I would feel disheartened, but Celeste has taught me, in a short time, not to feel this way. The game has guided me, through Madeline, to strive for my goals, to take time and breathe, to take chances and venture out of my comfort zone. The story that eventually plays out is a powerful hit to the solar-plexus and is very welcome in the current field of video games.
Diablo 3 on Nintendo Switch might not be the definitive version, but it's still fantastic and certainly one of the best RPGs to come to the Switch so far
It’s an unmissable game that truly feels at home here. And whether you’re playing for the first time or the 896th, it feels exciting, fresh and unique. Enter the Gungeon has always been a game that you must play, now, on the Switch, it’s a game you must OWN.
Toki Tori 2 is a perfect little game for playing over time not only because of the format, but because it’s practically impossible to forget how it plays and how Toki Tori moves. It’s easily a must buy for the system if you want a puzzle game to fill your time.
I feel like I’m misleading readers by using the word ‘game’ or ‘play’, because really, this is closer to a visual novel or a comic book in motion. I created bonds with those on the screen, I laughed, I gasped in shock and I missed the sense of the game when I wasn’t within the world. Burly Men at Sea is very much a folktale exploration of the world and relationships that surround us.
With the addition of the super hard levels which never made it into the PlayStation discs first time around, if you can grit your teeth through those ludicrous flaws, then this is a must own game for the Nintendo system.
West of Loathing is a game you pick up for ten minutes and put down four hours later because you were lost in finding the right item or avenging the deaths of a family. Aside from a few tiny flaws here and these, this is a must own game for everyone and one that begs to be played over and again.
Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut is ridiculous fun, but more so if you’re a fan of the old school horror films it imitates. Nothing here is taken seriously, except for the puzzles themselves which are often fiendishly difficult, but always fair. As a package, it manages to evoke an odd nostalgia on top of genuine laughs, a wealth of unlockables and head-scratching puzzles. There’s a killer soundtrack to boot, which fits nicely into the background of each movie, punctuated by outlandish cartoon sound effects. This is bite-size puzzle gaming at its finest.
Having the full experience of Don’t Starve on the move is wonderful and the day/night cycle is just the right length to hop on and play during a break in your real life. As survival games go, this is one of the best you will find for the Switch.
Once you’re in a groove, you can spend hours chasing the perfect playthrough, combining items and spells and tackling the dungeons. Handily, the game keeps track of how many runs you’ve attempted, which, when you reach triple digits, is a lovely metric for how addictive the game can be.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is like buying a vinyl record of your favourite album. It’s a little dated, a bit niche and to be honest, newer versions are more accessible and easier to interact with. But there’s love there, what it does, is done incredibly well and while the series is moving on over on other platforms, this is the classic formula distilled into a version that can be played at home on a 40” TV or on the bus.
So, as the closing moments began to tick away I felt that sadness akin to the fading of a memory; the running of a chalk drawing on a London street. It’s not just the comparison of water moving colours, but with the sense of something special happening. Something magical. GRIS captures imagination, the beauty of movement and the lustre of a sumptuous piece of art, all the while letting the player interact with it, making us feel both insignificant and yet ever more important.
Bags of levels and increasing difficulty will keep N++ refreshing for hours and days on end. The mechanics are simple and yet incredibly deep, which opens up a wonderful game brimming with customisation options and new modes to try out. Floaty controls sometimes hamper progress, but the deaths are always spectacular.
With a sci-fi twist on an old formula, Songbringer is almost a breath of fresh air. Occasional stereotypes aren't as welcome as all of the new ideas the game brings forward, including a tongue-in-cheek style of humour to accompany a truly unique experience and a gorgeous visual style. With so many options and routes through the story, this is a game begging to be replayed for months to come.
Runner3 is wonderfully creative and funny, relying on a style of play that belies the challenge at its heart. A few moments of unbalanced control or obstacle design can frustrate, but this will pass when Commander Video finally nails a sequence of movements and makes you feel like a fast-fingered expert.
Seasons makes the Sims more of a simulation and that can't be a bad thing. You could grumble that more items could have been included or other events were added besides festive holidays, but EA has effectively overhauled the personality of your creations in tiny ways while introducing new actions, ways to interact and design ideas for the home. Plus, you can ‘WooHoo' with Santa and surely that will put us on the nice list?
Runbow has the potential to be an outstanding game. A few patches here and there will help it along the way and should a community begin to emerge, then online play will be a chaotic joy.
As a vehicle for story, The Final Station is a tremendous effort which keeps you wondering as you piece together the snippets of story and while the combat and exploration suffices, it doesn’t live up to the narrative the developers deliver.
Of course, should you choose to only play once, then the game’s 90-minute length may leave you worrying about value for money. Treat it like a cinema ticket, though and honestly, it’s worth every penny. It’s fun, it’s interesting and when played in handheld it feels like a whole new genre has opened up like a vein of precious metal.
Paladins could be amazing, but it’s all a bit too convoluted. As it stands it’s still a great experience, but for casual players who just want a team-based shooter, they may find the list of options a little too long.