Steven Green
Despite its occasional bug, unexplained mechanic, or small gripe, Starfield is one of the premiere titles in Xbox's library and adds to Bethesda's storied history.
Dave The Diver will end up being one of those fundamental titles that people talk about in the same breath as Stardew Valley, where it achieves on nearly every front.
Although it can be tough at times to jump into an era that you’re unfamiliar with, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles masterfully offers all of the gameplay you’d hope for without leaning on other iterations for story content.
Pikmin 4 brilliantly shows how to take the same set of mechanics and throw them into a new mode or challenge in order to keep things fresh, even if it can come off as repetitive at times.
undefined.Void Bastards was everything I wanted as a huge roguelike fan. The first-person shooter aspects are surprisingly competent, gameplay loop is perfectly challenging, always keeping you on your toes, and the aesthetic and sound design are out of this world. Some hitching and frame rate issues on packed ships aren't enough to knock this one down a peg, as the mix of Rogue Legacy and Fallout on offer here is necessary for the libraries of any and all roguelike fans who own a Nintendo Switch.
Klaus is an impeccable experience from top to bottom. Platforming is engaging and tight, the puzzles will keep you on your toes, and the story offers up something that matches mind-blowing tales such as Limbo or Inside. The struggle with managing all the moving parts and some unfortunate flashing lights aren't enough to bring this one down too far on the list of stellar platforming experiences on the Nintendo Switch.
ScourgeBringer offers everything you'd want from a roguelite experience. Fast-paced gameplay, amazing visuals and soundtrack, and understandable systems round out a truly enjoyable experience. Some button-heavy combat and hardcore difficulty aren't enough to damper the fun to be had in this top-notch action-platformer.
Sniper Elite 4 takes its perch as the marquee, non-arcade sniping title on the market. Through its strategic gameplay, disgustingly explosive kill cutscenes, and jam-packed sandboxes, Sniper Elite 4 satiates the need for a World War II shooter, while not getting dragged down by the norms of the genre. Even with some technical hiccups and a less-than-likable protagonist, Sniper Elite 4 achieves, takes aim, hits its mark, and then some.
The constant fear and impending sense of dread make sure you're always uncomfortable, making Dredge a master class in the subtlety of horror. Even though the story never comes out and explains everything that's happening, it does enough to make sure you can put it together, while relying on the journey you've made for yourself to stand tall. All in all, Dredge is one of those near-perfect indie games-it accomplishes everything it sets out to do, keeps the player entertained throughout, and manages to be innovative in an industry filled with games for us to play.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town takes one of the better-remembered entries in this storied franchise and gives it a fresh coat of adorable paint. While feeling more casual, and a bit held back by its roots, this is the perfect return for anyone fond of the original release.
Heroland enters the fold as the ultimate "sit back and relax" JRPG. Even though the game has hands-off combat and long-winded dialogue sections where your participation is questionable, you have charm oozing from every pixel. The self-aware humor and quirky characters make up for most of the shortcomings.
Nintendo’s best development toolkit to date, with a gamified process that makes creating enjoyable, even if the curation tools are sub-par.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is an incredible strategy title for the Nintendo Switch. While the gameplay can be monotonous at times, changing up how you play can easily absolve those issues.
Stranded: Alien Dawn is a great experience for those looking to get into the Survival/Strategy genre, even if a hardcore fanbase won’t like the lack of options in crafting, character generation, and random events.
Aliens: Dark Descent is a great strategy game with a lot of replayability and is set in the perfect horror franchise, even if long-time fans of the genre may have some minor complaints.
Fans of The Expanse, whether that be the books or TV show, will want to pick this game up and give it a go, as Telltale has always been impeccable at throwing players into more of the worlds that fans love.
Sea of Stars accomplishes everything it sets out to do in becoming an amazing SNES-era RPG, while only faltering in a couple mechanics and story beats.
Radical Rabbit Stew is a thoroughly enjoyable experience from top to bottom. From the arcade, slapstick action of punting rabbits into bowls of soup, to the thought-provoking map puzzles, this action-puzzler offers a unique and interesting take on the genre, even with the sometimes repetitive nature, and boss fights that utilize overly similar ideas from world to world.
PHOGS! is as delightful as it is unique and entrancing. While the controls are a little tough to get the feel of for solo-players, teaming "pup" with a friend allows for an experience that, though mostly on the easy side, guarantees the player a thoroughly good time-especially in the boss stages.
Little Nightmares II successfully creates a series of titles that pair up splendidly. Through masterful environmental storytelling and world-building, Tarsier Studios steps up to the likes of Limbo and Inside to invoke a creepy, horror experience that will force its way into your memories. Even with some frustrating sequences and some perspective clunkiness, Little Nightmares II gets a helping hand with all the other ways it exemplifies the genre.