No question about it, Playground Games have redefined the genre with Forza Horizon 5. Visually, mechanically, and everything else in-between. This is a remarkable achievement in every sense of the word and a truly incredible video game that’s the most accessible next-gen title to date. When Microsoft talk about how Xbox Game Pass will alter the landscape of the industry and is more than just a selling point for a console, Forza Horizon 5 backs up every word as its flagship title.
Far Cry 6 is a stunning game, with great acting and a few nice new touches, but ultimately you are playing a game that will feel incredibly familiar to you right from the get-go. You will absolutely know what you’re getting with Far Cry 6, for better or worse, and that’s either going to sound like a dream right now, or a complete turnoff.
I am blown away by just how good Metroid Dread is. I’d been anticipating the game, but this has exceeded my expectations in just about every way possible. For me, there’s been no better experience in any game this year. And few experiences better on the Switch to date. It’s good to have you back, Samus!
I was glued to Life is Strange: True Colors right up until the end and the messages that flow throughout the game will stay with me for years to come. Some of the dialogue is extremely powerful and the quality of direction is first class. Everything flows beautifully. I cannot wait to see what the series has in store for us next.
New Pokémon Snap is lovely, not just as a solitary, soul-cleansing experience, but as a shared adventure with friends and family both in your living room and all over the world. Trust us, it’s been worth the wait.
Village is a hit, and a more than worthy sequel to Biohazard. Without doubt, the best showcase yet for just how dazzling the RE Engine truly is and most importantly, a great Resident Evil game that will stand the test of time.
Whether you want to dip into it for an hour here and there, or stay glued to the screen for an entire weekend, Rise is an incredible accomplishment in every sense of the word. With a ton of depth to get the most of your battles, a fulfilling end-game, and a ton of updates still to come, this is the most generous and rewarding third party exclusive on Switch. If, for some reason, you still don’t own one and you’ve been holding out for a quality exclusive that makes it the envy of other formats and doesn’t have a single Mushroom Kingdom resident in sight, Rise is the reason you’ve been waiting for to buy a Switch!
Connected is a real triumph, then. Even a year and a bit on, I can still find myself diving into this game, losing myself for hours at a time. The difference is this no longer has to remain a personal voyage of discovery. It’s now one I can embark on with friends and strangers from all over the world, while still feeling just as in sync with its message. This deserves to keep finding new audiences, it needs to be played by everyone, and in the back of my mind, part of me hopes the greatest players of the game use it to go head to head on the biggest stages. It’s nothing less than this magical game deserves.
Doodle God: Evolution has a decent chunk of content with some satisfaction to be had in making some unorthodox combinations. Who doesn’t want to create a dinosaur out of thin air? Or maybe that wouldn’t be such a good idea…
Completionists will relish all Isle of Armor has to offer, with so many new Mon to add to your dex and lots to explore, as well as some new and unique powerups that further alter the way you play, it makes for an essential purchase. If you’re coming into this for story, though, you’re probably going to be pretty disappointed as it’s over before it even gets going and you’ll feel like Game Freak could have done a lot more with it.
F1 2019 is great and an absolutely essential tour de force for Formula fans. The cars react as they should, the courses look as you’d expect. It’s everything you’d hope for and more. This is the best Formula 1 game to date and with F2, it builds some exciting foundations for the future.
It’s not necessarily a game I ‘enjoyed’ or I ‘disliked’. It’s an experience I partly shared in. In some of its moments, a connection was formed. It even became somewhat therapeutic for me too.
CTR Nitro-Fueled is an essential purchase. Beenox have absolutely outdone themselves, creating a zany, entertaining atmosphere for a franchise that is going through an exciting transformation and renaissance.
There’s no better home for it than on Switch. Castlevania Anniversary Edition has to be played handheld, even if not all the titles in it are a reminder of the franchises’ better days.
While Facepunch have really deviated from their Gary’s Mod days, they’ve managed to create something really quite special. Hijacking is my new jam and Chippy absolutely definitely needs to be on your radar if you’ve been waiting for some decent shooty bang bangs.
As a horror, it doesn’t quite match up to other greats this year, lacking the genuine sense of peril and desperation I found in Resident Evil 2, or the emphasis on uncertain horror in a Metro Exodus. Yet Layers of Fear 2 still has enough about it to get under your skin and mess with your mind. Plus there’s a real sense of creativity here, something horror is scarcely associated with nowadays.
Frogwares have made better games than this, though. Their Sherlock Holmes titles are real pleasures of mine and so I come into The Sinking City just a little bit disappointed. I wanted to like it more than I did but I often found myself grimacing, grumbling, and groaning as I made my way around this grimy old world. Power past the faults, though, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll find that The Sinking City gradually winning you over.
Simply put, Bloodstained is brilliant. It’s hard as nails, but refreshingly fun at the same time, and it absolutely celebrates the qualities of a very special talent in this industry. If you were ever a Castlevania fan or if you quite enjoy a good old action adventure, then this one cannot be missed. Best game of its type since Symphony of the Night for my money.
Draugen isn’t really a game with many multiple choice situations or varied outcomes, therefore not really lending itself to a second runthrough. There is a cool 1923 mode which lets you play it all in black and white, a really refreshing aesthetical touch that doesn’t drastically alter things too much.
My Friend Pedro is a fun game and so appropriately a handheld game, making Switch a very natural home. It will definitely satiate your appetite in looking for something a bit different.