Whilst the muddled story that immediately assumes you know the lore found in previous titles limits the draw of the campaign, Fate/EXTELLA LINK easily provides a surprisingly deep, content-rich adventure that is certain to become a time-sink should you let yourself go unchecked.
Though the content and concept of My Time at Portia is sublime, having the potential to enslave your attention for months to come, the Switch port lacks the polish and love it so desperately deserves. Should quality of life fixes be implemented, this will certainly be worth sinking your time into. For now, not so much.
Darksiders’ unique graphical style has aged well, but its gameplay and mechanics have not. Other games offer more engaging and thoughtful combat and level designs, making Darksiders: Warmastered Edition a tough sell. Not necessarily worth revisiting, if you have experienced it before.
Trials Rising is the latest of the nearly-20 year phenomenon which, unfortunately, proves that less can indeed be more. The addition of the mid-game grind immediately dissuades the player from continuing and, coupled with the Switch version’s shortcomings, only highlights how great we used to have it.
Ape Out is the embodiment of video game perfection. A clear artistic direction perfectly marries and compliments a simple, yet challenging, gameplay hook that keeps you coming back time after time. Additional challenging modes provide further replayability, and any excuse to keep playing is a good one in my books.
DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition is probably the most content-rich, sit-down and zone-out kind of game that has ever existed. With a multitude of modes at your disposal, and with friends in tow, you can’t go wrong with this.
Ms. Splosion Man rightfully deserves to have another chance at success, and certainly deserves to not be so quickly forgotten about. Tight controls, bundles of character and great multiplayer mayhem is to be had throughout, and I can’t thank Twisted Pixel enough for having the gumption to release this upon us once more.
YouTubers Life: OMG Edition isn’t necessarily a bad game, but it’s an awful port for Nintendo’s finest. Considering mobile iterations also exist, it’s bizarre that touchscreen inputs are nowhere to be found. Whilst that certainly wouldn’t be the saving grace, it would certainly alleviate some of the many control issues found throughout. A unique take on the sim genre, one that’s unfortunately hampered by technical woes that almost make this unplayable. Almost.
Oh My Godheads: Party Edition is a massively enjoyable game that, unfortunately, doesn’t quite manage to hold your attention for extended play sessions. Various game modes are available, yet only the Capture the Flag-inspired mode is worth any considerable amount of time.
Castle Storm is a highly accessible yet mechanically deep take on the RTS genre, mixing in elements of both tower defence games and physics-based combat to an impressive level of competency and quality. The amount of content available throughout is staggering, and an endearing graphical style keeps you enjoying each spectacle the game throws at you.
My Hero One’s Justice is an incredibley feature-rich tie-in to the popular My Hero Academia manga series. Its take on the anime 3D arena fighter is adorned with explosive battles, though is blemished with technical issues.
Disgaea 1 Complete is an incredible remake of 2003’s uncompromisingly idiosyncratic JRPG breakout hit. Hundreds of hours await, endlessly toiling at copious dungeons and enemy encounters, and the sheer delight that battles manage to produce is never lost on you.
Beautifully animated and a dream to play, Mark of the Ninja: Remastered rightfully stands next to the greats of the stealth genre. Intelligent design choices build the foundation to what is one of this generations best releases, let alone remasters.
Siegecraft Commander is a colourful, easily accessible take on the RTS genre that beautifully blends elements of Tower Defence titles. Unfortunately, variations in matches are few and far between, and awkward controls juxtapose the easily accessible nature that Blowfish Studios have managed to accomplish.
Armello is a beautiful, engaging digital board game that manages to ensure that no two games feel the same. The omission of local play is a shame, but it’s one that can be mostly overlooked considering the sheer wonder that the rest of the game encapsulates so wonderfully.
Surgeon Simulator CPR is a clumsy, yet enjoyable, outing that is best played with a friend. Not for those that don’t like squirting blood… or fun.
Next Up Hero manages to introduce intriguing, innovative ideas, but at the cost of executing the core gameplay mechanic well.
Salt and Sanctuary not only manages to encapsulate the games in which it took liberal inspiration from, but then confidently build upon them, ensuring a complete, unique package that demands your attention at all times.
Picross S2 perfectly encapsulates the alluring “one more go” feeling that so many like-minded puzzle games aspire for, and does so with such masterful implementation. Jupiter show they are still the master of their craft, as they have always been in their 25 years of releasing Picross titles across Nintendo’s hardware.
Glaive: Brick Breaker appears to be a game that exists just to pay homage to its inspiration, Brick Breaker. It never tries to be much more than that, and is content wallowing in mediocrity.