XCOM 2 Collection (Switch)

Technical problems keep this version of Firaxis' terrific strategy game from being the definitive edition, but there are still some good reasons for many players to give it a shot. For starters, XCOM 2 Collection on Switch lets you take the game anywhere, and as fans of turn-based strategy games know, it's a genre that lends itself to stop-and-start play on buses and subways as well as waiting rooms and restaurants. Just as important, it has all of the additional content released for other platforms, including tons of soldier customizations of both the cosmetic and performance enhancing variety, as well as new environments and missions. It also features the War of the Chosen expansion, which alters the main campaign so much with new tactics, classes, enemies, and gear that returning players will almost feel as though they're playing a completely different game. The Chosen enemy bosses -- who can appear at almost any time and are capable of one-hit kills -- are fantastically challenging, and the hordes of Lost enemies provide terrific fodder to up your soldiers' kill counts.

All of this said, playing XCOM 2 on Switch does come with drawbacks, all of which fall into the technical category. Expect long load times between missions and some very choppy frame rates. Plus, the visuals have taken a significant hit, with characters and locations appearing muddy most of the time. This even applies to the game's text, which can be so small and blurry that it's almost impossible to read, especially when playing on the Switch's small screen rather than a TV. Happily, these problems don't really impact the game's turn-based action or base building tactics, which have always been the chief draw. If you can grow accustomed to these limitations, XCOM 2 Collection will deliver dozens of hours of turn-based strategy bliss.