The variety of stages and the variety of pranks is what makes Panic Maker such a fun experience. In what other game can you throw pies at a casino waitress, exorcize zombies and use spring loaded punching gloves to knock people into walls? The quirkiness of "Under the Skin" goes far. [JPN Import]

The good mix of action, planning and jaw dropping visuals in Kessen 3 will please the majority of gamers out there. [JPN Import]

The game offers a little more than the standard platformer like a good combo system and a sense of urgency.

Engaging as other installments of the series, Advance Wars Dual Strike doesn't stray far from the formula. If you're looking for a complex tactics game look no further.

A unique experience that only the DS can handle. If you own a DS pick this game up, it’s well worth a play.

Love, Ghostie is basically a game for folks who play games like Fire Emblem or The Sims because they want to pair characters up in relationships. It’s incredibly compelling! I beat it in a single sitting over the course of a few hours. It’s relaxing! There’s no pressure. It’s also got a ton of replay value, even though there are only 12 characters, since they can all get together.

Albeit shorter than an average game We Love Katamari is excellent all the way through. If you loved the first game there is no doubt that you’ll laud We Love Katamari.

As an action packed, sit down and shoot title Ratchet Deadlocked hits the mark.

The beating heart of GSH is one of awing action and great craftsmanship, one in the same as its parent's. It may be jaded posturing from an over-analytical critic, but nothing will eclipse the original Gunstar Heroes. That comparison isn't everything, though, and as far as handheld action games go, nothing will eclipse Gunstar Super Heroes.

This game features one of the best single player modes for a Dragonball Z game ever. The mode also has enough depth that you will get a decent amount of gameplay playing through it. Future developers take note, this is how a Dragonball Z game should be made. [JPN Import]

Even though it isn’t a major evolution in the series, Soul Calibur III fills the void of what was missing in "Soul Calibur II" - a deep single player experience.

Despite some minor issues and the been there, done that feeling that tends to permeate the game, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is just as solid as ever.

While Pokemon Emerald is really designed for people who haven't already picked up "Ruby" or "Sapphire," gamers will find a decent amount to do in Emerald. Features like the wireless adapter support, new battle styles and more 2 on 2 fighting make Pokemon Emerald a better version of a classic GBA title.

One that every strategy game fan will love.

Better than the original in many ways and the original was already a great game.

If there's one downside to Mario RPG it is the level of difficulty. Once you master all the timing tricks like giving extra damage, jumping on the enemies heads before battle, dodging and how to get extra coins the game becomes much easier than any other RPG. [JPN Import]

In every way, Screw Breaker harkens back to the oldies - the days of make-you-think design, fun times jumping for platforms, missing them, and trying again, timing boss patterns and testing your reflexes. [JPN Import]

The two new dungeons are a nice addition for fans, but they may not be enough to warrant another purchase of the same games. [JPN Import]

One thing Naurto: Gekitou Ninja Taisen 2 does right is it makes good use of the Gamecube's four controller ports. Of course playing against a friend is fun, but playing against two other friends is even more fun.

A game that will entertain almost everyone looking for a simplistic fun platformer. If you're looking for a game that is epic and will last forever Astro Boy isn't it. [JPN Import]

It’s also lacking the presence of Yuri, who was one of the coolest RPG protagonists in recent memory. But if you let yourself free of any previous conceptions - and can forgive some uneven storytelling - you’ll find From the New World to be one of the most unique, engrossing, and well designed RPGs of this generation.

Enough content for die hard gamers and an easy learning curve for casual gamers. [JPN Import]

The most noticeable and welcome addition to the series is the possibility of 2 versus 2 fighting. Fights now take place on two lines, one in the foreground and the other in the background.

One thing that fans of the Tenchu series will enjoy is the enemies have increased AI. You can't just hide in a bunch of bushes and be "invisible" to enemies anymore. [JPN Import]

Front Mission 4 is for die hard strategy RPG gamers, if its not your cup of tea Front Mission 4 isn't for you.

Fans of old school shooters should rejoice... However, it doesn't have as much shelf life as many other games unless you're up for the challenge of unlocking all the ships. [JPN Import]

The formula is still the same old formula, luckily for Capcom it still remains fun. [JPN Import]

With an awesome setting and artwork, interesting characters, and a spooky yet intriguing story, I really enjoyed Look Outside and look forward to playing it again to check out other endings. It’s got a lot of charm, and I love the setting. If you’re interested in the story, and you don’t really want to play a survival horror RPG with an emphasis on resource management, the game also offers an easier mode that takes away a lot of the stress. Just make sure if you play, you check out what’s outside the window. You’ll see something beautiful!

Coral Island is a brilliant, cozy game and essential for any fan of the farming sim genre. It’s got a huge, lively town with spiritual aspects that add an interesting twist to its premise. There are more than enough quality-of-life additions that make its gameplay loop incredibly satisfying. It just might be worth waiting for its bug problem to be sorted out first, though. Once that’s done, feel free to add an extra point to the score.

Dark Deity 2 is far from perfect, and it could use a few rounds of post-launch polish. But it’s a strong step forward from the first game’s base, adding and refining smartly to make something within their means that’s still engaging to play. We hope they’re able to keep delivering games like this in the future.

Lakeburg Legacies is an unconventional approach to a city management simulation, and it’s one that works quite well if you’re the sort who can get invested in virtual characters’ lives. What matters here is keeping an eye on characters, pairing them up, finding the perfect jobs for them, and essentially being an incredibly nosy neighbor. The actual simulation element isn’t as taxing, unless you choose high difficulty modifiers, with resources arriving at a steady pace. Instead, the fun comes from seeing how these people interact with each other and watching how the matches you make and townsfolk you select for certain relationships or responsibilities end up.

Anno: Mutationem is a gorgeous-looking sendup of classic cyberpunk anime, with a narrative, characters, and combat that easily backs up its stunning aesthetic and visuals.

The premise of the mystery in Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is simple and lighthearted, and it is never uninteresting. It helps a lot that the cast of wacky characters have very marked personalities and fun relationships. By the end of the game, I came to care for Eugene and the great cast of the game. The game lasts roughly between 2 to 3 hours, and it is the perfect length for the story it aims to tell. However… I want more! Considering how the game ends, I can imagine seeing more of Eugene McQuacklin, maybe with a new sidekick and putting his life back together. And I think the world in general deserves more Duck Detective.

Frostpunk 2 is a worthy enough survival city builder sequel. Like the original, it is absolutely stunning to play, though I do recommend against Steam Deck. It just doesn’t run as well and the input controls aren’t the best here. If you have a beefy PC or modern console, this is a real looker to play. With the complicated decisions, larger scope, and new Council Hall decisions, Frostpunk 2 is one of the most elaborate and complex sim games available.

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge feels like a time capsule. You can tell going into it that the people at Tribute Games deeply respected the source material. They did their research, both in terms of watching the show and playing past titles. It is also absolutely evident that they worked on similar sorts of games, because it often feels as fluid as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game. There are a few situations that frustrated me, but it’s genuinely a joyful experience.

The First Berserker: Khazan doesn’t get it all right, but the core combat and character building are a blast. For a first effort in a very competitive genre, Neople has done a fantastic job with this game. It pulls elements from the best of the Soulslike genre while mixing in just enough of its own spices to stand out. There are clear areas to improve on if the publisher chooses to follow this up, as a better story and more engaging level designs would help round things out. A true berserker only cares about the fight though, and that’s one place where Khazan cleans up.

There are a lot of reasons to play Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To, such as if you love Panel de Pon or Puzzle League or you want a dating sim that features more than visual novel gameplay.

Rune Factory 3 Special is a great farming game and one of the best, most memorable entries in the series. The Switch and PC versions simply take a strong title and make it possible for a larger audience to enjoy it. It’s well executed, with a satisfying gameplay loop and story that makes it easy to lose a few hours farming and fighting.

The Breakers Collection may really only be one game with some variance, but that one game is a really good time. The small, seemingly uninspired roster has a ton of variety and creativity in its characters, rewarding your experimentation with some wild attacks to discover. Its Breaker system means you’ll continue to find a lot of depth as you really get to know it, and its sense of humor (intentional or not) mixed with impressive moves mean you’ll be hollering with laughter or excitement as you play. It’s such a wonderful treat of a game, and a real gift to be able to play on modern consoles.

Goodnight Universe features a wonderful story with great performances and a unique, competent control scheme. Said method even works pretty well, considering it’s relying only on eye-tracking! I will say part of the experience is lacking without that, so you should make sure you can play under optimal conditions. But even if you can’t, the narrative and performances from its stacked cast are pretty great.

Darkest Dungeon II expands on the series in a way that brings a new kind of freshness to the core experience. Those looking for something identical to the first game may feel disappointed with how progression tracks, or a lack of a more diverse roster of characters. That said, it is bound to keep you entertained for hours on end, and has plenty of new mechanics to engage in that allow for more experimentation and min-maxing.

Other than the different endings and the way the difficulty levels affect the puzzles and combat, the only difference on a reply are the addition of some hidden items.

Radiant Tale: Fanfare is a delightful follow-up to the original otome game and really relies on you loving the characters. The entirely new epilogue storyline with Jinnia and Liyan as the main love interests feels like one of the best and most refreshing parts of this new adventure. However, the additional stories with Tifalia in established relationships with the original five characters also does well with building up on those stories. If you enjoyed the original, it’s worth returning for this sequel.

Unreal Life is a special sort of adventure game. It’s hauntingly beautiful, with a story that is more touching than you might expect. Especially when some of its primary cast members are an amnesiac young woman, an AI traffic light, and a anthropomorphic penguin. But it’s very much a tale of personal growth and discovery, with the journey to the truth of the situation being an emotional and weighty one.

Homicipher is an experimental visual novel that asks you to keep an open mind for the unknown. All that is gold does not glitter, and not all creatures that crawl on the floor in a terrifying manner are monsters. Only by making the effort to learn and communicating with them you might discover that the unknown might not be as scary after all.

The base game of Disney Dreamlight Valley is fantastic and heartfelt, reawakening the magic of childhood wonder and exploration.

Trinity Trigger does nothing new. It doesn’t advance the genre forward and it doesn’t offer many surprises to veterans of the genre. However, as I said at the start of this review, it’s hard not to love a humble comfort RPG. Especially when it’s as charming as this one.

As somebody who has been too busy recently to really dedicate myself to any one game, Rusty’s Retirement has been the perfect game to just chill with and give myself a bit of a mental reset when certain work tasks became too overwhelming to focus on. Maybe many of us aren’t at retirement age yet, but there is something cathartic about helping Rusty with fulfilling his retirement dream. Anybody looking for a calming, simplistic experience that doesn’t require too much of their attention should definitely check this game out.

Ryza is back and, well, good news! If you liked her debut adventure, then you’re going to also love Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. It does a lot of what made the original game great. We have characters who are easy to love and face realistic problems. We have lots of materials to gather and things to make. There’s also more intrigue, since there are multiple ruins to explore. It’s also a lot more active than before though, with a new progression system for recipes, which might not be exactly what you’re looking for.

It is clear that Dawn of Sorrow originally started out as a GBA title. It plays more like an advanced GBA game instead of a full fledged DS title.

Either of these two games, weighing in at several dozen hours each, would be worth the price of admission alone, but to see Saviors of Sapphire Wings and Stranger of Sword City Revisited packaged together raises the value proposition considerably. If you’re jonesing for an original satisfying dungeon-crawling experience, or even a way into the wild world of dungeon RPGs, Experience has put together an “experience” that’s easy to recommend.

Void Terrarium 2 is a solid rogue-like. The dungeon dives are plenty of fun even if there are a few underwhelming aspects, and it offers some nice side content to wind down with between runs. It’s certainly not perfect, and some parts feel more optional or redundant than anything else, but it more than kept my interest throughout.

Card Shark is a game that made me feel daring, and I was glued to my Switch trying to outsmart my opponents. Yes, every once in a while I’d come across a con I didn’t enjoy as much as the others. But considering the assortment of tricks you learn and the way the challenge grows, it still can feel very satisfying. Especially since the story that happens while taking advantage of marks is so compelling.

Ace Attorney Investigations is a fantastic port that looks and plays beautifully on modern consoles. I’m so happy that people can finally experience the second game with an official localization! So happy that we can finally see that little wiener Eustace in HD glory! It strikes that perfect middle ground between the old Ace Attorney (the original trilogy and I argue even the fourth game) quality and the new Ace Attorney (Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice) zaniness that most fans of the series can enjoy it, so long as they suspend their disbelief. Just pretend you’re watching something like Criminal Minds.

Over the course of seven chapters, Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II spins a terrifying and intriguing yarn that leaves you wanting more. Even if you use its accessibility features to remove the gore or jump scare, it remains a suspenseful read. As a new fan of the series, I’d love to go back and see Yashiki and the other Mark Bearers’ previous adventures as I wait for the next installment.

Undusted: Letters from the Past combines cleaning up interesting and poignant items with stories about why each one matters. It’s an incredibly soothing and cozy kind of game, much along the lines of PowerWash Simulator. It’s definitely a little more condensed with a more contained focus, which some may or may not appreciate. Still, I loved the pacing, the attention to detail on each small item, and the way we learn about Adora and her family as we restore everything.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection feels like it prioritizes story, characters, and combat in a way that makes the game feel even more like a JRPG. It’s another strong entry in a series of great Monster Hunter spin-offs for certain. I do wish there was a bit more diversity when it came to den design. And while combat is fun, it can drag on a bit. Still, it’s quite enjoyable and well worth your time.

It’s not a radical reimagining of the original Wii Sports, but Nintendo Switch Sports does a good job of translating a lot of the fun to a modern system. But the fun is largely about playing with friends. The three same-y court sports drag the collection down a bit, but we’re hopeful that the good parts will be augmented by further development support in the future.

Whisper of the House is a truly lovely experience in the same vein as Unpacking, but adds its own unique flourishes.

I can't say for sure whether that shift in design philosophy will give Wild Hearts the same enduring appeal as its closest competitor. But in the moment, at least, Omega Force crafted a worthy and entertaining alternative that forges a distinct identity of its own.

Fishbowl is a heartfelt story about dealing with many different life changes and traumas at once, all while finding a way forward. How we do so depends on choices we make. Not just responses to people around Alo, but how she chooses to live her life and push forward. While some of that routine might feel a little boring, that too feels like a commentary on life and how difficult it might feel to keep moving forward when seeing tangible results takes time. It’s one of those games where you start to really see how important actions are once you’re a few hours into it.

It may be simple, but it's addictive. Add in a couple of friends to the mix and you'll be happy you picked this up. [JPN Import]

Unicorn Overlord is, as a whole, a loving and well-crafted return to the Ogre Battle formula. If the character designs aren’t a dealbreaker for you — and we’d understand if they are — there’s a lot of interesting tactical decisions to make.

Listen. Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is so scary that one night after I played it for about five hours straight, I couldn’t sleep properly as I live in an apartment building. Whenever I’d hear a neighbor shuffling down the hall or someone slam a door too hard, it would jar me awake. I was certain one of these ghosts was going to get me. This is the kind of game it is. It wrecked me in a way past Fatal Frame entries didn’t, and I’m sure once I’m able to rest without seeing some of these ghosts in my mind’s eye, I’ll appreciate that.

Dispatch is a fun and exciting adventure set in a world full of characters and factions I’d love to see more of. It’s hard not to get attached to this ragtag team of misfits and their exhausted work dad. I didn’t even realize how much I’d grown to like them until the more hard-hitting scenes. Here’s hoping that we’ll get a second season and that Phenomaman and Royd—the best boys, second only to Beef the fat dog—get more screentime then.

I had a lot of fun with Persona 5 Tactica, especially after I took the risk to crank the difficulty up on the strategy game so friendly fire would be enabled. The characters, Personas, and concept all adapted well to the genre shift. Atlus also executed it in a way that makes it easy for people new to tactical titles can wade into it without encountering too many barriers. I do wish there’d been more elemental elements to it and certain characters didn’t feel a little too perfect for every situation, but it is entertaining and I appreciated the creativity behind the design direction.

I suspect I’m going to continue thinking about The Thaumaturge for a long time. The game is easy to pick up and very difficult to put down. While it might look like a very specific CRPG for a very specific type of audience, I feel like the way it combines its setting, storytelling, and mechanics makes for an extremely compelling game and a strong contender for those looking to get into CRPGs.

Everything Ultros sets out to do as a game, it does well. The combat isn’t the most elaborate, but it’s not boring or poorly done either. The navigation and level design excel, yet they fall short of being the most memorable aspects of the game. The art style and design of the game may overshadow the game itself, but it’s not due to poor execution. The Metroidvania genre as a whole has a lot of familiar, but not quite tired, gameplay elements and that is true of Ultros as well. All in all, Ultros is a solid Metroidvania game with a ton of style, and if you are a Metroidvania fan it absolutely deserves a little of your time.

So rather than looking at what this collection could have been, it’s easier and simpler to see what’s here and decide if that’s enough for you. If one of these games is an all-time favorite, that even these marginal adjustments make them the best and most convenient versions could make a sale for you. There’s nothing here to “fix” them if you didn’t like them the first time. You get what you get, and Nintendo’s confidence in the core products isn’t unwarranted.

Megaton Musashi W: Wired is much more enjoyable than I expected, and I’m genuinely surprised more people aren’t excited about it. The story is interesting and really goes some places. The execution is a bit sound, though it plays it easy at times with the difficulty. The remaining remnants from its free-to-play roots aren’t too pervasive or invasive. Plus the gameplay loop of going through the story, running and rerunning missions for parts, and taking on fights so you can learn and see more is fulfilling. It makes me hopeful for the future of Level-5 games.

I really love PancitoMerge and feel like it’s a more stylish and thoughtful approach to the Suika Game style matching and merging puzzle. The different pan dulce desserts all look fantastic. The themes are great. I loved being able to serve customers in the name of more points and bag management. Even something so similar as a little bag shake helped a lot. It means longer game sessions, which I saw as a plus, as well. It’s just a lovely little puzzle game.

By setting the story in real life and in a time period that most players are familiar with, Fate/Samurai Remnant presents its fantastical plot in a grounded reality. It doesn’t bring anything new to the table in terms of gameplay or story. But when you’re making a musou game based on an IP with an established setting and lore, simplicity is the best answer. Even though I finished the game, I’m still looking forward to seeing Iori and the others in future DLC, and hopefully, in Grand Order.

I really like when the Otomate otome games from Idea Factory aren’t predictable, and combining revenge with accidentally falling in love in Mistonia’s Hope: The Lost Delight is a fantastic pairing. I loved most of the routes, even on odd occasions where the romantic element felt a bit forced into scenes. The story is strong, Rose is a really capable heroine, and the way that you can pursue betrayal as an option for your endgame can be quite a twist. I think it’s my favorite Aksys otome in 2025.

Basically, it feels like Doinksoft really went as far as possible to ensure it makes Gunbrella feel like it is taking part in a cohesive, connected world filled with ambiance, rather than some loose arrangement of levels. It made me feel like paying attention to different characters and exploring every possible house and area mattered. Especially since it often rewarded me for doing so. It’s a novel game that seems well-supported.

Some minor hiccups aside, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is both a solid game in the series and the kind of JRPG that incentivizes experimentation due to the range of characters available. I loved playing around with Digivolution and the DigiFarm to create some exceptional allies. It was a shame that there are some minor pacing issues and notifications might not do as good of a job actually notifying me about things. There’s a strong foundation here with a lot of potential to build well-rounded armies of Digimon to help you face all of the game’s challenges.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a beautiful little game. Fun platforming and a setting we rarely see in games both support a genuinely moving story of grief. While it is a game about the acceptance of death, it’s also about the joys of life. And just like life, it’s a little rough around the edges and can be frustrating, but ultimately worth it.

Animal Well is a minimalistic experience that is about taking in the things you see around you. Yes, there’s platforming. You definitely need to keep roaming around and experimenting to find out which way you should go and where helpful items to progress may be. If the idea of being plopped in a foreign place that is ominous with no explanation and residents that may or may not want you there sounds appealing, Animal Well will prove an interesting trip and reward you with secrets to uncover.

Kingdom of Paradise has a solid combat system, which makes it an entertaining diversion from meatier RPGs. [JPN Import]

Yomawari: Lost in the Dark is the third entry in the deceptively cute Yomawari series of horror games and continues an effectively frightening tradition. Fans of J-Horror will likely appreciate the slow and atmospheric situations, but there are plenty of jump scares to keep you on your toes. The story is simple, but effective, and the unique way it goes about conveying the tale will keep you glued to the screen. Just make sure you don’t look away, though. There’s no telling what you’ll see in the dark.

At its best when its focus is divided, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a fun Bakumatsu sandbox. It doesn’t have the engrossing standout minigame like the cabaret or business management challenges of previous titles, and its time period means it also doesn’t pack a fun arcade. But its jack-of-all-trades approach still resonates.

Homura: The Crimson Warriors feels like an otome game for folks who loved Birushana and Hakuoki. The narrative and themes all follow similar courses. However, it does feel unique and like its own thing even with the whole supernatural enemy, warriors fighting back and rebelling, all while the sole female member of the group ends up being the sort of woman all of them could fall for. It’s a fun story for folks who like a little history and supernatural side to their love stories.

The Baten Kaitos series is JRPG royalty. Both are experimental, engaging, and rich games that explore a gorgeous world carefully crafted by veterans at Monolith Soft. While the Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster leaves a lot to desire in terms of its QoL features, and makes the fatal mistake of not including the original English dub, the new HD visuals are stunning, and packaging both games for $50 is a great deal. I can understand that the aforementioned problems can be a dealbreaker to some. However, I have a hard time not recommending the HD Remaster, as it makes two incredible cult classics easily available and more gorgeous than ever.

Even if Tempest Dawning Connections is a Switch otome game just as attractive as its predecessor. Anastasia is still a strong, incredible heroine. The four love interests are still well-rounded and appealing characters. Their routes still have the investigation elements from the original game. Plus, the supporting cast members that may have appealed to players also get their moments. Top it all off with lots of CGs and no bugs, and it’s a fantastic follow-up to a fun game.

Crystal Chronicles is more a kin to the mana series rather than the Final Fantasy series.

Main character designer Katsumi Enami breathes new life into the characters, making this silky-smooth 60fps high-speed action game an unmissable treat.

Fitness Boxing 3 is a totally fine exercise experience, and I would recommend it over the first or second mainline game. The exercises in it make sense and feel like they make a difference if you stick with it. There are some interesting options for when you feel like opting for something other than the straightforward Daily Workout. However, I will say people looking for something a little more fun or engaging would be better served going with the Hatsune Miku or Fist of the North Star entries.

All of the mini games are pretty fun to play. They're definitely something refreshingly different from anything you've played before. However, they're short.

Times & Galaxy feels like it blends what you’d expect from adventure games with a sort of newspaper management simulation. You’re investigating situations, piecing together a story. However, you’re also shaping how things are approached and turn out, depending on what you choose. There’s a sense of balancing things. You want to search for truth and find out what’s going on, while also telling your own story based on what you learned. It’s really compelling.

The Silent Hill 2 remake was surprising. It’s surprising in the way that I’m already playing it over for a second time. It’s surprising in the way that I enjoyed what the game had to offer, not being the biggest Silent Hill 2 fan myself. (Silent Hill 4 will always be my favorite, even if it isn’t the best.) Maybe that distance is what has allowed me to appreciate it more. Though I highly doubt it. The Silent Hill 2 remake shows that Konami is just as capable as it’s competitors in breathing life into their classic horror games. And I earnestly hope that other Silent Hill games will be given this treatment, or that it’s success means a certainty of more new stories in this horrible haunted town in the future.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World still gets a lot more right than wrong. It understands pacing and variety. It builds stages with gameplay arcs in mind, which is refreshing in a genre that can often devolve into mind-numbing button mashing. And it fits like a glove with its source material.

The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle is a nostalgic blast to the past that gives newer players the chance to explore more options beyond the third game, as well as offers older players the opportunity to relive their childhood. Compared to the conveniences of modern entries, some of the older titles might feel frustrating to navigate. It’s almost like a metaphor for real life.

The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle is a nostalgic blast to the past that gives newer players the chance to explore more options beyond the third game, as well as offers older players the opportunity to relive their childhood. Compared to the conveniences of modern entries, some of the older titles might feel frustrating to navigate. It’s almost like a metaphor for real life.

It’s hard to imagine someone who would play Carto and have a bad time. It’s that committed to low-stress, just-engaging-enough fun and a world you’ll like traipsing about for a couple of hours. It doesn’t transcend to something that will be many players’ all-time favorite, but few games do. As it is, maybe you want a game that restores just a bit of your faith in community. That bolsters your hope that things will work out. That makes you feel like you are going to multiple different places that are not your home. Carto is great for that.

For light shmups that players of any skill can beat (SO MUCH more forgiving than R-Type Final 2), but with two different sets of mechanics that will give skilled players something to master, Cotton Reboot is a great game with a lot of fun to offer.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is, like most games starring Kirby, thoroughly pleasant. It feels wonderful to play, offering all sorts of rewards for exploring and interacting with its world. I also feel like out of all his adventures, this is the one in which all of the areas fit together best into a cohesive world. It’s also quite well-balanced! I do wish some additional series staples showed up and that Waddle Dee Town did more to encourage me to hang around. But it is generally lovely.

Dynasty Warriors 5 fixes the [slowdown] problem by using a smoother game engine. Not only does the game look sharper, but slowdown is reduced to almost nil.

Venba is so good that it leaves you wanting more. Even if I could have my wish and the game could be twice as long, I suspect even that wouldn’t be enough for me. Visai Games offers such small, delightful slices of these family members’ lives, and I just wish I could get to know more about them and their culture during the game.

Ball x Pit is a novel game that combines many roguelike, block-busting, and city organization elements in a way that makes sense. It’s quite clever, and I felt like it was pretty fair too! Due to the way ball fusions work and the nature of characters, it’s pretty easy to feel empowered as you play. I did feel a bit disappointed to find actually taking down some bosses right away wasn’t exactly an easy prospect due to not having build up New Ballbylon enough ahead of time. It is both creative and satisfying though, and scratches the same sort of itch as Vampire Survivors.