Elex II is a disappointing game that fails to build on the potential of the original. While at some moments it manages to capture some of the same strengths, it feels like a poorly implemented retread in several ways. Slight improvements to combat don't make up for a less interesting story, worse characters, weak quest design, and a stark lack of polish.

These are games that anyone that has ever considered themselves a Pokemon fan deserves to play; but not today, and not in this state. One can only hope that a day will come when that recommendation can come easily; I’d like nothing more than to be able to do so.

These are games that anyone that has ever considered themselves a Pokemon fan deserves to play; but not today, and not in this state. One can only hope that a day will come when that recommendation can come easily; I’d like nothing more than to be able to do so.

I thought about giving Guardians of Azuma a 7, because what game is here isn't strictly terrible, but unfortunately it is extremely disappointing on a wider scale. Boring dungeons, bland combat, lackluster progression, and thin customization are propped up by a fun cast of characters, pretty good voice acting, and pretty good village editing tools — but it's not enough to make the game fun to play. If you only care about the character interactions and marrying the love of your Azuma life, then the combat and village management is a tedious means towards that end, and if you're looking for engaging progression systems, you'll have to look elsewhere, I'm afraid.

When I wasn’t getting frustrated with New Pokemon Snap, I was having a great time – but I really can’t help but question the thought process with saving the best of the game for after the player has exhausted so much of the game’s content. It feels like I’m being asked to prove I deserve to play more of the game I fell in love with on the Wii’s Virtual Console by finishing a huge stack of work first. For a game that seems so determined to relax the player, I feel like they forgot to consider that there’s a fine line between relaxation and boredom. New Pokemon Snap didn’t have to bore me, and that’s what makes it all the more frustrating.

Cryptmaster was a game I had hoped I would enjoy more. In the end, it's a solid proof of concept with a few hints of what it could be in the future. Cryptmaster is a game with a lot to say, but much like with the game's undead protagonists - it feels like its a bit confused on how to say it.

Iron Danger is a unique tactical game unlike most others out there. Clocking in at around 12 hours long, it doesn't overstay its welcome. It's an interesting take on a tactical style, but I don't think it will leave a lasting impression on me.

I’m supposed to care about the drifters, which would make the ending of the episode all the more harrowing, but I never got enough time with them to care. Still, Episode 4 will be sure to strain some heartstrings, and in hindsight will probably make this episode a bit better, when it releases.

If you’ve already played The Outer Worlds then getting it on Switch might only be worth it if you’re wanting to play it on the go, as there aren't really any other additions here worth the purchase. If you’ve not been able to play it then, despite some graphical and technical downgrades, The Outer Worlds is still completely playable on the Switch and a fantastic game no matter what platform you play on.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is easily the best SAO game made by far. Not only is there plenty of things to do, but the combat, gameplay mechanics, and production is far better than the prior entries. It is clear a lot of work went into making this game, and they continue to add content with nearly every patch they've released so far. Unfortunately, it's weighed down by a low-stakes plot; awful party intelligence; and one too many systems at play. They've an ample amount of potential here, but unless you're a fan of the series or at least have a passing interest, it's difficult to recommend.

While the multiplayer is nice to have back, and the controller support is solid overall, I was otherwise left uninspired. I will always appreciate games becoming easier for new people to experience or getting a console port, but between the harmless-but-still-annoying bugs, the bland menus, and the lack of meaningful quality-of-life updates, I don’t feel like this release lives up to the “enhanced” moniker it's given itself. The package feels like a missed opportunity. Enhanced Edition is okay. It didn’t crash on me (I’m not faulting this game for crashing due to a mod that wasn’t designed for it), so that’s always good, but that’s a pretty low standard to hold. If you want to play Neverwinter Nights 2 with your friends without installing a mod, or on a console/with a controller, sure, pick up the Enhanced Edition. If not, then there is really no reason to buy this version over the Complete Edition that is readily available and at a lower price.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to recommend this game as enthusiastically as Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s other works. While I found many of the characters likable, the story didn’t register any stakes for me. All the twists seemed to take away urgency from the story, so much that the triumphs felt predictable by the end. In that way, World’s End Club is like the watered-down version of the two works that inspired it. Understandably, it’s not supposed to be the same. However, World’s End Club still doesn’t quite stand on its own. To its credit, it's successfully uplifting and heartfelt -- just not in the most cohesive way. I’d give a light recommendation to those who enjoy coming-of-age anime stories without the need to overthink them.

I struggle to pinpoint any particular facet of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree that is exceptional. The combat is serviceable, the narrative is adequate, and the exploration is fine. There's some comfort in navigating the map & finding new secrets in a way that search action games tend to be comfortable, and there's some satisfaction in the gameplay in which soulslike games tend to be satisfying, but I'm mostly left with indifference.

MegaTagmension presents an unspectacular experience that could have presented a lot more with the concept it had. When put side-by-side with Neptunia U, I had a far better time with the latter - at least when it came to the single player mode.

If you're looking for a Persona spin-off, Persona Q is a much better use of your time and money. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a rhythm game first and foremost, there are much better options for you to pursue. Persona 3 and 5 Dancing aren't bad, but in today's rhythm games climate - they needed to offer a lot more to stand out from the crowd.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins offers an engrossing and deeply satisfying open world in the lands of Egypt. Gorgeous visuals make it a lovely place to explore with rich environments. Still, the excessive amount of bugs at launch are devastating and hampered my experience significantly. Add to that a poorly paced narrative devoid of substantial character development and a battle system that fails to meet its full potential and I can't help but feel something important is missing, Regardless, Assassin's Creed: Origins has a lot to offer new and old fans alike - though the state of its technical performance at launch is highly questionable.

If you're looking for a Persona spin-off, Persona Q is a much better use of your time and money. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a rhythm game first and foremost, there are much better options for you to pursue. Persona 3 and 5 Dancing aren't bad, but in today's rhythm games climate - they needed to offer a lot more to stand out from the crowd.

Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story isn’t quite the Way of the Samurai game I wanted but that doesn’t make it terrible; there is just an untapped well of potential that it ultimately fails to reach though.

Soul Covenant is one of those games that is frustratingly close to delivering what I wanted it to. RPG progression, while basic, would be engaging if the game had enough content outside of the main story to compliment it through its runtime; the story could've been so much more with more scenes to sell it. Despite it all, Soul Covenant managed to recapture at least some of the feelings I remembered from Soul Sacrifice - but in a way that makes the whole package all the more disappointing. I believe the team had the capabilities to deliver something truly special here. It's just a shame that what they ultimately released is such a mixed bag.

There’s too much unsatisfying combat, too many contrived moral choices, and too much corny writing they expect you to take deathly seriously. By the time the credits rolled, I was more than willing to pound a stake through Vampyr’s proverbial heart.

With Automatron Bethesda has shrewdly managed to zero in on one already compelling point of Fallout 4's experience, dropping in a new twist that solidly expands on that point in an interesting new way. As such, it's a perfect add-on for those either experiencing the wasteland for the first time or returning for a new play-through. It's simplistic and short story component means that it arguably doesn't have enough content to actually draw you back in on its own, and that's a shame, but if more Fallout 4 is on the cards for you already and you love customization, there's a strong argument for playing it with Automatron attached.

ClaDun Returns might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it will definitely fill a void for players who want a throwback to something from the retro days that displays strong fundamentals towards its dungeon crawling roots. The game is loaded with content as there are tons of stages, and its compact brevity is ideal for portable playthroughs. Unfortunately, this same feature is also holding the game back, making it an extremely repetitively and somewhat flawed experience.

Interesting companions, a unique framework, and a strong story were all enough to force me to keep going, to hope that I could somehow navigate the bugs, ignore the failed questlines I wanted to finish, and persevere through wonky balancing in an attempt to reach the game's conclusion, only to be stonewalled on the last lap. In 6 months or so, once the many numerous issues are dealt with both on a performance front as well as balance, this game could be amazing. But right now it's not, and sadly, it's not close.

By the conclusion of Weird West, I thought that the experience was interesting and original enough to not have felt as though my time had been wasted on an unfun experience, but only just barely. The five character stories do manage to build up to a largely satisfying conclusion, and there is enough persistence from character to character to make at least some of the experience feel meaningful and sometimes even poignant. However, I also often found myself ignoring locations and battles and just main-lining toward the next story beat to the finish line because I simply wanted to see how the threads ended up wrapping together, looking for some sort of payoff. Weird West is a creative game full of neat ideas that just didn't quite come together in the end.

What Dream Daddy has to offer is pretty good, but ultimately it feels just a bit unfinished. It feels like this visual novel could have used a bit more time in the oven, fleshing out events and backstories, and providing proper epilogues for the Dads. For a visual novel subgenre that's underrepresented in the West, Dream Daddy is a decent title worth your time, but I can't shake the feeling that it could have easily been so much more.

Zwei: The Arges Adventure is sadly not a very interesting game, but I give XSEED huge props for their dedication in finally bringing the title over to English players. At less than 20 hours in length for the main story, it's a title that might be worth checking out as a sort of curious novelty, but it's probably not going to leave any lasting impression.

There was a chance for these games to be some of the best in the series, and it’s just depressing that the final product that we’re left with is so utterly flawed. What was cut from the experience wasn’t worth what sparse improvements that the games received, and what we got feels like it should match the 3DS games’ price-point, and not a $60 Switch game’s. Pokemon deserves better, and I don’t think that’s greedy to hope for.

There was a chance for these games to be some of the best in the series, and it’s just depressing that the final product that we’re left with is so utterly flawed. What was cut from the experience wasn’t worth what sparse improvements that the games received, and what we got feels like it should match the 3DS games’ price-point, and not a $60 Switch game’s. Pokemon deserves better, and I don’t think that’s greedy to hope for.