James Romero
Outlast 2 builds on the original. Its longer, tougher and has some darker scenes than its predecessor. Some of that games frustrations are still here and towards the end the same formula starts to wear thin but its part and parcel of this type of game and overall this is a game that will get under your skin and make you scream out loud. Its truly terrifying and an example of what horror games should be. One that all horror fans should pick up - if you can stomach it!
Overall Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King delivers on its promise in recreating a gaming classic and gives us an ode to one of the best games of all time. Could it have done a bit more to be different? Yes, though perhaps that is its strength - its not pretending to be a completely different game, rather it pays homage and adds a few small features that comes together as a fun experience.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a fantastic follow up to the Stick of Truth, its a must buy for any South Park aficionado and still a blast for everyone else. Ubisoft took the development in house this time and didn't disappoint, its well written with a giggle every few moments, the game isn't perfect with a few small bugs and the sense that the difficulty isn't there to support the games mechanics and some might argue the value but overall this game is just a blast.
Enter The Gungeon is an excellent example of a what a twin stick shooter should be and of a port done right. Its soundtrack and cool visuals are underpinned by an excellent control system and depth that keep you hooked.
Paladins Champions of the Realm had a long Beta period that has certainly paid off. What we get here is a fully fledged online hero shooter that fills a gap in the Switch lineup. Its fairly easy to get into and offers a lot of depth to keep you wanting more. A lack of voice chat (built in), long loading times and no story do detract but the sheer number of hours that you can sink into a game like this makes it a solid purchase at the moment with a free to play version coming later on in the year. If like me you were looking for a competitive outlet this could be the one for you.
Steamworld Heist offers up over 10 hours of main campaign and its a blast, battles can become slightly repetitive as is normal with this type of tactical game but the fact that you are aiming, each ship is randomly generated and there is a strong story supported by excellent visuals and a toe-tapping soundtrack kept me engaged from beginning to end. Along with Mario vs Rabbids this is the best strategy game on the Switch to date for me and a must purchase.