Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey- is a refreshing adventure seen through the eyes of a 5-year-old with an incredibly active imagination. Be it normal interactions with family or friends or some of the wackier story elements further in, there is enough to keep any player satisfied. If you’re looking to escape on a whimsical trip, Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey- is a fantastic choice.

Digimon Survive feels like it was made with every kid who wanted to be a DigiDestined. It’s a darker twist on a fan favorite story. While the story is amazing, it is brought down by okay combat. 10 percent of the gameplay weighs down the other 90 percent.

It is very difficult to imagine a player that wouldn’t enjoy Cult of the Lamb. Its visuals are so beautiful and full of character. Its writing is witty and charming. Its action is simple, but fun and thoroughly engaging. While its weapon selection and combat mechanics may not be as varied or dense as its peers, its unique aspects more than make up for the deficit.

For fans of turn-based strategy games, the paranormal, or even just Westerns, I have a hard time imagining a reason to not pick up Hard West II. Nearly everything that Hard West II attempts to do is accomplished very well. It offers fantastic and challenging combat, fun characters, an amazing setting, and some truly jaw-dropping moments.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a massive undertaking that hits some extremely high points while only presenting a few issues like the performance struggles at times due to the Switch’s limitations. I fell in love with the cast almost immediately, and I can’t wait to see their stories progress in future DLC. This is a game that is going to sit with me for years and is a very serious Game of the Year contender.

While Lost Epic sports nice visuals, a great soundtrack and engaging, challenging gameplay, it’s also incredibly tedious to progress with many of its mechanics left unexplained, and a story that is incredibly dull and forgettable.

Live A Live is an absolute masterpiece, so much so that even the one chapter that frustrated me was still enjoyable once everything came together.

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.

Eyes in the Dark: The Curious Case of One Victoria Bloom delivers a fun, laid-back, aesthetically pleasing roguelite experience that rewards players for both precise gameplay and clever use of the game’s upgrade system. For the small price of $15, what’s not to love?

Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels has again found a way to raise the bar for the Forza Horizon franchise and, in general, DLC. Its speed, races, and varied tracks almost make the base game not nearly as fun to experience.

Stray astounds with its beautiful graphics, quirky characters, and puzzles that bring out the best and worst in a cat.

As Dusk Falls is a memorable experience. The generation-spanning story is intriguing with its many twists and turns and too-human characters.

Powerwash Simulator is a very zen game. I lost hours of my life just spraying away doing something that felt menial but scratched an itch I didn’t even know I had. This game isn’t for everyone, though. If you don’t find cleaning relaxing, or have issues with finer details, don’t play this. But if you give it a shot, you’ll find a game that is the perfect wind-down game after a long, stressful day.

Super UFO Fighter is neither super nor a fighter. It’s a perfectly fine game that could entertain for a little bit on your own or with a friend, but a party game this is certainly not, and neither is its difficulty finely tuned enough to feel engrossing on either end of the difficulty spectrum.

With a price tag of even just $10, I can’t say that Krut: The Mythic Wings is worth it. Even the time investment of playing the game is a deterrent, as it will only remind you that there are better titles you could be playing instead.

I really enjoyed my time with Frozenheim and will certainly be playing more, especially multiplayer, but it could use a bit more of a facelift to help improve the core appeal. The negatives wouldn’t be as distracting if the game hadn’t just come out of early access, but taking that step to leave early access makes it imperative that the game feels fleshed out and not missing anything or needing major improvements. Still, it is an enjoyable game and players are sure to find hours of enjoyment in it. Just maybe wait until they’ve had a chance to upgrade the existing systems.

Outriders Worldslayer, while introducing some fun new additions, just ended up being more Outriders for better or worse…There is no revolutionary overhaul of systems. They built on what was already there or just retooled to fit in theming-wise (looking at you, Apocalypse levels). One thing is for sure—People Can Fly can make a fun game even more fun, regardless of whether it ends up being good.

Neon White nails the “one more try” mentality. With complex and fast levels, great enemy variety, and easy readability, it feels like a fantastic intro to speedrunning. My biggest gripe? I want more! Not that there isn’t enough, but I just can’t get enough of the Neons and the gripping nature of this game.

Undeniably, Arcadegeddon is a fun experience, especially with friends. The music is phenomenal, and the game offers a good challenge…But the enemies do become stale the more you play, and there are only so many objectives to go around…Nevertheless, for the price, Arcadegeddon has so much to offer.

Island 4 and all that comes with it make an amazing game even better. This DLC is perfect for those who want to see Cuphead at its best. There is no fat; there is no fluff. There are only the best parts of Cuphead but much, much more refined.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a combination of two beloved game styles, and it manages to approach both in a way that is entertaining and quite refreshing…Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a fascinating game. It may not be perfect, but it is well worth every second spent playing.

While Sonic Origins does little to innovate or make this set of ports stand out besides some forgettable Museum unlockables and some nice new artwork, it remains a perfectly fine addition to the accessibility of classic Sonic games on modern consoles. I wish it were not at the expense of the ability to purchase them individually from older ports; however, even with its flaws, it’s as fun as these games have ever been.

The puzzles are challenging but satisfying, the spooks are wonderful, and the story draws you in from the very start—Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel has all the right elements, just may need a couple of gameplay tweaks for the console. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a horror game with all the puzzles you could ever need, look no further.

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a masterclass in handling nostalgia in video games. Classic characters and settings are married perfectly with a more modernized feel to create an experience that will bring smiles to so many gamers’ faces.

The Quarry is a fantastic return to form for Supermassive Games. Every character stands out well on their own thanks to the fun and excellent writing. The monsters and villains, while not terrifying, are a very cool take on the Summer Camp Horror stories that we’ve seen time and again up until now. With just a little more refinement on the rough edges, there’s no doubt this game would’ve been a top 10 horror game. Even then, The Quarry is memorable, and I highly suggest you check it out, especially with a group of friends.

Mario Strikers: Battle League may be barebones, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. More characters, customization options, and game modes could really help improve the game, but the package delivered on release still holds incredible replay value. It’s a game worth coming back to over and over again, whether with friends or by yourself. Over-the-top action and the stylized Mario look make Mario Strikers: Battle League one of the most fun sports game experiences, I just hope more is added soon so it doesn’t get stale after a few months.

Knights of the Old Republic II for the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic time. Aspyr does a great job, just as they did with the KOTOR port in 2021, and the experience of the story far outweighs the inconvenience that stems from the glitches.

Hardspace Shipbreaker has cemented itself as one of my top three games of the year. It’s not without faults, like its superfluous room you’re forced to visit. However, the complete package is marvelous in the way it tells a powerful story mixed with chill, yet stressful gameplay.