Katanaut throws you into a cosmic bloodbath where every swing of your blade feels both desperate and exhilarating. It’s punishing, stylish, and a little grindy, but alongside Dunjungle, it’s one of the more gripping action roguelites out there.

Potionomics’ different ingredients blend together well, mixing everything from deck building, resource management, and even options for romance into its shopkeeping simulation. Hopefully, the developers can temper the bitterness associated with the in-game competitions.

Yes, KONOSUBA – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes of Desire! is another one of those isekai with an obscenely long title and a partiality for fan-service. But this visual novel adaptation is a bit better than its peers thanks to a wonderfully dysfunctional cast and top-tier voice performances that augment the playfulness of the script.

Alongside Raiden, and R-Type, Taito’s Ray games rank among the best STG franchises of the twentieth century. As such, Ray’z Arcade Chronology is essential for fans of the genre, compiling a trio of time-tested shooters.

Mamorukun ReCurse! takes a cult-favorite shooter and gives it a thick layer of modern polish, adding everything from twin-stick controls, multiple play modes, to sharper visuals. It’s tough but fair, offering both a chaotic, colorful bullet-hell worth ReVisiting.

The Smurfs – Dreams undoubtedly passes the licensed game test. Even without the little blue folks, this is an entertaining 3D platformer that recalls the imaginative level design and approachability of Super Mario 3D World.

A pixel-perfect, feature-rich port of Toaplan's last shooter for less than eight bucks? Shoot 'em fans should rejoice.

Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid makes most commercial games feel like thankless labor. Set against backdrops of azure skies and verdant hillsides, the game lets you loose in a rural town. You can tackle kid-size goals if you’d like, or just spend your days capriciously, chasing butterflies and seeing where footpaths lead. This is the kind of open-world experience we need more of.

Ys X: Proud Nordics is a confident, character-focused entry that pairs cinematic storytelling and appealing subplots with some of the tightest, most responsive combat the series has seen. Though largely an enhanced edition of Ys X: Nordics rather than a bold reinvention, the added content and polish make it the ideal way to set sail with Adol and Karja’s high-seas adventure, if you missed out on the original.

Ghostpia: Season One is smart, challenging, and obliquely beautiful. Its ethereal world, where inhabitants mull about rather aimlessly and occasion acts of brutish violence break out, speaks about our own experience, without being overly preachy. It’s not for everyone, but if yearning for an artful read, these five chapters won’t disappoint.

The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily delivers a sharp blend of visual novel drama and tactical combat, elevated by snappy dialogue, spirited propaganda mechanics, and a sense of political intrigue. With its memorable cast, layered decision-making, and an aptitude for genre-bending, Great Villainess is a standout title for anyone craving cunning strategy and character-driven storytelling.

For shoot ‘em fans, developer Astro Port’s oeuvre shouldn’t be missed. Like many of their previous works, RANDOMAX is inventive, fun, and delectably affordable. Here, decision making is just as important as reflexes as your build uber-weapons for a squadron of gallant space gals.

Denshi Life 2’s molten display of whirling particles is hypnotic, while its ‘capture colors in a ring’ play mechanic is relaxing. Save for the game’s predecessor, a synthesis of these two mechanics isn’t common in gaming. As such, the game is recommended for those who are delighted by interactive ingenuity.

Homura Hime’s parry feels fantastic when you’re dueling a boss, making every successful deflect look and feel cool. The downside is that the parry window is so forgiving (and so spammable) that regular fights can remove the enjoyment of reading enemy patterns.

Sadly, The Story of Bubble Bobble III neglects to tell its own tale and lacks any kind of context or supplemental materials. While the quality of Ratalaika’s emulation is laudable, their habitual lack of curation is disappointing. Ideally, the studio would have included some background information informing of the game’s place in the Bobble Bubble franchise. Certainly, interviews with any of the original developers would have been appreciated. Parasol Stars is a thoroughly enjoyable game that marked a significant shift in the industry. Although revisiting the title’s charming spritework and earworm melodies is delightful, a gem like this should be treated with a bit more respect.

Raiden III represented a transitional time in the franchise’s 33-year history, following an extended hiatus and a shift on the business side of things. MIKADO MANIAX might not catalog what was going on behind the scenes but offers a revitalizing remix that STG fans will want in their collection.

Project X: Light Years serves as both a homage and a lesson in how to breathe new life into classic shooters. It respectfully builds on its Amiga heritage, revises what needed fixing, while preserving the key play systems that made it iconic.

FULL METAL SCHOOLGIRL is an outrageous mix of satire and spectacle, where cyborg schoolgirls demolish office culture one cubicle at a time. It’s can be rough around the edges and proudly so, making it a chaotic, stylish throwback that proves Yuke’s still knows how to make mayhem fun.

Fairy Tail’s first indie adaptation (there’s two more on the way) is nothing short of a resounding success, tasking Natsu and the guild with strategizing their way through turn-based encounters. Sure, there’s a surplus of roguelike deckbuilders on the market, but Dungeon manages to balance accessibility with tactical nuance.

Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition can’t completely shake off the look and feel of being a remaster rather than a full-fledged remake. But if you can overlook that quality, seizing control of Death is just as enjoyable as it was in 2012, thanks to Vigil Games’ deft sense of design.

Unconventionality in gaming is gradually being devalued, replaced by overly sanitized, painfully generic efforts. But venturing through Kingdom Connect’s seven continents delivers a much-needed dose of nonconformity. Across that quest, you might even run into a hairdresser willing to change your appearance. Anyone who misses the era when cosmetics weren’t sold for actual money, is likely to have time with Dokapon’s wonderful weirdness.

For PC-owning shoot ‘em fans, developer Astro Port’s oeuvre shouldn’t be missed. Like many of their previous works, RANDOMAX is inventive, fun, and delectably affordable. Here, decision making is just as important as reflexes as your build uber-weapons for a squadron of gallant space gals.

If you’re looking for some pulpy sci-fi with a likable cast, Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER beats most of its contemporary peers in film and television. Like some of the genre’s best works, it’s an exploration into what makes us human. Smartly, the blend of visual novel story-telling and light puzzles balances seriousness with the intermittent instance of childlike playfulness. Likely, this one could generate some positive memories.

Primal Planet rekindles metroidvania magic with its lush Jurassic setting and delightfully perilous exploration. Even in a genre crowded with competitors, this indie standout reminds you how satisfying the formula can be when atmosphere, combat, and clever progression truly click.

Angeline Era trades dodge rolls and parries for deliberate movement, turning every collision into a calculated risk. It’s a confident, old-school action RPG where exploration, controlling space, and target prioritization are just as important as reflexes.

Dunjungle takes familiar action-roguelike ideas and juices them up with smart customization, brutal-but-fair combat, and enough risk/reward temptation to keep every run exciting. It’s tough, occasionally cruel, and constantly enticing you to make bad decisions, which is what makes it so hard to put down.

Toaplan Arcade Collection Vol. 1 gathers eight of the studio’s influential shooters, charting their evolution from Tiger-Heli to the chaos of Batsugun. With strong emulation, contemporary conveniences, and its arcade spirit intact, it’s a gem for genre fans. That said, some extra historical context would have made the anthology truly definitive.

With visuals comprised of pulpy viscera, bones, and teeth, Angel at Dusk is dark and visually distinctive. When it comes to play, the title five-stage campaign might feel succinct, but it’s bolstered by modes with branching paths and runs where you collect and build overpowered loadouts. Bullet hell aces, you’ll want to set aside some time to enjoy Dusk.