In some ways, Batsugun is a victim of its own success. It’s still an excellent shmup, but it stands out slightly less than it did upon release simply because so many of its best ideas have been stolen by so many other games over the last 31 years. Despite that, fans of the genre will find a game that absolutely holds up and is a blast to play even today.

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.

Still, despite a number of parts of Islands of Insight not connecting with me fully, what always did was the puzzles themselves. They’re so consistently engaging that I found myself ignoring the parts of the game that I didn’t love so I could keep engaging with them. Islands of Insight is a great game to jump into for ten minutes just to knock a few puzzles out before going about your day or to get lost in for hours as you try to solve every match 3 puzzle you can find.

Under Night In-Birth II is a fantastic fighting game experience when you focus solely on the core mechanics and how enjoyable it is to immerse yourself in the depths of its more intricate systems. Examining the package as a whole presents it as one that is perhaps a bit lacking on the content side, with there being a real absence of meaningful offline single-player modes to dive into, which in turn leads to a world that’s difficult to comprehend if you’re coming to this with no prior knowledge of the series. That being said, if you’re a fighting game purist who just wants a new fighting game to master that will offer hours upon hours of fun as you master its many interlocking systems, or you want something simple enough that you can enjoy a few casual rounds with friends here and there, then Under Night In-Birth II fits the bill almost perfectly.

Developer Ironwood Studios’ first go at the rogue-like genre has not only come out fresh as it gets but also put such a unique spin on a classic crafting/survival formula that I sincerely hope the term “road-lites” takes off. Hardly a pothole was hit riding along the anomalous, unstable ridgelines, with a perfectly-tuned balance of cautious material gathering, intense and atmospheric car treks, and wild sci-fi worldbuilding. I was absolutely enamored by the “car”-acterization of the humble station wagon that’s your mobile base, with the Quirk system being a highlight of the various gameplay mechanics that made Pacific Drive’s number one character stand out, just as it should.

I had an absolute blast playing GUNVOLT RECORDS Cychronicle for this review. Not only does it feature fantastic artwork and a variety of pumping tunes to enjoy, but there’s plenty of challenge for all gamers. Plus, if I know Inti Creates, they’ll find a way to totally outdo themselves in any future musical adventures. So, if you love the Gunvolt series and want a refreshing change of pace, this is absolutely the game for you.

While it could use more enemy variety and some areas that are more open, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a highly engaging action RPG featuring a love story I wanted to see through to its haunting conclusion. There are a lot of RPGs releasing in the first couple of months of this year, and with many of them being higher profile, it would be easy to overlook Banishers, but I hope players don’t do so. This is the exact sort of title we need studios to invest in more often.

More than anything, I feel amazing Metroidvanias need to strike a great balance between combat and exploration, where everything you accomplish is constantly bringing you one step closer to reaching the end of the game. I don’t feel that’s the case in Ultros. The rewind aspect of the game, combined with constantly losing platforming abilities and combat upgrades, makes the entire experience a painful slog. So even though I respect the ambition and creativity on display, ultimately, that’s not enough to elevate this game beyond its peers.

While the Switch may not be the best place to play The Outer Wilds, it still offers an experience absolutely filled with wonder on Nintendo’s platform. Switch owners who still haven’t had a chance to explore its mysteries now have one less excuse not to do so.

Tiger-Heli is a perfectly fine shooter. It controls well and has a solid enough loop. While it might have been revolutionary and offered something truly new back in 1985 though, that’s simply not the case in 2024. It’s short and doesn’t do anything that a million games in the genre haven’t done better in the years since. This is the sort of game that’s great to see included in a collection, so its historical impact isn’t forgotten, but it is hard to justify as a solo release. You can buy the latest set of Toaplan releases in a bundle, and if you do, give Tiger-Heli at least a quick play, if only for a glimpse of how far the genre has come from even a solid game of its era. As a standalone release, though, there are simply far better options.

While most of Vimana is fine, the minor issues that are here do get old as you play more of the game, and there’s little about it that stands out from a million other games in the genre. The few somewhat unique aspects at play here feel entirely inessential. It leads to a game that is perfectly playable and fairly enjoyable at times but which is hard to recommend except perhaps to shmup novices who want a solid-looking game with a killer soundtrack that feels possible for them to beat or to genre completionists who want to check out a game from a popular developer in the genre which is finally able to be played at home.

Had more care been given to crafting a more handcrafted campaign that relied less on repetitive busywork and more on the cinematic set-pieces that we know the looter shooter genre is capable of when done right, then this may have been a different story, and the admittedly enjoyable combat would have had the chance to shine more had the activities surrounding it been remotely enjoyable or creative. As it stands, though, this is one of the worst campaigns ever to grace a videogame, never mind a live service, with an endgame that does the unforgivable and asks you to continue grinding out the same content that you’ve just slogged through.

Tekken 8 offers a ton of ways to fight whether you want to head online or you’re looking for a fully featured single-player experience. A lot of them are just okay, but when you have this much variety, something is bound to stick, and even when some of its modes weren’t blowing me away, the fantastic combat at the center of this experience did. This isn’t a massive evolution for the Tekken series, but fans looking for their new fix will get what they want, while new players will find perhaps the most accessible Tekken yet.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a triumph and one of the most mechanically deep and rewarding action-RPGs in recent memory. It’s easy to pick up, yet difficult to master combat feels great in motion, and it’s all in service of a world and cast of characters that are more than worthy of your time and attention. Between the substantial single-player portion and the incredibly generous multiplayer offering, there’s a wealth of content on offer for those wanting to really invest and dig into the game’s many progression systems. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what the result would be if Tails of Arise and Monster Hunter had a baby, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is the answer, and it’s glorious.

Persona 3 Reload adds a ton of updates that make it look and play better than ever, ensuring this is the best version of the game, even if certain fans will miss a few additions from previous re-releases that weren’t included here. It doesn’t, however, fix some of the core issues with the original game, such as a dungeon that is rarely exciting to explore, too many social links that are frustrating to complete, and poor balance between its available time periods. Fans of the series will still have a blast revisiting it, and those checking it out for the first time will find a lot of the same things they loved in the series’ later entries. At the end of the day, though, the reason Persona 3 has never been quite as popular as the two games that came after it isn’t due to it coming out at the wrong time; It’s because it just isn’t as good as they are.

Despite treading similar territory, I still feel that Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is an exceptional horror VN. This entry is streamlined and manages to produce quality scares and tell a haunting and memorable story across seven chapters. It features outstanding artwork, quality sound design, and even some reason to return in the form of multiple endings, gallery unlockables, and an optional extra chapter. Fans of horror need look no further – your new obsession is here.

Despite some very minor annoyances, I really enjoyed my time with The Legend of Steel Empire. It’s a classic old school Shmup brought to the current era with upgraded art and funky music. Fans of the genre should absolutely check it out now that it’s available on Nintendo Switch.

Despite its engaging concept and moments of brilliance, the game is held back by these shortcomings, making it a journey of both delight and disappointment. This ultimately leaves Phantom Abyss feeling like a treasure chest that’s only partially filled – it has its share of gems that shine brightly yet leaves enough space to make you wonder about the treasures that could have been.

Kingpin: Reloaded is a very problematic remaster of a shooter that wasn’t exactly a classic even in its heyday. Though there are some nicer textures and quality-of-life improvements, there are plenty of bugs, glitches and missed opportunities as well, so the source material isn’t elevated above its mediocre status. There’s little to value here unless you’re desperately devoted to millennial shooters and willing to be forgiving to the developers as they continue to patch the game’s problems. It turns out that when Kingpin was being reloaded, the magazine was filled with blanks.

Occasional pacing issues aside, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a fantastic follow-up to one of the best games in the series’ history. Its refined combat is snappy and satisfying. The three in-game cities are filled to the brim with activities to keep you busy, and Ryū ga Gotoku Studio’s penchant for weaving a compelling narrative remains unrivaled. Throw in a pair of unbelievably feature-rich games within the game in the form of Sujimon League and Dondoko Island, and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is an adventure fans of the series can’t afford to miss.

Honestly, I had much more fun with Momodora: Moonlit Farewell than I expected. Not only is the game beautiful and full of wonderful art and music, but it’s well-balanced, challenging, and engaging. Though the experience isn’t overly long, and I managed to get about 60% of the Steam achievements in one playthrough, there are some reasons to return, such as an enhanced boss rush post-game and Arrange Mode. If you’re at all a fan of Metroidvanias and are looking for a new obsession, look no further—a truly outstanding final entry in a great indie series.

Clive & Co’s first adventure into the world of DLC is good, and if you like the game, then you’ll almost definitely enjoy venturing into the Sagespire. There’s absolutely no denying that. But, given that it’s an extension of Final Fantasy XVI, it needs to be great—and I’m not quite sure that it reached that status. While there’s no denying that Echoes of the Fallen features a unique premise and a new stage to explore that’s every bit as challenging as it is breathtaking, you wouldn’t really be missing out on anything if you decided to skip it. Hopefully, the next piece of DLC will bring about a little bit more excitement.

Maybe that’s enough, though. Making one of the greatest SHMUPs ever released available to more players isn’t exactly nothing, and Radiant Silvergun still deserves that distinction even after all these years. Those just getting into the genre may want to cut their teeth on a few more forgiving titles before diving into this one, but SHMUP veterans should be ready for one of the most exciting games in the genre.

Altogether, I really enjoyed playing Bahnsen Knights, and feel it’s a good way to end this current Pixel Pulps trilogy. Though it’s not perfect, and makes some of the same missteps as previous games, it’s still well written and full of angsty sights and sounds. I highly recommend playing it on Nintendo Switch, since it’s the closest you can get to replicating the feel of holding a book in your hands and choosing your own adventure. A rousing apocalyptic finale well worth your time.

Whether you have played these games previously and are simply excited to see them released from the shackles of Nintendo’s handheld ecosystems, or you’re jumping into the insanity that is this sequel trilogy for the first time, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is an unmissable courtroom drama.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is, in many ways, a new direction for this series, but there’s enough pulled from the past that it very much still feels like a Prince of Persia game. With excellent combat, some of the best platforming you’ll find in any Metroidvania, a fantastic world to explore, and a series of incredible powers to unlock, The Lost Crown keeps getting more interesting as you make your way through it. Fans of the series, the genre, or simply great games will want to check out Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

Despite initially relying a little too much on trial and error, Howl is an absolute delight once its mechanics click. What initially appears as a simplistic tactical RPG soon morphs into a devilishly difficult puzzle game that begs for repeated playthroughs as you gain a greater command of new mechanics and the core gameplay loops. Whether you’re after a tactical RPG that does things a little bit differently or a puzzle experience that gets increasingly rewarding the more you invest yourself in it, Howl is an easy recommendation.

I’d consider the smoother gameplay, more detailed story mode, and more interesting art style a fair trade-off for this extra content. There’s enough content in House Flipper 2 right now to keep players busy for a long time. I have a lot harder time accepting the major bugs the game currently features, though. In time, House Flipper 2 may well morph into one of the best examples of this sort of simulation title, but for now, there’s still work to be done.