There is fun to be had with The Hong Kong Massacre, but I don't believe it lives up to the years of hype following it. With some finer tuning and better balance, this could be a real contender for the Hotline Miami clone crown. As it is, this is an okay time that wears out its welcome well before the end credits start rolling.
So if you can stomach the price tag and are dying to have an arcade classic on your Switch, Sega Ages Out Run is highly recommended. As far as I'm concerned, this is the benchmark that all future releases in this line have to live up to.
That really explains DUSK well. This is shooter perfection and something fans of the classics need to experience. Maybe it doesn't redefine what is possible with video games, but it beats out basically every other shooter I've ever played. I know I'll be replaying this for years to come and I look forward to seeing what fans are capable of with mod tools.
Project Warlock is just a damned blast. You could say this is the best version of Wolfenstein 3D ever made. Hell, it even tops the original Doom in some categories. It certainly won't win awards for originality, but this is a true work of passion that pays off in the end.
Even if I find myself in the middle with Killer7, I'd still recommend everyone give this a go. It may not be a game you need to finish, necessarily, but it's utterly unique and needs to be seen first hand. I don't think Suda hit his stride until his next title (No More Heroes), but you can see the seeds of greatness were planted with Killer7.
Lost Paradise has something to offer for fans of Yakuza and Fist of the North Star, but it never reaches the full potential of its source material. With some more time in the oven, this could have been a game for the ages.
The Joy-Con can be a terrible control method for a platformer, but Lightening Force actually feels wonderful with a proper joystick.
Maybe I'm not as entranced by Sonic the Hedgehog as I used to be, but I can't knock what is a faithful port of Sonic's debut.
I can understand the appeal of wanting to put any title on Nintendo's massively popular console, but I'm surprised publisher Paradox Interactive didn't attempt to make an original version of Cities for the Switch. That would have been far more preferable than whatever we've ended up with.
While not a massive shakeup to a long dormant genre, Two Point Hospital is a wonderfully crafted romp through nostalgia and hilarity. It may be too easy, but it is always entertaining and lays the foundation for something more.
For the time being, The Golf Club 2019 finishes in the middle of the pack. It had such promise and potential but duffs it too many times on what should be easy shots. Until HB Studios goes back and fixes its swing issues, give this a pass.
It doesn't make the games feel modern, but that likely isn't the point. This HD remaster is mainly here to provide fans with a new way to play some of their favorite games. I can't fault Sega too much for wanting to stick true to the original vision of Shenmue. If you were worried about compatibility issues or crashing, then you can rest easy. These ports are fine.
For my money, it is the best way to experience this particular story and improves enough of the game to make for a great time sink. Maybe certain aspects could have been tweaked to be more faithful to the source material, but the worst thing that could happen is you end up wanting to play the original to see the changes firsthand. That isn't such a terrible outcome.
If you believe you're ready to take the plunge on a journey that just might end you, La-Mulana 2 is highly recommended. Just be sure to look out for false tablets…and don't stand still too often…oh, definitely listen when the game tells you to stop reading.
Impulsion may not be the next coming of first-person platforming, but it is a solid game with good execution and no distractions. Definitely worth a playthrough.
I would have to nitpick to come up with anything else. I suppose The Lion's Song isn't what you'd traditionally call a "game," but it works as an engrossing experience that you're bound to relate to in one way or another. Its relatively cheap cost also makes it an easy pick for the mid-summer drought of games, though it does more than just exist as a cheap distraction.
Danger Zone 2 has all the groundwork set to make an explosive comeback for Burnout, but Three Fields Entertainment just needs to up its quality control. Also, how do we still not have Kenny Loggins on the soundtrack?!
With some more focus and better design, this could have been a relaxing and reflective trip about dealing with grief and loss. Instead, it just feels like an obstructive way of listening to an album.
Hopefully, some patches bring this remaster up to par, because it would be unforgivable to have Guerrilla fail a second time due to a rushed port.
Jurassic World Evolution is a very pretty looking game, but one that doesn't have a lot going on under the hood. It can be infuriating, engaging and baffling in equal measure, but is only really made for the most diehard of Jurassic Park fans.