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.

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.

Ultimately, what hurts the most about launching in the long shadow of Balatro is the expectation of a wide possibility space and near-endless depth. Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is more of a diversion than a new avocation, with interesting ideas that play out fairly quickly and funnel toward a few very specific viable strategies. It’s fun! Briefly.

I love the concept behind Exhausted Man and feel like it is a genuinely clever game, but the nature of some of the tasks mean it’s best played in short bursts. Going into too many challenges at once, especially if you end up with a forced task or one that ends up being more annoying than expected, might even feel a bit stressful. Still, the concept is sound and I do recommend it! Just take your time and don’t rush.

Minor missteps aside with controls side, Those Games 2 can be a genuinely strong minigame collection. It gives a perfect amount of games for each fake mobile game ad, so you don’t feel like they wear out their welcome. They do get genuinely challenging after the first 10 levels, in many cases. It’s a fun game to play when you just want to take 10-15 minutes to play something and feel smart, and doing so in short bursts helps keep you from noticing that some levels can get repetitive.

Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid launched at a time when I really needed it, and that made me appreciate this cozy life sim even more. The older we get, the rarer it is to enjoy weeks of freedom, discovery, and joy. I get so caught up in work, especially around summer events when there are events back-to-back. Millennium Kitchen and Toybox really captured the magic of a peaceful summer where you can live at your own pace. Everything is new and an adventure. It’s refreshing and rejuvenating.

For both positive and negative reasons, Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom is a classic otome. The quality of the story and the characters are really good, and I can understand why people loved it. But playing it in 2024 after so many other otome games (and from Otomate to boot), it’s hard for me to see what made Hakuoki the special juggernaut it was at the time. Is it good? Oh yeah, if you’re big into otome or historical fantasy games. It’s great that you get both the Edo and Kyoto arcs in one convenient package without having to pay for two games like in certain releases. This is a game that stands very well on its own. But those curious about the legendary reputation of Hakuoki may come out of it scratching their head.

SteamWorld Heist II takes the things that worked in the original Heist and, well, gives players more of them. It’s well-considered in so many ways, making sure you’ll have a good time exploring its ideas for as long as it holds you. It ain’t exciting or revolutionary, really, but it sure is fun.

The Quintessential Quintuplets: Five Memories Spent With You is a nice cherry on top of the cake for fans of the series. It is very rewarding being able to play a Quintessential Quintuplets story that focuses on seeing the relationship between Futaro and the chosen Nakano sister flourish. While the game doesn’t present original mechanics or ideas like its predecessor does, there is a lot to enjoy here, and a lot of content and attention given to each character.

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.

Earth Defense Force 6 is a joke that outstays its welcome. The writing definitely has its moments of brilliance, but it tries so hard to be “so bad it’s good” that it just ends up bad.

The Star Named EOS has a fairytale vibe to it like the start of a Pixar movie, but the same breezy pace and lightness of detail can also make the story feel flat or overly sentimental. Still, there’s a pleasant and affecting time for those who can slow down and enjoy it.

I have never seen so many people not only asking me to make a complete mess of things, but thanking me for doing so, in my life. But that’s exactly what Thank Goodness You’re Here feels like it is about, as the game rewards you for your goofy and occasionally destructive behavior with ridiculous, hilarious, and even sometimes a delightfully inappropriate response. It might not end up being a game for everyone, but those who do give it a chance and enjoy this kind of humor will likely be delighted.

Flock is a comfort blanket of a game. Its simplicity isn’t for everyone but it’s hard to deny its charm. If you’re looking for something cozy to kick back with at the end of a long day, Flock is exactly what you need.

I really appreciate Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure and everything it sets out to do, as the concept is great, the story fun, and some puzzles thought-provoking. I just wish that it wasn’t so rushed, concepts were better explained, and that new puzzle elements weren’t abandoned as swiftly as they are introduced. You don’t get time to appreciate all that Jemma can do or the situations around her, and you’re left to stumble into new abilities or possibilities. If there had been a few more puzzles and framework, it’d been a stronger game.

The Battle Cats Unite is absolutely entertaining and the formula for the tower defense RTS remains strong, but the remaining mobile roots get annoying. The absurdity of the various cats (or in some cases “cats”) you deploy are as entertaining as ever. Even the cooperative and versus stages are fun. I just wish more had been done to remove the obnoxious free-to-play elements such as the energy restrictions or limited Cat Food currency. If you don’t mind the grind and taking your time, it’s a fun diversion to keep on your system.

There are ways in which Princess Maker 2 Regeneration does feel like a valued, fresh start and approach to the game, partially because of it also being on systems like the Switch. However, there are also times when it feels like it also isn’t quite there yet and Princess Maker 2 Refinemay be a better bet. There are some definite bugs present and in need of squashing. I also wish the localization was stronger. However, the core game is a lot of fun, especially if you appreciate stat management simulations such as this. I think it is worth the time even if it isn’t the best version of the game available, and I hope Bliss Brain fixes some of the more glaring problems after launch.

Hamster Playground is a pet raising game where it can feel like you’re there to complete missions and earn enough currency for the cosmetics you want. It looks fine and has a silliness to it that I appreciate. I also like that the only essential purchases connected to it involve some affordable minigames, and like you could even just go for the one or two you like instead of all four. It’s pleasant enough, even though I can see it getting tedious as you grind to complete your personal or game-mandated objectives. Considering the base game is free though, the design quality is higher than I expected and it is an entertaining diversion.

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.

Fortunately, in the end, Dawntrail balances out for a solid, but not necessarily ground-breaking FFXIV expansion. Though it starts rough, Square Enix brings it all together quite well by the second half for a satisfying conclusion. The consistency of the actual gameplay content throughout at least ensures it is enjoyable to play from start to finish. In the end, FFXIV Dawntrail is a shaky, but ultimately positive step in a new direction for the best MMO of all time.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a release held together by sentiment and atmosphere, partly because that aspect of the game is so good and partly because the remainder of the game is so devoid of merit. Like NES Remix before it, it lives in a liminal space between viable gameplay ideas. If it were supposed to be a punishing speedrunning challenge, it would give players one try in the weekly championship and offer more long events. If it were a WarioWare-like fun time, it’d have a faster pace and a lot more variety. If it were a weekly Nintendo Switch Online diversion, it’d be a lower-commitment free download built around a real-time experience. And, well, it’s none of those.

Magical Delicacy offers a cozy and relaxing experience that you can play at a leisurely pace, which makes it inclusive to all players, regardless of skill level. The cooking aspects are done incredibly well, and it creates an enticing gameplay loop where you want to keep making new dishes. However, the game was not ambitious enough with its centralized theme about witches, which had ample opportunities to introduce some fascinating mechanics but failed to capitalize on this, ultimately holding back the experience.

B-Project Ryusei Fantasia is one of those games that is ideal for what it is for those who are aware of B-Pro and the many projects tied to the series. If you “get” it, you’ll love how it handles things and the chance to more closely interact with your favorite characters. For those who aren’t aware of this Mages project, the entry barrier is pretty high! Not impossibly so. I think it feels like PQube was aware of this and released the demo so early ahead of launch as a result to help people prepare. For those who love the series, it’s a lot of fun. I do think people curious about it should give the free trial and anime a chance, as both would really help you when it comes to deciding to pick it up.

What I can say for Kunitsu-Gami is that it feels like a game that could have existed on the PlayStation 2, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. It’s experimental and interesting, and I’m glad Capcom Development Studio 1 was able to make this game. The way it builds on the tower-defense genre and gives the player a more active role through the use of Soh as an avatar makes the game immediately more involved and interesting. I hope Kunitsu-Gami ends up garnering some kind of success so that it can show Capcom that these risks can be taken, even for AA titles, so we can see more of what its various development studios can create outside of established franchises.

I wish I could recommend Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus more. Its presentation is immaculate and when the game is focused on combat, it’s incredibly satisfying. But the inconsistencies that drag down the platforming segments sour the whole experience.

Tavern Talk accomplishes everything it sets out to do: it has coziness in spades and plenty of entertaining characters to encounter. If you enjoy a gentle ride and the odd tabletop RPG, Tavern Talk will feel like ordering a favorite drink from your regular watering hole. It won’t challenge you, but it might be just what you need to refresh after a long day.

MyDearest and Kotake Create really did a fantastic job of pulling off The Exit 8 VR on the Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro. I mean, I’m sure it helps that the base game isn’t the most complex title. Even so, I felt no VR sickness or discomfort. It’s so easy find yourself immersed in it. It’s even easier to spot and experience the anomalies, thanks to the sound design and execution. Going through The Exit 8 in VR is now my favorite way to play.

Riven may not be perfect on the Meta Quest 3, but the VR version is worth experiencing if you love the game and series. Considering what needed to be done to bring it to life, it feels incredible to actually be walking around the Age of Riven’s five islands. It’s enough to make me forgive the smaller technical issues and shift to character models from FMV. However, it can be more difficult to play due to it not being as easy to keep track of what you’re doing and work out solutions in optimal fashions, especially since the nature of the medium could mean you’ll have some trouble finding what you are looking for or interact with to proceed.