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. 

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.

Even with the flaws in the design, and a few objects popping in on occasion, Wavetale was an absolute joy to play. From the charming graphics and characters to the amazing freedom of movement, the adventure Sigrid and the Shadow go on to discover the truth of their home is one I’m happy I got to experience.

The Witcher 3 is commonly cited as one of the best video games ever made. While I would never have called it “perfect,” it was always close. This final release brings it even closer.

Melatonin feels like a gorgeous love letter to long-time fans of the Rhythm Heaven series. Despite it being rather brief, the fact that every rhythm game has its own Hard Mode with a more challenging set, alongside the ability to create your own beatmaps, checks all of the boxes. If you’re looking to chill out and unwind from the sensory overload that some of its contemporaries have, Melatonin’s pastel colors beautifully represent relatable daily life and manage to form a great relaxing package that truly deserves noteworthy attention.

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.

It only took ten years, but now, we finally have the first official English TYPE-MOON visual novel in our hands. And it’s absolutely stunning. With some fantastic characters, brilliant writing, and the best visual novel presentation I have ever seen, Witch on the Holy Night is a must-read for anyone interested in the visual novel medium. Maybe they’ll get to Fate/Stay Night next time. But it won’t look as good as this.

Samurai Maiden is an action title boasting conceptually sound ideas that grievously fall flat due to poor optimization, rigid movement, unnecessarily high enemy numbers, and artificial difficulty by extension. The replayability offered by greater difficulty modes is rendered moot. Granted, exploring the stages for collectibles and platforming can be enjoyable. The cast is pleasing to see converse and bond, too. Still, the lacking narrative and gameplay-related drawbacks significantly hamper the experience. At one point in development, there was a promising time to be had here, but it’s been mired by severe faults.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a fun time with plenty of adventuring to be had. Its charming writing expected of the series, and the endearing cast creates a distinct, inviting ambiance, even if the story isn’t exactly compelling. Of course, there are plenty of tasks to complete and items to find to keep busy as well.

Chained Echoes is a wildly ambitious and impressive turn-based RPG that, aside from minor faults, sticks the landing on all fronts. From its terrific and constantly thought-provoking battle system with well-implemented challenge, to its strongly written cast and masterclass worldbuilding, this is an essential must-play for any fan of the genre that I sincerely hope doesn’t pass anyone’s radar.

Overall, despite its sudden difficulty spikes at specific points in the story or when fighting bosses, The Knight Witch is a great way to burn off some hours when you aren’t busy and for fans of on-rail arcade shooters. It’s fun to challenge yourself as you dodge bullets that the Golems and bosses fire as you attempt to take them down.

Need for Speed Unbound is a game that favors glamor and style over substance. It’s an absolute visual and aural treat. Don’t get me wrong, the art direction is phenomenal, especially with the combination of unique cel-shaded effects and photo-realistic graphics. I mean, they even got A$AP Rocky to feature. I keep wanting to push the pedal to the metal and thoroughly enjoy what the game has to offer, but the endless bloat and grind to get there is beyond disheartening and frustrating. Criterion has promised free content updates in the future, so here’s to hoping it satisfies the needs of the Need for Speed community. But what Unbound has to offer at this moment is a high price tag, a cliche narrative, and an average racing experience.

At the beginning of this review, I was trying not to compare this game to Dodgeball Academia. It takes a long time to develop an indie game, and I have little evidence that the two have anything to do with each other. But it’s hard not to look at these two games next to each other and see that the things I really adored about one are mostly absent from the other. There’s definitely an enjoyable experience to be had with Soccer Story, but you’ll need to have a high tolerance for jank to find enjoyment in it.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a brilliant example of what a Remaster should be. It's the same game I remember, but the updated graphics, controls, and combat make it so much more. You might feel fatigued with the respective mission structure, but there's so much for new and old fans to enjoy in this release, and I'm happy that it received the level of attention it deserves. This is a must-play game for any who truly wishes to understand the incredible narrative of Final Fantasy VII and what makes it so great.

Finding Paradise is a worthy successor to To The Moon, which re-explores the themes of death and regrets in a new light, in an easy-to-understand way. This Switch re-release offers players the chance to play the game in the most visually impressive way it’s ever been and brings it to a broader audience. When I wasn’t interrupted by strange interactables, I was immersed in its grippy and mysterious narrative. Now all I have to do is wait for Imposter Factory. They made a third one of these! I need to play it!

Being such a short and simple experience, if the ending of a one-sitting game is bad, it inevitably taints the whole experience – and I would say that Goodbye World‘s pointlessly cruel and mocking ending goes several steps further than that. Rather than coming to the end of a thematic roller coaster, I was left feeling like I’d been casually thrown off of a cliff.

Renai X Royale is another enjoyable visual novel from ASa Project and NekoNyan. It’s a great example of comedy, landing its jokes from start to finish. While its over-the-top nature makes the romantic and more nuanced side of the story feel a little lacking, this is an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.

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.

Flying Wild Hog absolutely nailed it with a damn fun old-fashioned shooter beat’em up that embraces its linear-level design and fluid combat. Sure it doesn’t have that AAA polish and budget, nor is it reinventing the wheel, but it does a fantastic job showing the world that even nostalgic games can be appreciated through a modern lens.

Lover Pretend is not a bad otome game, but it certainly isn’t without its faults. While the plot is full of cheesy moments, none of them were memorable. If you’re tired of overly serious stories this is a breath of fresh air with a more light-hearted romance. Unfortunately, it failed to subvert my expectations, even if I can’t “pretend” that they were perhaps too high to begin with.

Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered breaks the rules of traditional JRPG systems. There’s a gorgeous experience waiting to be unearthed, but this requires player patience to enjoy it fully. This might be a big ask, considering other titles are much more accessible, but I can’t help be enjoy every playthrough, no matter how challenging. What’s missing is a modernized tutorial prologue for new players, if only to help ease them into the experience, but what’s here is an RPG masterpiece.

Slow Damage is a game that I would absolutely not recommend for the faint of heart or if you’re not a fan of extreme violence and blood. Still, I can definitely see just how it shines as one of Nitro Plus’ best visual novels in the BL genre, even as someone who isn’t very familiar with it. The great translation combined with a story that packs a solid thematic punch and, quite frankly, a shockingly good soundtrack all made the wait totally worth it, even though I had my gripes with the typography and UI. I truly cannot truly describe the “feeling” I had when playing it, but if I had to pick two words for it, I would say it was “truly euphoric.”

Gungrave G.O.R.E lacks quality-of-life found in more recent games. While I’m a sucker for nostalgia, G.O.R.E tends to be more frustrating than fun. There are some exciting moments of arcadey action, but you’ll likely grow tired of the waves of enemies and artificial difficulty that stems from annoying mission objectives. I’m glad Grave is back from the dead, but I can’t help but want more.

Lunistice is not complex or complicated by any means, and if you play a single, straightforward playthrough, it isn’t even that difficult. But it is enjoyable and addictive in its no-frills approach, and the positive vibes from its visuals and soundtrack encourage you to keep playing. It’s the indie gem that I hope gets the attention it deserves since every polygon’s love and attention on display are evident. If you’re a fan of 3D platformers or 32-bit throwbacks, then it’s a game you need to try for yourself, and at its low price point, there’s little reason not to.

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 2 is a collection of leftovers and interesting oddities at best. Baseball and tennis are a lot of fun, but not for the full price of admission. If you’re getting into the Neo Geo Pocket library for the first time, then you’re better off just enjoying Vol. 1 instead. The handheld didn’t have a vast library, to begin with, and so Vol. 2 feels like slim pickings.

There seems to be an apparent disconnect between what fans loved about Bayonetta and what Platinum thinks fans loved about Bayonetta. Whether it’s the story that feels compelled to make sure the entire cast is by themselves or the gameplay that overly relies on giant enemies, everything feels like it could have used another pass. The game is enjoyable but isn’t an experience I’d like to return to, like the first two entries of the series. This is disappointing as dancing with Bayonetta has always been a wonderful time before now.

If you’re a prospective newcomer, I recommend playing the other titles before this one since its cast and depiction of the world are substantially better appreciated with context. Though, you won’t be lost if you choose this as your opening avenue.

Flat Eye is an entertaining management simulator that is easy to play and has a high skill ceiling. But it’s also a highly relevant game making a statement about the logical endpoint of capitalism and the everyday exploitation of the vulnerable as the world itself dies around those who can have the power to fix it but choose not to. If this game ever stops being relevant, we’ll be in a much better place. Aren’t video games cool?