A loyal and heartfelt remaster, but no matter how much Square Enix polishes Final Fantasy XII, the company is never going to wear down those occasional bumps that affected the overall package the first time. New RPG systems, rebalanced enemies, UI updates and speed options all boil down to a much smoother, nicer (prettier!) version of the game than the original European release. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a wonderfully nostalgic, but undeniably flawed, return to Ivalice.
Mortal Kombat 11 - Flawless fighting marred by tedious grinding and content gating
Yoshi’s Crafted World hasn’t done much wrong, but held up against the other better (cheaper!) platformers you can currently pick up on Nintendo Switch hardware, it’s hard to recommend. It’s charming, it’s sweet, it’s peddling a message of kinship and harmony… but it does it all so dryly.
This is the best Devil May Cry yet. Each character has enough depth to fill a game by themselves, the story does exactly what it needs to, the twists and turns keep you on edge and the combat sets a new benchmark for action games as a whole. Capcom has made a masterclass in stylish combat gaming here, and there’s enough content to keep players happy — even if it takes another 11 years for a sequel.
Fluctuating like a Geiger Counter between nihilism and utopianism, this game’s muddy morality is a thing of beauty in the current climate and could be one of 2019’s most important games as a result.
Thanks to these improvements — alongside the entirely different flavour this JRPG offers compared to the other fare available at the moment — this is a game that, by all accounts is still worthy of your attention.
There are no two ways about it: this is one of the most impressive games on the Nintendo Switch and represents some of the best value for money we’ve seen in video games in years, whether you’re into single player or multiplayer. Buy this game, you will not regret it.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you need to get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It’s as simple as that. It’s the crown jewel in Nintendo’s party game line-up - the ‘Infinity War’ of video games… the most ambitious crossover episode of all time.
Toys for Bob has done an exemplary job of bringing Spyro into 2018, and we hope to see Activision continue to experiment with remasters like this and Crash.
A stripped back hit of nostalgia ideal for Pokemon Go aficionados
A fun distraction from the mainline Final Fantasy games, this is a game you're going to want to digest in small pieces. World of Final Fantasy Maxima is so sickeningly cute and twee that it sometimes comes off as unbearable (thanks to the main characters) but when you get past that, there is a compelling and intelligent battle system waiting for you.
The Remaster is essential for anyone wanting to sample Dark Souls for the first time, but have exercised caution in jumping in thanks to the inevitable time commitment it will take: the Switch version will undoubtedly have an active online portion, it allows you to take the game at your own pace with the wonderful suspend/resume feature, and the reworked visuals make things that bit easier to read (at the cost of atmosphere in some cases).
The best tale of souls and swords in a generation
Simple updates – like the ability to use Joy-Con controls in handheld mode, or more new additions besides re-skinned areas – could have easily made this the definitive version of the game. But as it stands, Final Remix feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.
Play it with friends, play it with family, don’t take it too seriously and for the love of God don’t play it alone. Stick with that ruleset, and Super Mario Party might just be the party game you’ve been waiting.
After the canned PlayStation Vita version of the game, it's wonderful to finally be able to play Hyper Light Drifter on the go. The developer has pretty much stated that in its mind, the Switch version is the definitive version of the game – and you can tell. With elements that make it smoother for newcomers on top of everything that made the base game great, this is a port that truly feels at home on Switch, despite the occasional drop of frames.
Monster Hunter: Generations Ultimate has some of the best kineticism and game feel of any game you can play on handheld consoles right now. Its graduation from 3DS to Switch is nothing short of mind-blowing.
The Switch version of Okami HD – with its portability, its motion controls, its touchscreen paintbrush and its compact charm – is hands own the definitive version of Okami.
NieR: Automata is unlike anything else you can play on Xbox One - all the best bits of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta mixed into a narrative that tastes like what you'd get if Lewis Carroll wrote Ghost in the Shell. A thought-provoking, self-aware romp. Recommended.
It’s not a bad game, but the mileage you’re going to get out of it will vary depending on the type of player you are.