All in all, Patapon 2 Remastered is as bare-bones of a remaster as you can get of a fun game. It has nothing in the way of new features, and the lack of compensation for input lag means that like many older rhythm games, it can be borderline unplayable on some modern televisions. If you can get past that, you can find a lot to like in this adorable and surprisingly difficult little game. Just don't blame us if you hear "pon pon pata pon" in your sleep.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a solid, workmanlike zombie shooting game. It's quite fun to play and makes for an enjoyable co-op experience as you and a friend team up to buzzsaw your way through Hitler's legions. That's basically the beginning and end of it. If you want a game where you kill a lot of Nazi zombies, then Zombie War 4 provides. If you're looking for something more, then it doesn't. It's still a fun co-op experience and worth picking up if you're looking for something new to add to your gaming library.
JRPG fans hoping for something to tide them over until Persona 5 Royale should find a comfortable home in the weird world of Tokyo Mirage Sessions.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a solid Dragon Ball Z game that is dragged down largely by a lack of polish in some areas. The combat system is probably too repetitive, and the content is too shallow to be of much interest to non-fans, but it's the Dragon Ball Z game that fans have dreamed of as kids. It doesn't matter if it's punching Frieza or playing baseball; the game captures the spirit of Dragon Ball extremely well, even if the gameplay doesn't always keep up.
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Complete Edition is one of the best values that a JRPG fan can get on the Nintendo Switch. The games are fun if not particularly special, but they scratch the "got to catch 'em all" itch. They're marred by some issues, like inconsistent difficulty and a dodgy translation, but nothing ruins the experience. If you're a Digimon fan or just RPG faithful looking for something new to try, it's worth giving Cyber Sleuth a shot.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is a solid by-the-books Atelier title. It does everything pretty well, and its only real flaws are a somewhat lackluster story and an overall low difficulty level. If you like the Atelier titles, then you'll like this one, and if you're interested in getting into the franchise, this is a solid starting point. There's no lack of Atelier games to play, but Ryza is one of the more enjoyable ones available. Besides, who doesn't like crafting a bomb so powerful that it blows up a dragon?
In my opinion, Disco Elysium is the game of the year for 2019. It shows how you can make creative, engaging, and well-written games entirely using writing and player choice without falling into the simple "visual novel" style. It's biting, clever, and witty, and it deserves to take its place among Planescape and Fallout: New Vegas. It's a must-play for any fans of RPGs and a genuine modern classic that will hopefully set the stage for many things to come.
Greedfall is a tough game to judge. It's neither bad nor great. It comes staggeringly close to greatness in a number of areas, but it just lacks the polish or ambition to go further. If you're looking for a nostalgic trip back to the mid-2000s style of WRPGs, then you'll find a lot to like in Greedfall. It's worth a shot if you're a fan of that style of games. In a year that gave us titles like Disco Elysium, it's difficult to be particularly impressed by something that is merely standard.
All in all, The Surge 2 is a great game to pick up if you're looking for a more arcade-like take on the Dark Souls formula. It's a fun and engaging game with a solid combat system and enjoyable mechanics, and it's only dragged down by a mediocre story and lackluster environments. With the excellent improvements from The Surge to The Surge 2, the franchise is well on its way to standing tall in the Soulsborne genre. It's well worth playing if you're an aficionado of this genre and don't mind dying a few times.
Shenmue III is a game for the fans … and only for the fans. It feels like what would have happened if the Shenmue series had continued on the Dreamcast. This is delightful if you were hoping for a continuation of the franchise, but unfortunately, the appeal stops there for most casual players. If you're a fan of playing old, quirky games, you'll find something to like here, but if you can't tell Shenmue from Shamu, you probably won't understand the hype. It's nice to revisit a long-dead franchise, but if Shenmue IV gets made, one can only hope that it's slightly more ambitious.
Pokémon Sword and Shield is at once a really fun game and a disappointment. It has a lot of great new features, excellent new Pokémon, some much-needed quality of life improvements, and is generally a solid Pokémon title. However, the first console outing feels like it should've been more impressive, especially given the reduced Pokedex. If you're a fan of Pokémon, you'll enjoy Sword and Shield a lot, and if it's your first Pokémon, it's a good way to experience the franchise's high points. If you're a longtime fan hoping for the Breath of the Wild of Pokémon games, you'll be disappointed.
Terminator: Resistance is reminiscent of the days when tie-in games were released with practically every action movie. It's playable, but it's forgettable. It's fun to get your chance to shoot Terminators in the face and see John Connor being John Connor (instead of the mess he became in the various sequels), but beyond that, there's not much to recommend it. If you're a die-hard Terminator fan who is eager for a chance to visit the future of the original movies, then it might be worth a go. It's difficult to recommend for anyone else, though.
At the end of the day, that is what will determine whether Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is right for you. Are you looking for a Wii-style minigame collection to play at parties or with friends? If so, this title fits the bill exactly. If you're looking for a challenging single-player experience, you still won't find that here. In many ways, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is as straightforward of an update as you can get. Its primary purpose was to bring Olympic-style events to the Switch for the first time. If that's what you're looking for, then you'll be happy with this Mario & Sonic outing.
Luigi's Mansion 3 is a charming, delightful and enjoyable game. It doesn't break any molds or do anything particularly new, but it executes the gameplay with almost perfect precision. The only really flaw is the lackluster combat, which is at odds with the rest of the excellent experience. If you enjoyed the original Luigi's Mansion or are looking for a fun adventure with a certain green plumber, this is the game for you.
The Outer Worlds is an excellent attempt at capturing the Fallout formula in a new setting. It's honest about what it's trying to be, and it never shies away from it. While it may lack the sheer size of Bethesda's behemoth, The Outer Worlds still captures the fun and enjoyment of exploring, completing quests, finding new loot, and being a futuristic adventurer. Anyone who enjoyed the previous-generation Fallouts or is looking for a solid RPG will find a lot to like in The Outer Worlds.
Ultimately, MediEvil doesn't have much going for it except for nostalgia. Everything about it is unexceptional, and it feels lackluster when compared to similar recent attempts to update PS1 classics. Without a fondness for Sir Dan and his antics, I'd be hard-pressed to say why MediEvil is worth playing. It's a game for fans, but little has been done to make this offering stand out. Perhaps it would've been better if Sir Dan had been left to his peaceful rest, but we can hope for a genuine next-gen MediEvil someday in the future.
Alas, Concrete Genie is far less than the sum of its parts. A strong early game is lost by a bizarre late-game twist that undoes a lot of the charm. If it had just focused on the genies or had been about combat from the start, Concrete Genie would be a much more cohesive experience. Instead, the game has a lot of good moments but ends on a particularly dissatisfying note. There's still a lot to enjoy, but the flaws stand out as brightly as the strengths.
Indivisible was incredibly close to being the best indie RPG I've ever played.
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns might be a relic of a bygone time, but that isn't the same as being a bad game. Most of the modern match-three games owe something to the original, and it shows. It might not have Marvel characters or shiny graphics, but it's an accessible, enjoyable and fun puzzle game that is excellent to play for a few minutes at a time. For $15, you'll get more fun than you would in spending that same amount on microtransactions in other games.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a delightful remake of an excellent game. A lot of its strength is predicated on the fact that it was built on an already exceptional Zelda game, and if you have any nostalgia for the Game Boy version, you'll be charmed by this update. The game's only real flaws are its overall short length and the frustrating frame rate issues. If you're a Zelda fan, it's still absolutely worth checking out, and if the frame rate issues get patched, this title will be the best way to play the handheld classic.