A joyful love letter to the original teenagers with attitude.

Contra: Operation Galuga is a solid retro revival. It’s got satisfying gunplay, a good balance of old school mechanics with modern tweaks and offers a good challenge. Fans of the series will have a blast, even if its visuals sometimes get in the way.

If you’re looking for a fresh take on the formula, Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX ain’t it! It’s very much the game it once was, just with some handy quality-of-life upgrades. But that in itself has a lot of merit these days.

In the end, though, those nitpicks are minor, and River City Girls 2 is an unequivocal improvement on its predecessor. It builds on the distinct atmosphere of River City Girls and greatly expands its horizons, without losing any of the charm of the original. I don’t know if I’d agree with some of the characters when they claim “Sequels are always better,” but I can say that this sequel definitely is.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined smooths out a lot of rough edges, but it loses some of the flavor of the original in the process.

In many ways, your interest in a monster-catching game is driven by whether one focuses on aspects you particularly like. Like competitive play? Or meticulously customizing creatures? But Nexomon: Extinction puts its best foot forward, delivering the most polished version of itself it can offer. And often, polish is what many players miss when exploring outside Pokémon’s safe, well-padded confines.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is another example of the incredible work the people at Arc System Works can do. It perfectly captures the spirit of both Persona 3 and 4, all without pandering or feeling unnecessary. It’s incredibly robust. It looks and plays well on the PS4. It is considerate of people coming to it who aren’t well-versed with fighting games, yet also ready to challenge people who know what they’re doing. The only thing that might deter some people from getting invested is how heavily it relies on the source property. It really does mean knowing and loving Persona 4, at the very least. But even if you don’t and just appreciate a solid fighter, it is worth someone’s time.

I’m not sure whether to think of Yurukill as a decent shmup with a good adventure game attached, or a good adventure game with a decent shmup minigame inserted into it. Perhaps it doesn’t matter, as the two disparate flavors taste great together all the same.

Diablo IV introduces one of the most integral characters from its expansive catalogue of lore to weave a tapestry about choice, parenthood, while transitioning the series into something more resembling a live service game.

Islanders: New Shores is, in every way, an improvement from the original Islanders. I found myself continually coming back to it due to the Boons, new array of buildings, and ability to select my “path” in each run. I would sometimes, instead of stepping away after a run, instead save and then immediately go into the free-play sandbox to add more to the island that tripped me up to make it look exactly how I wanted. It’s an incredibly pleasant strategy game.

Even with these problems, I had an absolute blast in Enoch, and I still am. The game doesn’t end when the credits roll, and there’s still so much left I can do. Not to mention, I could always re-roll another class. With all that though, I somehow don’t think People Can Fly is done with Enoch just yet. There is so much potential in this world, and it will be exciting to see what comes next.

Gust’s Fairy Tail game is one of those adaptations where it feels like the developer really understood what people love about the series.

There are times I loved Moon. I really enjoyed training Tao and adore my Gramby. I liked talking to and reviving flowers. There were also times when I felt completely lost and flummoxed, wondering what it is I was supposed to do. I admire what Moon does and think Onion Games should be commended for bringing it to a wider audience. It’s an important piece of history. Though, while time spent with it won’t be a waste and I think even people who don’t “get” it could find things to appreciate and love about it, it is admittedly not for everyone. Still, those curious should absolutely investigate it, spend a lot of time learning about it from its manual, and maybe give it a chance.

Rockman Zero 4 isn't going to score huge on the originality scale or alter anyone's mind about the state of Mega Man games. Yet, it's probably the best portable action oriented Mega Man title to date. [JPN Import]

Despite its occasional flaws, I liked Convergence a lot. It may not be the game that gets me into League of Legends, but it did provide a great introduction to the world and its cast. It’s a solid platformer, combining satisfying movement and combat with a surprisingly heartfelt story.

Unlike that other game about the mushroom-y apocalypse, Void Terrarium is an optimistic game despite its dour premise. It isn’t afraid to be funny even in a sad context, and it really clings onto a sense of hope.

Final Fantasy XVI is without question a great game, but after about 45 hours with it, I can't help but think it often isn't great at being a Final Fantasy game.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town’s Switch port is a means of preserving the past while gradually adjusting it so it is slightly more in tune with modern sensibilities. There aren’t drastic changes here. It will definitely feel a bit dated and difficult, due to the way stamina and a player’s inventory were handled back in the day. But there are plenty of positive changes, from new additions that range from characters to crops, changes that do make it easier to take care of your homestead, and more opportunities to fall in love with (all) of your favorite characters. It’s a welcome opportunity to sample a try a change of pace.

The Switch 2 port of Yakuza Kiwami 2 is an absolutely fine option for a newcomer to go with when picking up entries in the series. The story offers its own complexities and can go a little deeper into some nuances now that we’re familiar with Kazuma Kiryu and yakuza clans in general. The combat flows and includes upgrades from later entries and Kiwami releases. We’re able to go to Kamurocho and Sotenbori. Goro Majima gets his own campaign. While the appearance and performance is closer to the PS4 version of Yakuza Kiwami 2 than the PS5 one, it still runs fairly well and looks good on the Switch 2. It’s a handy way to catch up.

It is drawing from a beloved series, as the original Hyrule Warriors did. It gives us a new way to play and, in so doing, opens up new options. It isn’t going to be for everyone, but it does a lot that some fans of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will appreciate. It isn’t for everyone, but it is interesting.

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.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma restored my faith in the series, thanks to its ambitious sense of scope. There are a lot of tasks to balance in this life sim, farming game, and JRPG, and it feels like there’s much more to do than in past Rune Factory entries. But the same time, it doesn’t feel like each of them carries the same weight, as farming can take a backseat to socializing, exploring, and simulation elements. Village management feels more important than farming and caring for livestock, and heading out into the world or sky to explore yields some of more valuable materials and experiences. Rune Factory 4 is my favorite entry in the series, and I think Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is close to being its equal in some ways.

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.

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is an intimate story about overcoming isolation, rebuilding your future, and finding community that will resonate with many. The game’s card creating mechanics will be perfect for the artistically inclined, and are welcoming to those lacking the skill. Deconstructeam surprised me with the variety of outcomes that the card divination sections offer, and I’m looking forward to jumping into the game again and spending more time with Fortuna and Ábramar.

While Death Stranding 2: On the Beach can feel like a step forward for gameplay, I feel like Kojima Productions took a step back with its narrative and difficulty.

In Stars and Time is a novel game that makes a game about a time loop more manageable with some clever execution and a stylish approach. It looks and feels memorable, while still being simple and fun. If you appreciate adventure and narrative-heavy RPGs, it could be worth investigating.

Windjammers 2 is a safe sequel, restraining ambitions to make sure what’s delivered is fun enough. That means some might be disappointed! But it’s ultimately a fun game to play, especially with friends.

Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights ended up being a fantastic otome game that blended romantic comedy with drama. The cast is wonderful. The story it tells is captivating. It avoids the traps of falling into archetypes. There are all the quality of life features we expect from a visual novel. It’s a sound game, and I even think people who aren’t into otomes may enjoy it.