All in all, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus delivers a fun mystery-filled visual novel experience, perfect for anyone who is a fan of Danganronpa or similar titles. There are a few frustrating elements here and there, but the whole package is a mostly solid narrative-focused adventure.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a surprisingly fun experience, with a variety of modes to sink your teeth into. There are some nice references to the books and films for diehard Potter fans, in addition to smooth flying controls that ultimately make the game fun to play. There are a few issues, noticeably regarding balance and the longevity of its single player content, but if you like the idea of playing a competitive sporting game in the Wizarding World, then it's definitely worth checking out.
Another Crab's Treasure boasts the usual facets of a Soulslike whilst also implementing its own take on well-known mechanics. Nevertheless, significant drops in frame rate, numerous glitches, and occasionally awkward controls do hinder the experience, at least on Nintendo Switch. If you can look past these problems, or if updates arrive to patch them up, Another Crab's Treasure may scratch your Soulslike itch.
Freedom Planet 2 is another excellent 2D platformer from developer GalaxyTrail. The adventure boasts some fantastic levels to explore, a wonderful soundtrack, and an assortment of playable characters with unique abilities. There are some issues with enemy hitboxes and some aspects of its level design, but Freedom Planet 2 is still an enjoyable experience nonetheless.
South Park: Snow Day! has a lot of potential with some of its roguelike-inspired mechanics but ultimately fails to deliver an engaging experience whether you're playing it solo or in co-op. Combat feels unresponsive, the technical issues are numerous (on Switch at least), and the writing is some of the weakest in the series.
Hi-Fi Rush is a gorgeous rhythm-action game with a strong cast of characters, addictive gameplay, and an incredible musical score. The game has a ton of replayability with the way its structured, allowing you to improve your timings to perform better in the game's rhythmic combat. This is an essential title for PS5 owners, and we're glad Xbox has allowed us to finally experience it.
The "little" in the title also summarises the game's length. As with most games like this, you'll likely finish it in three to four hours, which for some is a perfect length considering how long it takes to finish other games being released these days. Nevertheless, the experience itself is charming, with a lovely soundtrack, and interesting puzzles to solve. If you're after another cosy game to play, then you will likely enjoy yourself.
In short, Little Goody Two Shoes is an excellent life-sim adventure with some intriguing elements of horror sprinkled throughout. If you want to play a different take on this well-established genre, then this game might be for you.
Ghostrunner 2 has some fun moments, though it can often be difficult to see past a lot of the performance issues and inconsistent level design. When the game's at its best, slicing through a horde of enemies and jumping around like a ninja, it can be an exhilarating experience. However, it might be worth waiting for a patch to address a lot of the core issues present at launch.
There is a lot to do in Rune Factory 5, and players have the freedom to live out their ideal fantasy life at their own pace. Although there are a hefty amount of performance issues, Rune Factory 5 is still a charming experience that can be taken with you on the go, and is worth the wait for fans of the series. If you’re looking for a game to settle down with in the evenings, then Rune Factory 5 might be worth the investment.
In short, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a refreshing experience that the franchise needed after all these years. The focus on capturing is one of the game's biggest strengths, due to the fun gameplay loop of discovering a Pokémon's behavior prior to catching it. It may not be the best-looking game available on Nintendo Switch, but the addictive nature of exploring the various biomes to discover new things makes Pokémon Legends: Arceus one of the best Pokémon experiences in a long time.
In short, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of one the franchise's best generations, despite some shortcomings. Your enjoyment of the game will heavily depend on your nostalgia or overall love of the franchise, so don't go in expecting a perfect remake. However, my time with these remakes was a fun one, and I'm excited to continue to explore the Grand Underground in search of a shiny Pokémon.
Overall, Demon Turf is a solid 3D platformer on Nintendo Switch, with a ton of personality and a striking art style. The amount of content present within the game is extraordinary, featuring a plethora of main collectibles, alongside worthwhile side content. Fully completing the game is guaranteed to take a large amount of time, but the variety of turfs to explore will make the quest to defeat the Demon King a memorable one. If you're after another great platformer on Nintendo Switch, then Demon Turf will definitely scratch that itch.
Tetris Effect: Connected is probably my favorite iteration of the beloved puzzler, featuring unique levels with mind-boggling visuals. Playing docked doesn't look as great as in handheld mode (particularly on Switch OLED) due to Switch resolution differences, but that doesn't detract from the overall experience. If you're after a fantastic puzzle game on Nintendo Switch, then Tetris Effect: Connected is an easy recommendation.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available now for Nintendo Switch, alongside a variety of DLC packs new and old.
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is filled with charm, offering an accessible JRPG that is perfect for newcomers to the genre. Although the Nintendo Switch version has a few issues, the gameplay more than makes up for it, alongside its heartwarming narrative and addictive side activities. If you've never played it, then this might be the time to jump in. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Princes Edition is now available for Nintendo Switch, featuring all previously released updates and downloadable content.
Despite some issues, Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a fun, replayable, fast-paced Sonic game with a distinct variety of stages. The new additions provide a small extra layer of depth to an already fantastic game, but it would have been nice to see more gameplay additions. If you're after an excellent journey through space, then Sonic Colors: Ultimate is definitely worth your time. As per usual, don't go in expecting the Nintendo Switch version to be the definitive version to play, as the game obviously plays better on other platforms. However, being able to play this classic portably is something to be excited about.
In short, Pokémon Unite features simple objectives that can easily become addictive. There is a variety of playable Pokémon to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Although the core gameplay is absolutely fantastic, the character balancing, stage elements, and microtransactions need to be reworked. Nevertheless, Pokémon Unite is worth downloading for those of you who are after a fun competitive game on Nintendo Switch. The mobile version is scheduled to launch sometime in September, and Zeraora (despite being overpowered) is available for free until the end of next month.
In short, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is easily the definitive way to experience this wonderful adventure. The variety of quality-of-life improvements are welcome additions, fixing a lot of the issues featured in the original release 10 years ago. Sometimes the game's controls can feel a little weird depending on which setup you choose, so you will most likely experience some issues not present in the other control option. However, they don't detract from what is probably one of my favorite video games of all time. If you're interested in experiencing a deep narrative with some likeable characters, then you owe it to yourself to experience this game. Then again, even if you've played it before, Skyward Sword HD is an adventure worth revisiting with these improvements.
Wave One of the Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Expansion Pass is now available, which includes the Pulse of the Ancients DLC. Wave Two, Guardian of Remembrance, is expected to launch sometime in November.