If what you want in a game is a simple, relaxing cycle that doesn’t require more from a player than their time and doesn’t offer much more than the enjoyment of playing it and the satisfaction of completion, Powerwash Simulator might be perfect. Of course, it’s not for everyone, but if it hits right, you too might find yourself up late into the night, looking for that last…little…spot.

Labyrinth of Galleria The Moon Society is an addictive dungeon-crawling RPG that fans of the genre will undoubtedly sink dozens upon dozens of hours into. Its involved yet approachable gameplay systems, meaningful sense of consequence, and cathartic breakthroughs of progress make it a joy to spend time learning. Even amidst some area design choices I perceived as stumbles, unnecessarily drawn-out tutorials, and bland environments, this was a journey I’m glad I stuck out to its end.

Hogwarts Legacy is a genuine wizarding adventure from beginning to end. There’s no mistaking that the writing and world-building lend so much to the experience that it overshadows the repetitive battle system and unintuitive menu designs. There’s a true sense of discovery provided that stems from the freedom given to players to take on this game the way they want. The jury is still out on the target audience, but I had a magical time.

Tristia: Restore is fundamentally broken. It is one of the worst experiences I have ever touched in video games, and the first time in my life I have ever felt regret for playing one. I wish I had Nanoca’s skills to make a time machine and tell the developers to invest all their money in Tristia: Legacy instead. That game deserved more.

Unfortunately, this is sadly brought down by glitches and unwieldy controls, causing frustration and ultimately ruining the experience by breaking the game and preventing progression. Having only played the Steam version, I can’t exactly recommend this game. Still, the console version may run better, so it’s worth researching if you’re interested.

Fire Emblem Engage is a solid entry in the franchise. It’s easily the best Fire Emblem game from the modern generation (awakening onwards). I enjoyed my time so much that I’m already returning for my second, more relaxed playthrough on maddening. It’ll take a while.

Tristia: Legacy is a cute simulation game, and I enjoyed my time with Nanoca Flanka and her friends. However, its issues hinder the experience significantly, so most players are less likely to have a good time. However, if you are fond of simulations and cute girls with book smarts, this old-school classic may still be for you.

I had an excellent experience with The Symbiant, but my biggest gripe has got to be just how relatively short it is to go through it all. Nonetheless, I laughed a lot at the interactions with Brahve and Danya, perhaps even more than I should. The adult patch is not for the faint-hearted, but if you’re willing to be “brave” (pun intended), then maybe this short experience is just what you need.

Tails: the Backbone Preludes tells an intriguing prequel that easily hooks the player with its story and characters, despite its glitchy flaws and potential soft locks. For those wanting to get into the Backbone universe, then this is an excellent place to start and the perfect way to introduce yourself to Howard Lotor’s life along with a genuinely charming supporting cast.

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.

However, the dreadful method of narrative progression is enough of a turn-off for those not willing to sink in the time to engage with it. Furthermore, its locking of the new fantastically designed bosses adds greater insult to injury. Here’s hoping the following two DLCs don’t suffer from a similar grave failing when I experience them.

Those who stick out Forspoken until the end may derive enjoyment from how certain elements were tackled like I did, though, ultimately, it’s all too little too late. At the very least, exploring the open world and completing optional tasks after completing the story can be fun, albeit in brief doses, since there’s not much of interest within the environments.

Helvetii is an unfulfilling action roguelike that contains a few conceptually neat ideas not strongly delivered on any front. The practical nonexistence of effective feedback during combat heavily mires the gameplay and incentive to keep going.

Re:Call busts out the gate with clever gameplay systems that deal with memory manipulation and puzzle solving. It’s an additive affair as you attempt multiple times to get the story straight and progress the narrative. However, the balance of gameplay and storytelling is lost in the final chapters as the narrative is the true highlight of the experience. Make this your next weekend game; you won’t regret it.

Season: A Letter to the Future is a rush of emotions. You’ll feel happy, lonely, or even scared at any given time. It plays on the player’s curiosity and rewards those who take the time to explore. If you don’t have that time available, I’m afraid the experience will fall short. It’s a game that makes unremarkable situations remarkable through themes of memories and how we could lose everything in an instant.

The Switch version of Life is Strange 2 is not the best version of this adventure. However, this doesn’t make it a terrible choice. The experience is serviceable on both handheld and docked modes, and while the models lack graphically, as the game progresses, shadows and dirt make them look more natural. Unfortunately, players won’t find anything new or impressive with this port. Regardless, I recommend this version to those who haven’t played it before or are looking for a new title to play while on the go, proving that a tale of two brothers is excellent no matter what version players decide to play.

Hi-Fi Rush is, by every possible measure, one of the biggest surprises of 2023 and will probably stand as my Game of the Year for at least the next few months. I have never seen a game tt so successfully blends rhythm and action, and despite its platforming not being much to write home about, the combat is so superb that it may even surpass all of its most apparent influences.

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.

All of this makes 8-Bit Adventures 2 shine as a quality game regardless if it doesn’t present any groundbreaking systems in the genre. This game is a love letter to retro adventures that we’re intimately familiar with by now. Rather than push it to be something that seeks to change the experience, it celebrates it. If you’re looking for something that seeks to innovate, you’re likely to find something better elsewhere. But if you want an entertaining, lighthearted, and endearing experience, this is the game for you.

ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree is a title that has the definition of “jack-of-all-trades, master of none.” It does a lot of things, but it doesn’t stick the landing most of the time. The story is very short, and while the soundtracks are good, I wasn’t a huge fan of the rhythm portions, especially because of their severe disconnection to the main tale.

Dead Space is a brilliant and terrifying horror experience made better with this release. Everything you remember loving about the original is still here, with added quality and updates that improve it for a new generation. While playing, I could feel my muscles tense, and my hands clam up, desperately trying to use a healing item I didn't have as I nervously rounded a corner. This will likely be something I share with all who play, no matter their past with the series. But, even without the nostalgia, I can't recommend a better survival horror gaming experience than this.

If you’ve been waning on the Neptunia series recently, this one is worth picking up. While it doesn’t necessarily redefine the series as we know it, its distinct strengths can be used as a building block for future games to flourish consistently.

Bacchanalia seems to be an otome game that would fit all the checkmarks of what you’d expect from the genre, and while it is available for a relatively low cost of entry, that doesn’t excuse the fact that it is severely unfinished. From its awkward, inconsistent translation to even the plot having more holes than Swiss cheese, this title clearly should’ve just gone full-on Early Access, and I hope the developers are true to their word with their promise of fixing it all in the coming months.

There are numerous games from the Japanese Doujinshi scene to discover, and Graze Counter GM is one of the best examples from this underground gaming scene. It’s inexpensive, making it an easy recommendation to genre fans, but even a casual player will find the experience fun and easy to jump back into for repeated plays. Graze Counter GM offers plenty of content and an interesting gameplay hook for anyone seeking a little more thrill in their bullet hell.

While I’m sure plenty of people enjoy the constant references to the Fire Emblem series and the heavy use of tropes, the bulk of the experience wasn’t satisfying. I enjoyed the combat, even with difficulty, but the time mechanic added a surprising amount of stress that wasn’t enjoyable. In addition, for every character interaction I enjoyed, there were two that I found grating at best. Studio Daimon certainly did a great job forging a game they can be proud of as fans of Fire Emblem, but it will not resonate well with everyone.

Through the lens of magical realism, A Space for the Unbound takes a whimsical yet mature look at what happens when a community is under unexplainable distress. It shows you the effect one small action or one person can have. Factor in a beautiful art style, excellent storytelling, and a gorgeous soundtrack, and there’s no denying the superb quality of the content. You spend the entirety of the game making an impact on others, and I can easily say A Space for the Unbound has left a memorable and profound effect on me for years to come.

Persona 4 Golden is a terrific JRPG through and through. It contains a must-experience narrative, thrilling strategic combat, addictive customization, tons of optional content, and an endearing cast; all you could want from the genre. Furthermore, its shortcomings, like the mediocre dungeon design and unnecessarily long start, are relatively minor, not drastically affecting the quality of the experience. Regardless of your history with Persona or JRPGs in general, Persona 4 Golden is worth the time if you stick with it, as it’s near the heights of its contemporaries.

The mitigated presentation and tone of Portable don’t paint an accurate picture of its identity. But it’s nice to see it around, and the gameplay here is the best of any of the releases. Persona 3 is my favorite franchise entry, yet its lack of a definitive version has always been frustrating, with this release now causing those emotions to resurge. Hopefully, it will receive that treatment one day. Yet, for now, it’s at least possible to officially play it on newer platforms.