TumbleSeed starts off simple enough, but in classic roguelike fashion it quickly becomes a tricky, demanding (literal) balancing act with a variety of buffs and obstacles. Fans of light, arcadey titles should check it out
Professor Lupo and his Horrible Pets is definitely a novel take on the puzzle genre, and it manages to design some clever and creative levels to keep players engaged long after the novelty wears off. It’s not the best choice for people who just wanna solve puzzles, but if you like a mix of reflex-based action and puzzle gameplay, you’ll like this one.
Overkill’s The Walking Dead has some great, challenging gameplay that’s held back by lots of technical issues and poor design choices. It has the potential to be a great co-op action game, but at the moment it’s better at frustrating than it is at entertaining.
Transference is an example of a first-person narrative driven game done right. From its tech singularity premise to its balance of story and gameplay, the game manages to craft an experience that's immersive and interactive without feeling like another walking simulator.
Just Cause 4 doesn’t make a lot of changes to the core gameplay of the series, but then again it doesn’t have to. It does make some welcome tweaks and additions, most notably to the grappling hook. The fourth installment in the series may not be as visually appealing as other titles in 2018, but it’s just as explosive and entertaining as ever.
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.
A capable RPG sitting atop a lackluster shmup, Drifting Lands is much more focused on the looting and upgrading than it is on sidescrolling shmup action. Fans of ARPGs who enjoy the sidescrolling shooter format might enjoy this one, but it’s a tough sell for purists who want a more varied shooter.
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
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
Trackmania 2: Lagoon is another great entry to the series, and if you’re a fan of tropical paradises and racing at breakneck speeds to shave seconds off your scores, it’s a great title. It offers a ton of content and a seemingly endless supply of user content, so there’s a lot to get into.
Expedition: Vikings is a great game for fans of Viking lore. It tells an engaging, well-written story while doing its best to remain faithful to Viking lore. It has some rough edges, but overall it’s a great tactical RPG.
Mr. Shifty is a fun, fast-paced top-down brawler that manages to keep you on your toes as you dodge baddies and beat them down.
Anthem is a game with a lot of great ideas, but it doesn’t always have what it takes to put those ideas together. It suffers from trying to do too many things, but you can tell that under the three or four games they tried to make, a really good one is sadly buried.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 totally revitalizes an underrated gaming classic and applies the lessons Sega learned throughout the series’ evolution. It’s still unique and even weird at times, and it can still be a little rough around the edges, but few series manage to take you deep into a criminal underworld and tell such compelling stories.
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.
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.
Wartile takes on the familiar Viking setting and mixes it with classic tabletop and strategy mechanics. It’s got an intuitive system that doesn’t get complicated over time, and a solid loot setup. Even if you’re not a big fan of tactical games, Wartile is worth a spin.
Space Dave! is a great little action title that lets you jump in for some quick and chaotic Space Invaders-esque mayhem. It might not have much depth beyond its running and gunning, but it definitely has a ton of fun in a byte-sized package.
Ode is another great atmospheric game with rich visuals and immersive sound design. It may not grab people looking for more action and adventure, but it manages to create a smooth, mellow ambience that’s entertaining in its own way
The Escapists: Complete Edition is unpolished in many regards, but under that rough lies a diamond that will shine brightly and hook you for hours. Its flaws end up working in its favour as you start feeling the desperation of a prisoner who’s just tired of being stuck, and eventually you need to use your wits and a little bit of hustle to get the job done.