Playing Doom on the Nintendo Switch had me marveling at the game in awe all over again. Though it’s been more than six months since the official release of the Switch, the idea of taking a proper, AAA console game with you on the go is still an incredible concept, and it’s on full display here with Bethesda’s Doom port. My experience with Doom on the Switch has been nice, but technology has not yet advanced far enough for us to be able to enjoy a home console experience on a portable device without making a few, crucial sacrifices.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One takes the series in a completely opposite direction of its predecessors, souring its potential in favor of adding gameplay elements that pad runtime and take away from the investigations. Fans of the series may find some joy in getting to experience the original content or solving clues the hard way, but I was certainly not one of them.

Once the clunky stealth controls of The Consequence are married to the less than cooperative camera, all that’s left is an idea that never seems to come into proper fruition. What does exist is a frustrating experience that had some potential. Unfortunately, it takes more than potential to make something worthwhile.

Held back by baked-in design decisions, muddy graphical effects, and non-exciting sound design, it’s doubtful that GRIP could make any significant comeback due to its flaws. With these elements in mind, GRIP: Combat Racing should take a pass from prospective purchasers.

All in all, Disney Speedstorm is a game that I can see myself returning to, both for the new seasons and to dive into high-action races with my favorite Disney personalities. There aren’t many other live service games in the racing genre, so for those who love cosmetics, Disney, or playing with friends, this title will be a great addition to the mix and an upbeat way to take a break from the shooters and battle royales. [Early Access Score = 80]

The Swindle has some really cool ideas, and the sound and visuals make for one of the prettiest games out there. But, for players looking for something new or are intrigued by the steampunk aesthetic, the randomized barrier to entry may be a bit too much.

Nitroplus Blasterz – Heroines Infinite Duel plays it too safe, to the point of taking the game’s potential and squandering it.

Despite what is a promising combat formula as well as the supporting systems behind it when it comes to skills, crafting, and upgrades, there are also several equally frustrating aspects of it that hold the game back. The hope is that Mundfish is able to fix some of the more glaring issues post-launch, but right now, it feels less like a welcomed revolution and more like a nuclear disaster.

The only fun in Farming Simulator 17 comes from you, and when you need to actively search for fun in a game, you know you’re not dealing with a good one.

It’s adequate; it has compelling moments; it passes the time, until enough time passes and you’ve had your fill. To say that it’s repetitive would be akin to calling an online shooter or a sports game repetitive: whilst it absolutely is, it all comes down to whether or not the fun can sustain the repetition.

If you’re a big fan of the hyper-precision platforming genre, it’s got a pretty good take on it with some great dressing. If you’re looking for an action-oriented stealth experience, though, steer yourself elsewhere.

Seven’s narrative is certainly its main draw and rescues the often woeful gameplay. The lackluster stealth and bland combat are big issues, as is the frustrating world design.

TERA is a low-risk game to try out. Yeah, the questing isn’t anything to write home about it seems, but it’s still a fast-paced, free-to-play MMORPG, that is genuinely fun to play thanks to its dynamic combat.

What I’m left with is a passable, extremely repetitive game that offers up brief bursts of catharsis muddled in a misguided sea of queasy colors, and all wrapped up in a convoluted and uncompelling plot.

As the sounds and music of the Viking people play in the background, it becomes clear that Frozenheim would have benefited more by just being a city builder and making full use of its source material and inspirations. Rather than delivering an undercooked campaign mode and real-time combat, allowing players to experience life as the Norse fully would have gone a long way; alas, it was not to be, and it might be best to leave this game out in the cold if real-time strategy is what you are seeking.

While offering a pretty much functional agricultural simulator, Mirthwood is an overall mediocre RPG that needed more time in the oven.

The Teal Mask DLC was precisely what I assumed it would end up being: a small update that would take me a few hours at most to complete. While the quality of life changes are noticeable, it doesn’t make up for Scarlet & Violet’s pre-existing graphical issues, and the lack of new Pokemon leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I have higher hopes for the next DLC, the Indigo Disk, but it would’ve been nice if the same effort that’s going into the Indigo Disk was also put into the Teal Mask.

When it comes down to it, Jet Kave Adventure is by no means a bad game, it’s just a bit of a bland one.

This game so difficult to play through in the first place: the clunky and robotic feel of your characters and their movements. Extended Dream Edition is a regurgitation of the same nightmare that surfaced last year, and I can’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t already utterly enamored with the game’s beautiful aesthetics.

With poor narrative consistency, troublesome sneaking, and a lack of real coherence or objective, Albino Lullaby ends up falling well short of great despite the fantastic design and wonderful look to it all.

What you’re left with is an interesting curio, a relic from a bygone era by a talented developer. Whilst it’s clear to see the game’s ambition and the fact that it’s utterly unique, it’s also encumbered by a bizarre control scheme, some experimental storytelling techniques that don’t pull together well, and some cringe-worthy navel-gazing dialogue that disappears up its own bottom.

Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair has some good features. One amazing class, destructible environments, and tons of onscreen enemies sounds like the makings of something great. But the highly repetitive missions, dated graphics, forgettable story, and lack of anything worth sticking around for make the game a largely forgettable experience.

There is a clarity to proceedings that invokes the memory of a time when games were uncluttered with narrative baggage, when a single, simple idea was front and center, and gameplay spoke louder than all else. In that sense, playing Boulder Dash now is a nice little hook, and it will keep you entertained for a short while, but with irritating barriers to progress, and a lack of any depth or nuance, it will be a short while indeed.

Party Hard falls flat in execution and bores in some cases. It’s a dour middle ground between a playground for murder and a puzzle: too restrictive in weapon / trap choice and infuriating to enjoy completely, and too simple and redundant to boggle the mind.

It doesn’t stack up to its counterparts on consoles or PC, but it’s certainly a serviceable port. The UI can be cumbersome and unintuitive, and the gameplay itself is incredibly slow paced, but the simulator style has made the transition largely unscathed.

It’s just a massive disappointment that failed to break new ground. It’s a shame because you can tell that a great deal of effort went into building this alternate version of 19th century London, and boy is it gorgeous. But are the beautiful visuals enough to justify the purchase of a game with a clichéd story, uninspired gameplay, and boring werewolves? I don’t think so.

As it stands, it’s very hard - if not impossible - to recommend Alone in the Dark in its current state. Even if you can look beyond the blandness of its design, story, and gameplay, the sheer lack of polish is far too frustrating to warrant spending any money on. It’s a game that, without exaggeration, I had been looking forward to for years. All that’s left now, though, is a sour taste.

It isn’t the first game that had something to prove, and many others have come and surmounted all obstacles put before them. This latest entry into Sonic’s legacy simply failed to do so. While the game works well (I experienced no bugs whatsoever), it’s just not very fun to play. The story lacks substance, the action is slow and very by-the-numbers, and there is no real challenge at any point. The Sonic franchise has been in a rapid decline and it needs a game that will reinvigorate the series and restore faith from fans. Unfortunately, Fire and Ice is not now, nor will it ever be, that game.