Although it's great to see new games released for the 3DS (and with a good implementation of the 3D effect that even Nintendo eventually abandoned), Silver Falls: 3 Down Stars isn't worth dusting off your old portable. It's effectively creepy, but it's also buggy, drab, and a general slog. However, it leaves me with hope that the developers will be able to put it all together in future games.
You don't have to be a puzzle aficionado to enjoy Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions. It helps, of course, as would an appreciation for quality artwork. What really matters here, though, is that the game is so well-crafted and presented that it serves as a captivating, ethereal way to spend time relaxing with your Switch.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics doesn't do much to stand out from other turn-based tactics games, but it treats both the genre and the show—and therefore the fans of each—with the respect they deserve.
Although Eclipse: Edge of Light is a highly atmospheric game of planetary exploration, it loses its luster when moved from its VR origins to the flat screen of the Nintendo Switch. It's an easy world to explore for a few hours, but one that offers little overall reward for its $15 asking price.
While I very much appreciate the efforts all the game developers out there put in to entertain us, Demolish and Build falls flat. You get to drive bulldozers and cranes and the like, but it's a lot of work with only a little fun.
Those with no interest in the Japanese idol industry may be alienated by how deeply Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE: Encore digs into it (I'm sure I missed a lot of jokes), but I can't imagine there are Nintendo gamers out there who aren't interested in Japanese entertainment. Don't seek this one out specifically as a Fire Emblem game, but fans of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, or JRPGs in general should love it.
Puzzle fans seeking a light diversion may not want to devote the time required to solve some of the later challenges in Mushroom Quest, but serious solvers are going to be pleased with this purchase. Long live the block (and the mushrooms that push it).
Clumsy Rush is priced to do exactly what it's meant to do. Boot this game up when you've got friends and family over for the holidays, hand them a controller, and let the hilarity ensue. Everyone is going to want a turn, but don't be surprised when they willingly give up their turn after just a few minutes.
You're not going to get much replay value out of Breathing Fear, but that's expected at its asking price of $5.00. It's best enjoyed in one prolonged gaming session, so it's more effective as a slightly unsettling way to kill a couple hours on a road trip…hopefully to an abandoned house in the middle of the woods on a very dark night. Remember to pack your batteries and alcohol.
Bee Simulator's flying mechanics will frustrate younger gamers, and its grade-school level presentation will turn away adults. If you're able to find some happy ground between the two of them, however, it's a thoughtful, educational, and fun way to live out the life of a bee.