Jurassic World Aftermath's VR heritage looms large in this Switch port. Sections that no doubt feel thrilling in the confined space of a VR headset feel repetitive and dull on a flat screen. As a result, Jurassic World Aftermath feels like a walking-sim with some survival horror sections. The lack of enemy variety, the overly simplistic puzzles, and some frustrating stealth sections prevent Aftermath from staking its claim as the apex predator of its genre.
DeadCore is a Platformer/FPS hybrid that is not for the feint hearted or those lacking in patience. Testing, challenging and infuriating all in equal measure, be sure to have a spare controller handy should you decide to throw yours against the wall during the short but maddening campaign.
When it comes to judging the Switch version of Sifu, things get a little tricky. At its core, it is still the same Sifu, and it's coming with all the extra content that has been pushed out since release, so fans and newcomers alike will still have the same great experience getting to grips with its frantic and reactive combat, but is it the best version of Sifu? Not really. If you've played Sifu on PlayStation or PC, there are a few noticeable differences that do detract from the experience and demote this version to last place. All things considered, it is still the same Sifu, and playing it in the palm of your hand is a satisfying and powerful experience that shouldn't be ignored if you have not played Sifu before.
Cobra Kai is a decent little beat 'em up that offers up a surprising level of depth. Decent animation and voice acting help to deliver a game that compliments the TV show it is based on nicely, and fans of the genre will love the old skool callbacks and references that the game delivers.
Fancy living out your Great Escape fantasies? Or maybe you reckon Alcatraz was for wimps? Either way The Escapists 2 is here to allow you to do just that as the prison escape sim returns, and this time you get to being a friend to do time with you.
Steelrising is a good if challenging time. If you’re thirsting for your next Souls-like after milking Elden Ring dry, then the combat here will feel oddly familiar and you’re sure to find something to enjoy, but it isn’t without its faults. Overall Steelrising hits way more than it misses, but a forgettable story and a few repetitive boss battles hold it back from achieving true greatness.
Desperados III is a cowboy game with a difference, in that stealth wins out over shooting. A thinking mans western, Desperados III oozes charm, and once you get to grips with its elegant controls and brilliant showdown mode, you will be pulling off some dazzling set pieces. A great entry point if you’re new to the genre and series.
Bridge Constructor Portal is an enjoyable physics puzzler that mixes the irreverent world of Portal with Bridge construction - a sentence that I never thought I would type out but that works surprisingly well in practice.
Portal Knights shows that there is still life in the sandbox-crafting game beyond Minecraft, combining some light RPG elements with enjoyable exploration and dungeon crawling gameplay makes Portal Knights stand out from the crowd. When you throw in the fact that it can be enjoyed solo or with friends there are plenty of other games out there that could learn a thing or too in how a simple looking game can hide a magnitude of depth.
Cosmoteer is a surprisingly deep and satisfying space sim. Its many systems complement each other beautifully, and, although its grinding gameplay loop may not be for everyone, I really enjoyed the time I spent with it. Exploring is fun, and combat is simple yet satisfying in its execution. The meat of the gameplay is found in how well you manage and assign your resources, and once these systems get their claws into you, they sink deep.
Injustice 2 does more of what made the first Injustice so popular - a meaty campaign, satisfying combat and a stack of extra content with the promise of more to come means that Injustice 2 is a fighting game that appeals to pros and newcomers alike.
Human Fall Flat is a fantastic physics-based puzzle game that takes a simple concept and executes it perfectly, with a powerful physics engine hiding behind the simple looking façade. Pushing and pulling has never been so much fun.
A massively improved campaign, satisfying combat and addictive loot all comes together to create another winner for Bungie, who have clearly listened regarding complaints about the first Destiny to smash it out of the park with Destiny 2. Do yourself a favour and give it a try.