Knockout Home Fitness is a mostly well-built fitness game that, when played as intended at least, I definitely feel offers an effective workout routine and is fun and engaging. It’s not trying to be a game like Ring Fit Adventure, but that’s fine; for what it is, it does a good job of it. However, the game’s weakness lies in its apparent failure to make full use of the available technology of the Nintendo Switch system. Because of this, the game has to simply trust that you’re doing everything when it calculates your calories burned. For most people, I admit this won’t be a problem, since anyone who buys this is probably interested in getting an actual workout rather than cheating it. But the game could have definitely benefited from tech that it didn’t fully utilize. Knockout Home Fitness is both effective and reasonably fun in spite of this, so it is recommendable as long as you approach it as the fitness program it is supposed to be.

The fact that Sludge Life 2 exists at all is still a pleasant surprise, and both games are experiences worth firing up if you’re looking for something a little less overproduced and something unafraid to just say “Let’s do our own thing and let it loose on the world.” While the sequel doesn’t do anything drastically different, it does enough to justify its existence and is something that’s as competent as its predecessor. It’s a grimy good time, and it’s something I think fans of weird games can pull up and appreciate for what it is. Ciggy City might be bigger, but it still has a rebellious heart that should satisfy those seeking something a bit more out there in their gaming lives.

In the end, Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is an absolutely solid action platformer. Annoyances at needing to go through a second time aside, I genuinely enjoyed the stages, the characters were amusing, and each new sub-weapon altered my approach to combat in ways that kept things fresh. There’s a lot of heart and soul poured into the details, it’s one of those retro titles that truly remembers what made those classics fun in the first place. There’s a few small issues here and there that keep it from being truly amazing, but it’s certainly worth your time.

This is a game that brushes up against a lot of different genres without diving too deeply into any of them, and some players are going to either clock out from that or find that they like one or two parts but not all three. It is kind of a weird game and it is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But if the idea of the game sounds interesting to you? Hey, this is a classic remastered and improved, and it’s well worth the asking price.

Considering the largely uncharted waters (sorry) of the shark simulator genre, it is hard to fault Maneater for its flaws. On the other hand, open world design has been a staple of gaming for over a decade and it is a shame to see such repetitive quest design. Along with a few too many claustrophobic environments, I have a hard time giving Maneater a blanket recommendation. That being said, I had a lot of fun playing it, and I think there is a lot to like if you can deal with a few annoyances.

This is a pretty solid collection of little games that are in many ways frozen in amber from a specific time in gaming history. This isn’t going to make a huge fan out of anyone, but if you’re in the mood for some classic 16-bit shooter fun, this’ll deliver.

When you get down to brass tacks, Fire Tonight won’t be blowing anyone’s doors off. I don’t think that was the goal, either. But just because it’s a compact experience doesn’t mean that it’s an unpleasant one. The entire package is a brisk, cute, and enjoyable time. The solid presentation, the simple but decent gameplay, and the personality throughout help soften the blow of the overall length. There are worse ways to spend an hour, and helping a couple reunite for safety’s sake isn’t a bad way to kill some time at home or on the go.

If it weren’t clear by this point, I did not care for Card-en-Ciel as an aggregate. Not because it’s a bad game, because the core game parts are actually pretty good… but every single part around that game makes me not want to bother engaging with it any further. I like the ideas on display but I also do not want to play this game. The annoying stuff makes it feel actively hostile and unappealing. It’s easier to just not. That’s kind of a shame, and I suspect – or hope – there are people who can look past the melange of stylistic issues that made me dislike the game and enjoy the pretty good card battles at the heart of the title. But for me? I just wanted to be done with it. If you like card battling, I hope you either like the style or can overlook a lot of potential irritations.

Scorn is still a journey worth taking for its appearance and environments alone, but I would have traded away every single repetitive combat encounter for just one more puzzle to sink my teeth into.

Overall, this remake of Destroy All Humans is essentially the 2005 original with a fresh coat of paint and a few tweaks, and it carries over everything, warts and all. While there are definitely some frustrations in the gameplay mechanics, taken as a whole, the game holds up surprisingly well.

Overall, I would recommend this title…just maybe wait until the official English patch releases. It’s cute, has good art, and the characters and stories are likable enough to where you won’t feel like you wasted your time. The romance can feel sweet and hard-earned in some routes, but you always end up feeling glad you got to know the characters, and for a visual novel that’s all you can hope for in the end even if the path is bumpy.

Really, Hella Remastered is probably the best example of a video game that knows that it’s a video game and runs with it to the point where it almost falls off a cliff. The involvement and expertise of Mikami and Suda prevents it from careening towards the ground, but it’s still a solid game at the end of the day. The gameplay has aged surprisingly well, and the visuals have finally outgrown the limitations of its seventh generation console bretheren. Just be sure to leave any high brow notions at the door and enjoy the ride.

TRON: Catalyst is a good example of an acceptable licensed game experience, and punches well above its weight. The sum of its parts may not win any awards for having any sort of wow factor, but Bithell Games understood the assignment and gave fans something worth playing through. It may not be the most complicated game on the planet, but it’s a good example of a solid indie game experience as well as a good licensed game in its own right. Exo’s adventure is well worth a playthrough, and fans can breathe easy knowing that this romp in the Arq Grid is an experience worthy of the TRON name. Jumping into this Grid is a perfectly acceptable entry, but you might want to go in with tempered expectations.

Fans of tower defense games and JRPGs should give this game a look, because it’s at once inventive and satisfying. It’s not flawless, but I’ve played big-budget games this year that didn’t have half the heart or originality that this little game has.

When I walked away from my preview of Ra Ra Boom I was thinking that if the game cleaned up some of the preview-build jank, refined a couple of elements, and didn’t muck with the fun parts, it’d be a winner. And that’s exactly what happened.

A Juggler’s Tale tried to do a lot for a two-hour game, and while that’s not always a bad thing, I wish it had instead just focused on one thing and perfected it rather than throwing so much at me and having none of it land. I also came across a glitch where one of the cutscenes kept causing everything on my screen to freeze. I was eventually able to move past it but this particular issue, coupled with the terrible lighting and clunky controls, made playing through this game feel like a chore.

It’s clear they tried. I love the art direction, they tried to pull off something more original towards the end, and the little optional things you can interact with are fun and whimsical. I’d love to see where they go in the future, but I cannot deny that this is a fairly flawed title.

I admittedly haven’t played any of the older Star Ocean games from back at the peak of its popularity, so I can’t say for certain whether Divine Force is a return to form. But for fans disappointed with the previous entry, there’s plenty here to make a dive back into the franchise worthwhile. Here’s hoping tri-Ace gets another shot with a bigger budget next time, because I believe they’re on an upswing.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is an odd game that you will either really like and have a lot of fun with or it is going to frustrate the heck out of you, but I think ultimately I have to err on the side of it trying new things even if I don’t think it totally sticks the landing. Take that with the appropriate header.

All in all, I wouldn’t completely label this game as not worth playing, but I do suggest tempering your expectations so that there is minimal disappointment as you progress through the story. That isn’t to say I regret playing it, but I don’t think I would’ve missed much if I hadn’t.

Everything about 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is above board (except maybe the title). While it doesn’t bear the name of some famous franchise, everything about it possesses high quality and I definitely had a good time playing it. This game is a solid pick-up for beat-’em-up fans, particularly if you can find a friend to play with. Give it a play, and unleash your inner monk.

Scarf is an endearing experience. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve and doesn’t shatter the genre’s conventions with innovative ideas, but still finds enough sure footing to set itself apart from its contemporaries. Moreover, an unsurprising story and a few instances of intentional time-wasters in puzzles aren’t enough to lessen the benefits of its brisk pace and variety of gorgeous environments. It may not hit the highest highs of the genre, but if you’re in the mood for an atmospheric puzzle platformer, you could do much worse.

Gordian Quest is a straightforward and fun game. I liked it all while I played. But I also kept wishing I was playing on my PC, which is… probably the game’s biggest weakness. It feels like a PC game ported to a console (which, let’s be real, it is) and it is a bit limited as a result of that. However, if you want the game in portable form and don’t have (or want) a Steam Deck? It’s a great addition. Sure, you will have to wrestle with the game’s interface a little bit and there will be the odd moment where you feel like something should have worked but you couldn’t see a bit of text that indicated otherwise. But the game is good enough that a bit of interface jank hardly pulls it down, in the end.

I’m told from other people who’ve played ArcRunner on PC that the game is a lot better in multiplayer. I believe it, but I don’t really consider that a saving grace. Any game is more fun in multiplayer; the whole point of a game that is not always online is that it can be played solo. That’s part of the point. As it stands, ArcRunner is not a bad game. I don’t think it’s truly dire by any stretch of the imagination, even with the font being kind of awful. But it’s just not a very good game either. It’s fine. And just fine doesn’t get much more than a tepid recommendation. There are a lot of games in this genre, and a lot of those are more fun to play with.

All in all, I have to say that, while brutally difficult for me, Monster Supercross 4 was still a lot of fun to play because of the overall quality and completeness of the experience. The game is a thrill, that much is certain. I imagine fans from the previous entries and people who real know their Supercross are past the learning curve and will get into this game instantly. While the experience is epic, even for a total noob at realistic sports games like me, I have to dock points for the rough on-boarding experience in this otherwise excellent title. A persistent beginner will have the game grow on them and potentially make them an even bigger Supercross fan. But if you’re totally new and curious about the sport, the weak tutorial and lack of explanation of terms in the sport is a significant barrier.

For people who are really big fans of games that are light horror/adventure game mixes – games like the long list of RPG Maker titles that are clearly meant to be primarily horror titles with some inventory puzzles like Ib or The Witch’s House, for example – I think this game is going to really sing. However, for a lot of other players, the mix isn’t quite going to carry a tune. That’s not a bad thing, and the game knows what it wants to be, but it does mean that the game is perhaps as unwelcoming as its title might suggest.

All in all, this was actually a very bittersweet review for me. I am a huge Rune Factory fan and have been excitedly waiting for this new entry in the series. Unfortunately, I can’t say that it met my expectations. The good news is Rune Factory 5 is a familiar experience for those who are used to the genre. The love interests are a bit cringy, and it has god-awful graphics, but if you have a bit of patience and don’t nitpick as much as I do, it will be a mostly enjoyable experience. The combat is easy enough to get into, there are a ton of things to do, and some of the supporting cast will make you smile. I clocked about 64 hours into this game and I’m pretty sure I could have done more, so it’s at least a bang for its buck if anything. I’m just hoping that if Marvelous Inc. makes us wait another ten years for a new entry, it is of a higher quality.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a pleasant callback to yesteryear, with just enough changed to keep it from simply retreading old ground. It is a little short if one charges through, points be damned, but it’s still several hours long at least. Those who prefer complex plots and modern design may be a bit disappointed, but anyone who likes a more arcadey sort of game should enjoy it.