Part dungeon crawler, part economy sim, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian has a lot going on without being too complicated. The graphics and overworld controls land somewhere between nostalgic for PS2-era JRPGs and perhaps underwhelming for a modern game, but more attention has been placed on characters and enemies, which pop with energy and are given extra life by enthusiastic actors. The story and characters have a charm that reflects the laid-back but never underwhelming gameplay, which offers many different subsystems or metagames players can often choose how much or how little to focus on. Performing alchemy is a minigame itself, as is running the shop, and combining it all means The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian offers hours of content, carried by charming characters who have believable motives, often driven by their own care for each other, and making this a no-brainer for anyone who wants a dense JRPG they can pour hours into on the go.

Action roguelikes are a tough genre to screw up, yet Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree manages to do that. From lacklustre in-run upgrades, to permanent progression that is boring, to perhaps the biggest problem of how utterly dry combat is, it drops the ball in many locations. The better parts, such as the banter and voice acting, are not enough to carry the woefully lacking core gameplay.

The gameplay is very standard Little Nightmares fare, and it plays it very safe. Giving the duo weapons isn't as game changing as it seems and rarely comes into play. Returning fans will notice that this entry is only four chapters long; that's two fewer than the norm for these games. The promise of two additional chapters via a season pass is a mistake since the franchise is very story-based and tends to be condensed. The core experience is very short and most won't feel like they will get their money's worth with such a meagre offering and a vague promise that more content will come sometime next year, but without knowing what it will be. The base package is a little longer than the first game, but not as long or well-paced as the amazing sequel. Marketing material for the season pass promises that future additional chapters won't be necessary, but then, why even bother? It's a bad trap that makes Little Nightmares III feel incomplete.

Game Freak once again attempts to do something different with a series that's fast approaching its 30th anniversary. Pokémon Legends: Z-A puts a refreshed battle system front and centre, offering faster, real-time combat at its core. The change may not be for everyone; especially long-time fans who remain loyal to the classic turn-based formula. It’s a shame that some aspects, like NPC interactions, haven’t evolved to the same degree and there can be some repetition in traversing the Z-A world. Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels like a well-earned holiday for the series, where there's opportunity to try something new and explore. The adorable critters truly do thrive in Lumiose City and that's ultimately the heart of what drives a Pokémon adventure.

Not much tweaking was necessary when bringing back this classic, but the addition of high-quality voice acting elevates Final Fantasy Tactics to another level entirely, with a narrative that engages from beginning to end. Coupled with some of the finest character customisation in the series, this is an essential play for fans that have fallen out of love with Final Fantasy following the latest numbered entries.

Islanders: New Shores is a wholesome experience that offers much depth for those who want it. No matter what mode or how much effort, the player ends up with a beautiful island full of charming little buildings, each placed with care. After a while, new islands feel like empty canvases, ready to be painted on with lovely tiny buildings. There is something exciting about preparing a spot for a building and then seeing the points rake in. Designing a city may never have been so fun, relaxing and pretty.

In Silent Hill f the F stands for fantastic. This unique story takes a daring stance and presents a thrilling psychological horror adventure. Gameplay hits that traditional Silent Hill design language, while also supporting a fast, difficult and interesting combat system, with puzzles in the world that require real mind bending. With multiple endings to achieve, its relatively short runtime is perfectly pitched for multiple plays. A slightly rough-edged horror gem.

The one-track, one-car options may seem weak, but spending over an hour trying to master drifting and making incremental improvements with every try is enthralling. The buttery smooth gameplay and bright visuals have kept Ridge Racer timeless, and while it lacks all the cool features and Reiko isn't around, it's hard not to be impressed by such an early 3D racing game that had such a confident vision for itself that still stays challenging with infinite credits.

Air Combat 22's biggest claim to fame is its fluidity and timeless visuals. The core mechanics are serviceable, but there isn't enough to keep it engaging past one playthrough. Without the cockpit cabinet and the booming chaos of a '90s arcade screaming in the background, there is less novelty and charm. Playing Arcade Archives: Air Combat 22 on a Nintendo Switch 2 is not the same as it would be on an original unit, but even if it were, the core experience is spread thinly, emphasising that the game was a shallow, cheap thrill.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a real triumph when it comes to kart racing and more than holds its own against the hedgehog’s main rival from Nintendo. The CrossWorlds mechanic introduces a strategic play that keeps things fresh, and the dozens of tracks do a sterling job in really providing a challenge, which also looks and sounds great. While there is maybe a bit too much grinding in order to unlock the many rewards on offer for dedicated players, even those who only want to casually commit to Sonic Racing will still get plenty of fun playing in both single-player and online, especially with a whole roadmap of additional tracks and racers being rolled out in the months ahead. Mario Kart World is an excellent game, but so too is Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

Gee Bee's austere visuals looked cheap next to emerging colour games in 1970s arcades. With only three-to-five-minute games with no escalation or features, after a few plays, the loop becomes mind numbing. Its core is so basic that not even modern features can do much to elevate its plainness. Most people play video games to beat boredom. Gee Bee is for people who crave monotony.

The Touryst Deluxe is a compact adventure that captures the spirit of a holiday getaway. Shin’en Multimedia has crafted a series of voxel islands that feel like miniature dioramas, each filled with puzzles, playful distractions, and a relaxed atmosphere. The deluxe edition introduces a new island and extra activities, while Switch 2 hardware elevates the experience with crisp 4K visuals, HDR lighting, and fluid performance. It is not a game driven by narrative or combat, but by curiosity and discovery. Players who enjoy atmosphere, variety, and freedom will find it enchanting. The Touryst Deluxe is a reminder that small, carefully made adventures can leave a lasting impression.

Creativity flows throughout two of gaming’s best adventures, finally available on modern hardware and looking wonderful on Switch systems. There is so much sublime platforming here when considering the amount inventiveness spread across both Super Mario Galaxy titles, with each offering something for absolutely everyone. There are some niggles here and there, but when the moment-to-moment gameplay is so consistently enjoyable, it is easy to brush over minor grievances. This is a collection every Nintendo fan needs to own.

Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut on Switch 2 proves that SEGA and RGG Studio deliver more than a simple port. Performance is strong, the content is complete, and the absurd, heartfelt energy of the series translates beautifully to handheld play. Minor compromises in handheld performance, storage demands, and the lack of new gameplay content keep it from perfection, but they don’t diminish what is still one of the finest entries in the series. For newcomers, this is the perfect entry point: a prequel that requires no prior knowledge, yet sets the stage for everything that follows. For veterans, it’s a chance to revisit one of the series’ best entries with added story context and the freedom to play anywhere. This is the definitive way to experience SEGA’s crime epic, as it shines very brightly indeed on Switch 2.

EA Sports FC 26 makes some big changes to its systems, modes and gameplay. The most obvious of these are quite effective, and even those that aren’t seen are surely felt. The fresh additions to Career Mode are a step in the right direction, while the on-field adjustments and introduction of Authentic and Competitive modes serves to freshen things up just enough for another year. Long-time players will likely still have some recurring gripes, but the best compliment that can be paid to FC 26 is that it’s fun. If this was developer EA Sports’ sole aim, then mission accomplished.

Meteorfall: Krumit's Tale takes the huge task of evolving a well-established genre and putting its own twist on proceedings, and it does so with flying colours! The game balance is wonderful, the gameplay is stimulating all the way through a run, and most importantly, it's really fun and full of opportunities for player agency throughout. Never has it felt like a loss was inevitable because of "bad luck", but rather because poor choices were made. That is something rare to say about games in this genre, and even rarer for one that took great risks and experimented with the formula. Besides the fact that the Switch has to be taken out of docked mode, there are few negative remarks to be said about Meteorfall: Krumit's Tale. It is simply a great digital deckbuilder that any fan of the genre or puzzle games should give a try!

A rough early game and poor first impression hide a true gem filled with clever level designs. It would be a true pity to judge Candy Rangers by its first hour of gameplay, but due to how brutal the first hour is with required hidden collectibles and a steep learning curve, anyone but a full-blooded masochist would not be blamed for putting it down before getting to the good part. However, if there is one message that should be remembered from this review, it is this: the good part is coming soon, and it is truly worth the rough journey there. Give Candy Rangers a try; it is one of the more innovative games in its genre, and once mastered, the foreign controls will become second nature.

Past all of the cringe dialogue and turgid gameplay, perhaps Dustborn’s biggest sin is feeling more like vacuous agitprop than an actual story. Whatever fight against fascism Pax – and by extension Red Thread Games – had in mind, it's an unintentionally hilarious one since her words feel as plastic as her bat.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 makes some great improvements to what came before and provides the same great gameplay experience. Where it bails is the nostalgia factor for fans of these in their original format. That nostalgia isn't here personally but it's still hard to ignore. A remaster should maintain all the things that made the original great and for not doing that, should probably have another point taken off. If looked at objectively, however, this is another excellent addition to pick up and play. Maybe just leave the rest before we have to buy another USB board.

Even after several updates, Star Wars: Hunters can’t capture the verve nor engagement of other Hero shooter/brawler hybrids. The end result is a surplus of characters, modes, and cosmetics that’s swamped by lacklustre design, aesthetics, and mechanics. For this sub-genre, calling it mediocre feels too generous. For a new-ish Star Wars game, it ranks among the weakest efforts since Disney took over.

There are so few games for those who love really deep character customisation, and that is for a good reason. They usually tend to lock out less system-oriented players, as it is difficult to create a game with such depth without making the system mandatory or feel truly pointless. However, Cladun X3 manages to do this in a wonderful way, and in the process, creates a JRPG that can be enjoyed by all fans of the genre, regardless of how many systems they want to delve into. In the niche Cladun X3 occupies, it is among the best the industry has to offer and does not force its systems upon players until they are ready for them. This is a title that developers of non-linear RPGs should take a look at when designing their games, as Nippon Ichi Software really is onto something here!

Folly of the Wizards looks like a beautiful and competent roguelike at first glance. The first couple of playthroughs promise a fun title that will offer hours of entertainment and surprises to come. However, after a few hours, none of those promises feel fulfilled; rather, it gives the feeling that players have spent hours with a demo or early access for an okay roguelike instead of a full game. Bugs, poor descriptions of items, and menus that feel unfinished are all that are to be found under the pretty cover, and it feels like folly to have ever expected anything else. Even for fans of the genre, this is an easy pass.

It's not perfect, but what Cronos: The New Dawn does right is done so incredibly well. Across the runtime of the game, the battle arenas can be a little tiring, but the bread and butter of the exploration and moment-to-moment combat carry it through easily. This is a very competent, scary and exciting horror title with some amazing, unique visuals. Get on it, horror fans!

By speedrunners, for speedrunners, Bloodthief is a mostly fun, adrenaline-pumping game tailored almost exclusively to those who take pleasure in trying a level a hundred times just so they can decrease their time by about five seconds. It offers a punishing, high-speed experience that demands precision and quick reflexes, packaged in a nice and simple, retro-looking, dark medieval fantasy wrapping. The lack of accessibility for non-speedrunners, combined with the slightly inconsistent mechanics and a somewhat tedious level design, makes it a tough sell to a broader audience.

Those eager for another compelling, robust and utterly pleasant farming sim will find a wealth of fun to be had in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar. This remake of the title that started it all is impressively complete and has a few new surprises in store, making it essential for genre fans. The bazaar mechanic further ups the ante and ensures every in-game week culminates in something exciting, making this one of the freshest and most enjoyable expressions of the classic farming sim experience.

The variety of gameplay in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance makes for a top adventure. This is an excellent side-scrolling return for the series, with a little bit of everything for anyone seeking satisfying combat, plenty of collectibles, and challenging optional platforming segments. The thrill of battle never gets old, although some stages can get a little drawn out by the non-linear moments that could have been trimmed.

An immersive journey with plenty of immersion-breaking flaws, Above Snakes is a survival/crafting game that dares to slow things down, trading adrenaline for atmosphere and complexity for calm…though it may have gone too far. For those tired of dying repeatedly in brutal roguelikes or grinding endlessly in barren sandboxes, this is a welcome alternative. If you’re looking for a chill experience with a unique world-building mechanic, then this is worth trying - especially on sale. If after something that will test your skills, however, this isn’t it.

Zoe Begone! is the perfect example of a modern arcade game. It takes the best from modern gaming tools to add a wonderful polish to its graphical style that those from the days of arcade halls couldn't. It stays close to its roots with a gameplay cycle that will take 5-10 minutes before the game over screen appears, before players last half an hour as they learn not just to beat the game, but also chase high scores. It is so refreshing to see a game dare to go in this direction and even make the easy difficulty level challenging for real, obviously not being meant to be beaten easily. The only thing lacking to make the arcade feeling 100% pure is an actual arcade cabinet.