If the Switch is the only console you own or if you fancy the idea of having one of the best city-building games on the market at your portable convenience, I would definitely recommend the buy. It is as good as anyone can expect a game this busy to be on Nintendo’s travel-friendly console, and I can genuinely say I anticipate its company on many more plane rides and commutes to come.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 offers upgraded visuals, a bigger hanger full of aircraft types, and more detail all around. For some, the high system requirements and always-on need for a fast internet connection might be a deal breaker. Prior investment in a lot of third-party add-ons for the last edition might also warrant some caution. Caveats aside, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 offers a wide array of structured activities, plenty of guidance and, you know, the whole world to explore. It’s a great point of entry for armchair pilots and pretty satisfying for all but the most hardcore flight enthusiasts.

Persona 4 Golden is not a perfect game. Some of the choices made during social links come off as a little questionable for international audiences. And the graphics are nearly as dated as Persona 3 Portable’s. However, it’s still an iconic game that brought the JRPG formula firmly into the modern day. It’s not my favorite Persona game, but I can firmly recommend it to just about anyone. If you have a Switch, now’s your excuse to play Persona 4 Golden.

If DICE is telling the truth and Battlefield V develops into a long-term, always evolving online game, fans are in for a treat. The bones of BFV are robust. It looks outstanding, plays great, and the stories of World War 2 are a constant draw for history fans. There are rough patches for the time being, but if those get smoothed out and the content pipeline remains full, Battlefield V stands to have a very, very long shelf life with shooter fans.

If you have been looking for a new game to carry around with you to play on while you wait for the bus, or your date, or a job interview, Star Trek Fleet Commander is a solid investment into mobile gaming. It will keep you engaged, busy, and entertained for weeks to come! For a free download, you certainly get a lot of game to consume and into one of my favorite universes to boot. That’s a one-two punch I can’t argue with.

Little Nightmares 3 is a worthy successor to the first two games. It may play things a little too safe, but it clearly respects the foundation upon which it’s built. The addition of co-op fits like a glove and should be standard for all future Little Nightmares games. The puzzles are clever and approachable. The audio design is stellar. Fans of the series will find a lot to love within this latest iteration. It’s a perfect game to kick off the spooky season. Don’t miss it.

With every new landscape and puzzle, you can feel the love that went into the development of this game. Available for both local and online play, you can enjoy this with your loved ones in the same room or from far away. Blanc is here for you to take this journey together.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a lost classic that has finally made its way to a global market. Fans of the franchise will be ecstatic to experience an Edo-period drama that features icons of the Yakuza series. Even though it is set in the 1860s, the foundation of the series is evident with each step. It’s a familiar experience that feels similar to its PS3 counterparts rather than the modern releases. The world lacks the hustle and bustle of Kamurocho and the mini-games are not as diverse. However, the card-based combat system and four fighting styles make battles a thrill. While the game may not do enough to alter the perception of those who don’t enjoy titles from the franchise, fans of the series are in for a treat with this samurai-focused epic.

Fans of the Killer Instinct franchise need not worry, this is a great game to launch with the Xbox One.

Although they’re archetypes representing a clash of cultures, Jeanne and Maikan also represent a developer willing to dip into more substantive themes. Nature, spirituality, religion, and culture are the engine that drives the narrative that’s equally introspective, smart, and emotional. In its compact run time, Two Falls does a pretty good job of balancing between educational and entertaining, only occasionally becoming self-consciously earnest in its desire to say something important.

Despite being essentially a re-skin of the Yakuza games, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is still a comically fun video game once you get past the early portions of the game. Fans of the Yakuza series will feel right at home with the game, but so would fans of Fist of the North Star. While a bit more differentiation from the Yakuza series would have been nice, that does not prevent the game from being enjoyable overall.

The inclusion of interviews from actual Olympic athletes was a very nice touch. Some of the gameplay is frustrating due to some technical issues like bad hit-detection – but if you’ve played through Steep, you’re well aware of what to expect.

Connoisseurs of Metroidvanias have a dizzying array from which to choose on both PC and consoles. Add Venture to the Vile to the short list. Its distinctive story and setting, coupled with generally enjoyable combat, puzzles, and exploration make it a pretty strong choice for genre fans looking for their next game.

UFC 6 is still the best game this franchise has delivered in a long time. The visuals are incredible. The physics engine brings wild unpredictability that’s both gruesome and hilarious. And the soundtrack alone elevates the experience above the rest. The career mode is a missed opportunity and the customization tools need serious attention — but as a complete package, UFC 6 lands more than it misses. Sometimes a clear step forward is exactly what a franchise needs.

My only request for any future instalments that may be planned would be for somebody to please turn on the frickin’ lights.

Good DLC should pull you back into the game’s world. Final Fantasy XVI’s DLC sort of achieves this goal. You want to spend more time there, but the version of the world on offer feels a bit bleak. Maybe this is just the ‘end of days’ vibe that permeates the final chapter. Perhaps I’m just cursed with knowledge about these characters and their ultimate fates. Either way, the actual tangible content is mostly pretty fun. Yes, the sidequests are a bit dull, and I wish the main quest was a bit longer. And while I don’t care about the plight of Leviathan and his Dominant, the ensuing battles are a blast. Plus, there’s a boatload of postgame content to dive into. Though the Rising Tide DLC doesn’t quite hit the same story highs as the main game, that gameplay is still tons of fun.

Mystery and thriller fans looking for a slick and intriguing game would do well to check it out. MISSING has found the right mix of technical and artistic elements.

While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is tweaked sufficiently to warrant being its own entity.

Sure, it doesn’t break new ground and the main character is yet another one of those stereotypical brooding males out for revenge but there is no question the game delivered in the entertainment department.

Sim racing fans clamored for years for a serious console racing sim. They have finally had their wish granted. Assetto Corsa Competizione instantly becomes the premiere realistic console racing simulation game despite the hardware limitations of the current-gen. That doesn’t make it the best console racer, just the most realistic. The road ahead looks bright too with planned cross-platform support and future DLC which will also include an expansion of the racing scope with the release of GT4 cars coming this fall.

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns introduces three well-rounded veterans that add even more variety and depth to an already robust roster. The guest characters inject personality into the game, offering you the opportunity to create memorable encounters with iconic figures from video games, film, comics, and television. While the campaign delivers incredible sequences packed with cinematic flair, it falls short in narrative depth. Nonetheless, the game’s engaging combat mechanics, diverse character lineup, and stylish sequences ensure that long-time fans of the franchise will still have plenty to enjoy.

Whereas Shadows of Valentia suffers from uninspired level design, it makes up for it with its twin armies, fun dungeons, and returns to form. It is a welcome step back from the previous 3DS Fire Emblem games as it focuses on a tighter narrative while providing us with a glimpse towards the future as Shadows of Valentia ventures into new territory with its explorable areas and fresh gameplay mechanics.

All in all, I had a great time with Steel Assault and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes action platformers, especially retro ones. However, it is modeled directly off of old-school arcade games, with all the difficulty and strategic planning that entails. If you don’t enjoy replaying levels over and over trying to get everything just right, or games that challenge you relentlessly, Steel Assault probably isn’t for you. You’re supposed to struggle. That’s the point of the game.

I had an excellent time with Seikyu. The aesthetic is delightful, the cast is charming, and the island’s many little activities are a blast. Yes, there are some rough edges yet to be sanded off. I ran into a glitch or two. I also wish the quest system were more intuitive and required less wandering. But if you approach the game at the pace it prefers, you’ll have a great time. Anyone looking for that next Stardew-style life sim experience would be wise to pick up Tales of Seikyu.

Horace is a charming homage to an era of gaming and culture that’s rapidly fading into the sunset, yet it never rests on the nostalgia factor to keep the player engaged. The sound design is messy and the cutscenes can run on too long, but its affecting story and sharp, fun platforming are bound to satisfy anyone keen on the genre. Nostalgia may be a common crutch, but with a sturdy foundation beneath it, Horace shows that feeling a little sentimentality isn’t a bad thing at all.

Little Kitty, Big City is one of those rare games that appeal to all ages without dumbing anything down. It’s a short and relaxing romp that will make you appreciate your feline companions that much more. If you love cats you’ll enjoy this game. If you don’t, maybe Little Kitty, Big City will melt your monstrous heart.

Every component of GORN, from the huge assortment of weaponry to the strange physics, comes together to deliver exactly what is promised: bloody, melee carnage. It’s a no-frills experience that doesn’t concern itself with anything extraneous, like moral questions or a narrative. For some, that’s more than enough. For others, GORN is at least worth checking out, if just to see first-hand how gross dislocated eyeballs are. It’s pretty gross.

Games like Cryptmaster are rare. Not just because of a particular aesthetic or unique mechanic, but because they take a core idea and focus it. Cryptmaster is ok with not being for every gamer, but puzzle-RPG fans with a love of words, a wicked sense of humor, and a taste for the macabre will enjoy it.