Before beginning to play Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed, plans to write a screed defending the game while poking fun at the pure stupidity of the gameplay were already in motion. The assumption was that I would adore it the same way I did other games in the series. Instead, Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed is a buggy port of a PSP game with uprezzed geometry, character models and CG cutscenes. Everything else screams of a barebones or incomplete effort. For completionists, it’s cool to have the missing piece finally available in English. Actually playing the game, though, is simply not recommended. If the idea of killing vampires by ruining their outfits sounds intriguing, and it should, check out Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed. It’s simply a superior experience.

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a fantastic metroidvania. It doesn’t do anything to revolutionize the genre, but it does excel at creating at creating a memorable experience that follows the familiar metroidvania template while still being unique. The visual style and amazing soundtrack complement each other well, creating a sense of tranquility in a desolate and horrific world. The challenge hits that sweet spot where the difficulty is high but victory is never out of reach, learning the enemy behaviors and getting an understanding of the collected abilities will allows players who persist to see the story to its end. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a must play for fans of the genre as it’s simply one of the best metroidvanias ever developed.

Cotton Reboot! is a fantastic re-imagining of a classic side-scrolling shooter. It looks and sounds better than ever and thanks to being able to switch between soundtracks, players can enjoy whichever audio experience they prefer. Including the original game’s X6800 port is a nice move and makes this a fantastic value for anyone looking to see what made the series so beloved in its heyday and still enjoy a redone experience too. There are a couple of issues with blind spots that haven’t been fully addressed, but the overall forgiving game design makes Cotton Reboot! a fantastic pickup for those who either already love side-scrolling shooters or for those who want to get into them, but just need something that’s more forgiving to fully enjoy the genre.

Indigo 7: Quest for Love’s puzzle formula is engaging and manages to be a mix of easy to learn, but tricky to master. It’s not an all-time great game, but it’s well-crafted and has a lot of heart. The comedy hits far more than it misses and the story mode is a riot to see unfold and use as a learning tool. Given how great the experience is with multiplayer, it’s a shame online play isn’t featured — but hopefully that’s something that can be added in later on. As it stands, Indigo 7 a great game and a fantastic value for the money.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a great game that maintains enough elements of previous Ys games so that longtime fans will feel at home while the Monstrum gifts breathe new life into the gameplay. This is a must-play for fans of the series or action JRPGs in general, but while the hardware limitations of the Switch do not ruin the game or make it unplayable, they have been sources of frustration that take some of the fun away from the experience. Handheld mode suffers from muddier graphics, tiny text and the occasional massive framerate plummet during a boss battle. If playing Ys IX: Monstrum Nox on the go is essential, the Switch version is serviceable enough where the headaches from the performance issues don’t outweigh the positive aspects, but if it’s an option, the PlayStation 4 version is the superior way to experience Ys IX.

There either isn’t enough focus on the story to engage you or the racing focus is held back by the unattainable challenges and grind that comes with progressing. My Team is largely the same and if you paid more for the legendary drivers, you’ll be selecting one of those seven as a teammate at a time and won’t be using them in any other mode. The removal of Classic Mode and the ability to race as a current F1 driver in any mode outside of Grand Prix is disheartening and the fact that this information wasn’t made readily available to potential buyers isn’t good. Hopefully the issues with the AI can be patched as the actual racing and car physics are still excellent. There was a lot of opportunity for F1 2021, and on top of three circuits on this year’s calendar not being readily available for launch, there’s a lot left on the table for the current generation premiere of the series.

For fans of the first title this one is a must-have to dive into so much more, while those interested for the very first time need not worry as nothing will be missed by picking up this sequel as the first entry. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an absolute joy with near endless amounts of fun to sink many hours into.

While not the most substantial of releases, even in the context of this sub-genre of theme-injected side-scrolling platformers, one can’t help but hope to have discovered more in an experience like this. The origin of some parts and the reasons for others; strong and as impactful its opening remains, the game’s eventual unraveling sadly falls short of delivering on that early, promising, cleverly-distorted appearance. Pleasant that visual style and detail with its imagery remains throughout — a couple of instances where that combining of color and complexity does strike one or two favorable moments — Minute of Islands‘ unaltered, more-of-the-same approach to everything other than its imagery feels fated to be easily forgotten the moment the credits roll.

Overboard! is one of the year’s most delightful surprises so far, a terrific reverse murder mystery with several twists and turns around every corner, and one that can still put up a notable challenge as you try to figure out every possible step towards getting Veronica off the hook and on the path to a life of luxury instead. A mix of sharp writing, clever puzzles and simple yet effective gameplay results in a killer experience that will leave you coming back for more.

Mario Golf: Super Rush strengthens the core gameplay with its faster pace and strong fundamentals, but the barebones package will likely leave players wanting more. Even with the additions of Speed and Battle Golf that offer fun alternatives to the traditional mode, the lack of a reliable online multiplayer experience and a mediocre story campaign leaves little for a solo player to get invested in without some local friends to play with. Super Rush has clearly put a focus on quality over quantity, with its stellar presentation and refined mechanics making it another excellent entry in the series that diehards are sure to enjoy. But until the technical issues get ironed out and more DLC characters and courses get added on down the line, Super Rush will have a hard time standing alongside some of the Switch’s other multiplayer juggernauts.

Unbalanced, chaotic and a mess, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny pushes the franchise in the wrong direction. There are glimmers of excellence, but it all comes together in such a disheartening package.

Who’s to say what the real, developer-side cause is for Scarlet Nexus’ failings. What was already a mammoth undertaking in crafting a competent-enough hack-and-slash action game that could muscle its way into the spotlight, Bandai Namco’s latest in-house creation is not just inadequate in appeasing long-time fans of the genre, but worse, comes across ignorant of its own player’s time.

Legend of Mana was already a fantastic experience when it first released, and this brand new HD release has helped make it all the more endearing. While the unique story structure can make it confusing to approach at first, the brilliant, funny and charming writing cannot be denied.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade won’t make the wait for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part II any easier, but it does at least make its best moments look and play better than before.

While INTERmission doesn’t push the overarching VII Remake narrative forward, it’s a fun slice of content that delves deeper into VII Remake’s world.

While the content is short sighted with Chivalry 2, the improvements over its predecessor make it a much better experience. As of today, developer Torn Banner Studios has promised that the content in the game will double. The combat is fun and the draw to keep playing is to level up each subclass, while the archer provides a good change of pace. This is an excellent title to play a couple of rounds and come back to at another date. Those that want to grind and get skilled have the chance to do this. For PC players, the keyboard and mouse combo works well with the combat mechanics. As more and more content comes to the game including gameplay improvements, the experience should only improve. Either way, it’s hard to put the game down.

Musicus! might not be the best game from Overdrive, but it’s high on the list. The sad thing about this release is it’s the last game that Overdrive will release. The company has always worked toward creating games they want to make, rather than focusing on popular trends that will sell the best. Their commitment to their own ideals allowed them to produce yet another excellent visual novel. Fans owe it to themselves to pick this one up. Those who have yet to play an Overdrive game should also look into this title. Musicus! is a wonderful visual novel with flamboyant characters, awesome music and an enjoyable and emotional story that you won’t soon forget.

Edge of Eternity is a love letter to classic Final Fantasy and Xenoblade games. It doesn’t live up to the level of its influences, but given the small team and limited resources, it’s an impressive attempt. The story does rely on tropes and the characters aren’t all that likeable, and while the game comes close to reaching its ambitious goals, it never reaches its full potential. It does scratch the JRPG itch and fans of the games that influenced it will likely get a lot of enjoyment from Edge of Eternity, but ultimately it’s a good but not great JRPG.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection comes off more like a series of up-ressed ports than a definitive collection of classic titles. It’s a good thing that the three included games are fun because Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection isn’t that masterful.

Those holding out for a showpiece title for their PS5 now have it. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart utilizes the power and functionalities of the PS5 to deliver a must-own experience while also standing as an excellent game on its own. Rift Apart follows Insomniac Games’ tried and true Ratchet & Clank formula, providing excellent gameplay, plenty of content and the signature humor that’s made the characters so endearing.

Even if it’s brief and falters during the third act, there’s no denying that Backbone is a truly gorgeous and captivating adventure, with an engrossing world that you’ll want to see even more of. It’s a unique mystery with a cast of amazing anthropomorphic animals that ends up going places players won’t expect, and it’s also one that’s likely worth revisiting after you’ve finished. There’s just a lot in here that truly excels in creating a unique twist on noir classics, and EggNut should pat themselves on the back for giving us another detective game that proves why many of them prefer to take the offbeat routes these days.

Guilty Gear Strive proves there’s still some fight left in 2D gaming. Between the gorgeous visuals, rocking soundtrack and highly-polished gameplay, Guilty Gear Strive delivers the total package when it comes to making a great fighting game and is one of the best modern 2D fighters. A lot of care went into making this a contender for gaining a strong online presence, but the developers also didn’t skimp on single player content. The cinematic approach to the story mode was an unusual choice, but something longtime Guilty Gear fans will likely appreciate the opportunity to sit back and watch the story unfold in a visually-stunning cinematic experience. Guilty Gear Strive makes subtle tweaks, but for the most part follows the formula that made previous entries great.

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a tough, but fair NES-inspired Metroidvania that tests your mettle and makes it worthwhile. Each of the three playable characters is fun to use and the gradual difficulty curve makes it easy to learn from trial and error and succeed more with each new run. It controls wonderfully, looks great, and has impressive sound design too. Beyond just a killer chiptune soundtrack, there are subtle touches to the sound design that help put this above a lot of NES-inspired games on the market over the past decade. Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a must-play for anyone with a love for 8-bit gaming, or Metroidvanias.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown seems lacking for a game having the word “ultimate” in its title. On one hand the fighting system is every bit as great as fans of the series remember and with regular online matches and the Room Matches players who love taking the fight online can have countless hours of fun. Unfortunately, players looking for some solo time with it are left out in the cold. Restoring the Quest mode from the original Virtua Fighter 5 would have helped make this feel like the definitive Virtua Fighter 5 experience. Instead we have a budget game that feels like a budget game which is a shame because what’s included is fantastic, but still seems incomplete. Unfortunately, the Arcade mode is only enjoyable for so long and without other offline options the amount of time someone wants to fight online is the main determining factor on how much mileage a player will get from Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown.

Stonefly had all of the right parts to create an impressive and cool-looking machine, but unlike its heroine, it wasn’t able to fully assemble them properly. The end result is an ambitious journey that has a lot of moments worth checking out, but quickly begins to grow tiresome thanks to overly-repetitive combat, backtracking and grinding. Stonefly is a game with a lot of terrific concepts, but unfortunately undermines them by stretching things out in various ways. Come for the journeys across breathtaking bits of nature, leave when it comes to the combat.

There’s still a lot to do — so far as amendments to the overall flow, as much base content to warrant the grind to get there — but Hood: Outlaws & Legends has at least found a way to fit sufficiently, if not entirely successfully, into the PvPvE mold.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World improves upon Monster World IV in every way. The gameplay flow is more organic and modern, and the remake feels like a full-on modern game instead of a modern-looking game over the top of an older game’s shell. It’s impressive to see how much more fun this version of the game is to play than the original — and the original release is no slouch — but the developers have taken great care to keep everything that made it work and improve upon it. It plays better, looks better, sounds better and is a more cohesive experience now than it ever was before. Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is one of the finest 2D side-scrolling platformers on the market and the best remake of a classic game in quite some time.

It’s both an astonishing and exciting time in gaming to see Nintendo willing to dig into their archives and bring back a retro adventure title. It’s even more exciting that they took the time to release a full-on remake. With that said, there are still elements of the game such as the menu control that feel antiquated today. So much so that it will likely turn off players who weren’t expecting it or have no familiarity with this era of gameplay. Those interested in playing an older style adventure game will be pleased with Famicom Detective Club’s twists and turns.