Fun Train has delivered a game that, for a franchise title, is surprising in its quality. Though there are some minor technical hiccups, content-wise, this game stands with the best offerings of its legendary franchise. It is often said that The Exorcist is the scariest film ever produced. The Exorcist: Legion VR is scarier.
Shooty Fruity's silly name belies the truth behind the title. nDreams has provided an experience that should be in the top tier of VR games. An excellent arcade shooter with a wide variety of missions and unlocks, Shooty Fruity elevates a simple concept with quality gunplay, a fun environment, and coat after coat of polish. As many shooters as there are in the VR space, very few are as flat out frantic and entertaining as this.
Defender's Quest represents something new and unique. By dipping the tower defense “chocolate” into some RPG “peanut butter”, Level Up Labs has created a Reese's Cup-level classic. Defender's Quest: Valley of the Forgotten DX' gameplay is rock solid, reflecting the six years of refinements that the small development team has made to the core title. If you have any interest at all in the tower defense genre, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
With achievable puzzles that never slow down the story and a great control scheme, Red Matter sets a new standard for the VR adventure genre. This is a game that deserves to break free from the crowd.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is a game that is sure to please hardcore Monster Hunter fans, and will likely bring many new fans into the hardcore fold now that they have gotten a taste via Monster Hunter: World. While the graphics are strictly handheld-level, in the heat of battle you simply will not care. Players should be ready to plumb the depths of much more complicated crafting and material gathering systems, but the combat is very recognizable to fans old and new. This is one of the biggest and best games on Switch, and regardless of how long it takes to ramp up and get going, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate should not be missed.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a stellar achievement. Through its fun and accessible cast of characters, solidly made toys-to-life component, and beautiful graphics, Ubisoft has hit the ground running. With the addition of a healthy amount of Star Fox content, the Switch version is definitely the preferable way to go, but regardless of your system Starlink is a remarkably entertaining game, and an auspicious launch for a new gaming universe.
By taking a fun and exhilarating boxing framework and painting it with the glorious trappings of the Creed/Rocky franchise, Servios has delivered a game that is simply magical. Sure, the campaign is a little short and the hit detection might feel a bit wonky, but in the heat of the moment none of that matters. Whether fighting AI opponents or engaging in the more challenging fights against real-life players, you will find yourself bouncing in place, floating and stinging with the best of them. This is a game that will leave you sweaty and proud. How many other games can say that?
Arca's Path combines fun and accessible gameplay with an amazingly intuitive and inventive control scheme. What could have been a debacle is instead a triumph. Arca's Path is a small game with giant ideas, and it deserves attention and praise for the ridiculously high level at which it is executed.
Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a game on an epic scale in every sense of the word. Both a world-building strategy sim and a turn-based tactical RPG, Planetfall offers a wealth of content to keep players engaged for a long time to come. While some initial commitment is needed to get past the learning curve, playing becomes smooth and intuitive within a couple of hours. Armchair generals with a penchant for lasers, robots and mysterious planets will find plenty to enjoy in this tremendously deep title.
Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a sprawling epic of a game. With satisfying combat, incredibly well defined characters, and enough story to satisfy the most demanding visual novel fan, Trails of Cold Steel has earned its place in the JRPG Hall of Fame. It's time to call it like it is: Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is a classic.
Dauntless comes bursting out of early access with one of the best, most original, and most polished games in the free-to-play space. With tons of content, amazing battles, a great matchmaking system, and endless room to grow, Dauntless is going to be around for a long, long time. Beyond highly recommended, Dauntless is compulsory, obligatory, required gaming.
Everything in Indivisible – from the colorful visuals to the "Oooom" noise when you save your game – is calculated to delight. Despite some uneven difficulty, both the platforming and battle systems entertain. But it's the character design and voice work that is really the star of the show here, making Indivisible a strong contender whether you are a genre fan or not.
Pig Eat Ball is a unique proposition in modern gaming – a classic-feeling arcade game with a completely original mechanic at its core. The puzzles, characters and world built around this mechanic are delightful, despite giving a first impression of being a little gross. Arcade and puzzle fans will find a lot to love here. Pig Eat Ball is utterly unique.
Darwin Project takes the battle royale formula and turns it on its ear with simple survival mechanics and visceral axe combat.
Zen Studios new dungeon crawler takes the tropes of an oft neglected genre, and updates them with wit and style. Operencia: The Stolen Sun oozes charm, with the perfect balance of combat, exploration, puzzles, and funny bantering characters. This game is a complete winner, and any fan of dungeon crawlers shouldn't hesitate to pick it up.
Sketchbook Games' narrative platform/puzzler is appropriate for all ages, but that doesn't stop it from going to some surprisingly dark places. Though the platforming and light puzzle solving are enjoyable (if none too challenging), the story and artwork are the stars of the show. Impatient players might want to stay away, but for those interested in a life affirming story about overcoming obstacles and learning to deal with regrets, Lost Words is a beautiful experience.
Down the Rabbit Hole is a very unique take on its Wonderland source material, literally sending players down a dark, diorama-filled rabbit hole. With fun puzzles and a breezy atmosphere, Down the Rabbit Hole is an amazing – if brief – good time. As much time as you have spent in Wonderland, I guarantee that you have never seen it like this.
Get Packed is a wild multiplayer title, challenging players to pack a moving van while wrestling with some seriously destructive physics. Even in single player, the game is a good time, but in multiplayer Get Packed comes to life. Fans of games that cause them to yell at their friends should have a great time here, as this is a polished example of the genre.
Pixel Ripped 1995 pulls off a remarkable magic trick, slamming players back in time to the gaming days of the mid-90s. With brain-twisting challenges and a solid dose of nostalgic delight, Pixel Ripped 1995 is an amazing romp through the games of yesteryear, combined with amazing modern mechanics. Highly recommended.
XCOM 2 is, at five years old, a stone cold classic.