Cultured Vultures

The cute graphics and almost cartoon-like voice acting are also well suited to a younger audience. Add in the fact that you cannot be killed while exploring and this is as close to a relaxing and gentle experience as you can get in a video game. But, adults picking this up expecting something akin to Goat Simulator or Untitled Goose Game are going to be bitterly disappointed.

Need For Speed Heat is the beginning of a new upwards turn for the long-ailing franchise. While it doesn’t get everything right, Heat focuses on the right elements needed to be a successful series once again. For the first time in a long time, I have a need for Need For Speed.

New Super Lucky’s Tale takes what was originally a great platforming game and improves it exponentially to make it one of the most enthralling games currently available for the Switch.

As far as Skybolt Zack’s experience is concerned, it is a solid offering that will appeal to players looking for something they can play over and over again to perfect their best time or score. For those of you looking for a more casual experience, approach with caution. Skybolt Zack may look like harmless platforming fun, but it makes you sweat for it.

Afterparty is like a Godfather cocktail: devilishly sweet and won’t leave you with a remorseful hangover. Night School Studio can toast to creating a funny and endearing tale.

An unremarkable story is outshined by engaging, if difficult, puzzles, and a persistently creepy atmosphere.

Though Skullgirls: 2nd Encore might not have the biggest online community on the Nintendo Switch, that’s subject to change once more people purchase the game, and they really should. With a fantastic style and superlative gameplay, supported by the best netcode in the business, Skullgirls: 2nd Encore is right at home on the Nintendo Switch.

Disco Elysium is an absolute triumph of character, narrative, and player choice. One of the most intoxicating and dazzlingly dense RPGs of its generation that deserves to be in the GOTY conversation.

Despite the amount of murdering you do in the game, the somewhat weak combat did little to affect the great time I had with The Outer Worlds. It’s an almost instant classic with some of the best character interactions I have had in years. That it manages to interweave so many different systems and aspects and still come out coherent in the end is quite an achievement. That it’s also genuinely funny is a minor miracle.

The series is back up to its old tricks, the bad ones, as this new installment hosts a crazy number of glitches and annoyances. Some fun can be had playing with WWE’s toys, but the cost of entry seems steeper than ever this year.

Moons of Madness starts strongly with a descent into the depths of sanity that loses it way slightly thanks to a over-reliance on puzzles and tonal inconsistencies. You can do a lot worse this Halloween, however, and anyone who loves Lovecraft will no doubt lap this up.

The mileage of Overwatch on the Switch is going to vary. If you’ve never experienced the game before, now is the perfect time to do so. Playing it on the go is an added bonus if you’re used to playing shooters on the Switch anyway. As for existing players, the Switch version offers little to make this port worth shelling out for.

Yet, despite the challenge it presents, there is an undeniable quality present that makes this game incredibly difficult to turn away from. After every death, no matter the cause nor the number of times I was slain, I immediately jumped back into this fantastical retro world to try again and again. The beautiful design and excellent fluidity only add to what an utterly addictive experience this is.

Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment are undeniably great games but even with updated graphics and improvements to control schemes, they show their age and are not well suited to home consoles.

Monkey King: Hero Is Back isn’t the high-water mark for gaming in 2019, as its flaws are clearly evident. There’s a decent beat ‘em up nestled in there somewhere, but the weak storyline, bad voice acting and the constant repetition serve to undercut the game’s values.

Little Big Workshop is a factory simulator built for the masses. It gets the little details right while setting up big goals for those new to the genre, even if the little workers can cause headaches at times.

Make no mistake, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is still the masterpiece it once was. The story is brilliant, and the writing and characters that help flesh out the world are nothing short of sublime. If this is your first experience with Wild Hunt, there’s no doubt you will fall in love, and the Switch is a decent way to experience Geralt of Rivia. However, if you’ve already played Wild Hunt on console or PC, there’s really nothing that can add to or improve on what has come before.

With a lovable protagonist and a soundtrack to die for, Felix The Reaper’s innovatively designed puzzles are hindered only by a fussy camera. At its core, however, resides an inexorable charm that deems this title a truly novel gem.

These are ultimately nitpicks in what is a magical, affecting experience with a heart of gold, though. Concrete Genie paints a pretty picture that’s hard to resist. Here’s hoping Sony continue to support smaller, more creative ventures like Concrete Genie again as we move into the next generation and beyond.

However, despite its bad points, I am a Ghostbusters fan, and this feels like a rare project made especially for fans of the movies. It’s imperfect, but it’s accurate, and most of all, fun. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered feels like the ultimate fan tribute to the series. It’s a lot of fun, but those who aren’t fans may not appreciate the attention to detail.

Rain of Reflections: Chapter 1 is a competent point and click adventure with fun ideas and an interesting world. Unfortunately, the game’s short length and poor voice acting prevent it from becoming great.

Radio Commander is a solid role-playing crisis manager game set during a compelling historical event, with great concepts and an interesting communications mechanic. However, the game is brought down heavily by an identity crisis in its core game design and inherent tedium and repetition.

John Wick Hex is an interesting spin on the usually lazy movie tie-in subgenre that sadly fails to capitalise on its unique ideas to deliver a fun, engaging experience. Instead, the trial by error gameplay makes the simple act of walking through a door exasperating, and the game never really makes the most of the license, leaving John Wick Hex feeling like a wasted opportunity that might make you want to put a pencil through your eye.

All in all, I felt so much promise from Indivisible that was quashed by a game with little to no challenge and a monotonous combat loop, leaving me craving separation. It’s a shame, as the art and style demonstrate such love for a cool concept that may never realize its potential. Indivisible promises additional characters from other indie darlings, but it’s a tough sell to bring me back for more of the same boring gameplay.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint mostly feels like yet another AAA game that was released too soon. However, despite its faults, glitches and an awful push towards microtransactions, there's just enough fun in this open-world tactical shooter to warrant checking it out.