Though I enjoyed the comedy and references in Dungeons & Doomknights, I feel its audience is limited by how inconsistently fun the experience actually is. Not only is it mechanically rough at many times, but the combat itself just doesn’t satisfy. Once I realized all this, I admittedly soured over the adventure. That said, if you’re a hardcore fan of new examples of classic games, you’ll probably find something to justify checking it out.

Front Mission 3 Remake at its best is held back by a weak story and characters, but the best gameplay in the original trilogy means there is absolutely fun to be had by players more focused on the strategic battles and mech customization. The core game mostly holds up after all these years. The awful aesthetic choices, though, make this the sort of remake that is hard to recommend because it’s a worse experience in many ways than the version that came out over a quarter century ago.

PAYDAY 3 isn’t the seismic improvement over PAYDAY 2 many might have been hoping for, but it is a refinement of the formula with a few fun new additions. Though the number of heists is currently at a modest number, they have a decent amount of replayability whether you use meticulous stealth or go in guns blazing. Despite a very troubled opening week, there are firm foundations for lots more heisting content to come here. Chains, Dallas, Wolf and Hoxton have come out of their latest heist with some scars to show for it, but with a few bags full of cash nonetheless.

Gal*Gun Double Peace makes the jump to the Nintendo Switch fully intact and slightly undressed. Whether flinging pheromones at frisky schoolgirls on your TV or in handheld mode, the game runs well and its vibrant visuals, while not particularly detailed, still manage to pop off the screen the same way they did when it was first released in 2015. Solid performance aside, however, just how much enjoyment you’ll get out of this risqué rail shooter depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re already a fan of the franchise and itching for more fanservice-filled firefights, you’ll undoubtedly find those here. However, if you’re looking for a satisfying shooter that will test your reflexes with thrilling boss battles and exciting locales to blast your way through, I’d probably wait for The House of the Dead: Remake to shuffle its way onto the Switch instead.

Neptunia hits a real middle-of-the-road balance with this one. On one side, the combat falls short of frantic ninja battles and the graphics desperately need a touch-up. On the other side though, the character designs are some of the best I’ve seen for a spin-off, it’s a treat to see the Senran Kagura gang interact with our favorite CPUs, and the story brings along the same meta humor and gaming references that Neptunia rarely fails to deliver. While the uninitiated might not find it fleshed out enough, for those who are fans of both series in this crossover, Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is a beautiful bacchanalia of busty, battling babes.

Despite a few rough spots in the experience, I’m still very happy I was able to review Firegirl DX. It’s a lot of fun playing rogue games on my Switch, since they’re so custom-tailored to a more portable mode of gaming. While there are some minor glitches and design flaws that hold the game back, fans of the rogue genre should enjoy this utterly unique firefighting experience.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game is an absolute blast and an asymmetrical horror title that leans brilliantly into its ridiculous source material by creating an experience that prioritizes chaos over being overly competitive. The new player experience may not be the most welcoming, but it’s worth preserving through the initial struggle, as what IllFonic has created is an entry to the genre that takes some of the best elements from the studio’s past work while putting an original spin on tried and tested mechanics. In a genre that has arguably become oversaturated, this is a video game that has done the unthinkable by making Killer Klowns from Outer Space seem relevant again in 2024. Here is hoping the relatively niche nature of the IP doesn’t turn new players away, as with the right support, this is a title I cannot wait to dedicate many more hours to going forward.

There are times Hammerwatch II can be a lot of fun. Exploring massive dungeons and taking down hordes of enemies is usually a good time, and Hammerwatch II captures that, at least if you pick one of the right classes. I can see a group of friends with a well-balanced party having an excellent time with it, and that’s really who these games are for, first and foremost. Ultimately though, Hammerwatch II makes too many poor design choices for me to recommend it to most players. There’s a good game in here somewhere, but it’s buried under too many flaws.

The Magnificent Trufflepigs asks players to stop frantically trying to achieve arbitrary goals and instead reflect on why we’ve undertaken them in the first place. It employs an interesting and underutilized mechanic, only to completely change it up once the main character achieves some desperately needed personal growth. It may require a second playthrough to totally understand not only the big reveal but overarching message; luckily, it’s a three hour excursion (at most) across bucolic English countryside, so that extra time is time well spent. If you find yourself exhausted by constantly trying to check things off life’s list, you deserve a breather — grab a metal detector and take a walk with The Magnificent Trufflepigs.

Nostalgic and engaging from start to finish, The Lightbringer is a solid puzzle platformer with a lot of heart that’s easy to recommend. It’s not perfect—the combat element needs a bit of work—but it’s easier to overlook its weaker elements when everything else is so smartly designed. While The Lightbringer ends sooner than I would have liked, it also feels like the prelude to something grander. After all, is the darkness ever truly vanquished?

I had a wonderfully pleasant time playing Before We Leave. While consoles may never be ideal for simulation titles, if I’m going to check one out with a controller, this is exactly the version I’m looking for. A few performance issues and a lack of variety may make this a game to be enjoyed briefly, but the cozy vibe it gives off feels just right. Grab a nice cup of tea, wrap yourself up in a warm blanket, and enjoy.

For those who want a brutally raw retro-styled shooter where constant carnage is the order of the day, Serious Sam 4 will sate the bloodlust of even the most maniacal gamers. Not only that, but it’s genuinely funny and well-written, and the trials and tragedies Sam experiences tugged at my jaded heartstrings far more than I expected them to. Many would not enjoy Serious Sam 4 because gunning down endless waves of slavering aliens and mutants becomes brutally relentless – but if you’re a hardcore shooter purist, that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

Little Witch Nobeta isn't a Souls-like in the traditional sense, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like a cunning crone, developer Pupuya Games have skillfully combined seemingly disparate ingredients to create something magical. Still, genre veterans may find themselves put off by the lack of challenge to be found in the title's beginning hours, and the stark contrast between its whimsical protagonist and the grim world she inhabits can admittedly, at times, be a bit jarring. If these things don't bother you and you're a fan of Souls-likes who's looking for something more forgiving, or perhaps a bit cuter than what you'd usually expect from the genre, Little Witch Nobeta is sure to leave you under its spell.

Best Month Ever! is truly unique in its premise and setting. Stepping into the shoes of a terminally ill single mother was gut-wrenching, and navigating 1969 through the eyes of her biracial son gave me anxiety. Although I do wish my choices had a bigger impact and that more focus was given to preparing Mitch for the future instead of hanging on by my fingernails to what felt like Louise’s wild last ride, Best Month Ever! was different enough to keep me going. If you love narrative-driven games and have plenty of patience, Best Month Ever! is worth the road trip.

As far as rail shooters go, Operation Wolf: First Mission VR is fun but forgettable. Developer VIRTUALLYZ Gaming undoubtedly deserves credit for capturing the feel and flow of the classic shooter series, but tedious boss battles, occasionally cumbersome controls, and an overall lack of polish keep it from ever reaching its full potential. If you’re a die-hard veteran of the series looking to scratch your itchy trigger finger, you’ll probably find a few hours’ worth of enjoyment here, but new recruits will likely want to wait for a sale before enlisting.

Aquanox Deep Descent is a very welcome return for an underrated series. In this era of modern re-imaginings, this game delivers in introducing Aquanox’s world to a new generation of players. The movement may be slightly cumbersome and things may get a bit hard, but it always manages to be engaging and fun. The world and story, combined with the solid multiplayer elements for both PvP and co-op, make this a well-rounded experience and essential purchase for fans of six degrees of freedom-type shooting games. If you’re interesting in dipping your toes in its waters, swim on over here to check it out.

The Legend of Legacy has some visible mechanical hiccups, especially when compared to its successor, The Alliance Alive. Imperfections a bad game does not make, however. Despite its undersized dungeons and overall opaqueness regarding combat mechanic intricacies, The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered is nonetheless a compelling, enjoyable, and incredibly cozy RPG that promises to be worth the time of most who choose to invest their time playing it.

It’s decidedly short but irrefutably sweet. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s a great example of why short games can still be worthwhile. And even though there are some awkward design choices, such as not being able to play specific stages at a whim after beating the game, that’s not enough to diminish how fun it is. I honestly hope this is just the first in a long series. Cause I’m curious about who Wally is and why he has such powers. Here’s hoping Neil Jones has more fast-paced stories to tell in the immediate future.

It feels like at some point in development Nao Games decided that Ninja or Die needed more. More to do, more complexity, more than the simple gameplay which makes up its core. That’s a shame because the core of Ninja or Die is its biggest strength, at least when it works. It just needs to work more consistently. There’s definite potential in its core, and I’d be curious to check out an update or follow-up to see if that core could be refined, but the game as it exists today is hard to recommend as more than a curiosity.

Biomotor Unitron is a competent dungeon crawler and mech-building RPG. Little about it is bad, but little is interesting, and it’s very much a game of its time. The biggest issue with recommending it today is that the Switch in 2022 is not the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999. That system desperately needed a competent RPG, and Biomotor Unitron was able to fill that hole. The Switch doesn’t need that, though. Between classic releases and new titles, it has one of the strongest RPG lineups any system has ever seen. In that context, it’s hard to recommend it to many players today.

In the Space Invaders Forever collection, Space Invaders Extreme is obviously the star of the show. If you haven’t played it yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders is a fun inclusion, but its handheld-mode only gameplay isn’t entirely ideal. And while Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE is an interesting idea on paper, its player requirement and simplistic gameplay make it more appropriate as an occasional party game. You’re unlikely to play this collection forever, but there’s a fair amount of high-quality shooting fun to be had while it lasts.

Golden Force is an enjoyable romp, but its steep difficulty and straightforward design prevent it from rising above the trappings of the games that inspired it. It’s definitely worth a look for anyone who enjoys the run ‘n’ gun style of the games of yore, even if it can be controller-throwingly difficult.

Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four is a complex deckbuilder game with simple presentation featuring RPG elements acting like a roguelike — all wrapped in a very pretty package. While it suffers from some balancing issues and more information on the battlefield would be welcome, there was a lot attempted here with plenty accomplished. It’s pretty criminal that a game that looks this good doesn’t feel truly ready for release yet; given a few more months, Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four should absolutely shine like the diamond in the rough it is. If you’re a fan of this genre and have at least five hours to wait until the game truly blossoms, I daresay Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four might be up your alley.

The PC version is by far the prettiest of the three, but without the original control scheme, it’s hard to recommend over the Switch remaster or even Wii original. If PC is your only option to experience what is otherwise an incredible game, then by all means grab it; just know there are better ways to play No More Heroes.

No, it’s not perfect. With its clumsy dialog, touchy controls, and occasionally broken U.I., Within The Blade sometimes feels like a game that’s designed to work against the player. However, if you can overlook its faults, there’s an exciting and surprisingly deep experience beneath its many bumps and bruises. You just have to be willing to sift through the grime to uncover its finer parts. As for whether or not it’s worth doing so, that’s for you to decide.

Chasing Static dials in a unique spin on the psychological horror genre with its lo-fi visuals and focus on sonic exploration. I only wish there was more substance to go along with its excellent sense of style. With more compelling puzzles to solve and a greater variety of locations to explore, it'd be a lot easier to recommend adding this one to your library. Even though the writing has its moments, the story ends so abruptly that it likely won't stick with you long after the credits roll. If you're a die-hard fan of horror games from the 32-bit era or are looking for a fresh twist on the genre, Chasing Static just might be worth tuning into. However, those in search of more substantial scares would probably be better off changing the station.

Although About an Elf is only a 3 – 4 hour romp that ends in an unexpected-yet-should-have-expected way, it’s an elf-tastic epic worth playing. The writing is guffaw-inducing, the music toe-tappingly addictive, and the visual style unlike any other I’ve seen in gaming before. If you’re looking for a story-telling experience more entertaining than the actual story itself, lots of laughs, and plenty of opportunities to take screenshot after screenshot of glorious models and colors, About an Elf is a must-buy.

Novelty is a steep challenge, and Ebenezer and the Invisible World succeeds admirably at showing us something new and exciting. The game features a cool concept married with challenging and invigorating gameplay. The problem is that it’s still shackled by glitches and occasionally poor game design. While the adventure is expansive and easily could take 10+ hours to get through, it’s a little hard to wholeheartedly recommend until many of the issues mentioned above have been addressed.