SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium may not be as awe-inspiring now as it was when it released more than 20 years ago, but it’s pretty darn close. Even today, it’s hard to believe SNK was able to produce such a full-featured fighting game on their humble handheld hardware. If you’re a retro fighting game enthusiast who somehow missed out on the game when it first released, don’t make the same mistake twice. Just be sure you have a decent controller — or better yet, a proper fight stick — to go with it if you want to get the most out of your purchase.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana may not have been an essential re-release, but it’s nice to see a beloved game available to new fans, and it is absolutely the best version of the game available.

Trying to shove so many different gameplay styles for all of these guest characters was definitely ambitious and I applaud the developers for trying, but next time around I’d much rather they focus on moving this series forward and making the best Cotton game they can.

River City Girls 2 does a lot right. With fantastic presentation, an incredibly exciting soundtrack, and tons of creativity and variety, all of the elements are here for a classic beat ‘em up. Poor performance, though, really brings the experience down, being an almost constant thorn in your side. It’s by no means unplayable, and I still had a fair amount of fun along the way, but this feels like a game that wasn’t ready to release yet. Hopefully, after a few patches, we’ll be talking about it being the great game it could be, but for now, know what you’re getting yourself into.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers took a big risk giving a whole new look and feel to the EDF series, but it’s a gamble that pays off well. The more cutesy stylings and arcadey gameplay will turn off some, but many others will find it to be a fresh twist on the EDF formula. With a gigantic cast of international characters to play as, there’s plenty of chaotic joy to be had.

Performance woes aside, Unbound: Worlds Apart is easy to recommend to any fans of the Metroidvania genre. With its outstanding presentation, clever mix of puzzles and platforming, and a truly unique hook, it’s a game that will keep you glued to your controller from start to finish. So if you’re looking for an enthralling adventure into a vibrant fantasy world, look no further. Unbound: Worlds Apart is a window into a strange and fascinating realm that you’ll want to explore.

While clearly aimed at a much younger crowd, it’s so wholesome, so feel-good, that I think it’s got a very broad appeal, especially if you’re in the mood for something that’s just… cute, gentle, and sweet. With an adorable art style, cheerful music, and silly minigames, Cuddly Forest Friends is just a fun game all around. I honestly don’t think there’s an age limit on this game; give it a try if you just want something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

I honestly had a great time playing Mr. Run and Jump. There’s a variety of fun mechanics, solid platforming, and distinct challenge. That said, the challenge may be too much for some folks, and I even considered throwing my controller aside in frustration several times. If you can push through the difficulty, there’s a ton of replay value and a surprisingly humorous adventure to enjoy—a great effort from Atari, Graphite Lab, and Heavy Horse Games.

It’s been a long time since I played Chicken Wiggle, and perhaps I’ve become a more discerning gamer over the years. Because even though I was impressed by the amount of content available here and appreciate many of the new features, ultimately I gave the original game a more favorable score. This isn’t to say Hatch Tales: A Heroic Hookshot Adventure isn’t worth your time. Overall, I feel it’s more challenging than Chicken Wiggle and the amount of content is bolstered by the Level Editor. If you’re looking for something cute and enjoyable, you can’t go wrong with this.

System Shock is unapologetically old-school, keeping the core of a nearly thirty-year-old game while mainly focusing on visual and presentation upgrades with a few quality-of-life additions around the edges. While combat may not be the most exciting, exploring the maze of Citadel Station is still a fascinating time, and it’s nice to have a game get out of the way and let me put things together for myself. Some modern players may bounce off of System Shock due to its design, but those who stick with it will appreciate why it’s been so influential over the last few decades.

Dying Light: The Beast succeeds by understanding what made the original special and refining those elements rather than reinventing them. This is comfort food gaming at its finest: familiar mechanics executed with polish and focus.

Windjammers 2 will more than satisfy fans of the original who are looking to take on their friends. The gameplay is tight, wonderfully balanced, and manages to add additional depth without compromising the series’ intuitive feel. A bit of balance on the roster could still help, and I do wish we had additional single-player content to keep those who prefer to play solo coming back, but this one is still well worth your time.

While many of your actions are said to have an impact on the game, in practice, that impact is fairly minimal. It all comes together in an ending that also feels far too convenient, not seriously reckoning with much of the themes the Road 96 brings up. In the end, it feels like Road 96 doesn’t have nearly as much to say about these topics as it thinks it does. It sticks the landing when it comes to its individual characters, but much less so regarding the overarching plot. Still, those character stories are engaging, the mini-games you’re thrown into are consistently fun, and Road 96 looks and sounds great. It all makes for a trip that’s worth taking, as long as you know what to expect.

It’s been a long time coming, but Oxenfree II: Lost Signals has landed with the sense of mystery and intrigue that made the original game such a hit. The use of walkie-talkies throughout is a great source of communication, and the chemistry between Riley and Jacob brings in a sense of homeliness that’s comforting, even when the paranormal forces encroach upon you, spiralling you into their otherworldly insanity. Like the first game, it’s short and you may find yourself getting lost at times, but this is a stunningly haunting sequel that deserves your attention.

Bleak Sword DX is an absolute treat that takes the core pillars of the soulslike genre and distills them into a wonderfully moreish, action-packed adventure. The narrow focus, coupled with the unforgiving nature of the gameplay and progression loops, may put some off, but not every game has to be for everyone, and I commend the developers for sticking with the vision they clearly had. If, like me, you love soulslikes, but have found yourself feeling slightly alienated due to the scope that some of the genre’s heavy hitters bring, then I urge you to check out Bleak Sword DX and let it get its pixelated hooks into you.

Gori: Cuddly Carnage is a game that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else. It’s a chaotic, visually impressive romp filled with over-the-top violence and juvenile humor. If you’re looking for a mindless action game with a killer cat protagonist, it might just scratch that itch. However, if you’re expecting a deep story, engaging characters, or innovative gameplay, you’ll likely be disappointed. It’s a game that insists upon itself, doubling down on its particular brand of humor and spectacle whether you like it or not. For some, that might be enough, but for me, Gori: Cuddly Carnage was the kind of fun I forgot about as soon as I put the controller down.

While Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name undoubtedly suffers due to its smaller scale and a heavy reliance on the Akame Network to pad out its 12-hour story, there’s no denying how good it feels to see the Dragon of Dojima back in action – especially with the grab bag of gadgets he has at his disposal. And while this spin-off’s story is over a bit too soon, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s penchant for spinning a compelling narrative shines through, showing Kiryu at his most vulnerable and setting the stage for what’s sure to be a momentous follow-up when Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches next January.

Shut In had to grow on me. I spent an awful lot of time frustrated with it before I considered its original angle of conveying the emotions (or lack thereof) felt during quarantine, and that new perspective allowed me to look past the otherwise annoying issues. If you’re looking for a commentary on the effects of the pandemic on an already fragile psyche, Shut In just might be up your alley.

Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition will in all likelihood be a visual novel that I will remember for a very long time. Not only is it successful in the normal ways that a VN should be, but it goes above and beyond in its ability to tell a story thanks to a skillful blend of narrative genres and a creative decision-making mechanic which, while not perfect, is still very fun to play with. Whether or not you played the game when it originally released on Steam, any VN fan worth their salt would do well to pick up this wonderful (and horrifying) title.

Wytchwood may only be a 10 – 15 hour romp, but those hours are packed to the brim with exploring, crafting, puzzle-solving, storytelling, world-building, and more. A subtly magical experience, Wytchwood’s secrets slowly open up over the course of the game in such a nuanced way, you’ll be eagerly watching out of the corner of your eye for novelty from start to finish. Wytchwood made my bog witch dreams come true, and if you love a good fetch quest game, I’m positive this will be your cup of witches’ brew too.

All that being said, Trine 5 is still a fine old time for puzzle platformer fans, even if it does feel like a series that needs to evolve going forward. Its reliably refined puzzle platforming combination can still be a joy to get lost in, and that eureka moment when you finally stumble across a neat way in which to combine the abilities of its roster never fails to delight. Fans who just want more Trine will feel right at home with Trine 5, and if the goal of Frozenbyte was to continue to appease the core fanbase with another solid entry, then I think they’ve successfully achieved that.

As much as I enjoyed my time with Curse of the Dead Gods, I feel it’s a bit unbalanced. I’m not averse to a challenge, but I am against unfair difficulty. And honestly, the whole game is weighed against the player. If you’re not patient and willing to put in the time to master the mechanics, this can be a bit of a painful grind. And the boss fights, while cool, can be more than a bit frustrating. More than anything, I really wanted to get lost in the lore of the game, but that’s pretty much nonexistent. The only exception is info found in the bestiary.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is by far one of the most impressive visual novels I’ve ever experienced and sets the bar for how the genre should work in VR. I’ve never felt so completely and utterly immersed in not only a game and its world, but in an anime. From the larger-than-life story to the amped up music and visuals, ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos took my breath away time and time again, pushing the limits of what I knew about VR visual novels. If you have a VR headset, a little bit of patience for a slow-burn story, and 20 – 30 hours to really get into everything it has to offer, you’re more or less obligated to pick up ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos.

The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle is truly a sight to behold. It’s great that we’ve finally gotten to venture to High Isle after all this time, and everything awaiting us there—both the wonderful and the terrifying—was all a joy to experience. The Legacy of the Bretons may not be entirely over just yet, but I think that ESO will be hard-pressed to release anything that would end up topping what this brand-new piece of Tamriel has given us.

If you had told me one of my favorite retro adventures in a long time would be sports-themed, I would have called you a filthy liar. But it’s true that Bat Boy is one of the best games I’ve played in a long time. Though the adventure is relatively short, with only one ending, and can feel occasionally overwhelming, it’s also well-crafted and fun. I spent a good 7 hours with the game, though you can probably beat it in less if you don’t replay stages or go for completion. It’s not a perfect experience, but it’s a worthy one, and I hope this isn’t the last adventure for Ryosuke and his merry band of athletes.

There’s a solid space shooter buried beneath Chorus’ many bumps and bruises. Unfortunately, however, I’m not sure many players will be willing to dig beyond its myriad technical issues and more frustrating moments to find it. And honestly, that’s a real shame. Because with a bit more polish and refinement, Fishlabs’ latest offering could have been a space opera to remember with its unique story and exciting blend of sci-fi action and creepy occult mysticism. If you’re willing to overlook its problems, Chorus offers about a dozen hours of dogfighting action to keep you busy. But you’re going to need plenty of patience if you hope to break the Circle.

I mentioned at the start of this review that the improvements found in PGA Tour 2K25 are mostly found in the margins. They’re more evolutionary than revolutionary. There are enough of those changes, though, that this release represents a giant step forward for this series and modern golf video games. It may be my favorite golf game ever made and is a must-play for anyone who enjoys the genre.

El Paso, Elsewhere stands as a testament to what indie games can achieve. While it borrows elements from giants, it carves its unique identity, blending retro aesthetics, a gripping narrative, and a hip-hop soundtrack into a cohesive experience. Its shortcomings, though present, don’t overshadow its achievements. The game offers a haunting journey through its surreal world, making it a memorable title in the third-person shooter genre. As the credits rolled, I couldn’t help but appreciate the game’s effort to be more than just another shooter—it’s an earnest triumph that breathes freshness into a sea of familiarity.