The appeal of WitchSpring3 Re:Fine is having an entry in the series on the Switch. The concepts behind it are fine. I had an okay time playing it, even if I didn’t feel terribly motivated to explore what the post-game had to offer. Some of the UI decisions don’t exactly feel comfortable, the localization isn’t great, and it isn’t terribly memorable. It’s not bad and people interested in the series will probably have a good time. But those with a passing curiosity may want to look at the more reasonably priced mobile versions instead.

All of Fuga: Melodies of Steel’s elements connect to make for an experience that gets its claws in you and won’t let go. You hang onto every decision, trying to improve your combat abilities and always make the right calls. You shift your crew and pray you’ve made the right decision regarding which weapons to use. You have them talk with friends, wondering if you should be diverting your attention elsewhere, always wondering if one of them will die from a single mistake. It’s an incredibly compelling experience in tactical combat.

Garden Story feels like the game you get when you’re aiming for a relaxing action-RPG. People need your help, and they’d like to assist you too if they can. There’s a colorful, arboreal world that needs restoring. It will take time to recover and set things right. But as long as you go at your own pace and make time for people, you can help people in this game.

All in all, though, these are relatively minor blemishes on an impressive, bold follow-up to an acclaimed modern classic. Whether you’ve been champing at the bit for a new take on Axiom Verge or if this is your first experience with a Metroidvania, Axiom Verge 2 is a dense, beautiful game that’s easier than ever to get into and shouldn’t be missed.

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.

Boyfriend Dungeon is satisfying and very good at making you care about its weapon-people (and cat). The gameplay loop is among the most addictive I’ve seen, especially since it is constantly rewarding you with more scenes with its characters and opportunities to get stronger. Which does put a damper on the elements that aren’t quite perfect. Jesse and Olivia could have been handled better as NPCs, only having two dungeons right away makes it feels like things end too quickly, and I hated having to be the bigger person and keep dealing with an antagonist. That said, when the heavily teased additional characters and dungeon come out, I absolutely can’t wait to return to Verona Beach.

We haven’t had this much fun with a card battle RPG since the Pokemon TCG games on the Game Boy Color. If you at all have an affinity for the concept, it’s unlikely that you’re burned out on the idea these days. Give Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle a shot, and it’s unlikely that you’ll be disappointed.

I like the original Final Fantasy, but I honestly haven’t touched it since the PlayStation release. I have tried to pick it up here and there, but find myself getting bored of the grind and the pace. The auto-battle injects so much energy into it that I couldn’t put the game down. Combined with the visuals and music, I just wanted to spend every minute playing Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster. It’s an excitement I haven’t felt for the original Final Fantasy in decades, and I hope the other entries capture the same feeling.

Despite some rough edges and some undercooked mechanics, Idol Manager remains a unique game and a fascinatingly novel take on the idol industry. If you’re a fan of business sims with a taste for interpersonal affairs? Get ready to become producers.

We weren’t prepared for just how much we like Dodgeball Academia. It’s charming and quirky on the surface, and you can immediately see all its smartly-borrowed elements from classics. But the synthesis of it all? It’s a cohesive whole. We want to spend more time in its world, and we hope we’ll one day get that opportunity.

Cris Tales is an incredibly creative game with its own distinct identity. There are times when it can feel like it drags on a bit. It feels like something special. But it also feels like a game that, at least at the moment, needs a little bit more work. The Cris Tales Switch version feels like it is constantly loading for the smallest reasons and might occasionally crash. If Dreams Uncorporated and Syck can fix those issues. it will eventually be a must-play game.

If you’re an otome fan, you most likely will already have pre-ordered a copy, and you will not regret your purchase. For those on the fence, I can’t recommend it enough.

For light shmups that players of any skill can beat (SO MUCH more forgiving than R-Type Final 2), but with two different sets of mechanics that will give skilled players something to master, Cotton Reboot is a great game with a lot of fun to offer.

There’s a lot to like about Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster. It was an entry that dared to be different. Even now, when you look at the series as a whole, it stands out. And with this version, it looks good, runs rather well, and is pretty widely accessible. The as-is font situation isn’t great, but the rest of the game is quite pretty and fun to play.

Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster is an opportunity to play through a missing piece of the series’ history. Some of its concepts might be a bit antiquated, but it’s amazing to essentially have a prettier version of a video game time capsule to finally peruse and learn from. While the UI has some issues, Square Enix did a great job of restoring and bringing this game to audiences that have spent a long time waiting for it.

Samurai Warriors 5 gives you a sense of incredible herculean power as you play through it. Few other action games give you such an ability to cleave through crowds of foes that stand in your path, and it’s undeniably satisfying to be able to swat a few dozen people aside.

When I played The World Ends with You on my Nintendo DS back in 2008, I was struck by how vibrant and wonderfully unique the game is. I’d hoped for more for years, especially after teases found in the ports. Now we’re back in Shibuya for NEO TWEWY, and it is the sequel the original deserved. Yet, at the same time, it stands tall on its own merits and is a welcoming experience for people completely unfamiliar with the series.

Franchise fans should be psyched to get the two Great Ace Attorney games, and in a polished package. It won’t change your mind about these titles one way or the other, unless you have a strong feeling about the period-piece setting. But it does what it sets out to do.

Ultimately, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a decent enough entry point for those looking to get into the series. However, it is hindered by the inability to remap controls and the implementation of a poor secondary control scheme. That being said, it couldn’t exist any in any other form due to its original release relying so heavily on motion controls. Despite its flaws, it still offers the quintessential The Legend of Zelda experience.

Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed is far from perfect. It doesn’t look great and you’re constantly running into annoyances that result from bringing a budget PSP game in 2021. But I suspect that the people who might pick it up will be willing to overlook that. This is about completing a set and seeing the inspiration for other titles. If anyone would want to experience this particular series at its best, I’d point them to Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed in a heartbeat. But this release, flawed as it is, does give people who enjoy the series a way to see how it all started.

Ender Lilies proves to be a somber experience, providing a melancholy but hopeful story that utilizes environmental storytelling to its fullest. As a platformer it functions well and has its own unique gimmick that helps create a fresh take on the genre. If you were hesitant about picking it up in early access, the full product is more than worth your time.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 is not only a friendly way to ease into an otherwise imposing series. It’s also an example of a developer improving upon every flaw from the original game. The result is a game that is one of the best I’ve played so far in 2021.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX made for some of the most irritating platforming I’ve experienced in some time. With its slippery controls, large enemy hitboxes, and weak player attack, it’s miserable to play through the game’s stages (unless you turn on infinite lives, which kind of makes the game feel pointless). Since its look doesn’t improve the game, and the core game itself isn’t much fun, I can’t see anyone enjoying it besides the folks who grew up with it. And I can’t even see them sticking around for long when there are so many better offerings in the genre these days.

Weaving Tides is a pleasant experience and goes all-in on its theme. You can tell the atmosphere is prioritized here. While that’s great news for things like puzzles and traversal, it can lead to some combat segments not feeling as tight. And the story seems like it is there more as an excuse to let us roam this beautiful world. Which is fun, as I’d take any excuse to ride these dragons.

Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is a great way to revisit a visual novel that made quite a splash. For newcomers, it’s easy to hop into and enjoy, even offering the PC “workarounds.” For people who’ve joined the club before, the extra stories and media are enjoyable. The sole downside is that, with all its accessibility, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is difficult to read on the Switch and has an unfriendly UI. It also lacks easy one-button controls for things like auto-advancing or checking the history, as its contemporaries do. Still, it’s a fascinating read and story.

Even though some of its tasks get repetitive, I can’t get over the joy that playing Everyday Today’s Menu for Emiya Family brings me. In a time when “wholesome” is thrown a lot to describe things, it… is genuinely that. You’re sitting down with (virtual) people you’ve known and loved for years to talk, make a meal with them, and enjoy each other’s company. It has that same sort of feel good quality as Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood does.

And I think this is largely reflective of what the Disgaea series is now, underdeveloped and lackluster when compared to previous entries. It feels like a lot of the production costs were cut for Disgaea 6, as the game only features voice acting during specific moments and largely isn’t present for even a bulk of the story events. Disgaea 6 isn’t a bad game, but it has definitely suffered due to the waning popularity of the series.

Scarlet Nexus is the sort of game where not only will its combat sell it, but the story and spoilers packed into it will too. It is a title where I was constantly thrown by elements. Sometimes it was an exceptionally clever application of a power. It could be a great enemy design. Or maybe a twist would get me. Even when I wasn’t exactly thrilled with how something might work, I found myself wanting to talk about it.