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Ultimately, Alone with You is a satisfying, if occasionally hard-going, experience. It loses a mark for its saggy middle but it redeems itself with a cast of nuanced characters and a well-earned conclusion. With this title — and horror game, Home — under his belt, it's evident that Benjamin Rivers is a talent to watch and his next game should be anticipated.
At this stage, it feels incongruous to state whether or not this is the best Ace Attorney game. A lot of the aspects in the game are nothing new, but whilst there are elements that separate it from its predecessors, there is nothing that instantly makes it significantly better than the rest. In part, this is because the main series has been so continuously strong. Even though there has been an increase in the number of visual novel type games to come to the West, Ace Attorney is still one of the best, and Spirit of Justice does not detract from that. The fact that it holds its own against previous entries, as well as providing the most engaging overall narrative in the series makes it worth playing. What's more, it retains the humour and character (and not to forget great music) that makes the Ace Attorney series so exceptional. Now if there aren’t any objections, the verdict can now be given…
SuperHyperCube might not be to virtual reality what Tetris was to the GameBoy, or even what Super Hexagon was to mobile gaming, but it’s an essential purchase for early adopters and a game that you’ll want to return to time and time again. It’s a simple concept that is beautifully designed, perfect packaged and plays to the strength of the platform. One of the highlights of PS VR launch line-up.
Players who like hardboiled detective stories will likely find something of interest here as well, but most of all, for those familiar with the work of Suda51 – especially Killer7 and Flower, Sun, and Rain – The Silver Case will be an essential 'new' Suda51 trip.
Mark McMorris Infinite Air is by no means a bad snowboarding game. If you're looking for a challenging snowboarding simulator with a realistic approach to tricks (and failure) then this is absolutely the game for you, but if you're looking to lazily noodle a few buttons and feel like a superhero then you're likely to be disappointed. Additionally, the pretty but somewhat skeletal open world will probably suffer in comparison against upcoming titles like Steep and Snow.
Fast RMX may crib from other titles, but it's beautiful, competitive, and as the name suggests, fast. It should be the other Switch game you own.
If you are a long-time fan, World of Goo is well worth a return trip. If you are new to its pleasures, then this is an essential and timeless game that deserves to be on your Nintendo Switch play-list.
Loot Rascals, like other roguelikes, might not be for everyone, but it is the game's charm and engaging approach to stat loadout and item management (as dull as that sounds) that make it enjoyable and helps turn what otherwise might have been frustration into a learning experience. Ultimately you might not get very far, but you won’t regret the time spent trying.
From the promise of the Kickstarter and the people behind it, you might have expected Yooka-Laylee to be like a great band, getting back together for a new album after a long hiatus. What we've ended up with is something that feels like a cover version – of something a bit old-fashioned, not especially relevant today, and more than a little bit flawed – but if you loved Banjo-Kazooie, then you'll probably love the cover version just as much, and that's just fine.
The temptation with Snake Pass might be throw the controller down in frustration and walk away, when faced with sheer befuddlement at the controls and the absurdity of wiggling Noodle around some tricky environments. But if you persevere with it – and you really should – you'll find the gameplay 'clicks' surprisingly quickly. And once it does, Snake Pass is a thoroughly enjoyable riff on the retro 3D platformer, brought to life in charming style and with a genuinely innovative approach to traversal and problem solving.
If you liked the original, Chime Sharp is an enjoyable follow-up that delivers more of the same compelling puzzle gameplay with a fresh coat of paint. Long-time players might yearn for a little more variety, but if you are new to the series, you’re in for a treat.
You'll have a cathartic blast with Mr Shifty, but your adrenal gland will have been worn out before you see the credits roll, and just like its titular hero, it doesn't stay with you for long.
When your time with The Final Station comes to an end, you might feel like those pistons – firing over and over until you reach your terminus, bound by looping gameplay as they are to the track. Though it might thirst for challenge, it’s a surreal tour through a beautiful, brutal world – one underscored by loving attention to detail and an atmosphere unlike any other I’ve played. Despite the mechanical motions that get you there, the journey and the destination stay with you long after you disembark.
The Signal From Tölva looks fantastic, with an intriguing setting and some interesting ideas working together for an incredibly strong start, but the game is quickly bogged down by it's inability to escape the vortex of open world busywork. Also, it contains a lot of robots.
If you were a fan of the main game then you can't go wrong with the £3.99 this will set you back, but it's by no means essential.
Transient, vague, and awash with macabre sights and sounds, Little Nightmares is aptly named. Its gameplay is rote and minimal but its skew of images will stick in your craw like the fleeting fragments of a nightmare upon waking. The rest will fade.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap may be out of its time – it's rock hard, a little obtuse, and won't lead you by the hand – but benefits from a stylish and sensitive makeover that stays painstakingly true to the mechanically perfect original. The Dragon's Trap is a remarkable thing, then. Not only is it a retro remake that's actually not crap, it's as good as the day it first came out and even holds its own against modern releases.
Gnog is a pleasing and relaxing experience; one that understands what its strengths are and focuses making them the best they can be. Plus, it is the perfect length for escaping the dull and drab realities of the real world, and diving into the pastel-drenched absurdities of Gnog.
The Sexy Brutale nods back to ancient tradition while wrapped in the trappings of the 20th century, taking notes from some of the best adventure games there have been. At the same time, it looks forwards, unwinding to its own tempo, creating a game that feels distinct from any other.
This isn’t the best version of Tetris there has ever been, and I expect previous versions of Puyo Puyo have been more focused, but there’s no doubt that this chaotic mash-up of both, plus the exuberant – if overwhelming – presentation, make this a recommended purchase.