Maneater does a great job of giving players a compelling and rewarding shark RPG. The entire campaign concludes with your shark being an absolute tank, which is when the real fun begins. The mission structure is repetitive, and the controls take some getting used, but in the end, this a game about playing as a shark and eating things in an open world. If you know what you're getting yourself into, you'll find yourself in a sea full of possibilities; if not, then you might consider this to be a shallow experience.

Zet Zillions by Ota Imon masterfully blends deck-building mechanics with a roguelike framework, creating a thrilling space adventure aboard the Baby Violence. With vibrant Studio Trigger-inspired visuals, a compelling narrative, and a unique population-based strategy system, this game sets itself apart in the genre. While the learning curve can be steep and the combat repetitive, the rich story, memorable characters, and high replayability make Zet Zillions an outstanding experience for fans of strategic card games and space adventures.

Star Trek: Resurgence is likely going to be a sleeper hit. Releasing in the middle of some of the most high-budget titles of the year, it still managed to captivate me with a memorable and exciting space adventure. In addition, it does more with its characters than other narrative adventures, with a complex dialogue system and excellent scenario writing. With that said, your only goal now is to do right by your crew and go where no man has gone before.

Aside from its highly brief playtime and minor use of fetch quests, The Legend of Tianding is an excellent beat’em up action platformer that touches upon a cultural figure that has been mostly forgotten. The polished and fleshed-out combat, along with the brilliant art design and Taiwanese voice-acted dialogue, makes this a thrilling historical adventure with a strong foundation for what can be an anthology of forgotten ethnic heroes.

Giraffe and Annika is an emotional and imaginative adventure. The game’s focus on pacifist dungeon crawling and exploration paid off to deliver an exciting narrative with a young girl at the helm. Incorporating music into the game’s design was a smart choice as it broke up the straight forward and linear progression. While I wish there were a few more accessibility features, Giraffe and Annika is an adventure worth going on.

Crimson Shadows is the extra add on to Fire Emblem: Three Houses I didn’t know I needed. It’s a perfect blend of additional tasty gameplay (with some challenges for those who want it), a fun story, and great characters. To top it all off, it gives you some tools to replay the original game in a new way. What’s not to love?

I don’t think it’s an understatement to say that G Generation Eternal has one of the strongest slates of launch content I’ve ever seen in a mobile game. Though it does fall prey to genre conventions like arbitrary power levels and trickling organic EXP gain, it still feels like a feature-complete title that’s already getting larger. What’s here already is likely to keep fans busy for weeks if not months, and the novelty of being able to craft your units instead of pulling them feels natural to the franchise. It’s a massive improvement over its sister game, and hopefully can attract the audience it deserves in order to reach its high potential.

OneShot: World Machine Edition is one of those experiences you want to try for yourself without reading too much of it. If a puzzle adventure with a mysterious storyline sounds like your thing, then this is a game that offers a sizeable journey and some measure of replay value too. It may not always feel ideal for playing on console, and the pacing can be a tad sluggish, but the meta-gaming motifs remain intact.

Ghost of Yōtei builds on the visual grandeur and combat refinement of its predecessor, delivering a breathtaking open world and satisfying swordplay, but falters with safe mission design and an underwhelming start. While Atsu’s journey eventually reveals emotional depth, the narrative pacing and familiar AAA formula may leave some players uninspired...Engaging combat mechanics, spectacular sights, and gripping character moments are somewhat undermined by indistinct quantity, dull objective listings, and by-the-books storytelling. If you've been seeking a new open-world adventure, you could do far worse. At its heart, Ghost of Yōtei is an undeniable beauty to behold, yet too cautious to let its splendor shine.

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.

Observer: System Redux is an excellent presentation of the masterful environments that indie teams can create on newer hardware. Out the gate, Bloober Team has raised the bar of what we can expect to see graphically, but the gameplay portion of this supernatural adventure limits its overall appeal. Still, I can’t stress enough what a work of art this experience is through its narrative and brilliant sound design.

Call of the Sea is a puzzle adventure that should be played by all fans of the genre. Its writing and environments are strikingly immersive as the player and Norah find themselves traveling deeper down this rabbit hole of mystery. There are moments of confusion in its design, but all the tools are present to explore this beautifully charming adventure; my only wish is that it was longer.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World stands out as a pleasant journey packed with congenial level design, delightful visuals, and an uncomplicated but effective gameplay loop. While the combat is relatively mindless in execution, the incorporation of movement and attacking is so excellently done that this fault rarely muddled the exuberance I felt. If anything, though, I ultimately feel like there is a well of untapped potential, especially regarding the enemy design being as simplistically elementary as it was.

Dragon's Dogma 2 represents a significant achievement in the action RPG genre. It crafts an expansive, immersive world that beckons players to explore its depths, engage in tactical combat, and grow alongside their characters. The game demands patience and a willingness to delve into its complexities, offering a rewarding experience for those who commit to its journey.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is an ultimate puzzle adventure with an enormous mystery to weave your way through. The craft of such complexity is quite unmatched and provides an impressive level of depth. While this is a beautiful powerhouse of a puzzler, it’s also a demanding and exhausting endeavor. The monochrome wonder and mystique are gratifying with each code you crack, but there’s a boatload of codes left to solve, some more meticulous than others. If you have the will and determination, I encourage you to delve into this abyss, as it’s a tiring yet amazing road ahead of you.

Bright Memory: Infinite is the product of a developer who wasn't satisfied putting out a game that he knew he could improve. So, instead of moving on, we get this over-the-top and insanely beautiful FPS adventure that is fun from beginning to end. Absolutely none of it makes sense, but who cares when I just launched an ancient sword-wielding statue dude in the air and cut him into pieces. Sign me up for the next adventure with Shelia.

The Etrian Odyssey HD Origins Collection is an excellent way to start your expedition into the dungeon-crawling genre. All three titles are excellent, but the first two entries are missing some of the major quality-of-life updates found in the Untold remakes. It’s sad to think those versions were left out, given they greatly improve the experience. Regardless, the dungeon crawling system, character classes, and overall enjoyment of this collection come to a head with the inclusion of Etrian Odyssey III, which takes all the best mechanics and provides a memorable adventure to cap off an addictive and fun collection of titles.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster are memorable JRPGs that can finally fully spread their wings in this remastered package. While the systems might cause early confusion no matter which entry you’re playing, they both develop into a masterful adventure. The added quality-of-life features made these titles approachable for any who wish to casually revisit the narrative or experience it for the first time. I’m glad these classics have graced a modern platform for fans, both new and old.

Grime II: The Righteous Cravings refines the original’s identity with exceptional combat depth, inventive enemy design, and a striking artistic vision, even if its narrative and exploration systems struggle to leave a lasting impact. The moment to moment gameplay shines through layered mechanics like Grasp and Force management, delivering consistently engaging encounters and challenging bosses, while its atmospheric world and distinct characters elevate immersion. However, uneven progression design, underwhelming rewards, and a loosely integrated exploration loop prevent it from reaching the full potential of its ideas, making it a strong but imperfect follow-up in the metroidvania space.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a great game, and I would argue that this is the best entry point for beginners to the Taiko games. Perhaps the only thing that prevents it from being a perfect title for everyone is the lack of a diverse minigame selection and the fact that you’re almost required to sign your soul in a subscription model to expand your playtime. Still, otherwise, it has a solid music selection with online support, making it a respectable and formidable package for both new and old fans of the series.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a vibrant, chaotic beat ’em up that delivers on its promise of fun, fast-paced co-op action. With a solid character roster, rewarding progression, and energetic combat mechanics, Tribute Games shows a strong grasp of what makes the genre click. While a few mechanical quirks and missed opportunities hold it back slightly, the game remains a go-to pick for local and online multiplayer fans looking for accessible yet layered gameplay.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot on Switch delivers the same high action available on other platforms at the cost of some visual graphics. Frame rate is crucial to the experience, and if things have to get a little out of focus to keep the fights moving, so be it. There’s so much to enjoy about this game, and the Switch is a fine place to experience all the stories, exploration, and intense battles that it has to offer.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a masterful remaster that stays true to its roots while offering modern enhancements for a new generation of players. The depth of its strategic combat, generational storytelling, and open-ended exploration make it a standout entry in the JRPG genre. While it has some performance issues, they don’t detract from the overall experience.

Coral Island may take inspiration from many other whimsical sim adventures, but it’s presented in such a neatly packaged and polished manner that it feels oddly fresh, invoking nostalgia in a way that lingers in my memory. Whether it’s the beautifully illustrated characters available for romance or the excuse to explore the ocean’s depths in search of treasure, I couldn’t put Coral Island down. It swiftly became one of my favorite titles of the year. So, sit back, relax, and maybe even find love; regardless of your chosen path, Coral Island offers an experience that farming fans should not miss.

Alice Escaped! provides a colorful and concise adventure for Metroidvania fans. Although the enemy variety is lacking, the combat and abilities make progression exciting through its intuitive skill tree and charming environment. The plot is covered in silliness, with a few dark themes sprinkled in, but it all meshes well with the fan service-focused character designs. Although you may prefer a higher challenge, this makes for a great weekend game.

Without a gacha system—and maybe a simple shop for tension cards—Tribe Nine would have absolutely killed it on the PS Vita or Nintendo Switch. But I’ve been enjoying Tribe Nine a whole lot despite my misgivings about the medium, and I really cannot wait to see what new story beats they can cook up with this formula.

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.

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.