Here’s the games I have reviewed so far on the Nintendo Switch in each genre, from best to worst. Note: If multiple games have the same score, they will be sorted alphabetically.

1. Graphic Adventure and Interactive Story-Driven Adventure
2. Walking Simulator Games
3. Visual Novels
4. Horror

Graphic Adventure and Interactive Story-Driven Adventure

Game	Genre	Grade
Ace Attorney Anthology	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr Ace Attorney Anthology is a Compilation of two Compilations – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, all combined including the first six mainline games in the series. All of these games are a superb blend of Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure with a fun courtroom drama story. If you’ve never tried this series before, this is a great starting point and a good value.
Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection is a Compilation of two Compilations – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, the first three games in the series and the two more recent prequels. All of these games are a superb blend of Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure with a fun courtroom drama story, and the compilation is an excellent value. If you’ve never tried this series before and have an interest, this is an excellent package to bring you into the series.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a Compilation of Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure games comprising fourth, fifth, and sixth mainline games in the Ace Attorney series. This bundle is an excellent value with three superb games at their very best, with plenty of extra content. I do think you should play the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy first, but if you liked those games, this bundle is an absolute no-brainer.
Borderlands Collection: Pandora’s Box	Compilation / First-Person Shooter / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	A
tl;dr Borderlands Collection: Pandora’s Box is a Compilation containing all six Borderlands games released on the Nintendo Switch thus far, including four First-Person Shooters and two Graphic Adventure/Visual Novel games. All of these games are good, and a few are absolute must-haves. The $150 price tag is steep, but still a good savings… however, when this bundle goes on sale, it is an absolute steal that is definitely worth getting.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice	Graphic Adventure / Action	A
tl;dr Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an absolutely fantastic Graphic Adventure that delivers an incredibly immersive experience as players are put in the shoes of someone with severe mental illness on a journey into a hellish fantasy domain. The Switch version isn’t quite as impressive as what’s on other platforms, but it still looks fantastic – one of the best-looking games on the Switch. And while the action sequences aren’t quite up to par with the rest of the game, on the whole this is a superb experience that is a truly must-play game.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a Compilation of two Victorian-era prequels in the Ace Attorney series previously only released in Japan, combining the series’ trademark courtroom drama gameplay with a new setting, new characters, new gameplay elements, outstanding graphics and a superb soundtrack, all at a great value. There are a few elements here that don’t quite work as well as they could, but overall, this is a must-have game in the Visual Novel genre, and even if you’re not a fan of the genre you’ll want to give this game a look if you enjoy courtroom dramas.
1000xResist	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr 1000xResist is a Graphic Adventure with a story about… well, piecing together what’s going on is a part of the experience, I think. Suffice it to say, this game tackles both massive world-spanning topics and small, intimate topics with writing, characters, and voice acting that’s truly outstanding. The visuals have some issues, and the story’s disjointed nature will likely be confusing for some players. There is also a fair amount of triggering topic matter here. However, those who can tolerate these things will find this game to be an extremely original and highly rewarding experience.
AI: The Somnium Files	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	A-
tl;dr AI: The Somnium Files is a game that’s part Graphic Adventure, part Visual Novel, that has the player investigating a gruesome murder using a futuristic augmented eye, an AI partner, and Inception-style dream-invasion tech. It’s a game with a fantastic story and presentation, and some wildly inventive puzzles in the Somnium sections of the game, and even though the gameplay in the rest of the game isn’t quite as engaging, this is all-around still an excellent game that really draws you into its world and makes you want to find out more about its characters and story.
and Roger	Interactive Story	A-
tl;dr and Roger is an Interactive Story whose story and gameplay I dare not get into too much detail on for fear of spoiling it for you. Just know that the gameplay is wholly in service to the story, which is a moving experience, if a brief one that’s over within an hour or so. However, for only $5, I think this is well worth experiencing, if you don’t mind a story that can be heart-wrenching.
Beacon Pines	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Beacon Pines is a Graphic Adventure game set in a rural town filled with anthropomorphized animals where players follow a young boy trying to uncover the town’s mysteries. This game features a well-told story with wonderful characters, a gorgeous art style, a beautiful soundtrack, and a clever but accessible “charm” and “turning point” mechanic that all make this a must-play game for fans of the genre. The only major flaw I can point to is text that’s at times difficult to read, but it’s worth putting up with this issue because the rest of the game is so delightful.
Deemo -Reborn-	Music-Rhythm / Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Deemo Reborn is a re-imagining of the original Deemo that takes the piano-focused Music-Rhythm gameplay of the original, improves the graphics, and adds new Graphic Adventure elements. The graphics are definitely an improvement here, and both the Music-Rhythm and Graphic Adventure gameplay is top-notch, but the two gameplay styles don’t work all that well together, and the much smaller track list compared to the original Deemo means that even though this is still a great game, it doesn’t quite measure up to its predecessor.
Disco Elysium – The Final Cut	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Disco Elysium is a phenomenal Graphic Adventure with RPG elements that puts players in the role of an amnesiac cop on a bender after an apparent mental breakdown who’s trying to solve his case while he pieces together the shambles of his former life. This is an outstanding, must-play entry in the genre, but the Nintendo Switch version is somewhat compromised due to frustrating controls and long loading times, among other smaller issues. This is still a game I absolutely recommend you to play, and the Nintendo Switch version of the game is still a playable port… but if at all possible I would nevertheless strongly urge you to play the PC version instead.
Inscryption	Turn-Based Card Game / Roguelike / First-Person Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Inscryption is a deck-building Card Game and Roguelike with a First-Person Graphic Adventure framing device with players finding themselves in a dark cabin with a mysterious, sinister dealer playing a card game about sacrificing animals. The card game itself is excellent, and the foreboding dark atmosphere is absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately, that same darkness can make this game hard to see in handheld mode, and there are a few other minor frustrations here and there. However, in spite of these issues, Inscryption is a macabre delight, and it’s a game I highly recommend, especially to fans of similar games like Slay the Spire.
Lacuna	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Lacuna is a Graphic Adventure that has players as a futuristic FBI agent investigating the assassination of a visiting offworld dignitary, with the plot growing progressively thicker. This game has superb worldbuilding, likable characters, excellent pacing, beautiful pixel art visuals, a great atmospheric soundtrack, and some great puzzles that do a good job making players truly play the part of a detective. The game is stingy about refusing to let players save as they please though, meaning any mistakes you make will be stuck with you as you progress. While this mechanic may not be for everyone, I still think that fans of Graphic Adventures should consider this a must-play game.
Lil’ Guardsman	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Lil’ Guardsman is a Graphic Adventure that puts players in the role of a 12 year-old girl made to take a role as a gate guard, deciding whether or not to allow in various silly and bizarre characters. This game’s excellent writing, wonderful characters, engrossing story, and great sense of humor are all fantastic, and the gameplay gives players decent puzzles to solve while frequently changing things up to add variety. There are a few issues here, but overall this is an absolute delight of a game that plays like Papers, Please with a much more jovial tone.
Lost in Play	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Lost in Play is an absolutely charming family-friendly Graphic Adventure where players take the role of two children playing both in the real world and in their make-believe imaginary world. The presentation is adorable, the characters are wonderfully lovable, the puzzles are clever, and the gameplay is highly accessible. There are maybe a few small complaints here and there, but overall this is an outstanding entry in the genre that’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure / Horror	A-
tl;dr Paranormasight is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure and Horror elements following multiple characters who possess “curse stones”, and are enticed to hunt down and use their curses to kill each other to resurrect a friend or loved one. This game has a wonderful Rashomon-style plot, excellent fourth wall-breaking puzzles, and a beautiful art style, all for only $20. It has a few issues, and a somewhat silly premise, but overall this is an outstanding Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure, and in particular fans of those genres who enjoy dark stories of the occult should absolutely consider this a must-have.
Pentiment	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Pentiment is a Graphic Adventure that follows a 16th century artist trying to solve a murder mystery. The characters and story are great, the dedication to creating an accurate depiction of the time period is phenomenal, the presentation and especially the sound design are incredible, and the game mechanics truly give you the sense that your character choices are giving you the freedom to investigate the crime in your own unique way. The game’s more relaxed pacing may not appeal to everyone, but overall this is a must-have for any fans of the Graphic Adventure genre.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a collection of the first three games in this series of investigation and legal drama games that lies somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel. This is a fantastic collection of three superb games with memorable characters and wonderful gameplay, but $30 for three games that are nearly 20 years old seems a bit much, even if you’re not likely to find a better deal on these games elsewhere.
Return of the Obra Dinn	First-Person Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Return of the Obra Dinn is a Graphic Adventure that has players using a magical pocket watch to investigate the deaths on a doomed ship at sea to try and match each of the bodies with their proper identities, cause of death, and killer. The presentation here is phenomenal and unique, the gameplay is absolutely inspired and cleverly balanced, and the story being told is truly thrilling. There are a few inconveniences that make the end drag on a bit, but overall this is an outstanding title that’s one of the finest games I have played in this genre, and a must-have for anyone looking for a truly great detective game.
Thank Goodness You’re Here!	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a Graphic Adventure where players take the role of a quiet, diminutive salesman wandering around an absurd British town, helping the locals with their silly problems. This game is absolutely full of great humor, it’s wildly creative, and it manages to keep surprising you as you play it. It’s a bit too easy to get lost or not know where you need to go next, but this game’s wonderful humor and adorable charm far outweigh any issues it has. If you’re looking for a great comedy game, this is a must-play.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	A-
tl;dr The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is a game with Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that puts players in the role of an exiled witch who makes a forbidden deal with a powerful and ominous entity, starting a chain of events that has her reading cards to foretell the future for others in her coven during a highly contentious time This game’s story, characters, and soundtrack are all excellent, and while the card creation elements are poorly-explained, this is a minor complaint about a game that not only weaves a thoughtful and emotional story, but makes you the one weaving much of that story. I cannot recommend this enough.
The Red Strings Club	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr The Red Strings Club is a Graphic Adventure with an extremely well-written cerebral cyberpunk neo noir plot, and some great atmosphere to go with it, as well as some great bartending gameplay elements that fit surprisingly well with the game’s themes of emotional empathy and information gathering. It’s not super-long and the controls are less than ideal, but players looking for a fantastic, well-told story should absolutely look into this game.
The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	A-
tl;dr The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season brings to Switch the five numbered episodes and “400 Days” that collectively form the first game in the series of Graphic Adventure games set in the same universe as the TV show and comics. While many of the elements of this game have aged somewhat, together they still form a powerful experience that’s still well worth playing today, and anyone who missed out on it the first time should definitely give the game a try now.
Unavowed	Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Unavowed is a Graphic Adventure about a new inductee into a paranormal investigation organization solving gruesome mysteries and finding answers about the demon who possessed you. The game looks great, the writing is sharp, the characters are fantastic, the voice acting is excellent, and the character-swapping mechanic gives players numerous ways to solve problems. The game doesn’t provide you quite as much freedom as one would hope, but overall this game should be considered a must-play for fans of Graphic Adventures and especially fans of classic LucasArts-style point-and-click games.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim	Graphic Adventure / Strategy	B+
tl;dr 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a game that combines elements of Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel games with Real-Time Strategy and Strategy-RPG games, all within an absolutely bonkers story about a group of Japanese high schoolers involved in a mecha battle with invading kaiju. The story and presentation are the star of the show here, with so many outstanding twists and turns that you’ll be anxious to see what just happens next. The Strategy gameplay, on the other hand, is good, but it interrupts the flow of the game, and it can be frustrating when you have to fight some kaiju when you’d really rather be finding out more about what’s going on. While this may be frustrating, it’s definitely worth it to give this game a try – there’s nothing else like it, and it’s a wild ride despite its frustrations.
A Space for the Unbound	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr A Space for the Unbound is a Graphic Adventure that follows the story of two high schoolers with magical powers, contending with both the problems of their school life, as well as a mysterious threat that could destroy the world. This game does pretty much everything right – great characters, gripping story, wonderful pixel art, a moving soundtrack. There’s a bit more fetch-questing in the gameplay than I would like, but overall this is a wonderful entry in the genre, and one that fans of Graphic Adventure games will definitely want to get.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is a Compilation of Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel games Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit, both spin-off side-story games in the Ace Attorney series. While this is probably my least favorite pair of games in the franchise, they’re still excellent games, presented at their very best on a modern platform, and it’s certainly nice that this is the first Western release of Investigations 2. I don’t recommend this as a starting point for Ace Attorney newbies, but if you’ve played other games in the series and want more, this is absolutely worth a look.
Afterparty	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Afterparty is a Graphic Adventure about Milo and Lola, a pair of youths who find themselves in hell and set out with the goal of challenging Satan to a drinking contest to win their way back to their lives on Earth. This game is an excellent dialogue-focused journey with an interesting locale with great characters that features strong writing and great voice acting. There are a few technical issues and some shallow minigames, and I’m just not fond of the Milo character, but overall this is an excellent Graphic Adventure well worth a look for fans of the genre.
Broken Age	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Broken Age is a Graphic Adventure by Tim Schaefer. That means you’re getting an incredibly well-written story with a fantastic presentation… along with some frustrating puzzles. Thankfully, the frustration isn’t quite as bad as it used to be, and the story is just as good as those games of old. Genre fans won’t want to miss this.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, much like earlier entries in the series, is a game with Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure elements where players find themselves among a group of high school students who have apparently been kidnapped and told their only way to escape is to kill each other. This is a huge improvement over the second game, with better characters, an even crazier plot, and minor gameplay improvements throughout. If you haven’t played earlier games in the series, you’ll want to at least play Danganronpa 1 first for much-needed story context here, but if you enjoyed that game, you should absolutely get this one.
Figment	Graphic Adventure / Top-Down Action	B+
tl;dr Figment is a Graphic Adventure that puts you in the role of a resident of a mind under attack by inner demons. The game has some delightfully inventive visuals, memorable characters, and clever puzzles that are just the right amount of tricky. The game’s big flaw is its boring, tedious combat, which is really unnecessary, but also thankfully uncommon through the game.
Jenny LeClue: Detectivu	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Jenny LeClue is a family-friendly Graphic Adventure that tells a story-within-a-story of an author writing a tale about a kid detective. The presentation here is outstanding, with some truly wonderful writing and voice acting. The gameplay isn’t very revolutionary or challenging, but that only makes it a better choice for younger or more inexperienced players, and more skilled players will still probably find the game’s wonderful writing makes this a worthwhile purchase.
L.A. Noire	Graphic Adventure / Open-World Action-RPG	B+
tl;dr L.A. Noire combines Graphic Adventure and Open-World Action-RPG elements into an ambitious detective game that’s a bit uneven, with the detective stuff and hard-boiled story generally excellent but other parts of the game underbaked. Similarly, the Nintendo Switch version of the game does some elements of the game well, but other parts of the performance leave a lot to be desired. Still, this is a superb detective game, and this is a good way to play it on the go.
Lair of the Clockwork God	Graphic Adventure / Platformer	B+
tl;dr Lair of the Clockwork God is a game that has players swapping between one protagonist who plays like a Graphic Adventure, and one who plays like a traditional Platformer. The platforming here kinda’ gets the short end of the stick, but this is easily forgiven with how absolutely fantastic the game’s writing is, with a hilarious wit and sense of humor that makes it one of the funniest games on the Nintendo Switch. If you’re looking for a blending of genres, this game may disappoint you, but if you want a solid Graphic Adventure that’ll have you laughing, you should definitely give this game a try.
Last Day of June	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Last Day of June is a Graphic Adventure that has you revisiting the day of a tragic accident from multiple perspectives while you try to change the course of events. There’s not much to the gameplay here, and the game is on the short side, but the visuals and music are absolutely lovely, and they make this a really enjoyable experience.
Machinarium	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Machinarium is a Graphic Adventure that tasks you with controlling a wordless robot as he ventures through a strange land filled with unusual puzzles. It’s funny and inventive, and while its odd nature makes it easy to get stuck in places, it’s such a charming game you’ll want to power through those moments to see each new quirky character and surreal locale. Definitely worth a look.
Nairi: Tower of Shirin	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Nairi: Tower of Shirin is a family-friendly Graphic Adventure about a young girl who finds herself suddenly on the run from forces seeking to capture her, and trying to find answers both to her family’s wearabouts as well as her connection to an ancient mystery. The gameplay here is fairly standard for the genre, but the charming characters, story, and presentation make this well worth a look for fans of the genre, especially for the low $5 price tag.
Neo Cab	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Neo Cab is a neo noir Graphic Adventure set in a not-too-distant future where players take the role of a rideshare driver who finds herself at the center of a mystery and must navigate thought-provoking conversations while keeping track of her dwindling bank account and fluctuating driver review score. This is a well-written game with some great characters and a compelling story, although some of the gameplay elements here are not as well-implemented as I’d like. Overall though, this is an excellent game and fans of the genre should definitely give it a look.
Old Skies	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Old Skies is a game with Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements set in a future where the wealthy can pay for time travel services, with players taking on the role of Fia, whose job it is to accompany these time-traveling tourists. The characters and story here are great, though I do wish the game’s Graphic Adventure elements weren’t quite as clunky. Still, this is an excellent choice for those craving a good time-travel story.
Oxenfree	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Oxenfree is a Graphic Adventure about a teenage girl and her group of friends who find themselves trapped on an abandoned island surrounded by increasingly unsettling events. The story and atmosphere in this game is excellent, and the writing, characters, and voice acting are outstanding. There are a few frustrations here to contend with, but overall this is an excellent entry in the genre that fans of Graphic Adventure games should consider a must-play.
Resident Evil Revelations 2	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B+
tl;dr Resident Evil Revelations 2 is a game that marries the Horror-driven gameplay of the series’ roots with more modern controls and game design that makes this entry in the series far more playable than those classic entries. It also makes good use of its two-character mechanic, and those looking to play in split-screen co-op will find this game is the best in the series for that style of play on the Nintendo Switch. While the prison setting and story may not be quite as memorable as the earlier games in the series, and the visuals aren’t as impressive as the later games, Resident Evil Revelations 2 is still the best Resident Evil game on the Nintendo Switch if you’re looking for Horror, and fans of that genre should definitely give it a look.
Röki	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Röki is a Graphic Adventure about a girl searching for her missing brother after their home is attacked by a massive monster. While the gameplay is pretty standard for the genre, the presentation here is phenomenal, really drawing you into its beautiful natural locales and mythical Norse folklore. If you’re a fan of this genre, you should definitely give this game a try.
Tales From the Borderlands	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Tales From the Borderlands is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that tells a tale set after the events of Borderlands 2. The characters, story, voice acting, and presentation here are all outstanding, and the only real issue is the use of tired “quick time events” that frustrate more than they add to the game. However, even with this annoyance, Tales From the Borderland is still an outstanding well-told interactive story that’s highly recommended for fans of sci-fi, and an absolute must for fans of the Borderlands franchise.
Tangle Tower	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr Tangle Tower is a Graphic Adventure about a pair of detectives summoned to a mansion on a strange island to investigate a mysterious murder, with a large lineup of unique and memorable characters as suspects. This game has a wonderful presentation with stylish visuals, great voice acting, nicely streamlined gameplay, and a story that is truly compelling… up until the game’s second half, when everything kinda’ just falls apart. Still, until that point this game is a pure joy that’s one of the best I’ve played in the genre, and I’d still recommend it to Graphic Adventure fans as long as they can enjoy the journey even if the destination fails to deliver on that potential.
The Holy Gosh Darn	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr The Holy Gosh Darn is a humorous Graphic Adventure about an angel trying to save all of existence when a horde of phantoms suddenly invades heaven, using a magical time-traveling stopwatch to go back and forth through the day to keep the apocalypse from unfolding. This game has a great mix of wonderful characters, solid humor, and excellent time-traveling puzzles that make it a superb choice for any fan of the genre.
There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension	Graphic Adventure / Misc.	B+
tl;dr There Is No Game is a delightful post-modernist look at videogames using largely Graphic Adventure mechanics that has you defying the game’s narrator and playing around with the so-called non-game’s elements to cause him frustration. It’s amusing and original, even if it does frustrate some times as you click all over the screen looking for what you’re meant to interact with. Still, despite this frustration, this is such a fun, original game that it’s well worth playing, especially for fans of the genre.
To the Moon	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr To the Moon is a Graphic Adventure that puts you in the role of a pair of scientists tasked with using Inception-like technology to help a dying man achieve his final wish. This game has an absolutely wonderful story with lovable characters (except the two protagonists, who are both kinda’ jerks), and it has a truly beautiful soundtrack. That said, it’s not without its flaws, and the game is riddled with control issues. It’s still well worth playing though, especially if you’re looking for a great story on the Switch.
We. the Revolution	Graphic Adventure	B+
tl;dr We. the Revolution is a courtroom drama Graphic Adventure set during the French Revolution, tasking players with not only getting to the truth of each case and coming to a judgment, but also being careful in their questions and judgments so as not to rile the crowds into calling for your head. The gameplay and story does a fantastic job of mirroring the dark time of the game’s setting, and although a few elements of the game’s design aren’t quite as user-friendly as I’d like, overall this is a powerful exploration of a dark time in history well worth playing.
2064: Read Only Memories INTEGRAL	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr 2064: Read Only Memories is a Graphic Adventure set in a bright cyberpunk future with a story about a robotic AI who seeks the help of a reporter to find out what happened to its missing creator. The game has a nicely nostalgic presentation, and the story here is decent, albeit nothing extraordinary for the genre. Fans of Graphic Adventures may find this game worth a look, and the Nintendo Switch version has a bunch of exclusive content, making it the definitive version of the game.
A Case of Distrust	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr A Case of Distrust is a Graphic Adventure that presents a stylish text-based detective mystery dripping with noir atmosphere with a stylish presentation. It’s not without its flaws, but if you’re looking for a good detective game, this one should fit the bill nicely.
Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Agent A is a Graphic Adventure that has you as a secret agent investigating the lair of a femme fatale. It doesn’t do anything especially new or extraordinary for the genre, but it does feature solid visuals and good puzzles. Well worth a look for fans of the genre.
Batman: The Telltale Series	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Batman: The Telltale Series contains all five episodes of the first season of Telltale’s Graphic Adventure that reimagines the beloved superhero and the characters around him, with both Batman and Bruce Wayne finding themselves at the center of an intriguing mystery. It’s a shame that the gameplay here isn’t as inspired as the story, but fans of the genre and especially fans of the franchise will still want to give this game a look.
Broken Sword 5 – the Serpent’s Curse	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Broken Sword 5 is a Graphic Adventure that follows series protagonists George Stobbart and Nicole “Nico” Collard as they investigate a murder in an art gallery tied to a religious painting with a reputation for being evil. This is a generally well-made and accessible entry in the genre, and while it isn’t without its flaws, this is overall a solid Graphic Adventure.
Card Shark	Graphic Adventure / Misc.	B
tl;dr Card Shark is a game that combines a Graphic Adventure game with elements of Card Games and Arcade-style games in a pretty unique way, having you less concerned with playing cards and more with various ways of cheating as you progress through 18th Century France with the charming rogue, Comte de Saint-Germain. This game won’t be for everyone, but it’s charming and unique enough to be worth a look.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a game with Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure elements where players find themselves among a group of high school students who have apparently been kidnapped and told their only way to escape is to kill each other. The game’s story and characters are mostly excellent, with lots of unexpected plot twists, and the core Visual Novel and mystery-solving gameplay is great. However, these great qualities are overloaded with lots of other odd mechanics and weird tonally-dissonant elements that, while distinct, are often to the game’s detriment. Overall I think the good still far outweighs the bad, but it all results in a package that won’t be for everyone.
Darkestville Castle	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Darkestville Castle is a Graphic Adventure about a demonic man whose mischievous plans get interrupted by the kidnapping of his pet fish. Although this game doesn’t do anything revolutionary, this is a solid entry in the genre with excellent voice acting and a great sense of humor, and it plays great on the Nintendo Switch, especially when using the touchscreen.
Death Trick: Double Blind	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Death Trick is a game with Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that puts players into the role of two characters both separately investigating the same mystery – the murder of a traveling circus’ stage magician. The story, characters, and presentation here are excellent, and while some of the game mechanics can be a bit confusing, this is overall a solid entry in the genre that fans of detective-style games will want to try out.
Embracelet	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Embracelet is a Graphic Adventure about a young man who receives a magical bracelet and travels to a Norweigan island to find where it came from. This is a low-key and peaceful entry in the genre, and while it doesn’t do anything especially novel or exciting, it’s still a pleasant experience well worth a look for fans of the genre.
Flipping Death	Graphic Adventure / Platformer	B
tl;dr Flipping Death is a Graphic Adventure about a young woman who meets her untimely demise and finds herself temping for Death, solving puzzles by possessing the living. This is a clever, funny take on the genre that fixes many of the problems present in the developer’s former work, though the game does suffer a little from its greater focus on Platforming, despite not being a very good Platformer.
Genesis Noir	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Genesis Noir is a Graphic Adventure that is extremely unique and original, strange, visually stunning, and extremely trippy, using a mostly monochrome line art presentation in ways that warps time, space, and reality, depicting a story that’s either about a murder investigation, the birth of the universe, or… both? It’s not easy knowing exactly what’s going on here, but it is consistently engaging, entertaining, and imaginative. If you’re desiring something out of the ordinary, this game is well worth a look.
Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Gibbous is a Graphic Adventure about a young librarian who finds himself trying to undo a magic spell and discover the secrets behind an ancient book and the forces trying to gain control of it. This is a game that is clearly inspired by the classic works of Ron Gilbert, and it largely succeeds at presenting players with the same sort of experience, even if the level of writing and humor isn’t quite on par with Gilbert’s. Even so, fans of the genre will likely find this a solid game well worth checking out.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes	Graphic Adventure / Puzzle	B
tl;dr Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a Graphic Adventure game with an extremely strong focus on its Puzzle gameplay, with some really excellent puzzle design that will thrill seasoned puzzle-solvers looking for something challenging and original, but that might cause more casual puzzlers to balk. Add to this an absolutely amazing visual presentation and less-than-amazing controls, and you have something of a mixed bag that some players will absolutely love while others will hate it. Still, I do think the positives outweigh the negatives here, and the game’s target audience will likely be truly delighted with this game.
Murder by Numbers	Picross Puzzle / Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Murder by Numbers is a game that combines Picross Puzzles with Graphic Adventure elements and a presentation that feels reminiscent in many ways to the Phoenix Wright games. The Picross and Graphic Adventure elements don’t always mesh well together and are cause for some pacing issues, and the Picross gameplay itself is a bit lacking, but the engrossing story and lovable characters still make this an enjoyable game well worth playing for fans of either style of game.
New Tales From the Borderlands: Deluxe Edition	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr New Tales From the Borderlands: Deluxe Edition is a Compilation of Tales From the Borderlands and New Tales From the Borderlands, both games that combine Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that tell tales set after the events of Borderlands 2 and 3, respectively. While the first of these two games is definitely the better of the pair, and both games really benefit greatly from the player having completed the associated games, overall this bundle contains a good combination of sci-fi story set in a fascinating world, and it’s a decent enough savings over buying the games separately to make for a decent value. If you’re a fan of the Borderlands franchise and/or Telltale games, this bundle is a good choice.
Not Tonight: Take Back Control Edition	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Not Tonight is a Graphic Adventure in the same vein as Papers, Please, putting players in the role of a natural-born British citizen in a post-Brexit dystopia. At risk of ejection from the country due to their parents’ immigrant status, the player is forced to work as a bouncer and balance ethical choices that come with the job against the need to earn a steady income. While this game doesn’t reach quite the heights of Papers, Please, it is nevertheless an engaging experience that fans of this sort of game will find to be a worthy successor to that game, even if its slower pacing drags it down a bit.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Oxenfree II is a Graphic Adventure directly following the events of the first game but following different characters in a different (but nearby) location. This game expands on the original game in various areas, but for numerous reasons it doesn’t have quite the same compelling story as the first game, and it misses multiple opportunities to expand on the original’s gameplay in a meaningful way. Still, those who enjoyed the first Oxenfree are likely to find this well worth playing. If you haven’t played the original game, I suggest you start there before deciding whether to get this one.
Resident Evil 4	Graphic Adventure / Horror / Third-Person Shooter	B
tl;dr Resident Evil 4 is an HD remaster of the GameCube Horror game that does a good job bringing the classic to the Nintendo Switch, albeit without the Wii version’s motion controls. And as it happens, the controls are the worst thing about this otherwise solid game. If you’re looking for one of the highlights of the Resident Evil series, you should definitely give this game a look, but be aware that the controls will make this a love it or hate it experience.
Return to Monkey Island	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Return to Monkey Island is a Graphic Adventure that follows pirate Guybrush Threepwood as he attempts to… er… return to Monkey Island. The characters and writing here are top-notch, and series fans will likely enjoy this game, but the humor isn’t as funny as I’d hope for, the graphical style is not something everyone will appreciate, and the game is overall lacking in polish. There’s still a lot to like here, but not without some major flaws too.
Some Distant Memory	Graphic Adventure / Walking Simulator	B
tl;dr Some Distant Memory is a Graphic Adventure with strong Walking Simulator elements that features a “story within a story”, where players take the role of a scientist in a post-apocalyptic Earth looking at recreated events from the lives of a family living in contemporary times in hopes of getting insight that can help their people. Both stories are well-told and have good writing and likable characters, and the only major flaw I can point to here is a slow walking speed. Otherwise, this is an excellent Walking Simulator that’s definitely worth seeking out for those craving a post-apocalyptic story.
Sorry We’re Closed	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B
tl;dr Sorry We’re Closed is an Graphic Adventure and Horror game in much the same style of classic “Survival Horror” games, and it pays homage to numerous classic PlayStation games while presenting something that’s still unique and original in its own right. Its adherence to some elements of those older games like the terrible camera angles can make this unnecessarily frustrating, but nevertheless this is still a game Horror fans should check out, especially if they love the old-school games in the genre.
Star Seeker In: The Secret of the Sorcerous Standoff	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Star Seeker is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements in a way that’s reminiscent of both classic LucasArts games and the Ace Attorney series, putting you in the role of a detective trying to unravel a magical murder mystery. The game’s writing is outstanding, with great characters, a fun story, and a delightful sense of humor, the visual style is appealing and distinctive, and the gameplay seems to effortlessly guide players through solving the mystery without holding their hands too much. In fact, this is pretty much an ideal entry in the genre save for one thing – it is depressingly short. Still, for a mere $6, Star Seeker is a must-buy for any fans of the Graphic Adventure or Visual Novel genres craving a fun, brief bit of detectiving.
Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure elements that puts players into the role of a security officer newly-assigned to the titular Gun-Dog, a futuristic scout ship sent to investigate a suspicious signal in space. This game’s story, characters, and sense of tension are excellent, and the retro anime art style is delightful, though I do think the pacing and soundtrack could do with improvement. However, this is overall an excellent entry in the genre that’s well worth trying for both fans of Visual Novels and Graphic Adventures, as well as sci-fi aficionados – this is a game sure to please both.
Sumire	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Sumire is a family-friendly Graphic Adventure about a young girl who joins a magical flower on a quest to have the perfect day so she can see her late grandmother again. The seemingly silly and childish story is told in a somewhat abstract manner that conceals hidden depths, and while the Graphic Adventure elements are a mixed bag, the presentation here is so gorgeous that fans of the genre should definitely consider giving the game a look.
Talk to Strangers	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Talk to Strangers is a game that mixes Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements in a scenario that has players in the role of a door-to-door salesman trying to find the right things to say to convince prospective customers to buy their (unnamed) products. The trial-and-error nature of the conversation choices isn’t quite as bad as you might expect, and the game more than makes up for any repetition by having some genuinely good writing with lots of character and delightfully silly situations. For only $5, this is well worth a look.
Telling Lies	FMV Game	B
tl;dr Telling Lies is a FMV Game from the developer of Her Story, and it uses a similar “keyword search” gameplay system to reveal its story to players. That story, an increasingly engrossing adult tale about relationships, policing, politics, and lies, is extremely well-told, with some fantastic acting, but multiple gameplay elements make this game far more tedious and frustrating than it needed to be. It’s still worth a look for those looking to partake in a fantastic drama, but be warned that you’ll need to have some patience to piece together that drama.
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a Graphic Adventure that combines typical fantasy tropes with parody in a game that has an excellent presentation, good writing, good voice acting, and is overall a fine entry in the genre, even if moving around and selecting items in the game is a bit of a pain.
The Darkside Detective	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr The Darkside Detective is a Graphic Adventure about an investigator assigned to work cases involving elements of the occult. The game has a great sense of humor and some very likeable characters, and the way the gameplay is split up into self-contained episodes makes it a great fit for the Switch. There are a few issues with the game’s controls, but overall this is a solid entry in the genre and fans of Graphic Adventures should definitely give it a try.
Thimbleweed Park	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Thimbleweed Park is a Graphic Adventure from the makers of the Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island games, with this game focusing on two federal agents investigating a murder in a very strange town. Fans of those classic Ron Gilbert franchises I just mentioned will find that this game is perfect for them, but players hoping for a more streamlined modern experience may find this game lacking in that regard. Still, overall this is an excellent entry in the genre, even if it can be a bit tedious at times.
Welcome to Elk	Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Welcome to Elk is a Graphic Adventure where players take the role of a young woman arriving at the titular island of Elk, becoming a part of their local small-town life, and partaking in their various stories. These stories aren’t building up to anything especially profound, and they’re muddied somewhat by some odd postmodern elements threaded through the game, but the game is still ultimately enjoyable thanks to its likable characters, solid writing, appealing art style, and great music. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, Welcome to Elk is well worth a try.
True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 2	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B
tl;dr True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 2 follows the story of a woman investigating an abandoned insane asylum searching for information about her long-lost sister. The jump scares are too predictable, but this is otherwise an improvement over the first game – it’s not only a solid Graphic Adventure and Horror game with an interesting story and some well-crafted mechanics, but it’s longer, with better visuals, and is finally getting to stuff it only teased in the first game. You’ll still want to play these games in order, but this game is sure to please fans of the prior game.
80 Days	Interactive Story-Driven Adventure / Trading Simulation	B-
tl;dr 80 Days is a game that combines Interactive Story-Driven Adventure and Trading Simulation elements with a steampunk-infused Jules Verne-inspired story. The story is by far the best part of this package, making for a riveting read with wonderful characters and a fascinating world, but the unpredictable gameplay can make the game frustrating enough that many will have difficulty enjoying that story.
Atone: Heart of the Elder Tree	Graphic Adventure / Music-Rhythm	B-
tl;dr Atone is a Graphic Adventure with Music-Rhythm elements set in a world steeped in Norse mythology. The Graphic Adventure elements here are good, with some nice puzzles, solid voice acting, and a wonderfully somber story and tone. The Music-Rhythm gameplay on the other hand, while not bad, feels like a poor fit here, and makes for some ugly spikes in difficulty. However, I believe that this is still a game that largely succeeds in building a mood and exploring its mythological lore, and well worth a look for those who find that lore appealing.
Do Not Feed the Monkeys	Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Do Not Feed the Monkeys is a Graphic Adventure that has the player joining a club of voyeurs spying on people via hidden cameras while managing their own day-to-day lives. It’s a clever spin on the genre, and features good writing and interesting scenarios, although it isn’t without its problems too – the controls are terrible, and sometimes digging for information can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. However, overall the good qualities outweigh the bad, and fans of the genre should definitely give it a look.
Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale	Graphic Adventure / Action-RPG	B-
tl;dr Don’t Give Up is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Action-RPG elements to tell a story about an antisocial game designer suffering from depression, and a plucky hero looking to save the day. The story and presentation here is excellent, but the gameplay is really hit or miss. Still, while not everyone will enjoy that gameplay, I feel like this game’s better qualities outweigh the bad.
Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes	Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes is a Graphic Adventure and a sequel to The Breakout that continues the story of Edna and Harvey through the eyes of a new character, Lilli. The gameplay this time around is a significant improvement over the first game, and the writing, story, and characters are as delightful as ever. The biggest problem I can point to here is the fact that said story really depends on players having played the first game before this. If you have, you’ll definitely want to jump right into this sequel.
Elevator… To The Moon! Turbo Champion’s Edition	Interactive Toybox / First-Person Puzzle	B-
tl;dr Elevator… To The Moon! is a fun little First-Person Puzzle game where you’re fixing problems on a ridiculous expedition to the moon. The puzzles are good albeit nothing revolutionary, and the story and comedy are really well done, although some of the references feel a bit dated. All told, this is an entertaining game worth a play-through.
Escape Lala – Retro Point and Click Adventure	Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Escape Lala is a Graphic Adventure that takes a minimal approach to the genre, with the entire game easily completed within 20 minutes, which doesn’t seem too terrible since the game costs under $1. It’s excellent while it lasts though, with some solid puzzles and a clever hint system. Just be aware that this game requires players to use the touchscreen. Overall, this is a decent Graphic Adventure, albeit a very small one.
Firewatch	First-Person Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Firewatch is a first-person graphic adventure game that tells a decent story in a serene setting. It does a great job making you feel isolated, lonely, and then even a bit creeped out and paranoid, but I can’t help but feel like they could have done more with this premise.
Homebody	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B-
tl;dr Homebody is a Graphic Adventure-style Horror game about a group of young adults spending a night together in a cabin who find themselves attacked by a blade-wielding killer, setting into motion a Groundhog Day-style time loop. This game is a loving tribute to the past that does a good job adding new and modern elements, though some of the old-fashioned elements won’t be to everyone’s liking. Still, those who fondly remember the PlayStation era of Horror games would do well to seek this game out.
Hypnospace Outlaw	Graphic Adventure / Simulation / Misc.	B-
tl;dr Hypnospace Outlaw is a Simulation of the early days of the internet that players are tasked with scouring to search for violations like copyright infringement and harassment. This game’s simulation elements are exquisitely well-crafted, and the game makes for a clever satire, but its Puzzle gameplay is often frustrating due to a lack of any decent search tool. If you’re not too proud to use a walkthrough on the real internet, or patient enough to scour the in-game internet to find what you’re looking for, the Simulation and satire elements here are more than worth a look.
Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition	Puzzle / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Layton’s Mystery Journey is a port of the family-friendly 2017 3DS and mobile Puzzle game with Graphic Adventure elements about Katrielle, the daughter of series protagonist Hershel Layton. This game brings the visuals up to HD quality, packs in all of the original game’s DLC, adds more puzzles and features, and provides players with a plethora of control options. That said, the flaws of the original game remain – the story is lacking, the puzzles have no connection to what’s going on, and the puzzles are at times confusing despite being over-explained. That said, the game still has the series’ signature charm, and the puzzles themselves are still engaging. Puzzle game fans looking for something lighthearted should definitely give this game a look.
Mindcop	Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Mindcop is a Graphic Adventure game where players take the role of a psychic cop solving a murder mystery. Some of this game’s mechanics and its community of various characters make for a really compelling game overall, but the odd tonal dissonance and some poorly-conceived gameplay elements definitely hold it back. On balance, I still think this game is worth a look for fans of the genre.
Night in the Woods	Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Night in the Woods is a Graphic Adventure game that’s slow-paced at first and has occasional frustrations, but it has a good story with strong characters and wonderful writing that keeps it compelling.
Old Man’s Journey	Graphic Adventure / Puzzle	B-
tl;dr Old Man’s Journey is a Graphic Adventure game with Puzzle elements that has you interacting with and moving around the environment to help an old man walk across the countryside. It’s short and not too challenging, and $10 seems a bit pricey for what’s on offer, but the presentation is lovely and the game is enjoyable while it lasts.
Once Upon a Jester	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Once Upon a Jester is a game that’s somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel that puts you in the role of a thief working with his partner to put on stage plays to try to scam their way into the royal castle for a heist. There’s little challenge to be found here, and the gameplay has some irritating issues, but overall this is a charming and funny tale worth a look for anyone who enjoys silly stories.
Resident Evil Revelations Collection	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Horror	B-
tl;dr Resident Evil Revelations Collection is a Compilation that includes Resident Evil Revelations and Resident Evil Revelations 2, two games that do a good job of balancing the Horror-driven gameplay of the earlier games in the series with the better controls and more modern design of more recent games. However, this collection only includes the first game on the cartridge, meaning that even if you buy this physical release, you’ll still need 24GB on your MicroSDXC card to play both games. In the end, while the value of this collection is debatable, both games included within it are good and well worth playing.
Stories Untold	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Text Adventure / Horror Game	B-
tl;dr Stories Untold is a First-Person Graphic Adventure with some Text Adventure and Horror elements to it, and it features four compelling stories that combine into one fascinating fourth wall-breaking experience. It’s a short experience, though, and one padded out with busywork. However, if you have the patience for it, it’s still an experience worth having.
“The Dark Eye” Bundle	Compilation / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr “The Dark Eye” Bundle includes two Graphic Adventure games: Chains of Satinav and Memoria, as well as one Strategy-RPG, Blackguards 2. While all of these games have their flaws, this bundle helps to even out what’s lacking here, all under a pretty good price. The result is a package that’s definitely worth a look, especially when it goes on sale.
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a Graphic Adventure	Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow is a Graphic Adventure game with Horror elements set in a rural British Victorian town where an archeologist seeks the titular Hob’s Barrow. The game’s creepy atmosphere is wonderful, and the presentation is great, but the way the game makes it difficult to figure out what you need to do next is highly frustrating. The good qualities ultimately outweigh the bad but be aware that you may want to play this with a walkthrough guide.
Tokyo Psychodemic	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Tokyo Psychodemic is a Graphic Adventure with Visual Novel elements that puts players into the role of a detective trying to crack unsolved cases and possibly tie them to a secretive cult. The game does a good job giving players tools to give them the experience of being a detective, though it falls short with its characters and story, as well as awkward controls and a few gameplay issues. Still, despite these flaws, this is still well worth a look for any aspiring detective.
True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 1	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B-
tl;dr True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 1 follows the story of a woman investigating an abandoned house searching for information about her long-lost sister. The jump scares are too predictable, but this is otherwise a decent Graphic Adventure and Horror game with an interesting story and some well-crafted mechanics. Not a bad start for this series.
UnMetal	Top-Down Action-RPG / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr UnMetal is a Metal Gear-style Action-RPG with Graphic Adventure elements that plays like a parody of Metal Gear, and a pretty funny one at that, with excellent voice acting. It’s a good thing too, because the different gameplay elements here don’t really mix well together, and the lack of focus keeps either half of the gameplay from being fully-realized. In other words, while the gameplay isn’t bad, the main reason to consider UnMetal is its humor.
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr VA-11 Hall-A is a game that fits somewhere between Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure, and has a delightful 16-bit-style charm to it that carries it through a somewhat lacking localization and story, as well as less-than-compelling gameplay. Fans of Graphic Adventures who like the cyberpunk genre and anime-styled art should definitely give this one a look.
Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The First Cases	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The First Cases is a Graphic Adventure that has players solving crimes as the famous fictional detective. The story and presentation here is all very good, but this game is filled with flaws and frustrations that make it tedious to play, from a lack of hot spot indicators to a dreadfully slow walking speed. As a result, unless you’re a fan of this character, you’re better off getting a better detective game.
AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Nirvana Initiative is the follow-up to the original AI: The Somnium Files, and as such it features a similar mix of Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements, with players using futuristic AI-powered eye augmentations and dream-exploring tech to try to solve a string of killings where victims were cut in half. While the story and characters are still interesting, the story, pacing, and gameplay all strike me as far more confusing this time around than they were in the original game. Unless you’re a fan of that game who needs to see the next chapter in the story, I suggest sticking with the original game.
Anna’s Quest	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Anna’s Quest is a family-friendly Graphic Adventure about a young girl kidnapped by a witch and forced to undergo experiments that give her telekenetic powers. It’s a decent entry in the genre for younger kids, but older players may find the game doesn’t do much to hold their interest.
Another Code: Recollection	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Another Code: Recollection is a Graphic Adventure that combines into one game the earlier Nintendo DS and Wii entries in the Another Code series about a young girl trying to uncover the secrets of her parents’ past. This is a good remake with an interesting story to tell, but the material it’s remaking is poorly-paced, its characters are unlikeable, and some of the design choices here are questionable. Unless you were already a fan of the earlier games, you’re probably better off playing another game in the genre.
Between Horizons + Lacuna Bundle	Compilation / Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Between Horizons + Lacuna Bundle is a Compilation of the two named Graphic Adventure games. This is a decent (but not great) deal over getting the games individually, but when Lacuna is the clearly superior game between the two and it regularly goes on sale for a rock-bottom $2, I think that unless you absolutely must have both games, you should skip this bundle and just get Lacuna on its own.
Conarium	First-Person Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Conarium is a First-Person Graphic Adventure game inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, and it does an excellent job building an ominous atmosphere worthy of those works in the 3-4 hours it takes to complete. However, the gameplay is somewhat less successful, with pacing and signposting issues that make this a game you’ll want to play with a walkthrough guide to avoid tedious backtracking. If that doesn’t deter you, this is definitely a game that’s worth a look.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, much like the first Danganronpa, is a game with Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure elements where players find themselves among a group of high school students who have apparently been kidnapped and told their only way to escape is to kill each other. The gameplay and overall story seem highly derivative of the first game, and the characters this time around are more poorly-written and overall pretty unlikeable. Danganronpa fans may appreciate a return trip to this bizarre franchise, but everyone else is better off sticking with the first game.
Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Detective Di is a Graphic Adventure that has players taking the role of a historical investigator solving (fictional) murder mysteries for the Imperial Chinese government. This is mostly a solid entry in the genre that makes for a fascinating look at a unique time period, but the terrible gamepad controls leave a lot to be desired. If you can play this game in handheld mode using a touchscreen, you’ll be just fine, but otherwise, be prepared for tedious controls that do little to rework the game in its port from PC.
Discolored	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Puzzle	C+
tl;dr Discolored is a First-Person game with elements of Graphic Adventure and Puzzle games. It’s short, and its interesting world lacks a proper story to explain it and the unusual color-manipulating technology within it, but there’s some good atmosphere here and some clever puzzles. Players looking to solve interesting puzzles for a few hours may want to give this game some consideration.
Earthworms	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Earthworms is a Graphic Adventure about a psychic detective investigating a missing woman in a surreal and unsettling island. “Surreal and unsettling” describes much of what this game is, and while it’s not going to be a game everyone enjoys, those fans of the genre who want something a bit different may find this to be refreshingly unique.
Ellen	Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Ellen is a Graphic Adventure with strong Horror elements that has players searching a cursed house for a missing girl. The Horror elements here are fantastic, thanks to some excellent use of sound. The Graphic Adventure gameplay, on the other hand, is riddled with frustrating flaws, and as a result only more patient fans of the genre will find this game worth trying.
Florence	Interactive Story	C+
tl;dr Florence is an Interactive Story that uses gameplay as a storytelling device along with its animation and music. The presentation here is wonderful, in particular its beautiful soundtrack, but the game is very short and its story doesn’t seem to have anything particularly new or profound to say. It’s still pleasant while it lasts, but not anything you’re likely to be thinking much about after the hour it takes to finish it.
Goetia	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Goetia is a Graphic Adventure that places you in the role of a young girl’s ghost searching her estate for answers about what happened to her family. It’s got some good atmosphere, but it’s got a slow pace with a lot of quiet reading and frustrating puzzles that might turn off some players.
Grim Fandango Remastered	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Grim Fandango Remastered is a modernized re-release of the classic LucasArts Graphic Adventure. The game is every bit as clever, witty, funny, and inventive as ever, but it’s also every bit as frustrating, and by today’s standards, this sort of puzzle design really shows its age. Fans of the original will be delighted with this version, but everyone else is probably better off watching a playthrough of the game on YouTube.
Heaven’s Vault	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Heaven’s Vault is a Graphic Adventure that has players trying to decipher a dead language to solve an archaeological mystery in a futuristic setting. The setting, story, and characters here are great, and the language interpretation mechanic is at least compelling in theory, but deciphering the dead language requires too much guesswork, and the game is bogged down by graphical issues, performance issues, and inane and time-consuming travel sequences. It’s still worth a look if you’re enticed by this game’s themes, but its flaws do hamper the experience.
Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf	Turn-Based RPG / Interactive Story-Driven Adventure	C+
tl;dr Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf is a Turn-Based RPG with a strong Interactive Narrative component. The “Choose Your Own Adventure”-style story here is absolutely superb, which makes it really frustrating that the RPG elements in the game are so lacking and the control interface is so terrible. If you can put up with the game’s flaws though, you’ll find the story to be compelling enough to keep you playing through it.
Ken Follet’s The Pillars of the Earth	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr The Pillars of the Earth is an adaptation of the best-selling novel into a Graphic Adventure that has you in the role of townsfolk in 12th century England in the midst of civil war and the building of a new cathedral. Some may find this topic matter to be dry and the story to be a bit slow-paced, but if it sounds interesting to you, you’ll no doubt also enjoy this game’s excellent presentation and its solid gameplay mechanics. This game isn’t for everyone, but those who like it will really like it.
Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Kentucky Route Zero is a Graphic Adventure that starts by following a delivery truck driver searching for the mysterious titular road, but soon becomes a collection of disparate elements that honestly just felt random and aimless to me. The presentation here is excellent, but I didn’t feel like there was an experience here I could immerse myself in – it just felt inscrutable to me. Maybe I just don’t “get it”, but I can only review based on my own experience, and my experience was disappointment tinged with only brief moments of enjoyment.
Lydia	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Lydia is a Graphic Adventure that follows a child into a world of nightmares both real and imagined. As a game, this is a brief, tedious, soul-sapping experience. But as a piece of art, this is a beautiful look into a horrible situation that’s all too real for far too many children. I doubt anyone will truly enjoy this game, but some may be able to appreciate it.
My Brother Rabbit	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr My Brother Rabbit is a Graphic Adventure following the story of a sick girl and the imagined adventures of her stuffed rabbit. This game is beautiful and imaginative, but also frustrating in the way its puzzles are designed. Fans of the genre may find the game’s better qualities still make it worth playing, but only if they have the patience for its gameplay.
New Tales From the Borderlands	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr New Tales From the Borderlands is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that tells a tale set after the events of Borderlands 3. This is a solid sci-fi adventure set in the world of the franchise, but there are a lot more issues this time around, with a slower-paced and less-cohesive plot, less-interesting characters, and some other frustrations. Where the first Tales of the Borderlands game was strong enough that even non-Borderlands fans could enjoy it, this feels like a game that’s really only for the most diehard fans of the series.
Resident Evil	Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Resident Evil is an HD remaster of the GameCube remake of the formative “Survival Horror” game, and in terms of its visuals and presentation, it’s still impressive even to this day. What is not impressive, however, is the horribly awkward controls and frustrating game design elements that were derided even in the original PlayStation release, and are even less welcome over 20 years later. This is still an impressive, landmark game, but it’s not especially fun to play by today’s standards.
Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is a Graphic Adventure where players take the role of a young singer whisked away to a magical land who finds herself unwittingly becoming a witch and forced to use magical powers a Groundhog Day-style time loops to find ways to survive attacks by enemies. It’s an interesting story with a compelling world and characters, though these characters can be a bit tiresome at times, and the lack of a help feature and the need to evade enemies can be tiresome. Overall, this is a decent Graphic Adventure game with more good qualities than bad.
Stick It To The Man	Graphic Adventure / Platformer	C+
tl;dr Stick It To The Man is a Graphic Adventure about a guy who gains the ability to use a hand coming out of his head to interact with objects and read minds. This game has a good sense of humor, but it’s made frustrating by annoying stealth elements and some control issues. Fans of the genre still may want to give it a try, but most are better off skipping it.
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav is a “Point and Click”-style Graphic Adventure with a mostly-great presentation, but the gameplay leaves something to be desired and the characters are all pretty unlikable. Fans of the genre may still find this worth a look, but most players are better off looking for something else.
The Dark Eye: Memoria	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr The Dark Eye: Memoria is a “Point and Click”-style Graphic Adventure that is a direct sequel to The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav. This game is definitely an improvement, thanks in part to the first game’s unlikable protagonist Geron now sharing screen time with the far more interesting new protagonist Princess Sadja. However, this story’s strong ties to the predecessor’s probably means you’re better off not skipping that game if you want to play this one.
The Office Quest	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr The Office Quest is a Graphic Adventure game with a good sense of humor, although the presentation is a bit flat and the game does have occasional puzzles with goals and solutions that aren’t always clear to the player. It’s overall a decent entry in the genre.
The Procession to Calvary	Graphic Adventure	C+
tl;dr The Procession to Calvary is a Graphic Adventure about a Medieval murder-loving warrior on a quest to slaughter the last person she’s legally allowed to kill. With a presentation reminiscent of Monty Python, and a great irreverent sense of humor to match, this game is an absolute delight… or at least, it would be, if the slow walking speed didn’t make it such a slog. If you’re patient enough to wait through the walking to get to the funny bits, it’s still well worth it, though.
Welcome to Hanwell	First-Person Open-World Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Welcome to Hanwell is a First-Person Open-World Graphic Adventure Horror game where players awaken in an abandoned town filled with mutated humanoid creatures, and must explore the town to find what they need to escape. The presentation here is pretty good, and the Open-World elements make for a fairly unique game within the genre, but there are some poor design choices, particularly in the game’s opening. However, Horror fans may still want to give this one a look.
911: Cannibal	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror	C
tl;dr 911: Cannibal is a First-Person Graphic Adventure and Horror game that puts players in the role of a teenager trying to escape from the house of a murderous cannibal. There are some clever gameplay concepts here, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired, taking a 10-15 minute game and stretching it out with repetition and tedium, and it just isn’t very scary. Horror fans may still find something worthwhile and interesting here, but most players are better off skipping it.
Alt-Frequencies	Visual Novel / Text Adventure	C
tl;dr Alt-Frequencies is a game that’s a bit like a Visual Novel or Text Adventure, with players influencing a time loop by recording snippets of radio stations and then sending those sound clips to other radio stations as call-in submissions. It’s a clever concept and a promising premise, but the game’s short 1-2 hour length is so limiting that the game never has the time to reach its full potential.
Always Sometimes Monsters	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Always Sometimes Monsters is a Graphic Adventure about a starving artist dealing with money issues, a past relationship that still haunts them, and trying to make numerous ethical choices in a difficult situation. While it’s a great premise, the execution is pretty terrible, with an underwhelming presentation, control issues, and with not all of your choices giving players good options to choose from. The game’s theme still may make this worth a look, but you have to put up with quite a few frustrations to enjoy it.
Between Horizons	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Between Horizons is a Graphic Adventure that puts players in the role of an investigator on a colony ship trying to uncover a conspiracy that threatens the ship. Unfortunately, this game doesn’t do a great job setting up its characters and setting, and the gameplay suffers from multiple frustrations, including the game repeatedly refusing to indicate where you need to go to find information you’re looking for, even when the people you’re speaking with should be able to tell you. The result is a game that feels like so much missed potential.
Cabin Escape: Alice’s Story	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Cabin Escape: Alice’s Story is a Graphic Adventure in the “escape room” style. This $1 game is not a complete game, but rather the half-hour prologue to the Forever Lost episodic series. Given the low price, this is forgivable, and the game itself is decent if a bit dated and marred by some control issues and a few bugs. Overall, this won’t truly amaze anyone, but fans of Graphic Adventures looking for something fast and inexpensive may find this to be a decent distraction.
Cosmic Top Secret	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Cosmic Top Secret is a game that loosely fits into the Graphic Adventure genre, focusing on a young Danish woman trying to pry answers out of her retired Cold War-era military parents about their past. This is absolutely not a game for everyone, but its weird, unique, weird, personal, superficially amateurish, and above all else weird presentation may strike your fancy… or it may not.
Eqqo	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Eqqo is a Graphic Adventure where players guide a young blind boy trying to carry and protect a large egg. The game itself is decent though not without its issues (namely, poor controls), but the $6 price tag for a game that’s on mobile devices at $1 makes this game seem overpriced.
Bulb Boy	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Bulb Boy is a Graphic Adventure where players take the role of a young boy with a light bulb for a head as he tries to rescue his grandfather. As Graphic Adventure games go, this is decent, but the extremely off-putting presentation and topic matter full of gross-out imagery and moments of extreme violence will absolutely not appeal to everyone.
Milkmaid of the Milky Way	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Milkmaid of the Milky Way is a Graphic Adventure with visuals and mechanics that are clearly inspired by classic LucasArts games like Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island, but with a more quiet and thoughtful tone. It has great music and nostalgic visuals, but suffers from some frustratingly obtuse puzzles and a lack of an indication where to go, or where you can go. Still, fans of the genre will likely find it an enjoyable experience.
My Memory of Us	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr My Memory of Us is a Graphic Adventure that has you following two children as they try to navigate through and make sense of a big Holocaust metaphor. The game is overly ham-fisted in its handling of the story, and occasionally heads into other types of gameplay it does poorly, but it does at least have a solid presentation.
Nakana Bundle #3 (Eqqo + Lydia + Stilstand)	Compilation / Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Nakana Bundle #3 (Eqqo + Lydia + Stilstand) is a Compilation of three story-driven games (two Graphic Adventure games and a Visual Novel), with somber, dark, depressing themes. These stories will not be for everyone, but if these sort of themes appeal to you, I think you’ll find this bundle to be a good value.
Paradise Killer	First-Person Open-World Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Paradise Killer is an Open-World Graphic Adventure that has you exploring a bizarre island to solve an apparent series of murders. The world, characters, and story of this game are so bizarre that they’re difficult to wrap your head around, with the entire thing seemingly a computer simulation or a bad acid trip. Add to that a visually interesting presentation and some frustrating controls and world design and you have a truly mixed bag that is truly a love it or hate it experience.
Rakuen: Deluxe Edition	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Rakuen is a Graphic Adventure about a kid in a hospital who discovers his childhood storybook lets him travel to a fantasy world. The story and presentation here is good, and the music is wonderful, but the gameplay is so needlessly tedious and poorly-paced that it really makes it difficult to enjoy the game. Unless you have the patience to get through a lot of pointless busywork, skip this one.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is a remake of a classic PC Graphic Adventure detective game that has the legendary detective tracking down a series of crimes committed by a cult of Cthulhu worshippers. It’s a delightful and well-told story in a detective game that holds a lot of promise, but that potential is heavily marred by a glut of overly-convoluted gameplay mechanics and frustrating design choices. Sherlock Holmes fans may still want to give this game a try, but only if you’re patient enough to deal with the frustrations that come with the fun story.
Silence	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Silence is a Graphic Adventure about two children trapped in a bunker during an air raid and transported to the magical world of their stories. This game is technically beautiful, but I personally find the character designs ugly, and the characters themselves unlikable. If you can get past that, I suppose you may find this to be a solid entry in the genre.
Star Story: The Horizon Escape	Turn-Based RPG / Interactive Story-Driven Adventure	C
tl;dr Star Story: The Horizon Escape is a Turn-Based RPG with some heavy “Choose Your Own Adventure”-style elements that doesn’t take itself too seriously. However, it doesn’t do anything especially exciting or interesting. It’s okay.
Syberia 1 & 2	Compilation / Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Syberia 1 & 2 is a compilation of two Graphic Adventure games that were once celebrated but now really show their age, with dated graphics, confusing puzzle design, and occasional interface issues. There’s still some real quality work here, but it’s buried under a decade and a half of dust.
The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle: Episode 1: A Dreadly Business	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle is a fairly average graphic adventure with a pun-filled sense of humor. It doesn’t really do anything extraordinary for the genre, but neither does it do anything especially terrible either. It is merely okay.
Ultreia	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr Ultreia is a Graphic Adventure about a robot going on a journey, possibly to seek revenge or possibly to find peace. While it’s a good premise, and this game clearly respects the legacy of the genre, it doesn’t do a good enough job introducing its characters, making it harder to feel attached to their struggles. The result is a game that’s not a terrible entry in the genre, but far from an outstanding one.
When the Past Was Around	Graphic Adventure	C
tl;dr When the Past Was Around is a Graphic Adventure that has players exploring a girl’s past relationship in a dreamlike abstract story. The art and presentation here is quite nice, but the game has numerous puzzle design issues and interface issues that make this far more frustrating than it should be. This game has its good qualities, but there are much better games in this genre on the Nintendo Switch.
1979 Revolution: Black Friday	Interactive Story-Driven Adventure	C-
tl;dr 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a Interactive Story-Driven Adventure where your choices for your character guide your path through the Iranian Revolution, painstakingly recreated according to historical documentation, and then marred by terrible graphics and shoddy gameplay. It’s a compelling story if you’re willing to put up with the game’s flaws.
Bad Dream: Fever	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	C-
tl;dr Bad Dream: Fever is a graphic adventure that has you trying to escape a nightmarish monochrome dreamland. Unfortunately, this game isn’t nearly as inventive as Bad Dream: Coma was, the puzzles are more frustrating, and the writing sloppier. You’re better off playing Bad Dream: Coma if you want a game like this.
Conquistadorio	Compilation / Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Conquistadorio is a Graphic Adventure in the “Point and Click” style where players take the role of the animated corpse of a Spanish conquistador in a strange world seeking to return to his eternal sleep (or maybe find The Holy Grail). This game’s backgrounds are truly gorgeous, though the characters don’t quite seem to fit them. However, even worse is the tedious, slow gameplay and a hint system that either doesn’t help enough or helps far too much. Only the most dedicated fans of the genre should bother with this.
Danganronpa Decadence	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Danganronpa Decadence is a Compilation that includes the Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel games Danganronpa, Danganronpa 2, and Danganronpa V3, along with the Party Game and Turn-Based JRPG Danganronpa S. That last one is trash, but the mainline trilogy is pretty good, albeit not something that will appeal to everyone. However, what will appeal to no one is this package’s $60 price tag, multiple times what the individual games on the eShop cost when they go on sale. Even players who only buy physical copies may want to reconsider and just get the digital versions here… and just stick with the mainline games, while you’re at it.
Dark Days	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror	C-
tl;dr Dark Days is a First-Person Horror game where players find themselves trying to escape a creepy motel while being stalked by a masked stalker. This game does a decent job with the horror, but fails at just about everything else, with ugly visuals, terrible controls, poor game design, and a concept that borrows heavily from Slenderman. Horror fans with patience for poor game design might find this worth a try… though they’re better off just playing better Horror games.
Death and Taxes	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Death and Taxes is a Graphic Adventure with a similar sort of gameplay to Papers, Please, with players taking the role of a Grim Reaper tasked with sorting those who will live from those who will die. There’s a lot of potential in that premise, and the game has some interesting characters and gives players multiple paths the story can take depending on how diligently they choose to do their job, but despite the literal life and death stakes, this game never carries the same emotional weight as Papers, Please, and the frustrating interface makes it hard to keep engaged. Fans of this sort of game may want to give it a look, but it ultimately can’t step out from under the shadow of a much better game.
Dropsy	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Dropsy is a Graphic Adventure where players take the role of a freakish clown looking to hug everyone and spread happiness… while giving the players a healthy dose of nightmare fuel with the game’s creepy imagery. Beyond the presentation that not everyone will like, Dropsy suffers from multiple other issues, including some poor design choices and control issues. More skilled fans of Graphic Adventures may find this game’s presentation unique enough to give it a go, but most players are better off sticking with other entries in the genre.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Edna & Harvey: The Breakout is a Graphic Adventure about a young woman and her stuffed rabbit trying to break out of a mental institution. This game does a good job copying the style, tone, and humor of the great early LucasArts Graphic Adventure games, but the gameplay is tedious, frustrating, and at times nonsensical. Unless you’re a die-hard fan of the genre, you should skip this game.
Fatum Betula	First-Person Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Fatum Betula is a Graphic Adventure that imitates the look of a classic PlayStation game and feels like a film school art project. It feels more like a proof of concept than a finished game, and while it’s certainly interesting, it’s not very compelling.
Horror Bundle : Paratopic + Fatum Betula	Compilation / First-Person Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Horror Bundle : Paratopic + Fatum Betula is a Compilation of the two named games, both First-Person Graphic Adventure titles with an OG PlayStation aesthetic and an odd and abstract plot. I have compared both of these games to student films, in that they are bizarre and interesting, but not really compelling or coherent. At the very least, this bundle is a good way to get them, but I suspect most players won’t enjoy either of these games.
Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Don’t Dry	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Don’t Dry is an “adults only” Graphic Adventure about the titular dating-obsessed anachronistic 80s sleazeball who is now a man out of time in the modern era. Both Larry and this game have trouble coming to grips with the modern day, with horribly dated jokes and even more dated gameplay, along with terrible controls. There’s just not much to like here, and only series fans are likely to enjoy this game.
Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice is an “adults only” Graphic Adventure and sequel to Wet Dreams Don’t Dry that is once again about the titular girl-obsessed anachronistic 80s sleazeball. This game’s story directly follows the previous game and tries to balance the series’ usual smutty references and innuendo with more modern sensibilities, only succeeding some of the time. The controls are slightly improved here too, but the game still has some basic gameplay problems due to outdated design. In the end, only fans of the previous game should bother with this one.
Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Saga	Compilation / Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Saga is a Compilation of the “adults only” Graphic Adventure games Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Don’t Dry and Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice, which follow the adventures of the titular anachronistic woman-chasing sleazeball. The sense of humor in these games will not appeal to everyone, and the games are made worse by poor controls and outdated, frustrating game design. Also, while the bundle is cheaper than buying these games separately, it’s still too pricey. Unless you’re a series fan, skip this package.
Lost Lands: Dark Overlord	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Lost Lands: Dark Overlord is a Graphic Adventure about a mother looking for her missing child, who has been abducted into a fantasy world. When played in handheld mode using the touchscreen, this is a decent if unspectacular entry in the genre, but once you try to play the game docked, the controls become a terrible mess. It’s also hard to ignore just how many great games this genre has on the Switch, so why settle for one that’s only decent at best?
Lost Lands: Dark Overlord (Free to Play)	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr This Free-to-Play version of Lost Lands: Dark Overlord, a Graphic Adventure about a mother looking for a missing child abducted into a fantasy world is an interesting experiment in monetization, but it doesn’t change that this is a pretty mediocre game. When played in handheld mode using the touchscreen, this is a decent if unspectacular entry in the genre, but once you try to play the game docked, the controls become a terrible mess. It’s also hard to ignore just how many great games this genre has on the Switch, so why settle for one that’s only decent at best?
Merrily Perilly	Graphic Adventure / Misc.	C-
tl;dr Merrily Perilly is a game that has players rushing to try and remedy one life-threatening condition after another. While the premise is amusing, the way players must always contend with a short timer discourages critical thinking and exploration, and the presentation isn’t engaging or funny enough to keep you wanting to play. As a result, this game just doesn’t live up to that great premise.
Modern Tales: Age of Invention	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Modern Tales: Age of Invention is a steampunk-infused Graphic Adventure where you’re on the trail of a mysterious kidnapper of inventors. Unfortunately, the game’s visuals have off-putting characters and make it hard to see what you can interact with, there’s to much backtracking, and the constant presence of a “Hint” button makes it far too tempting to just skip the tedious gameplay altogether. I suggest you take it one step further and skip the game outright.
Resident Evil 0	Graphic Adventure / Horror	C-
tl;dr Resident Evil 0 is a Horror game that follows in the footsteps of the remake of the first Resident Evil game with a story that takes place before the events of that game. While this is a decent port, ultimately this game isn’t anywhere near as iconic as the first Resident Evil, the visuals aren’t as impressive, and the gameplay has all of the flaws of that game and then some. The result is a game that only series fans should bother with.
Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles is a Graphic Adventure that is an extremely loose adaptation of the classic detective story. However, the gameplay here feels less like detective work and more like an escape room, one with poorly thought-out puzzles, jarringly bizarre departures from the original story, and a woefully poor presentation. Unless you’re such a huge Holmes fan that you need to get everything based on the character, this is a game you’re better off not investigating.
The Almost Gone	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr The Almost Gone is a Graphic Adventure that has players going through cube-shaped rooms and finding out about the protagonist’s unhappy family life. The writing and sound design here are good, but the game design is needlessly tedious and the presentation leaves something to be desired.
Tricky Doors	Graphic Adventure	C-
tl;dr Tricky Doors is a free-to-play Graphic Adventure where players try to search rooms for objects to solve puzzles, and have the option to pay real money for hints if they get stuck. It’s not a standout game within the genre, and the gamepad controls are terrible (though the touchscreen works well enough). However, if you’re a Graphic Adventure fan who has enough self-control to not spend money just for puzzle hints, this may be worth the free price tag to keep you entertained in between other, better games.
Will Die Alone	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Will Die Alone is a game that’s somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and a Visual Novel, where players take the role of an employee of a company that erases memories to improve the lives of its clients. While there are hints of the great ethical choices you’d see in games like Papers, Please, and a fantastic premise for a story, Will Die Alone makes numerous blunders that make it fall far short of its potential. The result is a game that’s too tedious and frustrating, too short to develop its story ideas, and with some questionable messaging. As a result, you’re probably better off playing something else.
Criminal Expert	Graphic Adventure / FMV Game	D+
tl;dr Criminal Expert is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and FMV Game elements to have players solve a mystery involving a woman found walking near a remote road. While elements of this game are quite good, everything is ruined by a combination of a terrible localization, unclear goals, and unforgiving game design that often makes it unclear just what you’re supposed to be doing. Despite its good qualities, this is a mystery you’ll want to skip.
Detective Dolittle	Graphic Adventure	D+
tl;dr Detective Dolittle is a Graphic Adventure game that borrows heavily from the Phoenix Wright games. Unfortunately, even though it has a nice art style and premise, the game’s horrendously bad localization makes it extremely difficult to enjoy.
Magnus Failure	Graphic Adventure	D+
tl;dr Magnus Failure is a Graphic Adventure that has players taking the role of a radio operator searching for the source of a mysterious signal. Unfortunately, between the game’s off-putting presentation, awkward control scheme, and perplexing story, I feel like only Graphic Adventure fans looking to enjoy something experimental will find this game to their liking.
Moonrise Fall	Graphic Adventure	D+
tl;dr Moonrise Fall is a Graphic Adventure that has you taking the role of a young boy who finds himself whisked away to a fantasy realm where he needs to take photographs of creatures… or something. This game is pretty terrible at indicating what it wants you to do, terrible at instructing you how to do it, and terrible at indicating why you should care, particularly why you should even bother with this game’s frustratingly slow walking speed. While the game builds a good atmosphere, I can’t recommend it.
One Eyed Kutkh	Graphic Adventure	D+
tl;dr One Eyed Kutkh is a minimalistic Graphic Adventure that has you guiding an alien to try to fix his crashed space ship. It has a wonderful presentation, but the game is an absolute slog, and the minimalist presentation only makes it confusing and frustrating to play. Don’t bother with this one.
RealMyst Masterpiece Edition	First-Person Graphic Adventure	D+
tl;dr RealMyst Masterpiece Edition is probably the definitive version of a hugely influential Graphic Adventure, but “definitive” and “hugely influential” doesn’t necessarily mean “good”. A select few players will absolutely love this game’s devious puzzles and lack of hand-holding, but the majority will find it to be tedious, frustrating, and incomprehensible. Unless you want a piece of history or a particularly fiendish mystery box, skip this one.
Resident Evil Origins Collection	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Horror	D+
tl;dr Resident Evil Origins Collection is a Compilation that includes Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0, two games that still look phenomenal today, but with gameplay that has aged extremely poorly. What’s more, the physical collection they find themselves in is overpriced and requires a 13.5GB download to play Resident Evil 0. There is so much wrong with this package that it is actually worse than the sum of its parts and the only people who will find it worthwhile are the series’ biggest fans… who are also likely to be the ones most disappointed by it.
The Rainsdowne Players	Graphic Adventure / Misc.	D+
tl;dr The Rainsdowne Players is an odd experience that at least nominally has players exploring a town to find ideas to create a unique play, and then performing that play while dodging projectiles the audience tosses. While there are some interesting ideas here, none of them are executed well, and the tedious, slow-paced gameplay saps all the joy from the experience. This play should have been workshopped some more before it was rushed to Broadway.
Alisa Developer’s Cut	Graphic Adventure / Horror	D
tl;dr Alisa is a Graphic Adventure and Horror game about a woman trapped in a mansion with clockwork monstrosities. This game is clearly going for a celebration of classic games in the “Survival Horror” style, but it feels like it only succeeds at highlighting the worst qualities in those games and reminding us why games aren’t like that anymore. I cannot recommend that anyone play this frustrating ordeal of a game.
Apocalipsis Wormwood Edition	Graphic Adventure	D
tl;dr Apocalipsis is a minimalist Graphic Adventure with an aesthetic designed to look like a woodcut drawing, where the protagonist goes on a quest to bring his beloved back from the dead. Unfortunately, the muddy visuals look bland and uninteresting, the game doesn’t do a good job of conveying what the player is supposed to do or why they can’t take an action, and character movement makes the process of figuring this out agonizing. I do not recommend this game, even to fans of the genre.
Breathing Fear	Graphic Adventure / Horror	D
tl;dr Breathing Fear is a game that has players playing as an escaped convict investigating an abandoned (and apparently haunted) house for reasons that aren’t clear. The low-quality pixel art visuals don’t exactly inspire fear, nor does the weak storytelling, tedious gameplay, or overuse of horror film cliches. As such, it’s hard for me to recommend this game. Get your scares somewhere else instead, because you won’t find them here.
Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories	Graphic Adventure	D
tl;dr Disaster Report 4 is a Graphic Adventure that has you making your way through a Japanese city and helping people in the wake of a terrible earthquake. Unfortunately, the game suffers from horrendous framerate problems, and the unclear goal structure means you’ll often be wandering trying to figure out just what you’re supposed to be doing. The result is a game with a great premise that is absolutely not fun to play.
DobbyxEscape: Pirate Adventure	Graphic Adventure	D
tl;dr Pirate Adventure is a family-friendly “point and click”-style Graphic Adventure that has players taking the role of a young boy going on an adventure with a cartoony version of Blackbeard. This is a pretty terrible Graphic Adventure – the plot and characters are disposable, the gamepad controls are excruciatingly bad, the lack of hotspots makes hunting for interactive objects a chore, the puzzles sometimes feature nonsensical solutions, and the annoying repetitive music will have you muting the game within a few minutes. Do not waste your money on this game.
Dreamwalker: Never Fall Asleep	Graphic Adventure	D
tl;dr Dreamwalker has you playing as a woman who is both a psychiatrist and paranormal miracle-worker as she dives into the subconscious of her patients to do absurd, nonsensical, outdated Graphic Adventure puzzles. It’s a game with a cringe-inducingly bad story, terrible controls, and an inability to settle on what sort of tone it wants to have. Even fans of this sort of game are best avoiding Dreamwalker.
Paratopic	First-Person Graphic Adventure	D
tl;dr Paratopic is a First-Person Graphic Adventure with PlayStation One-era aesthetics and an odd, incomprehensible plot involving VHS cassette tapes, a walk through the woods, and long drives on empty highways. This game is bizarre in the same way an experimental student film can be, but its unique nature doesn’t make it good. Unless you feel like adding experimental oddities to your game library, skip this one.
The Casebook of Arkady Smith	Open-World Graphic Adventure	D
tl;dr The Casebook of Arkady Smith is an Open-World Graphic Adventure that has you playing a detective in a futuristic cyberpunk city. Unfortunately, while some of the visuals and music here is surprisingly decent and atmospheric, this game is extremely poorly designed in countless ways, and even things as simple as menu navigation, conversation trees, and signposting are horribly botched. Do not buy this game.
Chernobyl: Origins	Graphic Adventure	D-
tl;dr Chernobyl: Origins is a Graphic Adventure that has players escaping the infamous nuclear disaster at Chernobyl while contending with threats both natural and bizarre, and this odd tonal whiplash combines with terrible game design that sadistically punishes the player even when they have no idea they’re making a mistake. The result is a game that’s far too frustrating to be worthwhile.
DobbyxEscape: Spooky Adventure	Graphic Adventure	D-
tl;dr Spooky Adventure is a family-friendly “point and click”-style Graphic Adventure that has players taking the role of a witch gathering ingredients for her witchy friend’s potion. As Graphic Adventure games go, this is a game that does almost everything horribly wrong – the plot and characters are virtually nonexistent, the gamepad controls are excruciatingly bad, the lack of hotspots makes hunting for interactive objects a chore, the puzzles sometimes feature nonsensical solutions, and the annoying repetitive music will have you muting the game within a few minutes. Do not inflict this game on yourself.
Last Bloody Snack	Graphic Adventure / Horror	D-
tl;dr Last Bloody Snack is a Graphic Adventure and Horror game about a child who awakens to find a monster has broken into his home and killed his mom. Everything about this game is a horrible, jumbled mess, and while some graphical elements are decent, as a whole this is nearly unplayable. Skip it.
Please, Don’t Touch Anything	Interactive Toybox / First-Person Puzzle	D-
tl;dr Please, Don’t Touch Anything presents a tantalizing opportunity to play with an ominous-looking machine and see what it does, but it provides so little indication of what you actually can do with it, that for some players you’ll end up not really being able to do anything at all.
The Dark Side of the Moon: An Interactive FMV Thriller	FMV Game / Graphic Adventure	D-
tl;dr The Dark Side of the Moon is an FMV Game with some Graphic Adventure elements that follows the story of a father scrambling to try to find out what happened to his missing kids in the days before a looming eclipse. The mix of genres here is mostly decent, but the story is poorly-written and poorly-acted, and Graphic Adventure fans will be frustrated at the way this game limits their options. Even if you enjoy FMV games, skip this one.
Pendula Swing – The Complete Journey	Graphic Adventure	F
tl;dr Pendula Swing is a Graphic Adventure about a retired adventurer tracking down a thief who broke into his home. While it’s a decent premise, the game has difficult-to-read text and compounds this issue with some absolutely atrocious controls that make it a nightmare to select items in the environment to interact with. This results in the game being torturous to play. Don’t inflict this terrible game on yourself, skip it.
Theatre Tales	Graphic Adventure	F
tl;dr Theatre Tales is at least nominally a family-friendly Graphic Adventure where kids can re-enact classic fairy tales, but the only story actually included here is Little Red Riding Hood, which is simple, boring, unfaithful to the original story, and can be completed in just a few minutes. This is an incomplete, cynical scam of a game, and it’s despicable that anyone would try to bilk players out of their money for this trash.

Walking Simulator Games

Game	Genre	Grade
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe	Walking Simulator	A
tl;dr The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is a port of the decade-old critically-acclaimed fourth wall-breaking Walking Simulator that updates the visuals and adds some surprisingly clever new content that makes this game worth a look even for players who previously played through earlier versions of the game. This is still every bit as funny, rule-breaking, and creative as it was when it first released. In fact, with what’s been added here, it is arguably even more so. Do not miss it.
What Remains of Edith Finch	Walking Simulator	B+
tl;dr What Remains of Edith Finch is a Walking Simulator that has you exploring the short lives of the tragic Finch family in an imaginative and emotional story that re-imagines the way the game plays with each new chapter. It’s short, and the gameplay and story may not be for everyone, but those looking for a unique and moving tale should definitely give it a try.
Gone Home	First-Person Walking Simulator	B
tl;dr Gone Home is a Walking Simulator that has the player in the role of a young woman returning home from an overseas trip to find the place empty, along with an enigmatic note from her sister. The game is short, visually unimpressive, and takes some time to get going, but once it does it has an excellent and well-told story that’s well worth experiencing.
Mythic Ocean	Visual Novel / First-Person Walking Simulator	B
tl;dr Mythic Ocean is a game that’s part Visual Novel, part Walking Simulator (swimming simulator?), part personality quiz, with players advising various archetypal god figures in an abstract undersea environment. The game sets a great relaxed mood with an excellent soundtrack, and the characters you meet and choices you make are compelling, even if the abstract nature of the game makes everything feel somewhat nebulous.
Some Distant Memory	Graphic Adventure / Walking Simulator	B
tl;dr Some Distant Memory is a Graphic Adventure with strong Walking Simulator elements that features a “story within a story”, where players take the role of a scientist in a post-apocalyptic Earth looking at recreated events from the lives of a family living in contemporary times in hopes of getting insight that can help their people. Both stories are well-told and have good writing and likable characters, and the only major flaw I can point to here is a slow walking speed. Otherwise, this is an excellent Walking Simulator that’s definitely worth seeking out for those craving a post-apocalyptic story.
Cuccchi	Walking Simulator	C+
tl;dr Cuccchi is a game that has players walking through animated low-resolution recreations of the art of neo-expressionist painter Enzo Cucchi. While technically unimpressive, the way Cucchi’s artworks have been reimagined into interactive experiences is conceptually beautiful, making for a truly unique experience. That said, this is a very brief game (20-30 minutes), and one that’s dragged down somewhat by gameplay elements that don’t belong here. Still, if you can put up with a few annoyances, Cuccchi is an amazing artistic experience like nothing else.
Layers of Fear 2	First-Person Walking Simulator / Horror	C
tl;dr Layers of Fear 2 is a Walking Simulator and Horror game following an actor taking a mysterious gig on a ship at sea. This game looks absolutely gorgeous, but the only scares to be found here are cheap jump scares and annoying chase sequences, and even the story is a bit of a mess. This game might be worth checking out for the visuals, but otherwise I think it’s a disappointment.
Mothered – A Role-Playing Horror Game	First-Person Walking Simulator / Horror	C-
tl;dr Mothered is a Walking Simulator and psychological Horror game that puts players in the role of a young girl returning home to recover from an illness while spending time with her mother, only to find that both her mother and everything else around is acting very peculiar. The deliberately bad presentation here is perfect for what this game is aiming for, but everything else is a disaster, with tedious and at times broken gameplay, along with a major plot twist you’ll likely predict within the first few minutes of the game starting. The result is a game that had potential, but fails in its execution.
Wide Ocean Big Jacket	Third-Person Walking Simulator	D+
tl;dr Wide Ocean Big Jacket is a Third-Person Walking Simulator that has you playing through the story of four characters on a camping trip. It’s a slow-paced, low-key affair, which wouldn’t be horrible if the gameplay didn’t slow things down even more, to the point where this is a game that is at turns relaxing and frustrating, and it’s so short that you feel like you barely got to know the characters anyway.
Promesa	Walking Simulator	D
tl;dr Promesa is a Walking Simulator that has players moving very very very slowly through diorama-like setpieces interspersed with snippets of text conversations. This was clearly a very personal story for the game’s creator, but the player isn’t really given enough context to appreciate that story, and while there are elements of beauty in the game’s presentation (especially the excellent sound design), that beauty is demolished by poor performance on Nintendo Switch and the extremely tedious gameplay.
A Lost Note	Walking Simulator / 3D Platformer	D-
tl;dr A Lost Note is a Walking Simulator with 3D Platformer elements that has players controlling a cat moving through large, empty environments collecting notes while a narrator reminisces. This game is painfully dull, offensively pretentious, and the images and video on the eShop page are not an accurate representation of the ugly visuals the Nintendo Switch version of this game has in reality. Do not buy this self-important scam of a game.
Parasomnia Verum	First-Person Walking Simulator / Horror	D-
tl;dr Parasomnia Verum is a First-Person Walking Simulator and Horror game about a woman seeking counseling help for her nightmares. While the game does manage to occasionally be creepy, otherwise it is an absolute mess, with horrible graphics, atrocious load times, terrible gameplay, and very little in the way of any redeeming value. Skip it.
Last Bloody Snack	Graphic Adventure / Horror	D-
tl;dr Last Bloody Snack is a Graphic Adventure and Horror game about a child who awakens to find a monster has broken into his home and killed his mom. Everything about this game is a horrible, jumbled mess, and while some graphical elements are decent, as a whole this is nearly unplayable. Skip it.
Dreaming Canvas	First-Person Walking Simulator / Misc.	F
tl;dr Dreaming Canvas is a Walking Simulator with no plot, no characters, no puzzles, and the only gameplay comes in the form of voice clips to find strewn about the stages and canvasses where you can play around with Photoshop filters and not do anything else. All of this is presented in incomplete low-poly areas that are torturously slow to walk through. This game isn’t fun… in fact, I’m not even sure it’s a game. But it’s not an art app either. I don’t know who this was meant to appeal to, but I can feel pretty sure that it fails miserably.

Visual Novels

Game	Genre	Grade
Ace Attorney Anthology	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr Ace Attorney Anthology is a Compilation of two Compilations – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, all combined including the first six mainline games in the series. All of these games are a superb blend of Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure with a fun courtroom drama story. If you’ve never tried this series before, this is a great starting point and a good value.
Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection is a Compilation of two Compilations – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, the first three games in the series and the two more recent prequels. All of these games are a superb blend of Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure with a fun courtroom drama story, and the compilation is an excellent value. If you’ve never tried this series before and have an interest, this is an excellent package to bring you into the series.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a Compilation of two Victorian-era prequels in the Ace Attorney series previously only released in Japan, combining the series’ trademark courtroom drama gameplay with a new setting, new characters, new gameplay elements, outstanding graphics and a superb soundtrack, all at a great value. There are a few elements here that don’t quite work as well as they could, but overall, this is a must-have game in the Visual Novel genre, and even if you’re not a fan of the genre you’ll want to give this game a look if you enjoy courtroom dramas.
AI: The Somnium Files	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	A-
tl;dr AI: The Somnium Files is a game that’s part Graphic Adventure, part Visual Novel, that has the player investigating a gruesome murder using a futuristic augmented eye, an AI partner, and Inception-style dream-invasion tech. It’s a game with a fantastic story and presentation, and some wildly inventive puzzles in the Somnium sections of the game, and even though the gameplay in the rest of the game isn’t quite as engaging, this is all-around still an excellent game that really draws you into its world and makes you want to find out more about its characters and story.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A
tl;dr Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a Compilation of Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure games comprising fourth, fifth, and sixth mainline games in the Ace Attorney series. This bundle is an excellent value with three superb games at their very best, with plenty of extra content. I do think you should play the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy first, but if you liked those games, this bundle is an absolute no-brainer.
Cinders	Visual Novel	A-
tl;dr Cinders is a Visual Novel that takes the classic Cinderella story and breathes new life into it with excellent writing, three-dimensional interpretations of the old story’s characters, and choices that actually matter to the flow of the story. There’s nothing truly revolutionary here to change the Visual Novel genre, but rather a game that makes use of the genre to its fullest, and anyone who enjoys a good, well-told story should absolutely give it a look.
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!	Visual Novel / Horror	A-
tl;dr Doki Doki Literature Club is an extremely original Visual Novel Dating Sim-style game about a boy who joins a school’s literature club and takes an interest in the club’s cute girls. There is deceptively good writing here, as well as other elements that I can’t discuss here without giving major spoilers. However, suffice it to say that there is some extreme stuff in the game that may not make it suitable for everyone. But those who enjoy the genre and don’t mind challenging topic matter will find this to be a truly inspired take on the genre.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure / Horror	A-
tl;dr Paranormasight is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure and Horror elements following multiple characters who possess “curse stones”, and are enticed to hunt down and use their curses to kill each other to resurrect a friend or loved one. This game has a wonderful Rashomon-style plot, excellent fourth wall-breaking puzzles, and a beautiful art style, all for only $20. It has a few issues, and a somewhat silly premise, but overall this is an outstanding Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure, and in particular fans of those genres who enjoy dark stories of the occult should absolutely consider this a must-have.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy	Compilation / Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	A-
tl;dr Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a collection of the first three games in this series of investigation and legal drama games that lies somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel. This is a fantastic collection of three superb games with memorable characters and wonderful gameplay, but $30 for three games that are nearly 20 years old seems a bit much, even if you’re not likely to find a better deal on these games elsewhere.
Raging Loop	Visual Novel / Horror	A-
tl;dr Raging Loop is a Visual Novel with Horror elements about a poor rural Japanese village thrust into a ritual where a few of the villagers secretly transform into werewolves aiming to slaughter everyone else. This game has some pacing issues, presentation issues, and occasionally spotty localization, but it nevertheless thrives due to an amazing story with wonderful world-building and great characters. Visual Novel and Horror fans alike should definitely give this a look.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	A-
tl;dr The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is a game with Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that puts players in the role of an exiled witch who makes a forbidden deal with a powerful and ominous entity, starting a chain of events that has her reading cards to foretell the future for others in her coven during a highly contentious time This game’s story, characters, and soundtrack are all excellent, and while the card creation elements are poorly-explained, this is a minor complaint about a game that not only weaves a thoughtful and emotional story, but makes you the one weaving much of that story. I cannot recommend this enough.
Winds Of Change	Visual Novel	A-
tl;dr Winds of Change is a Visual Novel advertised as “The Ultimate Furry Tale”, but far from being anything salacious, this is a surprisingly compelling fantasy tale about a seer coming into possession of a dangerous magic blade sought after by an evil empire. The story takes quite a few common genre conventions and explores them in unique and interesting ways, with strong writing, good characters, a solid presentation, and plenty of meaningful player choices. Even if you’re not normally a “furry” fan, if you enjoy fantasy stories you’ll want to give this game a look.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is a Compilation of Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel games Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit, both spin-off side-story games in the Ace Attorney series. While this is probably my least favorite pair of games in the franchise, they’re still excellent games, presented at their very best on a modern platform, and it’s certainly nice that this is the first Western release of Investigations 2. I don’t recommend this as a starting point for Ace Attorney newbies, but if you’ve played other games in the series and want more, this is absolutely worth a look.
Astrologaster	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Astrologaster is a Visual Novel about a late-1500s unlicensed doctor who diagnoses patients by reading astrological signs. It’s a well-written and wonderfully voice-acted farce with wonderful characters and a great sense of humor, with clever (albeit at times unclear) situations to diagnose using the power of the stars (or more often, observation and historical insight). Anyone who enjoys Visual Novels and would delight in a funny Shakespherean romp through a tale of medical quackery should definitely give this game a look.
Coffee Talk	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Coffee Talk is a Visual Novel where players take the role of a barista in a modern-day Seattle coffee shop whose patrons include various fantasy and sci-fi races. The gameplay is a bit lacking, but that’s easily overlooked thanks to the game’s wonderful slice-of-life story, compelling characters, and relaxing atmosphere.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Coffee Talk Episode 2 is a Visual Novel that directly follows its predecessor, bringing players into a nighttime coffee shop in an alternate version of modern-day Seattle where various fantasy and sci-fi creatures live together in harmony (mostly). This game does a superb job continuing the great relaxed atmosphere of the first game and mixing returning characters with wonderful new ones to make for an engrossing low-stakes story, with gameplay that only adds a few minor new elements. New players are welcome, but I highly encourage you to check out the original game first – returning players will get far more out of this story than newcomers.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, much like earlier entries in the series, is a game with Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure elements where players find themselves among a group of high school students who have apparently been kidnapped and told their only way to escape is to kill each other. This is a huge improvement over the second game, with better characters, an even crazier plot, and minor gameplay improvements throughout. If you haven’t played earlier games in the series, you’ll want to at least play Danganronpa 1 first for much-needed story context here, but if you enjoyed that game, you should absolutely get this one.
If Found…	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr If Found is a Visual Novel that pairs a sci-fi story about a space explorer looking to save the universe with a story about a young woman struggling with how to deal with friends and family. The sci-fi story is a bit lacking, but the more down-to-Earth tale is far more engaging, both with its authentic use of local Irish slang and culture, as well as its powerful themes of love and self-acceptance. This game isn’t without its flaws, but overall its good elements outweigh its bad ones, resulting in a game well worth trying if you’re looking for an engaging story.
Jack Jeanne	Visual Novel / Music-Rhythm	B+
tl;dr Jack Jeanne is an otome-style Visual Novel with time management and Music-Rhythm elements that puts players in the role of a young girl posing as a boy to enter a prestigious all-male performing arts school. The writing here is excellent, the visuals are gorgeous, and the soundtrack is absolutely beautiful, though the game does have a few issues that drag it down a bit, such as slow pacing. However, fans of Visual Novels games should still absolutely get their hands on this game.
Longstory: A Dating Game for the Real World	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Longstory is a Visual Novel where players take the role of a Junior High School student in a strange school with a “hug it out”-style principal and one student who never takes off a giant turkey mascot outfit. Despite its eccentricities and occasional dips into groan-worthy “teenage drama”, as well as some frustrating interface issues, overall I think players will be delighted with this game’s wonderful characters, engaging plot, meaningful choices, and surprisingly impressive inclusivity. As of this writing, this game is one of my favorite romance stories on the Nintendo Switch.
Old Skies	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Old Skies is a game with Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements set in a future where the wealthy can pay for time travel services, with players taking on the role of Fia, whose job it is to accompany these time-traveling tourists. The characters and story here are great, though I do wish the game’s Graphic Adventure elements weren’t quite as clunky. Still, this is an excellent choice for those craving a good time-travel story.
Overboard!	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Overboard! is a Visual Novel that puts you in the role of a murderous wife looking to cover her tracks after pushing her husband off a ship to his doom. This game utilizes numerous clever systems that give players a wealth of impactful options while also challenging them to keep an eye on the clock, and the great characters and solid writing make this a game you’ll be happy to play through repeatedly to try for different endings. There are still places this game could have gone even further, but ultimately Overboard! Is a wonderful entry in the genre that fans of murder mysteries should absolutely try out.
Quarantine Circular	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Quarantine Circular is a Graphic Adventure game about an interrogation of an alien life form in the midst of a global pandemic. This game’s well-told story makes it well worth playing despite its short length and the confusion caused by its character-swapping narrative.
Synergia	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Synergia is a Visual Novel set in a cyberpunk world about a police officer who finds herself the caretaker of an unusual android while dealing with friction due to laws that forbid human-android romances. The writing and characters are excellent, and the art is beautiful. I just wish the control interface wasn’t as needlessly perplexing, and I wish the major plot revelations stuffed into the game’s final chapter were spread out and given more room to breathe. However, overall I found this to be an extremely satisfying read, and I recommend it to anyone who fancies themselves a sci-fi enthusiast.
Tales From the Borderlands	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr Tales From the Borderlands is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that tells a tale set after the events of Borderlands 2. The characters, story, voice acting, and presentation here are all outstanding, and the only real issue is the use of tired “quick time events” that frustrate more than they add to the game. However, even with this annoyance, Tales From the Borderland is still an outstanding well-told interactive story that’s highly recommended for fans of sci-fi, and an absolute must for fans of the Borderlands franchise.
The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition	Visual Novel	B+
tl;dr The House in Fata Morgana is a Visual Novel about an enigmatic maid telling a mysterious protagonist about the history of a cursed mansion and the doomed fates of its prior residents. Each of the stories takes some time to get interesting, but once things get going these dark tales take on a cruel irony not unlike a Twilight Zone episode. The slow pacing, dark content, and at times beautiful and times off-putting presentation may not be for everyone, but those with the patience and constitution to see it through will find this game’s stories to be well worth experiencing.
Videoverse	Visual Novel / Simulation	B+
tl;dr Videoverse is a Visual Novel and Simulation-style game that has players taking the role of a teenage boy speaking with friends using message boards and chat apps on an early internet-capable retro console. This game pairs some great retro nostalgia with some wonderful characters and an excellent character-driven mystery, and while I was a tad frustrated at the way this game handles player choice, this is still a wonderful low-stakes game that’s well worth playing.
Aviary Attorney: Definitive Edition	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Aviary Attorney is an investigation and legal drama game that lies somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel. In short, this is a game that plays very much like Capcom’s Ace Attorney series, but with sepia line art drawings of anthopomorphic animals and a classical soundtrack. And while it doesn’t quite top Phoenix Wright and his colorful gang, this is still a worthy game in the same vein, with its own collection of memorable characters and great mystery-solving gameplay. If that sounds appealing to you, I think you’ll be pleased with this game.
Catherine: Full Body	Puzzle-Platformer / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Catherine is a Platform-Puzzle game with Visual Novel elements that puts you in the role of a man who wakes up after a night of drinking with a woman other than his girlfriend in his bed, and meanwhile suffers nightmares every evening that have him shifting blocks to climb a tower to escape a monstrous woman. Both halves of this game have some solid elements and a great presentation, but there’s also some frustrating controls and plot elements that seem excessive. This is still a solid Puzzle game worth trying though, especially if you’re enticed by the game’s mature themes.
Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Crime Opera: The Butterfly Effect is a Visual Novel telling a story of a crime family through the eyes of six children within that family. This game’s story does an excellent job building suspense, and although the interactivity leaves something to be desired and the presentation has some weak elements, this is overall a gripping story well worth reading, so long as you don’t have issues with potentially triggering content.
Cross the Moon	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Cross the Moon is a Visual Novel about a murder mystery in a contemporary alternate reality where humans and vampires coexist mostly peacefully. The world, story, and characters are all excellent, though the story can take a bit of time to get going and it can be a tad pretentious at times. This is a Visual Novel that doesn’t give the player any choice in its story, but if the story premise sounds interesting to you, you’ll likely find this to be an interesting read.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a game with Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure elements where players find themselves among a group of high school students who have apparently been kidnapped and told their only way to escape is to kill each other. The game’s story and characters are mostly excellent, with lots of unexpected plot twists, and the core Visual Novel and mystery-solving gameplay is great. However, these great qualities are overloaded with lots of other odd mechanics and weird tonally-dissonant elements that, while distinct, are often to the game’s detriment. Overall I think the good still far outweighs the bad, but it all results in a package that won’t be for everyone.
Death Trick: Double Blind	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Death Trick is a game with Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that puts players into the role of two characters both separately investigating the same mystery – the murder of a traveling circus’ stage magician. The story, characters, and presentation here are excellent, and while some of the game mechanics can be a bit confusing, this is overall a solid entry in the genre that fans of detective-style games will want to try out.
DoraKone	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr DoraKone is a Visual Novel about a young woman who has just started playing the Pokemon Go-esque game DragCo, and befriends and potentially gets close to three other local players. As Visual Novels go, this is a short and lighthearted game that only costs $5, but the premise is fairly unique, the writing and characters are likeable, and the character designs are very nice. This may not be an especially profound experience, but it’s an enjoyable one while it lasts, and I think it’s well worth the small price tag.
Eliza	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Eliza is a Visual Novel about a woman who works as a human “proxy” for an AI therapist. This game explores the positive and negative ramifications of technology in a way that’s both intelligent and yet also personable. While it’s frustrating that your choices usually seem to have little effect on the story, and the tiny text isn’t really ideal for the Nintendo Switch’s small screen, the excellent story, great characters, and superb voice acting still all shine through. If you’re looking to enjoy a smart story about technology, Eliza will not disappoint.
Expelled!	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Expelled! is a Visual Novel and spiritual successor to Overboard!, with this game’s plot following a schoolgirl who has been blamed for the attempted murder of one of her classmates as she tries to prove her innocence. I appreciate the interesting mystery and complex and evolving narrative this game presents, though I’m frustrated by the way the fluctuating story makes it difficult to get a strong sense of the characters, especially the protagonist. This is still an excellent game, but I think I prefer the more straightforward approach of its predecessor.
Gnosia	Visual Novel / Strategy	B
tl;dr Gnosia is a Visual Novel that incorporates elements of social deduction-style Strategy games like Mafia/Werewolf/Among Us. The combination of the two types of gameplay isn’t perfect – the dialogue in the parts of the story where players discuss and vote out intruders feels awkward and stilted, and the gameplay lacks multiplayer and doesn’t properly convey to players the impact of the RPG elements at play. However, despite these flaws, this is still a unique and interesting implementation of this style of gameplay, and the overarching story is made more interesting by the inclusion of a Groundhog Day-style gameplay loop that provides an intriguing overarching story across multiple gameplay sessions. Players who are enticed by this game’s unique combination of gameplay styles should find it worthwhile to check this out.
Mythic Ocean	Visual Novel / First-Person Walking Simulator	B
tl;dr Mythic Ocean is a game that’s part Visual Novel, part Walking Simulator (swimming simulator?), part personality quiz, with players advising various archetypal god figures in an abstract undersea environment. The game sets a great relaxed mood with an excellent soundtrack, and the characters you meet and choices you make are compelling, even if the abstract nature of the game makes everything feel somewhat nebulous.
New Tales From the Borderlands: Deluxe Edition	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr New Tales From the Borderlands: Deluxe Edition is a Compilation of Tales From the Borderlands and New Tales From the Borderlands, both games that combine Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that tell tales set after the events of Borderlands 2 and 3, respectively. While the first of these two games is definitely the better of the pair, and both games really benefit greatly from the player having completed the associated games, overall this bundle contains a good combination of sci-fi story set in a fascinating world, and it’s a decent enough savings over buying the games separately to make for a decent value. If you’re a fan of the Borderlands franchise and/or Telltale games, this bundle is a good choice.
Overboard! & Expelled!	Compilation / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Overboard! & Expelled! is a Compilation of the two named Visual Novel games, both excellent and unique takes on the genre that have players trying to evade the blame for a crime. This bundle’s savings are modest, and if you get the individual games on the rare occasion they go on sale you might get a better deal, but outside of those times this is going to be your best bet for getting both of these games.
Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Slay the Princess is a Visual Novel where players take the role of a hero instructed to go into the basement of a cabin and slay a princess to save the world. Needless to say, there’s far more going on here than it seems at first, and the philosophical topics this game dives into may make your head spin while the violent and potentially triggering content will surely put off some players. This isn’t a game for everyone, but it’s unique enough that fans of this genre should give it a try.
Star Seeker In: The Secret of the Sorcerous Standoff	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Star Seeker is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements in a way that’s reminiscent of both classic LucasArts games and the Ace Attorney series, putting you in the role of a detective trying to unravel a magical murder mystery. The game’s writing is outstanding, with great characters, a fun story, and a delightful sense of humor, the visual style is appealing and distinctive, and the gameplay seems to effortlessly guide players through solving the mystery without holding their hands too much. In fact, this is pretty much an ideal entry in the genre save for one thing – it is depressingly short. Still, for a mere $6, Star Seeker is a must-buy for any fans of the Graphic Adventure or Visual Novel genres craving a fun, brief bit of detectiving.
Steve Jackson’s Sorcery!	Role-Playing Game / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Steve Jackson’s Sorcery! Is a game that combines RPG and Visual Novel elements in a unique and rewarding way that gives the player plenty of choice through the game’s well-written branching “choose your own adventure”-style narrative. The combat could do with more options and the magic system is unnecessarily complicated, but overall this is a superb narrative experience.
Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B
tl;dr Stories From Sol: The Gun-Dog is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure elements that puts players into the role of a security officer newly-assigned to the titular Gun-Dog, a futuristic scout ship sent to investigate a suspicious signal in space. This game’s story, characters, and sense of tension are excellent, and the retro anime art style is delightful, though I do think the pacing and soundtrack could do with improvement. However, this is overall an excellent entry in the genre that’s well worth trying for both fans of Visual Novels and Graphic Adventures, as well as sci-fi aficionados – this is a game sure to please both.
Talk to Strangers	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Talk to Strangers is a game that mixes Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements in a scenario that has players in the role of a door-to-door salesman trying to find the right things to say to convince prospective customers to buy their (unnamed) products. The trial-and-error nature of the conversation choices isn’t quite as bad as you might expect, and the game more than makes up for any repetition by having some genuinely good writing with lots of character and delightfully silly situations. For only $5, this is well worth a look.
To Be or Not To Be	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr To Be or Not To Be is a Visual Novel that retells the classic story of Hamlet with modern sensibilities and a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style of gameplay. The writing is funny and irreverent, and the choices make for some fun and meaningful departures from the original work (or a delightful interpretation of the original work if you make the same narrative choices Shakespheare did). Either way, this is a fun take on a timeless story, well worth checking out for Shakes-fans and non-fans alike.
Tokyo Psychodemic	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Tokyo Psychodemic is a Graphic Adventure with Visual Novel elements that puts players into the role of a detective trying to crack unsolved cases and possibly tie them to a secretive cult. The game does a good job giving players tools to give them the experience of being a detective, though it falls short with its characters and story, as well as awkward controls and a few gameplay issues. Still, despite these flaws, this is still well worth a look for any aspiring detective.
Tsukihime -A Piece of Blue Glass Moon-	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Tsukihime -A Piece of Blue Glass Moon- is a remake of a 2000 Visual Novel about a teenage boy with a health condition and an unusual ability to see “Lines of Death” in the world around him… and about his distant relationship with his wealthy family… and about strange events in his town that come to a head when he encounters a beautiful woman dressed in white. There’s a lot going on here, and the game is bogged down by pacing issues, a lack of meaningful choices, and at times unlikeable characters. Still, the mysteries this story presents, the quality writing, and the exceptional artwork all make this worth sticking with, even though it takes quite a while to really get going.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest	Visual Novel	B
tl;dr Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest is a Visual Novel based on the World of Darkness universe, with players partaking in an original, self-contained story that features solid writing and an excellent presentation that does a wonderful job creating an unsettling mood. There are still a few places where this game could do with improvement, but overall this is a fine addition to the genre well worth playing for genre fans.
A Normal Lost Phone	Visual Novel / Simulation	B-
tl;dr A Normal Lost Phone is a Visual Novel told in the form of a Simulation of a smartphone that players have found and are trying to look through to uncover the story of what happened to its owner. It’s a good, emotional, well-grounded story told in a clever way, and it’s well worth a look if you’re a fan of Visual Novels. The ideal platform for this game is still undoubtedly the smartphone it’s intended to emulate, but the Nintendo Switch makes for an adequate substitute.
Ascendant Hearts	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Ascendant Hearts is a linear Visual Novel combining stock “isekai” and “harem” plot types in a story about a young man from our world finding himself transported to a world that runs on Role Playing Game tropes. It’s not especially deep, the intro gets a bit too much into the weeds, some of the character conflicts get old quickly, and there’s some female objectification fanservice content that won’t appeal to everyone. However, despite these flaws, the characters are likeable and this is overall an enjoyable story, even if it isn’t an especially impactful one.
Bury Me, My Love	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Bury Me, My Love is a Visual Novel that simulates a text conversation between a man and his wife as the wife tries to escape the violence during the Syrian civil war. It is an incredibly well-told story with strong characters, but unfortunately the Switch just isn’t the ideal way to play this game, with the adaptation to the console damaging the Smartphone version’s immersion.
Citizen Sleeper	Visual Novel / RPG	B-
tl;dr Citizen Sleeper is a game that combines elements of Visual Novels, Graphic Adventure games, and tabletop RPGs, telling a story set on a space station in a dystopian future and putting players in the role of a Sleeper, an artificial person trying to survive after running away from their corporate masters. This game’s presentation is cold and detached, and the majority of your interaction with its world will be through text (and through dice rolls). However, if you’re not turned off by these elements, you’ll find this game to have an interesting story with rich worldbuilding, and fairly unique gameplay. This is not a game for everyone, but I suspect those who like this game will really like it.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector	Visual Novel / RPG	B-
tl;dr Citizen Sleeper 2, like its predecessor, is a game that combines elements of Visual Novels, Graphic Adventure games, and tabletop RPGs, telling a story set in a dystopian future and putting players in the role of a Sleeper, an artificial person fleeing from someone seeking to control them. This game’s presentation is cold and detached, and the majority of your interaction with its world will be through text (and through dice rolls). If you’re not turned off by these elements, you’ll find this game to have an interesting story with rich worldbuilding, and fairly unique gameplay. This is not a game for everyone, but I suspect those who like this game will really like it.
Cosplay Love! Enchanted Princess	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Cosplay Love! is a Visual Novel about a male cosplay enthusiast who forms an unexpected friendship with an attractive female cosplayer. This game is clearly aiming for pandering male fantasy (although it stops just short of being a porn game), but despite this it does a wonderful job making said female cosplayer a compelling character. The result is a Visual Novel that may be a guilty pleasure, but it’s one that’s surprisingly compelling despite itself.
Dry Drowning	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Dry Drowning is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure elements that plays like Phoenix Wright set in a futuristic totalitarian city-state plagued by a grotesque serial killer. The puzzles here are often overly cryptic or ambiguous, which can be pretty frustrating. However, the game is still compelling due to its setting, characters, and story, and fans of the genre may still want to give it a look
Once Upon a Jester	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr Once Upon a Jester is a game that’s somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel that puts you in the role of a thief working with his partner to put on stage plays to try to scam their way into the royal castle for a heist. There’s little challenge to be found here, and the gameplay has some irritating issues, but overall this is a charming and funny tale worth a look for anyone who enjoys silly stories.
Planetarian	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Planetarian is a linear Visual Novel with no player choice set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where a scavenger happens upon a human-like robot with a mindless fixation on her planetarium and no conception of the terrible state of the outside world. The characters take a bit of time to warm up to, but once you do this becomes a nice story that blends both charm and despair into something bittersweet. This won’t be for everyone, but those who find the game’s blend of ideas interesting might want to give it a try.
Steam Prison	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Steam Prison is a Visual Novel that puts players in the role of a police officer in a world of segregated classes who finds herself framed for murder and banished to the literal depths of society. The game is at times over-the-top in its depictions of injustice and villainy, but in general the story, its world and its characters are all compelling, and overall this is a game well worth playing for fans of the genre… but only if you can get it in a really good sale, because that $65 price tag is absolutely ridiculous.
Subsurface Circular	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Subsurface Circular is a Graphic Adventure game with a great story and slick graphics, but its short length and the feeling that you’re not really having an effect on the story keep it from being something truly great.
The Lion’s Song	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr The Lion’s Song is a Visual Novel with some light Graphic Adventure elements that has you playing through four interconnected stories about creativity and inspiration. This is a game that’s more about story than gameplay, which makes the frustrating game elements stick out more. However, the stories themselves are compelling, well-presented and well-told, especially if you fancy smaller, more personal tales.
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure	B-
tl;dr VA-11 Hall-A is a game that fits somewhere between Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure, and has a delightful 16-bit-style charm to it that carries it through a somewhat lacking localization and story, as well as less-than-compelling gameplay. Fans of Graphic Adventures who like the cyberpunk genre and anime-styled art should definitely give this one a look.
Without a Voice	Visual Novel	B-
tl;dr Without a Voice is a Visual Novel following the story of an exiled princess who meets a mysterious young woman after years of isolation. The presentation here is lovely, and the characters are likable, though some story choices seem odd, and the game overall feels like it could have used more polish. Still, for only $5, I think this is worth a look.
A Winter’s Daydream	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr A Winter’s Daydream is a Visual Novel about a young man back from college to visit his family when his grandmother is magically transformed into a young girl again. While the player has no choice in the story, and the pacing can be a bit slow, the writing and characters are good and the localization is excellent. Don’t get this game expecting anything groundbreaking, but if a slower, sentimental story about family sounds appealing, you should give this a try.
AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Nirvana Initiative is the follow-up to the original AI: The Somnium Files, and as such it features a similar mix of Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements, with players using futuristic AI-powered eye augmentations and dream-exploring tech to try to solve a string of killings where victims were cut in half. While the story and characters are still interesting, the story, pacing, and gameplay all strike me as far more confusing this time around than they were in the original game. Unless you’re a fan of that game who needs to see the next chapter in the story, I suggest sticking with the original game.
Attentat 1942	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Attentat 1942 is a Visual Novel that puts players in the role of a grandson of Czechoslovakian grandparents who lived through the Nazi Germany occupation of the country, trying to learn about the secret activities of their grandfather and why they were arrested by the Nazis. All of this just seems to be an excuse to give players insight into what it was like to live in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1942, and in this the game largely succeeds, though the fictional story elements and forced mystery seems somewhat superfluous as a result. In other words, if you’re looking to learn about this specific bit of World War II history, this may be worth a look. Otherwise, perhaps not.
Celestia: Chain of Fate	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Celestia: Chain of Fate is an Otome-style Visual Novel set in a world with an uneasy peace between angels and demons, with everyone attending a Hogwarts-style school where the game’s female protagonist aims to become the best in her class while surrounded by potential suitors. This game’s story is formulaic, poorly-written, and poorly-localized, but the visuals are nice and the soundtrack is gorgeous. If you’re okay with something pretty but dumb, you may enjoy this.
Citizen Sleeper: Helion Collection	Compilation / Visual Novel / RPG	C+
tl;dr Citizen Sleeper: Helion Collection is a Compilation containing Citizen Sleeper 1 and 2, both games that blend RPG and Visual Novel elements set in a cold dystopian future. These aren’t games that everyone will enjoy, and I believe that the minimal savings present in this bundle aren’t worth taking the risk that you might not enjoy these games. You’re better off trying one first to see if this series is to your liking.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, much like the first Danganronpa, is a game with Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure elements where players find themselves among a group of high school students who have apparently been kidnapped and told their only way to escape is to kill each other. The gameplay and overall story seem highly derivative of the first game, and the characters this time around are more poorly-written and overall pretty unlikeable. Danganronpa fans may appreciate a return trip to this bizarre franchise, but everyone else is better off sticking with the first game.
Digimon Survive	Visual Novel / Turn-Based Strategy-RPG	C+
tl;dr Digimon Survive is a game that combines Visual Novel and Turn-Based Strategy-RPG gameplay, with a beautiful presentation and a surprisingly dark story involving a group of high school students in Japan who get trapped in another world. While there are some excellent elements here, this game is dragged down by some atrociously slow pacing. If you’re a more patient fan of this game’s genres, you may find it work a look, but otherwise be warned that this frustrating and tedious pacing will very likely tarnish your enjoyment of this game.
Disaster Detective Saiga: An Indescribable Mystery	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Disaster Detective Saiga is a Visual Novel about a down-on-his-luck detective investigating supernatural mysteries. The game has a lighthearted tone that seems reminiscent of the Ace Attorney games, but it lacks those games’ deeper stories and characters, as well as their more impactful gameplay. As a result, this game might be worth a look for fans of the Ace Attorney series looking for a disposable time-waster, but this isn’t a great choice if you want something deeper and more impactful.
Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins	Visual Novel / Simulation / Horror	C+
tl;dr Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a Visual Novel that plays as a Simulation of a smartphone, with players searching through the phone to find information about the phone’s prior owner. This game has some clever ideas and some excellent Horror elements, but it’s unclear whether it wants to be a game for Doctor Who newbies or longtime fans, and there are numerous immersion-breaking elements that detract from the experience, not the least of which is the fact that this game is a natural fit for smartphones, and while the Nintendo Switch version is still good, you’re much better off playing this game on the device it’s trying to simulate.
Don’t Be Afraid	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Don’t Be Afraid is a First-Person Graphic Adventure and Horror game that puts players in the role of a child trying to escape from the house of a crazed madman. This game has plenty of personality, and it does a good job of being creepy, but this is mixed in with some frustrating gameplay elements, as well as some presentation elements that are somewhat lacking. Despite these issues, fans of Horror games may still want to give this one a look.
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Dream Daddy is a “Dating Simulation”-style Visual Novel that puts you in the role of a single father who is both taking care of his teenage daughter and dating one of seven available dads in the area. This is an extremely niche game that will not appeal to everyone, and even those who like the concept will still find a few flaws here and there. However, if you’re delighted by that concept, then hi, Delighted By That Concept, I’m dad! And if you actually laughed at that just now, maybe this game is for you.
Ephemeral -Fantasy on Dark-	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Ephemeral is a Visual Novel that has you taking the role of a young zombie girl going to a school with werewolves, vampires, and the like, with multiple potential love interests. The artwork in the game is lovely, and the world and its characters are compelling, but the story is a tad predictable, and the localization could have used more work. Also, the game is a bit pricey for a Visual Novel. Still, if you can get it on sale, Ephemeral is a decent choice for fans of the genre looking for fantasy romance.
Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind is a remake of a 1989 Visual Novel originally released on the Japan-only Famicom Disk System. This game is a prequel to The Missing Heir and its plot follows a junior detective investigating the death of a student who was looking into a legend of a ghost at her school. The presentation here is top-notch, with fully-remade visuals and sound. And while this game still has some of the same problems of the first game, those issues aren’t quite as pronounced here, making for a better overall experience. Even though this is the second game in the series, this may be the better place to start if you’re considering trying out this particular piece of videogame history.
Harmonia	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Harmonia is a linear Visual Novel with no player choice set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where players follow the story of a boy who wakes up in an android factory and soon finds himself in a small town trying to bring happiness to the townsfolk. While I like this game’s premise, I think the story and characters leave something to be desired. And the presentation, while not bad, feels a bit lopsided. This is overall a better-than-average Visual Novel, but you have far too many excellent choices on Nintendo Switch to settle for “better-than-average”.
Kitty Love -Way to Look for Love-	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Kitty Love is a Visual Novel about a young woman who is cursed to transform into a cat during nights and must kiss her true love to break the spell… only she’s not really interested in anyone at the moment. This game’s localization is pretty bad, but the story is cute, the characters likable, and the presentation is nice. If the story concept appeals to you, you may enjoy this one… but wait for it to go on sale ($25 is too high for what’s on offer here).
Legends of Talia: Arcadia	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Legends of Talia: Arcadia is a Visual Novel about a warrior who rescues a young woman from danger only to find herself dealing with more than she bargained for. The story’s gritty tone and the cartoony, fanservice-filled artwork clash pretty terribly here, and the story is somewhat predictable, but the characters are likeable and at $3 for an hour or two of reading, it’s a decent option if you’re a fan of Visual Novels.
Lost Phone Stories	Compilation / Visual Novel / Simulation	C+
tl;dr Lost Phone Stories is a Compilation that includes A Normal Lost Phone and Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story, two Visual Novels presented as a simulation of a missing smartphone players are trying to investigate to learn about its owner. Both stories are compelling and down-to-Earth, but will likely require a walkthrough to get past their puzzles, and the gameplay here was clearly intended for play using the touchscreen in handheld mode or, more appropriately, played on an actual Smartphone. However, if you can get past those issues, Lost Phone Stories is well worth playing.
Lucy Got Problems	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Lucy Got Problems is a Visual Novel and Ecchi game about an airheaded succubus recounting the events of her mission, the purpose of which she spaced out on when the mission was being given to her. This silly perverted fantasy story isn’t going to compete with any of the great Visual Novel games on the platform, but it’s amusing enough to be entertaining for players who want their silly story with a strong helping of naughty fun.
Mediterranea Inferno	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Mediterranea Inferno is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure elements that follows three friends meeting after years of covid lockdowns. This game’s drug-fueled, sexual, religious, confusing fever dream of elements may hold a deeper meaning for some players, but I just felt put off by its unlikable characters and bewildering story. The presentation has its good qualities, but I think that whether this appeals to you is going to be highly subjective at best.
New Tales From the Borderlands	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr New Tales From the Borderlands is a game that combines Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel elements that tells a tale set after the events of Borderlands 3. This is a solid sci-fi adventure set in the world of the franchise, but there are a lot more issues this time around, with a slower-paced and less-cohesive plot, less-interesting characters, and some other frustrations. Where the first Tales of the Borderlands game was strong enough that even non-Borderlands fans could enjoy it, this feels like a game that’s really only for the most diehard fans of the series.
Planetarian: Snow Glove	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Planetarian: Snow Glove is a linear Visual Novel with no player choice that is a prequel to the original Planetarian telling a largely self-contained story that focuses on the human-like robot Yumeni and her early days working in a planetarium. It’s a shorter story, but the smaller $5 price helps to justify this somewhat. However, it’s also largely disposable, and I think that ultimately this is mainly just going to serve as a companion piece for the original game rather than something worth seeking out in its own right. If you enjoyed the original Planetarium and want something a bit more lighthearted set in that same world, you may enjoy this look at that world during better times. Everyone else is probably better off skipping this.
Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet & Snow Globe	Compilation / Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet & Snow Globe is a Compilation of Planetarian and its smaller prequel, both Visual Novel games about a human-like robot working in a planetarium. These games won’t be for everyone, but some may enjoy the mix of elements they present. However, if you want to give these two a try you’re better off buying them separately – this bundle won’t save you anything off the price of both games combined, and it’s better if you try the first game before seeing if you should even bother getting the prequel.
Radiant Tale	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Radiant Tale is a Visual Novel set in a medieval fantasy world, where players take the role of a young waitress who is recruited by a travelling circus troupe with the goal of bringing happiness to the people of the land. Unfortunately, poor pacing and formulaic characters make this a game that doesn’t do much to stand out in the genre other than its superb character designs. And given the loose plot similarities here to Jack Jeanne, a much better game, I recommend players try that one instead.
Strawberry Vinegar	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Strawberry Vinegar is a Visual Novel about a young girl who is told she must spend a week preparing tasty foods for a young demon or else have her soul “reaped”. This game’s presentation is gorgeous, and everything is very pastel and cute, but the story lacks any sort of meaningful substance. Visual Novel fans looking for something light and disposable may find this worth playing between more serious games, but most will likely be better off looking for more fulfilling experiences.
The Charming Empire	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr The Charming Empire is a Visual Novel and Otome game based loosely on Japan’s Taishō period. It stars a princess who is forced to move from her home to the palace, and as she adjusts to the transition, she slowly grows closer with someone she meets there. This game doesn’t do anything particularly outstanding or noteworthy within the genre, but it’s all-around decent, and Otome fans wanting something with a historical feel to it may find this game worth getting, although perhaps not at the full $25 price.
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-	Visual Novel / Turn-Based Strategy-RPG	C+
tl;dr Last Defense Academy blends Visual Novel elements that are similar to the Danganronpa franchise with turn-based Strategy-RPG gameplay, with a story about a group of teenagers made to fight to defend a school against invading monsters. The characters are unlikeable and the story drags, while the Strategy-RPG elements are surprisingly creative and original… which makes stretches of time the game takes with its Visual Novel elements extra-frustrating. If you can put up with the bad, the good here is quite good, but you’ll be putting up with a lot of bad.
Worldend Syndrome	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Worldend Syndrome is an anime-style Visual Novel about high school kids in a small rural town whose superstitions gain prominence after a few tragic deaths. This game’s story is a bit predictable and uses a lot of tired tropes and character archetypes, and not everyone will like its low-stakes slow-paced story. Also, those hoping for some good decision-making gameplay won’t find much here. But fans of anime looking for something lighter to sit back and relax to as it plays out will find this game’s wonderful presentation and familiarity makes it pretty appealing.
おいでませ、こくりさん – Welcome Kokuri-san –	Visual Novel	C+
tl;dr Welcome Kokuri-san is a Visual Novel about a high school boy who unexpectedly summons an attractive fox girl spirit, with the pair investigating other school urban legends together. This game is mainly a showpiece for VTuber Korune Kokuri, and the voice actress does an amazing job delivering an enticing and suggestive performance. However, the plot and characters leave a lot to be desired here, and those not enticed by the thought of a cute girl whispering into their ear likely won’t find anything of value here.
Accidental Queens Collection	Compilation / Visual Novel / Simulation / Text Adventure	C
tl;dr Accidental Queens Collection is a Compilation of three games from the titular developer – A Normal Lost Phone, Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story, and Alt-Frequencies. The first two games combine Visual Novel and Simulation elements, while the latter combines Visual Novel and Text Adventure. All of these games have great stories and some interesting gameplay concepts, but only the first Lost Phone game manages to deliver on its concept without being dragged down by its gameplay issues, and both of the Lost Phone games are best played on a smartphone anyway. Overall, while this Compilation has some worthwhile content, it’s hard to give it a full recommendation.
Alt-Frequencies	Visual Novel / Text Adventure	C
tl;dr Alt-Frequencies is a game that’s a bit like a Visual Novel or Text Adventure, with players influencing a time loop by recording snippets of radio stations and then sending those sound clips to other radio stations as call-in submissions. It’s a clever concept and a promising premise, but the game’s short 1-2 hour length is so limiting that the game never has the time to reach its full potential.
Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story	Visual Novel / Simulation	C
tl;dr Another Lost Phone is a Visual Novel told in the form of a Simulation of a smartphone that players have found and are trying to look through to uncover the story of what happened to its owner. The story here is excellent, but the changes made to the interface and puzzle design this time around make for a much worse experience. If you play this game in handheld mode and don’t mind keeping a walkthrough on hand for the puzzles, you may enjoy this game, but everyone else is better off avoiding it.
Arcade Spirits	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr Arcade Spirits is a Visual Novel set in a world where the Atari Crash never happened and arcades are still popular, with players taking the role of a new employee at a videogame arcade. Some of the game mechanics here are nice, such as the way your conversation responses affect different measured personality meters. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the characters or story very compelling here, and the presentation doesn’t appeal to me either. Some Visual Novel fans may enjoy this, but I expect most will find this to be a middling entry in the genre.
Crash: Autodrive	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr Crash: Autodrive is a Visual Novel that has players solving a murder mystery involving four strangers riding in an A.I.-controlled car that has an accident killing someone with ties to all of them, including the A.I. While the story concept is great, the writing and characters feel pretty unnatural, the presentation isn’t great, and the gamepad controls are severely lacking. Fans of murder mysteries may still enjoy this, but suffice it to say, this game is no Phoenix Wright.
Gakuen Club	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr Gakuen Club is a Visual Novel about a young woman at an elite school with a secret after-school club that serves the wealthy and powerful members of society. This game has its strengths and flaws, but largely it’s a fairly typical Otome game. It’s decent, but the $25 price tag seems a bit much.
One Night Stand	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr One Night Stand is a Visual Novel that puts players in the role of a man waking up in a strange woman’s bed after a night of drinking, inspecting items in her room to try to piece together who she is and what happened the prior night. The game’s presentation and writing are good, but the game can be completed in 5-10 minutes, and while it encourages players to play through it multiple times for different endings, none of the endings are especially revelatory or compelling. This isn’t a bad game, but it feels like a very disposable one.
Stilstand	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr Stilstand is a Visual Novel about a woman suffering from loneliness and depression. And also there’s apparently a nice, kind-hearted reverse-Babadook. It’s a short story, with crudely-depicted characters. I suppose, to its credit, it does succeed in painting a particularly bleak and depressing picture for players. I’m just not sure what the appeal is here.
The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker	FMV Game	C
tl;dr The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker is an FMV murder mystery where you ask questions of the dead doctor’s patients to track down the killer. The story and acting are top-notch, but the way you ask questions feels unnecessarily frustrating.
Tomoyo After -It’s a Wonderful Life- CS Edition	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr Tomoyo After is a Visual Novel taking place after one of the endings in the game Clannad, following protagonist Tomoya and his now-girlfriend Tomoya as Tomoya moves to a new place and takes on a new job, only for the pair (and Tomoyo’s annoying younger brother) to have their sitcom-like hijinks interrupted by the arrival of Tomoyo’s illegitimate kid sister, who she and Tomoya feel compelled to pose as parents to. The plot is silly and contrived, but I still like it far better than Clannad. That said, I still think players have numerous better options in the genre.
Wanderlust Travel Stories	Visual Novel	C
tl;dr Wanderlust Travel Stories is a Visual Novel that follows various tourists telling stories of their travels. The stories themselves are light and honestly a bit unsatisfying, but those looking for a little bit of a feel of various world cultures may find it engaging.
A Matter of Principle	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr A Matter of Principle is a Visual Novel about the lives of Archduke Ferdinand and his eventual assassin, Gavrilo Princip, an assassination that is one of the most pivotal events in world history. Unfortunately, in this digital comic book, the story is poorly-told in a way that fails to convey both the emotion of the event, as well as a proper historical understanding. Players who are fascinated by this moment in history may be able to forgive this game’s flaws to see a different perspective, but everyone else is better-served seeking out other accounts of these historical figures.
A Sketchbook About Her Sun	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr A Sketchbook About Her Sun is a Visual Novel where players follow an abstract story about a woman processing her feelings about someone else through charcoal drawings. Players choose between one of two phrases repeatedly throughout the game to determine what the story will ultimately become, but it doesn’t really feel like you’re having much of an impact, and there’s neither a sense that you’re making a profound difference, nor is there anything particularly profound in this game’s story. It’s not an unpleasant experience, but it’s a pretty forgettable one.
Alternate Jake Hunter: Daedalus The Awakening of Golden Jazz	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Alternate Jake Hunter is a Visual Novel that acts as a prequel for the long-running detective series. The presentation and story premise here are excellent, but those strong qualities are dragged down by some atrociously bad pacing, completely unnecessary tedious busywork, and nonsensical multiple-choice questions where the answer doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the information you’ve uncovered. If you’re looking for a good detective-style Visual Novel game on Nintendo Switch, you have plenty of better options than this one.
Autumn’s Journey	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Autumn’s Journey is a Visual Novel about a young woman training to become a knight escorting two dragons in human form to help them accomplish their own goals. While the art style here is nice, the sound is distracting and neither the story nor the characters are especially compelling. If you’re looking for a cheap $5 time-waster between more substantial works, I suppose you might find something to interest you here, but there are plenty of other Visual Novels more worthy of both your time and money.
B-Project Ryusei*Fantasia	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr B-Project Ryusei*Fantasia is a Visual Novel that follows the manager of a collective of J-Pop idol groups. While the presentation here is good, the story isn’t especially engaging and the large cast of characters do little to distinguish themselves. Unless you already like the B-Project franchise, I don’t think there’s much for you to latch onto here, and even if you are a fan of the franchise, I don’t see this adding much to your experience.
Danganronpa Decadence	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Danganronpa Decadence is a Compilation that includes the Graphic Adventure and Visual Novel games Danganronpa, Danganronpa 2, and Danganronpa V3, along with the Party Game and Turn-Based JRPG Danganronpa S. That last one is trash, but the mainline trilogy is pretty good, albeit not something that will appeal to everyone. However, what will appeal to no one is this package’s $60 price tag, multiple times what the individual games on the eShop cost when they go on sale. Even players who only buy physical copies may want to reconsider and just get the digital versions here… and just stick with the mainline games, while you’re at it.
Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir is a remake of a 1988 Visual Novel originally released on the Japan-only Famicom Disk System. This game’s plot follows an amnesiac detective investigating the death of a wealthy matriarch while trying to regain his lost memory. The presentation here is top-notch, with fully-remade visuals and sound. Unfortunately, the gameplay remains infuriatingly locked in the past, forcing players to repeatedly try every menu option to find the one the game wants you to pick. It’s so frustrating that it’s hard to recommend to anyone other than those curious about this game’s history.
Famicom Detective Club: The Two Case Collection	Compilation / Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Famicom Detective Club: The Two Case Collection is a Compilation of two remakes of classic Famicom Disk System games that are finally making their debut in the West. The presentation of both games is fantastic, but the gameplay is flawed in ways that are needlessly frustrating by today’s standards. What’s more, there’s no good reason to buy this Compilation package, since buying one of the games on its own gives you a discount on the other game equal to the dollar amount you save in this package. Unless you know without question you want both games, there’s little reason to get this package.
I*Chu: Chibi Edition	Music-Rhythm / Visual Novel / Simulation	C-
tl;dr I*Chu is a game that combines Music-Rhythm, Visual Novel, and Simulation gameplay elements to form… well, a complete mess, with none of those elements being done especially well, and none combining well with the others. I suppose this game’s overarching goal of guiding pop idols through training to fame and success could have had potential, but no matter which way you look at it, this game doesn’t seem to work on any level.
Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa	Visual Novel / Match-3 Puzzle	C-
tl;dr Kotodama is a game that combines Visual Novel and Match-3 Puzzle game elements, with a story about a transfer student getting wrapped up in a search for answers to their new school’s mysteries. The presentation here is good, but everything else about this game is an indecisive mess of various elements that don’t mesh together well at all, and as a result nothing here is done very well. While not a terrible game, you’re better off going with another game in whichever genre most interested you about this game’s cobbled-together pieces.
Office Lovers	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Office Lovers is a Visual Novel about a low-level employee who finds herself suddenly placed in an important role in a new company project, and drooled over by multiple powerful men within the company. The quality of the writing and artwork here is good, but the actual behavior of these men in positions of power is a disturbing string of red flags. Even being somewhat forgiving about this game’s nature as a fantasy still doesn’t keep this from being an extremely cringey experience.
Suddenly an Ogre	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Suddenly an Ogre is a Visual Novel where players take the role of a young man trying to rush back to his dying sister with a healing potion, only to encounter an ogre on the way. The presentation and quality of writing is good here, but the story has no personality, leaving little impact after you reach multiple endings within the span of just a few minutes. Save your money for a better game.
The Last Survey	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr The Last Survey is a Visual Novel about an analyst delivering an alarming environmental report to a company executive all but certain to ignore it. The topic matter here is interesting and the text is well-written, but it’s overly-florid, depressingly dour, and packaged in visuals and a soundtrack seemingly designed to make this as unpleasant an experience as possible. And at $15 for a 30-60 minute experience, tops… I can’t recommend this game to anyone unless it’s on sale at a highly-reduced price, and even then only if you’re looking for a very short and depressing distraction.
We Should Talk.	Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr We Should Talk. is a Visual Novel that has players having conversations with various bar patrons while texting with a clingy girlfriend. The conversation system in this game is interesting and has some potential, but the game doesn’t really do much with it, and this combined with the half-hour playtime means that this game has little value outside of being a curiosity.
Will Die Alone	Graphic Adventure / Visual Novel	C-
tl;dr Will Die Alone is a game that’s somewhere between a Graphic Adventure and a Visual Novel, where players take the role of an employee of a company that erases memories to improve the lives of its clients. While there are hints of the great ethical choices you’d see in games like Papers, Please, and a fantastic premise for a story, Will Die Alone makes numerous blunders that make it fall far short of its potential. The result is a game that’s too tedious and frustrating, too short to develop its story ideas, and with some questionable messaging. As a result, you’re probably better off playing something else.
Arsene Lupin – Once a Thief	Visual Novel	D+
tl;dr Arsene Lupin – Once a Thief is a videogame adaptation of a classic series of literary stories about a legendary thief. The premise is great, and the presentation is excellent, but this game is absolutely destroyed by extremely frequent and long loading times, molasses-slow walking speeds, infuriating control issues, and nonsensical puzzles. Don’t let this game rob you of your valuable time and money.
Ciel Fledge: A Daughter Raising Simulator	Simulation / Visual Novel / Misc.	D+
tl;dr Ciel Fledge is a combination of various genres but is mostly a Simulation that has you managing the schedule of a young girl you’re raising. Unfortunately, the mechanics are alternately bland and over-complicated, and the presentation and story are often awkward and unnatural, making this a difficult game to get invested in no matter which way you come at it.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club	Visual Novel	D+
tl;dr Emio, the surprise third game in the Famicom Detective Club series, is much like its predecessors in that it is a Visual Novel about solving a murder mystery, here centered on an urban legend about a killer leaving a series of bodies with paper bags on their heads. As enticing as this premise is, the game murders any potential it has by stretching the pacing to the breaking point, repeatedly forcing the player through the same facts about the case over and over again, and making them contend with some absolutely terrible design choices. Do yourself a favor and just play an Ace Attorney game instead – you get the same basic gameplay, but it’s better in virtually every way.
I’ll Kill Her	Visual Novel	D+
tl;dr I’ll Kill Her is a Visual Novel about a woman who has an emotional breakdown after a breakup with her boyfriend. The art and presentation here is great, but the story is absolutely nonsensical, with terrible editing and broken English (as well as what appears to be nonsense words tossed in seemingly at random). Even at a low $4, I can’t recommend this.
MetaDude	Visual Novel / Puzzle	D+
tl;dr MetaDude is a Visual Novel presented as a digital superhero comic book, and while the artwork is excellent, the story is pretty scatterbrained and at times incoherent. In addition, the puzzles that start each of the “issues” of the comic aren’t interesting in any way, and only serve to slow things down. Skip this one.
My Butler	Visual Novel	D+
tl;dr My Butler is a Visual Novel that has players in the role of a woman who finds herself suddenly whisked away to be served by attractive butlers in an anime-style “reverse harem” situation. The presentation here is good, but the story is so absurd it’s impossible to really get into the game. Even as a silly fantasy, this game just doesn’t work.
My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!?	Visual Novel	D+
tl;dr My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? Is a Visual Novel about a young man who returns to a stream near the hometown of his youth to find his childhood friend has somehow turned into a mermaid. Unfortunately, this game isn’t compelling enough to be a story you’ll want to follow, isn’t sleazy enough to be a guilty pleasure, and features a terrible localization that will leave you scratching your head. While there was some potential here, that is potential that has not been realized in any way.
Princess Closet	Visual Novel	D+
tl;dr Princess Closet is a Visual Novel that has players in the role of a woman who finds herself suddenly whisked away to become a model alongside numerous attractive men in an anime-style “reverse harem” situation. The characters designs are good and the characters reasonably well-crafted, but the localization is stilted and awkward, the music is annoying and repetitive, and one of the male characters comes on so strong that it may ruin the fantasy for some players.
Chaos;Head Noah	Visual Novel	D
tl;dr Chaos;Head is a Visual Novel that is the first game in the Science Adventure series, focusing on reclusive shut-in Takumi who becomes wrapped up in case involving a series of gruesome murders. There’s a clever “delusion” mechanic here that the game completely fails to explain or even properly indicate to players is there, but what really loses me here is how absolutely unlikeable Takumi is as a protagonist. Unless you’re a die-hard fan of the Science Adventure series, skip this.
Clannad	Visual Novel	D
tl;dr Clannad is a Visual Novel where players take the role of delinquent student Tomoya as he befriends and potentially romances girls in his school. I found this game’s story and characters to lack any compelling qualities, with an unlikeable, unmotivated protagonist, and this is paired with an anime art style that’s bizarre in a way that makes it even more difficult to relate to these characters. I know this game has its fans, but I am not one of them.
Clannad Side Stories	Visual Novel	D
tl;dr Clannad Side Stories is a Visual Novel containing 16 vignettes focusing on side-characters from Clannad. While I think elements of the story and presentation are improved here, I also think this game is overpriced considering its more limited scope, and its story is wholly dependent on players having played through Clannad first. If you enjoyed Clannad and are happy to pay through the nose for extra snippets of that game’s characters, this might interest you. For everyone else, this is one to avoid.
My Bewitching Perfume	Visual Novel	D
tl;dr My Bewitching Perfume is a Visual Novel that has players in the role of a woman working alongside numerous attractive men in an anime-style “reverse harem” situation. Unfortunately, the artwork is forgettable, the presentation is sub-par, the story is poorly-written, and the characters aren’t at all compelling. Don’t buy this perfume, it stinks.
My Secret Pets!	Visual Novel	D
tl;dr My Secret Pets! is a Visual Novel about a girl who gets dumped only to have her various pets all transform into attractive men eager to get close to her. Even if that premise doesn’t strike you as creepy in and of itself, it’s done in by the poor quality of the writing, the lack of any significant influence on the story, and the terrible presentation. Even if you’re that kind of pet-lover, you’ll want to skip this one.
Ring Sculptors	Visual Novel	D-
tl;dr Ring Sculptors is a Visual Novel with RPG elements in a futuristic setting where players take the role of a man revived from death to investigate a problem for the titular Ring Sculptors. This game’s story is nonsensical, and the RPG-like elements are extremely poorly handled, resulting in extreme frustration and a terrible lack of agency. This game squanders any potential its premise has, and I absolutely cannot recommend it.
Diamond Girl ~An Earnest Education in Love~	Visual Novel	F
tl;dr Diamond Girl ~An Earnest Education in Love~ is a Visual Novel that has players in the role of a woman whose new employer suddenly declares her to be his heir and brings her to live in his estate, where she encounters numerous potential suitors in an anime-style “reverse harem” situation. Unfortunately, the story is extremely poorly-localized and fails to have even the slightest bit of believability, and the presentation is sub-par. At the very least, the artwork here is decent, but that can’t save this horrible mess of a game.
Giant Wishes	Visual Novel	F
tl;dr Giant Wishes is a Visual Novel about a woman who ventures out to the rumored lair of a giant woman to somehow prove herself to the men in her town. This is an ecchi game that is extremely explicit, and while that in itself isn’t terrible, it gets extremely fetishy in niche, weird, and uncomfortable ways. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, the author’s grasp of English is absolutely terrible and the story is poorly written with inconsistent tone and characters. Even if you’re down for a fetishy story, I do not think you’ll find this worth a read.
Perseverance	Visual Novel	F
tl;dr Perseverance is a Visual Novel about the beginnings of a zombie apocalypse. And by “beginnings”, I mean that this game is actually only the first part of a story, covering only about a half hour or so of gameplay. What’s worse, that half hour is filled with unlikable characters, poor writing, and numerous spelling and grammatical errors as well as buggy code. Do not buy this shoddy, incomplete disaster of a game.
Secrets of Me	Visual Novel	F
tl;dr Secrets of Me is a Visual Novel and Otome game about a woman who gets plastic surgery to please her fiance, only to discover he’s cheating, while her newfound beauty leads to countless other guys taking an interest in her. Perhaps fitting for this game’s topic matter, it looks nice enough on the surface, but it is absolutely ugly to its core when you look any deeper. The horrible messages this game sends about body image, proper dating practices, and how men should treat women is chilling. And the game’s poor writing and terrible localization just make things worse. I strain to think of a more repulsive Otome game I’ve played.

Horror

Game	Genre	Grade
Alien: Isolation	First-Person Stealth / Horror Game	A
tl;dr Alien: Isolation is a port of the 2014 First-Person Horror game with heavy Stealth elements following Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she investigates her mother’s disappearance. This version adds graphical improvements that actually make it look better than the other console versions, and this is on top of an already-impressive game with a stunning presentation and some great cat-and-mouse gameplay. If you’re a fan of Horror with a Nintendo Switch, consider this game an absolute must-have.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo	Visual Novel / Graphic Adventure / Horror	A-
tl;dr Paranormasight is a Visual Novel with Graphic Adventure and Horror elements following multiple characters who possess “curse stones”, and are enticed to hunt down and use their curses to kill each other to resurrect a friend or loved one. This game has a wonderful Rashomon-style plot, excellent fourth wall-breaking puzzles, and a beautiful art style, all for only $20. It has a few issues, and a somewhat silly premise, but overall this is an outstanding Visual Novel and Graphic Adventure, and in particular fans of those genres who enjoy dark stories of the occult should absolutely consider this a must-have.
Raging Loop	Visual Novel / Horror	A-
tl;dr Raging Loop is a Visual Novel with Horror elements about a poor rural Japanese village thrust into a ritual where a few of the villagers secretly transform into werewolves aiming to slaughter everyone else. This game has some pacing issues, presentation issues, and occasionally spotty localization, but it nevertheless thrives due to an amazing story with wonderful world-building and great characters. Visual Novel and Horror fans alike should definitely give this a look.
The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	A-
tl;dr The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season brings to Switch the five numbered episodes and “400 Days” that collectively form the first game in the series of Graphic Adventure games set in the same universe as the TV show and comics. While many of the elements of this game have aged somewhat, together they still form a powerful experience that’s still well worth playing today, and anyone who missed out on it the first time should definitely give the game a try now.
Dredge	Action-RPG / Simulation / Horror	B+
tl;dr Dredge is a game that combines a Fishing Simulation-style game with Action-RPG elements and Lovecraftian Horror, making for a really unique blend of “cozy game” and a tense and nerve-wracking experience whether you’re our fishing in the daytime or at night. These elements are balanced surprisingly well, and while the pacing and progression can be slow in places, overall I found this to be an excellent game.
Resident Evil 5	Third-Person Shooter / Horror	B+
tl;dr Resident Evil 5 abandons much of the series’ Graphic Adventure and Horror-fueled roots in favor of something that’s much more Action-heavy, and while series purists may find this disappointing, the result is a pretty fun Third-Person Shooter with some great online multiplayer co-op and competitive gameplay.
Resident Evil 6	Third-Person Shooter / Horror	B+
tl;dr Resident Evil 6, even more than the series’ fifth game, is an over-the-top action-packed Third-Person Shooter that is as far from “Survival Horror” as the series has ever gotten. However, for those who don’t mind the departure from the series’ roots and who are looking for an Action game with some great online co-op, this is a game well worth playing, although be warned that the Nintendo Switch version suffers from poor framerates and underpopulated online lobbies.
Resident Evil Revelations 2	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B+
tl;dr Resident Evil Revelations 2 is a game that marries the Horror-driven gameplay of the series’ roots with more modern controls and game design that makes this entry in the series far more playable than those classic entries. It also makes good use of its two-character mechanic, and those looking to play in split-screen co-op will find this game is the best in the series for that style of play on the Nintendo Switch. While the prison setting and story may not be quite as memorable as the earlier games in the series, and the visuals aren’t as impressive as the later games, Resident Evil Revelations 2 is still the best Resident Evil game on the Nintendo Switch if you’re looking for Horror, and fans of that genre should definitely give it a look.
Outlast: Bundle of Terror	First-Person Stealth / Horror Game	B
tl;dr Outlast is a Horror game where players take the role of a reporter entering an insane asylum full of murderous inmates, with gameplay that has players hiding from enemies instead of fighting them. The game has some control issues, but overall this is a pretty good Horror game and a solid port to the Switch.
Outlast 2	First-Person Stealth / Horror Game	B
tl;dr Outlast 2 is a Horror game where players that has players hiding from murderous cultists in a remote part of the US. Its sound design isn’t quite as good as the first game, and the story leaves something to be desired, but the game’s graphics are fantastic. This is one of the best ports of a modern game to the Switch, and fans of Horror games will find it well worth a look.
Resident Evil 4	Graphic Adventure / Horror / Third-Person Shooter	B
tl;dr Resident Evil 4 is an HD remaster of the GameCube Horror game that does a good job bringing the classic to the Nintendo Switch, albeit without the Wii version’s motion controls. And as it happens, the controls are the worst thing about this otherwise solid game. If you’re looking for one of the highlights of the Resident Evil series, you should definitely give this game a look, but be aware that the controls will make this a love it or hate it experience.
Resident Evil Triple Pack	Compilation / Third-Person Shooter / Horror	B
tl;dr Resident Evil Triple Pack contains Resident Evil 4, 5, 6, and all of their expansion content, although only Resident Evil 4 is on the cartridge, with 5 and 6 requiring a massive 37GB download to play. While these games represent the series’ controversial turn to more action-focused gameplay, that gameplay has aged better than the earlier games in the series, although the Nintendo Switch releases are a mix of good (added gyroscopic controls in 5 and 6, great online co-op in 5 and 6) and bad (no motion controls in 4, terrible framerates in 5 and 6). On the whole, this is still a solid trio of Third-Person Shooters, though it’s debatable whether this Compilation is a better bet than just buying the games individually on the eShop.
Sorry We’re Closed	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B
tl;dr Sorry We’re Closed is an Graphic Adventure and Horror game in much the same style of classic “Survival Horror” games, and it pays homage to numerous classic PlayStation games while presenting something that’s still unique and original in its own right. Its adherence to some elements of those older games like the terrible camera angles can make this unnecessarily frustrating, but nevertheless this is still a game Horror fans should check out, especially if they love the old-school games in the genre.
True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 2	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B
tl;dr True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 2 follows the story of a woman investigating an abandoned insane asylum searching for information about her long-lost sister. The jump scares are too predictable, but this is otherwise an improvement over the first game – it’s not only a solid Graphic Adventure and Horror game with an interesting story and some well-crafted mechanics, but it’s longer, with better visuals, and is finally getting to stuff it only teased in the first game. You’ll still want to play these games in order, but this game is sure to please fans of the prior game.
Eyes: The Horror Game	First-Person Horror	B-
tl;dr Eyes: The Horror Game is a First-Person Horror Game where players search the for treasure while evading the monster hunting you down. This game’s cat-and-mouse gameplay works well enough and the atmosphere does a good job being sufficiently creepy. There are some major flaws here too, but for only $2.50 it’s hard to complain. Players looking for a fun and inexpensive Horror experience will find this to be a good choice.
Fishing Vacation	Sports (Fishing) / Horror / Misc.	B-
tl;dr Fishing Vacation is a Fishing game with Horror elements designed to look like something created for the original Game Boy. If that mix of elements strike you as ill-suited to both a Fishing game and a Horror game, your suspicions are correct – this game doesn’t do either of those things well… but that’s also kinda’ the point. Rather than being about those, this game is all about creating a delightfully silly mood based on its eclectic clashing of disparate elements, and simply for this unique mood alone, I think this game is well worth its low $2 price tag.
Homebody	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B-
tl;dr Homebody is a Graphic Adventure-style Horror game about a group of young adults spending a night together in a cabin who find themselves attacked by a blade-wielding killer, setting into motion a Groundhog Day-style time loop. This game is a loving tribute to the past that does a good job adding new and modern elements, though some of the old-fashioned elements won’t be to everyone’s liking. Still, those who fondly remember the PlayStation era of Horror games would do well to seek this game out.
Observer	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	B-
tl;dr Observer is a “Walking Simulator” where you play a police detective investigating a series of murders in a cyberpunk future. The game’s great visuals and voice performance by Rutger Hauer do a great job of pulling you into the game’s strong story, although numerous frustrations mar the experience. On the whole, it’s a unique experience well worth trying out.
Resident Evil Revelations	Horror / Third-Person Shooter	B-
tl;dr Resident Evil Revelations takes the 3DS entry in the series and brings it to the Nintendo Switch with upscaled visuals, resulting in a Horror game with some decent action that plays well and still manages a creepy atmosphere, although the game’s handheld origins are definitely apparent in its smaller scope and lacking visuals. Despite this, it’s a decent game and fans of the series should find it well worth playing.
Resident Evil Revelations Collection	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Horror	B-
tl;dr Resident Evil Revelations Collection is a Compilation that includes Resident Evil Revelations and Resident Evil Revelations 2, two games that do a good job of balancing the Horror-driven gameplay of the earlier games in the series with the better controls and more modern design of more recent games. However, this collection only includes the first game on the cartridge, meaning that even if you buy this physical release, you’ll still need 24GB on your MicroSDXC card to play both games. In the end, while the value of this collection is debatable, both games included within it are good and well worth playing.
Sound Waves	Top-Down Puzzle / Stealth / Horror	B-
tl;dr Sound Waves is a Top-Down Puzzle game with Stealth and Horror elements where players must navigate environments, evade monsters, and find an exit by using sound in various ways. This is a clever take on this game’s genres, with some good puzzle design. I do have some complaints about the controls, but with this game selling for a mere $5, it’s an easy game to recommend for those looking for something a bit different.
Stories Untold	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Text Adventure / Horror Game	B-
tl;dr Stories Untold is a First-Person Graphic Adventure with some Text Adventure and Horror elements to it, and it features four compelling stories that combine into one fascinating fourth wall-breaking experience. It’s a short experience, though, and one padded out with busywork. However, if you have the patience for it, it’s still an experience worth having.
True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 1	Graphic Adventure / Horror	B-
tl;dr True Fear: Forsaken Souls – Part 1 follows the story of a woman investigating an abandoned house searching for information about her long-lost sister. The jump scares are too predictable, but this is otherwise a decent Graphic Adventure and Horror game with an interesting story and some well-crafted mechanics. Not a bad start for this series.
Amnesia: Collection	Compilation / First-Person Horror	C+
tl;dr Amnesia: Collection is a compilation of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Amnesia: Justine, and Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs. The Nintendo Switch version of these games suffers from graphical issues and doesn’t make use of the console’s unique features, and some elements of these games have aged poorly, but overall it’s still a solid trio of First-Person Horror games worth playing, especially for fans of the genre.
Bad Dream: Coma	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	C+
tl;dr Bad Dream: Coma is a graphic adventure where you must solve puzzles to try to find a way out of a nightmare. The puzzle logic doesn’t always make perfect sense, but they’re frequently very clever, and the game succeeds at creating a wonderfully creepy atmosphere that, while not for everyone, is bound to be perfect for the right audience.
Carrion	Metroidvania / Horror	C+
tl;dr Carrion is a Metroidvania that has you playing as the frightening, murderous tentacle monster storming through a facility. It’s an outstanding concept with a phenomenal presentation, but unfortunately, it falls prey to a few core gameplay problems, with the main one being repetitive level design and no map. This game still has some great moments, but those moments are interspersed with far too much frustration.
Corridor Z	Auto-Runner / Horror	C+
tl;dr Corridor Z is an Auto-Runner that depicts the action from in front of a character running from a horde of zombies in a school and trying to toss debris in their way as it comes into view. It’s not a bad entry in the genre, but the view does give players less time to react, and the game still suffers the repetition that many of this genre’s games fall prey to.
Death Come True	FMV Game / Horror	C+
tl;dr Death Come True is an FMV Game played like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” where players make choices for a man with amnesia awakening in a hotel discovering that he’s apparently a wanted serial killer. The amount of choice here leaves something to be desired, and there are some flaws in the storytelling, but despite that Death Come True is still an entertaining story that’s worth a look for fans craving an unusual mystery.
Detention	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	C+
tl;dr Detention is a Graphic Adventure game with heavy horror elements about grade school students in 1960s Taiwan stuck in a hellish nightmare. Despite its graphical limitations it does a great job building a creepy atmosphere, but the gameplay is tedious and frustrating.
Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins	Visual Novel / Simulation / Horror	C+
tl;dr Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a Visual Novel that plays as a Simulation of a smartphone, with players searching through the phone to find information about the phone’s prior owner. This game has some clever ideas and some excellent Horror elements, but it’s unclear whether it wants to be a game for Doctor Who newbies or longtime fans, and there are numerous immersion-breaking elements that detract from the experience, not the least of which is the fact that this game is a natural fit for smartphones, and while the Nintendo Switch version is still good, you’re much better off playing this game on the device it’s trying to simulate.
Don’t Be Afraid	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Don’t Be Afraid is a First-Person Graphic Adventure and Horror game that puts players in the role of a child trying to escape from the house of a crazed madman. This game has plenty of personality, and it does a good job of being creepy, but this is mixed in with some frustrating gameplay elements, as well as some presentation elements that are somewhat lacking. Despite these issues, fans of Horror games may still want to give this one a look.
Ellen	Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Ellen is a Graphic Adventure with strong Horror elements that has players searching a cursed house for a missing girl. The Horror elements here are fantastic, thanks to some excellent use of sound. The Graphic Adventure gameplay, on the other hand, is riddled with frustrating flaws, and as a result only more patient fans of the genre will find this game worth trying.
Layers of Fear: Legacy	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	C+
tl;dr Layers of Fear: Legacy is a “Walking Simulator” that follows in the footsteps of the beloved PT demo, having you walking through the massive home of an insane painter as his home increasingly reflects his madness. It’s a game with a lot of flaws, but it’s nevertheless a unique experience that horror fans should enjoy.
Resident Evil	Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Resident Evil is an HD remaster of the GameCube remake of the formative “Survival Horror” game, and in terms of its visuals and presentation, it’s still impressive even to this day. What is not impressive, however, is the horribly awkward controls and frustrating game design elements that were derided even in the original PlayStation release, and are even less welcome over 20 years later. This is still an impressive, landmark game, but it’s not especially fun to play by today’s standards.
Slender: The Arrival	First-Person Horror	C+
tl;dr Slender: The Arrival is a First-Person Horror game that has players searching an abandoned rural property while being hunted by the Lovecraftian Slender Man. The graphics have aged poorly and the gameplay remains simple and tedious, but the game’s iconic central character and excellent sound design still make this work wonderfully as a horror experience even if it’s a bit lacking as a Horror Game.
Welcome to Hanwell	First-Person Open-World Graphic Adventure / Horror	C+
tl;dr Welcome to Hanwell is a First-Person Open-World Graphic Adventure Horror game where players awaken in an abandoned town filled with mutated humanoid creatures, and must explore the town to find what they need to escape. The presentation here is pretty good, and the Open-World elements make for a fairly unique game within the genre, but there are some poor design choices, particularly in the game’s opening. However, Horror fans may still want to give this one a look.
911: Cannibal	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror	C
tl;dr 911: Cannibal is a First-Person Graphic Adventure and Horror game that puts players in the role of a teenager trying to escape from the house of a murderous cannibal. There are some clever gameplay concepts here, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired, taking a 10-15 minute game and stretching it out with repetition and tedium, and it just isn’t very scary. Horror fans may still find something worthwhile and interesting here, but most players are better off skipping it.
Deadly Premonition Origins	Open-World Horror Game	C
tl;dr Deadly Premonition Origins is an Open-World Horror game that is notoriously strange in a “so bad it’s good” way that has earned it a cult following. This is not a game for everyone, and even those who enjoy it may be better off getting another version. However, while this game’s terribly outdated visuals, unusual sound design, and kooky cast of characters find their way onto the Switch in a port that’s not very good, it still retains the game’s infamous personality and charm, which may still be worth a look for Switch owners with a taste for the offbeat and bizarre.
Layers of Fear 2	First-Person Walking Simulator / Horror	C
tl;dr Layers of Fear 2 is a Walking Simulator and Horror game following an actor taking a mysterious gig on a ship at sea. This game looks absolutely gorgeous, but the only scares to be found here are cheap jump scares and annoying chase sequences, and even the story is a bit of a mess. This game might be worth checking out for the visuals, but otherwise I think it’s a disappointment.
Shadows 2: Perfidia	Horror Game	C
tl;dr Shadows 2 is a Horror game that has players in the role of a security guard walking through a dark office building full of shadowy monsters. The game’s use of sound and HD rumble is fantastic, but everything else about the game is mediocre at best, with terrible graphics and tedious gameplay. Horror fans might get a kick out of this, but everyone else is better off avoiding it.
Whispering Willows	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	C
tl;dr Whispering Willows is a Graphic Adventure game with heavy horror elements about a girl searching a haunted estate for her missing father. The game has some interesting concepts, but doesn’t do enough to make good use of them, and its puzzles and atmosphere feel somewhat uninspired.
Bad Dream: Fever	Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	C-
tl;dr Bad Dream: Fever is a graphic adventure that has you trying to escape a nightmarish monochrome dreamland. Unfortunately, this game isn’t nearly as inventive as Bad Dream: Coma was, the puzzles are more frustrating, and the writing sloppier. You’re better off playing Bad Dream: Coma if you want a game like this.
Dark Days	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror	C-
tl;dr Dark Days is a First-Person Horror game where players find themselves trying to escape a creepy motel while being stalked by a masked stalker. This game does a decent job with the horror, but fails at just about everything else, with ugly visuals, terrible controls, poor game design, and a concept that borrows heavily from Slenderman. Horror fans with patience for poor game design might find this worth a try… though they’re better off just playing better Horror games.
Mothered – A Role-Playing Horror Game	First-Person Walking Simulator / Horror	C-
tl;dr Mothered is a Walking Simulator and psychological Horror game that puts players in the role of a young girl returning home to recover from an illness while spending time with her mother, only to find that both her mother and everything else around is acting very peculiar. The deliberately bad presentation here is perfect for what this game is aiming for, but everything else is a disaster, with tedious and at times broken gameplay, along with a major plot twist you’ll likely predict within the first few minutes of the game starting. The result is a game that had potential, but fails in its execution.
Resident Evil 0	Graphic Adventure / Horror	C-
tl;dr Resident Evil 0 is a Horror game that follows in the footsteps of the remake of the first Resident Evil game with a story that takes place before the events of that game. While this is a decent port, ultimately this game isn’t anywhere near as iconic as the first Resident Evil, the visuals aren’t as impressive, and the gameplay has all of the flaws of that game and then some. The result is a game that only series fans should bother with.
Syndrome	First-Person Horror	C-
tl;dr Syndrome is a First-Person Horror game where players awaken with amnesia on a spaceship plagued by some sort of disaster. This game has some genuinely good elements, like the sound design, but overall Syndrome is clearly inferior to multiple other games it shares similarities with, most notably Alien: Isolation. Play those games instead.
Venatrix	Third-Person Shooter / Stealth / Horror	C-
tl;dr Venatrix is a Horror game with Third-Person Shooter and Stealth elements, with Lovecraftian themes and two protagonists, with only one of those worth playing. Unfortunately, even beyond this, Venatrix has some serious gameplay issues, audio issues, and performance issues, and these really drag down the experience. Major Lovecraftian nerds may find this worth a look, but everyone else is better off searching elsewhere.
Midnight Evil	First-Person Horror	D+
tl;dr Midnight Evil is a First-Person Horror game that plays a bit like Five Nights at Freddy’s but with the player reading a creepy book while keeping an eye out for little green child-murdering goblins. The premise is decent, and the writing and voice acting are good, but the somewhat comical look and sound of the critters undermines the creepy tone of the game, and the tedious and repetitive gameplay make this a game that only the most dedicated fans of the genre will want to get… and certainly not at its normal price.
Resident Evil Origins Collection	Compilation / Graphic Adventure / Horror	D+
tl;dr Resident Evil Origins Collection is a Compilation that includes Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0, two games that still look phenomenal today, but with gameplay that has aged extremely poorly. What’s more, the physical collection they find themselves in is overpriced and requires a 13.5GB download to play Resident Evil 0. There is so much wrong with this package that it is actually worse than the sum of its parts and the only people who will find it worthwhile are the series’ biggest fans… who are also likely to be the ones most disappointed by it.
Sagebrush	First-Person Graphic Adventure / Horror Game	D+
tl;dr Sagebrush is a “Walking Simulator” that has players investigating the site of a mass suicide at a fictional religious cult. The game’s topic matter and atmosphere is suitably creepy, but the terrible graphics and the dreadfully artificial videogame mechanics bring down this game’s attempts at presenting something authentic and result in something that’s just tedious and frustrating.
Ailment	Top-Down Action / Horror	D
tl;dr Ailment is a Top-Down Action game that has you fighting zombies in repetitive spacecraft corridors. Unfortunately, the game forces shoddy auto-aim on the player, has poor framerates, and has game design that simply isn’t conducive to this sort of Action game. Not worth your time.
Alisa Developer’s Cut	Graphic Adventure / Horror	D
tl;dr Alisa is a Graphic Adventure and Horror game about a woman trapped in a mansion with clockwork monstrosities. This game is clearly going for a celebration of classic games in the “Survival Horror” style, but it feels like it only succeeds at highlighting the worst qualities in those games and reminding us why games aren’t like that anymore. I cannot recommend that anyone play this frustrating ordeal of a game.
Breathing Fear	Graphic Adventure / Horror	D
tl;dr Breathing Fear is a game that has players playing as an escaped convict investigating an abandoned (and apparently haunted) house for reasons that aren’t clear. The low-quality pixel art visuals don’t exactly inspire fear, nor does the weak storytelling, tedious gameplay, or overuse of horror film cliches. As such, it’s hard for me to recommend this game. Get your scares somewhere else instead, because you won’t find them here.
The Crisis Zone	First-Person Horror	D
tl;dr The Crisis Zone is a First-Person Horror Game where players take the role of a survivor of a helicopter crash in an abandoned military facility filled with monsters and killer drone robots. The premise is sound, and there’s an interesting robot-repairing mechanic, but the Stealth, Horror, and item-gathering elements all have hefty problems here, and with those being the main focus of the game, the result is a game I don’t recommend.
Bedtime Blues	Clicker Horror Game	D-
tl;dr Bedtime Blues is a Clicker Horror game like Five Nights at Freddy’s, but not a good one. Its terrible low-resolution visuals, its extremely repetitive and frustrating gameplay, and its lack of genuine scares make it a stinker even if you enjoy the genre.
Dungeon Nightmares 1 + 2 Collection	Compilation / First-Person Horror	D-
tl;dr Dungeon Nightmares 1 + 2 Collection is a Compilation of two First-Person Horror games. Unfortunately, both games are similarly ugly, simple, feature poor controls, and offer repetitive, boring environments. You have plenty of better options on the Nintendo Switch.
Parasomnia Verum	First-Person Walking Simulator / Horror	D-
tl;dr Parasomnia Verum is a First-Person Walking Simulator and Horror game about a woman seeking counseling help for her nightmares. While the game does manage to occasionally be creepy, otherwise it is an absolute mess, with horrible graphics, atrocious load times, terrible gameplay, and very little in the way of any redeeming value. Skip it.
Silent World	Puzzle-Platformer / Horror	D-
tl;dr Silent World is a Puzzle-Platformer with Horror elements that doesn’t do the Platforming well, doesn’t have interesting Puzzles, and isn’t scary. More than anything, this is an agonizingly slow game that is not worth bothering with.
The Childs Sight	First-Person “Clicker” Horror	D-
tl;dr The Childs Sight is a “Clicker”-style First-Person Horror game where players take the role of a very young child trying to sleep while doing various things to fend off the monsters hiding in their bedroom. Even at this game’s best, it is a tedious exercise in just following directions. At its worst, it is pure frustration as you repeatedly die while trying to figure out what the game wants you to do. Do yourself a favor and just don’t bother playing this.
Daardoa	First-Person Horror / Misc.	F
tl;dr Daardoa is a First-Person Horror game set in a strange, alien-looking world of fog and bare blue trees, where you must evade malevolent creatures hunting you while trying to “find the ancients and return them home”, whatever that means. This entire game is an inscrutable mess, and I cannot recommend anyone to play it.
Hidden	First-Person Stealth / Horror Game	F
tl;dr Hidden is a First-Person Horror game that is a cheap knockoff of Outlast, and by “cheap”, I mean “absolutely terrible with no redeeming value”.

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