Empire of Angels IV is a strange strategy RPG with a narrative that conflicts so heavily with the game’s tone. You’ll likely ignore all reasoning for why any of this is happening and just be happy with a clever battle system. With some improvements and added modern options, the next entry could very well be worth the wait, but be sure to know what you’re getting into here.

Trap Genesis is a forgettable and bland experience of making peace and love with a Chaos Goddess. This is an excellent way to revisit the world and celebrate the franchise’s anniversary for people who are already fans of the previous games. But for anyone else, this is not the game that should change their minds about giving the series a try.

Dosa Divas is a heartfelt, food-themed RPG that blends turn-based combat with light cooking mechanics, delivering a charming story about family and reconciliation. While its personality and emotional core shine through, the experience is held back by limited combat depth, a short runtime, and noticeable padding in its final stretch. It feels more like a promising proof of concept than a fully realized RPG, offering just enough substance to engage but not enough to leave a lasting impact.

Actraiser Renaissance is a surprise return of a long-lost classic, but one which falls flat in execution in more ways than one. It has moments of brilliance, and there is undoubtedly substance and depth in its many systems. Still, all the moving parts don’t come together cohesively or logically, and it ultimately feels like two completely unrelated games taped together as one, with neither fully complementing the other. Old school fans will no doubt find the experience worth investing in after the tedious start, but for most other players, there are just plenty of far better alternatives.

Super Bomberman R 2 doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from its predecessor or the series. There’s just nothing really here to justify a purchase with a campaign consisting of only three unimaginative levels, very limited power-ups, and a strange implication of online modes. The charm is still present when playing classic modes, but nothing that has been added moves the series in any significant direction.

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.

The Cruel King and the Great Hero is a cute RPG, I can’t deny that, but it, unfortunately, doesn’t fully invest in any of its features. The combat is tacted on, the story is predictable, and missions feel like unnecessary padding. Still, the charm is there with a more laid-back narrative than your thrilling style RPG. If you’re someone that just wants to wind off and take a break from stories that make you grip your head in fear and confusion, then perhaps this game is for you.

Steam-Heart's & Advanced Variable Geo Saturn Tribute offers a nostalgic return to two cult Japanese classics with solid gameplay and charming retro visuals, but suffers from technical issues, censored content, and a lack of localization support that limits its appeal to a wider audience.

Okay WiZmans World Re;Try is a modern revival of a cult Nintendo DS JRPG that pairs an intriguing mystery in the isolated city of Wizarest with a flexible and conceptually rich Anima Fusion system, but repetitive dungeon design and extreme difficulty swings undermine its potential. While the story setup, elemental customization, and boss encounters hint at a deeper tactical experience, the moment to moment loop of grinding, linear maps, and uneven balance makes progression feel more exhausting than rewarding.

The culmination of all these elements led to an ending that left me both confused and disappointed, and I only found myself enjoying Asuka’s conclusion of the three routes available. One Last Crane is a mediocre read for anyone interested in a mix of heartbreak and slice-of-life, though there are enjoyable parts sprinkled throughout the story. If the idea of a boy with recurring health issues romancing a girl interests you, One Last Crane may be a decent pick to put on your backlog.

Spirit of the North 2 continues the serene journey of its predecessor, offering a visually breathtaking world and a tranquil exploration experience. While the game charms with its art direction and soundtrack, it falls short in accessibility and mechanical variety.

Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story will cause several headaches after the many forehead palms players will endure through this cryptic adventure. The story will rarely make sense, and the haphazard nature of the puzzle design force many moments of aimless backtracking. This is a game that the developer seemed to make for themselves, and it shows in the design and layout. Still, there’s something here for a follow-up release, but I really hope that quality assurance is in the budget this time around.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 may be fun for a couple of laps, but the derivative gameplay, dated visuals, and disappointing music causes it to lack identity in the genre and ultimately become a generic kart racer with iconic characters. The racing mechanics end up being the highlight of the entire experience, but nothing could make up for the lack of charm. It’s a decent enough game to be a gift for a kid or a rental for a weekend, but if you’re a 90s kid trying to get your nostalgia fix with a fun Nickelodeon game, I’d probably get something else.

Star Wars: Beyond Victory tells a well-executed and personal story that punches above its weight class in terms of both detail and performance, and its full-VR segments feel excellent. Unfortunately, its mixed-reality aspects range from just okay to outright harmful, with the playset mode being insubstantial, and its racing being a complete misuse of the format. Worth it for existing VR and Star Wars fans, but it's not going to create any new fans.

Wicce can be really rough in places, but you can find a short and sweet gem that shows love for the platforming and action genres in it. Still, some issues hinder the charm of this experience with needed quality-of-life improvements and additional playtesting. Regardless, I wouldn’t mind seeing going on more Wicce adventures in the future.

While length is not a determining factor for enjoyment, it can become a primary focus if there isn’t much else to offer. I went around the snowscape with a partner, searching for our families. Outside of the gorgeous aesthetics, both visually and sonically, no substantive content sparked any significant emotion. There weren’t a lot of facets done poorly, but they weren’t executed wonderfully either. And while there were some endearing and silly moments, I came out of the experience feeling like I went through an underwhelming roller coaster at a theme park.

Doomsday Vault isn’t going to overwhelm you with narrative or challenging puzzles. Instead, you’re in for a casual adventure of collecting seeds and customizing a suit. Those who enjoy the gameplay elements can spend time in the additional one-off stages for a spot on the leader board. Unfortunately, though, that ends up being the entirety of the experience. It’s cute and works as a Switch game, but don’t expect to leave with any knowledge outside of properly navigating an isometric experience.

There is prospective success in this game as an evolving creation of its writer. Taro has never handled a story that continued beyond launch day, and what little plot is in Re[in]carnation so far is basic but has plenty of room to grow and expand into a weird yet wonderful experience. Still, it’s going to need to evolve past the extremely standard auto-battler it currently exists as. Admittedly, it’s just difficult to admit that a game I still kind of like at the end of the day might have been better as a “walking simulator.”

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a nostalgic fever dream for longtime fans of the series to experience a title that could be the foundation of some great gaming memories. However, over the years, this series has evolved, which makes this entry more of a novelty than a modern take on a classic title. The added quality-of-life systems and events make for a nice visit to Forgotten Valley, but as the town’s name suggests, this is one forgettable experience.

The Oath of the Dark Magic Queen serves as a competent visual novel for those looking for a cliche fantasy narrative with lewd interactions. There’s a low price of entry for a quick read, but this one won’t last long in your memory bank. There’s a lack of world-building and a substantial plot that makes this all about Omaylas’ assets, but I feel that that’s why any would read this in the first place.

Laid-Back Camp -Virtual- Lake Motosu is a cute, comfy, and wholesome experience. While fans of the anime and manga might enjoy it, those on the fence may want to wait for a sale due to the minimal and limited interactivity in the content department and not to mention, the strange control scheme.

Crymachina offers an immersive and well-told sci-fi drama that leaves a lasting emotional impact through its characters and the portrayal of humanity’s end. However, the gameplay fails to match the storytelling’s quality, presenting surface-level upgrade systems, and mission mechanics that can frustrate players. While ambitious, the game primarily excels in its campaign experience.

If you can get through the fetch quests and borderline walking simulator elements, then The Good Life has an intriguing narrative for you to unravel and enjoy. It’s charming and unique in its own way, with its goofy presentation and silly supernatural elements. Maybe it’s the good life that SWERY65 had always imagined.

Ebenezer and the Invisible World is a fairly middle-of-the-road metroidvania that, apart from its presentation and premise, doesn’t do much to stand out from the crowd. Its passable combat and exploration achieve the bare minimum, making its subtle flaws more noticeable. Players may find themselves invested in the strong writing of the main story, sidequests, and profiles, but these elements only go so far in an action-adventure game. If you’re eager for a new metroidvania experience, Ebenezer and the Invisible World is an option, but with the genre being so densely populated, your time might be better spent elsewhere.

Billion Road has a lot of potential to be a great party game. While it can be fun in short bursts, it quickly becomes dull due to a lack of variety.

Hellpoint ends up being for Soulslike fans who are just dying for more experiences within the genre, but if that doesn’t describe you, then you’ll be disappointed. The sci-fi nature of the game and its story offering allows it to find its footing right before it ultimately falls apart from its uninspired gameplay. There’s a decent experience to be found during some late-game plot offerings, but that will require you to be invested past the first boss, which is asking a lot.

KamiYaba: Destiny on a Dicey Deadline offers cozy times with some cute characters, but it doesn’t manage to handle any unique plot point it brings up. The generic feeling and too frequent text issues are a big blunder, but players looking for just some fun with cute girls can probably overlook those issues.

Cotton 100% undoubtedly has some interesting charms and cool boss battles, but there isn’t much to it as a classic shooter. This 2021 release does the absolute bare minimum to preserve this oddity from the ’90s. If you need to try one game from the franchise, you might as well pick up the Saturn Tribute release of Cotton 2. As for this curious SNES shooter, it’s not among the games you need to play before you die.