Its character designs and story are charming, and the game and its systems are highly polished. Still, one thing’s for sure: If Star Rail wants to stay for the long run, it will need to do much more to stand out in the sea of turn-based RPGs available on both PC and mobile. And only time will tell if that will happen.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising should be played if you plan on diving into Hundred Heroes next year. Luckily, it’s a straightforward adventure through some beautiful environments and a well-crafted narrative. Furthermore, the very low price of admission for such a charming game made me enjoy it even more, given how far the developers were able to push the presentation. So, in case there was doubt, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising definitely rose to the occasion.

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.

Pocket Mirror: GoldenerTraum is a unique concept that resembles classic anime such as Rozen Maiden and Madoka Magica and literary pieces like Alice in Wonderland. However, the narrative doesn’t ever seem fully realized, leaving a predictable and almost confusing experience. Regardless, it’s one that lasts with you with its gorgeous setpiece, horror elements, and intriguing cast.

Torchlight III is a great entry in the series as it doesn’t explicitly try to be exactly like its predecessors. Instead, it attempts to do new things using classes and relics to personalize the adventure along with a few accessible leveling systems and skill trees. It all works for the most part, but it’s a design that doesn’t allow for the deepest amount of customization. Sure, building a fort and collecting loot with my friends is fun, but there has to be some balance and short term goals that make each level up and new area discovered worth it.

The Forgotten City brings out the adventurer in all of us and showcases just how capable mods can be. While the runtime is kept short, multiple endings increased replay value for a few more days spent in the ruins. In addition, there’s an impressive degree of detail put into these characters that only falters in some aspects of the general gameloop. Regardless, I’m looking forward to what this game encourages modders to produce in the future.

Coupled with it's interesting and mysterious story, the game's alternate modes for speedrunners and a recreation of the original as well as It's newer cute cartoony esque visuals of the game's world and it's characters such as Heinrich and the animals he has to face, will help keep players invested in playing through the game.

Tunche has some performance issues, but it more than makes up for it with its presentation. The combat is thoroughly enjoyable and complex. The visual style and animations are a complete joy, and the rogue-lite elements are incredibly generous and motivating for players to continue run after run. Tunche provides an entraining and, at times, addicting beat ’em up experience, and that’s all I could have asked for.

Everhood 2 refines its music-based combat and surreal adventure, delivering a rhythm-action RPG packed with creative battles, an expansive soundtrack, and unpredictable storytelling. While it lacks deep character development, its unique gameplay and vibrant presentation make it a standout indie experience.

Stray Gods is, as I expected, a game that will appeal to a particular crowd who will likely protect it fiercely but be difficult to explain to a broader majority. It’s best examined as more of an interactive film starring some of gaming’s best talent rather than a video game itself. With that in mind, the story is engrossing and emotional, the music pulls you even deeper into the world, and the presentation makes a lot out of a limited asset pool. If this looks like your idea of a good time, it definitely will be, and I encourage you to turn out the lights, put on your headphones, and let it wash you away.

Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion is mainly for the fans. Those who wish to tie up loose ends and experience a condensed narrative will find that in Shadows of Rose. The additional content is likely there to sweeten the deal, which makes the entire package worth it in my eyes. As reluctant as I was to return to these places, I felt Rose was a great protagonist, and I’m eager, if not happily terrified, to see what comes next for the series.

Damon and Baby is a niche action adventure that mixes satisfying gunplay, layered exploration, and RPG progression with uneven storytelling and frustrating quality of life shortcomings. While Arc System Works successfully pivots away from its fighting game roots with a rewarding sense of discovery and tense combat encounters, inconsistent pacing, intrusive technical quirks, and clunky inventory design prevent the experience from reaching its full potential.

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a game that both delights and frustrates me for a lot of reasons. I don’t feel like the shift to Unreal Engine 4 added anything substantial, and it seems to have come at a steep cost compared to the framework the studio normally uses. The drawbacks make this fully-remade title feel like it would have been at home two generations ago, rather than belonging next to Lost Judgment and Yakuza 7.

Akai Ito HD Remaster is a stand-out horror yuri adventure finally released in the West after nearly two decades. The game’s story holds up surprisingly well to deliver a mythological and dark narrative fueled by its well-rounded cast and setting. While the localization ends up hurting a few crucial scenes, I believe this to be an adventure every fan of the genre should experience.

Dreamscaper is a delightful and deep game, mixing elements of realistic character development with fluid combat in a dreamlike world. However, this does come with moments of tedium and monotony, making it best to experience through shorter play sessions. There’s a good balance of subtlety between the character writing and atmosphere with combat’s fast pace and tension. Dreamscaper makes a name for itself in the ever-expansive world of roguelite titles with great detail and nuance.

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.

Tunic has a couple of issues, but it’s nothing major enough to stop me from thoroughly enjoying the game. It’s a pleasant and relaxing throwback to older Zelda titles with enough secrets to keep you busy for a good while. If the visual style and 16-bit inspiration appeals to you, I’d say Tunic is definitely worth your time. Just get ready to get lost, or stick to a GameFAQs page.

As a port of a game from 2015, Zombie Army Trilogy on Switch is a great way to play the wacky spin-off. It’s visuals take a hit, but the game runs wonderfully on the console hybrid. However, I would have liked to see some quality-of-life improvements addressed in this version. Sure, the shortcomings don’t make Zombie Army a bad experience, but it does show its age in many ways. Fortunately, the Switch takes nazi zombie killing on the go, and that’s more than enough reason for me to recommend it.

Yakuza Kiwami makes its unexpected arrival on the Nintendo Switch, bringing the series' compelling origin story to a new audience. This remake offers a fast-paced, thrilling narrative centered around protagonist Kiryu Kazuma, set in the intimate and vibrant city of Kamurocho. With a rich array of side activities and a deep combat system, the game promises an engaging experience. However, performance issues in docked mode and the availability of better versions on other platforms make this port a less than ideal way to experience this classic.

Katana Kami is a must-play for roguelike fans. The game loop of earning money by day and fighting monsters by night creates a fantastic gameplay experience. Still, there are some features that could use some clarity and confusing menus do more harm than good to its accessibility.

The LiEat trilogy presents a lite visual novel esque adventure with a charming duo of protagonists and through a whimsical narrative. While the questionable implementation of combat is puzzling, and the collectively 3-hour play-time for the entire trilogy can be understandable turn-offs, I find the characterizations and soundtrack more than enough to give these games a try.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is a nostalgic journey that allows new players to experience the iconic Metal Gear series on modern hardware. While some of the games may not have received extensive visual improvements, the timeless narratives, and innovative gameplay mechanics continue to shine. The emphasis on stealth, the intricate political commentary, and the potential for experimentation make this collection a must-play for any gaming enthusiast.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers offers enough zany action to shine through any flaws presented during the hectic missions. The story keeps itself in the absurdity of Tokusatsu that sells the overall experience. Still, the combat system can be frustrating, which shows up more given the enormous amount of playable missions, but it’s undeniable this content will keep you playing for hours to come.

Radical Rabbit Stew is a simple and intuitive puzzle game that is easy to pick up and play for a quick bit of fun. It ends up hitting all the right beats for an intuitive adventure that doesn’t require a massive investment of time from the player. The visual and musical make for the perfect ingredients for this enjoyable experience.

Eclipsium is an unsettling and introspective indie thriller from developer Housefire and publisher Critical Reflex that blends slow-paced exploration with psychological tension. Instead of traditional scares, it builds dread through atmosphere, abstract storytelling, and a haunting pixelated world. The game challenges players to persist through cryptic environments and moments of sacrifice, offering a deeply personal experience that lingers beyond the ending. While its mechanics are minimal and pacing deliberate, Eclipsium succeeds as an experimental journey into discomfort and emotional weight.

Abaddon: Princess of the Decay can be a frustrating experience if you’re not looking for a challenging RPG for your next romp into the eroge horror genre. However, it’s an interesting experience that I can’t say I’ve had in a while. The game manages to provide moments of tension and real stakes for these characters but requires a lot of player investment to see see the nightmares it has to share.

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.

Little Nightmares III delivers a visually stunning and atmospherically rich experience that stays true to the franchise’s eerie roots, but struggles to carve out a bold new identity. While Supermassive Games captures the chilling tone and handcrafted environments fans love, the game falters in pacing, emotional depth, and narrative clarity. Despite its potential, the journey through The Nowhere feels restrained, leaving players both intrigued and underwhelmed by the end.