Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles is the best classic collection from NISA to date. They’ve pulled out all the stops to present these titles in their original forms to new audiences, with a localization that retained the humorous tone of the scenarios. These games are pixel art at its finest, and while we don’t see many titles like this anymore, I’m glad we have these modern releases to enjoy alongside new titles released today. While Rhapsody II is a more rounded adventure, this collection as a whole is a must-play for any JRPG enthusiast.

CLICKOLDING by Strange Scaffold is an experimental game that challenges players to click ten thousand times while contemplating various thought-provoking themes. Set in an unsettling motel room with a creepy masked figure, the game offers an atmospheric and intentionally uncomfortable experience. Despite its short duration and repetitive gameplay, CLICKOLDING captivates with its unique premise and raises intriguing questions about its deeper meanings. This affordable title is a curious blend of art and gaming that continues to provoke thought long after the final click.

Sword of Convallaria is a tactical RPG that blends nostalgic elements from classic games like Tactics Ogre with modern gacha mechanics. With an engaging combat system, stunning visuals, and an epic soundtrack by Hitoshi Sakamoto, it offers a unique gaming experience despite some slow story progression and energy system constraints.

Spirit of the North 2 continues the serene journey of its predecessor, offering a visually breathtaking world and a tranquil exploration experience. While the game charms with its art direction and soundtrack, it falls short in accessibility and mechanical variety.

The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest is a bizarre yet charming indie platformer that leans heavily on Mega Man nostalgia and Newgrounds-era absurdity. While it markets itself as a Metroidvania, it functions more like a linear action game with light exploration and randomized room sequences. The game shines in its humor, boss creativity, and unexpected genre shifts, but stumbles when it comes to thematic depth and rewarding exploration. A short, surreal trip worth taking if you enjoy chaotic, referential platformers.

STARBITES is a scrappy sci-fi JRPG with an engaging lead character, rewarding boss battles, and surprisingly rich worldbuilding beneath its rough exterior. While the turn-based combat system shows flashes of strategic depth, repetitive dungeon design, shallow regular encounters, and dated presentation prevent the adventure from reaching its full potential. Fans of shorter retro-inspired RPGs may still find charm in its heartfelt cast and bleak post-war setting, but the experience often feels stuck between nostalgic homage and underdeveloped ambition.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids is an excellent extension of what the base game offers fans. Its focus on uncovering a mystery is embedded in the campaign and missions. Roaming around Ireland provides a new playground for fans to explore but at the cost of a few empty areas. Still, there's so much to discover here that just being able to spend more time in this world is reason enough to return.

Code Vein II takes a confident step away from its soulslike roots, delivering a more accessible and narrative-rich experience that focuses on character development, unique systems, and an expansive open world. While its combat may lack the depth hardcore fans crave, the emotional storytelling and worldbuilding elevate it beyond a typical action RPG. The game leans into player agency with meaningful choices and multiple endings, though some design and technical issues hold it back from true greatness.

Maquette is a beautiful game with a compelling narrative that is a perfect weekend experience. Across its four-hour runtime, I was able to feel emotionally invested in this relationship as I begged to see it through until the end. The puzzles hinder progression, but the lack of interaction with the environment limits any additional playthroughs or unique playing experiences.

At its core, Blue Fire is a title that boasts magnificent exploration and platforming majesty. It demands strict attention and skillful maneuvers from players to get the most out of this experience as possible. While combat can become vexatious alongside the present technical issues, this is still an extraordinary title that any adventure genre aficionado should check out.

Destroy All Humans is a faithful remake of a great action-adventure series from our past. It brings the series to a new generation while retaining its classic quirks and gameplay systems. In many ways, this works, but not without noticeable systems appearing dated. That said, I was happy to have the chance to get beamed up to invade Earth once more.

Mundfish has managed to capture the thrill of over-the-top action taking full advantage of Atomic Heart’s 1950s setting and insane narrative. Every moment of gameplay is packed with tense combat against haywire animatronics. Still, all the heavy metal shredding in the world isn’t enough to save the experience from its extremely poor user interface design and lack of basic accessibility features.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is a low-stakes 2D adventure that offers a varied array of customization options to influence its beat ’em-up combat. As explained previously, there isn’t exactly a well-kept balance, but there is genuine fun here for those simply seeking an experience where they can turn off their brain. Moreover, the narrative can be seen as an enjoyable adaptation of the Three Kingdoms in spite of its rapid pace, acting as a loose entry point. The repetitious gameplay loop likely means long play sessions won’t be the norm here. Still, there’s a decent chunk of content dedicated fans can pursue.

I had a blast taking out thousands of enemies, and I couldn’t recommend more to those hungry for some solid Musou action.

Turrican Flashback is a retro gamer or wannabe retro gamer’s dream. A re-release of classic titles with some ways to even the challenging playing field makes this a go-to title for anyone who’s actually played games on the Commodore 64 or someone who would like to get a taste of some stylish games from the very early ’90s without being bombarded in strange mechanics or dodgy translations.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack is a quirky and adorable game that I wasn’t expecting to come west. The adventure itself is almost complete nonsense, and the gameplay is more mindless than fun. Still, the large list of playable tracks and the fun cast of characters make it charming in the most obscure way. I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone, but it’s also a game about talking Taiko drums, so I don’t know what else I expect.

Outbuddies DX is a far more accessible version of this Metroid-inspired adventure. However, there’s still a lack of direction that causes many moments of frustration, which stem from the game’s complex control scheme and maze-like design. Regardless, if you’re looking for a challenging and intuitive retro adventure, then look no further than Outbuddies DX.

Biped might have the visual appeal of a children’s game, but it is most definitely a challenging and demanding co-op experience. Working together through each stage will put your thumbs to the test as you move these little robots across each environment. The replayability is there for those that want to meet the high expectations of the developers, but for most, this will just be a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Does Lake push the boundaries and redefine the genre of a narrative adventure? I wouldn’t say so, but I would contend that it’s a welcome addition. The game is a great exploration of the impact one can have on others’ lives with simple interactions in a peaceful manner. There are quality-of-life issues, and the impact may not be as great as you would hope. In fact, there’s nothing grandiose about the game, but that works in its favor–it’s a calming presence in a world of chaos.

The additional enemy types and weapons are appreciated, but the gameplay is still riddled with bugs and performance issues. Given that it’s a standalone game priced at $20, I expected more content considering the full base game is priced at $40. For the amount of content offered versus the price, I suggest playing Serious Sam 4 first, which has been patched up since launch and is usually on sale. However, if you’re just craving more Serious Sam, well then, this game is for you.

Contra: Operation Galuga revitalizes the classic run-and-gun arcade essence of the original Contra series. Developed by WayForward, it embraces the franchise's roots with engaging character dynamics, challenging gameplay, and a low-barrier-of-entry narrative that's delightfully campy. Featuring a mix of old and new characters, each bringing unique weapon proficiencies and environmental abilities, the game encourages players to master its eight stages through strategic customization and skillful play.

The Outer Worlds: Peril On Gorgon doesn’t hinder the experiences of the base game; instead, it enhances this small corner of the universe with more grand adventures. I appreciated the dedication that went into writing the main campaign and found the side-missions to be just as crucial to piecing together the full narrative. There was an abundance of items and weirdly placed enemy encounters that didn’t completely flow with the events, but that didn’t take away from this fantastic space opera experience.

Root Film is an incredibly stylish and beautiful adventure visual novel held down by a few flimsy opening chapters. The pacing takes a dramatic hit due to a lack of direction, which caused me to step away several times. However, the second half is where the stars align and provide a solid and memorable conclusion to those who stick around.

Megadimension Neptunia VII on Switch is perfect to play through if you haven’t already experienced this entry. The narrative holds up, but the same can’t be said for the dungeon design. The state of the Switch port is lacking modern quality-of-life updates, which does hurt the user experience, but the battle system makes it a decent RPG experience on the go.

The Cosmic Shake is a mixed bag. It works exactly well enough to make me alright with continuing to play and will probably be a decent enough game to give to your kids who don’t have the finesse to get through Super Mario Odyssey yet. However, for a comeback in a long-running franchise, it’s severely let down by an unoriginal concept, a severe budget deficit, and levels that feel like a developer just going through the motions to crank out a game.

Super Dungeon Maker gives players the tools to create their own retro dungeon crawlers but does it in a user-friendly way that gives anyone playing the chance to create or play these nostalgic dungeons. This release out of Early Access has all the tools someone needs to make the dungeon of their dreams, so here’s to hoping the community stays strong.

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered brings Suda51’s cult classic to new life with enhanced visuals, a darkly humorous narrative, and intense demon-slaying action. The remaster preserves the original’s unique style while adding some welcome refinements. Although the combat can be repetitive, the game’s atmospheric puzzles, challenging boss encounters, and compelling underworld setting make for an unforgettable journey through hell. Garcia Hotspur’s quest to rescue his girlfriend, Paula, pushes both him and players to their limits, and the result is a devilishly entertaining experience that fans of the genre will appreciate.

Foregone offers some fast-paced, and at times, downright frantic gameplay moments providing a sense of accomplishment as you reach level transports or take out massive bosses. The adventure hits a few different high moments but does suffer from some repetitive design choices and enemy variety. Still, I’m left impressed with how Foregone took some chances on a heavily saturated genre and even managed to stand out through its beautiful level design and unique systems.

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a slower-paced, more strategic first-person shooter that is somehow more about unit positioning and character banter than it is about blasting through enemies. There’s still plenty of action to be found, but it’s really the crew who carry this Star Wars adventure to an overall enjoyable experience. I’d say that makes it a story well told packed for a new generation of gamers.

Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief feels like a product of its era. While seeing it try so many ideas is admirable, it ultimately falls flat in execution as the experience feels disjointed and messy. Although it presents a game world that feels alive and immersive, the primary gameplay loop lacks polish and practical implementation.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a nostalgic fever dream for longtime fans of the series to experience a title that could be the foundation of some great gaming memories. However, over the years, this series has evolved, which makes this entry more of a novelty than a modern take on a classic title. The added quality-of-life systems and events make for a nice visit to Forgotten Valley, but as the town’s name suggests, this is one forgettable experience.

Immortals of Aveum doesn’t settle for the bare minimum of what a shooter has to be. It excels in writing, controls, and sound design to deliver an epic adventure for all who play. Its unrivaled narrative direction sets itself apart, providing players with a truly magical world to discover. Still, menuing could use some refining alongside providing more memorable boss encounters. Regardless, this is a standout adventure and a great game.

Evan’s Remains is a beautiful game that blends puzzle and visual novel elements together to tell a gripping narrative. However, some dark themes emerge from this with a few convenient “ah-ha” moments that don’t really match up with what is revealed to the player. Still, the journey is one that is most difficult to put down as you find yourself anxious to uncover everything it has to offer.

When playing through Affogato, your brain becomes curious as there is a strong idea and concept to behold. However, the execution of each of these elements is unexceptional and doesn’t pull off anything memorable. The inspirations behind them are clear, but they don’t mesh well together in this format. I found myself loving the aesthetic, but the beauty fades before your very eyes as you trudge through the game, diminishing the experience over time.

Ikenfell provides players a charming adventure with an engaging battle system that is both fun and engaging. Accompanying it is a superb soundtrack that immerses you in its silly bizarre world. While I didn’t get fully invested in some of the characters, I still enjoyed unraveling the mystery. If you’re looking for a cute tactical RPG that’s accessible to new players but also provides some unique systems for genre lovers, you shouldn’t have a problem with letting Ikenfell work its magic on you.

A list of boxes was checked, but the soul here is missing, and players will most likely pick up on that and stay away. This franchise has long been neglected by its owner, and while a trilogy of remakes ought to be a sign that Square wants to reignite interest in Front Mission, 1st is, unfortunately, the exact opposite. You wanted Front Mission; here it is, now go away.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles features some incredible storytelling moments, but that’s mostly because it’s an exact retelling of the excellent source material. On top of this, you get to experience some of the most significant fights from the series firsthand. However, this comes at the cost of lengthy cutscenes and a game made for fans of anime and not necessarily fans of fighting games.

Process of Elimination is a wild emotional rollercoaster. Despite the story’s initially weak pacing, the narrative manages to deceive you so thoroughly that you’re led into a loop you may not see coming. Similar is the overall gameloop, where the strategy segments don’t improve until you’ve spent a few hours understanding the nuanced systems.

Charade Maniacs has so much potential, but the cast becomes bloated, and the conclusion comes way too early without any level of fanfare to cap off the routes. The narrative ends up tripping over itself as it tries to balance all the relationships, causing Sena to be more of an everchanging object for plot progression instead of her own character. The translation also comes across as questionable due to the inconsistencies within the cast. Sadly, the few memorable routes aren’t strong enough to carry enough the flimsy plot.

Cladun X3 marks a confident return for the cult-favorite dungeon crawler series, offering streamlined systems, clever humor, and accessible design without compromising its signature depth. While it doesn’t take bold risks, it refines everything longtime fans love into the most polished and inviting entry to date.

I had a lot of fun with Banner of the Maid, and I really enjoyed the more unique elements that it offers. There are some issues with menu organization and balance, but the game loop of progressing through the French Revolution while also building an affinity with various factions was brilliant. Now, which other historical figures can we turn to waifus and husbandos?

Pokémon Sword and Shield: Isle of Armor also offers competitive features with a wealth of new tools and resources to make your battles even more interesting, and give you a helping hand with building new teams. Through this DLC, the metagame is almost certain to evolve, at least until the Crown Tundra expansion drops later this year. Oooh, I’m excited already.

Star Ocean The Divine Force is a strongly crafted action JRPG that returns the franchise to form, boasting involved upgrading and customization systems alongside a well-thought-out narrative that may not satisfy or intrigue everyone but will compel those entranced by its cutting edges of notion. Moreover, its excellent English voice cast intensifies the emotional weight of several story-heavy scenes and character-bonding moments. Unfortunately, performance and graphical presentation faults and more minor issues damage the overall experience. Although, if you can look past those stumbles, Star Ocean The Divine Force is a must-play entry for all fans of the genre, whether they already are fans of the franchise or not.

To enjoy Sword of the Necromancer requires you to be invested in the narrative, but to do that, you’ll have to get through gameplay that lacks many refinements that a roguelike needs. The system of bringing monsters back alive to fight for you is limited because you have to manage only four slots of items, which often shadows the game’s most unique systems. As charming as this game looks, it doesn’t ever become a challenging adventure or an interesting experience.

Twin Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Adventure sets itself apart from other brick-breakers by not only having a narrative but also by including some unique systems. The multiple paddles add some new elements to the genre to put brick-breaker masters’ skills to the test. Regardless of the challenge, the game has a nice difficulty curve that makes it possible to pick up and enjoy a few levels at a time. Still, Twin Breaker lacks options and some quality-of-life features that could have made the entire experience more enjoyable. There are a few different modes here to keep you playing, but I can see most players just getting through the story and then quickly moving on to something else.

Sadly, it’s tough to feel connected to the characters, but if you’re hungry for an action-filled survival horror experience, The Callisto Protocol has just what you need.

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is an absolute rush to the goal as its soccer systems don’t lean too heavily into the outrageous. Instead, it finds a perfect balance of zany and strategy through control depth and over-the-top systems. The highlight is the two very different, but equally as important story modes, with a few multiplayer options to cap off the fun. You may encounter some AI issues, and some objectives during the story mode may not sit well, but you won’t want to sit on the bench for this game.

Prinny 1•2: Exploded and Reloaded is as great a title for the Switch as it was for the PSP. It’s challenging 2D platforming will cause many moments of frustration, but you’d be hard-pressed not to want to jump right back in and try again. The platforming physics themselves can come off a bit dated, but the excellent level design and the genuinely unique experience that these adventures offer make up for most of what lacks mechanically.

Slave Zero X rejuvenates a classic franchise with intense action and a challenging combat system in a dystopian future. The steep learning curve and intricate gameplay mechanics demand mastery, offering a rewarding experience. With its compelling narrative and immersive soundtrack, the game stands as a testament to the potential of modernizing dormant IPs, providing a memorable and engaging action-packed journey.

Legend Bowl is one for the diehard football nerd. Whether you are looking for a quick game with friends or looking to study a screen full of statistics like it was Money Ball, this is a jam-packed football experience crammed full of content, customization, and engaging gameplay. If you’re burnt out on the bigger offerings and their micro-transactions, then Legend Bowl is a sports game with plenty of value.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot – Daima – Adventure Through the Demon Realm Part 1 delivers a charming, nostalgia-infused expansion with fresh characters, grounded exploration, and cinematic battles, though its abrupt conclusion and pacing quirks slightly hamper the overall experience.

EvoCreo is a heartfelt tribute to classic Pokémon games, delivering a familiar but engaging monster-taming experience filled with nostalgic charm. While it closely mirrors its inspiration, EvoCreo offers satisfying progression systems and creative creature designs that keep players invested. Its story may lack originality, but the gameplay mechanics and customization options add meaningful depth. With a recent Steam release and future updates planned, EvoCreo is a strong choice for fans seeking an old-school creature-collecting adventure.

Shuten Order is a wildly inventive visual novel adventure that fuses detective work, horror, romance, and satire into five distinct storylines, backed by stunning art direction and a compellingly bizarre narrative from the creators of Danganronpa and Rain Code.

It’s not fun to play. Despite how smooth Kay feels to control, it never reached its fullest potential due to the dull linearity and thoughtless platforming sequences. Some players may find this to be a worthwhile title to experience from its story elements alone. Still, it solely depends on how one intakes depression and overall grief and whether or not the game ties to your own struggles and interpretations thoughtfully.

High on Life knows what it wants to be and delivers that experience to players who likely want the same thing. The level of humor and writing is on another level. Still, you’ll want to pace yourself, if only not to grow tired of the waves of enemies you’ll encounter, which is thankfully broken up with platforming sections and standout interactions. The phrase, “Made by gamers, for gamers,” has never rung truer than when describing High on Life.

As great of a collection as Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha is, shmup fans would probably already own each of the titles on Switch. However, this does allow them to own them all in one physical collection. There isn’t anything added to the collection either, so you’re pretty much just getting the games. Still, I’d say this is an excellent collection of the games, and the Strikers series makes it worth it in the end if you don’t already own them.

With a lackluster story, slow gameplay, and dated graphics, perhaps 9 Monkeys of Shaolin should have trained with the Shaolin monks a little bit longer before it was released.

WrestleQuest is a one-of-a-kind experience that takes the wrestling and fantasy JRPG genres to places neither of them have gone before. Its clever writing and humorous cast puts the smackdown on the player to deliver a piledriver to others who try to compete. While some systems and design choices weigh on the experience, a ton of charm is packed in this adventure to bring this game home. And that’s the bottom line because Noisy Pixel said so.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is extremely fun to play once through with your friends, but when you’re expected to play the same stages multiple times, the gameplay wains on the player. It becomes more tedious than anything because the stages themselves just aren’t that interesting. Playing higher difficulties provides more challenge to your crew, but it gets repetitive. You’re expected to want to do this for more gun customization, but that’s barely interesting. Regardless, I have to admit, shooting down waves of aliens with friends sure is entertaining.

Curios Expedition 2 is a roguelike that would probably be lots of fun to play on a video chat with friends, voting on actions as a group, and watching the chaos unfold. Otherwise, it’s an enjoyable exploration game with a host of unique features that lets you put your mind to the test without too much stress unless you want it to be.

In broad strokes, the story of Subway Midnight feels like a metaphor for dealing with trauma. However, despite how much I enjoyed the artwork and environments, the vagueness left me without much to hold onto after it was finished. Players who do tend to project onto blank slate characters, though, will likely find Subway Midnight a more profound, more emotional experience, so I’d recommend the title to that crowd.

Long Gone Days is an ambitious title that attempts to showcase the horrors of war and the effect it has on citizens and those who fight. The themes can be a little dark at times, and not every mechanic lands. Despite this, it is a game with a lot of heart that manages to stand out in a wave of RPGs. While it may not hit the mainstream, I am certain that Rourke and the rest of his friends will be talked about for years to come.

Fia and the Wondrous Academy has a remarkable cast whom I always loved seeing interacting on screen. But almost every single facet tied to the gameplay experience provided no fulfillment, simply being an exercise in going through the motions for the sake of obligatory progress. No matter your history with the Mado Monogatari IP, this outing is not worth your time.

Ereban: Shadow Legacy is an ambitious entry into the tactical stealth genre, bringing a fresh perspective with its unique gameplay mechanics and visually striking design. The game introduces Ayana, a character navigating through a richly developed sci-fi world filled with complex challenges and emotional narratives. While it offers innovative gameplay and deep character development, the game is not without its flaws, including a confusing start, control issues, and uneven difficulty levels.

Super Bomberman R 2 doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from its predecessor or the series. There’s just nothing really here to justify a purchase with a campaign consisting of only three unimaginative levels, very limited power-ups, and a strange implication of online modes. The charm is still present when playing classic modes, but nothing that has been added moves the series in any significant direction.

Heartworm delivers a moody and nostalgic survival horror experience, drawing clear inspiration from genre staples like Resident Evil and Fatal Frame. Its retro presentation, eerie sound design, and clever environmental puzzles evoke a sense of dread that fans of classic horror will appreciate. However, despite a promising setup, the game falters with a thin, disjointed narrative and several underdeveloped mechanics, leaving the full promise of its design unrealized.

Out of Line doesn’t break the mold of adventure games but still manages to offer a straightforward puzzle experience through a gorgeous hand-painted world. There’s fun to found during each movement of gameplay, but the lack of challenge and the minimalistic narrative doesn’t make for an engaging time. It’s a low-impact puzzle adventure that could easily be enjoyed for a nice afternoon game session.

Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro is a game with instant playability and one that you can easily jump right into with smooth and addictive gameplay. There’s a sense of rewarding challenge and progression to the game that’ll make you want to keep revisiting over and over. No doubt this game is old-school tough, but the journey to mastering the levels and nailing that perfect rhythm and flow is what perfectly captures the unique magic of this timeless 2D gaming genre.

Still the same dungeon-crawling RPG comfort food I remember from the DS version. However, the added systems change its core audience to include players of all ages, which make it the perfect entry point to the genre. Every moment of gameplay is met with a reward and the present game loop creates a substantial reason to return to dungeons countless times, across dozens of missions. While the remake doesn’t do too much in terms of changing the core formula of what the series is, there’s enough here to warrant an additional playthrough.

Monster Energy Supercross 4 is a stunningly beautiful game. It’s exhilarating and unique, but some elements feel unfinished. I’m sure Multiplayer will be the biggest draw to play with friends or race online, but I still had a lot of unexpected fun playing single-player races. While graphics are perhaps the best in the series to date, they still appear flat in some areas, especially the compound. It’s nice to have character creation, but the lack of female pro riders feels like a tremendous missed opportunity to grow the popularity of the sport and game. This will satisfy the series’s longtime fans, but I feel there’s still room to grow.

Maid of Sker ends up excelling in its atmosphere, as it absolutely nails the feeling of tension during the more competent stealth sections. While it doesn’t move the genre in any direction, this is a horror experience that will make for a fun evening for genre lovers, but it might lose you with its narrative.

Bye Sweet Carole is a visually captivating horror puzzle adventure that channels the charm of 90s animation with a twisted fairy tale atmosphere. Set in the mysterious Bunny Hall, players follow Lana Benton through a surreal narrative filled with clever puzzles, eerie enemies, and creative transformations. While the game dazzles with its presentation and imagination, its lack of narrative clarity and occasional gameplay frustrations hold it back from greatness.

A must-play game for any fan of SpongeBob. Its witty dialogue and constant references to the show makes for hours of entertainment during every moment of gameplay. Looking past the aged mechanics and lacking multiplayer mode will provide you with a substantial 3D platforming experience, which is something that I can’t say we get too much of. I can only hope this quenches the series’ thirst so that we can get a much need adventure that only builds off the foundation that this game established so many years ago.

Rune Factory 5 is a thrilling, addicting experience boasting countless events and mechanics that will hook you for hours on end. It excels at making players feel accomplished and satisfied with their feats while also providing recurring goals to pursue. Further, its likable, extensive cast aids in the pleasant friendliness of the simulation genre. The over-simplicity of its gameplay ideas and its deficient performance and graphical presentation can disenchant some players. However, if you manage to look past those factors, Rune Factory 5 is a standout Switch release.

WILL: Follow The Light delivers a visually striking and emotionally driven sailing adventure that shines brightest when it embraces the loneliness and danger of the open sea. Its lighthouse routines, weather systems, and immersive boating mechanics create a strong sense of place, while the narrative explores grief, family, and isolation with genuine ambition. However, uneven pacing, awkward controls, and inconsistent storytelling often interrupt the emotional momentum. There is a compelling game hidden beneath the surface, but the journey toward its payoff can feel frustratingly unfocused.

The Signifier is visually creative and quite a remarkable experience that ropes you into its mystery and keeps you guessing long past its rushed ending. It uses visual creativity that comes with the very concept of memory and dream exploration and creates some unique puzzles. While at times it came off as disorienting, those moments were in the minority and still kept me wanting more, flaws and all. Consider checking out this game the next time you’re looking for a mystery.

Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is an SAO fan’s dream and an action RPG fan’s nightmare. While the rewards provide a nice dose of dopamine across each match, there’s not enough content here to justify fans of online action games to invest themselves in. The story might hold you for around 10 hours, but after that, you’re looking at hours and hours of grinding across the same handful of maps and missions, completing uncreative daily quests and begging for something new. Still, the action gameplay is incredibly addictive, but the support needs to show up as fans did on day one to witness the cringy emotional drama of SAO, one more time.

Ninjala has a ton of potential to become the next big multiplayer experience. While its single-player experience leaves a little to be desired, playing online with others is a ton of fun. There’s a nice balance found in the game’s premium items, but much of what it does right can be found in the free offerings. Hopefully, continued support by the developer will iron out any rough patches to make this a longlasting online experience for Switch owners.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is an excellent, beautiful horror experience that works on modern platforms. From a game design perspective, it works brilliantly to guide the players through the nightmare with minimal confusion. However, the gameplay hurts the pacing with slow-moving characters, control issues, and repetitive structure, making you spend too long getting through it all.

At its core, Nanotale is certainly enjoyable. The simple act of typing being morphed into an RPG format sets a sturdy foundation for a fun experience. Further, the adventure is one that I genuinely felt attached to. It’s a shame that so much weighs on this, though, from soft locks to unoptimized systems and choppy framerates, a handful of offputting implementations hinders this overall decent idea for an adventure.

I’m delighted Spike Chunsoft and MAGES have finally brought this highly-desired game to the West after over a decade. Still, it should’ve been treated with more care, so here’s hoping they address these problems with patches in the near future.

All in Abyss: Judge the Fake does a respectable job of tackling this gambling card game trend by combining it with a good old-fashioned death game. The game doesn’t take that lightly either; each scene is well crafted and goes the distance whether you can stomach it or not. The pacing is just right for a story you may not be completely attached to, and there’s enough here to enjoy even after you’ve cleared the game, that is, if you want to play more Texas Hold ‘Em and be the cutest card player in the region. I promise I’m not being cringe, that’s exactly what Asuha’s goal is. Anyway, I had fun, but don’t expect too much depth.

Ravenlok is a surface-level action experience but a memorable fantasy adventure. It does its best to balance these genres for seasoned gamers to appreciate, but the target audience will likely be younger players. That’s not to say I didn’t find beauty in this fairy tale. The characters and world design leave a lasting impression making this a great way to cap off the Voxel Trilogy.

Demon Turf has a lot to offer in its platforming design that challenges the player at every corner. It’s a shame that it becomes repetitive upon multiple visits, but the charm of these characters adds loads to the overall experience. It’s a platformer, not much more, but it doesn’t need to be because it’s got attitude, so hail to the Demon Queen, baby.

Zool Redimensioned takes a classic game and makes it so much better. It’s an easy recommendation for platforming fans, even with so many other great games available in the genre. Sure, it carries some baggage from a bygone era where far too many games were trying to be Sonic, but this new release gives some measure of identity to a cult classic. Whether you’re a fan from the old days or simply after a well-designed platformer, Zool Redimensioned is quite literally the student textbook on genre fundamentals.

I appreciate how easy Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is to pick up and play. I’d recommend it to fans of chasing high-scores in the arcade, especially if you liked the original Bubble Bobble. However, past the nostalgia, there’s nothing that will keep you playing for much longer after you get through this incredibly short experience. Throw in the high price tag, and I’d say that you’re better off blowing a few quarters at an actual arcade then bringing this experience home with you.

The story is filled with emotional and meaningful moments, even if they interrupt the pace a fair bit. While the combat and world design can get repetitive, there are plenty of cool moments in terms of boss encounters and learning new abilities. So if you’re after a comfortably paced and unique Zelda-style adventure, then Arietta of Spirits certainly won’t disappoint.

From visual dynamics alone, Kukoos has a very promising appeal, especially to those for a younger audience. With a wacky storyline and eye-catching environments, it would fit decently into the 3D platformer genre. But the opening for that spot diminishes greatly, given all the technical issues in the gameplay and the plot progression. With aggravating limitations and a lack of polish, I can’t imagine Kukoos to be a platformer that would stick in anyone’s mind. 

The balance between fun interactions with the Touken Danshi combined with the easy-to-understand Musou combat all adds up to a really nice experience, if you were looking to immerse yourself into this Sengoku Period history from an interesting perspective. If you’re a Japanese history nerd who also enjoys Musou games that definitely have you think outside the box, definitely give this one a try!

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP brings the beloved 2012 zombie-slaying classic back with smoother combat and new content. Protagonist Juliet Starling’s journey mixes humor and action, though the game’s pacing is slowed by overly long stages and gimmicky minigames. While boss fights underwhelm, the satisfying upgrade system and campy charm make it worth revisiting. The remake introduces quality-of-life improvements and additional cosmetic options for players to enjoy.

As far as celebratory packages go, Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections gets the job done, but not much more than that. The story implementation is lacking, with awful recapping of the original content, while the rest of the game is simply more Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm. If you’re a diehard fan of Naruto and the Ultimate Ninja Storm games, then what’s here will likely engage you, but there’s little reason to return to these if you’ve played through them before.

Eternights is a true labor of love from a small team of developers that set out to create something for themselves. It just so happens that it’s also one of my favorite games of 2023. If you can look past the juvenile character moments and flimsy early plot devices, you’re in for an awesome experience that delivers quality action combat, hilarious character skits, and a very strong final Act. It’s an experience I won’t soon forget and one that doesn’t demand too much from players to play till the credits. The wait for this release was genuinely worth it, and I’m happy to see this ambitious project come together so brilliantly.

Fans of the previous Reigns games will enjoy this new title which improves on certain aspects from it's previous entries and adds new mechanics to keep the series fresh. With new deeds and goals to reach, Reigns Three Kingdom will cause players to spend countless hours completing every task at hand as they live through the final years of the Han Dynasty... If they manage to live that long.

Song of Horror tries its best to be a swan song of survival horror and acts as a return to form. However, frustrating puzzles and random deaths cause unexpected hang-ups on the experience. Yes, I remember when saving was limited to Ink Ribbons, but at least there was a choice in that feature. Still, there’s a lot to enjoy about this episodic nightmare.

Phantom Breaker: Omnia is a cacophonic mess, and if you’ve got local friends and want to play a janky anime fighter, then this is literally the best game of all time. The lack of basic quality-of-life additions found in modern fighting games, as well as aged and clashy sprite work almost feels lazy when every other addition improves the experience. It makes me question why the game wasn’t rebuilt entirely to start. The only way this game is remotely feasible online is through using Parsec on PC, as the game will not be getting rollback netcode. Despite all of this, I really enjoyed the game and had a total blast playing. Probably due in part to being able to play as some of my favorite fictional characters and I hope I’ll be able to play it with some friends down the line, as well as 100% the title. But I think I’m going to be one hell of an outlier with this experience.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Party Dash packs fun moments across its limited set of mini-games. While I wish there were more content, what’s here has enough quality to warrant a few hours hanging out with Tokai, I mean the Horse Girls. The pixel art is gorgeous, and the in-game rewards with new characters on the way showcase that there are plenty of ways to enjoy this chaotic party game.

River City Girls Zero is a fine and largely inexpensive preservation of a long-lost title from the massive Kunio-kun chronology, even if the actual title itself is far from being a lost classic that you need to play. At best, the game serves as an interesting origin story. So unless you’re a diehard completionist, then you’re probably better off just waiting for the eventual launch of River City Girls 2.

Sadly, Deliver Us Mars could barely get us to the planet of Mars itself, let alone deliver it. It’s a shame that a game that was already delayed once for further polishing still came out so rough. The constant frame drops, screen tears, glitches, and poor animation rendering are only the cherry on top of inconsistent puzzles and terrible lighting. There is something special underneath all that jankiness, though, with a focus on engaging storytelling and increased verticality (compared to Deliver Us The Moon). Still, KeokeN just couldn’t land this one right.