Maquette is a sort of sketch of a finished sculpture, or an architectural model… is the game saying this relationship was a sketch of better times, a process to go through in order to reach some future ideal? If so, it’s a well-worn narrative, and nothing is added by its puzzles. It ends up feeling like a clumsy mash-up of Synecdoche, New York and 500 Days of Summer, but without the introspection of either. At the very least, its puzzles and environments are captivating, but unlike its lateral thinking solutions, it never brings a new angle to its central narrative.

The Suicide of Rachel Foster is an interesting game. There are many ways to approach and critique it that will reveal myriad facets to it, and this is but one observation of narrative discourse. Within this subgenre, it stands on the shoulders of giants or at the very least tall minotaurs. But it doesn’t quite deliver the all-encompassing experience it might hope to.

All in all, Tower of Babel – No Mercy is exactly what it sets out to be — an easily picked up party game that’s good for a few frantic games with friends or family. There’s such a low barrier to entry that anyone could play it, so those struggling to get parents or less game-friendly friends into the mix should find this a far easier sell than the more complex party games available on Switch. Just brace yourself for the finger-pointing when someone’s sloppily placed piece brings the whole thing crumbling down.

Its fair to say that TBC touches on a lot of timely concerns but doesn’t have the wiggle room to delve further. As far as I’m concerned, the game is a parable on the arrogance of exploiting heritage sites. Back in the early 20th century, Stonehenge was actually bought from the Antrobus family and ‘gifted’ to the nation by Cecil Chubb. Let’s hope that life won’t imitate art and the great lithic monument doesn’t end up as an expensive ornament for a rich family.

I can easily recommend this game — it’s enjoyable, attractive, and fleshed out. I do think having to wait around fifteen hours for an emotional hook might be pushing it (especially if, like me, you love story and character), but again, this could change as you push into your sixteenth hour and beyond.

Heaven’s Vault’s narrative is so good, though, that you don’t think much about the parts that don’t really work. The devs understood that the nature of the game and its identity is rooted less in its gameplay and more in its story. They decided to put more of its eggs in the story basket, which, in the end, pays off.

Instead of having a cast of lovable or unlovable animals to play as you get faceless soldiers in a divided America. None of these units ever really seem to feel anything, and as a result, neither will you. It’s just a bit barren comparatively. It’s also very hard to shake the feeling that this is a testing ground for ideas they’d like to use in the sequel to Mutant Year Zero (Mutwont Year Zero), which explains the cheaper price tag but makes it feel a little more noncommittal as well. It’s still fun, and the battles are still good, but it has a really hard time getting its hooks into you and dragging you through the story.

While it’s going to be a little too simplistic for some people, it’s a very good game if you’re looking to introduce somebody else to strategy games, then it might well be the perfect chance to do so.

While Bite the Bullet didn’t blow us away, it’s still a fun diversion for fans of old school run n’ gun action. Unfortunately, it came out a scant two weeks after Carrion, another much better side-scrolling retro pixel game largely also centred around eating people. If you only play one game this year about chomping on people, go that route. If you have room for two though, this Bullet is worth a taste.

Thankfully the slow, narrative focus of Adios means these issues shouldn’t get in the way of what matters; the thoughtful story and the melancholy atmosphere. If you want a refreshing perspective on the kinds of stories games can tell and how they tell them, Adios is well worth your time.

Rise of Industry will scratch an itch for the enterprising industry builders, the spreadsheet-clutching efficiency aficionados and the capitalist megalomaniacs. But if you’re not strongly of that persuasion – myself included – it’s still satisfying to see your business empire and distribution network expand, cities thrive and balance book increase. Or, you know, heartbreaking when that doesn’t happen.

Despite its apparent unoriginality, Close to the Sun is actually striking and fresh. Don’t let its clear BioShock influences fool you into thinking it’s derivative. It may not be the most consistent experience, but it’s certainly a memorable one. If you’re a fan of strong world-building, spooky atmospheres, and engaging mysteries, it’s worth looking past some of Close to the Sun’s glaring issues.

The Ascent is mostly a mindless, violent jaunt through a meticulously rendered cyberpunk city; what little portrayal of the themes of depravity and inequality are merely set-dressing for the game. Yet for all its facelessness, what was most indelible was still its city, the disparity between the powerful and powerless depicted in its spaces: from the cramped, unsanitary alleys home to the ceaseless chatter of its most downtrodden, to the shine of the marble floor in the wealthier districts, soon to be sullied by the dead bodies you leave behind.

If anything, Spitlings is very relaxing to play. I can see it being great for people who are bored and need something light to occupy their time. While it may seem like it’d be a fun couch co-op game as well, there are plenty of other titles that come to mind that accomplish what Spitlings sets out to do much better. Despite this, the music is very fun to listen to as you button mash and watch all of the orbs of spit rain down and eliminate the evil goo on the screen, and the game is very aesthetically pleasing to look at. However, it leaves a bit to be desired in terms of engagement as the game goes on, and the novelty wears off pretty quickly.

Eastern Exorcist has a solid foundation, and launching in early access is definitely to its benefit. The game has some localization issues, as some key item descriptions were completely left untranslated from Chinese, which I couldn’t read (sorry dad). However, that didn’t impede me from progressing. With a bit of tweaking to its combat and polishing up on its localization, Eastern Exorcist can be an even better experience.

While the wonders of hiking around the beautiful world never really wear off, there are a lot of issues with how the game portrays women, how on the nose it is with some of its messaging, and there’s an overriding feeling of there being simply too many messages for one game. That all being said, the music is incredible, and it’s undeniably fascinating, even if it is marred by its story-telling failings.

Overall, Project Wingman, or dare I say Ace Combat 8: Oh no not more rockets should absolutely fill the boots of those who have been looking for an arcade aerial combat game. Specifically of the Ace Combat genre.

My Time At Portia makes up for its lack of polish with nearly everything else it has to offer. It has what seems to be an endless amount of content, so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth. It doesn’t quite reinvent the wheel, but it definitely gives the games it’s inspired by a run for their money.

Fledgling Heroes is a game you can play with one thumb – perfect for bus journeys, but too simplistic to play at home. Yet it’s impressively Nintendo-like in its design, taking one concept and creating near endless variation. It’s a polished experience that makes for a flap-tastic diversion.

It’s just pure gameplay, and sometimes, that’s all you need in a game. Unfortunately, it does suffer a little bit from repetition. While it’s nice to see this style of game back again, it’s a shame it wasn’t a full remake, as the technical limitations of the older consoles can be felt in some of the level designs.

While I definitely enjoyed my time with Biomutant, I’m left feeling a little deflated coming out the other end of it. The world of Biomutant was a joy to traverse, and there was an almost Breath of the Wild quality, the same drive to see what was over the hill in front of me, or what was around the corner. However, given that combat plays such a huge part of the game, the rather middling nature of it makes fights feel like inconveniences, rather than something to enjoy.

While it remains to be seen if it will survive a player lull, and whether new players from all walks of life will be comfortable diving into a level editor that, while packed with features, doesn’t know how to explain those possibilities, as it stands today, Million To One Hero is a solid time sink to get those creative juices flowing.

Featuring a charming aesthetic and imaginative puzzle designs, it is unfortunate that the core element of PHOGS! feels rather frustrating at points. Though the co-op angle of playing a conjoined character is quite unique, that lack of free movement can prove quite limiting. It works fine as a solo game, but co-op is where it truly shines and that requires good communication with your Player Two. If you’re willing to give it that time and patience, this is still a wholesome experience that comes recommended.

The game is not forgiving, but if you are in the market for an environmental puzzler and enjoy splashing limbs every which way, then it may just be for you. It really makes you feel like Spider-Man if spiderman was a cybernetic murderninja set on saving the last vestiges of humanity from the ravage of poor architectural design.

There’s plenty of fun in all the chaos, but it is, perhaps, a little too much going on at once. There’s quite a steep learning curve to this mix of genres and it’s more free-form and loose than other tower defense games, lacking the chess-like satisfaction of rigid grid-based maps. The story is minimal, merely a framework for the action, but the game looks great and runs smoothly on the Switch. It’s certainly solid enough to entertain for a good few hours.

Lightmatter is a generally well-crafted experience which gently eases you into more difficult challenges and switches up the puzzles just when you’re getting irritable. Tunnel Vision Games have created a finessed puzzler with superb pacing.

If the game’s adventures were longer and more purposefully designed, they could be far more appealing. As it stands, Dicey Dungeons exists for players interested in its idiosyncrasies and punishing challenges.

Ring of Pain understands what enamours roguelike fans to a new arrangement of rules and challenges. The focus on lateral movement and strategic interaction forced me to think ahead as I fought my way through a world full of beautiful and haunting creature designs. But an over-reliance on chance and an underdeveloped world cut the legs out from underneath all that polish and initial charm. Those hungry for something different will love the first taste, but I’m just not sure it will convince you to come back for a second helping.