Mafia: Definitive Edition is genuinely one of the best remakes of this generation. It gets so much right in terms of staying true to the source material and preserving what makes it so awesome. Sadly, that only ends up hurting it due to a dated mission structure and poor AI. Still, it was fantastic to be able to play such an updated version of the classic.

The First Berserker: Khazan is a masterclass in action combat, delivering thrilling boss fights, diverse level design, and tight mechanics that rival the genre’s best. While the narrative and side characters falter in depth, the fluid progression, customizable skill trees, and satisfying difficulty curve make this a standout soul-like experience—even for players unfamiliar with the Dungeon Fighter Online universe.

It doesn’t seem random that Lost in Random is a great game. The developers put a lot of thought into crafting a fantastic gaming experience alongside a grim storybook adventure. It all works incredibly well with only a few dips of quality that will surely be fixed over time. I enjoyed this experience thoroughly as it delivers on its action-adventure and haphazard gameplay systems.

Othercide is a fresh take on the turn-based genre that presents a unique approach to the genre full of challenging moments of strategic combat. With the influx of similar titles, Othercide manages to stand out through its dark and gorgeous themes paired with a memorable narrative. There are moments of the gameflow that can be improved on, but I have rarely been this eager to jump back into a game suffering a loss.

Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis -The Answer- is a definitive improvement over the original version of The Answer, thanks to its addictive dungeon progression, added character scenes, and emotionally driven narrative. However, the poor pacing can’t be understated, making the fascinating premise lose strength in the efficacy of its staying power. If you are a dedicated fan of Persona 3 Reload’s gameplay systems and narrative, especially the former, then this DLC is undoubtedly for you. Otherwise, you’re better off witnessing it played, especially given how pricy this added scenario is.

While The Rising Tide stumbles with its explorable scope and characterization for select individuals, its combat highs are standout. Fans of the base game and the first DLC should definitely pick this up if they haven’t already.

Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is a love letter to both Hololive fans and retro platformers, blending fast-paced action with beautifully designed levels and a charming story. Featuring Ouro Kronii and her time manipulation abilities, the game delivers engaging gameplay, clever stage design, and plenty of Easter eggs for fans. While some mechanics feel underutilized and navigation can be disorienting, Chrono Gear shines as a must-play indie gem for both VTuber enthusiasts and platformer lovers alike.

SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium holds up really well as a 2021 release on Switch, and while the other fighting games in the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection were interesting curiosities at best, this one feels like a legitimately strong fighting game experience in its own right. The game undoubtedly suffers from the basic limitations holding back other games on the handheld. Still, thanks to the diverse roster of characters, game modes, mini-games, and the sheer fanservice detail, this is an excellent retro fighting experience on Switch.

Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue is an enjoyable sci-fi fantasy visual novel full of compelling characters and exceptional presentation. The Switch offers a pleasant way to experience the game through portability at the cost of downscaled resolution. Although it may miss its landing with the main character’s plot and several forgettable themes, there’s so much here that will keep you soaring through each and every route.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity excels at being both a lively and addictive Warriors title while also being a competent prequel to Breath of the Wild. The action highlights each playable character’s skills wonderfully while weaving in a strategy item system against bosses. Sure, some environments didn’t translate well to the action genre, but I can see myself returning to Hyrule again and again in this adventure.

Adios excels in its creative writing through its complicated moral narrative. The characters are shown as complex even with a short runtime, and it’s easy to get emotionally invested in this farmer’s life. However, the limited interactivity really weighs on the experience as it drags in places that make it feel longer than it is. I wasn’t sold on the direction and really felt like there could have been a lot more here.

If you can appreciate a unique art style and want to try your hand at some creative puzzles, then DARQ: Complete Edition is a game you’ll adore. However, there’s very little in the way of narrative build-up that makes your connection to this world and the character flimsy. This is only hurt further by its short runtime, but it still manages to provide an exceptional experience.

Unbound: Worlds Apart has the appearance of a familiar indie platformer. However, there’s an exceptionally charming and memorable narrative here that guides the adventure through its many challenging areas. As beautiful as this game is, a high amount of skill is needed to progress, so thankfully, there are enough checkpoints to push yourself until you get it right.

Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro Max is an incredible experience, and that’s coming from a gamer who doesn’t play any mobile games. Although using the touch-screen controller ruins the experience, the graphical options and presentation showcase the technological leaps in recent years. If you’ve managed to avoid playing Resident Evil Village due to limited access to hardware, I’d say this is an easy recommendation.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus strikes, a perfect balance within its systems, and it makes for hours of exciting matches. The RPG mode is something to go through once and probably forget about, but that’s okay because Arcade and ranked online matches will be there for you time and time again.

Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town brings the mischievous charm of the beloved 5-year-old protagonist to life in a cozy adventure. Faithfully capturing Shin chan's witty personality, the game invites both fans and newcomers to explore a beautifully presented world filled with vibrant cel-shaded graphics and immersive voice acting. While the intriguing storyline and stellar presentation make it feel like stepping into an animated series, the repetitive fetch quests and limited gameplay variety may leave some players wanting more. It's a delightful journey for younger gamers but falls a bit short in delivering the depth expected from the cozy genre.

Ashes of Elrant is a rich and rewarding expansion to Chained Echoes, offering fans a time-traveling narrative that deepens the lore and delivers challenging, strategically satisfying combat, even if its pacing and character focus occasionally stumble.

System Shock has stood the test of time which is shown in this remake effort that didn’t have to do too much in terms of updating its core features to bring it to modern gamers. If you’re coming from the original, the new visuals take some time, but the experience holds up from a gameplay standpoint. Immersion comes naturally throughout this experience as you hack and fight against a rogue AI to save Earth like an authentic ’90s sci-fi hero.

Even when accounting for slight hiccups, such as odd audio balancing in Door to Phantomile, there are no significant obstructions to enjoyability present here. Performance on PlayStation 5 was also smooth, if that was a concern. I’m eager to see this highly-anticipated duology sell well, so Klonoa can potentially become a new fixture in the platforming pantheon.

Metal Slug Tactics doesn't quite reinvent the strategy genre, but it does offer up a lot of addictive, explosive and satisfying action. The core of the Metal Slug series lies comfortably within this new genre along with plenty of familiar sights, sounds and characters that will please fans. A great take on turn based strategy and one that feels distinctly true to its roots.

Arknights Endfield is an ambitious spin off that successfully transforms the tower defense roots of the original into a semi open world action RPG with meaningful factory building systems and generous launch content. While its 1.0 story feels more like a prologue than a payoff and its gacha systems miss a chance to set a new standard, the moment to moment combat, clever automation mechanics, and surprisingly strong exploration design make it one of the most compelling free to play RPG launches in the genre.

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxiboost On may not be newcomer friendly, but it is one of the best Gundam gaming experiences available. It takes everything that makes the arcade version great and brings it to console players. The expanded roster of Mobile Suits with both online and offline modes makes every moment spent playing rewarding. The tutorial desperately needs some addressing, but this is the Versus game we’ve been waiting for.

Metroid Prime 4 is an ambitious yet uneven installment that struggles to balance its legacy with experimental design. While the game introduces bold ideas like open-world segments and vehicle traversal, its execution often undercuts the core strengths that define the Prime series. Longtime fans may enjoy moments of classic exploration and well-designed boss battles, but weak character integration and unmemorable environments drag the experience down.

Bleak Sword DX has its moments. Utilizing the parry system and mastering the stages to take no damage after dying moments earlier makes for some genuinely enjoyable moments. Unfortunately, that’s about where my fun ended. The repetitive structure and increasing challenge fueled by a stamina bar that depletes faster than my 12-year-old dog’s weighed on the experience. There simply wasn’t enough reward for the difficulty, and the retro aesthetic couldn’t do enough to keep me engaged.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy takes everything good about the first entry and expands on it tenfold. There’s a significant focus on exploration in this entry that makes it feel like a real adventure with limited backtracking and more emphasis and discovery. The battle system is amazing and fluid, if only lacking inaccessibility for its more nuanced systems, and the narrative features relatable moments of reuniting with friends for one more adventure. If you enjoyed the first entry, Atelier Ryza 2 does all of that and more, which is all I could have asked for in a sequel.

It may not be a necessary entry in the franchise, but as we move into what appears to be Kiryu’s endgame, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a treat, a reward for those who have followed his story since the beginning. I genuinely was not sure what I thought of this game until the credits were rolling, and then the intention of this project clicked in my head. It’s a celebration of this character that fills in a few blanks but doesn’t overstay its welcome purely for the sake of matching the length of the other games and a teaser for the main course coming in a few months. I’ve never been more excited about the future of Like a Dragon.

Root Double: Before Crime * After Days is an engaging science fiction visual novel that I’d consider a must-play title in the genre, and the Switch version has become one of the best ways to experience it. Small systems hold it back from being better, such as confusing gameplay, suspension of disbelief breaking, and exposition dumping. Still, with its compelling narrative beats, engaging writing, and creative concepts, you’ll find it difficult to put this one down.

LEGO Voyagers is an exceptionally charming co-op title that will resonate with both adults and children, with an incredible ambient score and a poignant story that might be easy to predict but can still be emotionally effective. Its team-based puzzle solving and other mechanics are so easy to pick up that the game explains almost nothing, and while its controls can be somewhat frustrating, this barely detracts from one of the best adventures I've had all year.