For half of a roll of quarters, fans of the genre can enjoy a quality, throwback experience.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is by no means a perfect video game. Ultimately, I was less interested in the story than the city it takes place in. I never quite found myself with skill points left unused, but the benefit of using them didn't scale particularly well as somewhere after level 20 it became increasingly incremental at best. And while it took much longer than it has for me historically, the game's open-world nature did eventually wear on me and I found myself skipping more optional content than at the start. It is, however, a perfectly fine video game, and an excellent example of what the PlayStation 5 can do in the right hands.

But those who take a chance on Voice of Cards might be surprised. Its tabletop style is endearing and a testament to the idea that gripping adventure transcends the need for cinematic cutscenes. Voice of Cards puts the "game" back in "role-playing game" in fun, compelling, and thoughtful ways that will delight players throughout their time with it.

Not only is Samurai Warriors 5 the best-feeling game in the franchise to date, but it's also the best-looking too. The character roster features a mostly returning cast with some new additions, but even the older additions have been given a whole new design to fit the new ink-brush aesthetic. Some of the visual presentations haven't changed such as the stiff dialogue scenes making a return, but when in the thick of it, the Samurai Warriors franchise has never looked better.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered is a true blast from the past, for better or worse. The driving feels sublime, and the updated visuals look fantastic at 30 fps. The added crossplay provides even more opportunities to partner with online racers for high-speed hijinks regardless of platform. However, the lack of any difficulty settings and the rubber banding serve as a stark reminder of how far the racing genre has come in 10 years.

If you have been a longtime fan of Don’t Nod’s repertoire of games, then Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a great addition to the studio’s titles. However, the narrative sets up more than it answers in part one, making the experience frustrating by the time it’s over. For the start of the Lost Records universe, “Bloom” presents incredible scenery amidst a lukewarm story driven by self-discovery and mystery. In the end, the game doesn’t capture the full sunset of what is to come but sets up a story that has the potential to show its true colors.

No More Heroes III is an impressive series evolution that doesn't lose touch with its roots. It's the most polished No More Heroes game to date, both in aesthetic and gameplay. While it loses some steam in its back half, without spoiling anything, Suda51 has enough surprises and unexpected twists in store to keep even the most ardent No More Heroes fan on their toes.

The lack of Ms. Pac-Man is disappointing, and the arcade customization could have been a little bit deeper, but this is a strong collection of games that should delight both long-time Pac-fans, and those new to the series.

If you are a fan of the Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise, you'll love Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection. This is not a "casual" game by any stretch, but it does provide a challenging experience that has been mostly forgotten in a more modern style of video games. Making it through even the first stage is an accomplishment and successfully completing the game will leave you with the same feeling of invincibility that you felt when you beat a game on hard more as a kid.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 isn't necessarily an atrocious bundle of Metal Gear ports. The games that have been included here generally still hold up well in 2023 and have been fun to revisit. Still, it's disappointing to see that Konami has done virtually nothing to touch up these titles in the slightest of ways. As such, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 feels like something Konami is simply releasing to make a quick buck. Rather than improving these games to ensure that the the legacy of Metal Gear is something that remains intact for newer generations of fans, this Master Collection fails to put its best foot forward given what modern hardware is now capable of. And for longtime fans like myself, there's very little reason to buy this bundle outside of the convenience of having the series on current platforms.

If you've never played Chrono Cross, you should, and there's little reason not to take advantage of the upgrades available in The Radical Dreamers Edition. If you already have access to the original edition, whether it's worth the double-dip comes down to how determined you are to play Radical Dreamers; I'd wager it isn't worth the price of admission. But regardless, however you do it, you should play Chrono Cross. It's just a shame this remaster isn't all it could have been.

Those who are familiar with the Reigns series, or who are big fans of The Witcher, will no doubt enjoy the game and the wealth of different options and choices it offers. But there are some stumbling blocks here that could put more casual players off the game after a few runs gone wrong.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 isn’t a perfect remake by any means and comes with some more notable drawbacks than the Kiwami games before it. Still, I can’t deny that I thoroughly loved my time with Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties, even in spite of some hiccups along the way. If you’re like me and still haven’t gotten around to playing Yakuza 3, I think this is a fantastic way to experience the game.

Melody of Memory is indeed a Kingdom Hearts title. It's kind of like Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded in that dedicated fans might not want to overlook this one too much. Really, this is a game made for those fans anyway as it offers a fun way to re-experience the music of the series with some fun Disney extras. With bite-size stages that are easy to take in, it might help alleviate the pains of waiting for the next title just a little.

A hard game to review. Bithell Games has done an excellent job capturing the look and feel of the brand, and there's a lot to enjoy while it lasts. That said, each play through offers a fairly short experience, and it's hard to say whether longtime fans of the franchise will embrace the visual novel genre; it doesn't help that the game ends on a pretty big cliffhanger! It's an intriguing setup for future entries, and I find myself excited to see what happens next, and where Query's new quest will take him. It won't be for everyone, but Tron: Identity is a bold new take on a Disney favorite, and I applaud the company for being willing to try something different.

Just as ridiculous and fun as you remember, and the new coat of paint and modern upgrades make it an adventure that you'll want to take on even if you've already experienced it before. Fans who missed out on the original also owe it to themselves to see what all the fuss was about, because if they do they will find quite a lot to love. It's not perfect mind you, but honestly, you'll be having too much fun to really care about its flaws.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland serves as both a love letter to the original animated series, as well as the NES era. It's shocking that the combination took this long to happen, and it all fits together more often than it doesn't. It never really pushes the envelope in terms of innovation, preferring instead to borrow liberally from games like Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers and Super Mario Bros. 2. However, as someone that loved the Nicktoon as it aired, and spent my early childhood playing both those NES games, I enjoyed my time with this Rugrats romp. This isn't exactly Shovel Knight, but Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is an enjoyable throwback for the short while that it lasts.

Back 4 Blood isn't perfect by any means, but it's absolutely the closest we've gotten to a new Left 4 Dead game in the years since Left 4 Dead 2. Because of this, it's hard not to have fun with B4B, even if it doesn't always feel inventive and has some notable drawbacks. Despite some qualms, if you're hungry for a new co-op shooter to jump into with some friends, Back 4 Blood has more than enough meat on the bone to keep you entertained for quite some time.

Scott Pilgrim EX is everything fans of the cult classic game could have hoped for, taking the concept and expanding it into something extraordinary.

After 19 years, Shantae remains an enjoyable adventure, and it's fun to see how the series has progressed. For current fans of the series that never played the original, I absolutely recommend buying it on Switch. However, those that have never played an entry in the series have four other games that will do a much better job showcasing Shantae's strengths. Check those out first and come back to this one.

Anyone who enjoys soulslikes should not skip Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and it's also perfect for those looking to get into the genre.

It's too soon to tell if Princess Peach: Showtime! will do for the character what Luigi's Mansion did for Mario's brother, but I find myself hoping we'll see Nintendo revisit this concept in the future. Hopefully by then they'll have ditched some of the weaker transformations, and give the graphics an overhaul worthy of royalty.

Enchanted by Nature feels like a robust pack that truly delivers a lot of new stuff for Simmers to explore. I didn’t run into any new bugs that seemed pack-specific, so the added content appears to be working mostly as intended. There are some great little details, like how Fairy Sims “go for a fly” instead of a run, and how they can shrink down to play in various household items. The world really sticks to its theme, offering a magical place for Fairy Sims to hang out. This is probably one of the bigger, more involved new The Sims 4 expansion packs we’ve seen lately. If you enjoy the magical, natural living side of things, Enchanted by Nature is probably going to deliver.

Dashing from cover to cover while peppering enemies with bullets and lasers as you wait on cooldowns to reset is a truly exhilarating and tense moment The Ascent offers time and time again. Those moments are memorable and are unfortunately far less common than The Ascent’s pitfalls. I’m right near the end of the game’s main story after crossing off plenty of side missions, but with the charm of The Ascent’s firefights and scenery long since expired, there’s nothing much left to inspire confidence in what remains.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is exactly what I like to see in a Sonic game: it's fun, it's fast, and the level design is exceptional. Developer Blind Squirrel Games has also added some quality-of-life features that make it welcoming for younger fans as well. It would have been nice to see the game's cutscenes receive the same visual upgrade that the rest of the game got, but that's a minor gripe. For fans that missed out on Sonic Colors when it first released, or those looking to revisit the game, Sonic Colors: Ultimate offers one of the best experiences to ever feature the blue blur.

Hot Wheels Unleashed -- in all caps and bolded letters -- is a passable arcade racer that sticks out from other middle-of-the-road racing games thanks to its devotion to nostalgia and some great ideas that are unfortunately not completely realized due to obvious budgetary restrictions. If you're desperate to get behind the wheel of your favorite Hot Wheel, it will scratch that itch, but not much else.

The unlikely direction for the Minecraft formula works well in the first major departure for the franchise, and with how vast the source material is in terms of biomes and content to explore, there’s a lot of room for this sort of thing to grow. It’s a success from the start, and it feels like it’ll only get better with age.

At its core, Harvestella is an exciting promise of things to come for RPG lovers as Square Enix is ready to bring its own farming sim to life. From its gorgeous visuals to its side quests, there is plenty to do and look at while playing. However, players should temper their expectations should they believe Harvestella to be a straightforward sim. This ambitious project is more JRPG than a simulator, and its pacing proves as much. If you are only looking to farm and woo locals, Harvestella will prove more than you can handle. But if a JRPG with simulation traits sounds appealing to you, Harvestella is just what you've been waiting for.