2019's Modern Warfare both draws from the original and lays a good foundation for the rest of the series, despite some thematic issues and co-op pitfalls.
Nintendo Labo is a great tool for learning and creation, but the games themselves lack lasting appeal.
Detective Pikachu's simple gameplay and story is made better by its goofy and entertaining star.
Fe's ethereal world compels you to explore, but its adventure never builds to something greater.
The Invisible Hours is less about solving a murder and more about appreciating the interwoven stories of its compelling characters.
Despite a lackluster beginning, A Hat in Time is a charming 3D platformer full of heart.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony's murder cases aren't the series' best, but they lead to a stunning ending.
The second episode of Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy series takes on a slower pace with more focus on characters (and drama).
Arms' unique take on fighting can be hard to adjust to, but once you do, it's a surprisingly deep fighter that has you thinking on your feet.
The first episode of Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy series has an engaging movie-style pace that's interrupted by its game-like elements.
Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World’s format works well on 3DS, and the best parts of the original Wii U version still stand out.
Tacoma tells a story that is made compelling by a well-written and -acted cast of characters, but it's just short of being truly satisfying.
True to its title, The Walking Dead: Michonne - Episode 1 is all about one character, somewhat to the detriment of the story and other characters. Michonne is so well done, though, from her impressive survival skills to the hollow look in her eyes, that she easily carries the entire episode. Even though I wasn't invested in the story, I did care about Michonne — everything she said, every walker she killed, and what will happen to her moving forward.
Michonne is undoubtedly a strong star, but the rest of the characters fall short as a supporting cast — they’re mostly backdrops and mirrors for Michonne to look into. It doesn’t hurt her character development, but it takes some of the emotion out of otherwise-powerful scenes that clearly affect Michonne deeply. Going into the third and final episode, those characters and the story overall have a chance to go in a more interesting direction, but for now, Michonne must carry it all.
As an RPG, Yo-Kai Watch mostly fumbles its battle system and creates a relatively passive experience. However, I adored exploring every corner of its compelling world. The low difficulty ultimately works in its favor — I was always eager to move on to the next charming character or compelling idea. Yo-Kai Watch is a "kids' game" that doesn't talk down to or sugarcoat darker themes for kids, and I appreciated not being talked down to either.
SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow moves the city-builder forward with an interesting new layer of interdependent systems.
Sims are always entertaining, but they're not living life to its fullest in The Sims 4.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is still the same great game on Nintendo Switch, but only if you play it in docked mode.
The Isle of Armor capitalizes on Pokemon Sword and Shield's strengths with an even better area to explore, though its story offering is modest.
The Last of Us Part II is messy, bleak, and brutal.