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.

Dark Deity is a small game that understands its limitations. It delivers thought-provoking battles, if not necessarily the most balanced ones. It gives players a lot of tactical choice, if not in the most informed way. And it cuts clear corners, but it feels like they’re the right corners to cut. Because what’s here is a fun time.

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power attempts to do a lot. And there’s a lot of fun stuff there. Like I genuinely enjoyed playing dress-up. Some of the missions and boss fights are genuinely challenging. The general ambiance is also quite good and captures the style of the series perfectly. The only issue I have is that it gets a bit tedious at times. While the missions can have diverse objectives, they can lead to a lot of button mashing. Being limited to when you can use powers is a little frustrating too. Still, it is charming in its way. For a title made for a younger audience, it’s quite a quality affair and I appreciate that. It doesn’t talk down to anyone and tries to offer light versions of meatier gameplay elements.

Chicory is a game for a particular subset of moods. It can be an engaging mood lifter. Or an effective break from life’s stresses. Or even a therapeutic way of dealing with personal troubles. But everyone has these moods sometimes, and coincidentally, everyone should also play Chicory.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World’s greatest sin is that it is simply adequate. There’s nothing earth-shattering about this remake. It looks fine, but isn’t nearly as striking as Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap. It plays okay, but there are times when you feel the frustrations and limitations of Asha’s moveset. It is okay and people who loved the original will probably appreciate it being freshened up. But as far as remakes go, it’s nothing special.

Sumire is absolutely stunning and is yet another extraordinary indie in the Switch library. It taps right into your feelings and allows you to take charge and perhaps help Sumire and her flower have their perfect day. Or not. It’s all up to you. But no matter what you choose to do, it tends to feel satisfying. And, if you’re feeling up to it, is worth a second or third run to play games with “friends” or try to make the the lives of people (and objects) better.

While I loved every second of replaying Mass Effect for the fourth and definitely not final time, I have that history and nostalgia keeping me through the outdated gameplay. I would recommend anyone jump into this series if they love BioWare RPGs, but I’d have a string of caveats. A lot has not aged well, especially from the first game, even though the first game arguably has the best story of all three. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is an absolutely incredible walk down memory lane, but that’s really all it is. If you’re a newbie to the trilogy and you’re dying to see what all the fuss is about, better buckle in for one bumpy ride.

Makee definitely knew what it wanted Rise Eterna to be. I applaud some of its ideas, like how the developer tried to implement a crafting system and skill tree. But on the whole, it doesn’t offer the same balanced challenges as its contemporaries. The resulting game is filled with maps that are too large and enemies that stop feeling threatening. There’s effort here and it tries, but it doesn’t leave you feeling like you accomplished anything.

This is a case of Atlus counting on people missing SMT III Nocturne the first time around. It doesn’t do a terrible job of making it accessible and slightly modernizing things. SMT III Nocturne just doesn’t go to the same lengths as, say, SaGa Frontier Remastered. And that’s okay! It doesn’t have to! When one of the original selling points of a game was “featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series” back in the day, being capable and readily available might be enough. After all, it is still telling a haunting story, making you think both in and out of battle. SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster does what Atlus JRPGs do best, and that’s captivate an audience.

You also need to feel invested in the mystery. This is a narrative, through and through. You’re not going to be able to ride out the campaign with gameplay fun or cute character moments. If you’re so wrapped up in the story that you’re okay with just trying a bunch of menu items for a while? Or when you’re stuck because the language quirks aren’t so easily fixed with localization? You’ll be fine.

There are times when Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind shows its age. It absolutely isn’t user-friendly sometimes. However, its story is surprisingly timeless, and the new presentation is stunning. It’s a gorgeous adventure with a mystery that’s more well thought out and serious than I expected. I’d even say it can be approachable in spite of itself. But more importantly, it’s an opportunity to see another side of Nintendo’s history that for years we didn’t get to see.

R-Type Final 2 is a satisfying shmup with many challenging, carefully crafted stages. Having so many different ships gives it a ton of replay value, and also gives you many strategic options for how you tackle a given area. I wish it had a more striking, clear visual style so I could appreciate the designs and stages more (and die less to dopey things). Still, it’s solid in every other regard (and you should try the demo to see that for yourself), so I can’t stay mad at it for long.

New Pokemon Snap isn’t perfect, but it’s smartly-built and worth the time it asks of you.

Walking away from Resident Evil Village leaves me with mixed feelings. It wasn’t a game that I immediately disliked, and I can’t say that I didn’t have a lot of fun playing it. But a second playthrough made me more aware of pacing issues, and on harder difficulties the general spike that otherwise feels somewhat artificial.

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.

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 is a more approachable version of an emotional and thought-provoking RPG. This is a game people might not have known what to do with years ago. Now, following the success of NieR: Automata, it’s presented with additional accessibility options, better looking and smoother gameplay, and additional content that gently builds on what was already there.

The “free” experience for Nintendo Switch Online members is really quite good, and we recommend giving it a shot. The paid deluxe content, though, feels thin and doesn’t offer a lot for the price.

It essentially feels like Square Enix set a new standard with the SaGa Frontier remaster. It made up for lost time. SaGa series mechanics, with entries’ multiple storylines, battle systems that reward performing certain actions, and non-linear nature, were always ahead of their time. Back in the day, SaGa Frontier was among those that didn’t get its proper due. Now that the line as a whole is experiencing a renaissance, SaGa Frontier Remastered feels like something of a crown jewel.

Poison Control feels like the sort of game where lots of different elements are tossed together in a way that hopefully comes together and makes sense. Some parts are fine. Eliminating poison can make you think, though it can sometimes get to be a bit of a chore. I liked the Heart-to-Hearts with Poisonette a lot, as it let me see how the duo would grow. The shooting is sort of there. It wasn’t an attraction or anything revolutionary, but I suppose I liked seeing what sorts of equipment I’d get from new Belles. It’s an interesting idea, but some elements are executed better than others.

Somehow, Root Film has two competing problems that turn the whole game into a narrative mess. It’s incapable of telling a compelling mystery, always bogging the player down in needless exploration and conversations to get a single character’s full dialogue. Which leaves it feeling like it deliberately wants to extend its length by wasting the player’s time.

Balan Wonderworld is not comfortable or fun to play. It isn’t memorable. If you want to understand everything happening, you have to buy the ebook and go to that outside source for an explanation. It is bland, repetitious, and has design choices that are the opposite of ensuring a good quality of life. It is a clear example of a situation where you should read the book, rather than play the game. There are times when it feels like a fever dream, something too weird to actually be true, as it fades from your mind. But then you look at that icon in your system’s Home menu and know it really happened.

Cozy Grove is charming, to be certain. It definitely gives you a sense of purpose with its ghosts you can help find peace, collection to fill, and island to decorate. But there are also times when it can feel quite limiting. Once you complete your tasks for the day, you’re really done and your immediately available storage space can discourage you from prep work for ensuing days. Your supernatural neighbors aren’t good for socializing in the same way Animal Crossing’s villagers are. It can also feel a bit cluttered and difficult to find what to do, due to the color palette and environment. It is for certain a thing people interested in life sims would likely enjoy, but it feels very structured and interested in keeping you on its timeline.

Either of these two games, weighing in at several dozen hours each, would be worth the price of admission alone, but to see Saviors of Sapphire Wings and Stranger of Sword City Revisited packaged together raises the value proposition considerably. If you’re jonesing for an original satisfying dungeon-crawling experience, or even a way into the wild world of dungeon RPGs, Experience has put together an “experience” that’s easy to recommend.

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.

Monster Hunter Rise is without a doubt one of the best Monster Hunter games I have ever played, if not the best outright. It caters to new and veteran players effortlessly, and while some accessibility issues holding it back from outright being a perfect game, it really offers the best of both worlds.

There are some areas in which Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town feels like it definitely needs a little more time and room to grow. The progress I’ve seen in the time I’ve played is encouraging, and I’m confident that it will offer plenty of opportunities down the way. People who enjoy these sorts of farming sims for the progress you can make and routines you can build will be pleased. Especially since it constantly offers new hallmarks to hit.

A-Train: All Aboard! Tourism is definitely impressive. People have an extraordinary degree of control over all elements of transportation and the entire health of towns. It demands you pay attention, to be sure. There are some technical issues here, to be sure. (Patches were released as I was playing, so it seems Artdink is aware of problems.) People willing to give it a chance could find a simulation they could spend months playing. Though, I would recommend anyone interested sample the demo first to be certain it is something they can handle.

Kaze and the Wild Masks is a loving homage to Donkey Kong Country, but it has a few unique platforming ideas and its own stunning visual style. Just don’t expect it to go easy on you, based on its cute protagonist and impressive worlds.