Many of these flaws can be overlooked simply because of how charming the game is. #BLUD has a fun story, genuine laughs and a brilliant cartoony aesthetic. While it does have some rough edges, this is a fun little adventure that’s worth looking into if you think you’d click with its tone. I still think it could have had a better title though.

With a snappy script and some genuinely unnerving jump scares, Paranormasight is a very approachable J-Horror game. The slow process of turning around using a mouse on the PC was a great way to amplify the tension in a lot of scenes. Because it leans heavier into the mystery aspect of the horror-mystery genre, even players who are nervous about horror games can enjoy it. It is a beautifully crafted game that makes imaginative use of its medium. Clocking in at under 10 hours—with some of that time spent lost, idling, or just reading through its impressively detailed files—Paranormasight is a wonderful game for a lazy weekend.

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]

Dogpile combines the Suika Game formula with deck-building, and I really like the results. It’s quite clever and incredibly cute. I loved playing around with certain builds and trying to capitalize on putting together decks that involved certain mechanics. Did I see myself getting near the endgame? Eliminate all smaller dogs to prioritize minimized versions of larger ones in the deck! Did I want to make things easier for myself and not worry about placements? Try and add friendly and pack traits to as many dogs as possible. I really loved challenging myself and working things out.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is a lot, and it feels like an installment that attempts to cover almost every possible aspect of the series. It doesn’t top the earliest Mamoru Endo DS entries for me. However, there’s so much here that it feels like a mode exists for every possible player. Not to mention that it is admirable to see it not only released, but is genuinely good. There are some minor issues, such as balancing and NPC intelligence in matches. The CPU isn’t great about making decisions. However, the fact that we are seeing rebalancing and substantial updates like Re-Story make me wonder if this could eventually turn into a 9 out of 10 game in a few weeks or months with additional patches and fixes to things like online multiplayer.

Planet of Lana II is quite a successful sequel that builds on the original in pretty much every way. Wishfully also tells its story in a fascinating way that still leaves every intention and action crystal clear. It might take some time to adjust to inputs, but it’s a brief adventure with interesting puzzles and a promising cliffhanger.

If you’ve always wanted to try out a Harvest Moon title, then Harvest Moon: One World is a great entry point. As I can attest, no prior knowledge of previous games is required. So go forth, farm, and save the world, one crop at a time.

9 RIP is another one of those Otomate otome games that experiments with what we expect from these sorts of dating sims, and it’s a great success as a result. The chance the developer took on storytelling means the love interests get more moments with the heroine and also feel like stars of their storylines. It involving urban legends and some horror staples mean we get some unexpected and fun romance options. Plus, the aesthetic is great. There are a few elements that might not be as appreciated people, but I feel like that comes down to personal tastes rather than actual failings on the part of the developer or game itself.

Detective Pikachu Returns is a charming Pokemon mystery adventure that is anchored by a heartfelt story.

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.

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright is a solid and charming adventure game. It is sure to captivate point-and-click adventure game and JRPG fans alike. Its stress-free, easy-to-pick-up nature makes it the perfect game to play with kids or by yourself. Most of all, it reminds players of what it truly means to think outside of the box. If you’ve ever daydreamed about entire worlds, scenarios, and characters during class, why not help Kenta do the same?

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.

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.

Even with some flaws, Lunar Remastered Collection is a great way to play these two JRPG classics. If you haven’t played them before, I strongly recommend doing so. Those who have played them probably don’t need me to give them a push. Welcome back, Lunar.

I enjoyed Spy x Anya: Operation Memories more than I expected, even though this Spy x Family game occasionally feels a bit awkward and repetitive. I would have appreciated an easier introduction to the experience and less hand-holding, but it’s thoroughly pleasant and true to the series its based on. As long as you’re not trying to speedrun it or marathon it in a single weekend, I think it’d be a lovely game to play at a relaxed pace.

It is usually obvious what moves you need to make in MotionRec, and the fun comes from figuring out how to do it. The level design is executed well, so it gradually ramps up the challenge while also ensuring like the resulting solutions aren’t obtuse or popping up out of nowhere. The design is also quite unique, and the pixelated aesthetic suits the situation and allows you to more clearly pinpoint opportunities. Those who love platformers that make you think would probably be able to spend a few fun afternoons with this one.

Fairy Tail: Dungeons feels like a straightforward, but still nicely tactical, deck-building game. Being able to play a few quick hands in a fight was great for moments when there wasn’t much time to play, and the ability to dive right in and pick up the rules in seconds made it easy to just jump right into. Even so, the systems underneath had enough depth that it kept pulling me back in to reshape my strategies for the next run.

I know we’re bound to see plenty more Suika Game clones, but as long as we get genuinely creative takes on the watermelon matching formula like Fruit Mountain, I’m okay with it. It absolutely feels like one of the more relaxed and cozy options in this new subset of the puzzle genre. The presentation looks good. Plus the implementation of tossing fruits in a 3D environment with no “walls” around a box really adds a new element of strategy to it.

News Tower is a satisfying business management simulation that involves optimizing offices and reporting procedures to ensure success. It feels like there’s are opportunities to keep investing and growing. It can even be so satisfying that it stays compelling for hours. There are some minor issues and sometimes it might feel a bit too easy or routine when you get used to things, but I still very much recommend it.

Magical Princess is an admirable daughter-raising and stat management game, and it feels like Neotro and Magi learned from the example Princess Maker set. It’s more streamlined when it comes to presenting information. The Skill and EX Skill system also can make it less daunting and easier to succeed when pursuing certain goals. Most importantly, I really appreciated how important bonds seemed to be here. It really establishes the character Alice as someone with a family and friends who care about her.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is a welcome return to new ideas for the franchise, and does manage to avoid inferior minigame replication disappointment by… not replicating the old minigames at all! The choice to ape (pun intended, pun always intended, you know us) Fall Guys’ multiplayer formula isn’t the best, but there’s some fun here. And the main mode is enjoyable too.

If you enjoy Dominion, Tanto Cuore, and other kinds of strategic deck-building games, then Heart of Crown Online should be in your library. If the genre is new to you, it’s a good place to start! The concept is entertaining, and the single-player Scenario Mode is a helpful way to learn how to play. Since it also spent time in Steam Early Access, it feels really solid at launch too.

Tales of Xillia Remastered is another totally fine remaster, with Bandai Namco ensuring all of the original’s content is paired with some QOL additions on the Switch. It’s a totally serviceable way to play the game. Especially since it only first appeared on the PS3, limiting its scope. There are some instances on the original Switch where it is noticeably not hitting the same marks as other platforms, but it does run better on a Switch 2 if you’ve got one. It’s definitely worth revisiting if you love the series.

While getting the D&D license for this VR strategy game is nice, Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked’s appeal lies in it being an enjoyable multiplayer tactical adventure. There are a few cumbersome elements, like the hireling assigning issue, that I’d love to see worked out in later patches. But what’s here works well and is enjoyable, especially if you have at least one other person to play with.

Muv-Luv Remastered, as a whole, sets up a foundation for one of the most intriguing visual novels to come out of Japan. This means that what you’re experiencing is happening for a reason. Muv-Luv Extra might feel a bit trope-heavy and as though the dynamic nature of character portraits and movements are the only thing setting it apart, due to it laying groundwork regarding characters. Muv-Luv Unlimited is when it starts getting interesting and we get into the meat of things, due to the new mysteries being introduced and way what we learned in the first game shapes the lives of characters like Takeru and Meiya. Put together in one package with Muv-Luv Remastered, and we get a solid start to Age’s story.

Howl is a simple blend of genres that offers a lot of fun. It is fast and easy to pick up, but can be pretty hard to master. The game can be on the shorter side, taking approximately 5 hours to reach 100% completion. And while I loved what I played, I still feel like there were a lot of really cool ideas that could be explored further, or enemy variety to improve. In the end, I think that Howl leaving me wanting more and making me think about it far after I finished it speaks more about the quality of the game than about what the game might be lacking. Fans of the puzzle genre and light tactics RPG are sure to have a great time with this one.

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.

It may not be the next great JRPG, but if you’ve been looking for a tactics style game that provides a decent challenge, I’m going to recommend picking Monark up when your budget allows. It fits right into the niche, and the story’s twists and turns might just surprise you. If you look past the bland character models and focus on their individual stories, there’s something charming and alluring lurking below the drab surface.