It’s difficult to assign a score to a title as esoteric as Art Sqool, an art game that seeks to encourage players to tap into their creativity and doodle in the midst of a captivating, candy-coloured universe. Be it ruminating about the themes of your assignment in a cozy corner, or messing up your homework by haphazardly scribbling over your blank canvas, Art Sqool requires you to discover your potential and assign your own meaning to the experience. Even though I’ve found the game to be a ceaselessly charming one, there are also times when I quickly tire of its lack of incentives and activities. Give this a twirl if you’re looking to indulge your artistic capabilities and moments of quiet introspection.

There's some fun to be had in the dungeon crawling and battling an inventive array of enemies, but for the romance side of the game to be simultaneously funny, you have to be able to take the characters seriously, which unfortunately, I just couldn’t. The reliance on stereotypes and tongue-in-cheek narration turned this game into a comedy, but considering it as a romance game really lowers the quality of the entire game.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Wolf has a lot of promise, starting out very strong but it's ultimately let down by what feels like a very rushed last couple of chapters. The characters, the setting, the atmosphere and the writing are all on point which is what makes this feel like a sadly missed opportunity to make an all time great. Here’s hoping they flesh out the next one.

Super Meat Boy Forever is an interesting sequel. It attempts to build on the legacy of its predecessor, but the additions it brings to the table cannot elevate it beyond the simplicity of the original. The updated visuals are welcome, but Super Meat Boy Forever is a classic example of trying too hard to innovate, while losing sight of what made the series so beloved.

Star Renegades doesn’t countenance mistakes, while demanding an inordinate amount of commitment from its players due to its mechanically dense system. This can be a challenging game to get into, from learning about its intricate turn-based combat, to making sense of the walls of text, numbers and symbols it throws at you. Those patient enough to familiarise themselves with what this roguelike has to offer, however, may find this to be a tactically satisfying experience.

Root Double: Before Crime * After Days Xtend Edition is a stellar story full of incredible twists and well-explored themes. It's just a shame that it hits a few bumps as it gets to those moments. Mind-numbing exposition dumps, vague narrative decisions, and some inconsistent pacing sour the experience a fair bit. Even so, there's an incredibly memorable visual novel experience here as long as you've got the patience for some nagging issues.

When you then add in the cute pixel art style, and the astoundingly good chiptune soundtrack, Monster Sanctuary not only blurs the lines between genres, but also between modern and old-school games. The story is a little light, but the gameplay is almost perfect, and this is an excellent monster-taming adventure and Metroidvania game all rolled into one.

Override 2: Super Mech League really should have been a fun and accessible party brawler. It certainly had the basics covered with accessible controls and a vibrant roster of characters on offer. Unfortunately an ineffective 3rd person camera, non-existent online matchmaking, weak league mode and a stifling lack of variety to its gameplay marks Override 2 a long way short of being the Mechtacular fighter we all wanted it to be. More 'Meh'tacular then.

As someone with a lifelong soft spot for the medium-specific charm of video game glitches, Cyberpunk 2077’s botched launch just ain’t it. Even overlooking the rushed rollout, after an eternity of being bludgeoned in the face with hyperbole, running through 2077 feels like five different games stitched together into an entertaining, passably decent, generic behemoth.

Morkredd is an interesting experiment in the use of light and dark to solve puzzles. However, the constraints of all the shadowy deaths and the occasionally frustrating movement of the ball stops Morkredd from being a better game. Through the great artwork there are hints this could have been something more.

Gonner 2's main aim is to make your life a living hell. If you think you’re ‘ard enough, Gonner 2 is here to prove you really aren’t, and if that’s your type of thing then you can go right ahead. The procedurally generated levels can seem unfair and overly random in places, often leading to the end of a run, but its controls, music and artstyle have to be commended for creating such a gritty and dark atmosphere. Fitting for a game that’ll make you want to die.

Calico is a wonderfully weird and whimsical game. With a few tweaks to the rendering of the game, a few glitch fixes, and the ability to customise the controls, it would be an ideal island to visit for a few hours at a time. If only I could get my Animal Crossing island to have the same atmosphere…

Although very much of its time in visuals and sound, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light holds its own in the modern day thanks to solid gameplay and structure. Almost everything you know and love about the series is here, and the game is worth picking up if only for the insight into early parts of the franchise. It’s not an essential Switch game by any means, and quite alienating for beginners to the series, but it’s practically compulsory for fans of Fire Emblem.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond offers a fun and lengthy single player campaign with lots of replayability alongside a full featured suite of multiplayer modes. I did, however, find the general tone to be somewhat at odds with the respectful presentation, lacking a connection with real history and feeling more like a Wolfenstein game at times. There are also some issues still to be patched, which Respawn are working on, and the multiplayer lacks players right now. Overall, this is a tour of duty that is rewarding but not essential.

Although a big target, Sephiroth is a lighter character than expected and when facing him that can be exploited. This, along with the delay following a lot of his moves are the main ways to defeat the One-Winged Angel himself. When playing as him, he's a fun and powerful character who can dole out dangerous attacks from a distance and has a lot of combo potential. The other elements of the DLC have drastically improved the last time we saw Final Fantasy VII represented in the game and even though the stage is a bit dull, this Challenger Pack was a pleasant surprise that will bring us all as much happiness as Sephiroth will likely bring despair to the Super Smash Bros roster.

Like the characters in the game, Shady Part of Me is elegant, but troubled. At its core, the game is a well-designed puzzle game about a girl who has to cooperate with herself to overcome her mental health condition. Between this and the moody, melancholy aesthetic, the game hits home in all the right ways, which is why it’s such a shame that the ending just doesn’t stick the landing.

YesterMorrow is an entirely competent and mostly sound platformer. Sure, there's some issues around the occasionally finicky controls, but these are mostly balanced out through the exemplary level design. The main issue here is that the gameplay experience is so very hum-drum. YesterMorrow is a mish-mash of many other better games that we've all played before. As such it struggles to build its own identity and never becomes a compelling experience.

Visage is close to being of the best horror games of recent years, but it's held back by some annoying aspects. The inventory controls are awkward, there were still a few bugs that prevented me from interacting with the environment, and the chapters are far too uneven, with the third being particularly bad. That being said, if you are prepared to work through these issues there is a lot of spooky fun to be found here and it is more than just jump scares for streamers (although there are plenty of those). With a little more polish and a better third chapter, this could have been an essential purchase. Instead, Visage is somewhat haunted by the spectre of what might have been.

WWE Undefeated is ok. For a free to play mobile game, it has quite a good fighting system which definitely serves as a good base to build on, but it’s very light on content and needs more development to add some other basic functions.

Batbarian wades into the Metroidvania genre with enjoyable exploration, tricky and inventive puzzle mechanics, and an array of impressive accessibility options. A more helpful map that included signposting would make this a real Metroidvania highlight, but it still comes highly recommended for fans of the genre.

Empire of Sin is a promising strategy game but one that feels woefully incomplete. I can't recommend it, but I can recommend following it's hopeful transition into something genuinely wonderful.

Haven is an uplifting and positive tale of a young couple setting out to make an alien planet their home. Yu and Kay are a likeable pair as you watch their relationship strengthen, the world of Source is a gorgeous place to explore, and the soundtrack is great as well. While the overarching story could be deeper and battles could be streamlined further, Haven is a game that offers a chilled out escape.

Doom Eternal is one of my favourite games of this year, and Panic Button has outdone themselves in bringing this unforgettable FPS to the Nintendo Switch. There are some awkward nags like the clunky Joy-Con sticks and playing at 30fps that bring the experience down a bit, but I'm still beside myself over the fact that Doom Eternal manages to work on a Nintendo Switch. Is this the ultimate version of the game? Not by a long shot. But if you only have access to a Switch or you've been dying to bring this game on the go, you'll still have the time of your life.

If you're coming to Fitness Boxing 2 fresh-faced and don't own the first game, then it might be worth picking up. However, if you played the first one or if you own Ring Fit Adventure, it's incredibly hard to recommend it unless you're really into thirsting over the instructors, all of whom you can still rather creepily dress-up and customise.

Alba is the kind of game that all young people should play. Not only is it a heart-warming romp where you get to look at animals, it’s educational and empowering, inspiring and beautiful. Not only have ustwo created a world that is stunning to look at, but they’ve crafted a narrative that boldly shouts that this girl can. Never underestimate the power of an 11-year-old girl — especially one on a mission to do right by the world around her.

Even without the original’s VR elements, Chronos: Before the Ashes’ compelling and somewhat challenging combat is still its main draw, in which you have to attack, dodge and parry your way, with refined precision, towards victory. Its aging system also adds an interesting twist to combat, imbuing your battles with a sense of prudence. That said, it doesn’t offer anything new to the genre. Just watch out for its clumsy camera angles and you’ll do fine.

You can have the most advanced drone piloting physics in the world, but if the tutorial is dull, the career structure nondescript and the racing lacklustre, I’m afraid the combined package does not enthral. A pity.

I persevered with Battle Hunters and finished it (admittedly after dropping the difficulty down) but there wasn’t really a point where I actually enjoyed my experience. The most frustrating thing is that there were moments when it nearly came together in tactical combat, but it was continually held back by the need to rest characters and not sharing XP to non-party members. As a result, this is one adventure in which too many heroes spoil the game.