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The Pathless is an enjoyable adventure to a serene island filled with satisfying puzzles, mesmeric traversal and gripping boss showdowns. Some small frustrations, including unnecessary stealth sequences and little reason to deviate from the main objective, hold the game back, but the polished moment-to-moment gameplay combined with the inspired soundtrack make for a pleasing and fun experience that's easy to recommend to fans of open world and puzzle games.
Sackboy’s legacy was always tied to LittleBigPlanet and its creation tools. Media Molecule no doubt created a PlayStation icon, but he always played second fiddle to the tools. That perception is no more thanks to Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Sumo Digital has successfully excised Sackboy from the creation tools and given him his own platforming game. The game is gushing with character and charm thanks to its wide array of imaginative levels. The transition to 3D platforming has allowed for more precise and varied gameplay, providing a solid level of fun for players of all ages. As a PS5 launch title, the game delivers a colorful and detailed presentation, though it remains no slouch on PS4. The story isn’t anything special and chocked to the brim with cliches, but a solid voice cast combined with great level design will keep you playing the entire length. While playable solo, Sackboy is best when played co-op, and unfortunately at launch, co-op options are limited. As a complete experience, though, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a fun platforming adventure that’ll leave you with a smile on your face.
Call of Duty: Black Ops lost its way post-Black Ops III. While Black Ops III and 4 were fun in their own ways, they were also a massive departure from the core Black Ops experience.
There are times when you feel obliged to find faults no matter how minor, but in the ten-plus hours spent with Moon Studios' latest, there are none.
Even with these minor annoyances - not least those carried over from previous games in the series - what brief frustrations that do surface are quickly and easily eclipsed by everything else going on in Like a Dragon. Or more appropriately, by the sheer scale of deviation and conviction that this year's entry shows in proving that this genre of gameplay - this more classically RPG-centric approach - is an unquestionably excellent fit for the series.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla brings quality of life improvements to the new Assassin's Creed model but doesn't stray too far from familiar territory.
Even with these minor annoyances - not least those carried over from previous games in the series - what brief frustrations that do surface are quickly and easily eclipsed by everything else going on in Like a Dragon. Or more appropriately, by the sheer scale of deviation and conviction that this year's entry shows in proving that this genre of gameplay - this more classically RPG-centric approach - is an unquestionably excellent fit for the series.
Bugsnax is a relatively short title, taking roughly around ten hours or so to finish depending on if players go for full completion or not.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin seamlessly blends 2D platforming action with 3D farm management.
Marvel's Spider-Man perfectly revitalized the Spider-Man gaming franchise back in 2018 and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an excellent follow-up.
Astro's Playroom is an irresistible delight.
Arguably and oddly enough, Fuser is at its best when it focuses more on creating music and less on being a traditional rhythm game.
While there are minor complaints about Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, they are just that: minor.
Of the many titles from Wii U that still need and deserve to be ported to Switch, Pikmin 3 Deluxe was a great choice to bring over.
Ray's the Dead is a hard game to either recommend or trash, balanced neatly between being a charming and much-smarter-than-it-looks zombie-fest and a buggy mess punctuated by painfully blatant '80s nostalgia.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope is a notable improvement over Man of Medan, thanks to its vastly superior plot that manages to keep you hooked and interested in the characters as you try to keep them alive.
Transformers Battlegrounds is well-crafted when it comes to being a fine gateway into the tactical RPG genre.
Part Time UFO is a surprise release that brings a charming new puzzle title to Switch. The levels are fantastic amounts of fun and figuring out how to solve and beat all the challenges is addictive.
Watch Dogs: Legion aims to be a truly ambitious entry in the series with its Legion system, but to paraphrase Ian Malcolm, the developers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
Mad Rat Dead is a bizarre game in many ways, but also one that executed its concept about as well as could be imagined.