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As a whole, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a quick and blunt showing of an important piece of history that's made to be accessible to our generation.
Recommending the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection is a bit of a mixed bag. If you're a fan of the Gradius games or a shmup fan, the collection is a solid, if basic, way to get these classic games on console. The lack of features and the wireless controller bug make it difficult to recommend for anyone who is merely curious about Konami's history. The emulation may be solid, but the package around it has some pretty rough edges.
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a pleasant surprise during a season that usually has few significant releases. The story starts off in a fascinating way, and despite a few bumps along the way, the game maintains a player's curiosity throughout its runtime. The mechanics are great, especially since the title doesn't have many of the expected drawbacks, and it's all reinforced by an excellent all-around presentation. For those who want a rich story and strong gameplay, A Plague Tale is definitely worth checking out.
Rage 2 is an engaging game that's hindered by a number of annoyances.
Despite this, Nairi: Tower of Shirin remains a charming and engaging point-and-click adventure game. The story is conveyed well via good writing, with enough twists and revelations that make it feel like a children's show due to the subject matter and higher stakes involved. The puzzles are great brain teasers but also have the good sense to not fall into the trap of being difficult for the sake of it. Most of all, that art style is too attractive to pass up, with every character being extremely likeable. Provided you don't mind the cliffhanger ending, Nairi is a worthy pickup for adventure fans.
At the end of the day, the charm and well-loved characters are not enough to save Asterix & Obelix XXL 2. It feels like a slog of collecting a certain number of items to get from point A to point B — lather, rinse and repeat. Nothing lands well, other than the updated graphics. No amount of cheesy puns and well-pandered references could save a game from itself when it's poorly made, even if it was decently remastered.
Overall, World War Z provides a decent co-op zombie experience, despite some drawbacks. The weapons lack oomph, even when powered up, but they are still decent. The class system doesn't make anyone feel too different, but much like the weapons, there aren't any terrible classes
The Exorcist: Legion VR is easily one of the more effective horror games on the platform to date. Its reliance on relative unease rather than jump-scares makes it stand out from other horror games on the platform, while the number of challenging puzzles gives the title some real substance. While there's no doubt that more effective horror games can hit VR in the near future, The Exorcist is one of the better ones that you can find today.
Not only is The Division 2 a solid gaming experience, but it's one that Ubisoft plans to continually support over time. We've already seen the beginning of that support, and there is no indication that it'll let up. Whether you are a solo player or someone ready to jump in with a squad of friends, The Division 2 is a game you don't want to miss.
In the end, Transference is in an odd position. The atmosphere is completely engrossing, since the crumbling digital landscape and ominous repeated dialogue and other sounds create an unsettling world. Jump-scares are light, and almost all the puzzles are easy enough to solve even with some fumbling around. With that said, the tale can seem disturbing, but the scattershot way it's told doesn't make the game very memorable when compared to either its horror or walking simulator contemporaries. Transference remains a game that's worth checking out, but it's not one that players should be in a rush to seek out over other similar titles.
In the end, your enjoyment of Close to the Sun will depend on whether you want to be surprised. If you've played some of the previously mentioned games, you know exactly what to expect in terms of pacing and story, even if the subject matter is different. The lack of combat is an interesting choice, but the simple puzzles and slightly frustrating chase sequences dull the experience, while the inability to view collectibles after you leave a level significantly diminishes their value.
Silence: The Whispered World 2 is a beautiful and polished experience with a distinct focus on its story. It still holds enough traditional gameplay to be considered a point-and-click adventure rather than a "walking simulator," but it sacrifices complexity and variety for a more streamlined approach. It's also a very short experience, which doesn't necessarily work in its favor. It doesn't overstay its welcome, but many of it is too short-lived to make the impact it's so clearly striving for.
Giga Wrecker Alt. is still a solid Metroidvania game, even though we're getting more of them nowadays. Even though the collision and physics can sometimes be wonky, the puzzle platforming is inventive and matches well with the combat, which goes at a nice flow once you master the rhythm of the controls. Despite some blurry parts here and there, the graphical art style is good, and the soundtrack is absolutely perfect for the genre. The additions made at the sacrifice of the level builder are worth the exchange, so adventure fans will find Giga Wrecker Alt. to be well worth checking out.
All in all, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is fun. The combat is enjoyable, the exploration is entertaining, and the story is amusing in a ridiculous sort of way. It's just a great game. It has flaws, including inconsistent difficulty and repetitive content, but on the Switch, these aren't serious enough issues to drag down the excellent gameplay. It's an aging game that you've probably had the chance to play on another system, but it's still incredibly enjoyable, and the Switch's portability arguably makes it the definitive version. Dragon's Dogma on the Switch is a must-have for fans of action-RPGs.
Overall, Ashen is a great title. The Souls formula may be adapted nearly wholesale, but the art style gives the game a different vibe. The presence of co-op at all times makes each run feel feasible, since the odds rarely feel impossible to overcome, and the presence of a community to grow gives you a real sense of progression and purpose. Unless you're completely burned out by the formula, Ashen is an adventure that's well worth checking out.
Even with all the promotion we're seeing now, Days Gone still carries the aura of a title that could be miscast and possibly overlooked at a glance, like it was for me a few years ago. You don't know until you play, and this stands as one the more pleasant and satisfying surprises of the year for me. It's been a long road to this game, but the ride is worth it.
Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is an excellent addition to the Steamworld lineup and a fantastic game on its own merits. The story is simple but charming, and the gameplay alone is strong enough to carry players to the end. The sheer amount of customization and variety in character builds and combat offers a lot of enjoyable content to players both casual and hardcore. If you're a fan of RPGs, then you should try out Steamworld Quest. It's one of the most enjoyable indie titles on the Switch to date.
All in all, Mortal Kombat 11 is a solid addition to the franchise. It has arguably the weakest story mode in the new MK trilogy, but even that mode has one of the better fighting game story modes on the market. The gameplay is solid, satisfying and fun, with a lot of potential depth. There's a lot of good single-player content for those who like beating up various characters, in addition to the online multiplayer that is genre-standard. Mortal Kombat 11 is everything that a Mortal Kombat game should be, and it's something fans should enjoy.
Unravel Two improves upon its predecessor and has a decent showing on the Switch. The gameplay is as fun and clever as it has ever been, making it one of the best cooperative (and mobile) experiences money can currently buy on the Switch, even though the technical downgrade to make it feasible is noticeable throughout. If you aren't bothered by that, be sure to check out Unravel Two.
Home Sweet Home is a decent horror title. It mostly relies on jump scares, but the brilliant use of sound builds up suspense where needed. The puzzles are decent, but some can be too obtuse for many to solve on their own, and the breakdown of AI at times means that some of your escapes are due to dumb luck. The explanation of Thai mythology would've been nice, and the VR use should've been better, but the fact that this isn't labeled as an episodic game will annoy players the most. Home Sweet Home is worth checking out — but only if you aren't already tired of the genre.