The lack of combats or violent situations of any kind, and the simplicity of the research and development mechanics can sometimes add a sense of lacking in terms of challenges. Still, it’s not there where Airborne Kingdom shines. The game displays a variety of quests that will keep us occupied for hours, and the enthralling, constructive and explorative gameplay is more than enough to entertain us. If you’re looking for a warlike approach to civilization development, you will be disappointed, but instead, you can enjoy a sweet and relaxing respite of mindfulness and creativity in these poisonous times.

She Remembered Caterpillars is a charming puzzle game that feels right at home on the Switch. It starts out simple then gets progressively more challenging, but it always treats the player with respect, and in turn, makes you feel like a genius whenever you succeed.

It’s perfect for anybody wanting to play a game with a partner who isn’t normally interested, because it’s fairly hands-off. There are enough choices to make it worth a few playthroughs, and it’s an especially unique way to spend a night indoors with a loved one. It’s one of those games that can help bring new people into the fold.

Fans of games like Furi and Devil May Cry may be surprised with how well Eldest Souls can produce the same sort of frantic and expressive action those games are known for. Its “soulslike” credentials don’t stem from replicating the slow and plodding experience that the subgenre is known for very much. Instead, it’s the focused and diverse boss encounters, on top of the snappy combat and clever customisation. Eldest Souls may not change the face of soulslikes just yet, but it at least demonstrates that there are still new ways to interpret them.

It’s basically a very good game, especially if you have patience and a good head for numbers.

For those who long for another Souls-like game, Mortal Shell will scratch an itch for sure. It has core gameplay and concepts that hearken to their inspiration and do well in living up to expectations on that basis. At a surprisingly low release price of £25, those tempted by the visuals and promise of an experience to fill the gap until FROM returns to take another swing at the genre they created would do well to give Mortal Shell their time and money.

Before you saddle up to take on Bloodroots, you need to ask yourself one question. Do you like pain? The pain of being killed constantly while trying to time a perfect combo. The pain of having finally killed all the baddies, only to plummet to your doom because of a misplaced jump. The pain of being hit once and having to start that section of the level over again. Over and over.

All in all, Wolfstride demonstrates how great a game can be when the characters in it are full of personality, and also succeeds in presenting a combat system that’s fun and challenging, without losing simplicity. Its characters are a bunch of lovely, lowly criminals that conduct themselves kind of aimlessly through life, failing upwards more than progressing, and perhaps, under all that rubbish you can find actually nice people with complex minds and even more complicated lives. But of course, Wolfstride is, first and foremost, a game about mechas demolishing each other, and the game never lets you forget it.

The absence so carefully crafted by Flight School Studios invites us to fill in the narrative gaps of Creature in the Well and creates a unique relationship with the antagonist. But maybe I’m a fool and can’t read the signs before my eyes. Too ready to trust and believe in the good of all. But that’s the power of mystery.

For fans of the series, this is a truly exciting development. It’s smoother and richer than its predecessor and has enough unique features to leave you pleasantly surprised with every upgrade and chapter. The campaign is long and varied, and the difficulty curve gives enough scope to appeal to all levels of interest. I’m going to waste a lot of time on this game. And I’m probably going to miss my train.

The Surge 2 nicely scratches the itch for open-world action. Its less punishing flavour of Souls-like is easier to stomach, and it’s worth checking out for the gratifying combat and clever – albeit confusing – level design. Just don’t expect it to set the genre on fire or captivate you with its narrative.

Arctic Zoo isn’t the best value proposition for Planet Zoo fans, but it’s at least a good quality one. And if you’re keen to expand your menagerie, it’s your first and only opportunity.

There’s so much depth that a lot of people may find themselves drowning in it, but for a lot of hardcore tactics fans, they’ll be very much in their element. It’s all set against stunning artwork and a really interesting world, but the story can be a little lacklustre in places, and there are some pacing issues too.

The industry may be drowning in Metroidvanias, but Sundered does enough to stand out from the crowd with flair.

Even if SuperEpic isn’t the most coherent game, the whole package still works well. With so many different challenges, puzzles and secrets to discover, it’s a worthy evolution of the Metroidvania formula. Using your smartphone is a clever addition, provided you want to use it, while the exploration and combat feels fluid and responsive to where you’re itching to see what awaits you in the next room.

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.

Having to account for inertia when precariously hanging by one hand, as you swing to reach another wall to quickly grab with the other hand is both frantic and fun. In multiplayer, players must work together to climb on each other and world obstacles. It’s a hilarious oddity likely to get lost in the shuffle, but a party game definitely worth checking out.

Twelve Minutes was one of the most interactive and enjoyable games I’ve played in a long while. Even though playing through the same loop again, and again, and again won’t be for everyone, I found the process of changing up my actions each time and moving forward, little by little, to be oddly satisfying, and the sense of accomplishment whenever I made a considerable leap forward was unmatched.

Pikuniku is relentlessly charming throughout its short-but-sweet several hours of play. Many of the more enjoyable moments aren’t even mission-critical, so you’d do well to keep your eyes peeled for bonus nonsensical hijinks rather than just speed your wobbly red appendages towards the conclusion. While not the most sophisticated experience, Pikuniku is a bonkers trip worth leaving your cave for.

This is a game that challenges the idea of how we label games. Sure, Coffee Talk is a sim, but it’s also a vital experience, a potential therapeutic tool. It’s a friend. A gorgeous, lo-fi, nostalgic, heartfelt journey into some complex lives that makes you want to believe in people. What better way to spend your evening than with a couple of vibrant souls, listening to ambient beats and sipping custom coffee? Just don’t blame me if you can’t put it to bed.

I’m hopeful for Feudal Alloy. The style and mechanics are there, it just aches for a rebalancing of the introductory portion of the game. This is absolutely doable. And when it happens, it’ll be an unconditional recommendation. That doesn’t mean you should give it a miss now – just prepare yourself for a rocky start.

Journey to the Savage Planet is one of those rare times that a game is both fun and also funny. It’s a short, fast-paced adventure through alien terrain that will have you chuckling throughout and is full of charm and wonder. It might be a little short for some, and a little easy for others, but the ability to go back through the levels to collect every last item could easily double your time with the game. This is one journey you’re going to want to go on, and the ability to do so with a friend just makes it all the more enticing.

It’s charming and occasionally clever, but as a whole it all just feels kind of familiar.

We. The Revolution confidently handles a wide range of complex gameplay mechanics, setting them against a powerful backdrop. Thematically and gameplay wise, everything works. Some systems are more enjoyable than others but they all have their place, taking you on a bloody, morally bankrupt journey that asks difficult questions and makes you live with your answers.

Observer might be a niche game, mixing walking, adventure, and puzzle elements together in its dingy and desperate 80’s William Gibson-themed world. For those into the aesthetic, this game is a must-play. While we can’t wholeheartedly recommend the Switch port past being a great way to play it on the go, Observer itself is terrific.

At its best, God’s Trigger is mindless fun. It’s fast, gorey, and ridiculous. The action is a suitable stand-in for Hotline Miami, even if the style isn’t nearly as compelling. However, the pulpy tone and ridiculous aesthetic make it easier to look past its technical limitations and limited scope. If you don’t mind a bit of jank and a general lack of compelling personality, there’s a fast and frantic experience that’s generally a lot of fun. Play this with a friend or partner, if you can, and you’ll get a lot more out of its absurdity.

It’s been seven years since we first saw Ys: Memories Of Celceta but this PS4 remaster proves a welcome return for Nihon Falcom’s juggernaut franchise. Bringing us real-time combat, an enjoyable storyline packed with humour and appealing visuals, Ys is a must-have for JRPG fans. Whilst there’s no new content for those who previously beat it, MOC remains a thoroughly enjoyable title and, old fan or new, comes strongly recommended.

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.