Pokémon Quest is, from top to bottom, a mobile game. I'm not sure why it released on Switch first, but it doesn't feel at home on the platform at all. With an odd art style, intrusive mobile game trappings, and boring gameplay, it's hard to recommend this watered down spin-off even to the most dedicated Pokémon fans.
Mario Tennis Aces doesn't quite excel in all of the ways that it could have, but the core mechanics and multiplayer action are so good, it's still worth diving in for some quality Mario Tennis action.
Call of Duty: WW2 - United Front is a bit all over the place. The three new multiplayer maps do very little to deliver anything fresh or new, and the new War mission is also mostly more of the same. But the changes to the Zombies formula in The Tortured Path really shake up the experience and deliver something that feels more nuanced and original from what we've seen out of that mode in years. As a package, it's mostly just okay, with only a couple of true high points.
Dream Alone tries so hard to capitalise on the inspiration from its formative peers that it forgets to carve out an identity of its own. The poor platforming engine, floaty controls, and frustrating level design leave far too much to be desired for this to be the game of anyone's dreams.
Antigraviator has a strong foundation for an fast-paced sci-fi racer, but lacks the content and unique footprint to really stand out. It's hard to recommend it over the likes of RedOut and WipEout, which offer highly similar experiences in much stronger overall packages.
Playing 20XX has an addictive rhythm to everything. You dive into the level, find loot like upgrades and currency bolts, kill bosses to take their weapons, and keep pushing until you die. After dying we'd often suffer from that 'just one more run' itch that's so common in roguelikes and the formula fits an action platformer like 20XX perfectly. The procedural engine does a good job of mixing things up, but after a while you can start to see a little repetition, but that's easily overshadowed by the sheer variety and amount of upgrades and customisation.
Shining Resonance Refrain feels like a filler game. If you've been aching for a 3D action-RPG to sink some time into now that we're entering the summer months that are often a lull in the game industry then this totally fits the bill, but it'll do very little to surprise you.
Ghost 1.0 is a lighthearted Metroidvania that adapts a sprawling sci-fi setting with some really creative takes on the genre. Even though it originally released on PC two years ago, it still manages to fit right into the Switch's growing library of quality sprite-based action adventures. If you're looking for a less somber journey after the harrowing depths of Hollow Knight, you could do far worse than Ghost 1.0 as long as the forgettable story and cringe-inducing humor aren't too off-putting..
Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion feels like a return to the old days of licensed video games. The developers took a classic genre in the turn-based RPG, boiled it down to its core mechanics, and plastered the Adventure Time setting and characters onto it with far too few original ideas. Even though it feels like a faithful recreation of the show's personality and charm thanks to the original cast and solid writing, the uninspired gameplay drags down any goodwill it builds between encounters.
Earthfall is a valiant effort at trying to capture the lightning in a bottle once again that was Left 4 Dead. On paper it does a lot of things right, but in practice it lacks the soul and fire of what made Valve's iconic zombie games so effective almost a decade ago.
Phantom Doctrine has a lot of competition in the broader turn-based strategy genre and its unique Cold War-era setting isn't quite enough to really set it apart when all the cards are down. While the setting is great and fresh, the generally lackluster gameplay and mismatch of mechanics hold it back from feeling as clean as it should. Its best moments seem to happen almost completely at random or by accident instead of by design.
PUBG v1.0 on Xbox One runs smoothly, features three vastly different maps, and includes a ton of weapons, gear, and items to use in the deadliest online game. Its unique brand of tense, realistic shooting mixed with slow-paced tactical combat manages to stay fresh and exciting even after hundreds of matches. It makes coming back for another attempt at a "chicken dinner" victory hard to resist.
Super Mario Party elevates the franchise to a new platform and gives you plenty of things to do with friends. The randomness is still a bit more frustrating than it should be, but the high points make up for the occasional frustrations.
Ultimately the toys-to-life aspect feels like it gets in the way a bit of an otherwise competent and fun space shooter that's packed to the brim with things to do. Flying ships feels great and the occasional difficulty spikes rarely take away from the excitement of tearing through the atmosphere onto a new planet's surface. But not all platforms are created equally, with the Switch's Star Fox content shining as a bright point.
Murkmire feels a bit more reserved than Summerset, but as a DLC that's expected -- and that doesn't mean this isn't well worth your time.
Co-op zombie-splattering will never be devoid of fun, but Overkill's The Walking Dead is lacking in both the series' storytelling and technical polish.
While it may not bear the name Road Rash, Road Redemption is a spiritual successor that channels everything which made the original violent racer a classic.
Darksiders III will go down as the black sheep of the franchise. While the core gameplay itself is fun and it does a good enough job streamlining things with a more interesting cast of characters, it all just comes across as a bit too by-the-numbers to turn heads and doesn't push boundaries enough to really stand out. If it weren't for the technical issues this could be more highly-recommended, but as it stands, only die-hard fans should consider checking this one out.
Mutant Year Zero makes some subtle innovations for the tactical strategy genre outside of combat that transforms this from just another XCOM clone to a clever mixture of stealth, tactics, and RPG mechanics adding up to an adventure that's highly recommended.
Wargroove is the best kind of strategy game because it has enough depth and complexity to be endlessly compelling in the hands of the best players but is also simple enough to understand for anyone to pick up and enjoy the charming pixel art. With a ton of content and an amazingly detailed level editor, Wargroove is like a love letter to turn-based strategy games.