Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher won't set the world on fire with its monster breath, but fans of the source material will surely appreciate their time taming giants.

Atelier Firis: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Journey is a dull, flat story filled with insipid characters, delivered through thoroughly monotonous gameplay and dragged out over the course of an interminable amount of time. Steer clear of this trope-ridden snoozefest.

Telltale’s Batman game continues with the most surprising episode yet. This is shaping up to be one hell of a series, despite technical issues.

Lost Words: Beyond the Page makes a strong case for the argument that video games can be considered art.

I’m impressed at how well Fire Emblem blends into the Warriors style.

Anna’s Quest is a charming, whimsical and beautiful adventure, that is sure to please fans as well as entice newcomers to the world of adventure games.

Kamiko's quaint, pick-up-and-play nature makes it a fantastic fit on Nintendo's versatile console.

Potion Permit is a flawed experience, but one with a unique concept and engaging gameplay loop that will please any farming-sim fan.

Cat Quest is a mobile phone game turned Switch RPG that has an adorable facade, cat puns, and not much else.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a safe remaster of a cult classic which should please old players and newcomers alike, but isn’t going to redeem the iconic hedgehog’s troubled record.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 covers all its bases in the newest iteration of the franchise. Aside from a few clunky issues when designing, every detail was considered and the game will appeal to a wide range of gamers, not just fans of Jurassic Park or Sim games.

While its gameplay is somewhat linear and hard to nail down, RPG Time: The Legend of Wright is a masterpiece of presentation that celebrates the joys of a child’s imagination.

As far as world-building games go, Cities: Skylines II is second to none. The sheer volume of capability is staggering and the possibilities are endless for what you can create.

Dead In Vinland tries to blend the best of multiple genres, but when combined those once worth-while features become a single idea that many times works, yet at others simply doesn’t.

While not perfect and sorely lacking playable female characters, RetroMania Wrestling is an enjoyable, feature-packed love-letter to the late 80’s and early 90’s era of wrestling videogames and the WWF in general.

If you aren’t a BattleTech fan, mech fan or a gamer prepared to put in the additional study time required in order to learn how to master it, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is a game that is either best left avoided (unless you’re taking it for a non-committal test drive on Xbox Game Pass).

If you’re looking for a more conventional strategy title to add to your Switch library, World Conqueror X is perfect for you. I think the game works best in handheld mode, as it’s not boasting the most visually appealing style.

Disney Illusion Island is a must-play for classic Disney fans, and a very welcome multiplayer experience for PlayStation faithful.

What Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars really needs is just a set of tweaks, because the foundation is clearly there. If you're the type of person who loves spending time crafting the perfect plan and becoming immersed in a completely new world, it's worth diving into.

Forts is a fun 2-D RTS with some interesting new mechanics thrown in. It suffers from a few bugs and an unnecessary story, but is generally an entertaining experience.

Life is Strange 2 on the Nintendo Switch holds true to its story-telling ability and deep dialogue choices while offering a good-enough option for those wanting to take the game on the go.

Silent Hope is a solid action adventure title that is easy to recommend to fans of the Marvelous aesthetic, but may be a hard sell to newcomers.

Harvestella is a fresh take on life-sims that wears many different hats well, but doesn’t always know when to wear them.

Telltale’s Batman tale continues to impress and overcome its minor technical glitches to deliver one hell of a dark knight mystery.

One Piece Odyssey is a slog to play, with horrendous pacing and progression issues destroying what little good can be found in the story and combat.

Ladykiller in a Bind hits some unfortunate narrative snags and suffers from mixed characterization, but is ultimately a worthwhile, interesting game that takes the medium in interesting new directions.

Super Mario Maker 3DS hits home and aside from a couple mild issues, it’s a dream come true for Nintendo nuts.

Storyteller is a mediocre game that can GENEROUSLY be called a puzzle-solver, but isn’t nearly as creative as it thinks it is.

Mafia: The Old Country is the textbook definition of fine, which is a shame because the first game was such a stark contrast to anything that had come out at the time and had so many unique ideas. For this sequel to come out and do little else than push the boundaries of visual hardware is genuinely disappointing. Like I said, the story is definitely worth experiencing, but the game isn’t going to be remembered.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is another bare minimum remaster from Aspyr, which doesn't give Lara or the Switch 2 the attention they deserve.

Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara is a decent, albeit very basic platformer that does enough to be mildly entertaining, but not enough to have a lasting presence.

The biggest issue for me is how dense the complexity makes the game. Crafting, particularly cooking, requires a lot of experimentation or wiki-diving, and finding out the game’s systems isn’t always represented, even in the quests. There are always quests that give you reasons to gather or play the many mini-games—moving a wheel-barrow requires you keep a cursor in between two points, and the fishing system is actually rather fun.

The Grandia HD Collection was and still is a fine collection of two landmark RPGs. While, as a collection, it’s a bit sparse on any extras for the asking price, you could do a lot worse. While it’s still beyond strange that this didn’t release, specifically on last-gen consoles, a lot sooner, it’s good that fans can finally experience this on a non-Nintendo console. Better late than never, I suppose.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is incredibly promising, but needs more time to cook.

Like your Grandpa’s rusty old Blackjack, Mechwarrior 5 is a great machine that could use a lot of polish.

Escape from Tarkov may have spawned an entire genre, yet it remains one of a kind. Its complex mechanics, visceral gunplay, and unpredictable pacing aren’t for the faint of heart, but with the release of 1.0 on Steam, there’s no reason for fans of hardcore tactical shooters not to enlist.

Outriders’ stellar gunplay and abilities make for a standout take on the cover-shooter genre, even though the overall experience is dragged down by server instability.

“Rules” feels like emotional torture porn without any of the thematic follow through to make it worthwhile.

God Eater 2 Rage Burst is the easiest hunting game I’ve played yet. Standard missions and hard missions never presented a genuine challenge for me to overcome, and I can’t imagine veterans of the genre will feel any different.

The real disappointment of Livelock is that it doesn’t do anything particularly original or interesting. Everything works well enough, and there are definitely moments of fun to be had when you’re making scrap metal out of your foes. However, there’s nothing that lets it truly stand out amongst other top-down shooters on the market.

Bread & Fred has interesting ideas, but its frustrating execution and disrespect for the player’s time keep it from being enjoyable.

Thanks to some great controls and a diverse and satisfying set of weapons and tools, Kunai overcomes its weaknesses in level design to become a solid, fun platformer.

GRID Legends is a racing game that provides some cool elements to the formula but doesn’t do enough to stand out in a saturated market. The amazing graphics and solid controls are a plus, but if players aren’t racing game fans, they could skip this one, especially with the large price tag.

Life Is Strange: Double Exposure is a triumphant return for a matured Max Caulfield, a character-driven paranormal mystery that old fans and newcomers should embrace.

A hit or miss story with a solid battle system, a cute art style, and some interesting ideas.

A genuine visual marvel and one of the most beautiful technical achievements on the Wii U.

There isn’t a whole lot of depth to Titan Souls, but if you’re in the mood for a game that doesn’t require a whole lot of commitment or countless hours of micromanaging and leveling, yet still requires quick-thinking and a mastery of what at first appear to be simple and limited skills with an added splash of 16-bit era style, this is the game for you.

Dancing in Moonlight uses twelve years of songs to bring the Persona 3 cast the musical tribute they deserve.

The game might sound like little more than a gimmick complicate a simple n’ successful puzzle formula, but it’s surprising how well the battle system works on it’s own terms.

The Queen and The Crone is a disappointing DLC that adds little to Total War: Warhammer II.

TMNT: Splintered Fate is not only a finely crafted roguelike, it's also one of the best takes on the franchise in recent memory and an instant contender for its best video game.

John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a decent zombie horde shooter made better with friends, but one that, despite its short run time, can feel overly repetitive and uninspired.

Certainly anyone who missed out should prioritize Return To Arkham. Otherwise, you should at least take a peak at what the upgrade looks like first and decide if it’s worth it. You know, just like any remastered game. These are tricky releases, people. They aren’t ideal.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a delightful love letter to the Gundam universe, but newcomers can feel isolated by the sheer and confusing context the title is derived from.

Dread Delusion is a fun romp in a fleshed-out world, definitely worth undertaking for the meagre price of admission.

Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel delivers a great story and innovative concept, but poor combat, cumbersome inventory, and gameplay holds it back from being a great indie horror entry.

There was a lot of replayability factors in Floodland I loved, and a strong political message. If you love micromanagement games, this had a treasure-trove worth of content.

Disney Illusion Island is practically a unicorn, offering fulfilling, customizable co-op for the whole family in an endearingly charming cartoon coating.

Just Cause 3 is a joy to play and is easily a candidate for game of the year.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a good remake marred by unsavoury and baffling decisions by the studio, making it a hard game to recommend despite its technical competence.

Kirby Star Allies is by far the easiest and shallowest game in the series, but is still an enjoyable experience, especially when played with friends.

Even with clever puzzles and funny physics, I found little enjoyment in Human: Fall Flat.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown combines the fundamentals of a Turn-Based Strategy with the mechanics of an arcade Beat ‘Em Up for a truly unique strategic experience.

#BLUD encapsulates the feel of cartoons from the 90s onward in a fun and over-the-top Zelda-like experience that carves and slashes its own niche against the minions of darkness.

It’s better than the previous two in every way that matters. It feels bigger, more fun, and more engaging.

As a sequel, it’s okay, offering the same basic game as its predecessor, but with enough fresh ideas that it feels new.

There’s no denying that this thing serves up big heaping piles of fun.

An action RPG for all ages to enjoy that unfortunately gets muddled down by a mediocre soundtrack and lack of enemy variety.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl show that not all remakes are worth playing if you have the originals on hand.

In fact, after my time with DT2, the only obviously glaring fault I can find with it (assuming you don’t mind the grind—this is a JRPG, after all) is that there’s shockingly little information to be had from in-game.

Dark Deity adds enough to the Fire Emblem DNA to stand on its own legs as a classic SRPG, with a low-price tag and hours of quality Dark Deity is a must play for strategy fans and a possible entryway to first timers to the genre.

Layers of Fear (2023) is Bloober Team’s magnum opus and a must-play for atmospheric horror fans who have yet to play the originals in the series.

Cavern of Dreams is a short but sweet puzzle platformer that feels like a hidden gem from the bygone era of early 3D platformers.

Despite a clumsy jump to console, The Mortuary Assistant remains an incredibly effective horror game.

Bounty Star is a fun mech action game with surprising systems, fun characters, and some light base-building mechanics, but a lack of polish in key places really hold it back.

I enjoyed playing MLB The Show 26, despite the laggy menus. Those same menus are much easier to navigate, but could use some quality of life tweaks to make things fully optimized.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is both a loving celebration of the event's origins and a fun and exciting introduction to the world of speedrunning.

Atomfall is a stunningly beautiful, yet flawed, experience that could be an easy recommend due to its presence on Xbox Game Pass, but becomes harder on other platforms.

Screamer is a rare Arcade racing game featuring both a rich story and a wealth of fun game mechanics and tracks to get lost in.

Disgaea 6 is the weakest entry in the series thanks to poor performance, bland combat, and a forgettable story.

Atomic Heart promises tens of hours of tense, first-person, Bioshock-style combat, a compelling, twist-filled narrative, challenging puzzles and an eccentric lead duo that will definitely grow on you.

For a paltry $6, Penal Colony includes about two hours of single player story and a horde of zombie-filled hours in the numerous Raid levels, complete with multiple characters to build and upgrade.

Nicole Martinez and Brad Kane clearly care a lot about this world, and with episode four, they’ve introduced a lot of critical momentum to the season that makes it feel like the series has turned a corner.

Metal Eden takes all the style and substance of Ruiner and brings to the table a fun and challenging first-person shooter.

Ultimate Edition doesn’t represent a drastic change from the Xbox 360 original.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is comfort food. It retains the multiplayer dungeon crawling and love of the source material that made the two previous titles enjoyable, but it also elevates the action just enough to make it better and more entertaining than what came before. Not all of it works as well as it should, yet it’s vision isn’t compromised by the missteps it makes. You’re going to have a good time when you play Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3. And sometimes, that’s all you really need.

Jackbox Party Pack Vol. 8 is a rare miss, the most mixed bag for the series since its second entry.

Colors Live is a surprisingly capable piece of software that utilizes the Nintendo Switch's unique form factor to deliver a fun and accessible drawing experience that can appeal to both younger and older audiences thanks to its limited but flexible toolset.

Though I wish you could jump in and out of either campaign, and I think it ramps up the difficulty rather quickly, Ready, Steady, Ship! is a perfectly adorable co-op title with a ton of content to keep you satisfied.

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted isn’t breaking the mould in gameplay options, and it isn’t flawless, but I have still been glued to my controller since I got it. There is tons to do, the game looks great, and it's the perfect game for families.

Samurai Warriors 4-II isn’t a horrible game by any means, but the game just doesn’t quite entice the gamers of today to venture through its trials.

A passable port for a videogame that is best played elsewhere.

Rusty Rabbit has some interesting ideas, but they’re buried under tedious and somewhat undercooked gameplay.

With very few options for variety, NASCAR 25 Just doesn’t offer enough in terms of depth.

The Crush House exceeded all my expectations, creating an experience that was enjoyable, engaging and incredibly reflective.

While not the most challenging puzzle game, ANOTHER Code: Recollection is an engaging enough experience for anyone interested in this unique Nintendo time capsule.

Earthlock is a good game, locked behind a lack of polish.

Sonic Superstars successfully brings classic Sonic into the 3D era while stumbling slightly in its inclusion of a tacked-on multiplayer experience.