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Belmont's Curse may not be wildly original, but its planning and execution are superb, its combat and whip-integration thrilling, and its sense of exploration and reward on-point. It wholly delivers that all-important progression-reward feedback loop, tripping every time you come back stronger.It's an unapologetically hardcore affair, and that's welcome. It's one of the best Castlevania games in a long time thanks to its combat variety and smart whip integrations. While nicely balanced, extremely addictive, and with tons to do, those less familiar with the format may find its difficulty frustrating. But, if you play games to feel an elating sense of accomplishment, on that front it will do you right.
After the stumbling start of its predecessor, it's nice to see the series back on track in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. While some of the 12 different sports might feel a little too safe, most of the classics feel better than they've ever been, and the newbies surprise and delight with some classic Nintendo intuition. Revamped customisation options and a surprising amount of single-player content both feel like open goals, but they also provide a great excuse to keep playing, even once the party is over. This just might be the Nintendo Sports series at its best.Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a shoulder joint in desperate need of icing.
Final Fantasy Resonance is a strong return to an older style of Final Fantasy, building a thrilling adventure around a classic JRPG design structure that's bolstered by decades of modern game design lessons. A flexible job system, thrilling overworld exploration, and gorgeous implementation of HD-2D all come together to make this one an easy recommendation to any fans of JRPGS new or old.Hopefully this isn't the last time that Square Enix experiments with traditional design for its flagship franchise; Final Fantasy Resonance proves the developers haven't lost the ability to connect with what made it great back in the day.
Trails in the Sky: 2nd Chapter is more of the same, and that is definitely a good thing. It's part of an exemplary remake cycle that rivals Final Fantasy VII's.The new adventure takes us back through familiar areas while continuing the journey of Estelle and Joshua Bright. The 3rd Chapter will push the siblings into the background, but on the strength of these updates, that can't come soon enough.
On the surface, The Witch's Bakery is a simple cosy adventure sim about a young witch running a bakery. But bite into those flaky pastry layers and you'll find a creamy centre: a narratively strong game with mental health themes. The emotional issues are handled gently, never oversimplified, and feel universal.Between Lunne 'curing' customers' Regrets and the bigger, darker storylines, this 15-hour game acknowledges that emotions are tough, and that there is no magic fix. Still, it's a reminder that when everything seems terrible, sometimes all you need is a friend to listen – and a little sweet treat.
Hell is Us makes a statement about what we want from games, deconstructing the AAA formula to give the player more agency rather than holding their hand. In doing so, it comments on the nature of humanity through its brutal, difficult, war-torn world.However, its design can also make for a frustrating experience, especially when paired with some unflattering pop-in and slowdown.
If you're someone who adores Clive Barker's horror franchise, Hellraiser: Revival might be worth a look for its faithful visuals and intriguing story. As a gameplay experience, however, it falls at several hurdles, with awkward camera controls, bang-average combat mechanics, and a plethora of bugs throughout.A few hefty patches could iron out the wrinkles and make Revival an adaptation worth experiencing. For now, I can't help but wonder if a new movie would have been a wiser use of resources.
Ratatan is a welcome injection of weird into the Switch 2 roster. Hiroyuki Kotani builds on the legacy of Patapon with an addictive musical strategy title that will have "Rata" and "Un-Taka" rattling around your brain long after you walk away from your console.It will please fans of the developer's previous rhythm-action strategy, while offering something fresh and challenging for newcomers. It's a bit light and can feel too chaotic at times, but it's easily one of the most unique titles on Switch 2.
Despite Happy Snaps providing direction with its scrapbooks, it’s otherwise content to let you go off and have fun taking photos of whatever you want.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor remains a great example of an open-world action RPG, with strong combat, an impressive expansion of Tolkien's world through engaging storytelling, and the Nemesis system that put it on the map in the first place.On Nintendo Switch 2, there could have been more effort put into optimising the experience with a higher frame rate and more attention paid to visual bugs, but while it's easy to nitpick at these aspects, they don't detract too heavily from what remains one of the best games in the Tolkien universe to date.
Order of the Sinking Star is a puzzler made for the real sickos who could spend hours grinding down one stage. The mechanics remain simple enough to feel accessible, but are expanded upon with commendable creativity.While it doesn't let you experiment to any great degree, it will still leave you feeling like a genius after solving one puzzle before leaving you completely clueless in the next. Not everyone likes that feeling, but I relished it.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is still one of the best action RPGs around. The game getting a second chance at life with a massive string of updates alongside an expansion that gives me a reason to spend more time in the world and offers up some of its most challenging moments is cause for celebration enough.It running on the Switch 2 as well as it does when even the PS5 struggled is testament to just how Capcom is proving to be one of the best developers for the console.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt still remains one of the best RPGs out there. This could be seen as a needless remaster, but that's not the case on the Switch 2. The biggest complaint about the original Switch version was its visuals, and this remaster definitely improves on those. Along with some genuinely helpful additions like better animations and new accessibility options, there's no better time to experience this adventure than now.Sure, the combat still isn't the best even after more than a decade since the original release on other platforms, and there are some performance problems lingering. But the fact that it's easy to overlook these is a testament to how amazing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is.
Minecraft Dungeons 2 adds some mechanical changes alongside a new open-world format, making for a distinctly different sequel. It's a simple, bare-bones ARPG with a strong co-op experience that's currently let down by some technical hitches.Those jumping in at launch will likely be the established fanbase of either the franchise or the popular first Dungeons entry. Anyone else after a deep or challenging ARPG is unlikely to be won over.
In melding the mechanics of popular survival games with classic RPG elements from the MMO that inspired it, RuneScape: Dragonwilds crafts a solid experience that honours the spirit of its namesake. It is vast, mechanically rich, and often unforgiving, to an extent that might ward off more casual players. But just like the intimidating dragons you're pitted against, it's a challenge that can be conquered provided you're willing to slow down, spend the requisite time learning its ins and outs, and slowly build your arsenal.Or you can just spend all your time building a nice, cosy shack in the starting area - your choice. If you've got a few hundred hours to kill, Dragonwilds is a good candidate for your next virtual home-away-from-home. Let's just hope Jagex makes good on those promises of graphical improvements on Switch 2 sooner rather than later.
Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is an enjoyable and addictive RPG experience that feels like a good fit for the hybrid platform. Some minor missteps aside, the moody art style, addictive loot system, enormous amount of content, and near-infinite replayability make this one an easy recommendation to anyone looking for a good 'time sink' for their library.The debate will always wear on about where this one belongs in the overall series hierarchy, but it's tough to argue that this isn't one of the best modern examples of an ARPG. Online-only is something to consider, but Diablo IV offers some of the best bang for your buck on the system.
So, is it worth the punt? Yes and no. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age continues to be one of the greatest examples of a 'pure' JRPG, and this is certainly the best version of it for a handheld.
EA Sports FC 27's new mode, The Grounds, may not be best suited to Switch 2, because it relies on the kind of large online player base the series has struggled to maintain on Nintendo's console (and those who do show up are likely to play Ultimate Team instead).Despite this, everything else remains as enjoyable as ever and on the pitch - where it matters most - it continues to play an excellent game of football. As long as you can get over the fact it runs at 30fps and isn't wildly different from last year's game (The Grounds aside), this is the best football option on Switch 2 at the moment.
It would be easy to get caught up in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's pitfalls and dunk on the repetitive combat and performance, but truthfully, the game is far too fun to warrant too much negativity.With a frequently hilarious script, endless callbacks, and a cracking open world to explore, TT's love for the Caped Crusader always manages to shine through. And hey, love like that is infectious.
By combining different facets of an assortment of peaceful activities - colouring-in, jigsaw-puzzling, Lego-building and more - Woodo hits on a formula for pure relaxation. Its gorgeous presentation, both graphics and sound, makes it irresistible to interact with.There's a lot of repetition involved in getting into the zone, and sometimes I wished the storytelling would get out of the way and lean into the unspoken feelings that the dioramas convey without a voiceover. However, none of that was enough to snap me out of its cosy spell.