There are elements I don’t like, but I’m now officially a big Grapple Dog fan. Granted, more because I love the characters, music, and world, rather than find it to offer revolutionary platforming. It’s a good time. Just know going in that it might often demand your best, but not always help you execute things exactly.

Demonschool is definitely going to be a “your mileage may vary” kind of game, and I suspect fans of classic Persona games or Necrosoft titles may end up appreciating it most. The art direction and design looks gorgeous. The concept is good, and handling demons each week leading up to a possible apocalypse is interesting. But it does feel more like the script takes more cues from sitcoms than dramas with occasional comedic moments, which may not appeal to everyone. This take on a tactical combat system also involves some design choices that might be off-putting and not appeal to everyone. It’s an interesting concept for a game, but also quite niche.

While I’m a bit disappointed in the Adventure campaign, Mario Tennis Fever feels generally strong thanks to its Fever Rackets and range of modes. There are a lot of different ways to play tennis packed into this Super Mario sports game spin-off, and they often play with the idea of using special abilities to make things more exciting. Which can mean things like Mix It Up and Trial Towers modes can feel a little extra entertaining. I appreciate what Camelot and Nintendo did here and how it built on Mario Tennis Aces.

Going into Gundam Breaker 4, you need to accept that it’s the type of game that will involve grinding missions for experience and parts. I felt like the ensuing Gunpla I’d create and opportunities to collect even more customization elements was worth it! Especially since the combat system is tight and it all looks really good. If you’re not up for replaying a lot of assignments and dealing with occasional hurdles in fights that might feel better balanced for multiplayer, it might be wise to look at an older entry. But it can be a really good time, especially if you love the Gundam and this spin-off series or have a crew you’ll be playing it with.

I will say the RPG mechanics of leveling up RoboCop and enhancing his various skills felt a bit like an afterthought. Some of them are quite necessary, such as providing more dialogue options, but others centered around his strength feel unnecessary due to his existing power. Regardless, this added a nice bit of depth and customization to this otherwise swift RPG experience that you can beat in under 20 hours.

While I adore the mood, vibes, and look of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it is also one of my least favorite games in the series in recent memory. It is a step backwards in pretty much every sense of the word, for better and for worse. I admire the idea of going back to the roots with inspiration from games I enjoyed more than a decade ago, but it creates mixed results because of this.

In truth, it makes me wonder if the fate of Riot Forge would have been different if we had seen more titles like Bandle Tale that were so approachable and required so little investment in League of Legends and its characters. It’s an ideal sort of introduction to an element of that world, as well as a fairly strong cozy game for people willing to be patient with it and take their time.

It's a charming game, to be certain.

There are no duds (or, perhaps, spuds) in this pack, and each feels designed to lose their charm more slowly than most.

Despite the fact that the game expects players to have watched the anime or read through the light novels and manga, this Switch game stands on its own well enough without having prior knowledge about the My Next Life as a Villainess series. As I mentioned earlier, the game does assume that the player has watched the anime or read the manga or light novels, but the game is good about establishing who each character is and what their relationship is to Catarina. Anybody who loves playing otome games should have no problem diving into the world of My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! with this game, and it can be an interesting gateway into the rest of the series given that the game is treated as self-contained story. Fans of the series will absolutely find this game delightful for the new storylines of their favorite characters and get the chance to see Catarina accidentally stumble into more hilarious situations thinking they are death flags when they are actually romance flags.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake ultimately did a decent job of bringing back a classic series entry by including newer features from the more modern entries, although it’s still not enough to convert me into believing this to be the best one among the series entries with personal viewpoints. (Romance of the Three Kingdoms 10 still holds that dear spot for me.) But while the Tales event triggers are a highlight, a number of glaring issues in its localization make it rather difficult to recommend this game over the prior entries unless you can play the game in its original Japanese build.

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.

Ultimately what you’re getting with Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is more of the same things you enjoyed last time. They’re very good things! But many players may find that the first game already offered all the high points of this sequel, and that the new modes don’t offer very much to rekindle their interest.

Majogami feels like a game where you need to “work smarter, not harder” in order to best Craft Witches with Shiroha’s katana. I appreciate it, since it means thinking critically and paying attention to your opponents and surroundings. I also liked the papercraft approach to some design elements. I do wish some different choices had been made with some characterizations, but that’s more of a personal gripe and I could see other players adoring the design direction for every member of the cast. In general, I’d say it’s another solid Inti Creates action game.

I like Mario vs Donkey Kong on the Switch a lot, mainly because I liked it a lot on the Game Boy Advance. This remake isn’t all that dissimilar, and that’s why I think it is so much fun. However, even with the new worlds and multiplayer option, it doesn’t feel all that different. If you missed it before and have never played it, then it is absolutely worth picking up. However, it is probably okay to start saving up for whatever Nintendo has planned next if you owned the original.

I really wish the UI in Genso Manege had been handled a bit differently, as it ended up being an otome game I both really enjoyed and couldn’t often play for extended periods.

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.

While this Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons puzzle game can be an entertaining and challenging diversion, it was rare that I would deduce what I was looking at as I completed each of the nonogram puzzles.

Essentially when you experience Opus: Prism Peak, you need to pay attention and play with a purpose. Imagine yourself as Eugene. Think about his mindset and life. Think about your own struggles and past. Do you choose optimism or pessimism? Do you attempt to connect? Do you reject? This is a game where the more you put into it, the more you get in return.

Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a way to experience a fun piece of SMT history again, and it’s another example of Atlus going above and beyond for a remaster. The quality of life adjustments, like battle additions, fast travel system, and newly added demons, are all a big deal. So is making it all look and sound better. But in a way, getting easier, more affordable access to a great game is the best part of this package. In every way, it’s a stronger game than the original.

I’d say Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a good snack for people who enjoy Inti Creates titles, the Bloodstained: Circle of the Moon spin-offs, or games that are Metroidvania-adjacent. It’s a brief diversion, which isn’t a bad thing! In a world where so many games can be 20-40 hours long, sometimes I want something silly and fun that will keep me busy for one or two evenings. I really appreciated what Inti Creates accomplished with the generally delightful Grim Guardians: Demon Purge.

If you love mastering movement systems, chasing style ranks or just generally fighting The Man with the power of street art, you need to play RKGK. Its visuals could use some polish but its fluid platforming mechanics are up there with the best.

The Switch is a great platform for games to dip into for a bit when you have a few minutes, but Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia isn’t one of them. It’s a commitment. A rewarding one, perhaps! But it asks players to stick around and learn, stick around and strategize, stick around and grind through dozens of battle maps. It’s more of a hobby than a diversion, but players looking for just that will find a game that gels well with their sensibilities.

Backpack Hero features a novel premise that makes constantly collecting items and arranging them endlessly exciting.

SaGa: Emerald Beyond often feels like a solid, if not occasionally uneven and awkward, Saturday morning cartoon due to its variety, goofy writing, constant action, and lovable characters.

The complex combat system and menus are off-putting, the visual "upgrades" are lacking, and yet I still found myself coming back to see what's next. Saga Frontier 2 Remastered is a tough recommendation for those unfamiliar with the series, but its concept and storytelling method have undeniable appeal. If you can push through its flaws and steep learning curve, and perhaps partake in a little external reading, there's a solid game beneath its flaws.

Slime Rancher 2 is an entertaining game and does offer a lot to do, but I enjoyed the more relaxed original entry more. The best comparison I can offer is that the first game felt like exploring a cozy area and taking my time collecting slimes. With the second, I feel more beholden to the inventory limitations and as though I’m playing to constantly collect resources to tick boxes. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of grind, and some folks might appreciate that increase in intensity. I do think it changes the general atmosphere and ambiance from the original experience in a way that might not make upgrading worthwhile for those who really loved the first title.

The party members are a delight to spend time with and woo. The combat is some of the most fun I’ve had in a while with an action RPG. It is just a shame everything else falls short. The exploration is far too uninteresting, the story is haphazardly put together, and the mission structure is too linear. There is a good enough RPG to enjoy in Dragon Age: The Veilguard for diehard fans like myself, but this is certainly no second coming of BioWare. I have disliked each new Dragon Age more than the previous one and, unfortunately, The Veilguard continues that.

One neat addition that Nintendo did add was multiplayer support. Up to four people can be banging the congas together. When playing in four player mode, or even two player mode Namco has created slightly different segments for each player to hit the drums to.

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.

Chain of Memories does a great job of getting gamers who are unfamiliar with the series up to par with the story in preparation for "KH2"...A stellar addition to the Game Boy Advance line up. [JPN Import]

Labyrinth of Zangetsu is a very well-balanced dungeon crawler that weaves its narrative right into its aesthetic. Despite how impressively modern the game looks, there were a lot of factors that made it a lot more reminiscent of a bygone era. Aside from how little strategy the battles required, it also had an incredibly monotonous soundtrack. Personally, it was a little difficult to get into the game because of these issues. This game is definitely one that dungeon crawler fans should play, but it is also one that I could only recommend to fans of the genre. What makes Labyrinth of Zangetsu stand out is in its sumi-e art style. So once the novelty of that wears off, it feels as hollow as a fountain pen that’s run dry.

Kitsune Tails presents itself as a charming homage to classic NES and SNES era platformers with an adorable Queer story, and hides underneath a deep and challenging double album of platforming goodness with a second campaign focused on speed and precise movement, all the while featuring a simple level editor to boot. Despite borrowing a little too much from some classic platformers, I feel like genre fans and speedrunners are going to have a field day with Kitsune Tails.

I enjoyed Inti Creates’ approach to gameplay in Card-en-Ciel and appreciate how it built on the tactical deck-building found in the Mega Man Battle Network series. While it looks similar, it feels like its own thing. That’s great! Unfortunately, the actual story surrounding Neon and Ancie’s adventure is pretty weak and not handled well, and there’s no personality to any of the dungeons we explore. It’s a case where there’s some good gameplay we can sink our teeth into, but the style isn’t quite there even with colorful characters and some fun cameos. It can be entertaining, but lacks Mega Man Battle Network‘s charm.

When you look at the complete package, Rise of the Ronin is such a fun and rewarding experience. It might not have the most cinematic narratives or jaw dropping visuals around, but it delivers on everything it attempts. The melting pot of gaming influences makes for a product that is more than the sum of its parts. Much like a lone samurai wandering without a master, Rise of the Ronin cuts its own path while paying homage to the spirit of those who came before it.

The best part about the Gamecube version is it's multiplayer support. Instead of just mashing buttons by yourself you can do it with up to four players.

Ultimately? WarioWare: Get It Together! is a fine enough game, if you come in with the proper expectations. It’s full of whimsy. The character gimmick is fun. It shines when you play with a local pal. But its limitations mark a trend for Nintendo. It appears that the publisher’s response to rising development costs is to cut corners on its lesser-selling franchises. With Get It Together! and Mario Golf: Super Rush both feeling a bit half-baked, we worry that the company’s tradition of over-delivering in scope and extras might increasingly be a memory.

A refreshing change from the other RPGs out there. The game's good sense of humor carries the title from start to finish. On the other hand the gameplay isn't all there. It feels like a hack and slash "Diablo"-esque game that you don't actually fight in.

The world is vivid, and the density of details is on scale with the sort of thing you might find hidden in flavor text or within a franchise’s extended universe, rather than its core content. Despite this, it’s approachable, and the incentive to gather and implement information emphasizes the importance of details which can sometimes be considered tools rather than trivia. It’s hard to say that the story would work in another medium, but as a game, it is exemplary of the genre’s potential and might even make a case for an alternative to traditional reading for people who struggle in maintaining focus.

Super Mario Party Jamboree remains a solid game, and I feel like Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV is a natural pick-up for families. If someone is in a home with multiple players who own both Switch or Switch 2 systems, it could be great for game nights. However, if you’re going to go with one Switch or Switch 2 system for a group session or plan to play only online, I think you might be fine sticking with the original game.

The “free” experience for Nintendo Switch Online members is really quite good, and we recommend giving it a shot. The paid deluxe content, though, feels thin and doesn’t offer a lot for the price.

Arcadia Fallen feels like something of an experiment. It tests the limits of how much freedom you can allow a player, in terms of responses, while still making things feel like you’re making a difference. The result is that the more frequent responses don’t offer the impression of carrying much weight. Meanwhile, the choices that do matter almost break the immersion a bit by how much they stand out. Still, the character designs are good, your allies stand out, and the effort that went into the game is obvious. It’s the sort of game that people who enjoy should give a try.

While I wish it looked better at times, Super Robot Wars Y gets a lot of things right and can offer a substantial challenge. There are some stages that will involve actually thinking about unit placement to ensure you handle all those foes and keep from being wiped out. It can look dated sometimes though, as some assets look familiar, and the UI is pretty bad. I’m also personally sad that Magic Knight Rayearth didn’t return and that we don’t see all of Gundam: The Witch from Mercury represented. While I did like some elements of Super Robot Wars 30 a little more, this is definitely another enjoyable entry in the series.

Read Only Memories: Neurodiver is worth the wait. As you play through it, you can see why it took Midboss so much time to craft the adventure, its characters, and its world. As I went through different people’s memories and delved into the mystery, it constantly felt like a labor of love for everyone involved.

Demon Slayer: the Hinokami Chronicles 2 is the video game equivalent of a popcorn flick. We won’t see this fighter on the competitive scene, but for an anime-based game it can be pretty great. It’s clearly designed to be welcoming to newcomers who love the series and want to play through major moments, but people looking for a bit of a challenge might find it in isolated bouts, Hashira Training Paths, or fights with other players. It honestly makes me hope we might eventually see a third installment too.

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.

Even with the fluid game control and the improved graphics Silent Hill 4: The Room is still just another Silent Hill game. Sure the controls make the game more accessible to non-survival horror gamers since it is more intuitive.

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.

I feel like Peglin is a fun roguelike game if either you miss Peggle or are okay with knowing how well you do might is completely up to RNG. It isn’t always demanding perfection in the same way as roguelikes like Hades or Dead Cells, where your skill is a big part of deciding how successful you are. It very much comes down to chance here. Which means if you’re okay with that and playing it in small doses, Peglin can be great! But since how much you can influence a run is limited, it can be very frustrating to often see yourself do everything right, but fail because you didn’t get the right orbs or relics and it ended up being unbalanced.

Norn9 Last Era is very clearly a game made for a particular audience. If you enjoyed Norn9 Var Commons, this is definitely an otome fan disc you will enjoy. All of the characters get their due. Aside from a bizarre requirement to force people through the Prelude, it’s well executed. Perhaps that love for the original game will even make it possible to overlook the formatting issues that still come up in the follow-up.

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.

This is a case of Atlus counting on people missing SMT III Nocturne the first time around. It doesn’t do a terrible job of making it accessible and slightly modernizing things. SMT III Nocturne just doesn’t go to the same lengths as, say, SaGa Frontier Remastered. And that’s okay! It doesn’t have to! When one of the original selling points of a game was “featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series” back in the day, being capable and readily available might be enough. After all, it is still telling a haunting story, making you think both in and out of battle. SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster does what Atlus JRPGs do best, and that’s captivate an audience.

With Monkey Ball, gameplay is king. And, as history has shown, really hard to get right! But Banana Mania does its best, and its best is honestly pretty okay.

I won’t say Fae Farm isn’t satisfying in some ways. Ticking boxes in many of the main and side quest checklists did prompt a response in me that made me want to keep playing. I did enjoy the ambiance and some of the ideas and concepts are sound. But the best way I can describe it is that it feels like Phoenix Labs decided it wanted to make a farming game, but then somehow made it feel like farming, ranching, and connecting with the community aren’t the focus of Fae Farm. I often felt it seemed like an action game that just so happens to include these farming elements as you’re engaging in crafting to head into the next dungeon.

MultiVersus could have been a fun multi-platform answer to Super Smash Bros, but the choice to adopt a free-to-play model with staggering costs for characters locks much of the fun behind paywalls or extensive grinding. While it succeeds in delivering whimsical, cross-franchise battles that players love, the free-to-play model makes it all feel worthless. This mishandling results in a game that I feel, despite its potential, won’t retain players once they realize the hassle.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a really respectable Switch 2 horror game and early addition to its launch library. While it leans more toward a survival title with horror elements, it’s still unnerving enough to suit someone’s needs. Plus the post-launch patches left it in a strong position. Sure, there are a few elements that aren’t quite perfect, but it’s really fascinating.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a magical, transformative experience under ideal conditions that works way better than you’d think. When you stray from those conditions even a little, though, it deteriorates rapidly. It’s destined to provide dozens of hours of entertainment for some home-bound players and not last an evening with others. It’s a big step forward for this weird blend of augmented reality tech, while also showing the limitations it has yet to overcome.

A joyful love letter to the original teenagers with attitude.

For the two people that remember the Commodore 64 and for the one person that remembers Sabreman, Sabre Wulf should bring back memories. For everyone else, know that Sabre Wulf is an excellent platformer in the style of the famous "Donkey Kong Country."

Visions of Mana doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it knows damn well what makes a wheel work. It plays like a game we all remember from childhood, but with all the modern frills. The game delivers a beautifully crafted, nostalgic JRPG experience that’s worth checking out.

Dice Gambit can be a creative strategy game, though it is one that relies heavily on luck and repetition.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure would always have high expectations projected onto it, as the original is perhaps one of the best emotional and narrative-driven games out there. The sequel might not be on the same level as its predecessor, but there are a lot of admirable qualities here. It’s great to see Max Caulfield return to the series, as she is genuinely an exceptional character. I really enjoyed the overall story, and there are some phenomenal twists along the way which you may not see coming. However, I wish Max and Safi had more scenes together, because it would have meant those impactful moments would have carried more weight. As long as you accept that Life is Strange: Double Exposure will not provide the same emotional whirlwind adventure as other entries in the franchise, you will have a good time.

Ultimately, Homeworld 3 doesn’t quite hit the mark, but it does manage to demonstrate at least part of what made the series so compelling originally. If the game achieves nothing else, I hope it manages to reignite some interest in the series, or at least the concept. I think there’s a lot yet to explore with Real Time Strategy in a 3D space, and I know I’ll be looking to get a hold of the previous games to see what they did with it.

There are times when I really enjoyed what Ambition: A Minuet in Power was doing, or at least trying to accomplish. But I felt a bit detached while I played. This, in turn, made it difficult to really care about the influence I had and which sides I might take. It’s definitely entertaining and, if you aren’t willing to frequently save and plan carefully, might even challenge some people. But it is definitely the sort of game that really only courts its primary audience, and those are people who enjoy visual novels and managing schedules.

Aside from these grievances, Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom is an incredibly fun and relaxing game. If I had played it without a deadline, perhaps the interruptions for the cutscenes might not have been such a big deal. The storybook aesthetic is pleasing to the eye, and some of the locales — especially the Observatory — are breathtakingly beautiful. Leave the napping to Noby; this is a farming sim that enthusiasts of the genre absolutely cannot sleep on.

While Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg comes with new music, a fresh graphical redesign, and modern features like a Photo Mode, it’s the simplicity of the gameplay loop combined with the pressure of the time constraints that cause it to show its age. It feels like you’re playing a 1997 title, even though it’s been remade over 25 years later. It’s clear that Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg has been made to satisfy fans of the original and doesn’t do much to draw in newcomers who are curious about where the Atelier series got its start. It feels very rooted in nostalgia, and if you don’t have that, it might be a struggle to fully enjoy everything it has to offer.

While Amnesia: Rebirth is mechanically the same as Dark Descent and Machine for Pigs, it is ultimately the narrative that sets it apart.

In many ways, Wild Hearts S is currently filling an important gap on the Switch 2, as it is the go-to monster hunting multiplayer game on the system. The decision to up the player count for this version helps cement that role. Especially since it does act as a definitive edition with the Karakuri Edition extras and post-launch updates included. However, frame rate issues still exist here, only they feel more evident than on the PS5 and are especially notable when in a group of four, it doesn’t look as good as it does on other consoles, and some effects from attacks or weather conditions aren’t look great. I do think Wild Hearts S is worth playing and is a solid addition to the Switch 2 library, but recommend trying the demo first. Especially if you primarily play the system in handheld mode.

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.

If you’ve never played them, Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is some of the best the genre has to offer. Just ask Shiren fans who already own the game on Vita and are thinking of purchasing this one for the three bonus dungeons, collectable in-game songs, and a stream-friendly AI.

This game is honestly all over the place. There’s a naming of an accomplice that is tough for others to guess. There’s a voting about which art to investigate. (And then you loop around and do more of them anyway?) It never feels like Weapons Drawn knows entirely what it wants to be. Still, there’s some fun in trying to spot letters. The second round keeps the same letter for your art, but uses different writing styles to make it truly tough. We appreciate the ambition, but this one’s tough to get your mind around most of the time.

Yohane the Parhelion -Blaze in the Deepblue- is a solid Metroidvania experience full of pleasant surprises that will delight seasoned veterans of both the genre and Love Live fans. With plenty to explore and discover, this game is well worth your time and dollar.

If someone were to ask me which KEMCO games to play, Metro Quester would not just be on that list. It would absolutely be somewhere near the top of it. While the nature of it means it isn’t going to be for everyone who typically goes for every KEMCO RPG, it’s a really special and challenging experience that makes you think about all your actions.

If all this sounds very negative, let me re-clarify that I actually really like the game. Again, the paper cut-out art style is adorable and the way the dragon and its effects use a completely different style works excellently. The world of Gatherac is full of funny little guys and, despite the child-friendly nature of the game, it also contains little comments on things like labor, misinformation, and even market regulation. I can even see what I think the developers were going for with the way you explore the world with friends, doing quests and helping each other out, but it all just doesn’t come together at the end.

I appreciate what WayForward did with Yars Rising, as it incorporates the source material in some cool ways while doing something entirely new. It’s a solid Metroidvania, and bringing in Yars’ Revenge gameplay for hacking can be entertaining. I just feel that even with the unusual approach to hacking, some design elements and decisions feel a bit bland. It’s enjoyable, but I’m not entirely sure it’s very memorable.

Infinity Nikki completely blew away my expectations out of the water, and it’s worth checking out, especially when you consider the game is free-to-play.

Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 is another example of how clever and unusual a Strange Scaffold game can be. It’s really appreciated. The fact that it also arrived at a time when I ended up dealing with a lot of serious, unpleasant, and heart-wrenching things made its arrival all the more welcome. It’s well executed and quite a delight.

Patapon 1+2 Replay isn’t the most exciting remaster collection, but it is incredibly enjoyable and accessible to newcomers.. Both games are still strong real-time strategy games that look and play unlike anything else out there. It would have been nice if, for preservation purposes, we could have gotten extra features like an extensive art gallery with concept art or lots of music to listen to on demand. The few additions that are there will probably make it more accessible to newcomers or folks unfamiliar with the genre.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is a generally sound roguelike with lots of references to the fighting game series. The story could be better, but at least this time around it feels more directly tied to BlazBlue. I did encounter some issues on the Switch, but they also seemed like problems that could be patched out along the way. If you’re into games like Dead Cells and Astral Ascent, it’s certainly worth a look.

WarioWare: Move It is an absolute blast to play and is the perfect mix of chaotic gameplay and bizarre humor. However, the game’s heavy reliance on motion controls and strict minigame requirements may be a dealbreaker for some players. Ultimately, Nintendo’s decision to go all in on the Joy-Con mostly pays off as WarioWare: Move It has some of the series’ most innovative and bizarre minigames to date. If you can get past the hurdles, this is one of the best party titles on the Nintendo Switch and is a perfect love letter to the long-running franchise.

A Little to the Left is a good puzzle game to play when you need to take a moment to sort things out. It lets you take a moment to calmly organize things, perhaps tidying up your thoughts. I do wish its levels felt a bit more balanced. There are absolutely tasks that feel like rote behavior, as well as a few puzzles with solutions that might not seem to make sense. At least there’s always the option to “let it be” and move on.

After watching the credits roll on Akito and K.K.’s journey, I still find myself itching to finish up every single thing in Ghostwire: Tokyo. Pray at those last few Jizo statues. Find the remaining tanuki. Figure out how to get inside of the 24th floor of the shopping complex so I can take out its pesky corruption spot. I’m forty hours in and counting and one hundred percent willing to do it all over again.

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.

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

If you’re willing to relearn how to roll a Katamari and put up with some thumb strain Me and My Katamari brings everything you love about the series on the PSP. [JPN Import]

I genuinely appreciated almost everything about Urban Myth Dissolution Center, with its art direction, gameplay, and story all being quite captivating

We wish Voice of Cards took the time to explore its gameplay ideas a bit more. We also wish there were a few menu options to accelerate battle pace when you know what you’re doing. But as-is? There’s a lot here to love, if you have the right temperament for it.

I feel like Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game is a game you open up and play when you’re looking for a slight challenge to wind down. It isn’t excessively challenging. Going through it all in one or two sittings can call attention to its more tedious elements. Just spend a week or two helping Mary with some assignments at a relaxed pace, and you’ll probably have a pleasant time. But if you do want to go through it all at once, know it will take less than four hours to help Mary resolve all these situations.

There’s a lot to like about Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening. It’s an overall solid strategy game where all your tactical decisions really feel like they have an impact, good or bad. The systems feel smooth and the connections between them feel natural. It really makes you feel like you have to stretch your brain, especially in the early stages. But there’s almost too much going on, which can get very confusing, especially when more urgent matters come up. And with so much to do, a controller is a suboptimal input device. Fortunately, there’s no real punishment for taking some time to get to the menu you want to be in, but figuring out how to get there can be frustrating.

The shift to a full-on Metroidvania format makes Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark a bigger and more satisfying game than the already enjoyable original. With charming characters, interesting map design, and thrilling boss battles, it’s easy to forgive this game for minor sins like excessive backtracking and weak tutorials. Servants of the Dark is a solid choice for fans of the original game or Metroidvania enthusiasts alike.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is worth picking up if you just want to play as Akira and smash some folks with more accurate online play thanks to the game’s Rollback Netcode. The game is solid online and features a large roster of fun, unique characters (even if I find them visually dull) to keep you busy for years as you learn the nuances of how they fight. All the same, a few more extras or modes from past games might have made this purchase a bit more palatable. Even so, there’s a lot of fun and challenging fights to be had here.

A refreshing change from the other RPGs out there. The game's good sense of humor carries the title from start to finish. On the other hand the gameplay isn't all there. It feels like a hack and slash "Diablo"-esque game that you don't actually fight in.

If someone hasn’t kept up with Travis over the years, I’m not quite sure No More Heroes 3 would be the game to introduce a newcomer to the saga. However, it does feel designed with those familiar with the series in mind. The character direction, humor, style, combat, minigames, and even free map all call back to things that made the last few games stand out. Past UAA members will likely relish this new opportunity to rise through the Galactic Rankings.

Super Princess Peach will be enjoyed most by those gamers who tackled Nintendo's platformers in the pre-64 days. There’s a lot to collect and for once you get to save Mario. [JPN Import]

An awesome strategy RPG designed for lovers of the genre. [JPN Import]

If someone likes the Genkai Tokki series, I think there is a very good chance they will like and want to own Moero Crystal H. It completes a set, even though it is self-contained. It follows a lot of the same patterns, but then that’s really the goal. For people not familiar with it, well, it’s basically an average dungeon-crawler with a first-person perspective and turn-based battles.

The game has an innovative use of time travel that doesn't include a cat with a vacuum cleaner or a hard drive to enjoy.

Forestrike features an interesting concept and aesthetic I appreciate, but can feel unbalanced. I happened upon many situations where I felt like I couldn’t win, which was even why it took longer to prepare this review. I like the story and the way some of the martial arts movesets work. I just wish it didn’t often feel like chance so heavily affected my odds of success.