Tales of Graces f Remastered proves that the “power of friendship” can still hit home when done right. While it may stumble with its well-worn plot, its characters and their interactions elevate the experience beyond typical JRPG tropes. Combine this with a combat that’s deeply satisfying and quality-of-life features that breathe new life into each playthrough, and you’ve got a remaster that’s genuinely enjoyable in its own right.

Turning Zephyr Town’s market from a ghost of its former self into the liveliest bazaar on the continent is as rewarding as it is repetitive in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar. The weekly loop can drag in places, especially early on when inventory limits and the backtracking make the grind feel heavier than it should. Yet, this is a game that's easy to fall for. Between the quirky cast, the calming routine of tending to your farm, and the joy of seeing your hard work pay off in the town's revival, it's a cozy and occasionally frustrating game that's hard not to enjoy once the market starts bustling.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana revives a classic with smart updates, keeping its fast-paced action and challenge intact. While some elements show their age, the core adventure remains timeless, making it a must-play for both veterans and newcomers alike.

Threefold Recital is an adventure-visual novel type of game with a compelling storyline, likeable characters, and engaging gameplay that will keep you on the edge of your seat for more. It has the power to get you laughing at one point from the humorous interactions between characters, while also having that strong shock factor from twists and turns that slowly unfold as you progress through the individual chapters. It’s easy to get lost in the world of Threefold Recital and the city of Bluescales along with its characters—but its weakness lies in its slow pacing, and small translation errors that momentarily take you out from the fantasy.

Were it not burdened by the legacy of its predecessor nor limited by its thin RPG systems, Bloodlines 2 would shine as a strong, story-driven action experience set in the haunting world of Seattle’s undead. It’s stylish, immersive, and confident in its own dark identity—flawed, yes, but captivating all the same.

Keeper is a gentle, contemplative journey that may start slow but soon unfolds into something deeply moving. It’s a game that embraces simplicity, weaving emotion through its world, puzzles, and breathtaking artistry. While a few aspects could shine brighter, what it delivers is far more lasting: a meditative experience that rewards curiosity, reflection, and heart. It’s a strange, beautiful adventure about connection and metamorphosis.

It’s no surprise this game has been eagerly awaited for its full release. After years as a standout early-access title, it has matured into an RTS experience worth celebrating. With its polished mechanics, diverse playstyles, challenging yet fair difficulty, and a generous dose of stellar art direction and production value, it’s everything an early-access game aspires to become. If you’re ready to rise to the challenge, this game promises one unforgettable ride from start to finish.

If what you’re after isn’t the bone-chilling horror its trailers might’ve promised but rather a well-crafted roguelike deckbuilder, Chaos Zero Nightmare is absolutely worth diving into. Its mechanics are strong, though sometimes unclear and mildly exasperating, and its audiovisual presentation is nothing short of captivating. Sure, it’s still a gacha game, but in a genre like this, the constant influx of new characters and content keeps things exciting, no matter how you get them.

Atelier Resleriana makes up for its uneven storytelling with surprisingly deep gameplay and strong audiovisuals. But it’s also clear the game cut a few corners to cram in so many returning protagonists, and that comes at the cost of building a new world that feels fresh. What you get instead is a story that leans heavily on nostalgia, which can feel flat if you’re not here for the reunion tour.

Despite a few pacing issues, some uneven character writing, and occasional frustrations with backtracking, Sea of Stars succeeds where it matters most: it consistently makes the adventure feel fun to experience. The combat remains engaging, exploration rewards curiosity, and the mobile port itself is polished so that it doesn’t feel like a downgraded version of the original release.

Blue Prince is a subtle yet deeply satisfying puzzle game that invites you to slow down, think carefully, and unravel its mysteries one thoughtful step at a time, guiding you through a beautiful, tangled labyrinth of your own creation.

Kotama and Academy Citadel stands out as a cheerful counterpoint to a genre that’s lately leaned hard into gloom and grit. It’s also my latest addiction; a consistently enjoyable trip whether you’re experiencing it at its highest highs or pushing through its most frustrating lows. As a bonus, it’s also shockingly affordable for just how much visual flair it brings to the table.

Revenge of the Savage Planet is a fun action-adventure game with Metroidvania elements that features a variety of gameplay mechanics, all put together with a generous sprinkling of humor. While it still needs some polishing with control buttons and subtitles, Revenge of the Savage Planet still delivers an enjoyable space adventure out in the stars.

Invincible VS is a great tag fighter that utilizes the franchise’s identity to a remarkable level. Its top-notch presentation, noticeable competitive depth, and easy-to-grasp approachability make it a game worth playing for fans of the series and the genre alike. It still hasn’t quite reached its final form just yet, but it has the potential to become truly Invincible.

Two Point Museum is an awesome management sim with a horrible port. It's held back by a myriad of optimization issues, graphical bugs, and missed opportunities to show off the upgrades the Switch 2 has.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is nostalgic fever dream that is an upgrade in more ways than one, despite it not being completely faithful to the original games.

You’ve got to give it to Masahiro Sakurai for taking a deceptively simple concept and turning it into something so engaging. Between the different game modes and the variety of challenges within each, there’s almost always something to figure out or experiment with. The gameplay can get hectic quickly, but that’s part of its appeal. With the new Road Trip mode adding a sense of progression, even if the story itself doesn’t quite grab you, Kirby Air Riders is a game where even a single race can leave you grinning and thinking about the next one.

Even though an 8/10 may sound like a solid score, that's actually lower than it could have gotten if it had been polished even further. Sure, the gameplay is nice and the story's very compelling; but with the backdrop of a horribly dumb enemy AI and its terrible performance issues, Code Vein 2 on release is at its worst.

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a gritty, action-packed expansion that builds on the brutal satisfaction of the original. While it's a bit easier and has its fair share of bugs, it still powerfully captures what matters most—feeling like RoboCop in all his relentless, law-enforcing glory.

Debauched. Depraved. Excessive. These three words capture the heart of Sultan’s Game. It’s a captivating kind of suffering, far more intricate than it seems. If you can stomach wielding power this twisted, it’s a descent worth taking.

Bandai Namco is now two for two when it comes to bringing back old Tales of games. Xillia Remastered smooths out many of the original’s frustrating bits with smart quality-of-life improvements that make revisiting Rieze Maxia feel more comfortable than it ever was on the PS3. However, this fidelity means that the original game’s shortcomings are still present; its implementation of dual protagonists feel uneven, and exploration can be linear or even bland at times. Fortunately, these flaws are offset by a good narrative bolstered by a memorable cast of strong characters and their heartfelt interactions. Even with its dated quirks, this is still a well-done remaster that shows respect for the original game and for the fans who loved it back in 2013.

Capcom is back at it again by re-releasing eight classic arcade fighting games to current-gen systems along with huge quality-of-life improvements and online matchmaking functionality.

Clunky though its controls and feel may be, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is a strong entry in a series famous for never taking itself—or anything, really—too seriously. It’s packed with tasteful fanservice, overblown hijinks, the occasional cringe, plenty of funny punchlines, and, of course, the gorgeous character designs the series is known for. Unfortunately, its mechanical shortcomings keep it from being a good starting point for newcomers to the franchise.

KARMA: The Dark World builds fear through disorientation, uncertainty, and mental manipulation. It’s a game that forces you to piece together a reality that refuses to stay still, all while questioning whether you are uncovering the truth, or simply losing your mind. KARMA delivers gripping psychological horror through mind-dives, oppressive world-building, and a haunting soundscape. While occasional technical hiccups detract slightly, they don’t overshadow the game’s unsettling atmosphere and strong narrative ambition.

Like with many Musou games before it, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment sticks to the tried-and-true formula, just under a Zelda-themed coat of paint. It’s not going to reinvent the genre or add major new lore to Tears of the Kingdom, and the repetitiveness and occasionally poor AI hold it back. Even so, the combat is really fun. The new mechanics added here are a nice touch, and it’s easy to get drawn into missions far longer than you’d expect.

MOTORSLICE is one of those games that will surprise you, in a good way. The satisfying platforming, combined with its presentation, music, and immersion, makes it a completely different vibe. Certain elements, like its combat and lack of replayability, leave much to be desired, but it’s undeniable that it’s interesting and engaging from the title screen all the way through the end.

Seven Knights Re:Birth faithfully revives the original with sharper storytelling, deeper team-building, and a modern audiovisual overhaul that makes its characters and battles shine like it once did. Though it does have issues in its uneven pacing and a problematic gacha system, the latter is softened somewhat by good-value bundles and unlimited farming potential. Flawed as it may be, it’s still a worthy successor that both longtime fans and curious newcomers can enjoy.

Date Everything is a quirky and fun dating simulator with the intriguing concept of dating inanimate objects. The 100 characters you meet are what makes the game entertaining, from their well-done voice lines to their unique character designs, all coming together with the odd but unpredictable and compelling overarching plot and individual storylines. However, it is marred by a few technical lapses and continuity issues that can break immersion somewhat.