Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is a masterclass in atmosphere, successfully blending Japanese folklore with a "summer horror" aesthetic that keeps you uneasy from beginning to end. While the lack of voice acting and slow opening hours may prevent some players from truly enjoying this game, The Mermaid's Curse is a great visual novel that honors its predecessor’s legacy while offering something new.

Ys X: Proud Nordics is the definitive version of the 2024 action RPG with new story and side content, improved gameplay and features, and amazing performance on Nintendo Switch 2. The lack of an upgrade path from Ys X: Nordics and the need to replay story content limits some of the game's potential, but Ys and action RPG fans are in for a treat nonetheless.

Gear.Club Unlimited 3 is a great racing game that takes advantage of the Switch 2 hardware to deliver a compelling, immersive, and satisfying experience with smooth gameplay. With a roster of more than 40 car models with 50 tracks across France and Japan, racing game fans have a lot to play with in this content-rich story mode. Although there are a few graphical issues and some missing fan-favorite cars, the game is a great foundation for developer Eden Games to build on.

High On Life 2 sharpens numerous aspects of the series to much success, with great moment-to-moment gameplay and plenty of content to discover. Squanch Games nailed the balancing act between a serious plot and humorous adventures, finding a renewed purpose. However, the experience is undercut by inexcusable performance issues on PC that make it hard to fully recommend at this time.

Overall, I left my time with the Fighting Force Collection wondering why this series, out of all the other games still trapped on older consoles, was brought back. I’m not upset that it was. Game preservation is one of the most important movements in our industry currently. I just think there are other, much better games worthy of being ported onto modern consoles than Fighting Force. Regardless, there is a very niche subset of the gaming community that will be thrilled to hear that these games now exist on whatever platform they prefer to play on, and they have been preserved, warts and all, just as they were when they first came out. I’m just not one of them.

REANIMAL is a beautiful horror journey that uses subtlety to its advantage. The lack of dialogue and cutscenes is traded for worldbuilding, while the gameplay highlights more thrilling chases rather than action-packed combat. Both are used to great effect, even in spite of some major issues with exploration and a few glitches here and there. If you're a fan of the horror genre, Little Nightmares, or have a friend to play with, though, REANIMAL is a must-buy.

Romeo is a Dead Man isn’t without its flaws. Performance issues can disrupt gameplay, repetition can occasionally take you out of segments, and some gameplay sections can get incredibly tedious. But in the end, these stumbles give way to a wacky and confident vision that carried me through the credits with a smile on my face. The fact that I still can’t stop thinking about it says enough in itself, and I suspect fans will be raving about Romeo for years to come.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is a great roguelite action game that pays homage to the BlazBlue series while delivering an intriguing storyline, engaging mechanics, and a fair level of challenge. The updated release builds on the foundation of BlazBlue Entropy Effect and brings new features that will keep players playing after the original storyline. Although cross-play and an English dub are missing, BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is an experience that fans won't want to miss.

I can’t recommend this game enough, despite its minuscule shortcomings. If you are like me and found yourself wondering what climbing a great mountain is like, then this is the experience for you. The zen-like experience of Cairn is one I implore anyone to enjoy for themselves, though, be aware of any potential urges to book a flight to Mount Everest for yourself.

MIO: Memories in Orbit leaves a strong first impression and continues to deliver quality content throughout, despite a few questionable design choices here and there. Some clever level design, a fantastic soundtrack, and a gorgeous art style make the entire experience worthwhile.

While I did have fun with my time in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, I felt myself saddened by just how much it strayed from the immersive sim formula. I really hope that the upcoming DLC packs emphasize the RPG features more than the action-focused gameplay, but as of right now, I don’t really have as much of a desire to replay Bloodlines 2 as I do other entries in the genre. For better or for worse, my greatest takeaway when the credits rolled was that I wish I had played the original game instead.

Nioh 3 offers some of the best action and boss fights in the series. However, it is held back by some open world pitfalls that make the experience feel a bit bloated. Regardless, it is a great and ambitious heck of a ride.

TR-49 is an intricately complex puzzle game, for better and for worse. On the one hand, the overabundance of dialogue that relies on exposition, plus obtuse puzzles that emphasize trial and error rather than the deductive reasoning said to be the game's core, is often really frustrating. On the other hand, the satisfaction you feel when you solve a puzzle all on your own, the multiple endings, and the affordable price make it a game that I'm excited to play again at some point down the line, in spite of my frustrations with it.

I have mixed thoughts on The Real Face of a VTuber. While I didn’t regret playing, I still got annoyed with parts of it. The narrative is one I found enjoyable for about two-thirds of its length, but I wanted it to end by the last one. I enjoy about half the characters but find the rest forgettable or annoying. The VTuber aspect is very well done, and I can’t help but applaud the devs for it. I also can’t help but feel that the actual murder-mystery part isn’t fully utilized. Still, The Real Face of VTuber isn’t a bad time, and one I can see others enjoying more than I did.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is still as grand an adventure as it was 25 years ago, mostly. The 'Reimagined' moniker bleeds down to the refined art style, remixed combat mechanics, and streamlined main quest. All of these, plus ample amounts of Quality of Life updates, make for a fun and modern experience that stands tall even next to recent installments. However, all of the bells and whistles look a lot less shiny when you realize that they came at a cost, with content being cut. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is an excellent remake that's held back from being truly great by rejecting its past and shedding its "flaws".

Even with most of these issues, I still had fun with the game. It’s charming and super addicting to just start a new run the second you fail. Without a doubt, a highlight of 2025 that I will continue to enjoy for quite a while.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake: Destiny and Strategy Expansion Pack is exactly what longtime fans expect from a Koei Tecmo Power-Up Kit. The Turning Point system, Gems, and new commands add meaningful strategic layers without overcomplicating the formula, while the Chinese voice acting is a welcome addition for immersion. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but I do not feel it needed to. This is now the definitive way to experience ROTK8 Remake.

Dark Auction is a clever game with a great message, a beautiful artstyle and aesthetic, and a memorable cast of characters. The game does falters at times with its portrayal of memories, since the images and artwork that were used clash with the Kohske’s established artstyle. Whether on purpose or unintentionally, this design choice can break immersion when it really matters, especially with an ADV title depends on consistency. I still thoroughly enjoy Dark Auction for what it brings, and for an ADV, it nails its story, character artwork, soundtrack, and general vibe quite well.

If anything, I’m most interested in seeing what’s next for Room410. As the developer’s first project, there are several strong ideas here that can be built upon in a future game, alongside clear areas for improvement.

If you’re a fan of the roguelite genre, the Armored Core games, or mechs as a whole, then Vital Shell is absolutely worth it, especially when you consider the price. It’s a great time for those who are fond of the games and genres that inspired it. It’s just a shame that, at the end of the day, it comes up short compared to a lot of the best roguelite games of the last few years.

MOCHI-O is a cute but short tower defense game. The art is great, and I was honestly impressed at how much I enjoyed the story. However, its core gameplay gets old really quickly. After a while, you stop playing the game and just sit back while your screen becomes full of visual noise. It can still be fun in short bursts, but I won't be coming back to it for quite a while.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is an absolute joy to play on Nintendo Switch 2. This fantastic RPG is filled with memorable characters, a fantastic narrative, and an engaging combat system that's almost impossible to put down. The game runs great and looks excellent, with performance consistent at 30 FPS. While some visuals can appear grainy due to heavy DLSS usage, it's a small trade-off for having this wonderful game on the go.

Solitary in the Library is an indie horror game with immense passion behind it. Its impressive psychological elements and fully dubbed Japanese voiceover are excellent, offering an atmosphere that will keep you captivated til the end. Some animations and narrative elements could be improved, but in the end, this experimental horror game is worth your time.

Code Violet is the worst game I've ever played. The narrative lacks any substance, and all of the characters are devoid of any personality. Further, all of the female characters are written to be mere objects designed for nothing more than sex appeal, which goes double for the protagonist. The gameplay and presentation are also extremely lifeless and boring, with neither having any redeeming qualities. Considering the game is $50, all I can say is this: do not buy this game.

Arknights: Endfield is undeniably a visual masterclass with an easy to learn but fun to master combat system and world to explore. However, it struggles with pacing by throwing tutorial after tutorial at you with its overly complicated base-building and factory mechanics.

Dynasty Warriors has always focused on Shu, Wu, Wei, and Jin, but the "Other" factions have always been my favorite. For two decades, I have waited for the chance to join the campaign alongside Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, and Lu Bu. Visions of Four Heroes finally gives these characters their own stories, and the "what if" scenarios actually deliver. Omega Force also threw in three new companions, the Bow and Rope Dart as new weapons, and a Training Ground mode that should have been in the base game from the start. At $34.99, this is worth it. If you already love Origins, just buy it.

Although it arrived rather late, the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Dynasty Warriors: Origins provides a solid experience for those who have yet to try out the title and want a convenient way to play on the go. Though I have some minor gripes, none of them came close to completely soiling the experience.

BrokenLore: Unfollow is a short and sweet horror title all about the ills of social media and parasocial relationships. While it doesn't exactly introduce any bold new ideas and the frequency of jumpscares are a bit infuriating, the great portrayal of a theme that has been done to death, unique concepts in the narrative and gameplay, fun exploration, and replayability make it a great time for any fans of the horror genre.