Dynasty Warriors 9 might have managed to reboot a franchise that has been criticized for so long to not take enough risks, but gets hurt by its unmatched technical upgrade and repetitive gameplay. It's still at the root of it a Musou like all games, regardless of its open world setting and added RPG mechanics, but its niche appeal, painful framerate drops and crude textures will probably only make the game stand out in its own genre.
Attack of the Earthlings is terrific indie strategy title that pushes you to be careful and manage your turns and resources. It’s morbid and overly violent at times, but it’s surprisingly clever and charming at the same time, and you get the sense that it has a lot to say.
A cross between a history book and a hack-and-slash RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance sets out to make a medieval themed game that is as historically accurate as humanly possible. It commits to the RPG system by offering roleplaying and not just combat with bits of dialogue sprinkled in, and it really immerses you in its setting. It has some rough edges but these shouldn’t distract from what is fundamentally a great game experience.
A surprisingly fresh take on licensed anime games, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet manages to get more creative by offering you a fresh character rather than one of the series mains, and it carves out a fairly decent story within the canon. The gunplay is solid, but be prepared to grind and patiently wade through some of the slower sections
A treat for the eyes and ears, Zoink Games' Fe offers more actual gameplay than similar indie titles, but its choice to restrict player information can be frustrating at times. It’ll take some getting used to, but it ultimately rewards the player for being patient.
Boo! Greedy Kid is a silly little arcade title that will probably eat up a nice chunk of your time. It seems to miss the chance to make the gameplay more complex, but it still works as a simple arcade title for someone looking to kill a little time.
Previously remastered in 2012, this re-release of the original Devil May Cry trilogy on current generation of consoles is a worthy investment for those that never played the game. But with just a simple port to a higher 1080p and 60fps display, Capcom has unfortunately not added much to appeal to the hardcore fans.
With Attack on Titan 2, Koei Tecmo and Omega Force manages to upgrade the game experience from the original, adding more content and modes to make it worth your while. No fan of the franchise, anime or manga should miss this title.
Haemimont Games and Paradox Interactive's Surviving Mars mixes the best of the 4X and city building simulation game into a futuristic package, but its weak end-game might bore some. Thankfully the game has mod support on PC and enough achievements for console players to last.
Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition is the definitive version of the award-winning 2016 game, and its additional content, the inclusion of Season Pass and free updates makes it a great buy for those that didn't get the chance to play it on console or PC.
Into the Breach is a simple yet engaging strategy title that pushes you to carefully consider every move, and makes victory seem that much more rewarding as a result. It’s quite an addictive title, and expect to spend quite a bit of time mastering it and feeling like you might be able to eke out a victory in the great war between man and insect.
Where the Water Tastes like Wine is an engrossing trip into 1920s America that brings its mystical - and sometimes dark - storybook setting alive. Its game mechanics don’t work as well, but it’s an amazing instance of storytelling in an interactive medium, and visual novel fans should pick it up
OCTAHEDRON is a treat for the eyes and the ears, and its vibrant rhythm guides you through its platforms.
The 25th Ward: The Silver Case shows exactly why Japanese studios are so good at crafting visual novels; they’re not afraid to take risks and confuse the audience in the interest of telling a unique story. Suda51 may be more well-known for other titles, but this ranks among his classics, and it’s a must-play for fans of visual novels.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is the kind of sequel that ups the ante on its predecessor’s brutal monster hunting and creates a smooth, fluid multiplayer hack’n’slash. It can still adjust some balancing issues and maybe tweak the challenge, but it’s a great way to team up with some friends and unleash hell
The Swords of Ditto is a charming, beautifully illustrated dungeon crawler with goofy but loveable characters and fun combat, but its roguelike design makes it feel grindy at times. It’s still enjoyable, but it certainly needs some tweaking to improve balance.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire manages to tell an exciting tale in a totally new setting, and it takes some fun new chances with the fantasy genre. It learns many lessons from its predecessors, and it’s more accessible to casual fans, but this is still very much a cRPG, so expect to bust out your reading glasses.
Bombslinger offers a fun, engaging take on the Bomberman formula that turns it into a challenging dungeon crawler. It feels a bit familiar at times, but on the whole, it manages to stand up and do its own thing. A great addition to any Switch library
Death Road to Canada manages to breathe life into the zombie genre and create a fun, engaging experience that’s perfect for the pick-up-and-play nature of the Nintendo Switch. It looks simple, but its pixelated veneer hides a surprisingly complex survival game that’ll grab you like a horde of zombies
Runner3 is an amazingly crafted arcade experience that’s perfect for short bursts of hair-pulling runny goodness. It sticks to the Runner formula and it doesn’t do that much to change things up, but it does push all the dials up to 11, and the result is a really layered arcade title.