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Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain lets you blast away at hordes of alien enemies, making you feel powerful. The framerate drops when too many enemies appear, but it doesn't ruin the game. The story isn't very compelling, but manning your PA gear in combat makes up for that.
Days Gone features some potentially interesting community-building mechanics and the appeal of a bikers vs. zombies game is hard to ignore, but it never lets its best ideas take center stage. Instead, it focuses on lackluster combat and a repetitive set of missions. It moves along on the kind of momentum that exists almost by default in big open world packed with activities, but I could never get fully engaged, partly due to its dragging pace, scattershot story, off-putting protagonist, and frequent bugs.
Mechstermination Force is a wonderful follow-up to Bertil Hörberg's Gunman Clive series. While it can get a bit frustrating at times, the silly atmosphere and tough but entertaining gameplay make for a great time for those who want some simple, unadulterated fun.
BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! takes the puzzler series to new heights with the first Switch BoxBoy! entry. With an innovative spin in the form of fresh new mechanics and the playable inclusion of another loveable boxy character, this eShop title will brighten up any puzzle fan's day.
My Time at Portia is a visually beautiful, charming game rich in story, lore, and personality; everything about it is made better by the jump to a portable console. While this version lacks voice acting and rumble integration, the portability and surprisingly decent load times make this a great way to discover all that Portia has to offer.
Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a creative infusion of card-based combat with a traditional RPG. It plays entirely unlike any other card combat game, and it's worth a look even for those who don't generally like the genre. While it's light on story, less replayable than other card games, and could use some refinement when it comes to building decks and equipping characters, it's still a fun twist on a familiar concept that's easy to recommend.
I have a lot of VR games because I think they transcend barriers for non-gamers, and they are also a whole lot of fun. Job Simulator was a great way to break in new players, but I have to say that Vacation Simulator will be supplanting (or at least supplementing) their previous effort. While some of the minigames won't keep you coming back, there's enough here to keep you busy for quite a while. Owlchemy Labs has spent four years hard at work, but I'm gonna enjoy bit of my Vacation Simulation.
Forager marries everything you love about survival-adventures with everything you didn't know you wanted in one. A casual yet chaotic experience that's worth a try despite a slight lack of polish.
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit is ingeniously designed. The synthesis of physical cardboard Toy-Con with commensurate digital software creates a tactile and fun virtual reality experience that feels decidedly Nintendo. However, once the initial magic of Labo VR wears off, all that is left is a shallow, oddly assembled lot of minigames that won't last more than an afternoon.
Katana Zero is a game that I loved playing, but I walked away from it with some major reservations. On top of its tight, excellent swordplay, fun time-shifting powers, and pitch-perfect soundtrack, Katana Zero packs some interesting storytelling tricks that I wasn't expecting. On the other hand, it uses its innovative structure to tell a story rife with ill-conceived takes on disturbing subject matter without a content warning in sight. Katana Zero is an extraordinarily fun experience for the few hours it lasts, but the bad taste it left in my mouth lingered much longer.
Overwhelm's dark, intense action makes for a fantastic yet occasionally frustrating horror experience. When you are in the game, leaping around enemies and using your limited ammo to deal with evolving threats, you will be experiencing an immensely satisfying challenge. It's only a shame that some of the technical aspects can make death too easy and navigation a chore, because the roots of Overwhelm's concept design are exemplary.
God's Trigger is a fast-paced top down shooter in the realm of Hotline Miami, which brings with it some brutal deaths. The various abilities and ways to attack are fantastic. The story doesn't delve deep, but it does what's needed to keep you engaged.
Gal Metal is a weird rhythm game that unfortunately doesn't live up to the hype that its premise promises. It's worth checking out if you want some metal in your Switch diet, but other than that, you can probably skip it.
Weedcraft Inc. is an interesting tycoon game that focuses on the weed business. The premise may be controversial to some, but it offers an experience not typically known by people. The resource management can be challenging and fun, though the soundtrack may get annoying.
Switch 'N' Shoot is a fun little arcade shooter that speaks the language of "one more go!" While it's limited in its content, this micro-sized game will appeal to the high score arcade junkies out there.
Unruly Heroes features a mix of platforming and combat with four characters that you can switch between on the fly. With a handful of interesting bosses and plenty of mechanical variation between levels, the game never locks you into one style of play for too long. Ultimately, though, I didn't find any part of it that much fun to play, which wasn't helped by its leaden controls and uneven difficulty.
Outward is an ambitious, uncompromising game, sometimes to its own detriment. There’s a lot to like about it, from its unique take on player character death to its focus on the mundane aspects of adventuring. But every moment when it really shined was surrounded by drudgery and frustration. Outward is sure to appeal to some players, but it often undercuts its own best features.
Hob: The Definitive Edition is a 3D adventure game that combines fluid combat, landscape altering puzzles, and engaging platforming. The varying area designs and atmospheres are a treat to experience and entice you into pushing forward. The enhancements since the original improve the experience as well.
The transition from portable devices to consoles hasn't hurt the quality of the Ace Attorney Trilogy, which remain some of my favorite games of all time. Phoenix Wright and company are deserving of the big screen, and this game is well worth your time if you haven't gotten around to playing it elsewhere.
Operencia is a great dungeon crawling experience that you shouldn't sleep on, especially if you're a fan of the genre. While some of the mechanics and presentation are a little hit-or-miss, that shouldn't scare you away from the unique world, memorable characters, and excellent combat that Operencia has to offer.