When comparing it to its predecessors, the game feels like a sorely needed update. Yes, it treads old ground, with the same crops, monsters, items, and mechanics to deal with, but you can’t really mess with a winning formula, and the game has plenty of worthwhile additions of its own. To sum it up, playing Rune Factory 5 is a compelling, joyous experience that its fans will devour heartily as if it were a plate full of Supreme Curry.

Despite its mechanical flaws, Times & Galaxy is still a deeply resonant and incredibly thoughtful game about the world and the role of journalism in it, chock-full of characters to love and showcasing a galaxy ripe for exploration. I just wish that actually playing it wasn’t so frustrating.

For those willing to put in the time and effort (along with any of the glitches), Skater XL is a fun experience that skateboarding fans can enjoy - a statement that is even truer for those who also happen to be content creators, as some players out there are already putting together some pretty slick skate video-quality clips… likely after having plenty of their own Kerry Getz moments left on the cutting room floor.

Just like its PC and console versions, PowerWash Simulator VR is a bizarrely enthralling game. The to-the-point gameplay loop provides the perfectly formulated dopamine drip feed to keep me going longer than I ever actually plan to. It’s refined, calming, and super satisfying to see an absolutely ruined skatepark become squeaky clean. Compared to most games on the VR market, it provides an above-average level of polish and content. The biggest disclaimer I can give is that if you’re someone who wants action-packed gameplay with linear direction, you might find this game a bit underwhelming or directionless. For everyone else, it’ll have you putting power washers on your Amazon wishlist before you know it. [Meta Quest 3]

Perhaps it isn't the most polished or modern game of 2020, but it's definitely one that I'll keep coming back to, and it's absolutely the best remake to come out of THQ Nordic yet.

Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion is an excellent remaster that evolves the original game in ways I didn’t think possible, but even that can’t take away from an experience that even in 2007 was holding itself back to satiate the platform it called home. The repetitive combat and clumsy environmental design serve to make this otherwise spectacular world feel strangely artificial, while its campy dialogue and archetypal character writing doesn’t exactly gel with the remake it serves to apply greater context to. New audiences deserve to play this game, and I’m so glad they finally get that chance, but eventual wish fulfillment doesn’t lessen the hurt of inevitable disappointment. Zack is still an adorable puppy I need to protect, though.

A Gummy’s Life is solid for what it is. It definitely feels like a game that belongs on the Switch, even more than it belongs on PC. The overall experience is great for younger players, but can be equally as fun as an option for family game night. Nice and juicy.

Thirsty Suitors excels when it wraps a mechanic in a narrative thread, but when the story takes a backseat, those minigames and combat interactions are left wanting. Everything is wonderfully presented in a fantastic maximalist style, from your parents tasting a perfectly-prepared meal in a flashback to their childhood to you front-flipping down the stairs and into your coat in one smooth action. A South Asian spin on Scott Pilgrim, Thirsty Suitors is a game that excels in excess, and falters when one or two of those layers are stripped back.

Siege X is a bold, uneven evolution that both honors and undercuts what made Rainbow Six special in the first place. It’s more polished and more ambitious, but also less focused, less grounded, and occasionally less fun. Whether you love it or hate it will depend entirely on what you want from Siege in its tenth year.

Harvestella stumbles before it finds a decent pace, with the biggest drawbacks being the slow start and temperamental graphics. If you can get past these shortcomings, there’s plenty to be enjoyed here and a hefty completion time to keep you busy. While it offers an enjoyable blend of RPG meets life sim, there isn’t enough substance on either side to take the game from good to great.

The only real problem is that it feels like a stopgap between XCOM 2 and whatever XCOM 3 might be. It neither tarnishes the XCOM name nor does it do anything revolutionary. It also has the poor luck of coming out around the time as the stellar Gears Tactics which is this game's top competition for the attention of strategy fans, which probably isn't going to help its sales. If you like the XCOM series and fancy the chance to take command of a snake soldier, then XCOM: Chimera Squad will still scratch that tactical, cover-shooting itch.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is proof that Pokemon can evolve. It's taken 25 years but this feels like the first true evolution of the series; a far bigger change than moving from 2D to 3D. It feels like the awkward middle evolution though, as graphics, voice acting, and boss fights all need serious work. If this is the path that the series is headed down, then I can’t wait for it to evolve again because let’s face it, nobody remembers Quilava.

Ultimately, while Howl doesn’t do anything new or groundbreaking, it’s a solid indie title that knows what it wants to be. Its aesthetics and challenge make it a compelling experience, especially for players looking for something to work into their daily puzzle rotations - a crossword or Wordle for fantasy fans.

If you’re a veteran RTS/grand strategy fan that is looking for something that innovates – Troy won’t fully satisfy your appetite, but it will entertain.

MLB The Show 22 feels like MLB The Show 21 after a decent-but-not-major patch has been installed. If you haven’t played the series for a few years, or are a newcomer looking to dive into baseball sims for the first time, this is the best thing on the market. If you picked the game up last year, you’re paying for minor tweaks and a roster update, and you might not feel a new game is worth it.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos caters to a very specific audience - an audience that enjoys visual novels first and foremost, but who also has an appreciation for VR. If, like mine, your first playthrough isn’t up to par with your expectations, it’s highly recommended that you give the game another playthrough or two, making different decisions along the way. It’ll be worth it to take in the full narrative of what ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos has to offer.

Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven is likely to be your weirdest friend’s favorite RPG. It is a playfully obtuse, mechanically deep outing paired with a story that is almost charming in its simplicity. It feels dated, but it also features a singular vision that sets it apart from other games in the genre. I suspect, at the end of the day, it will carry on the legacy of the Saga franchise and be a divisive title, which is probably a good thing. We need more divisive games.

If the idea of staring at a radar screen, reading the descriptions of aquatic alien creatures, and spending time with an inquisitive scientist doesn't sound like your gameplay cup of tea, then you might not get much out of this. For those looking for a thoughtful science-fiction story, In Other Waters will certainly give you enough to let your imagination go wild.

Bookbound Brigade is an interesting game that will appeal to fans who are looking for a challenging Metroidvania that tries out some new things, so long as the player is willing to endure some issues along the way.

What's here is solid, and while certain elements need refining (such as the finicky gunplay, lack of compelling melee options, and limited cosmetic options,) I can see Population: One eventually growing into one of the more compelling multiplayer options on the platform.

I enjoyed my time with Blasphemous 2. I’ve unlocked both endings, scoured and pillaged the entire map, and completed every quest I could find, and, where I found the first game severely wanting in the fun factor, the sequel delivered in spades. Despite this, it’s held back by simplistic quests and bosses so unfair as to taint the whole experience. At certain points, thematic suffering bleeds through the cracks in the fourth wall and becomes part of the gameplay.

The problem is that these are very good remakes of Diamond & Pearl and excellent games in and of themselves - they’re just nowhere near the best Gen 4 remake. Given that Platinum is still superior to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl in almost every conceivable way, it’s difficult to comprehend why these games even exist aside from making them available on a modern console, in which case… just port Platinum. That’s the main takeaway I have from my time with Shining Pearl: it’s brilliant and it shines, but not quite as brilliantly bright as a game that came out 13 years ago.

Even though I spent so little time actually playing it, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles remains one of my favorite childhood games. There's something to be said for the experience, that it creates memories that powerful. But memory is all-too-often unreliable, often building things up to be better than they ever were. In this second trip with the crystal caravan, I did still delight to discover the cheerful tales and chipper tunes of days gone by. Less welcome were the dated systems for item management. Not welcome at all was the modern update to multiplayer. Turns out cross-platform is not always the answer. I'll take my beat-up old GBA as a traveling companion any day.

For a game about delving into memories, Evergate isn't particularly memorable. Its style and gameplay are very evocative of other more noteworthy platformers. But that doesn't mean this is terrible. It constantly introduces new mechanics that increase the challenge with an eccentric take on the afterlife and reincarnation. It won't be mentioned in the same breath as popular indie platforming titles like Celeste or Super Meat Boy, but if you're a fan of puzzle platforming games in general then Evergate should make for a grand old time.

The difficulty without much progression and lack of any kind of guidance can make BPM feel a bit unwelcoming, which is a shame when its mechanics feel so great to learn. It's worth diving into for the core premise alone, but don't expect to have anyone hold your hand through hell.

It’s still a serviceable enough story to keep you invested until the credits roll though, and while some twists and turns may not be as impactful as you’d like them to be, Flintlock is still definitely worth playing for its combat and focus on exploration. I had a blast, and while it’s not as polished as other soulslikes, it deserves to sit up there with the likes of Nioh and Lies of P as valiant attempts that just fall short of FromSoftware’s masterpieces.

As modest as it is, it still accomplishes what it set out to do. It's a good, fun Life is Strange game, and there isn't much else like that. It maintains the delicate balance between campy and comforting throughout, but you just can't help but notice that the tightrope is only a few feet off the ground.

I don’t want to get into story spoilers, but I thought its representation of AI was a wonderful breath of fresh air, one that didn’t strike fear into my heart or make me worried about the state of my job. If you like walking simulators, story-driven games, and excellent voice acting, Return to Grace is well worth a shot – very few games make me want to dip back in immediately, just to see what else could happen.