Death’s Door is a tremendously well-designed game, with superb production values and a tight core gameplay loop. I was immersed and impressed the whole way through, ready to rise to any challenge the game would throw at me, because I was so in love with its design and its world. You don’t have to be a fan of Zelda-style games to see the appeal of this one: Death’s Door is simply the tried and true fundamentals of game design, refined and polished to the ultimate degree.

While Voice of Cards could be refined as a game, the vision is impeccable, and while the game's not as outrageous or subversive as NieR and its sequel, it still represents Yoko Taro's unique qualities as a game designer and narrative writer: he is forever experimenting and pushing boundaries. Voice of Cards is almost subtle in this, but the way that it aims to work collaboratively with players to share a story, rather than tell it, is a delightful departure from the norm for the JRPG. I don't think anyone expected him to follow up NieR with a "card game," but Yoko Taro has hit onto something very special here.

For the price, Star Wars Pinball is a fantastic package for fans of the science fiction franchise as well as those who just like a good game of pinball. Sure, some of the new features are better than others, and any time you have a large collection of themed tables, some are going to be more enjoyable than the others, but they are more the exception than the rule. With all kinds of tables offering a variety of sound effects, music, visual flair, ramps, multiple levels and a nice sense of progression, there is a lot to enjoy here. That makes it an easy to recommend package that I am going to spend a lot of time with in the coming weeks, months, and probably years.

Though TRI lacks the polish and presentation of the more popular Portal titles, its sheer accessibility and serenity mark it out as something genuinely different, and as such deserves to be noticed.

When my biggest criticism of a game is “the font isn’t quite right,” I know I’ve played something pretty special. Radiant Tales doesn’t subvert the otome genre. It is not meant to challenge the audience to think deeply about things. It is, simply, a well-written and well-meaning romance story about a troupe of performers and a highly magical adventure they embark on together. It’s like the non-steamy end of Harlequin novels, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone benefits from a little romantic fantasy at times.

Tormented Souls isn't trying to be a necessarily accessible horror game. It embraces the retro heroes of the genre, and throws challenging puzzles and combat at players. More than that, though, the game has a nasty, hard edge, and ends up sitting at the loud and extreme end of the horror genre. If you enjoy your cathartic horror experiences, however (as I do), then you'll love the gauntlet of pain and torn flesh that this one throws at you.

Danganronpa Another Episode ends up being an experiment that works, in taking the original games and doing something so completely different to them. It lacks the jump scares, monsters, and a significant difficulty level of the horror franchises that it aspires to be a part of, but is so unsettling is its narrative and vision that it is one of the most genuine, affecting horror games I have ever played.

Bakeru is a warm, delightful thing and one of the best non-Nintendo platformers that I’ve ever played. Admittedly I’m partial to it given that I love roaming Japan for all its little regional quirks and specialties, and I loved discovering the developer’s interpretations of them here, but even if you’re not attuned to the game’s cultural resonance, its relentless joy will surely prove infectious.

If anything, the release of Captain Toad goes to show just how confident Nintendo is, and more so with how much it understands its audience. In a blockbuster season filled with plenty of firearms and fistfights, Captain Toad shows us more creativity and style than many new IPs out there.

Axiom Verge is a near-flawless indie game that is sure bound to entertain you with its wide array of creative weapons and deep exploration that, at the end of which, rewards you handsomely.

This is an intense, clever, thoughtful and intellectually challenging JRPG that should remind people that when it comes to this genre, visual presentation and even the gameplay itself aren’t the drawcard. It’s that story that counts, and Radiant Historia manages to achieve something truly remarkable in giving players a time travelling plot that is genuinely interesting and worthwhile.

It’s always refreshing to come across a narrative that challenges genre norms, while still respecting the genre it belongs to. Him, The Smile & Bloom doesn’t set out to criticise or undermine the otome visual novel, but it does take expectations in a different direction thanks to the way it has been structured. Thanks to that, this is a vibrant and highly enjoyable, intelligent, and thoughtful experience, well worth the price of admission.

Fairy Tail is pure comfort food for people who, like me, count the JRPG as the favourite genre. It lacks the subversive intelligence of a NieR: Automata or Final Fantasy VII Remake. It also lacks the rich refinement of a Persona 5 or the epic scope of a Trails of Cold Steel. Even in comparison to Gust's own titles, it lacks the rich character development of Atelier or the sheer beauty of Blue Reflection. But Fairy Tail has one thing in spades; it's joyous, and it's the right kind of frivolous. It's a celebration of an anime that I can only assume is both silly and fun in its own right and that works as the perfect promotion for Fairy Tail: I really want to watch the anime now. Fairy Tail isn't going to be on any of my game of the year lists, but not every release needs to be pitched at those lists to be well and truly worthwhile. Fairy Tail being the game that reminded me why I loved JRPGs in the first place is more than enough.

Despite the odd frustration, Yoshi’s Woolly World is an incredibly fun romp. It has been a long time since the world got to see a console Yoshi game, and the fact it hearkens back to its SNES roots better than the recent handheld attempt is a joy to behold. This is one of the best platformers I have played in a long time.

A resounding success as both an example of the genre and a homage to everything that makes it fun.

Root Double lets itself down in the way it indulges nonsense like scientific explanations and science fiction when really it wants to be a taut psychological thriller about a group of people caught in a truly desperate situation. Thankfully, when it focuses on what it's best at it's a near-on perfect example of the genre. It can be both bewildering and exhausting, but one thing Root Double will never let you forget is that it is also compelling.

I am, of course, a hardcore Warriors fan. Everyone knows that. I play them all. Fire Emblem Warriors is, for my mind, the best of the licensed Warriors titles.

It's a small game that shows off all the artistic talents of the team. There's a real joyfulness in the concept of flight, as enabled by VR, and Unity has never looked better; if this is a sign of things to come from that engine then we're in for some wild times as developers of all sizes start creating more VR content for it. There's a purity and innocence to Eagle Flight so completely wondrous to behold that I wish Ubisoft created more of these kinds of games.

It pushes more boundaries and is a sharper satire than the other games in the series, as fine as they are, and that marks this one out as something special indeed.

Persona 5 Tactica is an excellent addition to the overall Persona 5 property. What at first looks like a cheerfully whimsical bonus spinoff ends up being something that adds to the core themes of the base game, and is impressive in the way it does that. It also backs up with some of the sharpest “fast tactics” play we’ve seen in the genre. I just wish the concept and theme were written better, and I honestly never thought I would say that of a Persona title.

There’s an old saying, you can never have too much of a good thing. This is false. Hearts of Stone doesn’t offer that much new to the game, which is what the second expansion is supposedly meant to feature, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What Hearts of Stone gives players is another reason to dive back into this world, and enjoy the stories that lie within.

It’s still the same cosy time and resource management simulation we fell in love with decades ago, but Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns stands out from the pack in understated ways. Its gentle but omnipresent plot functions in tandem with a broader perspective of agriculture to serve up one of the more distinct entries in this long-running franchise.

Donkey Kong Bananza is the perfect launch window title for the Nintendo Switch 2. It highlights the kind of creative whimsy that Nintendo can achieve with its new hardware, demonstrates that the Switch 2 really is more than a slightly bigger Switch… and is just a very fine game on top of all of that. Donkey Kong has finally appeared in a 3D platformer worth a damn.

This is a game made with loving fan service and an eye for details that only genre veterans will really appreciate. For everyone else it's going to be a pretty, but slow-paced and obscure RPG with an odd sense of humour.

Otherwise, Transformers: Devastation is a pure form of fun and entertainment, and there are simply not enough games like this out there.

Assault Android Cactus' greatest weakness is that it defines itself as an "arcade dual stick shooter" in such a traditional fashion that it's limited by that. The game's greatest strength is that it is so slick, smooth, and energetic that its limitations don't matter in the slightest. This is one cracking game.

Culdcept Saga is, with or without dice, absolutely brilliant, and the kind of game I can see myself playing for a very long time into the future. It successfully takes a couple of different approaches to traditional board and card games, and fuses them into something that you can spend a lot of time learning to master, and feeling really good about yourself as you do.

It’s not a game with a deep and rich narrative. Nor is deep in any particular sense. That’s not a criticism, it’s just that there’s not much to analyse based on how I usually focus on in my reviews. The game’s core quality is that it’s a whimsical, creative playground of ideas. We do need more of that in video games, and while the art style and overapplication of branding does deserve some reflection for what it implies about the relationship between video games, marketing teams, consumers and the idea that this is meant to be an art form, what is undeniable is that Astro Bot is worth every second you put into it.

What is especially impressive about the game though is its love for side distractions.

While Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment isn’t going to convert anyone who doesn’t enjoy Koei Tecmo’s Warriors formula, this is a very fine entry in it. It effectively builds on the lore of Tears of the Kingdom, gives you plenty of entertaining characters to play around with, and looks stunning as the first Warriors to get a spin on the Nintendo Switch 2. If you enjoyed Koei’s previous collaborations with Nintendo, you’re going to really love this one.

This is, genuinely, the first time I’ve ever been hooked on an online-orientated competitive game.

The real appeal of the game is in its presentation. The music is light and bouncy, the visuals are bright and colourful, and there's plenty of humour in the way units animate. I can't describe in enough detail just how happy it makes me to finally have a full-featured shooter game that is bright and pleasant; though I have no particular problem with serious and grim shooters, it's nice to have an option for when I'm in the mood for something happier.

Tengoku Struggle: Strayside is an intelligent and well-argued visual novel that has a worthwhile point to make. In a world that is steadily losing tolerance and becoming more extreme in the process, a gentle reminder that perspectives do differ and absolutes are rarely as cut-and-dry as they seem is a worthwhile message. While the game does assume that its audience is Japanese, and some of the cultural quirks and historical personas might throw players, the heart and soul of the game translates beautifully.

What stands out most about The Flame in the Flood is that its form of survival isn’t candied up, but sits severe and plain about what chance most of us would have. It’s second even to the slice of America it presents, a piece of a soul set upon a shelf, hoping to be called upon once more. If nothing else, The Flame in The Flood allows that piece to have its moment with sincerity.

It's great to have a "real" Kingdom Under Fire game playable on modern platforms. I know Blueside has had all kinds of issues with sustaining and modernising this series, but everyone really should experience the original. With Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders there was real potential that this series could have gone on to something big. As it is, though it's shaping up more as a bit of flash in the pan brilliance that will likely not be replicated.

A Ghost of a Tale is a solid vision, and done justice given its the development constraints. It was remarkably brave of the developer to tackle a genre and subject as complex as this, and it's a remarkable achievement that it has come out the other end as compelling and deeply playable as it is.

Boiling things right down, Caligula asks a question that’s really quite dear to my heart: “what if Hatsune Miku gained sentience and convinced us all that we would be better off living in a universe with her as queen?” I must admit that, were it me, I’d end up as one of the “villains” in this game, as I’m quite on board with that; but joking aside, The Caligula Effect looks, on the surface, like a bit of B-grade nonsense for a console well out of the mainstream’s attention. The great irony about that is that it’s far more pertinent and relevant, and asks genuine questions, about a topic that is going to be a significant sociological discussion point for generations going forward.

You don't need to have played any other Phoenix Wright games to enjoy The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. It is related to the broader franchise (Ryūnosuke is the ancestor to Phoenix), but it's a completely separate adventure. The historical context makes Ryūnosuke's adventure particularly compelling, but even if you're just looking to let that wash over you and be entertained, there's enough humour and style to The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles that the only real problem with it is that it outstays its welcome by just a little too much.

It might look like Civilization on the surface, but once you realise it’s actually a hybrid of card game, gamebook, RPG, and strategy game you’ll be hard pressed to think of anything that you’ve played this year that’s more fundamentally fascinating than this one.

This is a beautiful, serene and relaxing experience and I loved every second of it.

It was a great game back when it was new. It’s a great game still. Strong narratives don’t age, and this one has a strong story to tell. Throw in quality port work that gives the art direction the detail and clarity that it really deserves, and Twilight Princess is a classic that has scrubbed up well enough to be a worthy Wii U title in its own right.

Whereas Five Dates was an essential quarantine experience in my mind (so was The Complex, filmed prior to the pandemic but oddly relevant), Ten Dates is an essential “let’s get back out there and get on with life” game. It makes me feel like maybe I still have the ability, hidden very deep down inside of me, to connect with people in person. The two games are on-par score-wise while presenting very different life experiences. In Ten Dates, the characters are all relatable on some level, and the way relationships progress feels natural. The Nintendo Switch handles it very well, and I’d imagine the situation is very much the same on any other platform. All in all: play it! You’ll fall in love.

Not every game needs to be infinitely replayable, though. Crawlco Block Knockers is perfect as a little diversion in-between bigger games, or because levels are short, it's the ideal time-filler. I would have said that it would be ideal to take on the commute, too, except that other people would most certainly judge you for playing this in public. It really is good fun though.

This game’s obvious new feature is its HD art, and, more than just being beautiful, the ability of this art to enhance the characters and world makes Shantae: Half-Genie Hero the most impressive take on the whole fantasy Middle East setting since the utterly brilliant Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.

Code: Realize is a beautiful visual novel, with a wonderful concept that is written wonderfully. It's a little short of the flash-and-bang, which means it's not the ideal introduction to the entire genre, but once you're settled in to the genre and can appreciate a visual novel for a quality narrative without needing full animation or "gameplay elements," it's hard to look past this one as a key example of the genre done well.

Let It Die is of exceedingly high quality for a free-to-play title; it’s dozens of GB in download size and looks and feels every bit an example of a higher-end game from Japan. It’s also far too reasonable on the microtransactions and asking players for money. It’s possible to speed up progress through the game by paying real money, or preserve a favoured character that's just perished but the incentives for doing that are low, particularly when anyone who is inclined to enjoy a roguelike is not going to have any issues with a grind, or re-starting games from scratch after a character dies.

For everyone else, there is nothing quite like Mount & Blade. This expansive, massive, deeply immersive blend of open world, open-ended RPG and medieval strategy might be the biggest time sink on the PlayStation 5, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. The stories of heroics and failures that you can write for yourself while playing this game are positively Shakesperean, and this is one of those rare times where failure is as entertaining as success, because there’s an excellent, emergent story in that.

I’m still surprised that Nintendo ever thought that there would be an audience for Yo-Kai Watch 2 in the west, but boy am I glad that they did.

Senran Kagura: Estival Versus is great fun, combining the rawest of Japanese-style raunch humour with a tight and mechanically sound combat system.

Tropico 6 does provide the much-needed stepping stones to advance the series. For a series which often gets continued updates or DLC, Tropico 6 is also with with a long and exciting future ahead of it. The developer has indeed created what sets out to be the definitive version of Tropico, and while there may not be ground breaking adjustments to the core of the series, at its core the series doesn’t need to be something else. The enhancements to the strategy side of the game are welcome, but really, it's the return of the satire that makes Tropico 6 such a delight.

The Great War: Western Front is an excellent way to learn something about the battlefields and conditions of a war that, let’s face it, is one we rarely learn much about these days. It’s always inspiring when developers take the time to be meticulous with their history games and aim to present something that doesn’t just entertain, but also informs.

I’m still surprised that Nintendo ever thought that there would be an audience for Yo-Kai Watch 2 in the west, but boy am I glad that they did.

It might only be a single game, and that game might only be a single hour’s play long, but people who have a genuine love for the history of video games owe it to themselves to pick this up. Trip World DX works as a museum exhibit and charming little curiosity, and there are far worse things to do for an hour than this.

It combines some of the finest production values we've seen on the iPad to date, with some streamlined, but truly entertaining empire strategy elements.

Eiyuu Senki is, of course, a very niche game, but it's a worthy one. Like Tears to Tiara 2 before it, it translates from adult entertainment into a "legitimate" game very well, on the strength of its strategy gameplay, and while you're not getting Shakespeare from the narrative, as long as you're able to enjoy these kinds of anime tropes, you're going to have a really good time with this one.

One thing you could never criticise about Coulombe’s work is that he has a great eye for detail and understanding about what “art” means in the context of video games. It’s the clever use of interactivity, the playful subversions of expectation, and freeform creativity that ensures that Look Outside will remain with you, coiled in your mind and puzzling you long after the computer’s put in rest mode.

Few games in the world are as multilayered in their appeal as Senko no Ronde 2. It’s positively exceptional, melding a fighting game into a 2D shooter then using that as the basis for a visual novel. That story goes on to become the fabric of every mecha fan’s dreams, featuring the best tropes of space operas along alongside more substantial commentary. It’s a pleasant reminder that story-driven games don’t need to rely on the RPG format.

It's now in its 20th year, but Ace Combat 7 shows that there's plenty of life yet in the series. Neither pure arcade, nor hardcore simulation, it straddles the line it needs to offer both a sense of flight and fast, furious dogfight action, even as it tells a cinematic and genuinely enjoyable story.

And that's the problem with reviewing 3D All-Stars. All three of the games have historical worth, remain highly playable today, and are ported competently enough that they work. You're not going to suddenly find Bowser unbeatable because bugs have trashed what was once a great game. However, this is Nintendo's most valuable property and mascot, and it's amazing that the company didn't do more with this package than they have here.

The action is fluid and the open world begs the player to experiment and explore. It's a sure fire sign that the people behind this new direction for Lara Croft really do know what they are doing, and the franchise is in good hands moving forwards.

Wrapped in the warm, happy colours and light soundtrack that it is, Dragon Quest Heroes is a genuine delight of a game. It's endlessly playable, both in short bursts and longer sessions, has a truly enjoyable cast of characters, and an infectious sense of humour. You might feel bad massacring entire family lines of slimes, but other than that I can't see anyone finding anything but joy from their time with this one.

The Shapeshifting Detective is proof that FMV titles can be done extremely well.

Rune Factory 4 is a delight. It's one of those heartfelt, earnest, and wholesome games that remind you that not everything needs to be dour, competitive, excessively violent, or deep. It's a game in which a blatant clone of Hatsune Miku (or a male character, I guess) grows turnips, bops monsters on the head (and then makes friends with them), and eventually gets married. It's sweet, I love it, and bring on Rune Factory 5.

This game is excellent. It plays nicely, has solid cultural resonance, and actually respects the player's time, as it's only around 20 hours or so in length (while not compromising on the narrative quality). This is easily one of my favourite games of the year, which is why I wanted to do something a little special in reviewing it.

I really do love Monster Hunter. I might be terrible at it, but to me, that's secondary to the fact that it's a gorgeous, authentic bit of Japanese art. It’s like a modern take on the philosophy of ukiyo-e. It might be aesthetically different – completely different, in fact - but the ideas, storytelling tradition, and sense of wonder and awe at the natural world all translate across. In many ways, Monster Hunter Rise represents the purest execution of that idea, and from my perspective that makes it the best game in the series to date.

I really wanted to see a bigger improvement from the original Super Mario Maker to this sequel. The features that Nintendo has added in are nice, but with only one additional game environment to play around with in Super Mario 3D World, Nintendo is underselling the own rich heritage that it has to work with. With that being said, anything that encourages people to create, rather than just consume, is a noble cause, and Nintendo has managed to build something completely accessible despite giving users absolutely everything they need to recreate any Mario level. That's surely the holy grail of the creator genre.

The ultimate concern with any rhythm game is whether the actions that the game is asking players to take (swipes, taps and so on) reflect the movement and mood of the music. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call nails this, and makes for a music game that is both fun and rewarding. Especially for the Final Fantasy fans out there.

All in Abyss is exceptional. Sharp and very funny writing, is backed by a fast-paced, intelligent appropriation of poker. This is going to be one of my highlights of 2025.

The idea of a role-playing game built on the South Park universe is borderline genius.

I enjoyed Kotodama a great deal. It's just surprising enough to keep the narrative interesting, and the colourful humour and cheerful fan service certainly help make the game a delight to play. Could it have been more? Yes, certainly. There are plenty of moments in Kotodama that you'll think to yourself that it could have been much more than a straightforward fanservicey romp... but the developers have achieved exactly what they set out to do, and have done so with such precision and panache that it's a real joy to play anyway.

The first of the two Mega Man X Legacy Collections contains four amazing masterpieces of platforming goodness. While it does not contain as many games as the original collection, the games here are all well worth your time, if not to revisit games from a bygone era, then to experience what all the fuss was about.

The run time will likely be cause for complaint for some people – Cotton 100%. But this is an arcade-style game through and through, and it’s entertaining no matter how many times it’s replayed. And since the cartridge would normally be a rare import that would fetch a hefty price, it’s a wonderful gesture to have them readily available as a digital download. For fans of SHMUPs, both Cotton 100% is a must buy – it’s an absolute standout in its genre which would appeal to old and new fans alike.

My criticisms of Assassin's Creed are nothing unusual for the series, and I've always enjoyed the series previously despite its issues. The appeal of each individual game to each person depends greatly in their interest in the location, setting, and period of history that the game depicts, and I've got to say that Valhalla, in impressing me with its nuanced depiction of Viking culture and their role in history, has ended up being an Assassin's Creed that I'll think I'll remember fondly across the breadth of the series. That being said, as far as the gameplay is concerned, this series is going nowhere interesting at this point there while there will be more, and I really implore Ubisoft to take a good, hard look at the bloat and consider whether a more streamlined approach that doesn't get in the way of the best feature (the history, and narrative) would not be wiser next time around.

An intense, special, and downright important game, with a powerful message to share not just about war itself, but also how we also talk about, and share stories about, war.

Considering playthroughs as both Cotton and Silk, Panorama Cotton will take about two hours to fully clear, but Challenge Mode will require some practice before players master the best routes. But the spectacle of this game never gets old – each level is so bright and colourful and happy that it’s just a joy to fly through over and over. Panorama Cotton is truly an unexpected gem that’s a delight for its entire runtime, and thanks to a modern rerelease which makes it more accessible to all sorts of players, it’s about time that more people discover this rare import title.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is an exceptional return for one of Square Enix’s most under-appreciated properties. With Pokémon going through a rare period where it’s not meeting nearly universal acclaim, perhaps this is the big opportunity for this series to finally break through, some 25 years after it first launched on Game Boy Color.

Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma is a game everyone absolutely must play. If you haven’t played the previous games in the series, drop everything and experience them.

It’s the perfect example of a passion project done right, one that realises that it is important to look back, in order to move forward.

The puzzle pieces are often incredibly-well hidden. That would be fine if the game wasn’t perfectly satisfactory without drilling into people that these pieces needed to be found. It’s a sour note to finish with and disappointing because the game is otherwise truly brilliant, but those collectibles are largely why I have given up on the platformer genre. Whatever happened to the idea of building a game where it is fun just to go from one end of the level to the other, and still feel validated that, yes, I’ve finished the game at the end of the last level?... With that gripe out of the way, the Nintendo Switch remaster of this classic platformer is the definitive version of it, and anyone who loved playing it previously is going to love the opportunity to play through it again. If you’re newer to video games… this is an essential modern classic.

This is one hell of a journey.

SaGa Frontier is a frivolous and irreverent little JRPG that eschews grand narratives and philosophies to instead focus on a charming sequence of absurd juxtapositions, genuine humour, and playfulness. It's a well-made game, and the effective, challenging and entertaining combat system stands as proof of that. It's just that it's also nothing like most other Square Enix JRPGs, because the developers clearly wanted to deliver something that defied the expectations of the JRPG genre. SaGa Frontier was such a resounding success at that that it has become a "cult classic" and while this will never appeal to the mainstream, hopefully it will find itself a new audience through this remaster.

The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa is one of the best examples of subversion within the brawler genre since the mighty Lollipop Chainsaw.

I typically give visual novels with poor localisations 1/5. After all, the exclusive point of the game is to share a story and if the localisation is bad it has failed in that task. The score I’m giving The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty should highlight just how disappointed I am by the localisation, because this could have very easily been one of the most powerful stories in video game history.

With such a convoluted, complex narrative going for it, Robotics;Notes is the kind of game that you'll end up musing over for quite some time. It's a little more grounded in the human experience than Steins;Gate, but the eclectic mix of genres, themes and motifs that the narrative scattershots its way through means that it needed to have that groundedness to keep players connected to it. So successful is it in its writing and presentation that Robotics;Notes will be remembered as one of the truly great visual novels. It's perhaps not as philosophical or dense as Steins;Gate, but it is more emotive and evocative.

Otherwise, BlazBlue remains the slick, fast, competitive and vibrant fighting game that we saw in previous versions.

At the risk of irrelevancy to most DDNet readers, I will add the quality family time Vignettes gave us is worth more than ten times its admission fee. Make no mistake about it, I warmly recommend you take up on the invitation, make a reservation, and roll up for the Vignettes magical mystery tour!

I truly love West of Loathing. It's charming, silly, fun and, most surprisingly, offers genuinely engaging combat and questing. This made it easy to play until my Nintendo Switch battery was running flat over, and then have me itching to play again while the battery was charging. And it did convince me to start playing Kingdoms of Loathing again. I guess I'm never going to get away from these nonsense stick figures.

The only area it missed out on was the music. Why The B-52’s Rock Lobster was not the soundtrack on repeat is an oversight that will forever astound me. It was just such an obvious, perfect soundscape for this particular experience. Jokes aside, though, Fight Crab is very much my kind of game as someone who considers a trip to a Salvador Dali exhibition to be a good time. I realise that I'm in a very limited niche in that regard, but this is a horn I've trumpeted more than a few times in the past: if we're going to be on board with this games as art routine, recognising that subversive experiences like Fight Crab have value is step #1.

People who have played other Star Ocean titles will get a kick out of some of the names and locations being crossed over from those entries. Each Star Ocean title is distinct and self contained, and there's no particular order that you need to play them through, but there's a cohesiveness across key locations and names that establishes this series, infrequent as it is, as being one in which titles are tied to one another. Even if it is a simple case of name dropping time gates and the like at times.

That Tin Man Games has managed to take the newest of video game technologies to deliver something so perfectly nostalgic that it predates video games entirely. Somehow, that also makes Table of Tales the most impressive application of VR that doesn’t let me get up on stage with Hatsune Miku and dance with her.

It's a pity that a lot of players have been so fixated on the perceived gameplay weaknesses of each of the games in this trilogy, because in doing so they've really missed the broader philosophical richness of the story of Lightning and her ragtag crew of allies and antagonists. Ironically, those people will also find Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII the weakest game in the series, when thematically speaking, it's actually the most powerful.

South Of The Circle is a beautiful game that tells a wonderful little story, and is backed up with a genuine effort by the developers to explore cinematic techniques for dramatic effect. When the alternative in video games is typically the equivalent of bland, rote Hollywood productions, South Of The Circle stands out as something different. Different is and always will be interesting. I’m just glad the developers backed the interesting techniques they used with a fascinating story.

A highly-polished title that shows that the ageing 3DS somehow still has legs in it. Aside from the Pokémon Sun and Moon sequels, Samus Returns could very well be one of the last big 3DS titles, but with games like this, I’m just not ready to let go of my 3DS just yet.

If the next evolution of the Yakuza franchise is more of these thematic crossovers, smaller, experimental titles and playful spin-offs, I’m all for it. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii proves that the previous Like a Dragon Ishin was no fluke. Ryu Ga Gotoku is clearly comfortable bringing these iconic characters to any creative setting and location, and going forward the sky’s the limit. Perhaps literally. I wouldn’t put it past them to have Goro Majima waking up on a moon base next.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is much more than a port and there’s enough there to justify a re-purchase, even if you’re still one of the ten people still playing it on the Wii U. For those that aren’t existing fans, all you need to know is that this is one of the biggest science fiction epics on the Switch, and while I do prefer the intellectual depth and fantasy trappings of the “proper” trilogy, it’s hard not to be thrilled when exploring your way around this lush, unique vision and world.

Games like Yoshi's Crafted World always get overlooked and quickly forgotten - they're not explosive enough, the graphics aren't realistic, and you can't make memes about how it's "destroying" you. But, this game is the perfect foil for all those other titles being produced, and while it's a different manifestation of quality, it's every bit the standard of any expensive, open-world blockbuster out there.

While the game makes great use of the 3DS overall, the one area that is worth mentioning is that it lacks any 3D at all, which and it did surprise me, but the game still looks great and the dual screens work very well having the persistent map at the bottom.

The game is my new obsession. It is charming, well-balanced, and calming; yes, I described an RPG as calming!