Overall, Cocoon is a fantastic puzzle game. Its core gimmick of world-jumping is implemented expertly, building a cohesive in-game logic that will keep players hooked to the end. It's a world full of secrets, many of then unknown, and it's all the better for it.
Under The Waves is a powerful story with wonderful atmosphere, but a lack of polish holds it back from achieving its true potential.
Sea of Stars is more than just an excellent turn-based RPG that pays homage to the greats. The gameplay choices it makes turns the game into a must-play for fans of the genre, while the story is suitably charming for RPG aficionados. This is far more than simply a prequel to The Messenger, and is a tremendous achievement in its own right.
Immortals of Aveum is not quite the must-have new IP that some would have hoped, but there are some genuine moments of brilliance here. It has absolutely fantastic minute-to-minute combat, and once the player is in sync with their powers it's a wonderfully fluid experience. Unfortunately its story and writing doesn't match its gameplay, and its visual design is a bit of a mixed bag, but with gameplay that ranks among the most enjoyable for shooters of this generation so far, those flaws may well be worth overlooking.
Overall, F1 Manager 2023 is a successful management sim. It understands the complexities of the sport of Formula One well, and replicates it with gameplay that is accessible for people without them getting lost in data. Although there's room for improvement, it's an excellent option for fans of F1 in general.
Dave the Diver is an absolute delight to play. Its core gameplay loop is wonderfully relaxing, but before too long players will be finding all the different options in its nooks and crannies. It’s surely one of the best games of the year so far, and players will love taking on the role of our goatee'd hero.
All in all, Killer Frequency is a clever slasher puzzler that is well worth the time. Horror fans will get a lot out of its knowledge of the genre as a whole, and its fresh take on telling a slasher story means that even within its tropes there's still something to find. It doesn't always land, and the Switch version does have the odd issue, but Killer Frequency is bloody good fun.
Above all else, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is an interesting game. A blend of visual novel and magical relationship adventure, it's an intriguing mix that for the most part works extremely well. It may start to struggle when its simple design approaches fail to match the intricacy of its plot threads, but overall it holds its own.
Overall, this leaves After Us as a flawed but intriguing 3D platformer. Its moments of brilliance are great to behold, such as its varied, dreadful locales and those moments where its platforming truly clicks. However, its lack of character and story development and its more frustrating sections do mean that it's not a perfect game - but at the very least its heart is in the right place.
Overall, Farming Simulator 23 scratches the same sort of itch as previous games in the series, but it's maybe not as effective has the more substantial home releases. There's enough here for a player to initially sink their teeth into, particularly when the game's portable focus is considered, but that depth does disappear relatively quickly. Even so, there's still something deeply satisfying about its farming gameplay loop, and those after a relaxing experience will find one here.
Overall, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is a wonderful selection of remakes of some hugely important games. Although the games to vary in quality - mainly due to their age and how much games developed over the course of their release - there's something magical about going back to even the earliest Final Fantasy game. And with Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, it's possibly the easiest way to do so.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a fantastic remake of the Game Boy Advance titles. Those who enjoyed the originals will no doubt appreciate seeing the games reworked in a faithful way, while new players will find a pair of turn-based tactics games that are a great choice for newcomers to the genre or those who want something bright and engaging on the go.
Overall, Terra Nil is a wonderfully relaxing strategy game. Its unique approach to the strategy genre is refreshing when compared to its peers, and although its scope is a little limited, players will still want to revisit to get the optimum outcome of each level.
Overall, Dredge is a fantastic horror-tinged adventure game. Flitting effortlessly between relaxing fishing in the day and a panic-laden rush to safety at night, its off-putting ambiance and varied mysteries help drive the player to the very end. A surprisingly thoughtful title that is dripping with atmosphere and salt water.
Overall, Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe is absolutely wonderful. It might not be a game that changes the world, but it's some of the most fun available on the Nintendo Switch, particularly with other people. And at the end of the day, what's more successful from a Kirby game than that?
Hi-Fi RUSH is an absolute delight. A simple idea that could have been extremely difficult to correctly develop, Hi-Fi RUSH is a real joy to play. Here's hoping that there are many more brilliant surprises to come this year, as Hi-Fi RUSH sets a high bar.
SEASON: A Letter To The Future has a real touch of brilliance around it, showcasing something truly unique with a world that players will be desperate to rediscover, and hopefully there will be an opportunity to do so. A game that will last long in the memory, even if it's something that will be lost to its own characters.
A Space For The Unbound tells a story with plenty of heart and strong atmosphere, if occasionally let down by technical limitations.
Overall, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is an awful lot of fun. Those who appreciate the platforming games of yore will get a nostalgia kick that feels very close to those older titles, with some subtle tweaks to make things more playable. It may not be a game with a lot of longevity, but what's here is very enjoyable.
As such, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition is a fantastic upgrade to the already-phenomenal original game. Since it's provided free of charge to people who already own it on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, there's no real excuse for those players not to revisit this all-time classic. And for those who have never played The Witcher 3 before, this is the perfect time to finally enjoy this incredible title.