Tales of Seikyu is a lovely addition to the farming sim genre that you’ll quickly yet quietly become a part of before you’re even aware you were dragged down into its coziness in the first place. It features everything fans of the genre love about farming sims while adding in fun features like shapeshifting, among others. But where Tales of Seikyu really shines is in its ability to make players truly feel they are an integral part of Seikyu’s village, that their actions matter to its inhabitants, and that they’re doing something worthwhile.

Despite my frustration with the aforementioned issues, Starbites is still one of my favorite recent JRPG adventures. Yes, it was a bit muddy and glitchy on Nintendo Switch. But it’s also incredibly charming, fun, and full of retro flair.

Honestly, Vultures – Scavengers of Death feels like a survival horror game made just for me. I love the mixture of tactics and retro style, and find the game offers a robust challenge without feeling completely overwhelming. Yes, the tactics can diminish the terror, but it’s never totally gone. If you’re at all a fan of the genre, I’d definitely check Vultures out.

If you have spent years waiting for a Bond game worth clearing a weekend for, 007 First Light is it. IO Interactive understood the assignment every other Bond game didn’t: the fantasy is the spycraft, not the shooting.

Ultimately, the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a lot more compromised than the port its predecessor received a few months ago. That doesn’t change the fact that this is an absolutely stunning game overall and likely the best game the series has produced in the last fifteen years. If you have the option to play it on another piece of hardware, I’d recommend doing so, but players who can only access it on the Switch 2 will still have a great time as long as the pop-in doesn’t bother them too much.

All things considered, though, I still think RoadOut is a great adventure. Sure, the controls can be tricky sometimes, and the reputation system is a hassle. But if you can look past those, there’s an inventive and energetic game that mixes Zelda with post-apocalyptic fervor. If you’re willing to give it a chance, this is one drive through the wastelands you don’t want to neglect.

I can’t help but rave about Moonsigil Atlas. It’s a truly innovative rogue-like deckbuilder with a compelling visual style, great sound and unique space-based gameplay. While I would love to play it on consoles, this is one PC exclusive that demands fans of the genre and newcomers alike check it out.

Fans of the genre aren’t going to find anything particularly new in Psyvariar 3, but I’m okay with that when we haven’t had an entry in the series in more than twenty years. Instead, it’s just going to provide more of what they love, and the team here has captured that incredibly well. If you’re new to the series, it also stands out nicely from other games in the genre. Either way, Psyvariar 3 is a SHMUP worth your time.

Ultimately, Mara’s story is so relatable, and the ending hits so well that anyone open to games of this nature should absolutely check it out. You don’t even need to have played the original; Station to Station does enough to fill you in on the first Perfect Tides, even if playing both will provide a few moments of recognition. I immensely enjoyed getting to see Mara continue to grow up, and I hope that a few years down the road we get the chance to see what the next chapter of her life looks like. I have a feeling she’ll still be making plenty of mistakes but also still learning and growing from them.

Ultimately, that’s what really made Mina the Hollower for me. The more I explored this world, the more things I found that I admired. This world is so well designed, and connected, that the fact that I don’t love certain choices the developers made doesn’t spoil the experience. This is a fantastic game, but one that you do have to work at to see what makes it so special. It’s worth that effort, and I really hope players will stick with it and see all the wonderful things it has to offer.

When it works, Clockwork Ambrosia is a ton of fun and feels like a pitch-perfect Metroidvania. The deep weapon modification, quirky storytelling, and SNES flair make it a blast. When things don’t work, though, it’s another thing entirely. Here’s hoping the developer is able to iron out any future bugs that arise, since they unfortunately hold this creative adventure back.

Ultimately, Coffee Talk Tokyo is exactly what fans of this series are looking for. It's smooth jazz and cozy vibes wrapped into the lives of a bunch of likable new characters. It doesn’t push the series forward in any real way, but I’m not sure it needed to. It might not quite reach the heights of the last entry in the series, but I was glad to get back behind the bar and solve a new set of problems.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t just another dose of leftovers on the Switch 2. This is a fantastic port of an already exceptional game that makes use of the Switch 2’s unique features and still looks great even in handheld mode. If you haven’t yet had the chance to take this adventure on, then this is an absolutely fantastic way to do so.

Invincible VS is a fun tag fighter with solid mechanics and does a great job of using its license to offer an experience that should satisfy fans of the show and the comic. It reminded me how much I want to go back and catch up on the show, which I hope to get to soon. I’m less confident it’s going to become a major player in the fighting game community’s tournament scene, since my favorite parts feel better suited to a more casual audience, but hopefully it finds a community that falls in love with it.

Haunted Lands is a bloody slice of shareware-era nostalgia that knows exactly what it wants to be. There are some rough edges that hold it back from greatness, but the craft is impossible to ignore, especially since it was created by one person.

I can’t think of a game that does a better job of constantly applying pressure, leaving you with an overwhelming sense of dread, than Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes. There are enough scenarios and options to keep things fresh even after dozens of runs, and I really love the combat that leaves you truly fighting for survival until the last second. This certainly isn’t a game to play to relax, but for those who want an interesting management game that offers a unique feel, you’ll find it here, whether you’re a fan of Battlestar Galactica or not.

Those issues aside, though, I truly adored Sigma Star Saga DX. It’s fun, full of great characters and storytelling, and it’s a wholly unique hybrid of top-down exploration and Shmup combat. I enjoyed this adventure so much that I truly hope we get a modern sequel. For everyone who missed out on this adventure the first time around, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. It’s one of the very best games published by WayForward.

I had a blast with The Rogue Prince of Persia. While I’ve enjoyed other games by Evil Empire, this was truly a game that showed what they’re capable of, and has me even more excited for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. This is a gorgeous, challenging, and fulfilling rogue-like adventure that’s very approachable. So even if you’re new to the franchise, this is a must-play adventure.

All things considered, though, I still had a lot of fun playing Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege. It’s a great ode to many classic NES series that plays like it was made during that era, which I suspect is the point. While the hint system is annoying and the bosses were a mixed bag, this is still a great adventure that any fan of retro games should enjoy.

I went into the review hoping for the best. And while ChainStaff is undeniably creative and visually appealing, I really wish that Mommy’s Best Games spent more time fine-tuning the gameplay, mechanics, and level design. If you’re a fan of retro-styled adventures and aren’t put off by complex gameplay, you might find this is the alien parasite you’re looking for. Less patient gamers, however, will probably want to skip this one.

That the ending is a bit unsatisfying and the game is fairly one dimensional doesn’t change that Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta offers excellent combat and a very fun story up until the end. With excellent foes, an interesting world, and unique insight into Adol’s character, this is a chapter in his life story that any fan of the series should absolutely explore. It does a satisfying job of providing a definitive take on this part of Adol’s journey.

Even though it’s too short, Dosa Divas is still an adventure I’m happy to recommend. It’s colorful, contends with some unique themes, and is all told through a colorful lens we need more of in gaming. So long as you can look past the shortcomings, this is a wonderful JRPG from Outerloop Games.

Pragmata is Capcom’s biggest swing at a new IP in years, and the wait was well worth it. Basing the entire combat loop around a real-time hacking minigame was a risk, but it stays engaging for the entire playthrough. I really hope Capcom gets to make a sequel, because there’s an amazing foundation here, and I’m not ready to leave Diana behind just yet.

I admire Pearl Abyss’ quick response to some of Crimson Desert’s issues, and I think there’s a real chance that it will eventually feel decent to play. At the moment, though, it simply doesn’t, and even with updates, I have my doubts that it will ever give me a world that’s engaging for anything more than its impressive visuals. There’s a lot to do in Crimson Desert, but so little that I actually wanted to do.

Even though it wasn’t quite a perfect experience, I’m never someone to let perfection be the enemy of the good. People of Note is a stellar adventure, with an engrossing story, nuanced characters, deep combat and incredible music. While the puzzles can be a little frustrating, the combat could be a bit more compelling and I encountered some gameplay quirks, overall this is an adventure that’s incredibly easy to recommend. Here’s looking forward to Iridium Studios’ next performance!

Toxic Commando is a solid mix of the thrills of a co-op extraction shooter and the avaricious joys of the loot n' shooter. Every level has plenty to do and goodies to collect, with a good variety between high-octane driving sections and hard-fought point defence against waves of undead. Carpenter has displayed that his action-adventure chops are just as formidable in the gaming realm as they are on the silver screen.

The core combat is still fun and fans of Scott Pilgrim will have a good time getting together and seeing all the references, but there are simply better beat ‘em ups available for you to brawl your way through.

With the making of footage in Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition underwhelming, the major selling point of this release is having access to a lot of different versions of one 30-year-old game. When the game is as fun as Rayman is that still doesn’t make for a bad package, particularly with the inclusion of all the extra level packs released in the years after it came out, but it can’t help but feel disappointing compared to many of Digital Eclipse’s stronger efforts.