This far outstrips the first game in content amount, and the approach to telling a new story that can encapsulate the wider scope is genius. We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie is a fantastic portable game and fits Switch like a glove. This is a hearty recommendation to all gamers and any lovers of the King's tight purple tights.

This new iteration of Quake II is the definitive approach to remastering a classic. The past melds seamlessly with the present, as not only are the two original expansions resurrected, but the very campaign from Quake II 64 is transposed. The new campaign crafted by the hands of MachineGames is a testament to the fusion of innovation and nostalgia. This revitalization becomes a symphony of rejuvenation, as the past is reborn in the crucible of the present, leaving players to navigate a world that is both familiar and novel, both retro and modern. This is not just a remaster; it's a journey through time, a testament to the power of transformation.

Few games in the realm of naughty/lewd/ecchi/hentai can really be considered classics, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some that are a bit more entertaining than expected, offering fun gameplay along with some titillation. Slime Girl Smoothies sadly isn't that. It's a boring and repetitive experience that lacks the addicting, and most of all, the casual-friendly, pick-up-and-play nature of many puzzlers. Unless with a fetish for sexy slime girls, stay away.

There is nothing out there that plays or feels quite like Pikmin. This might be part of the reason why it hasn't "exploded more in sales," as Shigeru Miyamoto put it in a July Nintendo Ask the Developer interview, pertaining to, though not directly, a little bit of that "difficulty" he describes. It could also be posited that there is a factor of abstraction to being the sole agent in control of every facet of one's own fate (a factor that was attributed erroneously to The Last Guardian as a criticism, too), preventing it from mass appeal. It's not helped by the fact that Pikmin 4 has been put out at a time relatively close to Nintendo's behemoth The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and an otherwise already hugely stacked year for video games. Make no mistake about it, though, Pikmin 4 is one of the best video game releases of 2023.

Brok the InvestiGator sets you up with frustrating questions and then leaves them hanging. It even throws in sequel bait just to tease. There are multiple endings, but it feels like they got dropped in without much thought, leaving a feeling of wanting more. The blend of genres is a beauty, hitting those noir thriller tropes while revelling in chaotic fun. Truth be told, it falls short of tying it all together in a way that satisfies.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was always a hidden gem that deserves recognition for its innovative gameplay, engaging storyline, and charming presentation. It successfully blends puzzle-solving elements with an intriguing narrative, making it a must-play for fans of the adventure and mystery genres. A unique and memorable gaming experience, this captivating journey as a ghostly detective is definitely worth embarking upon.

When it comes down to brass tacks, what you put in here is what you get out. Going in with a pessimistic attitude is most likely going to breed hatred for the bright bold presentation and what Nintendo perceives to be fun activities. Take everything with a pinch of salt and plan a night around making a fool out of yourself and others however, and you might find yourself discussing 'the night we played Everybody 1-2 Switch!' for years to come. Unfortunately, with limited replay appeal, a night may just be all you get before the diminishing returns.

While it would be easy to look at Final Fantasy XVI from certain angles and proclaim something looks rough when looked at as a single package and a sum of its whole, this is a fantastic game. The cinematic flair, crazy action combat and extremely involved story with a nice side dish of world building make this a game worth playing. This is likely to appeal to fans of most character action games but also to those who just want another cool Final Fantasy to get lost in. Absolutely get this game.

The Pikmin series is top notch and these HD ports are a great reminder of that for anyone who has played them before, and a wonderful primer to the series for anyone that hasn't. It's startling how well a lot of the artistic decisions that were made in the GameCube era still translate to now, like a soundtrack that is absolutely bang on, and character designs and animations that are infinitely charming. Whether or not the time limit in Pikmin or, conversely, the unlimited time, gauntlet-like puzzle caves and score chasing from Pikmin 2 is the preferred way to go, they're both excellent titles that play just as well now as they ever did. Plus Nintendo has included the New Play Control options for both titles, which updated them with pointer control on the Wii, as an added bonus.

Cute Monster Girls Photographer simulator Boo Party is one of the safest… NSFW titles out there, and that combined with its overall feel-good vibe, quirky sense of humour, and casual-friendly approach to gameplay makes it a rather fun experience. Just be prepared for something that's also repetitive, and way too open-ended, which can be frustrating at times.

The Lara Croft Collection is not to be overlooked. This bundle encompasses one great and one decent arcade action adventure, of which twin-stick shooter and score attack fans will find plenty of enjoyment. Although both games are worth experiencing in multiplayer if possible, Guardian of Light, at the very least, deserves playing even solo, and is a reminder of what Tomb Raider is all about, captured expertly in a style that is positively different, yet respectfully reminiscent of the classic series. Technical issues remain, but it's just a joy to have these ported to a modern platform. Now, with things quiet on the Lara Croft front, surely, it's time for that long overdue third game in this mini-series.

Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection is a wonderful repackaging of three of the best RPGs on the Nintendo DS, maintaining nearly all the benefits of dual screens while offering players respectable quality-of-life features. What Etrian Odyssey lacks in conventional narrative, the series makes up for with its emphasis on player-driven pacing and highly customisable party building. Although the price point is certainly steep, there's no getting around the fact that these are the definitive versions of the first three Etrian Odysseys. Visually crisp with great audio and some of the best dungeon-crawling the genre has seen, all three titles offer RPG fans hundreds of hours of dense dungeon-crawling all on their own. Together, the collection offers audiences a high-class trilogy that'll realistically last them the rest of 2023 - if not even longer. Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection is frankly a steal at $80.

Fast and furious battles may not suit everyone's taste, but the constant humour between character interactions and myriad of options to create strong tanks to crush the opposition make ConnecTank a highly enjoyable and unique game.

D-Life accomplishes something totally unique. Hidden behind its simplicity is a system of complexities, just enough to make for a strangely compelling time. The sound and visuals combine to make something otherworldly and entertaining. It would be a travesty to not recommend this cool and relaxing experience and so this comes highly recommended to all who have a Steam account and even more so to those who own the Nano KONTROL2!

Moss and Moss: Book II are exemplary virtual reality titles. The visual design, levels and characters are awesome, and this implementation increases the immersion through new control methods and greater player interactions. With PS VR2, the increased detail and fluidity is also excellent news for those who struggle with VR comfort. Without any doubt, this series is highly recommended to all who have a PS VR2 device.

Moss and Moss: Book II are exemplary virtual reality titles. The visual design, levels and characters are awesome, and this implementation increases the immersion through new control methods and greater player interactions. With PS VR2, the increased detail and fluidity is also excellent news for those who struggle with VR comfort. Without any doubt, this series is highly recommended to all who have a PS VR2 device.

A fantastic conversion and localisation of a game horror fans have been waiting for for years. Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is an amazing horror title with an intriguing story, great visuals and a penchant for being terrifying. It works well on Switch, and, outside of a couple of small control issues, is a worthwhile and recommendable experience for horror game enthusiasts.

While an enjoyable and relaxing title, Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom needs some major improvements when it comes to translation and some graphical and gameplay elements. Nevertheless, it is not unplayable, and those who enjoyed the first game will also have a good time with it.

Persona 4 Golden is one of those titles that just feels good to return to after a few years. The story is intriguing, and the gameplay is fun and engaging. This is a must-have for any Persona fan.

A nice-looking little game, and the idea of solving puzzles by building things out of LEGO bricks is great. However, LEGO Bricktales simply lacks in story and almost everything else that could have made it a more interesting product. Here's to hoping that the idea gets revisited and improved in the future.

The graphics and the base structure of Bravery and Greed are pretty good. The issues really come down to simple things like the entire point of collecting gold being almost useless, and the unlock systems leaving so much to be desired. The online is dead short of finding someone through Discord. It's sad because the game actually has the potential to be really good, but just needs a few overhauls to get there.

.hack//G.U. Last Recode is a remaster of PlayStation 2 games... and it shows. The resolution is crisp and razor-sharp, but there is no hiding how basic these character models are. Lead characters fare best, but most NPCs are hopelessly devoid of detail or articulation - typically stuck with frozen expressions, too. On Nintendo Switch, .hack//G.U. Last Recode runs a perfectly stable 30 frames per second. The new bonus chapter is an epilogue where gamers can find out what has happened to all the characters that they have grown attached to. It is a welcome addition and lasts a few hours, but is ultimately unnecessary.

It will be an interesting exercise to compare this to the Resident Evil 4 remake and Metroid Prime Remastered, such stylistically or thematically similar titles released within the same quarter, as this being the first out the gate has set a high watermark early on into the year. It wins on its top tier presentation alone, and although it can sometimes feel like that's the main contributor that's modernising the experience, there's a great novelty and appeal to some of its, should we say, relics to game design of the past. Chiefly, relics that are of a focused, directed single-player experience that don't overstay their welcome and don't manipulate the player beyond the experience itself. Let's see how long that one lasts when we're drowning in remakes, shall we?

Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is a very specific title that is going to appeal to a specific audience. What it does it does very well with heaps of charm, but that is counterbalanced by repetition and not a lot of challenge. Much of the dialogue eventually becomes superficial, training animations wear out their welcome rather quickly, making the 'fast forward' option a required feature, and there aren't quite enough monster variations or tournament types to keep it all from blending into the same thing. Despite this, it is still likable, and seems like it would be very much at home on mobile devices. Regardless, it's always going to be a kick to see Ultraman show up to keep a rampaging monster in check.

Triple Click Podcast has been going on and on about this being one of the best unsung games of the year, and it's easy to see why. The ability to get on with, enjoy and progress through this title makes one feel intelligent, and there's even a touch of smugness that's attached to that feeling. On more than a couple of occasions, The Case of the Golden Idol requires some leaps in logic to reach the conclusion, in absence of having all of the information needed to be certain, and this is so well done as one will self-reflect that they are a genius for figuring it out. Otherwise, it is a very slow and rigid title that will no doubt be an acquired taste for many - the last two cases in particular are extremely difficult, and with little flexibility for experimentation it could be easy to run into a hard stop. At the end of the day, there is nothing else in the whodunit genre that represents what it was like to be Father Dowling on an intellectual level any better.

There's no question It Takes Two is a well-crafted game. There's no debate it is somewhat fresh in its execution and should be applauded for following its own unique vision. Heck, no one would argue it's not fun. Its shortcomings, however, do make one wonder if others got a little drunk on the novelty of it all. Instead, while it offers a somewhat refreshing take on the platforming genre this is mostly by virtue of being an exclusively co-op experience. It could have benefited from more refined characters, as well as better online support on Nintendo Switch. Really, where It Takes Two is going to be best suited is on a couch with a partner playing together.

Both newcomers and long-time veterans will be able to find enjoyment when playing Picross S8. With plenty of tutorials and support available, it is easy to learn the ropes, and for anyone already in the know of the ancient art of Picross, these can be skipped or disabled. Picross S8 is the perfect title for some relaxing downtime!

The Sims 4: Cottage Living adds a variety of new and exciting opportunities to the base game. The new style is themed very well and fits the country aesthetic. The overall number of added features can be overwhelming at times, but this pack comes highly recommended to anyone wishing for a bit more action in the lives of their Sims.