Cross Tails is a disappointing game because it has all the components of a masterpiece. However, between flat characters and nonsensical story planning decisions, it fails to leave an impact as anything more than a missed opportunity. Which is also a shame because of how finely the combat is crafted. I enjoyed that and hoped to see it in something with better furnishings.

Remnant II is a challenging, addictive, and exciting experience. It’s a sequel that has improved on all the shortcomings of its predecessor but also carved out many new systems that only add to the enjoyment. The incredible depth of the customization systems allows players to fine-tune all aspects of their experience while also being able to share this adventure with friends through co-op. Even after many hours, I can’t wait to play more.

Lisa: Definitive Edition is a title that I wish I had played years ago. It excels in a way that others struggle when juggling an in-depth battle system, modern features, and a mature narrative. The added content of this Definitive Edition makes it the perfect time to experience a game that may have flown under your radar. Still, you may find it strange to be enjoying such a painful and joyless experience; oh well.

Viewfinder is as serine as it is challenging. From the very beginning, this game will captivate you through its unique image manipulation puzzle design and narrative. The explorable areas complement the experience as the situation becomes more complex as the narrative is revealed. The clever and unique puzzle designs set the stage for a very special adventure.

Touhou: New World is an interesting Touhou Project adventure that builds out these characters’ personalities for a Yokai-infested adventure. The customization and narrative make up the best moments of the experience, while the combat is kept to a mindless button mash until you get to the boss and have to use your entire arsenal. While fans would enjoy the commendable character roster, there’s no rush to play this. So, pick it up today or in a couple of years; this game will wait for you.

Gravity Circuit redefines the 2D platforming action genre with attention put on melee action systems that benefit all other aspects of the experience. Your skills are constantly being pushed to the test, but you aren’t allowed to get too comfortable as new abilities are unlocked with ever-changing level gimmicks keeping you on your toes. One look at this game in action, and it’s no surprise that it’s a must-play release of 2023.

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg offers players a chance to discover the roots of this beloved series. The updated menus and graphics give this adventure a chance to be enjoyed by new and returning players, but the simplicity of it all might limit any genuine player investment. It’s a bite-sized Atelier experience that provides moments of charm alongside some frustratingly simple gameplay mechanics.

Oxenfree II is a wonderful ghost story in more ways than one. The ending depends on the person telling it, it takes place on a dark and stormy night, and there are literal ghosts involved. I, unfortunately, can’t currently compare it to its predecessor, but what I was hoping for out of this one was a spooky-vibes adventure that was a decent mind-screw. I’m happy to say that Lost Signals delivered on that with an extra spoonful of charm on top, and I can’t wait to experience it all again.

Aoi Shiro HD Remaster is a gorgeous adventure visual novel that has finally seen an official English release. Sadly, that comes at the cost of a poor localization effort that holds back some much-needed lore and emotional context to enjoy. Regardless, the yuri romance and supernatural elements will surely keep you engaged as you try to avoid the heartbreaking bad endings.

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.

Love on Leave knows what it is and will find its audience through its ecchi gameplay systems and humorous writing. However, that comes at the cost of a repetitive gameloop that doesn’t require any thought to reach the game’s various milestones. Still, if you’re looking for a casual, relaxing experience, you can’t really go wrong here but don’t go looking for any significant attachment to the characters.

Despite the myriad of technical and design issues, it’s apparent that the developers of Runes Magica had a clear idea of the kind of gameplay systems they wanted to create. However, the final product fails to capture the features of what makes action platformers engaging. While it could benefit from an update, many tweaks would need to be made to the core mechanics to capitalize on what is potentially engaging. In its current state, you won’t find anything enjoyable here that you couldn’t find done better in another game.

Strong environmental puzzles, unfortunately, don’t do anything to save GYLT, and as such, there’s nothing here I would really recommend to anyone other than to a younger gamer just getting into the genre. Horror fans will have seen everything this game has to offer before, and a lack of anything gripping will stop newcomers from sticking around for its brief runtime.

While the narrative felt more substantial and impactful, the puzzle rooms didn’t provide any novelty. You’re exploring similar environments to the base game, meaning there is slight familiarity with each room. The difficulty and complexity didn’t feel as memorable, but the conditions created by the plot gave the experience the ‘oomph’ that it needed. Regardless, the Escape from the Past DLC manages to craft a fun variant to the puzzles we’ve come to expect from the Escape Academy game.

Kingdom Eighties: Summer of Greed is an excellent introduction to the series that checks every box that makes these games so fun. While it doesn’t introduce new elements to the core systems, its unique setting and campaign serve to get new players invested and hold off returning players as we await the next mainline entry. Yes, it is relatively easy and short, but its high-quality presentation makes this an easy recommendation.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is an amazing JRPG that expertly handles its extensive cast to conclude this arc. The pacing respects the long history players have had with these characters to deliver a narrative that respects fans. This isn’t a game for those who haven’t played the previous titles, as it addresses overlooked plot points and relationships that could spoil those games. It doesn’t bog down progression with feeble recaps and instead marches ever onward with confidence. Trails into Reverie is a reunion among reunions, a capstone among capstones, and a soul-stirring special experience you won’t find in any other game.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code delivers an excellently paced detective mystery through its clever writing and memorable cast of characters. It’s not afraid to go to some dark places and have fun at the same time within its narrative, but the balance of these themes is crafted in a way that keeps you hooked. The puzzles are all clever, and the gameloop never comes off as repetitive or straightforward. It’s an excellent experience that rivals all other releases in this genre.

Reverie: Sweet As Edition is a cute 16-bit game. While its presentation has everything you’d want from a retro-inspired adventure, its systems sadly don’t hold up. The entire experience is over before you know it, with the credits rolling to an unfulfilling conclusion. Regardless, the price is right for this release, but I can’t help but urge you to play something else.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a must-play mystery adventure that sticks the landing with its gameplay design, compelling mysteries, and character writing. The soundtrack is also quite catchy. If you’re someone who missed out on the game’s original DS release, then you owe it to yourself to give this remaster a shot, especially if you’re an Ace Attorney fan. I’m thrilled Capcom decided to give this title another chance, so here’s hoping it excels this time around.

There’s no doubt that the F1 series feels like a yearly iterative experience, but Codemasters has done an outstanding job with F1 23 because it improves upon last year’s title in almost every way. The increased accessibility options, enhanced driving mechanics, and welcome return of the Braking Point story mode are all steps in the right direction for the Formula 1 gaming community.

With its eye for detail, impeccable direction of design and music, and fantastic narrative, Amarantus is definitely up there for one of the year’s best releases. It tells a compelling story using unique systems to express the cast’s emotions, adding to the immersion. While multiple playthroughs are needed, you’ll quickly jump back in after the first ending to get the most out of this experience.

Diablo IV is the spark to rekindle the flames of this series’ greatness. The enemy variety and combat don’t hold up when to its predecessor, but over time I believe this will evolve into the best entry of the series to date. The option to mix up builds with enhancements and skill points adds a high level of customization to the experience and keeps every moment unique. However, we may need this game to cook in hell a bit longer for it to be the Diablo we’ve been waiting for.

Sonic Origins Plus had the opportunity to really deliver a collection of classic Sonic games that fans could experience on newer hardware. While Amy’s playable inclusion is fantastic, the poor state of some Game Gear titles introduces too many points of frustration to overlook. Features like the Classic Music and Premium Fun packs should’ve been a free update. In fact, the amount of purchase bonuses and content locked behind DLC makes experiencing Sonic Origins Plus exhausting. So if you’re desperately trying to complete this collection, then it’s here, but you could just as easily skip this release.

Charade Maniacs has so much potential, but the cast becomes bloated, and the conclusion comes way too early without any level of fanfare to cap off the routes. The narrative ends up tripping over itself as it tries to balance all the relationships, causing Sena to be more of an everchanging object for plot progression instead of her own character. The translation also comes across as questionable due to the inconsistencies within the cast. Sadly, the few memorable routes aren’t strong enough to carry enough the flimsy plot.

Soulvars is fast and addictive, but the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the limited tutorials makes experiencing the best parts of this game more effort than they’re worth. It has the style and energy to keep your attention for a few moments, but it doesn’t last when the character writing and world-building lay in an optional encyclopedia than in the game’s story. Still, this game is all about speed and combat, and it delivers in that regard.

Nukitashi presents itself as a unique, well-written, and poignant comedy experience. It doesn’t shy away from its adult themes and, instead, embraces them to deliver a memorable narrative. Qruppo’s first game is a must-play that hits all the right notes when considering character development, theming, humor writing, and presentation.

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie has an amazing presentation that gives narrative adventure fans a visual treat to watch as they progress the story. The branching paths carry some emotional weight, but the second half really drops the ball on keeping the plot consistent. If you’re up for a relaxing mystery that revolves around unique themes and characters, make this your next weekend game.

Nimbus Infinity shows significant improvement when compared to its predecessor. The speed of the action fuels this experience, but mission pacing remains questionable. Still, the characters and story elements give players a reason to care. I mean, as if you needed any reason to jump into a mech and rain bullets on waves of enemies.