterlove EP. That’s what games like this and Coffee Talk are built on, connections. Whether it's just listening to your friends vent frustrations or finding common ground with someone new, there’s something special about what these games bring to the table. I for one recommend everyone pull up a stool and listen for a while. You may find a new best friend.

There’s nuance to the stories with some slight serious undertones that flesh everything out and the story is even funnier when you push the characters to hate you instead. It’s a top notch presentation, but for me personally, I’d do better with a more pared down cast as opposed to throwing in everything including the kitchen sink… their name is Sinclaire and they have a pet dog named Sudsy.

Viewfinder is a fun puzzle game bogged down by its ambitions. I loved the way in which the game uses the gameplay to speak for itself. At the same time, whenever the characters started speaking I was kind of turned off by the experience. The Nintendo Switch version runs fine enough, but can have a bit of a hard time with the framerate and loading of stages. For puzzle game die-hards, especially fans of Portal, The Talos Principle and Superliminal I’d recommend Viewfinder in a heartbeat. But if you’re hoping to find something beyond that incredible viral video, I’m afraid that Viewfinder will not be able to change that perspective.

Easy Delivery Co. is not a perfect game. The resource management can grate, the cargo physics occasionally feel a little mean, and players wanting a more “guided” experience may find the laid-back structure a little too loose. But as a dip-in-and-out game, or something to play while half-watching something else, it absolutely works. More importantly, it has a very specific mood and commits to it. Somehow, delivering packages in a dark, snowy town has never felt so appealing.

Quite frankly, there’s nothing else quite like The Wonderful 101 on the market. It’s an incredibly polished game that’s few blemishes are easily overlooked. If you own a Wii U, you owe it to yourself to see how wonderful The Wonderful 101 truly is.

With a nice variety of courses and lots to unlock, this is another fine entry in the long line of Mario sports games.

Still a good game, but it’s lacking a lot of the charm of its original outing without the bongos.

Before playing it on Switch, I always understood Dragon’s Dogma as one of the most underrated RPGs around. Having played it now, I really hope it doesn’t get overshadowed by the big RPGs, whether ports or original content, that are coming out around it. Dark Arisen has some of the most unique systems in modern RPGs, and great combat to go along with it. It’s a great adventure, and if they can improve the loads after the inns it’ll be essential.

My Friend Pedro seems like the kind of game that either clicks with you or it doesn’t. If you’re a patient player who likes killstreaks, points, and stylish gameplay, you might like this a lot. If you’re like me and have less patience for a game that feels unintuitive for the first 20 levels out of 40, the final product might not click so easily.