So much of Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water holds promise. Ultimately, its execution and lackluster story lets it down. Just like how I wanted to love this game upon its initial release, I want to love it now. But there is just so much that prevents it from being a great entry in the series. And it’s a shame that the future of the series hinges on what remains ultimately one of the worst Fatal Frame titles to date.

Sometimes I feel like if All in Abyss: Judge the Fake ended after the third chapter, I’d like the game a lot more. After that point, it feels like the other characters didn’t end up being as engaging and the Texas Hold’em hands and execution felt more tedious and uninteresting. I would say it’s close to being the epitome of an uneven game. The idea is interesting! For the first few hours, the Poker parts can feel fun! Some of the early Witches and scenarios made me want to quickly get through to find out what happened. But I feel like the design directions and some choices make it fall apart at points.

It is in these social aspects that the ideas of Eternights start to shine, even if it is a bit too derivative and occasionally shallow. I only wish the combat and exploration nailed this aspect as well. The game could have been so much more.

The potential is there for The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication. It could have been an amazing horror game between its beautiful graphics, interesting use of Chinese beliefs, and its memorable monster designs. Unfortunately, its overly long story and poor enemy AI weigh it down. That’s not to say the game isn’t scary, of course. It certainly took me much longer than necessary to beat it just because I needed to work up the nerve sometimes to enter certain rooms. If you want a scare and The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication sounds up your alley, then I recommend playing until the end of the third chapter.

Despite iffy monetization choices and the general feeling that the game might not last long enough to become a permanent part of your rotation, Dragon Ball: The Breakers is a frantic and fast-paced interpretation of a genre otherwise saturated in horror movie tropes. Steeped in fun Dragon Ball in-jokes and goofy humor, there’s there’s a lot of slapstick joy to be found in the game, so much so that it wouldn’t be out of place if the Benny Hill theme kicked in every so often.

Can a game show significant improvement over its predecessors while further entrenching itself along the wrong path? Origami King certainly tries, making a game that’s a blast to read and gorgeous in screenshots but just not that fun to play. In many ways, it delivers the quality and polish you expect from Nintendo. As a full package and a time investment, it’s hard to recommend.

Ultimately, Goblin Slayer Another Adventurer: Nightmare Feast was an odd one. While I did enjoy the battles and most of the character interactions, it also didn’t do much to make itself stand out. It certainly has appeal for fans of old school RPGs, but I can’t help but feel it could be doing a lot more.

I love the concept behind Everdeep Aurora, as the design direction is flawless, but it can also be quite a cumbersome game. The lack of quality of life features really hurt it. If there were some tutorials or perhaps a better save system, I’d feel a lot more comfortable recommending the game. But as is, I’d really only recommend it if you enjoy savoring in-game aesthetics and really meandering through a world working out everything on your own.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a game with dating sim elements focusing on other elements and letting the lovey-dovey stuff gradually build in the background. The thing is that Paradigm Paradox can be an interesting visual novel, but isn’t the best if you’re looking for a really romantic Switch otome game. The majority of the routes feel clipped and rush, “telling” you there’s suddenly a meaningful relationship between the heroine and other characters without “showing” you how it happened. The game is stylish and the localization is fun, but it left me wanting more substance.

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

Touken Ranbu Warriors is made for a very specific audience. It feels meant for people unaccustomed to Musou games, what with its easy control option, small levels, and focused tasks. The grinding elements even seem to be less taxing, with simple minigames and Honmaru area placement to garner experience and such while you’re doing other things. (Just like in the Touken Ranbu Online browser game!) Touken Ranbu Warriors also very much focuses on its characters, showing them interact with one another and pointing out characteristics showcased in the original game, anime, and other spin-offs. This means that while Touken Ranbu Warriors is a Musou game with the trappings we know, it might not be the best choice for someone looking for a new entry to play.

We really like the premise of Wilmot Works It Out, and don’t mind a shorter experience! But the game really only hits its stride in the final chapters, leaving us wishing it expanded its later offerings at least a bit. Still, it’s charming, and if you want to really dig into the Marathon post-game, it could be worth checking out.

While the Iron’s Hot is an interesting take on a blacksmith simulator, but it feels like the game can be a tedious chore sometimes. I enjoyed it, but only if I also took regular breaks, made sure I did absolutely everything, and tried not to get rid of any items that had any chance of being useful down the line. I appreciate the concept, but the execution isn’t quite there.

I like the concept behind SCHiM and the artistic direction, but certain elements of it frustrated me after I got about 30 levels into it. I found myself wishing for more of a challenge or a story that left me less annoyed at the person I was trying to track down. I imagine it’d be more entertaining if played in shorter bursts. But marathoning it might make you feel a bit depressed as you see yourself constantly just miss someone who just won’t sit still.

I don’t regret the time I put into this game. A lot of it was predictable but entertaining nonetheless. If the puzzle levels were just a little more balanced. Perhaps a tad shorter and with better riddles to solve, maybe tightened up those issues I mentioned, I’d feel more comfortable recommending this. So much attention went into the overall storytelling. And I don’t mind the predictable parts when the journey makes up for it. World’s End Club fell just a little short of being a really solid experience for me, however I am still excited to see what Too Kyo Games does next.

KarmaZoo has a noble goal, but the situational nature of things means the stars essentially need to align for things to work perfectly. You need to either get a good group of friends who all own the game together or hope your random session is filled with people who both are serious about working together and unlocked helpful characters. It’s too easy for things to not be exactly ideal, and I’d say about two thirds of all my gameplay sessions were fine as a result.

Pretty Princess Party might feel more like “interior designer party” sometimes, which might make it more fun. There are a lot of options here, new customization items unlock at a steady pace, and it isn’t difficult to earn the Lumina needed to unlock requirements and acquire new recipes. It can be very simple and doesn’t demand too much, but people who let themselves get carried away could probably create some pretty cool castles.

In the end, Gargoyles Remastered exists mostly for those who were either fans of the animated series or played this game when they were younger, but doesn’t really have much to offer beyond a few hours of gameplay and a mild sense of completion once it is finished. For a fan of Gargoyles like myself, it was nice to finally experience this piece of history for a series I hold fond memories of, but I also don’t feel like it was worth waiting 28 years to experience. For fans of the platforming genre who might have had a passing interest in Gargoyles Remastered, they would be better served playing something else with better levels and character control.

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.

It may seem like I’ve been unduly harsh to Creatures of Ava, but that is because there are some excellent ideas here, but the execution has missed the mark. Nothing is wrong with a creature-taming title stepping back from a traditional combat system and embracing a pacifist approach. If anything, exploring this avenue can provide an opportunity to craft a distinctive identity in the genre, but you need to make sure other aspects of the gameplay are compelling. I often found myself going through the motions rather than wanting to see what was next. Strangely, I think the game tried to be too smart for its own good and backfired. It packed too many ideas, and there was little thought on how these mechanics would benefit one another. If you like some of the concepts that Creatures of Ava dabbles in, you will find some redeeming characteristics which might be worth your time. However, I don’t think I’ll return to Creatures of Ava anytime soon.

Lego Voyagers is a visually gorgeous game and generally pleasant, but I wish it controlled better and involved more challenging scenarios. There are some fun ideas here, and the design concepts are solid. It is absolutely cute. I’d even say it can be a relaxing way to spend an afternoon or evening. But the constant locking in while platforming, ease of difficulty, and few opportunities to really do more in the space can be discouraging.

I appreciate the gimmick and the talent Sassy Chap pulled together for Date Everything. The character designs are inventive and look fantastic. It’s entertaining, especially when it discusses not-Amazon and AI. My issue is I really didn’t want to talk to all of these characters. At most, I wanted to see the full storylines for like 1/10th of them. But because it doesn’t feature typical visual novel quality of life features and basically forces you into conversations with cast members, you’ll be stuck getting to know folks even if you don’t want to. Especially when it gets into the evening in-game and things get to be difficult to see.

Ultimately, RPGolf Legends could be a suitable distraction for those who have been waiting too long for a game like Sports Story. It’s forgettably pleasant and largely inoffensive, a stopgap for those who need it. If ArticNet continues to work on the franchise, we’d really like to see a focus on mechanical depth in the next installment.

The overall execution is clumsy and in need of patches.

Despite my gripes with the lack of closure in its narrative, and referential writing, Harvest Island can be a fun horror RPG/farming sim hybrid. The gameplay loop is simple, perhaps to a fault. However, the character writing and moment-to-moment story beats evoke the vibe of classic RPG Maker games, such as To The Moon, The Witch’s House, or Ao Oni. While Harvest Island is a flawed game, it shows a lot of promise in developer Yobob Games, particularly when the game is focusing on telling an original story, and exploring a detailed and engaging environment.

The Devil in Me is a great game for horror fans, as well as those who enjoy true crime. As soon as I recognized H. H. Holmes from the prologue, I felt excited about what was in store. Its characters are inoffensive — some may consider them bland — but the plot helps to make up for them for the most part. With its relatively short play time, it’s an easy game to loop in order to achieve the best ending. Or, perhaps you can channel your inner Holmes and attempt to kill them all. Like the Curator says in the beginning, the choice is in your hands. You’re culpable for who lives and who dies.

There’s something appealing about that. I really appreciated The Smile Alchemist being I could play for a few minutes to get that boost of positivity, then completely step away knowing it’s fine and I don’t need to get too invested. It can get repetitive and the localization is a little rough, but it has heart. It’s like what if we distilled what made an alchemist simulation down to its most base qualities, ensured it was completely colorful, and rolled with it? The result is this, and it’s a delightful diversion in small doses.

Olympia Soiree ends up feeling awkward for many reasons. The class system, the focus on getting the heroine married and pregnant, and the information dumps get to be so much. Once you do finally get to a route, the pacing improves, but before that it is just so much to take in and process. I do think some people might end up enjoying Aksys’ newest Switch otome game, as there’s a solid localization and some characters are lovable. But I feel in the long run it will end up being one of the company’s more forgettable localizations, like Period: Cube or Bad Apple Wars, rather than a captivating and memorable one like Code: Realize or Collar x Malice.