Oddworld: Soulstorm is Oddworld at its best. It's creative, clever, funny, enjoyable to play
Monster Hunter Rise is probably the most accessible and enjoyable entry of the long-running franchise to date. Streamlined, focused, and incredibly fun, Monster Hunter Rise is a must-have for fans and newcomers alike. One of the best action games on the Switch and easily one of its best console exclusives, it's everything a video game should be. Even if you've bounced off previous Monster Hunters, I recommend giving Rise's demo a shot, and if you're looking for a great way to hunt some monsters, there's no better option on the Switch.
Balan Wonderworld is a great idea on paper, and it's perfectly playable from start to finish, but it's held back by some baffling design decisions and boring gameplay. The idea of a protagonist who swaps between costumes to collect Mario-style shines could be great, but the costumes are too simple, the environments are too boring, and the gameplay is too basic. It could possibly be a good game for extremely young players due to its low difficulty and cartoony graphics, but even then, I would recommend one of the many other offerings intended for that demographic instead.
All in all, Evil Genius 2 is a perfectly solid update-slash-sequel to the original title. It doesn't break the mold but focuses on streamlining the core gameplay while adding more enemies, features and traps. It's similar enough that it probably won't change your mind if you didn't like the original, but by the same token, if you liked Evil Genius, you'll most likely enjoy Evil Genius 2. It's also a good starting point, as you don't need knowledge of the original to jump into evil scheming. It's not perfect, but it's probably the best supervillain simulator out there.
If you enjoy 2D platformers, you will like Kaze and the Wild Masks. It probably won't become your new favorite, but it will scratch the platformer itch. It's charming, fun, and well designed. The worst thing I can say about it is that it feels too familiar at points. Kaze is a must-have for anyone who appreciates 2D platformers, and even if you're only mildly fond of them, you'll still have a great time with Kaze.
Even if the PS5 edition isn't a game-changer, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is still a delightfully charming title. The environments are bright and colorful, the characters are filled with emotion, the music is bright, and the overall experience just as charming as Crash Bandicoot was so many years ago.
All in all, Bravely Default II is a game that chose to play it safe. It offers few surprises or twists, but it does offer one of the most excellent and enjoyable JRPG experiences on the Nintendo Switch. Whatever the story lacks, the gameplay more than makes up for, and I was delighted to advance and find what new jobs I was going to get. It's well worth the money for any Final Fantasy fan or anyone looking for an old-school JRPG. We have to hope that for the next game, the developers decide to go for Brave instead of Default when it comes to the story and setting.
All in all, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is exactly what it promises: a shinier, more modern, and no less punishing Ghosts 'n Goblins game. It offers various handicaps and advantages, but no matter how many it tosses at you, it won't change one simple fact: You are going to get hit, frantically run around in your boxers, and then die - a lot. If masochism in video games isn't your thing, you'd be better off looking elsewhere. If you want a GnG experience that feels familiar and modern at the same time, look no further than GnGR.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is one of the best Mario games to date. Brimming with creativity and style, it captures so much of what makes Mario fun without feeling as familiar as New Super Mario Bros. or Odyssey. It's a little less polished than Odyssey but makes up for that with a constant barrage of new and enjoyable levels. Bowser's Fury is a significantly better add-on than Pikmin 3's bonus levels, and while it can't carry the game on its own, it's a strong addition to the package. If you're a fan of Mario, then 3D World is the game for you. Be prepared for the multiplayer to be as good at killing friendships as Mario Party.
All in all, Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption is a charming take on the Harry Potter-esque magical boarding school genre. The writing is clever, the world-building interesting, and the puns are omnipresent. The actual point-and-click gameplay is solid if unexceptional, dragged down only by a superfluous combat system. If you're a fan of point-and-click adventures, you'll find a lot to enjoy here, even if the Switch version requires more effort than the PC-based iteration.
I expected Persona 5 Strikers to be like Hyrule Warriors and got a genuine Persona sequel. It might be thinner on content than the 100-hour behemoth it is based on, but it's still plenty of fun to play. The combat system takes some getting used to, but otherwise, it's like slipping on a comfy pair of well-worn slippers. I welcome the chance to revisit the world of Persona 5, and Strikers is a wonderful send-off to the Phantom Thieves.
The Journey Down is an enjoyable adventure title that doesn't break new ground, but it doesn't need to. It's well written, has delightful art and audio, and is everything that an adventure game needs to be. The somewhat weaker first chapter drags down the experience a little, but once you get past that, The Journey Down fires on all cylinders until the end. If you grew up on LucasArts adventure titles, The Journey Down is the game for you.
Cyber Shadow isn't as exceptional as Shovel Knight, but it's a darn good attempt at making a Ninja Gaiden game. In many ways, I had more fun with it than I did with The Messenger, and it feels both modern and nostalgic. It's mostly held back by a few frustrating design decisions and a forgettable cast and story. If you like NES-hard games but dislike NES-frustrating difficulty, then Cyber Shadow will hit the mark for you.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy might not be ambitious, but if you enjoy Atelier titles, it's a solid and engaging experience. It's basically the original Ryza title, only larger and more polished. The Atelier franchise usually keeps things fresh with a new protagonist and cast for every game, but with the full cast from the original title, Ryza 2 can sometimes feel like a repeat of the previous adventure. This isn't bad, since the original Ryza was fun and the gameplay is solid, but it can sometimes feel a touch too familiar.
Overall, Adventures of Chris is a perfectly pleasant, charming and nostalgic trip for anyone who grew up in the 1990s.
That is about all there is to Nioh 2: The First Samurai: a few new missions, a few new skills, and endgame content geared almost exclusively for the top 1% of players. The Season Pass of the game is worth it for the first two DLCs, but the third DLC is so incredibly limited that you have to be a Nioh die-hard. If you are a Nioh die-hard, The First Samurai gives you more things to test your skills on and more ways to optimize your builds, and it's good at that. If you just want to put your Nioh 2 skills to the ultimate test, there is a lot here to potentially kill the heck out of you.
Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition is a beautiful remaster of an average game. If you enjoy wandering around pretty environments and solving some light puzzles, then this is a fantastic "chill out" game, but anything beyond that is somewhat forgettable. Add on some frustrating bugs and the lack of meaningful improvements over the last-gen version beyond visuals, and it isn't a must-buy for anyone who has played the original title. It's worth experiencing if you haven't played it before, but you should perhaps wait for a price drop, since the $35 price tag isn't worth it when you can purchase a last-gen copy for $20.
Empire of Sin has potential, and I look forward to revisiting it after six months of patches that will hopefully address some of these issues. As it stands today, the game is buggy, poorly balanced, and blatantly half-finished. The initial strong presentation quickly fades to frustration as playing correctly is a fool's errand and cheating the system is the only way to play. That might be appropriate for a Mafia game, but not for this title.
It may not sound like it, but I enjoyed many aspects of Cyberpunk 2077. It doesn't hit the highs of The Witcher 3, but it still has a lot going for it. However, it was released in such an unfinished state that it's hard to give it a positive review. It's an 8.0 game hiding in a 4.0 game wrapper.
Haven is a cute and enjoyable mix of light survival, light RPG, and serious romance novel. It's exactly the kind of game to play if you want to relax for a few hours and see adorable people being adorable. The surprisingly enjoyable RPG combat and gentle survival mechanics make the game feel more like a game, while at heart it is closer to a visual novel. If you like warm and fuzzy feelings, Haven is a great choice, as long as you don't mind the occasional risqué dialogue.