I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed my time with Doom VFR. Skyrim VR had soured me a little and I wasn’t really looking forward to playing. But this shows that rethinking how a game will work in VR, instead of just shoehorning a game into VR wholesale, can make the world of difference. It also helps that the game has a price tag to match.

I’ve always enjoyed the genre, and everything in Sky Force Reloaded is solid enough. From a visual, gameplay, and soundtrack standpoint, I’m more than happy. I just can’t shake this feeling that the game was designed to kill hours on the phone, and for me it just doesn’t translate into a great home console experience. I like replaying shooters like this, but I prefer to go through the entire campaign over and over again. Here I’m so burned out on each stage by the time I finish or unlock the next that I don’t want to play anymore, which is never a good sign. Though for the low price, there are much worse things to spend $9.99 on.

L.A. Noire was a unique game that deserved a second chance. My biggest hurdle in recommending this version though is the price. Sitting at $40 on XB1 and PS4, and a whopping $50 on Switch, that is a financial pill that is hard to swallow, especially when I can snag the 360 or PS3 versions for under $5 at any local used retailer.

The Sims 4 is not a bad game. In fact, I had a great time with the gameplay of watching my Sim learn, grow, and find love in all the goofiest ways I could imagine. It really felt both simple and deep at the same time, and either way you play it, you’ll find something to keep your attention. Unfortunately, the controls are going to be a chore to use more times than not,and even after getting the hang of them, you may still dislike them. I know I did. If only the controls were as good as the game, I would recommend it in a heartbeat to players looking for that simulation game with some goofiness, but with the controls the way they are, I would suggest sticking with the PC version if you can. If you do decide on getting the console version, be warned, you will need to get used to the controls and even when you get used to them, you will still find them difficult to use.

It is very difficult for me to recommend this version of the game. We all know that Skyrim is amazing, but many people have played it for hundreds of hours at this point and the massive price tag just doesn’t seem worth it to experience it in VR. I also can’t see anyone wanting to spend the kind of time that this game demands with a headset strapped to their face. The time I’ve spent using my PlayStation VR has mostly been with smaller games and experiences; ones that can be played for short bursts. Skyrim is not one of those games, demanding long and intense play sessions. As such, I feel that this would have been better served as a low cost add-on, with the ability to transfer saves to the standard version of the game.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is a pure dose of fan service to Marvel enthusiasts, with its long list of characters, recognizable locations and its nods to storylines and in-jokes, but I feel that these games have lost their way over time. It isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy my time with it, but I certainly won’t be going back to it time and again, trying to achieve that 100% completion stat.

Even with the inflated price tag, Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack features two highly underrated games well worth playing which many have missed. While it might be a bit a tough sell to those who have completed both games on the 3DS, to newcomers, it’s a golden opportunity to check out the series which I’ve dubbed the unofficial spiritual successor of Megaman.

Hyakki Castle is a game with some clever ideas but falters in execution and implementation- leading to an experience that feels serviceable but decidedly bittersweet as I’m left wondering what could have been.

For 20 bucks, you get a halfway decent fighting game that does very well at trying something a bit different. It has some flaws with its combat, but I still found some combos and strategies to be fun to execute. If only there were some people playing the online, it would have made the game much more enjoyable, but until it gathers a following, solo players will finish its offerings within a few hours. It’s a hard sell currently, but for those looking for a different take on the fighting game genre, there’s much worse games out there to play.

Hidden Agenda is a hard recommendation, because the game feels like a natural fit to share with non-gamers, but we had one playthrough that ended so abruptly and unsatisfyingly I thought we had somehow skipped a section, and had I brought this game out at a party I would have felt like we totally wasted two hours. With the right group (like people who understand that if you don’t do well at a game you lose) it’s enjoyable, provided you have the time available to finish it in one sitting. Ultimately the game rests more on a few short action sequences than it does on the decisions made, which undercuts the experience and contributes to Hidden Agenda falling short of its potential.

This package is solid but has some glaring drawbacks. The retail price is a bit steep, but I saw plenty of sales over the holidays that make it much more appealing. Still for those craving that classic game show experience it is now available on the new consoles. Let’s just get Trebek back for the next iteration. Jeopardy is not Jeopardy without his snarky responses.

It’s still a fun Pokémon game, and the Pokémon formula has been tried and true for years as a very competent RPG. Players that have exhausted the first versions of this game can still find some new things to see and do even early on in the story, and players that skipped out on the first games can most certainly have a great time catching them all. I would suggest picking it up either way. It’s still a great game and with this version, there enough new to keep things fresh for all the players.

Gear.Club Unlimited could have been yet another gem on the Switch, but ultimately feels like exactly what it is. The price tag is shocking and the changes from the mobile game don’t fit the pace of the core experience. While there are moments of fun to be had, this racing game rarely ends up feeling worth the investment.

Stuttering, freezing at times, and just lacking any smooth feeling whatsoever really dampened my entire play through. I enjoyed my time with the game and the story it tells, but I can’t help feel like it could have used a few more months of polish or perhaps just a longer development time. The Black Mirror is ripe for being that classic creepy haunted manor mystery type setting, but everything surrounding its tale makes it hard to get pulled into and constantly pulls players out of the experience with its follies. This mirror is still worth looking into, but its cracks definitely show.

Mario Party Top 100 is a great look back on the history of mini games from the franchise, and I can’t fault it for that. It really brought back a lot of great memories and I appreciate that. Those that never played the games prior can have an interesting look at some of the more fun and insane mini games Nintendo has concocted over the years, but it’s a really obscure view of what made the Mario Party games fun overall. Even though the mini games were a blast, the other half is missing, and it’s just not a party without them.

Rev 1 is better than it was on the 3DS, and REV 2, even with its issues is a huge jump in quality compared to the Vita release. I’d love to see more Resident Evil games on the Switch so this seems like a no brainer. It’s a bit disappointing they couldn’t put both games on the cartridge, requiring Rev 2 to be downloaded separately, but it is what it is, and more Resident Evil is never a bad thing in my eyes.

Apollo Justice for the 3DS isn’t leaps and bounds better than the original with only a handful of meaningful updates to justify its re-release, but it stands as the definitive way to experience the classic misadventures of Apollo and Trucy.

Star Wars Battlefront II stumbles out of the gate with its progression system. I hope it gets ironed out because the underlying multiplayer is extremely fun. The campaign is short and sweet, but a little too fan-servic-y for me. As it stands this is a solid sequel with some highly noticeable blemishes. I will continue to play because of my love for Star Wars, but I do hope it gets ironed out before players lose interest.

Ben10 is a decent little game. It’s not going to blow anyone away, but it’s definitely not a horrible time either. In fact, I enjoyed some of the alien powers a lot and I think a fan of this franchise can have some fun here. Not to mention, it’s at a budget price that I think is just right for this game. Did this game make me a Ben10 fan? Not particularly, but when the next game comes out featuring Ben Tennyson, I might actually pay attention to it.

De Blob is a solid title that feels good to return to. Why they remastered the original as opposed to the sequel seems like a weird choice, but for those that never had a Wii it is a good pickup. It might get swallowed during this time of year, but I recommend giving it a look once things settle down a bit.

Perhaps this is due to my less than favorable inclination for puzzle/platformer action games as I seldom search out for games of this genre, but Hob felt lacking an identity- a clear element to call its own that really makes it standout amongst the rest of the games in the genre. While it most certainly looks pleasing to the eyes and feels competently made, I never felt excited to get back into the world of Hob after picking up a controller for another play session. As much as I would love to say that Runic Games went out after creating their best work yet, I cannot in good conscious as Hob is a solid, albeit unremarkable game.

At the end of the day the most important aspect of any game is fun. Assault Android Cactus (awesome name by the way) is the epitome of that. Every level is a blast, the mechanics are solid, and playing with friends is pure frenetic fun. Even with the slew of awesome games in 2017, players who have yet to take the plunge need to check out this title. It is more than worth the price of admission, and I am glad to see it hitting more and more platforms for more players to experience the pure joy it has to offer.

There aren’t many negatives to the entire Skyrim experience on Switch. While it doesn’t offer the recent mod support the other versions got, it still offers tons of content to experience and enjoy. The motion controls are a bit of a mixed bag, but not required at all. The game looks and runs great, and while animations are starting to show their age, there is still plenty of beauty to be found in Skyrim. As a fan of the Elder Scrolls franchise, if someone told me 6 years ago this game would go portable and with no loss to the original vision, I’d have a hard time believing it, yet here we are. If Skyrim has grown stale or doesn’t hold interest to certain players anymore, the Switch version most likely won’t do anything to win players back. Though for newcomers and fans that want to return, Skyrim is here, as a great as remembered, and grand scale adventure now in the palm of your hands.

Call of Duty WWII is a return to its roots. The campaign feels clichéd and the MP still feels like a CoD game, even without technical enhancements. Zombies delivers a visceral and fun experience, granted you have solid teammates. I feel like I go through so many motions year-in and year-out with these games, but one thing is for sure – I always enjoy myself by the end of them, and CoD WWII is no exception.

I hate to be overtly negative about any videogame, but Road Rage is a classic example of a game that just disappoints on almost every level. I can’t recommend this game to anyone, not even for a cheap price because it just feels like a game that was made back in 1994, and that’s even a disservice to some of the great games released back then. I just see no redeeming factors for Road Rage unless silly ragdoll physics is a preference. Otherwise, I’d avoid at all cost.

I could go on and on about how much I’ve fallen in love with the setting, the improvements to the core gameplay, and the way it feels like Ubisoft have breathed new life into the franchise. The year off and restructure of the game has done wonders for it, almost bringing Assassin’s Creed into the RPG territory rather than just being and action adventure game. While I can see some being disappointed in that aspect, I love role playing games, loot, and exploration, and Assassin’s Creed nails these new elements while still feeling like an Assassin’s Creed game at its core. Combat is the biggest hurdle getting used to, and when the camera doesn’t work in tandem, feels a bit messy. Otherwise, aside from some odd visual glitches that randomly occurred in my game, or some rather typical AI follies, I have little issues with Origins. It’s one of the best Assassin’s Creeds games I’ve played, and probably one of my all-time favorites right after Black Flag and the controversial AC III. This one was worth the wait. Now time to get back to exploring another ancient tomb!

Need for Speed Payback is a victim of both progression issues and design choice. The driving and actual gameplay is still fun and well done. There’s actually a very good open world racing game in here, it’s just bogged down by level progression and needless grinding that is only there to extend the gameplay time and to get people to spend real money to potentially get upgrades for the cars. I enjoyed some aspects of Payback, but ultimately, I found myself overburdened with grinding, that I kept saying to myself I really don’t feel like doing this. After it’s all said and done, I would wait for a price drop at the very least before picking this one up.

It’s hard to recommend Doom to those that have played it unless they fit certain criteria. If playing Doom on the go is a huge factor, it gets no better than this. It doesn’t look the clearest or run the smoothest, but 90% of the time players can still enjoy one hell of a game. Folks that never played this and are looking for their Doom experience, playing this first and then the other systems could be the way to go to see the differences. Lastly, if players just want to see how the little Switch that could performs and how much Doom pushes their console from a purely tech perspective, look no further. It’s super impressive, a technical marvel, and the port team Panic Buttons should be proud of what they accomplished. It’s just nuts!