Looking at how much time I’ve spent doing runs on this, even without the expectation of making it very far, is a testament to Trinity Fusion’s staying power. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if a game can get me to procrastinate writing a review because I’m too enamored with playing it, something has gone very right. Eventually, you’ll go enough rounds that rooms and setups might start looking the same, and not every build will go out as planned due to the luck of the draw throwing you a bad weapon or useless perk. But all of that probably won’t deter a rogue-lite fan who can see the fun in the stylish and fluid combat, and sci-fi sightseers will be in for a treat with all the beautiful backgrounds and wild alien lifeforms. Angry Mob Studios has struck a damn fine balance between fun, progress, and style here with Trinity Fusion, so here’s hoping some rebalances and tweaks will grow out this multiversal menagerie even more into the stellar juggernaut it’s well on its way to becoming.

Despite having some real issues with it, though, Astral Ascent simply feels great to play, and that goes a long way in a genre that lives and dies based upon exactly that. If you’re going to ask players to make run after run through the same areas and repeat the same challenges, you need to feel good on a visceral level. Astral Ascent nails that and is the exact sort of game I want to keep running through. In some ways, it feels more like a great Early Access game that needs a bit more polish than a truly finished product, but what’s here today is still well worth a look for fans of the genre.

Speaking purely in terms of dress-up sims, Fashion Dreamer is excellent. While I would have liked a bit more customization in terms of your actual Muses, there’s very little to dislike about the borderline-unlimited number of outfits that the game offers you. As an entire experience, however, I couldn’t help but find the game lacking. While Fashion Dreamer doesn’t disappoint when it comes to letting players express their inner fashionistas, the fact that there’s so little to do outside of creating outfits for people makes it hard to stay motivated for long periods of time. Sure, I’m happy to spend hours creating outfits… but I need something to do afterward, you know?

MassHive Media’s potion-crafting simulator is a good game and I enjoyed playing it. It could have been great if they had just let it simmer for a bit longer, though—a fact that I found regretfully painful to deal with. While there’s no denying that Potion Permit offers a fun time for those interested and a top-tier level of visual polish, its overly simplistic approach to certain mechanics, combined with a lack of post-game content, means that players probably won’t find themselves staying in Moonbury Town for long.

Much like Tevi herself, the game is a bit of a work in progress. There’s good and there’s bad, but overall I feel the good outweighs the bad. It’s a fun, challenging, original game with amazing art and wonderful characters. Yes, there’s also elements that felt rougher, but none so egregious it held the entire experience back. If you’re willing to put in the time, you’ll find a great adventure here.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a wonderfully whimsical—and, at times, delightfully dark—new entry into the Dragon Quest Monsters franchise. While its graphics were more dated than I’d have liked, and I did find myself wanting a more free-roaming experience, I’d be lying if I said that I was anything but happy with how this game turned out. I truly hope that Square Enix continues putting their all into making DQM better and better with each new entry. Happy 25th Anniversary, DQM!

Ready or Not is an excellent tactical shooter that really immerses you into the role of a heavily-armed law enforcer, with all the split-second life-or-death decisions that entails. There are some annoying niggles in the single-player campaign and a few conspicuously missing features so there’s room for improvement, though it’s overall fun. It’s definitely a slower-paced shooter that requires a lot of patience for success, but if you’re willing to put in the effort to be a perfectionist policeman, Ready or Not will be right up your precinct.

For me, the hallmark of a good puzzler is reaching a zen-like state with the game. That happened early for me with Colored Effects and didn’t let up until I hit the end. I wish there were more, but that’s not a complaint from me. At such a low price point, and with solid execution, there’s no reason not to spend your weekend with this excellent little indie.

Salt and Sacrifice isn’t completely perfect—it suffers from some weird decision-making regarding boss speeds and invincibility frames, and it doesn’t come with the same kind of polish that larger companies are capable of applying to games. Fortunately, none of this really stops that from making it a solid game. All-in-all, Salt and Sacrifice proves itself to be a worthy successor to Salt and Sanctuary, and its focus on Mage hunts helps it to stand tall as a unique (and fun!) 2D soulslike.

The Pale Reach is a hard sell despite its minor price tag. The perils and tranquilities of the icefields, the new threat of the Urghal, and new fishes, diaries, and characters spruce up this expansion. However, The Pale Reach fails to provide more than just a passing journey through a glacial uncharted region due to its sparse one-hour length and lack of exciting new features. If you want more DREDGE, this is for you, but if not, this expansion won’t win you over as it’s too slight to engage over the long haul.

Overall, the Switch port of Firefighting Simulator – The Squad is a bit of a mixed bag. Graphical issues and AI quirks aside, the game still delivers where it counts: the fundamental mechanics and the thrill of multiplayer gameplay. Despite its repetition and simplicity, it does a decent job of introducing players to the nuts and bolts of firefighting. The game truly comes alive in multiplayer, where teamwork elevates the experience, capturing some of the excitement and challenge of the job. It’s not perfect, but for those with a keen interest in firefighting and a willingness to overlook its technical issues on the Switch, this game can be a solid pick.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising ends up feeling a bit more like a large update than a true sequel, despite what some of those involved in its development would insist, but at the end of the day, I’m not sure I care. At its core, this is still a fantastic fighting game filled with content. Some of that content may not exactly be new, but when almost everyone missed it the first time around, I’m glad that it will get another chance to build a community. Outside of the strange changes to the story mode, this is a better game than the original in every way and well worth the time of fighting game fans.

As spirited as Christmas itself, Lake: Season’s Greetings is a lovely piece of prequel dlc that harnesses everything that makes the base game so pleasant and easygoing to play. The new characters are memorable, the delivery gameplay is conveniently chill, and the short runtime ensures it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Sure, not much has changed, there are a few bugs and the Christmas theme isn’t quite fully baked, but whether you enjoyed the original Lake or Season’s Greetings is your first foray, you’ll certainly find cozy comforts in Season’s Greetings-time to warm yourself by the fire and play this exquisite-if-light piece of dlc.

The latest Persona 5 spinoff could be called a lot of different things. Strange? A bit, yeah. Minimalistic? Compared to the rest of the series, definitely. But you can also, undoubtedly, call it creative. And, most importantly, you can very easily call it fun! So long as you can get past its slightly odd presentation in the beginning, Persona 5 Tactica promises an enjoyably unique experience that only serves to build upon the world of Persona 5 established by its predecessors. Regardless of whether or not SRPGs are normally your thing, any self-respecting Persona fan owes it to themselves to snag a copy of P5T as soon as they’re able.

KarmaZoo doesn’t nail every animal form you get to control, but far more often than not, new forms were a joy to unlock, and its pace kept me looking forward to what was coming next. Throw in strong controls, an excellent look, and a game where players both have to and will want to work together, and you have a winner. Anyone looking for a game to play with others without having to dedicate hours every day should absolutely check out KarmaZoo.

Coming from the ranks of Dota 2, Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story caught me off guard. It’s almost unfair how this League of Legends adventure manages to weave such an enthralling narrative, making me, a Dota fan, momentarily question my loyalties. It stands as a shining example in the League of Legends universe, offering a heartwarming tale that resonates with both fans and newcomers alike. The game’s strengths lie in its compelling narrative, beautifully crafted world, and thoughtful sound design, all of which come together to create an immersive and emotionally impactful experience. While Song of Nunu may not pioneer new gameplay mechanics or offer extensive replay value, it triumphs in delivering a narrative that is both engaging and meaningful. More than just a game, it is a fun-sized odyssey that resonates deeply, leaving a lasting impression on the heart and spirit.

Despite not enjoying the direction taken with the randomized roguelike map progression, the moment-to-moment gunplay and chaotic nature of the original are retained in full and feel better than ever in Alien Hominid Invasion. Played solo, it can be a bit of a slog, with difficulty spikes that don’t feel tuned for solo play, but when teaming up with up to three other players, it’s an experience that shines as you aim to make sense of the chaotic firefights with friends alongside you. I didn’t think it was possible, but the developers have done it with Alien Hominid Invasion and created a sequel two decades after its predecessor that manages to make the series feel fresh all over again.

My nitpicks aside, there’s still a great game in Alina of the Arena, especially for hardcore fans of rogue-like deckbuilders and tactical warfare. The biggest hurdles to get past are the game’s UI quirks and the overall difficulty, but if you’re willing to persevere you’ll find a deep and satisfying combat system and a good amount of replay value. It’s especially fun for handheld gaming on Nintendo Switch.

My experience with this game was a strange one, I’ll admit. I was intrigued by the premise, despite it wearing its inspiration on its sleeve, and wanted to see where things would end up. Sadly, it left me more confused and disappointed than anything else. While Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescueentices its players with more complex route-building elements and a few wild moments here and there, it never goes as far as it should. I had fun with the game, but, given how close it is to Danganronpa, I’d suggest that you’re better off playing that.

All in all, I’d have a very hard time recommending the Jurassic Park: Classic Games Collection to anyone that isn’t a die-hard fan of the series or someone with a lot of nostalgia for these games in particular. Most of the entries are sparse in content and not all that fun to play, with the NES Jurassic Park game and the Game Boy version of Jurassic Park 2 being the only ones I was able to stomach for very long. Sure, it’s kind of cool that there’s save states, a rewind button, and in-game maps now, but it really doesn’t do much in relieving these overall tired and unfun games. Still, if nostalgia is your friend, you might want to check out the Jurassic Park: Classic Games Collection.

This game isn’t entirely what I was hoping for from a Super Bomberman R sequel—it re-uses a lot of content, and its Story Mode could use a little work. Still, there’s definitely more good than bad when it comes to this game. So long as you aren’t bothered by its just-okay single-player experience and reliance on Super Bomber Man R Online content, Super Bomberman R 2 is a great game that’s sure to be a blast for you and your friends.

Cobalt Core was a wonderful surprise for me, and is absolutely one of my favorite games of the year. It marries two disparate genres effortlessly and has a deep but easy-to-understand combat mechanic, engaging and lovable characters, and a mysterious plot. If you love rogue-like, deckbuilder, or Shmup, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Overall, Haunted House is a solid game. It has mad Scooby Doo vibes (in the best of ways), an enjoyable and rewarding level of difficulty, and is addicting enough to make you want to dive back in again and again. The ever-changing layout of each section of the house, as well as the ability to rescue Lyn’s friends and use them for a new run (with each friend having their own unique stat parameters) means that there’s plenty of variety to keep you on your toes. If you’re in the market for a cute, spoopy, addicting game, I can’t recommend Haunted House enough.

Modern Warfare 3 should not exist in its current form. This world, these characters, and modes such as zombies deserved better, especially after Modern Warfare 1 and 2 laid the groundwork for a spectacular third entry with two carefully crafted reboots. If you’re purely in it for the multiplayer, then there may just be enough here in the nostalgia of revisiting old maps to warrant a purchase, but that is the only grounds on which Modern Warfare 3 might prove an acceptable product. For anyone looking for their next action-packed campaign fix or hoping to see the zombies mode return to its former glories, you should absolutely avoid this year’s entry.

My small complaints aside, Yohane the Parhelion: BLAZE in the DEEPBLUE is still one of my favorite games from Inti Creates. It’s an incredibly solid Metroidvania with gorgeous artwork, amazing music, and a deep and fun combat system. While it’s disappointing there’s no bestiary and frustrating there’s not much in the way of postgame content, it’s still a very worthy adventure.

Even when it frustrated me at times, though, Jusant consistently had me wanting to keep going up. Whether it was uncovering another bit of lore about this world, seeing what beautiful scenery was over the next ridge, or simply the joy of finding that next handhold, Jusant kept me engaged from start to finish. A sequel that offers a longer experience that better utilizes its abilities could be even better, but anyone wanting to see how compelling a game can be without needing to bring combat into the equation should absolutely check it out.

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.

For what is ultimately a walking simulator, The Gap is largely successful. Its story is moving and told in a compelling way. You feel for these characters, none of whom are villains. They’re all just trying to do their best in impossible situations. For some, that means pushing back against the seeming inevitability of their lives, while for others, it means accepting it and making the best of things. It’s a relatively short game, but that does stop it from wearing out its welcome. The Gap’s puzzles, while varied, rarely prove challenging or mechanically interesting. Only once in the game did anything take me more than a few minutes to figure out. Ten hours of this would be too much, but for a few hours where you’re consistently moving the plot forward and finding new information, it manages to provide a satisfying experience.