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Middle Earth: Shadow of War is a game unlike anything before it. The already excellent systems introduced in its predecessor have been made better in every way with new consequences and rewarding wrinkles.
Echo is a tense and intriguing sci-fi puzzler that keeps you on your toes but is not without its faults. It places a strong focus on stealth and can often make you feel trapped because of it, but as a stealth game feels rewarding creative thanks to its smart AI system. For those looking for a quiet and patient challenge, Echo is a worthy contender for your time and skills.
With really no downsides, Golf Story is exactly what the Switch needs right now—a smart, lovable, and addicting game that fits the console mission perfectly.
If you thoroughly enjoyed the first Evil Within, chances are you've already picked up this sequel. However, if you're like me and found the original to be a lot of bark with no bite, this installment is worth the ride. Just be ready for some cringe-inducing dialogue and some tonal whiplash along the way.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a success, warts and all.
It's a great continuation of the series that addressed the shortcomings of the last game and took advantage of it being something supplementary to a larger experience. Simpler but more versatile powers, a more open-ended approach to seeking objectives, characters with understandable motivations and emotional stakes, and a more downplayed moral choice system lead to an experience that's easier to pick up but more rewarding the deeper you go.
Songbringer is a fun game that is not without its problems.
If you desperately want to show your support with your wallet and want a return to classic gameplay, then Metroid: Samus Returns will give you just that. A pleasant easily digestible experience with enough style and visual gloss to keep you entertained. If you were expecting a more deliberately made installment for hardcore fans or a revolutionary retelling of one of the weaker Metroid experiences, you may want to lower your expectations.
While you can't accurately judge an episodic game off just the first episode, Life is Strange: Before the Storm is shaping up to be an excellent experience.
While it's appeal is decidedly niche, the game excels as something much more than a visual novel. Add in the slightly easy, but satisfying, turn-based battles and it's a game that speaks directly to me and gets a high recommendation.
As it stands at time of writing, Destiny 2 stands as a testament to Bungie listening to feedback and making a sequel that stands head and shoulders over its predecessor. It can be accused of preaching to the choir with its lack of in-game codex and more aggressive microtransaction pressures but if you found the first Destiny cold, impersonal, and half-baked, this installment is the one to jump in on.
I'm glad I lived long enough to see another great Sonic game; one that doesn't need the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia. It has learned from the past and forged its own identity. It's not perfect, but it is a new standard that series needed. Believe the Mania because the Blue Blur is back.
Superhot VR is fast, action-filled, and addictive. It's one of the few VR games that truly makes you feel a part of the action, and while the aiming mechanics can be poor at times, the game more than makes up for it in fun and flair. If you liked Superhot or are looking for the pinnacle of where VR games are at at the moment, Superhot VR won't let you down.
However, for the asking price of thirty dollars, I did get a lot more out of it than what I was expecting. It is a much needed entry point into a series that has made its own mark in the industry as a more melancholic and measured crime experience. A game that ate up forty hours of my time and had my attention, even when I was having conversations with a club hostess, picking up spares, or smashing the teeth out of some punk with a baseball bat. If you've wanted to get into the series before but didn't know where to start, this is the game you've been waiting for.
Lawbreakers is an impressive $30 package that boasts a lot of versatility in its design. While the high-octane gravity-controlling hero shooter brings a lot of action and entertainment, the lack of competitive matchmaking, a standard Deathmatch mode, and a map design that lacks going the extra mile holds it just shy of perfection. Regardless of the missed opportunities, Lawbreakers still hail-marys its way to the top of my personal favorite shooters list.
Given that this game shares such a strong base with its predecessor, it'd be easy to get whether or not this is a sequel or a rehash, but the point is that Nidhogg did what it did perfectly and enjoyably. It was a simple game and concept that was best unadorned and uncluttered with other mechanics, modes, etc. Nidhogg 2 is fully aware of that and instead of changing what already works. It adds more in ways that don't detract from the core of the game, instead choosing to give it a healthy dose of identity, character and zany atmosphere that will stick with you much longer than bland colored square men in basic environments. It plays beautifully and the quick kills and high tension matches make for a perfect two-player experience.
Agents of Mayhem manages to make its own identity while still retaining the spirit of the series that inspired it. With a visually pleasing art direction, pleasantly entertaining combat and a plot that easily ate up thirty hours of my time, it's the kind of experience that is perfect for turning your brain off. There's an art to making video game junkfood like this and Volition haven't lost their touch yet.
Super Cloudbuilt is an enjoyable and fast paced adventure that can be as tough as you let it be. With hours of platforming and seemingly endless challenges to augment the story mode, the game does a surprising job of never feeling stale or overbearing. It's slick and stylish, and it feels really great to play once you get the hang of the mechanics. With very limited downsides, it's definitely a game we plan on returning to whenever we need a high-velocity fix among the clouds.
Splatoon 2 is a great game that could have been amazing. If you have a Nintendo Switch and some friends willing to deal with some headaches, then this is a must-buy especially if you didn't dive in to the series before. But the baffling way modes and maps are gated off feels antithetical to a game on a console that prides itself on letting you play however you want. It's one heck of a catch, I just wish it didn't get tangled in its own net so much.
As a whole, Bulb Boy is a gross yet endearing update to the classic 2D adventure games from studios like Lucasarts and Sierra Interactive. It feels right at home on the Switch, especially when played in handheld mode. While the grim setting and disgusting visuals can be off-putting for some, it's the enjoyable characters and inviting strangeness that make it a worthwhile experience. If you have a classic adventure game itch, this is one of those.