James Ide
Orcs 3 doesn't revolutionise the series, and while the story is a little light and the gameplay a tad repetitive, it's so delightfully fun watching unsuspecting orcs haphazardly wander into your deadly machinations and be stabbed, skewered and smashed into a thin paste.
These are some of Mario's best outings and all three titles hold up remarkably well. The package favours authentic recreations rather than adding new content or updating them too much, which will please most fans.
It's one of the best applications of AR I've got my hands on and features some impressive tech. The kart is a joy to drive and responds as closely to the game as physically possible, with multiplayer adding even more fun into the mix. Mario Kart Live Home Circuit is a fantastic blend of mad Mario Kart action in your own home. It's awesome seeing your home from the shifted perspective while you are zag zagging through your coffee table and under the sofa while dishing out red shell revenge.
It's great to see such a different game that revels in its weirdness ported to the Switch, but disappointing that is still full price despite being a game from 2013. Pikmin 3 is a breath of fresh air, offering simple yet addictive gameplay as you explore a massive, magical world full of surprises. Despite the age of the game, this is defiantly an adventure not to be missed.
Overall Dirt 5 is a real blast play. With the gameplay not being too strict, it gives you that feeling of being an arcade racing king without having to leave the comfort of your own home. There are some area's like online that need some fine-tuning but these are all issues that could be solved with a future update.
It leans hard into its comic book and video game influences but also has some clever tricks up its sleeve, which is why it's aged so well and still feels fresh to play. The game can be frustrating and chaotic at times, and difficulty can be all over the place but grab some friends and you'll fall in lesbians all over again with this brilliant, resurrected classic all over again.
Bowser's Fury offers some great new ideas and is much more than a simple DLC. It's a great Mario game in its own right, with enough to entice those who played 3D World before with a wholly new and compelling experience, as well as offering one of the most epic showdowns in Nintendo history. Bowser's Fury is a great take on 3D Mario and finally makes Bowser the menacing villain he deserves to be. The game's only flaw is that it left me wishing there was more of it.
This isn't a deep game but it's a great deal of fun and is a charming experience. The WarioWare series is easily one of the most original gaming concepts ever and Get It Together! is a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch. The addition of co-op and new characters with unique controls really help to breathe new life into the endlessly creative WarioWare Series.
With an intriguing story and compelling gameplay, Deathloop is one of the most original and gripping games to come out in the past few years. One of the best parts of Deathloop is after you solve one mystery, often several more take their place, requiring you to keep digging. With multiple weapons, slags and trinkets to experiment with the games offer a huger number of variables to help mix up the game and For a game about repetition, these elements make it incredibly fresh. With Julianna waiting in the wings to finish you off, adding an element of delicious, unpredictable danger to an already gripping game.
Metroid Dread masterfully combines the atmosphere, classic exploration, boss battles and platforming of the original, with enhanced graphics and a faster, more responsive Samus than ever. While it does follow the Metroid formula to some extent, the refinements and extra layer of added tension make the game the more gripping Metroid game in the franchise. Metroid Dread perfectly blends combat, exploration and pursuit, its brilliant cat and mouse dynamic that adds a welcome addition to the Metroid gameplay.
Superstars is a great game to play by yourself but even better with friends and the new online mode make this even easier. The best part is it just feels more like Mario Party as your fortunes can change in the blink of an eye. Mario Party Superstars is a celebration of the early Mario Party Series, featuring some of its most iconic boards and games while also being one of the best in the whole series.
If you like weird, deep, engaging and often challenging tactical combat, Shin Megami Tensei V is a devilishly good time that offers plenty to sink your teeth into.
Triangle Strategy is one of the most compelling titles on the Switch if you can immerse yourself in the world and its characters then you’ll find it a rewarding experience. The game juggles several complicated systems that are awesome once you get the hang of them. Each unit feels distinctive in their design, character and playstyle and I cared for them all which is a hell of an achievement in a game with a fairly large cast.
Grand Theft Auto V for Xbox Series X and PS5 isn't so much expanded but it's certainly enhanced. The common criticism here is that it looks the same, and there’s a small nugget of truth to that, the updated visuals aren't mindblowing, but they do add up to make a difference. While those graphical changes aren’t as dramatic as the difference between GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, the drastically reduced loading times, higher framerates and improved audio on the current hardware does make the game much more enjoyable.
The atmosphere and world-building in Ghostwire: Tokyo are easily the strongest elements of the game. It's unique and weird showing fantastic creativity as well as highlighting some of japans most interesting folklore and culture while paying homage to the city itself. The game looks stunning with its wet, neon-lit streets rendered in superb detail and just buzzing with atmosphere. The Visitors are creepy and fun and while I wish there was a few more in the mix, the ones here are awesome.
Fire Emblem: Three Hopes is not just the best Warriors game to date but a stand-out title in the Fire Emblem series. Being able to issue slightly more detailed orders to your team allows you to be far more strategic, making Three Hopes feel more like an authentic FE game but in real-time.
There is an undeniable charm to the game. You call tell that real effort has been spent on trying to craft a unique world with interesting characters.
The online play is severely lacking and disappointing. But many hours of fun are to be had with this game and even more so with friends.
The best thing about Fallout 76 is the huge detailed wilderness to explore. If you're a Fallout fan there are definitely things to see and you'll be familiar enough with the story and mechanics to enjoy it. However if this is your first foray or you are expecting a game like Fallout 4 then you might want to wait until a few updates have been released and hope that they fill out the world a bit more with personality and story.
This Is the Police 2 is a dark and engrossing game that takes the best bits of its predecessor and builds upon it in every way