As long as you can accept its learning curve, Battery Jam is a fine multiplayer game. There are plenty of things that can be done, and it takes a while to get everything down before you can start playing and enjoying yourself. Once you understand the game, you'll find that there's some depth to the chaos, and even though there's no real meat to the game beyond local multiplayer, you'll enjoy the short bursts of fun it provides as a buffer between other multiplayer titles in your possession.

The bare-bones plot and general lack of direction mean you must make your own fun. It's set in a largely static world that doesn't care about the choices you make, and the few times when you can impact the world may be lost to you or circumvented by others with a mere server hop. There's fun to be had if you enjoy the thought of poking around a Fallout wasteland with a friend. Otherwise, very little here feels new, and it feels like a lot of content is missing in comparison to previous games in the series.

All in all, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - Owltimate Edition is a well-made and enjoyable platformer. It doesn't break the mold, but it does what it does very well. It's easy to pick up and a lot of fun to play. There are some minor flaws here and there, but nothing really drags down the game. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, then you'll likely enjoy Giana Sisters. It's not quite on par with some of the greats, but it's a comfortable and fun romp for players of all ages.

Sure, the gameplay and story can be a little slow, and the narration is somewhat gauche and not well mixed, but these are minor issues in an otherwise intriguing, original game that shows the potential of human helplessness in a visceral and highly informative way. Narcosis is a mystery that plays on how little we know about our own world, as the game aggressively reminds us with elements of supernatural terror.

Rigid Force Alpha is a good kind of throwback. It may look and sound modern, but it has a good grasp of what made some classic shooters become evergreen entries for fans. It has a good spread of weapons, and the difficulty feels fair as long as you're good with its limits. It may not be able to construct a good story or present much that would be considered unique to the genre, but those who crave old-school sensibilities will enjoy Rigid Force Alpha if they have the patience to get through some initial booting issues.

The camera is a source of constant frustration since it causes a number of issues where you get sucker-punched in combat while you're still relatively weak. With that said, the combat becomes enjoyable once you come to grips with the Dark Souls-style system and the more open level design takes the sting out of having to fight through closed spaces for most of the game. One has to wonder how different the possible fourth game could be.

In truth, the real value of Turf Wars is entirely dependent on the final piece of DLC scheduled to hit a month from now. Provided it delivers on an exciting finale, all of the rough spots in the tale will be worth it. Until then, your enjoyment of the Turf Wars DLC will be entirely dependent on how excited you are to fight loads of enemies and how invested you are in the characterization of one of your allies. Overall, it isn't great, but it does enough to keep things intriguing until the final installment.

Taken as the sum of its parts, FIFA 19 is the most complete and beautiful soccer game around. Upon closer inspection, the latest entry doesn't shine as brightly. There are some admittedly great additions to this year's offering, but they don't add enough to the game to make it worthwhile for returning players who are invested in single-player content.

Moonlighter does an excellent job of getting the player to want to delve deeper into the dungeons, since venturing further yields greater rewards. Intricate details and visuals give Moonlighter a memorable style. Enemy designs provide an ample challenge for the risky adventurer, but the story falls short because the narrative isn't memorable.

The honest truth is that despite being a lot older, Orochi 3 is the game I'd prefer to play over Warriors Orochi 4. It feels more fully featured, more well-designed, more interesting to play, and it has a more interesting cast. If you're burned out on Orochi 3, then Orochi 4 might give you a nice fix. It's not a bad game — just a very by-the-numbers entry in the series. Fans of the franchise will probably get their usual enjoyment out of it, but there's little to strongly recommend it over most of the recent Warriors games.

Fans of the Battlefield franchise will find that despite its flaws, Battlefield V warrants a return trip to World War II. If we look at raw numbers, there's less content than before, but the quality of the maps remains the same, and free DLC is on the way. Some old modes, like Frontlines, feel like a slog, while new modes like Grand Operations feel quite quick despite having longer intended play times. The game looks gorgeous, but it still has some graphical issues that need to be ironed out. Despite all of this and a number of bugs that are already being addressed by DICE, BF5 still manages to retain all of the traits and quirks that make the Battlefield series feel exhilarating.

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a fantastic remake of the original Spyro trilogy. It expertly toes the line between loyalty to the classics and updating the originals. I would absolutely put it in the high end of remasters, and I felt it did an even better job than the recent Crash Bandicoot remaster. The only real flaw is that it's still a port of PS1-era games, so if that play style isn't up your alley, Spyro Reignited probably won't change your mind.

Iro Hero is a decent game with a poorly thought-out execution. The game is difficult but almost unforgiving, as longer-than-usual levels and a high enemy count mean you'll start at the beginning of stages far more often than you'd like. The mechanics are barely explained in-game due to the ill-conceived layout, and the story suffers the same fate as well. With an inconsistent presentation to boot, Iro Hero is a game that's solely for hardcore genre fans, as everyone else will barely make it out of the first stage before deleting it in favor of other, better-executed shooters.

All in all, Hitman 2 is the series at its best without shooting for the stars. It's an incremental update to a working formula that is fun to play, but it can sometimes feel underwhelming. Based on its level design and gameplay opportunities alone, Hitman 2 is one of the best entries in the series — and that's all you need to know if you're a fan of the franchise.

LEGO DC Super-Villains offers a lot of great things to like, despite my small quibbles. The title makes up for redundant core gameplay with its sheer variety of playable characters, robust character creation suite, and abundance of side content to complete. Meanwhile, its relatively by-the-books story is bolstered by phenomenal voice acting and classic LEGO charm. It may not be the mature, gritty super-villains game that many would like, but LEGO DC Super-Villains is still worth your time and money.

Tetris Effect checks all the boxes, and if you're into music and puzzle games that are as challenging as they are meditative, look no further. Tetris Effect is truly the best version of Tetris I've ever played, but at the same time, it is "just Tetris." It pushes the gameplay into interesting directions without actually changing any significant part of the core gameplay, and that's the beauty of it.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a perfect party game, provided your party likes a bit of stress every now and then. The puzzles are deviously fun, and the many permutations for each bomb mean that it'll take quite some time before repetition sets in. The game setup is also brilliant, and it makes the Switch's configuration one of the more sensible ways to play the title. As long as you have a bunch of people who aren't shy about barking loads of information to one another, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a nice addition to your party game lineup.

Danmaku Unlimited 3 is another excellent shooter on a system that's quickly becoming an appropriate home for them. The frantic action you'd expect from a bullet hell shooter is improved with interesting attack patterns and a set of mechanics that rewards both quick kills and exhibits some flair during gameplay. There's a nice balance for both veterans and genre newcomers, with the latter being served especially well since the game's difficulty and lack of continues foster a need to improve while ensuring that death isn't immediate. Topped off with a great presentation, DU3 is a high point for the genre, and despite the deluge of shooters on the Switch, it's a title that fans shouldn't miss.

Despite its flaws, Hitman: Definitive Edition is a solid installment in the Hitman franchise and serves as a quality introduction to a reboot of a classic title. The Definitive Edition is a great way for players to pass the time until Hitman 2 launches.

Black Hole is absolutely fun. The concept is simple, and the upgrade system is nice, but the core shooting really drives the title. The difficulty level is balanced enough to make you feel like you're making progress, but it isn't so generous that you can easily beat the game in one sitting. It may not be on many people's lists for best shoot-'em-up on the Switch, but it certainly belongs in a tier close to that level.

All things considered, if you're into Diablo, Diablo III: Eternal Collection may be one of the better versions due to its flexibility and options. If you're not into Diablo, this may be the best place to start. While it's good for what it is, bear in mind that it can become a frustrating and repetitive loot-escapade that can drag you into hell.

Hipster Attack is a nice port of a mobile tower defense game that we haven't seen in quite some time on the PC. The gameplay is easy to pick up, and the various strategies mean that this isn't a cakewalk — at least until you get the full arsenal of HR employees at your side. Some will hate the twitchy nature of some segments of the game, but if you don't mind tower defense games being a little more action-packed, you'll enjoy the brief time you have with Hipster Attack.

Taken as a whole, the selection of games in JPP5 is more than solid, with better-than-average games and a high-profile version of YDKJ ensures that this is one of my favorite packs so far. It doesn't have extreme standouts like Quiplash or Fibbage, but apart from Zeeple Dome, they are all fun and have the potential to become a favorite based on player preferences. It's the consistency that makes JPP5 one of the better ones, and if you're a fan, there isn't anything to worry about here in terms of quality.

The unpolished gameplay and bare-bones presentation do the game no favors in this day and age, and the general failure to launch issues cast Bullet Witch in a more negative light. Unless you have a strong sense of nostalgia, there's not much of a reason to pick up Bullet Witch.

Call of Cthulhu is a genuinely fun and engaging adventure game that is unfortunately dragged down by everything else. The story is engaging and fun, the mysteries are creative, and it does justice to the sense of otherworldly terror that is at the centerpiece of the Call of Cthulhu pen-and-paper game. Unfortunately, the stealth and combat sequences pull down the game and prevent it from being an easy recommendation. If you have the patience to sit through some rough patches, there's a lot for CoC aficionados to explore.

All in all, Broken Sword 5 is a good adventure with good visuals, a good story, and enjoyable puzzle segments. It's not the hardest, it's not the best, and it certainly comes at a price point many won't find acceptable, but it's an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

As an experience, The Gardens Between is a journey that's well worth embarking on. Its puzzles are gratifying, and its world is gorgeous and filled with personality. Its price may be too step for those looking for a meatier experience, and veteran fans of the genre might wish for tougher puzzles, but those hankering for a small game with a big heart will find plenty to love in The Gardens Between.

Marvel's Spider-Man: The Heist might not have been revolutionary, but perhaps it's not supposed to be yet. It is the first part of a series of DLC, and as such, it leaves a lot of unresolved questions. I feel like I've officially "met" Felicia Hardy, and I'm certainly looking forward to where her story goes next.