Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a promising start of a new chapter in the long-running farm/life simulator’s history. All the pieces are in place for an unforgettable experience, with its peaceful and serene location, endlessly customizable landscape, and an unprecedented abundance of crafts and projects to pursue. While at times unwieldy, there’s something for everyone here, especially those who are interested in the organization and production management aspect of running a farm.

Enotria: The Last Song is a solid entry to the genre. Its beautiful design, deep customization, and satisfying gameplay invite players to experience its take on the soulslike formula.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Flynn: Son of Crimson. It feels just different enough from its genre brethren with cool unlockable weapons and upgrades and a whole heckin’ dog to fight by your side. It’s nothing special, though, and despite a constant feeling of progression, the game’s basicness eventually wore on me. For fans of action platformers, though, it will be an enjoyable new addition.

Claws of Awaji offers a solid new location to explore, a fun new weapon for Naoe, and a good conclusion to the game’s story after having felt initially incomplete.

Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a cute and fun game while it lasts. It feels like the kind of game you might play as a warmup for a short period before breaking into something more substantial. For what it is, it’s quite nice, but it’s hard to justify what it is against its price tag and the free-to-play nature of some of its competitors.

Rune Factory 3 Special is a well-done remaster that gives new life to an older game. While nothing sticks out as entirely revolutionary, that doesn’t stop the experience from being an enjoyable one.

For better or for worse, Square Enix wanted to make sure the Legend of Mana HD remaster was as close to the original as possible. Thankfully a beautiful world and good story help make up for the lack of guidance or varied combat. It may not be the most welcoming to newcomers, but fans of the original are in for a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane.

Risen is far from an RPG for everybody, but for the right player it is a member of a rare breed that doesn’t see many new releases anymore. For fans of games like Gothic, Risen is a solid experience that balances out its impenetrability with being exceptionally rewarding. So, whether you are looking to visit an older style of western RPG or replay a fondly remembered cult classic, Risen is a solid port to do so with.

There is plenty to enjoy about The First Berserker: Khazan, but it requires you to commit to overcoming its challenges in a way most other games do not.

The Crew Motorfest definitely brings the heat, but in the end, it’s sitting at a distant second until it learns what exactly it wants out of itself.

My Hero Academia: The Strongest Hero provides a fun if sometimes confusing romp through the world of the popular series. I’m overall enjoying my time with the game as the short burst mission structure lets me get a fix of some of my favorite heroes in training.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a decent upgrade that needs some tweaking.

The game’s simple gameplay and relatively short playtime make it perfect for beginners and are sure to bring a smile to veterans. Framerate issues and tedious levels keep it from being a must-play, but if you’ve got a few hours to spare, playing Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a good way to spend them.

Forspoken isn't without its hiccups—hit-or-miss side quests...and repetitive activities. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with Forspoken's focal storyline. The graphics, voice acting, and musical score are phenomenal, and the cat content is a lovely addition.

Salt and Sacrifice is still a very worthwhile sequel to the original. While some of the elements don’t work as well as others, the game’s combat and build variety offer players a great sandbox to play around in.

PGA Tour 2K25 is not a perfect game, but it does a solid job of bringing golf to life for new and experienced fans. Some new game modes and more improved visuals and performance would make the next installment a true classic, but PGA Tour 2K25 is a good step forward.

Spray Paint Simulator has some technical gaps that keep the game from flowing just right, but on the whole, it’s a well-conceived simulator that can easily keep you flowing for hours.

The Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix immersion pack adds distinctive new features and flavor to the Byzantine Empire, making a challenging, undesirable empire more enticing for players to explore. However, for anyone not up to the substantial challenge, there isn’t much left to hold onto.

If you can take the time to pace yourself and slowly enjoy everything the game has to offer from charming neighbors to home-cooked meals, then there is a whole lot to enjoy about Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life.

Samba de Amigo: Party Central is more of a small get-together than a full-on party.

Possessor(s) is like any solid pact with a demon—a good time, but with its own drawbacks.

Outbound is a road trip that rewards patience over speed. Square Glade Games has built a world worth getting lost in, with a van customization system that keeps you tinkering and a presentation that always makes the next horizon look worth chasing.

There is a really solid experience to find here as long as your expectations are tempered. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2 has such solid gameplay and player options that it is no wonder it is as revered to this day as it is. Unfortunately, some shoddy aspects of the re-release drag it down.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask is set in a beautiful world rich with culture but suffers from some severe technical problems that hinder the experience. Interesting characters and new Pokémon make it worth checking out, but some minor technical updates would have made it significantly more enjoyable.

While featuring some great elements and features, Road 96: Mile 0 fails to flesh them out enough to make the game truly great. However, despite this, it still offers players an enjoyable experience.

While some of its changes are more impactful than others, most of what is on offer in the Dynasties update for Total War: Pharaoh are net positives. The additions and tweaks bring some much needed depth to the game’s campaigns and help keep things fresh on subsequent playthroughs. However, it does not address some of the core issues that longtime fans have voiced and will likely not be enough to bring them back to the Bronze Age despite it being free.

Incredibly personal environments and storytelling more than make up for some slightly outdated mechanics to make Rendezvous a thoroughly enjoyable and unique cyberpunk experience.

For a collection, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is one heck of a deal. Ten games, each being 10+ hours long, in one package?! That can’t be beaten. Plus, from a preservation perspective, this collection is great at making old GBA classics and one of my favorite series from Capcom, playable on modern consoles.