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This "fantastic journey through the human body factory" made me smile. Homo Machina is a very concise experience (perhaps an hour or so) but one that's priced appropriately on the Nintendo eShop. While the puzzles themselves are so-so, this eye-catching game is positively wrapped in charm, and I suggest you add it to your Switch digital library.
SpellKeeper is an addictive puzzle game that finds the right balance between teasing the brain and comforting it. It presents a unique premise and enough content to keep puzzle fans busy for quite a few hours.
While AWAY: Journey to the Unexpected features some great 2D character models and animations, the gameplay simply didn't provide a fun experience. Close-up first-person combat and first-person platforming has never been easy in games and AWAY doesn't take any meaningful step forward in solving those issues.
Get Mechstermation Force, get a partner if you can, and get ready to save the world. You're going to frequently die trying, but the process will be a blast.
Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!! Is the ultimate food tycoon-management game, and the best one on the platform to date.
Mortal Kombat 11 offers an extreme amount of customization and replayability all while maintaining its pure enjoyment when fighting.
Vaporum is a "Steampunk Dungeon Crawler" with a hidden mystery lying underneath the strange laboratory of mechanical creatures out to destroy you. I recommend this game to anyone looking to play a game with collecting, puzzle solving, and combat.
Much like a deep dish pizza, Way of the Passive Fist isn't what it seems on the surface. And like the heavy alternative to the NY slice, it's not something I can recommend to everyone. However, it's a totally inventive, gorgeous, and well-executed spin on rhythm-based games, where the action never lets up.
Silence provides a fun, thoughtful, but brief experience on the Nintendo Switch. Its charms may be lost on younger gamers, but old-school adventurers will like the way it harks back to the days of yore while eschewing many of the more annoying aspects of the genre. Silence has a great story that's well acted, wonderful environments to explore and puzzles that are fun to solve, but you may want to wait for a sale before you set off.
While I like the intent that Feather brings to the table, its ideas are implemented in a subpar fashion. This is a proof of concept, whose asking price doesn't reflect its current modest state. I can't recommend it unless a sizable update arrives to unlock its potential.
Simple yet effective, Overwhelm takes the concepts at the very core of the horror genre and presents them in the form of a nostalgic and addictive game.
Pitfall Planet is fun for sure. But the shorter length, higher cost on Nintendo Switch, and no option for solo players must be factored in. All things considered, I recommend adding this to your wish list for a future sale.
If you're a genre fan, Unravel Two would be a very good choice, even more so if you have someone to enjoy its puzzles with via co-op. While some of its choices didn't quite hit the bullseye – much of the folk music clashes with the on-screen action – it offers a solid amount of high-quality content. And again, Unravel Two will leave you thinking, which is another plus.
Lyrica comes together quite well in presentation and gameplay, but it's going to have a limited audience by design. The theme—although interesting—doesn't lend itself to the type of frenetic fun conveyed through most other rhythm games. Also, rhythm games on the Switch require portable play and (ideally) a pair of headphones, limiting their accessibility. If you're used to that, Lyrica is a unique entry in the genre. If not, there are others out there that will likely hold your attention longer and at a lower price point.
While it can be fun to run around smashing stuff and listening to a cool soundtrack, Ape Out is a bit of a one-trick pony. When you boil it down, it's a maze runner with a smash-the-bad-guys element. Don't get me wrong—the theme may be simple, but the game is fun to play. It's challenging enough to keep you entertained for several hours so go let your inner monkey run wild for a while.
While the concept of an open world beat 'em up set in high-school sounds interesting, the way it was executed is far from perfect. Furthermore, the entire world feels meaningless, as there is no way to easily tell what time your classes begin, and where they are. It is also difficult to know where each building is in the world because The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa lacks a map/compass feature. If you are looking for a unique beat 'em up, and are willing to manage it's user experience issues, then this is a perfect game for you.
Metagal is a fun platformer. It could do with more content, but what's there is an enjoyable ride with incentive to replay. At $4.99, it's a bargain that's worth checking out if you're a platforming enthusiast or Mega Man fan looking for a little action on the side.
If you're looking for a title that relieves tension instead of building it, My Time at Portia is as soothing as gaming gets. The craft-heavy life sim offers new spins on mainstays like farming, mining, and even fishing. It's the closest gaming equivalent to a warm cup of cocoa: soothing and satisfying. If Harvest Moon and Breath of the Wild had a baby, I'm positive their beautiful brood would feel like My Time at Portia.
Paperbound Brawlers was so frantic the first time I played it that I couldn't keep track of the action and quickly switched the game off. I'm glad I came back, though, because things start to click once you get the hang of how to use gravity as a weapon, and you start to see each level in a brand new light. Planning becomes virtually impossible, and you exist simply in the moment. Until a goo bomb kills you, that is.
And at its price point and addictive nature, it's an entirely enjoyable addition to your Switch as a time waster, or if you simply feel the need to yell profanity at your console when you mess up one. Lousy. Flap.