It's worth sticking with it, as Star Wars: Galactic Racer has an awesome multiplayer mode, and the interlocking systems lead to gameplay that stays fresh and keeps mixing things up with each new track, a rarity in the racing genre. The difficulty might be off-putting, but it's worth pushing through and reaching the pole position.
Lou's Lagoon knows what it is, offering a mostly stress-free experience for people who want to play while listening to music or a podcast. The bugs are annoying, and the item storage problem needs addressing, but those willing to overlook them will have some low-stakes fun exploring and rebuilding the islands of the Limbo archipelago. If you like Minecraft crafting with some retro 3D Nintendo platforming thrown in, this is the game for you.
Streets of Survival does add a few wrinkles to the mix, such as the gunplay and skill system, but what's in the final product quickly wears out its welcome, with an experience that has some extremely frustrating moments, and is over quickly.
Those who go into Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 with an open mind about the era in which its 3D games were made can enjoy two of the best stealth games ever made, with surprisingly distinct gameplay and takes on their genre. While people who played them back in the day won't find too much new content to enjoy, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is easily the definitive way to experience them.
But in the here and now, there's just an emptiness, and it might be a while before it goes away.
The gameplay loop is fun and addictive, rewarding experimentation and offering countless opportunities for different builds. Exploring dungeons has never been more fun, and I'm far more eager to see more Vampire Crawlers content than a sequel to Vampire Survivors.
Pokémon Champions feels like a work in progress, in a bad way. While the battles are fine and the QoL improvements are a godsend, there's a distinct feeling that the product is unfinished and lacks vital content that will be rationed over time. Throw in the bugs, and the result is a game that I might want to check out in six months or a year, but doesn't have enough quality content to attract me now.
Unfortunately, the whole experience is letdown by a variety of glitches, fundamental design flaws with the combat, confusing levels, and several jarring story transitions that make it seem as if 1348 Ex Voto was shoved out the door before it was ready.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a huge step in the right direction for the franchise. The story is easily the best in the franchise, and while the gameplay still has problems (like the insistence on using AI-controlled party members), it's much better than its predecessor, and made me far more engaged with the combat and Monstie growth mechanics. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is way better than Monster Hunter Wilds, and hopefully reflects a brighter future for the series.
Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen have their fair share of annoyances, especially for people who have only played the modern games, but once you get adjusted to them, there's a solid and fun Pokémon experience to be had. Anyone with a nostalgia for Kanto will be right at home here, but the slower pace might make it trickier for newbies to get on board. Just be ready to take off the rose-tinted glasses.
Nioh 3 is an incredible game that expands on the core gameplay of its predecessors and drops players into a vast world where they can unleash their combat potential to their heart's content. It's a huge step-up for the series as a whole, and I'm excited to see where it goes next.
The best way to describe Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is that it’s a product of a different time. It’s not a bad game because someone threw out a piece of unfinished trash. It’s bad because it comes from a much less refined era. While the changes in the Special Edition do alleviate the annoying parts, you’re still better off playing one of the many other better Metroidvanias on the market.
PowerWash Simulator 2 isn’t reinventing the wheel. The game knows its audience and is happy to feed their rabid desire for more cleaning. It may not win over any people who were turned off by the original, but if you enjoy dad games and an easy activity while listening to music or videos, then this is exactly what you need in your life.
While it has the trappings of the World of Darkness, this game does a disservice to Vampire: The Masquerade.
The developers of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles went above and beyond in not only recreating the feel of the original game but also upgrading nearly every aspect of it. It’s hard to improve upon a masterpiece, but Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles accomplishes just that, and I hope that it doesn’t get ignored come awards season, in such a stacked year full of great releases.
Topping the original Hades was a damn near impossible feat, but Supergiant Games pulled it off. While it still has some of the accessibility issues of its predecessor, Hades 2 manages to improve upon the combat, world-building, and content of the first game, making Melinoe’s journey stand out. It may not surprise or shock Hades fans with originality, but it upped the stakes in a way that makes it a must-play game.
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion isn’t ready for launch. The performance and balance issues sour what could have been an excellent mecha experience. There are a few bright patches, interesting ideas, and a ton of potential for the game. It could be, and maybe it will be better in a few updates' time, but it’s not worth checking out at launch.
If the story were longer and there were more live-action sequences, then the game could have been something truly special. However, what’s here is still worth checking out, especially for horror aficionados who are looking for something a bit different, and a little more real.
The level designs are overly drab, and the vehicle sections wear out their welcome, but the actual battles against hordes of demons are as fun as ever, and you’re given tons of awesome tools and toys to unleash on them.
The Nintendo Switch has a deluge of amazing party games, many of which were produced by Nintendo. WarioWare: Smooth Moves isn’t going to unseat the last Mario Party game or any of the Jackbox titles, but it’s still a fun romp for those who miss the days of waving Wiimotes around, despite its flaws.