Railroad Corporation 2 has a lot of interesting ideas, and as a package, I think it delivers on its promise. As a tycoon game, it has enough content to satisfy players in the long run, along with the scenario editor that can give you endless different maps to go through. The mechanics are solid, and while the tasks you’ll do become repetitive pretty fast, the game always throws some new ideas and mechanics in front of you, and you have to figure out how to make the most out of them. What’s interesting is that Railroad Corporation 2 has a great coop/multiplayer experience, and one where your allies can use your own tracks, which I found quite different to many other games in the genre. Playing multiplayer was fun, but single-player is just as engaging, albeit rather buggy a lot of the time. It’s a viable option for those that have already played Railway Tycoon 3 or Transport Fever and want a different style of gameplay, which is just as satisfying and focused on management and innovation.

Aragami: Shadow Edition is a welcome addition to any Switch owner's library thanks to the great gameplay opportunities it offers, as well as the DLC included in the package. You get to move around the environment undetected, or go all out and kill your enemies in so many ways it is almost impossible to keep count. However, if you want to experience the game in all of its visual majesty, you should greatly consider buying it on any of the other available platforms because, at least from a visual point of view, the Switch version seems like a shadow of its former self (pun intended).

FAR: Changing Tides even when it's at its best feels like the game world itself: empty. It feels a bit that the game aspect was less important than the experience part. I believe FAR: Lone Sails offers a much more dynamic experience than the sequel. Yet, despite its shortcomings, FAR: Changing Tides is just as recommendable, especially if you liked the first game in the series. It has a kind of magic that is worth experiencing at least once, even if the replay value is quite thin. Is it for everyone? Definitely not! But those who look for their games off the beaten path, FAR: Changing Tides won't disappoint.

Daydream: Forgotten Sorrow is part of a very crowded genre, that of the action platformer driven by the relationship between two unlikely characters. There are some interesting narrative bears and the presentation is decent if not spectacular. Most of the featured mechanics are good, with some challenging puzzle designs. But nothing in the experience aims to push the limits and deliver something entirely new. I wanted Griffin to have more ways to engage with the world. Using Birly should have been easier. Daydream: Forgotten Sorrow isn’t polished or innovative enough to become a classic of its genre but will engage anyone interested in the premise of the core mechanics.

SUMMERHOUSE is a small building game that isn’t interested in scores, sprawling cities, or complex zoning. It just gives players the tools to create homes using a relatively varied array of parts, with some unlocks. It’s a relaxed approach that makes it equally fun to create weird buildings that cannot exist in the real world or to try and replicate memories of places one really visited during the summer. The lack of structure will be immersive for many gamers, but others might have problems staying engaged. The city-building genre offers a ton of options for anyone who wants deep systems and complexity. SUMMERHOUSE, a title created by a solo developer, is for anyone who just wants to put pieces together and build something in serene landscapes.

It's a Wrap! combines two types of gameplay into a neat little package, which shows how far one unique idea can go in the indie space. The narrative elements aren’t extraordinary, and the presentation is decent. But it’s the mix of puzzle and platforming gameplay that will draw in players and keep them engaged. The game features three movies for Johnny to act his way through but it could have used more variety in terms of scene design. It’s a Wrap! is challenging and satisfying and I hope the developers explore the full potential of their ideas in a sequel.

Those who’ve been playing the recent releases will find NBA 2K23 more of an update to the previous version rather than a completely new iteration of a popular franchise. And they wouldn’t be wrong. 2K has tried to polish the best parts of the game, while also reducing the focus on the ones that don’t seem to be praised as much as others. Eventually, NBA 2K23 is a game that will still keep you entertained for some time, though the lack of a more massive overhaul will probably upset way too many fans of the franchise.

October Night Games has a cool premise but suffers a bit when it comes to executions. The mix of Lovecraftian horrors, rituals, alchemy, and spooky characters works well in the context. But the game needs to have more information available to players, especially when they play against the A.I., to allow them to make clear decisions and reach their goals. The team at Octobear Knight Games is promising tutorials and manuals are coming, which is great. In the meantime, gamers need to be armed with quite a bit of patience to navigate the world and learn all the mechanics. Make sure to play the tutorial campaign at least once. The deduction, dice-based combat, horror powered rituals, and weirdness at the core of October Night Games work well in single player and would be even more engaging with friends.

Last Round is a good re-release of the original experience on the PS4. It manages to keep the trademark low barrier of entry and complexity, but it still offers plenty of depth for fighting game fans. Even if it advertises its DLC a lot, and the titillating physics aren't to everyone's taste, you can have a lot of fun with the new title.

Death Ray Manta SE is the definitive edition of the already good twin-stick shooter. Its sharp visuals, responsive gameplay, and nifty soundtrack, not to mention the low price, make it an instant classic, even if there are a few annoyances.

The Havoc add-on for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare offers a pretty compelling package to fans of the shooter. While the competitive maps are interesting and varied, by far the most impressive aspect is the Exo Zombies mode that makes the investment more than worth it for co-op fans.

Ascendance brings plenty of good new elements to Advanced Warfare. While most maps are fun, Chop Shop is by far the least interesting and most generic. Fortunately, the Exo Grapple ability and playlist make up for it.

Lunar Lander: Beyond is difficult, the kind of video game that appeals to players who believe repeated failure means more opportunities to learn and who get a rush when finally conquering a challenge. The game evokes the classic Atari title but updates its mechanics in neat ways. I didn’t expect to have to deal with my pilot’s mental health and actually feel bad for getting them back in the cockpit. The core challenge of exerting control over the lander is well-implemented. Some of its purity is undermined by the unlockable upgrades and some of the level design. Lunar Lander: Beyond offers an interesting modern take on a classic but its audience might be limited by the focus on difficulty.

SCHiM is an indie gem that is both simple in concept, but also bursting of creativity and originality. The gameplay itself might be a bit too simplistic for those looking for an adrenaline rush or instant gratification, but those who love this kind of puzzle 3D platformers will truly appreciate the effort behind it. The end result is an endearing experience, that has a few gameplay issues but overall becomes a memorable game thanks to its atmosphere and innocent approach to life.

Armello shows a lot of promise and its mechanics work well in a virtual environment while still keeping their tabletop feel. However, the lengthy AI turns, not to mention the sometimes-unfair RNG and erratic AI behavior, weigh it down.

Hitman GO: Definitive Edition is a bold puzzle experience that takes the established franchise and simplifies its mechanics while retaining the complexity of the actual design. While its progression may not be all that great and some stages don’t leave a lot of room to experiment, the mechanics are easy to comprehend, and the challenges are still satisfying.

But the gameplay seems too limited after one episode and the story has failed to deliver anything truly engaging, other than a vision of a tornado, which I still hope is metaphorical rather than real.

Ghostrunner 2 managed to evolve while keeping all the fan favorites in place. It is not perfect, and it is not for everyone, but those who can get through the extremely fast paced action will have a very good time parkouring and fighting along the cyberpunk themed levels. It is a must play for fans, and the best way to start the series for those who are curious about the game but were turned down by the high difficulty. search Ghostrunner 2 is just as hard as the original, but at the same time it is more accessible and most of the quirks have been ironed out.

MotoGP 26 continues to refine the series, and it has some notable additions. It’s more of an incremental upgrade rather than a massive new entry, but that’s fine. You get the latest tracks and riders from the real MotoGP, along with a great career mode, the exciting arcade control system and even Ride Off, which I found to be quite fun to mess around with. With that in mind, the fact that you’re only getting a new track when compared to the MotoGP 25 version might keep some people away. However, with yearly releases, you always want to have the latest riders and teams, so this is the superior version from that perspective. The best way to get into MotoGP 26 is to expect it as a yearly update of the roster and a new track, along with great visuals. Also, I think this is the better version for people who are into arcade racing, while also respecting veterans and offering them a pro-level control system, too.

Zombie Vikings is a solid title for those who love the core concepts that power it and have good memories of Streets of Rage or Golden Axe and also offers a good entry point for those who want to see what a modern take on the brawler looks and plays like.

Achilles: Survivor adopts a relatively safe approach, adopting most elements of the survival action genre with no tweaks and adding one big new concept. The idea of gathering stone to set up turrets is interesting and creates some cool tactical possibilities. Depending on their chosen hero, players can create a variety of builds and then deploy turrets to keep the monster hordes at bay. But this new idea isn’t enough to make the rest of the mechanics less repetitive. It doesn’t help that the fictional universe doesn’t do anything interesting with its Greek inspiration. Achilles: Survivor will give fans of its genre hours of combat fun, but might struggle to appeal to anyone who hasn’t played Vampire Survivors or its many clones.

Artist Life Simulator is one of the most evocative titles I have played in the past few years. It does not try to re-create a historical period but manages to talk about art, inspiration, pain, and more. The gameplay has clearly defined rules that offer variety of interactions and outcomes. Even if you never create a masterpiece, make sure to at least try and unlock all the emotions. The title takes a subject that can be dry and boring and infuses it with humanity and fun moments. Despite the heavy themes and uncertain results, it also manages to be relaxing, a good way to cap a night of gaming. Artist Life Simulator is a fun video game that will make plenty of players think about how they can explore their own creative side.

Firmament is clearly designed to appeal to players who loved the concept of Myst, showing them how impressive such a narrative-driven puzzle experience can be when built using modern tech. Stepping out into the three realms creates a powerful sense of wonder and there are plenty of moments when the world impresses with its scale and beauty. But these feelings do not last forever and the core gameplay loop struggles to keep players pushing forward. There’s some clever puzzle design to wrap one’s head around but there’s too much friction when it comes to the implementation of the solutions. I wanted Firmament to be more ambitious, with more twists to its narrative and puzzles that require less grunt work and more exploration of its gorgeous levels.

Abra-Cooking-Dabra is a fantastic deckbuilder with a wonderful spin on the genre. If you enjoy cooking, you’ll find this game quite therapeutic. It’s easy to learn how to play, and while some tasks can get tedious, it certainly feels fulfilling to help customers, complete recipes and so on. Yes, it can get quite challenging at times, but overall, it’s one of those games that will keep you happy for a long time. While there were some minor bugs here and there, Abra-Cooking-Dabra had great performance overall, it looks great, and it truly makes you think like a chef in a major restaurant. There will be times when you forget about ingredients, but also times when you’re pressured by multiple clients to prepare all kinds of dishes. It mimics real life, while also adding some interesting twists and a cute, albeit judgmental cat to sweeten the experience. As a whole, I think it brings some great ideas to the table, it encapsulates what we all love in deckbuilders, but in a new, fresh package.

For the King II is entertaining for fans of tabletop RPGs who want to play with a group of friends despite not being in the same room. Battles can be difficult and require some solid tactical thinking. This fantasy world won’t win any points for originality but offers a nice space for adventuring. Every mechanic is better when groups play cooperatively. For a solo gamer, gameplay can become repetitive enough to frustrate. For the King II is a good expansion of the first game’s ideas that might need a few updates to deliver on its full potential.

Hearthstone: Rise of Shadows doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does bring some fun to those looking for some single-player action. I had fun trying out many new decks, especially the Thief Rogue archetype, but playing against the same decks on ladder becomes boring after several weeks.

Classified: France '44 delivers a good mix of turn-based tactics, strategic choices, and personnel management. The narrative is familiar, but the characters are well-drawn and there are some touching moments around the campfire. Both the stealth and the morale-centered battles are tense and reward careful planning and good use of weapons and abilities. The strategy layer is the weakest part of the game, and I would have liked extra options to interact with the three Resistance factions. Maybe players should not be in charge of what their commandos wear. But these are minor issues and Classified: France '44 is a great game for anyone who likes killing Nazis using stealth and superior firepower in a variety of scenarios.

Jagged Alliance: Rage! is the type of game that will surely bring back memories of the golden age of gaming, and for those of you that haven't lived through those days, this game will probably bring back memories you never had. Although it could use some tweaking here and there and the graphics are a dead giveaway for the limited budget the company had, the game is fun nonetheless, and you'll be spending a good couple of hours finishing all the missions with your first pair of mercenaries, and maybe a few extra hours with another pair.