Rage 2 is ugly, silly, and dated, and yet, I still enjoyed the hell out of most of my time with it. The game delivers the kind of low-stress, high-satisfaction fun you don’t often get from big-budget games these days. If you’re willing to check your brain at the title screen, I suggest you jump into this apocalypse now.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is definitely among the gaming surprises of 2019, exceeding expectations in the best possible ways. With its gripping tale, charming characters and solid gameplay mechanics, the game is a must-have for those who like single-player games with a strong focus on story and character development. Even if the tale does not take in you, A Plague Tale: Innocence still offers a compelling third-person stealth experience that fans of the genre will surely appreciate.

Were it not for the lack of resources and having to push the game out, I can honestly say that Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey could have been a very good game, though not without the known issues of the tediously slow movement. All in all, if you want to play through an interesting story with a compelling core cast of characters, masterfully voice acted, then you could do a lot worse than Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey.

All things considered, though, I would heartily recommend Close to the Sun. With some fantastic world-building, an incredibly well detailed and atmospheric setting that's enhanced by a cast of interesting characters with great voice acting. The real issue comes from the lack of replay value, though for those who like to explore the world and story, there are reasons to go back.

Konami's first anniversary collection for their 50th anniversary contains some notable arcade classics, but the fact they've been previously released digitally with more options should appeal to only the most ardent of nostalgic fans.

Rise of Industry is fundamentally sound, but it goes from boom to bust too quickly. Poor tutorials make the game hard to get into, and once you do get the hang of things, you’ll find the magic is short-lived due to a lack of depth and polish. There is fun to be had with Rise of Industry, but budding tycoons concerned about value may want to invest elsewhere.

FAR: Lone Sails is a remarkable game that attempts to convey a message through its presentation and gameplay, without using any words, and totally succeeds in doing so. The experience may be on the short side, but if you're looking for something truly artistic and beyond much that has been done so far, look no further.

Dark Devotion looks good and clearly has a lot of imagination behind it, but the systems that keep repeating throughout the game don't do much except getting you lost, confused, or frustrated.

Boxboy + Boxgirl is perfectly pleasant platforming that anyone can enjoy. If you’re looking for a new puzzle game to play on Nintendo Switch in bitesize chunks, look no further than Qbby and his new friend in Boxboy + Boxgirl.

Days Gone puts Bend Studio once again on the map of all PlayStation gamers after many years of oblivion. While it doesn't deliver any meaningful innovations in terms of open world and gameplay mechanics, it's a fun game that sports gorgeous graphics and a surprisingly great story/cast of characters, easily paving the way for a sequel to the stories of Deacon 'the Drifter' St. John.

My Time at Portia is a beautiful, relaxing experience. With the charming art style and plenty of activities to go through, players will easily lose themselves in the game's pleasant setting for hours and hours.

God's Trigger might feel underwhelming at the start, but its mediocre tutorial hides a fast, frantic and fun hack 'n' slash that is perfect to play with a friend.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a first-class fighting game experience, featuring rock-solid core mechanics, impressive production values, and a story that wouldn’t be out of place alongside the summer’s biggest blockbusters. Of course, the game also suffers from some of the drawbacks of big-budget game development, including grindy customization and tacked-on microtransactions, but that stuff is largely superfluous. Beneath the triple-A fat, Mortal Kombat’s bloody heart still beats as strong as ever.

World War Z is a surprisingly fresh take on the well-trodden Left 4 Dead formula. While a bit rough around the edges and nowhere near as groundbreaking as Valve’s series, World War Z is a confident co-op shooter that turns the intensity to 11 without being overwhelming or obnoxious. If you think you’ve got the stamina, this war is worth enlisting for.

Heaven's Vault is a puzzle game you haven't experienced before. From its engaging story to its engrossing fictional language and puzzles, this is a game that feels rewarding in a way that no other game has done before.

Dangerous Driving is, at best, a rough early prototype of a proper Burnout successor. The basic mechanics and sense of speed are there, but they’re badly undermined by bland track design, infuriating AI, a lack of features, and a host of other issues. Those feeling nostalgic for Burnout would be best served taking the classics out for another spin, rather than taking a chance on this lemon.

Nintendo’s Labo VR Kit is yet another genius experiment from the minds of the Big N, but is it essential for Switch owners? Once again, the primary value is in building the ToyCon, not actually playing with them. Having said that, playing with them offers a far better gaming experience than what players found with the other three Labo kits.

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is certainly the prettiest insect-splatting simulation to grace the PlayStation 4 and there are a number of innovations to appeal to a Western audience, but Iron Rain still falls into that campy B-movie aesthetic.

Operencia: The Stolen Sun is an excellent throwback to old-school first-person dungeon crawler games, complete with solid mechanics, a predictable yet enjoyable story and a very well written cast of characters. While the old-school influence is dominant throughout the game, many of these features have been modernized, so even those who never played the classics will find something to enjoy in Operencia, from the beautiful art style to the turn-based battle system and dungeon exploration.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a satisfying collection of mysteries, many of which are still as sharp as when they were first published. Sure, certain aspects of these games feel a touch dated compared to some of the newer, edgier visual novels out there, but few can top Phoenix and friends when it comes to charm. This HD update is a bit barebones, but, overall, these classics are well-represented.

Tropico 6 is the best entry in the series, though not without its flaws. The repetition of random requests with no real direct relation to how your city is developing is always an irritation to me. The economics of the city is especially well developed, though areas like the superpowers feel tacked on at best. Fortunately, new features like raids help the game stand out from its predecessors.

The Assassin's Creed 3 Remaster improved the graphics and very little else. There is a reason this game is one of the least popular in the series history and without anything done to address its previous faults, its age makes it even more unpalatable.

Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World is a small breath of fresh air for the Atelier series, featuring a town-building experience that's different from anything that has been seen in the series before. The mechanics, while not particularly deep, are quite solid and they manage to make the gameplay loop quite engaging, together with the excellent character interaction. The game is clearly aimed at longtime fans of the series, but even those with a more generic knowledge of the Atelier games will find something to like. Just don't expect anything outstanding or revolutionary.

Yoshi's Crafted World is a game utterly dripping with charm, but not that much challenge. It definitely can keep experienced and younger gamers occupied for hours, but this isn't a Switch essential. If you've got a soft spot for the green dino, then this might be worth your while. A great game for kids and younger gamers, but if you're looking for a challenging 2D adventure, this ain't it, chief.

You can tell From Software was happy to try something a little different with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The game has a few mechanical issues, which can largely be chalked up to new series jitters, but its energy and excitement mostly make up for its flaws. Yes, Sekiro can be downright sadistic at times, but those with the bushido (or plain old stubbornness) to face its challenges will have a bloody good time.

It's cute, it's colorful, it's Chocobo and you've probably already played Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon if you've owned a Wii in the past decade.

We. The Revolution is a great concept, there's no doubt about that. Unfortunately, it falls down at one of its key moments, but the overall experience is still tense and very atmospheric.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 4 wraps up seven years of undead drama in satisfying fashion, delivering genuinely moving character moments and meaningful, ultimately uplifting, observations about parenthood. The Final Season Episode 4 can be slightly exhausting, both emotionally and because of an overabundance of action scenes, but fans who have been with Clementine since the beginning won’t want to miss the final leg of her journey.