Despite some frustrating map design involving hunting for switches and keys, Strife is a rompin', stompin' FPS with a fascinating setting and fun characters.

Both Cyber Sleuth games provide solid RPGs that will appeal to both longtime Digimon fans and newcomers alike.

The Outer Worlds is a triumph for Obsidian Entertainment and AA games in general. They set out to create a successor to New Vegas and succeeded on every conceivable level. Every mechanic I loved from that game, including the stunningly robust faction system, has been taken to new heights. Sure, the world isn't quite as big as New Vegas, but with the almost-limitless choices the game offers you, it feels just as massive. The Outer Worlds may not reinvent the genre, but it is an outstanding example of how engaging RPGs can be when created by developers who have a passion for them and video games in general!

There are a few bumps along the road, but Trails of Cold Steel III is yet another excellent entry in the Legend of Heroes series. Longtime fans will find a lot to love about this game, from the smaller but stronger core cast and the intertwining of plot threads from previous arcs to the refined battle system and quality of life changes. Personally, I'm still reeling from the ending, so I'm definitely going to need a few more playthroughs to tide me over until Trails of Cold Steel IV makes its way Westward.

For all the Valkyrie Profile fans out there who are wondering about Anatomia: let me put your anxiety to rest! Valkyrie Anatomia is a game absolutely worth skipping. You need not lose bandwidth or storage space over this one. If you must know what is going on, follow the wikis out there and read story summaries from time to time.

While I didn't have huge expectations for Destiny Connect, I feel like the game has settled for simply being average. For a sub-15 hour RPG, revisiting the same places over and over again while posing no challenge struggled to hold my attention for even a third of the time, and the charming art is severely let down by the Switch version's quality. There are so many better examples of beginner RPGs out there that allow kids to customise and experiment much more and give them a robust world to explore. Think Fantasy Life on the 3DS, or any Pokémon game, and you've already got something much more engaging and exciting.

The Surge 2 is a decent Souls-like title that has solid gameplay but lacks much to call its own.

With stellar combat, a nuanced story that keeps things interesting, stunning art design, and a killer soundtrack, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a worthy addition to the incredible line-up of Switch RPGs.

If it isn't already apparent, I'm completely invested in the series. Whereas Death Mark examines the darker side of human beings through an emotionally repressive lens, NG painfully portrays just how cruel life can be. This engrossing rumination on the nature of life and death is something we all can easily identify with, and I for one am eager to know where it will take me next. As for what the letters in NG stand for, you'll just have to play this Necro-centric Game to find out.

An enjoyable and short-ish adventure game, Whispers of a Machine is well worth a thoughtful playthrough.

In spite of the harsh scrutiny I leveled at YU-NO throughout this review, I was thoroughly entranced by it. YU-NO's acclaim is well deserved and proves the adage that there is no expiration date on a good story. Whenever I was at work, my only thought all day was, "Man, I can't wait to get home and experience more YU-NO." That YU-NO finally made it to the West and even spawned an anime series (which the author of our original review wished for dearly) is something visual novel enthusiasts should celebrate.

If I were to over-simplify and equate most video games to desserts, I'd put them in two camps: you have your rich chocolate mousse slice of cake and the super-sized bag of salty, greasy potato chips. Some games don't have a lot on the plate, but that labored over mousse screams quality. Other games are meant to make you mindlessly go from the top of that bag of chips to the bottom without even realizing it, relying heavily on quantity of good enough content. Borderlands 3 is certainly the latter, and just like eating that bag of chips, I feel awful afterwards, regretting what I'd done.

If you're looking for a different spin on the Soulsborne series, Bandai Namco offers up their take with gameplay that feels inviting rather than punishing.

Indivisible takes three different genres and melds them together expertly to create something wholly unique.

Neo Cab is a short but altogether engrossing and clever game that offers players a lot of replayability. Lina's journey in Los Ojos was ultimately very fulfilling once I reached one of the game's better endings, and I regretted none of my time behind the virtual wheel. Those who crave an original cyberpunk setting might find this creative, independent title worth playing.

An incredible remake of one of the greatest adventures Nintendo has ever released, Link's Awakening is a must-have for anyone who owns a Switch.

It's clear that Akash: Path of the Five was a labor of love by all involved, and their joie de vivre is quite palpable throughout the game. I liked its 3D polygonal environment design cues and hope to see more developers use this technique to craft more visually dynamic and less flat visual novels. Although it's not the most original game, Akash: Path of the Five is an enjoyable romp whose killer art direction exudes a refined cool. I look forward to seeing what the artists at Truant Pixel come up with next.

Even though it resembles other WRPGs that came before it, GreedFall is a solid gaming experience for those wanting a choice-heavy narrative.

Corona Borealis is the kind of enjoyable visual novel you can lose yourself in for a short while, but it doesn't offer much staying power once you've completed all its routes.

Cat Quest II feels like the perfect game for a parent and child to play together. This is likely a growing market, so I applaud the publisher for being on top of this. The game hides enough potentially mature jokes to keep adults chuckling along, while the kiddo may fall in love with the adorable atmosphere. Although never too difficult, Cat Quest II seems to hit the sweet spot of demanding one's attention while never being too frustrating. I think anyone could actually enjoy this game, if one doesn't mind a chill, cozy excursion into the land of meows and ruffs.

It may not be quite the package we were hoping for, but this port is still the best way to experience these two charming classics.

An otherwise delightful and nostalgic JRPG, Octopath Traveler's lack of an integrated story leaves the experience feeling empty in the end.

A solid enough follow-up to Until Dawn, with the promise of more to come; hopefully, they iron out a few kinks next time.

AI: The Somnium Files' story is dark, with a lot of horrific and upsetting moments to be found, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of humor and, dare I say it, heart present in the plot too.

A fun game that offers a lot of variety between classes and partners, but difficulty spikes later on require you to miss out on it in favor of specific choices to have a chance at success.

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is lacking a fair bit of polish in some areas, and it isn't the easiest Final Fantasy to recommend to everyone, but it's a piece of history in Square Enix's storied life. This is easily the best and most accessible version of the game you can get today, and I'm so glad it's finally getting a bit more love and attention. FFVIII embraces its weirdness and quirks to full effect, and it's definitely worth giving a shot if you're curious. With this release, I hope a lot more people realise this game is better than many made it out to be back in the day.

Star Traders: Frontiers achieves what many games attempt and can't quite accomplish: naturalistic procedurally generated content, interconnected game systems, and strong narrative possibilities existing within the chaotic environment of said procedural generation.

When all is said and done, I enjoyed my time with Winds of Change. I liked its blend of visual novel and point-and-click elements, making it a sort of East-meets-West game. I also found the story and characters engaging and spent several playthroughs exploring new character subplots and decision branches. On the other hand, some of the voice actors were not that great. Winds of Change is a niche game that won't appeal to everyone, but whether you try it or not, I still encourage folks to step out of their gaming comfort zones and try something a little different or unconventional.