Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream on Nintendo Switch is an excellent version of one of the best Atelier games. The future of Atelier on Nintendo Switch has been looking brighter with each new entry, and Atelier Sophie 2 raises the bar(rel) further.

If you've never played an Atelier game before, Atelier Sophie 2 on PC is a great way to get into the series and a fantastic game in its own right thanks to all the quality of life improvements. This is a must play for fans of the series and anyone looking for a relaxing and laid-back JRPG.

Monark is one of FuRyu's more disappointing releases with its repetitive gameplay that is carried by the music and character designs. It doesn't help that the Nintendo Switch version feels very rough right now even with the day one patch installed. Hopefully FuRyu can build on this for a more polished RPG in the future that doesn't feel so disjointed.

The King of Fighters XV is a fantastic new entry in SNK's beloved series that builds on XIV with some excellent gameplay, great visuals, superb music, and robust online. It is however let down by the offline modes.

River City Girls Zero is an interesting look back at the origins of the characters newcomers have grown to love in River City Girls, but one with a few annoyances. The new music and art sprinkled into this release definitely help make it worth experiencing for fans.

Sol Cresta has excellent core gameplay with a lot of depth, but it is held back by technical issues in its current state on Nintendo Switch. If PlatinumGames can improve on this base release through updates, Sol Cresta has the potential to be something special.

Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires should’ve been a DLC expansion to the base game and not a full-priced standalone release with how little it offers to musou fans right now. It also doesn’t help that the PS5 version has a lot of annoying screen tearing during gameplay.

Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is already a cutdown release compared to the base game, but the Nintendo Switch version is definitely not worth your time and money in its current state. You’re better off buying Fire Emblem Warriors, Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition, and Samurai Warriors 5 if you want a musou to play on the go.

Maglam Lord had a lot of potential with its great character designs, music, and premise, but it is held back by lackluster combat and some poor design decisions.

If you played and enjoyed the original Death end re;Quest on Nintendo Switch despite the port's issues, Death end re;Quest 2 is worth getting at the asking price thanks to the inclusion of all free and paid DLC from other versions. Sadly, this port suffers from many performance issues that result in the combat and gameplay feeling sluggish compared to other platforms making it much harder to recommend.

If you've been wanting a gorgeous fighting game with fantastic music, Granblue Fantasy: Versus - Legendary Edition offers great value for newcomers with the inclusion of all DLC characters. It sadly is a missed opportunity in its current state without any online improvements, and by not including the DLC stages or offering an upgrade path for existing owners.

SNK Vs Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash is an easy recommendation for fans of Capcom and SNK, but also anyone who enjoys an interesting card battler. If Nintendo and The Pokemon Company ever get around to bringing older Pokemon games to Switch, SNK Vs Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash is the gold standard for how dual releases should be handled.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is an excellent and short metroidvania that is a joy to play on Switch. The initial release in December had major technical issues, but the newest patch has made it an easy recommendation for anyone looking to play a quality metroidvania on Switch.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a fantastic metroidvania with gorgeous animation and great gameplay. The PS5 version even makes use of the console's activity cards and haptic feedback making it a great version to consider. If you've been wanting a game to scratch your Castlevania: Symphony of the Night itch, this is it.

The Guinness World Record winning Clockwork Aquario has gorgeous visuals and great music but some mechanics that aren't fully realized. If you're interested in this as a fan of Westone or arcade games, you will find a lot to like here assuming you're ok with how short it is.

Eschatos is already one of the best shoot 'em ups on Nintendo Switch. I hope some of the performance issues in Tate Mode can be resolved because that is my biggest issue with this release. Other than that, Eschatos is a sublime experience that I recommend to all fans of the genre. I hope we get a physical release in the near future.

Monster Hunter Rise on PC has all the updates and new content added to the Switch version right from the get go with vastly improved performance and graphics. While the visuals could've been improved further, this is still the best way to play Monster Hunter Rise.

The Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown Yakuza Series Collaboration Pack DLC is definitely worth it for the music and Yakuza series costumes, but I hope Sega can improve the implementation of the music, costumes, and more within the base game. If you already play Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, this is an easy recommendation.

Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX on PC manages to bring two PlayStation classics to a modern system, but the release lacks the polish it needs in features to be an easy recommendation at the asking price. Once some of the PC-specific control issues are addressed, it will be worth checking out. If you're new to Monster Rancher, this is a nice way to get into the series assuming you're ok with some dated mechanics and visuals, but are willing to try something unique.

Rune Factory 4 Special is an excellent remaster of a Nintendo 3DS classic that has a few visual improvements on PC compared to the console versions. While the conversion has some interface issues that will hopefully be addressed in future patches, it is still worth your time with its budget price with DLC included from the get go.

The Kids We Were on Nintendo Switch is an excellent voxel-styled adventure game with memorable characters and an emotional story. If you enjoyed games like To the Moon and Sumire, you will love The Kids We Were.

Despite the Nintendo Switch being the perfect platform for Danganronpa thanks to the form factor, a few technical issues and lack of touchscreen support hold this package back from being the definitive way to experience these amazing stories. Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp is a nice bonus to have if you enjoyed the extra content in prior games, but it doesn't feel as fleshed out as it could’ve been. As a value proposition, all three mainline games and a spin-off for the price of a single full-priced game is hard to argue with, but I wish Spike Chunsoft gave these ports a bit more care.

Despite visual cutbacks, Blue Reflection: Second Light on Nintendo Switch is a fine way to experience a very good and relaxing JRPG. The game itself has one annoying mechanic, but is still worth playing if you're a fan of Gust's output. Hopefully it does well enough to get a port of the original game for Nintendo Switch.

Blue Reflection: Second Light is a great follow-up and a much better PC conversion than the original Blue Reflection. While it has some annoyances in the overall gameplay, it is a great relaxing JRPG that is worth playing if you enjoy Gust's output.

Over the last few weeks, there hasn't been a single waking hour I haven't thought about Shin Megami Tensei V. The combat, music, and design are all amazing and the only area it falters is in the technical aspects. Despite that, this is one of the best JRPGs in years and everything I wanted from a new Shin Megami Tensei game.

Panorama Cotton is only essential for those who own every other Cotton release on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. It is a great showcase of what the Sega Mega Drive was capable of, but serves as more of a curiosity for those who already are into the world of Cotton.

Cotton 100% has great music and lovely enemy and boss designs, but it doesn't have the same polished gameplay that some other games in the series have. It still deserves a spot in your Nintendo Switch collection.

Despite a few annoyances, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a fantastic horror adventure that is releasing at the perfect time on consoles and PC. If you've been looking for a new game to play over Halloween, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is absolutely worth getting on PS5.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water on Nintendo Switch is a great-looking conversion of an excellent horror adventure game that only falters on the performance side of things. It remains one of the better horror experiences on the system and a great game to play this Halloween.

It has always been hard to get people to play Corpse Party with the definitive version being only on Nintendo 3DS. Thankfully, that isn't a problem anymore and Xseed Games has made it easier than ever to play one of the best horror experiences of all time through this Corpse Party (2021) release which is an essential for fans of the genre on Nintendo Switch.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a fantastic debut for the series on the Xbox platform and a game I can easily recommend to anyone looking for a relaxing simulation experience.

While SNK Vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium being replaced by Crush Roller in this collection is disappointing, Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol 1 Steam Edition is still great value and it shines thanks to Steam's Remote Play Together feature letting you play online with friends.

If you don't care about portability or motion controls, No More Heroes is worth getting on PC despite the port issues. Everyone needs to experience the awesome No More Heroes, but it deserves better than this release that still hasn't completely fixed even months after launch.

Mon Amour is a deceptively simple Flappy Bird-like game that oozes Onion Games’ signature charm. If you enjoyed the developer's other releases like Million Onion Hotel or Black Bird, you should already be playing this. It is a gem.

SNK Vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium is an essential purchase at its low asking price if you are a fan of either Capcom or SNK fighters. Even if you already bought it on Switch, the Steam version is worth getting thanks to Steam's Remote Play Together feature letting you play it online with friends.

Tetris Effect: Connected is one of the best Nintendo Switch games you can play today and a perfect complement to the amazing Tetris 99. If you haven't gotten it yet, the Switch conversion is brilliant and well worth your time. Hopefully it gets a physical release soon.

Bravely Default 2 was a good but safe JRPG on Nintendo Switch when it launched earlier this year. On PC, despite being a bare-bones port, most of the technical issues that plagued the Nintendo Switch version are resolved with it looking and running massively better. This is the best way to play Bravely Default 2, but it should’ve been a more fully-featured port.

Actraiser Renaissance blends three different genres into a very unique experience with an amazing soundtrack. It has a few technical issues but the PC release is easily the best way to experience this remake of a classic. I’m glad that Square Enix decided to remake this for modern platforms, letting newcomers like myself play it.

The World Ends With You on PC is a bare-bones conversion, but one that runs great. This is easily the definitive version of one of Square Enix's best games in years.

Castlevania Advance Collection is one of the best game collections available today with three quality Castlevania releases and a bonus extra game complemented by a wealth of additional features and content.

Despite some issues, G-Darius HD is an essential for shoot 'em up fans with its improvements and enhancements. It has been an absolute joy to play on Nintendo Switch.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a superb package with tons of quality content and one of the best party games you can play today despite its flaws.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a fantastic addition to the Switch's library and one of the best party games on the system. While it has a few technical issues holding it back, it is still well worth your time.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a very good action RPG with gorgeous visuals and a great soundtrack, but it is held back by unstable performance and visual cutbacks.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was a gorgeous game on other platforms and one of the better Dragon Ball games when it launched a little while ago. It's great to see it translate so well to Nintendo's hybrid system in a better-than-expected conversion that includes new features, and some DLC right from the get go.

Lost Judgment is one of the best games in years with its superlative narrative, sublime combat, great soundtrack, plethora of side activities, and fantastic localization. This is easily one of Sega’s best.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town on PC is a much more polished release than the Nintendo Switch version, letting players experience vastly improved performance, load times, and more.

Espgaluda II for Nintendo Switch is a fantastic shoot 'em up with a ton of customization options, game modes, superb gameplay, and great aesthetic.

Sonic Colors Ultimate brings a very good game featuring an amazing soundtrack to modern systems with visual enhancements, but it is let down by some glitches and an overall lack of polish in its current state on Nintendo Switch.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1 for Nintendo Switch is a disappointing release of two very good tactical RPGs thanks to stability issues, bugs, and a lack of polish for games that deserve a lot better.

Whether you played Ghost of Tsushima before on PS4 or are completely new to it, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is well worth your time on PS5 with its stunning visuals, great use of PS5 features, excellent combat, and superlative soundtrack.

Despite the technical issues in the open world, No More Heroes 3 is not just the best Grasshopper Manufacture game, but one of the best and most fun games you can play on Nintendo Switch right now with its brilliant writing, superlative boss fights, and sublime soundtrack.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection is a great slice of the legendary series' history with varied games from across the decades, but it's a hard sell for newcomers thanks to the asking price.

While some technical aspects of the game feel a bit unpolished, Shadowverse: Champion's Battle is a super fun card battle RPG and my favorite card game on Nintendo Switch alongside Slay the Spire.

Despite the value proposition with all DLC included at a budget price, Dragon Star Varnir on Nintendo Switch has far too many technical issues in its current state to be an easy recommendation for Compile Heart fans and is best played on another platform.

Streets Of Rage 4 - Mr. X Nightmare DLC takes an already brilliant game and elevates it even further with a superb survival mode, amazing new music from Tee Lopes, and the addition of more playable characters at a stupidly low asking price.

Dariusburst: Another Chronicle EX+ is a great release for Darius fans with its varied modes and stages, but a hard sell for newcomers who should get the Darius Cozmic Arcade and Console Collections instead as more accessible introductions to the series.

Despite the performance issues and some difficulty spikes, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is one of the best games you can play on Nintendo Switch this year with its superlative soundtrack and gorgeous aesthetic.

Despite some difficulty spikes, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is one of the best metroidvanias I've played in years, with gorgeous visuals, remarkable atmosphere, and amazing soundtrack.

Samurai Warriors 5 on Nintendo Switch runs better than most Warriors games on the platform and is a good way to experience Koei Tecmo’s newest if you value portability above all, can tolerate cutbacks to various visual features, and are ok with a variable performance.

While there are some aspects that longtime fans of the series will be disappointed by, Samurai Warriors 5 is a polished and accessible entry in Koei Tecmo’s long-running series that is well worth your time with its gorgeous aesthetic, excellent soundtrack, and rock-solid performance on PS4 Pro and PS5.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is not only the best and most accessible Ace Attorney yet, but an absolute essential for fans of adventure games with its brilliant characters, amazing soundtrack, and great presentation.

World's End Club on Nintendo Switch has great character designs, excellent music, and an interesting premise, but it is let down by awful platforming and technical issues.

If you’ve enjoyed No More Heroes and some of Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture’s other releases, you should definitely consider experiencing The Silver Case 2425, with its memorable narrative and excellent music, despite the technical issues on Nintendo Switch.

Cotton Reboot does a fantastic job of bringing Cotton and cute 'em ups to a new generation of players with its excellent gameplay, gorgeous visuals, and great soundtrack.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is the perfect JRPG for Monster Hunter fans and those looking to dive into a memorable adventure with gorgeous visuals on Nintendo Switch.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox on Nintendo Switch has noticeable performance and visual issues in some key areas, but is still worth your time and a fantastic action RPG if you only play on the go and enjoyed Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on the system.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox on PC is easily the definitive way to experience one of Falcom’s most ambitious games and one of the best action RPGs you will play this year.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game is an accessible and fun party game worth getting to play with friends and family, but it is let down by some mediocre sporting events.

Disgaea 6 brings some interesting new features to the beloved tactical RPG series, but feels incomplete compared to prior entries while suffering from a myriad of technical issues which hold it back from being an easy recommendation.

Mushihimesama on Nintendo Switch is not just a superb and accessible version of a brilliant shoot 'em up, but an essential part of every Nintendo Switch owner's library.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is not only the definitive way to experience Final Fantasy VII Remake but the complete package with a massively improved and visually enhanced main game and a brilliant DLC episode that exceeded all my expectations.

The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection on Nintendo Switch is good value with three games and a lot of DLC and modes included, but the variable image quality and performance across the games on Nintendo Switch leaves a lot to be desired.

The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection on PS4 Pro and PS5 offers great value with its budget price, runs brilliantly, and is well worth your time if you can stomach some visual inconsistencies and camera issues.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown may not be the big massive new game everyone hoped for, but Virtua Fighter is very much back and this fresh coat of paint does enough to complement the superb animations and core gameplay to make it a great package.

While Neptunia ReVerse is a great package for newcomers to get into Neptunia games, veterans should wait for a sale before jumping into Compile Heart's first PS5 release.

Guilty Gear Strive is an absolutely incredible fighting game with its gorgeous visuals, sublime gameplay, kickass soundtrack, and robust online play.

Void Terrarium Plus on PS5 is the definitive way to experience one of NIS' best releases in recent years but it feels like a missed opportunity thanks to a lack of any meaningful support for PS5 features like the DualSense controller and a lack of an upgrade path for existing PS4 owners.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers on Nintendo Switch is a fun game with great gameplay, humour, a ton of content, and customization but one that is better played on another platform unless you absolutely only want to play on the go.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is not only the best Earth Defense Force spin-off but one of the best games in the series with its fun gameplay, loads of customization options, solid PS4 Pro and PS5 performance, and varied roster.

Sumire is a short but brilliant emotional adventure about getting the most out of limited time by experiencing love, friendship, growth, loss, and more.

Judgment on PS5 is easily the definitive way to experience one of Sega's best games and while there isn't much incentive for people who played it already to double dip, newcomers have a fantastic experience waiting for them with this remaster.

Wonder Boy Asha in Monster World is a faithful remake of Monster World IV with many good additions and enhancements but one that suffers from performance issues in the Nintendo Switch version.

LiEat from Miwashiba is a short but beautiful collection of three chapters telling an interesting story on Nintendo Switch with only a few annoyances holding it back.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection on PC is a barebones conversion but one that fixes the few technical issues seen in the Nintendo Switch version making it a great way to experience this excellent game.

Despite some progression issues in the first half, Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir is a gorgeous adventure that is well worth experiencing on Nintendo Switch.

While Nocturne itself is a masterpiece that deserved better in a lot of ways, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is well worth experiencing with its sublime combat, great characters, amazing atmosphere, and memorable boss fights.

While I wanted more to be added or changed when it comes to quality-of-life features and fixes for Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster, this release is definitely worth your time and it is one of the best RPGs available on Nintendo Switch.

Raiden IV x Mikado Remix brings the best version of an arcade classic to Nintendo Switch with a wealth of modes and an exclusive soundtrack making it one of the best shoot 'em ups you can play on the system right now.

R-Type Final 2 is a good but flawed horizontal shoot 'em up that suffers from multiple technical issues on Nintendo Switch but one that is still worth playing elsewhere.

While Death end re;Quest itself is worth experiencing and the visual novel segments feel great on Nintendo Switch, the conversion leaves a lot to be desired with its visual and performance downgrades and is only really worth it if you have no other platform to play one of Compile Heart's most interesting games on.

The Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack on Nintendo Switch finally gives fans of portable gaming worthy conversions of the three modern Atelier games and the improvements to Atelier Lydie & Suelle, DLC included, new content, and quality of life features only elevate this package further.

The Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack brings together three of the more modern Atelier games into a single package with DLC and a few extras included making it great value for newcomers but not essential for those who played the games before on PS4 given the lack of save transfer and some other issues.

Poison Control has some unique gameplay mechanics that I enjoyed but the controls, technical issues, and lack of polish during later stages hold it back from being an easy recommendation even to fans of NIS' other games.

Overall, Trails of Cold Steel IV is a great portable experience but a subpar one docked. Having experienced Trails of Cold Steel I and II originally on PS Vita before replaying them on PS4, I'm glad that fans of portable gaming can now play the entire Trails of Cold Steel saga on the go. Trails of Cold Steel IV brings Falcom's massive JRPG to a portable for the first time offering a great experience when played in handheld mode and it is easily one of the best JRPGs on the system.

Space Invaders Forever is an excellent collection for fans of Space Invaders and one that will be a great introduction for newcomers to the various newer takes on the classic Space Invaders gameplay.

Atelier Ryza 2 is essential if you enjoy relaxing JRPGs and the perfect game to get into the Atelier series with thanks to its gorgeous visuals, brilliant music, fun combat, and great characters.

Despite its flaws, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is an excellent action RPG and one that most Ys fans will adore.