In my opinion, the games in this trilogy get a little better with each installment, but they more or less fall into the same ballpark of quality. Perhaps less accessible than the Ryza games, but well worth diving into for RPG fans.

The ongoing mystery of Poisonette and your own situation made for a compelling overarching plot, one good enough that I wanted to play through to the end in spite of the somewhat unimpressive mechanics.

The physics and animation also look quite poor at times. Truly, this looks and sounds like a seven-dollar game in 2021. But it still plays well, and I found myself getting sucked into its simple pleasures once again. It may not be ahead of its time anymore, but there’s still something worth appreciating here.

If you’re interested in the idea of having arcade-style shoot-em-up action grafted onto a more expansive framework, you’ll probably want to give Astro Aqua Kitty a shot.

This is a rough port of an excellent game, and while you can still enjoy it in this form, it’s probably the absolute worst way to do so.

At the very least, you should start with the original Trails of Cold Steel, something that isn’t possible on Switch right now. But when I think of all of the time and effort you’d have to put in to get to the ideal state to enjoy this game, all I can conclude is that it’s probably not worth it. If you’ve come this far, by all means: this is an ending, and you might as well experience it. But had I known back in the day how it all would turn out, I’m not sure I would have gotten into Cold Steel in the first place. I was really hoping for something better than “well, it’s fine". Well… it’s fine.

I’d easily recommend this to those looking for a well-told, emotional story with an interesting presentation, but if you want something that pushes back with its mechanics, it may not be the right game for you.

Final Fantasy 8 Remastered took its time coming to mobile platforms. The port isn’t optimal but it is adequate. Certainly well-done enough that you should be able to enjoy the game for what it is. Now, whether or not that game is going to be to your tastes is another matter entirely. It’s an odd duck, but it has a devoted following for a reason. If you’ve got an open mind for a JRPG that wanders off the beaten path in more ways than one, and not always in a good way, you might end up a fan yourself. I’m not sure it was the right follow-up to Final Fantasy 7‘s blockbuster success, but there’s plenty to love about Final Fantasy 8‘s unique charms.

If you love challenging puzzles, some of which feel like you need to be reading the developer’s brain to figure out, you’ll have a field day here. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t frustrating sometimes. Hidden breakable walls become so hard to spot that you start whacking every surface you come across. Logical leaps that probably made sense to someone during development but don’t work out so well for a player trying to figure things out. It can be utterly exasperating. But I still kept on playing it until I reached the end, which I think speaks to the underlying appeal of this game.

I find the original board game a bit shallow and this video game version is no different, but it’s a decent enough game to play with younger kids.

The biggest problem we ran into was that while the chaotic moments were the most fun, the game punishes you for indulging in them. I understand that’s the point of the game, and I suppose it’s not so different from things like Overcooked! in that regard. But here it feels like the competition should be more the focus than the cooperation, and it just doesn’t work out that way. We still enjoyed it well enough to bring it out for a couple of evenings, but no one is in a big rush to cycle it back in again for the moment. I’d say if you do gaming nights often enough, it’s a nice thing to pull out now and then.

The idea of the open world RPG has greatly expanded over the last several years, and it’s perhaps that aspect where Kingdoms of Amalur has lost a bit of shine. But I think there’s a certain charm to its big-but-not-too-big areas, and the impressive amount of polish and high quality of the creative components combined with the satisfying combat make for a solid adventure that will keep you busy for quite a while.

Really, the only thing I don’t like here is that you’re left to adjust the scaling yourself. It would be nice if there were preset modes to get perfect scaling rather than having to tweak with the analog stick until you get it just right. Not the end of the world, but it’s something annoying you have to do for each game once. Otherwise, this is a fantastic set with lots of great games at an affordable price. The

With a bunch of different paths to play through and endings to reach, it’s worth doing a replay or two just to feel things out a bit more. I wish the overarching plot was a little more engaging, but I found enough in the moment-to-moment to keep me quite satisfied.

It’s a little hard to deal with initially, but the game is forgiving enough with its difficulty options that you should be able to get the ropes sooner or later. Once you do, it’s tremendous fun. All up it’s not the longest game around, but you certainly won’t regret the time you spend with it.

Oddly, while I was looking forward to playing the new-to-the-West Saviors more, I ended up enjoying my replay of Stranger more. Still, both games are well-crafted dungeon RPGs and the fact that they offer slightly different experiences is one of the biggest strengths of this pack.

As for whether or not it’s worth buying… for someone who enjoys board games, who has ample opportunity to play with friends or family who also enjoy board games, it’s a definite yes. You’ll get several hours of fun out of it at the very least. For someone looking for a game to pick up who may or may not be able to find two or three or four other players? Probably not. This isn’t a single player game, and while it can be played online, it is really best played in person. But hey, it’s $5. If you’re unsure, it’s an absolute bargain for a decent port of a classic game. Give it a shot!

The level designs are solid and moving your little mole around in them is pleasant. You’ve got a very typical hub structure, a lot of familiar types of levels, and various secrets tucked away for you to find. While the character designs and music let down the overall presentation a little bit, the graphics are bright and colorful, and everything runs quite smoothly. This probably isn’t going to rock anyone’s world, but if you enjoy the genre I think you’ll have a lot of fun going through this one.

Bravely Default II is truly a JRPG fan’s JRPG, and while I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping it would smash my expectations the way the first game did, I’d be similarly dishonest if I were to say that I didn’t enjoy every minute of it.

The random power-up selection between stages makes each run a little different, and the meta-goal of unlocking more character and modification chips makes it all too easy to try again after you lose. Throw in a really attractive presentation, and you’ve got an excellent arcade-style game with a style all its own.

There are enough variations and alternate modes that if you find a like-minded friend you can get a good bit of mileage out of Duel On Board, and that’s nice. In the ocean of party games on the Switch, this isn’t a big drip but it’s not exactly a shower of joy either.

There’s a certain spice missing that keeps this from being genuinely great, but it’s an enjoyable enough romp for fans of challenging platformers.

Ultimately, it’s a well-polished spin that is fun to pick up now and then for a few minutes, if not much more than that.

The controls are a bit clunky, particularly with regards to aiming your attacks. As such it feels like a smart idea to ignore almost every ranged attack item that requires some precision. I like the pixel art, don’t think much of the audio, and found the difficulty curve smooth enough. Not something you’re going to remember even a week after you play through it, but it will entertain you for a night or two.

It all adds up to a game that is frustrating for all the wrong reasons. It’s not unplayable, and it’s fair to say the Souls series has suffered its own share of technical issues over the years, but it’s awfully hard to recommend Hellpoint in this particular state.

It’s very well-constructed and polished to an impressive degree. But it doesn’t do anything particularly unexpected, and for some people that may be enough to make them want to take a pass.

Its presentation is a bit rough in places and certainly you’re not going to get a whole lot from the story, such as it is. But if you want some challenging and enjoyable turn-based battles for under ten bucks, this will scratch the itch just as well as its predecessor did.

There are 80 stages in total, and should you buy into the core conceit you’ll likely enjoy playing through them all. It’s not bad, but it takes more than a bit of graphical flourish to freshen up an idea that QUByte has revisited a bit too frequently.

It’s pretty tough and I love its strange nature, but the gameplay itself can wear thin after a while. Definitely a case of style over substance, but at least that style stands out.

The story is again the strongest point, but the cinnamon to oatmeal ratio here isn’t a great one. The battle system is certainly dressed up, but rarely goes anywhere exciting. In a quieter period I might have recommended this to RPG fans willing to forgive its healthy share of flaws, but we’ve been up to our ears in great RPGs of late and I don’t expect that flood to let up anytime soon.

This is still the flagship fighter of the system, and a must-own if you have any interest in SNK’s ill-fated handheld. It’s been given the same high-quality Code Mystics treatment here as previous releases in this line, ensuring you’ll have the best possible experience with this game.

The writing and atmosphere are top-notch, and as long as you come into it knowing those things are the focus I think you’ll get on well with Haven.

Platforming controls are thankfully solid, but the combat simply doesn’t have enough depth to it to keep things interesting across the many skirmishes you’ll engage in. The presentation of the game is quite good, though the lengthy loading times make deaths sting that extra bit more. I think if you’re patient with Blue Fire you’ll find a lot to like here, but it really could have been a lot more.

You can feel the passion for the classic games dripping from every pore, but you can also feel the budget crunch as the team tried to stay within their means. The world just isn’t as alive as some of the older games, but there are still plenty of joys to be had here with a fair bit less frustration to boot.

I’ll say upfront that I wasn’t the biggest fan of either of the included games in their original forms. I think Citizens of Earth has dull combat and can get a little obnoxious. Citizens of Space has better combat but its story and themes don’t hit as well for me. Both games are trying hard to be funny and that is always a risky play. When you put them together, and do it in the very unique way Citizens Unite does, you get something that is a bit better than the parts of its whole. You can easily switch between the two games, and indeed there is some extra content in here that plays on that. Tired of Earth‘s battles? Jump over to Space. Want something a bit more grounded than Space‘s far-out setting? Hop back to Earth for a bit. Frankly speaking, both of these games are best enjoyed in smaller bites, and this unified collection greatly facilitates that approach.

TOHU does a lot of things right and doesn’t really do anything seriously wrong, but I found myself feeling very ho-hum about it in the end. The art is really nice and I enjoyed many of the puzzles. But as pretty as it is, there’s something very “generic point-and-click adventure" about the game that keeps it from truly standing out. Touch controls work well enough but note that if you’re playing docked you’re going to have to deal with a relatively annoying cursor-based interface that doesn’t work all that well with a controller. There’s so much obvious love put into this game, but I’m not sure all that personality is enough to make this anything more than a fairly standard take on a well-worn concept.

"Dungeon crawling roguelite plus Dark Souls" is an idea that could have gone horrifically wrong, but it by and large comes together in a solid way here. An unusual flavor that I expect will go down well with roguelite fans.

The difficulty curve in this game has been done very well, with a proper ramp up to some seriously challenging set-ups. The appeal is narrow, to be sure, but its laser-focus will almost certainly please puzzle fans of a particular sort.

Just like how SteamWorld Dig 2 absolutely blew me away with its improvements over the already amazing SteamWorld Dig, I cant wait to see Image & Form revisit SteamWorld Quest for a sequel because they definitely keep getting better with each new game. If you held off on playing SteamWorld Quest on other platforms for a potential mobile port, your wait has been more than worth it. Do yourself a favour and get it now.

If you remember the Scott Pilgrim game, this is it. The 2010 game on your Switch. No more, no less. Improvements that could have and perhaps should have been made are not part of the package. If Scott Pilgrim is new to you, this is a competent, energetic River City Ransom-inspired beat-em-up with a memorable, charming presentation and enough secrets and Easter Eggs to keep you invested for a while. There are better brawlers on the Switch, but none of those will let you beat up a telekinetic vegan until he explodes into a pile of Toonies. That’s worth a couple of points at least.

Well, this game is just plain awesome. It’s kind of a dungeon-crawl roguelite thing, but the battles use an interesting dice mechanic that really helps the game stand out. As you make your way through each floor, you’ll find various skills that you can pick and choose from to fill out your battle actions. Each turn you roll a number of dice and assign them to those skills to use them. There are lots of different kinds of enemies and skills, and the maps themselves, while simple, have some points of interest and branching paths you can choose to explore. One of those games where you fire it up meaning to play for twenty minutes and end up playing for four hours. I’d expect no less from Terry Cavanagh, though.

The Mercenaries series is probably never going to win any prizes for originality, but it does what it does quite well. To the developer’s credit, each game gets a little better. Mercenaries Blaze is no exception, and its new 3D backgrounds help bring the presentation a little closer to the game most players tend to associate this genre with. Setting all that aside, this is a meat-and-potatoes tactical RPG that offers a decent story, satisfying character building, and enjoyable battles. It’s a fairly lengthy affair, so you get a good bang for your buck. I’ve been happy enough with all of the games in this series, and Mercenaries Blaze keeps the tradition going.

The campaign mode is amusing enough but not really worth the price of admissions alone. Battling against other players is more fun, provided you can find opponents. Still, there’s a certain thrill to seeing giants battling it out, especially if you pick up the Ultraman DLC. This Switch version has some performance issues when the action gets hot, but it’s not unplayable or anything. Probably not the optimal way to play, though.

Frankly, outside of a few minor issues with the controls, I think this is as good of a port of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night as we could expect on mobile. It’s a good game, and it fits mobile quite well. I’d probably recommend picking up Castlevania: Symphony of the Night ahead of this game, but there can and should be room in your life for both. And much to my own surprise, I would recommend this version of the game over the Switch port. It just plays better thanks to the reduced input lag, and it feels more stable all-around. The biggest snag here for most is going to be in the controls. You’ve got a choice between imperfect controller support or a non-customizable arrangement of virtual buttons. If that doesn’t bother you, I can heartily recommend this game. It’s great.

I said it before, and I meant it: Moonlighter is a great game. It feels good to play, the soundtrack is great, and all my complaints are really quite minor. It is an interesting blend of dungeon crawler and shopkeep simulator, something not really delivered by other games that I have found. As a mobile port, it is excellent. Recommending it is easy, however with a twelve dollar price tag, it isn’t something everyone can or should pick up without second thought. Nevertheless, if you’re on the fence and have previously enjoyed games from both of the genres it pulls from, it’s definitely worth a shot.

Overall, Forager on iOS is a bit of a mixed bag. On its own, it is easy to recommend assuming you play with a controller because the touch controls aren’t great and there’s no real customization for them. However, if you already own Forager on another system and want a portable version, I’d recommend waiting for a patch to see if the control issues and UI get addressed. Forager itself is a must play as far as I’m concerned but the iOS port leaves a lot to be desired despite being more feature complete than most console-to-mobile ports.

If you enjoyed the previous Sniper Elite games, this one is a no-brainer. Sniper Elite 4 carries forward all of the strengths of the previous games and adds in a number of improvements, making for one of the finest stealth action experiences you can get on the Nintendo Switch. Admittedly, there aren’t a whole lot of traditional stealth games on the system, but I think that even if there were this would still be worth checking out. The only real miss is in its rather bland story, but the little stories of your own that you make as you play compensate for it. Overall, an enjoyable experience of the type and quality we don’t see often on the platform.

As run-and-gun games go, Gunslugs isn’t the fanciest fellow around. Especially on the Switch, which plays host to some absolutely outstanding games in the genre. Still, there’s something about this game that makes it inviting to slip into when I’m just looking to relax. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of it all. You’re just running, gunning, and doing a little jumping. It’s not particularly difficult and you can enjoy it without concentrating too hard. I like the way it controls, I like the constant stream of changing weapons, and I even like the odd visual style. A mindless bit of carnage for whenever the mood strikes you, one that works as well here as it did on mobile years ago.

The battle system is simple, but reasonably engaging and strategic. On the other hand, exploration is basically just moving from node to node on a map, fighting the occasional battle or watching an event play out. The visuals are okay, but they feel very budget. Indeed, that’s the feeling I get from the game as a whole. When you consider what twenty dollars can get you RPG-wise on the eShop, that’s not a good thing.

I don’t dislike the game. It’s serviceable. There’s a reasonably interesting job system to tinker with, and while the soundtrack is a bit thin what’s here is very good. Dragon Lapis is the kind of game that I could recommend to some if it were half the price it’s going for on Switch, but at fifteen dollars I don’t think it does anywhere near enough to justify its cost.

It’s not quite as novel, but No More Heroes 2 has the same swagger and charm that permeated the original. I wouldn’t recommend skipping the original title, but if you enjoy it you will certainly be happy with this follow-up. The Switch port is solid and helps address most of the technical issues the Wii version had. Good, stupid fun.

This Switch version carries things over nicely. You can use buttons or touch controls, and while the original version was built for screens of a different aspect ratio, you can barely tell. A special tip of the hat to the writing. There are some very talented authors working at Tin Man Games, and they went all-out here. It shows.

If you’ve played it before, I don’t think you’re going to get much out of this version other than a format shift. But if it’s new to you, I think it’s as good as a brand-new game. You will definitely get your money’s worth out of it, just as much as someone would have when it released on the Wii U. It’s a wonderful game that a lot of people missed out on due to when and where it released, and I think it’s great that it’s now available to a considerably wider audience.

Simple, functional, reasonably amusing, but nothing we haven’t seen a thousand times before: that’s Crazy BMX World. This is essentially a stage-based auto-runner where you need to speed up, slow down, jump, and double-jump as needed to make it to the goal. You also need to try to collect three medals in each stage, as you’ll need them to make progress. You’ll earn gacha tickets for clearing stages, which can be exchanged for new bikes and costumes. There really isn’t much to this, but what’s here largely works as you would expect. My only gripe is that it’s sometimes hard to keep an eye on your little dude against the colorful and busy backdrops. For the price, this is fine.

Overall, Cafe Enchante is yet another excellent otome game. It is a perfect entry point into the genre and a great game on its own right. After Piofiore, which definitely went to some dark places, Cafe Enchante is a refreshing experience that feels like a nice cappuccino with its gorgeous art, amazing soundtrack, and well told story that is longer than expected.

Overall, this is by far the most impressive of all of Feral Interactive’s iOS conversions yet. Given how awful XCOM 2 was at launch on PS4 for me and how it runs on current consoles, I’m more than impressed with the iOS version and can safely recommend it above the consoles as an alternative to those who want the full XCOM 2 experience and don’t want to play on PC with the caveat about the visuals. The XCOM 2 Collection is a joy to play on iPad Pro and I can’t wait to see where the port goes over the next few months with potential updates and maybe even potential features brought in.

At $9.99 Raiders of the North Sea offers a really solid gameplay experience in a well put together package. I would say the primary audience for this app, like most board game apps, is the travelling board gamer who isn't interested in lugging their entire collection along with them. We need to see more board game apps like this one. Not just that prime target is satisfied, but also a wider array of folks with features like online play and a simple and easy to use interface. If you like board games that emphasize strategy over randomness or board games that feature vikings, or just worker placement games, this is a great one to pick up.

With several years between the first game and the third one, the 9th Dawn series now spans a number of eras in mobile gaming. But it has always been true to what it wanted to offer from the start, which is a world of adventures and memories on your mobile device with no nonsense weighing it down. 9th Dawn III is by leaps and bounds the easiest of the series to get into, and that’s an important step forward as once you get into these games, you won’t get out for a very long time indeed. Just one more quest, one more dive into that crypt, one more round of fishing, one more card game, one more tough monster defeated. And so it goes, until the sun rises on another new day. Don’t miss this one, my RPG-loving friends.

This rendition includes multiple boards and features a local multiplayer mode for two players. If you want to play solo, there is an arcade mode that will throw increasingly challenging opponents and situations at you. This has never been a favorite of mine, but it certainly has fans.

If you have fond memories of Knightmare, you’ll probably enjoy this lavish love letter to the game. Otherwise? Well, I don’t know too many Switch owners that are starving enough for vertical shoot-em-ups to pick up one that’s merely decent.

The main idea is the same as ever. You have to guide a drop of water through each level, picking up all of the pearls while avoiding dangerous obstacles. The droplet keeps moving until it hits a wall once you’ve set it in motion, so you have to plan your moves carefully. There are more than 80 levels in this version of the game, giving you plenty of relaxing yet challenging fun for your money.

It’s a turn-based roguelite, to be sure. But somehow it manages to be a very fast-paced one, with lots of tense shooting action. If you don’t like playing on mobile, this is a nice option.

This game has gorgeous art and an awesome soundtrack. I love the whole setting and theme, too. I’m sorry to say that those are the only nice things I have to say about Orangeblood. The story is barely there and not all that interesting when it decides to pop up. The dialogue is dreadful. In terms of mechanics, the game is all over the place. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a gun early on that will carry you through the whole game. If you’re unlucky, you’ll be spending a lot of time banging your head against the wall. The game can be cleared in under ten hours, but I’d be surprised if many people feel like it’s worth giving it even that much time. Nice to look at and listen to, but a game needs a lot more than that to get by.

Unlock The King 3 is the third pack of puzzles built around clearing a path for the King to reach the goal. It adds an extra dimension to try to mix things up, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting a little tired of this exact set of mechanics. If you’re still game for more puzzles like these, you’ll certainly get your money’s worth out of your purchase.

It’s a bit point-and-click adventure, a bit puzzle game, and a bit walking simulator. The story takes you on a real ride, but the gameplay itself is rather relaxed. As long as you’re not expecting too much on the mechanical end of things, you’ll probably find yourself as engrossed in Embracelet as I was.

Do you like singing karaoke? Do you like Queen? If the answer to both of those questions is yes, you’re golden. Otherwise, you’re probably better off skipping it. As for me, I love karaoke, I love Queen, and I’m quite pleased with the selection of songs included here. The nature of the band means there’s more variety than you would expect from a single-band title, and there are really only a couple of notable songs absent. Sorry, Flash Gordon fans. In terms of the UI and the way the game works, there’s no change here from previous titles. There doesn’t really need to be, though.

This Switch version of the game is a good way to experience it. While I greatly enjoyed the PlayStation Vita port, it suffered from a lot of framerate issues that the Switch version has a better time with. While it’s important to keep in mind that this is a relatively low-budget game from 2006, I think its presentation holds up nicely. Ys Origin isn’t my favorite Ys game, but it’s a very good one and I think its distinct flavor when compared to Ys VIII makes it a great pick-up for Switch owners who want something a little lighter to occupy their time with.

It remains a highly entertaining multiplayer action game with plenty to offer even players who don’t pay a cent. The Switch port is solid, and looks and plays as good as you would hope. There are bits of the UI that betray its roots as a touch-screen game, but it works well enough. A bit of an old dog, but one that still has many good days ahead of it.

Having finally finished (I couldn’t resist) The Unfinished Swan, I can see why it was originally recommended to me in the first place. While there are some aspects that feel dated, the game itself has aged brilliantly and I hope Annapurna Interactive can address the few issues here so that this is something I can recommend without caveats to anyone looking for a unique but succinct exploration adventure game. I’m glad we finally have a definitive portable version of The Unfinished Swan now with this release.

Overall, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a must play on iOS with a few caveats right now. The game itself is superlative but the port leaves some things to be desired. Hopefully the notch issues can be resolved in an update because as of now, you will have to play with the notch on the right so you don’t miss out parts of the interface. The lack of cloud saves remains annoying as well. Just like the first game, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition is the one I will recommend to new players looking at which platform has the best version of Danganronpa 2 to play right now despite its issues as an iOS port. With both the original Danganronpa games now on iOS, I can’t wait to see how the final mainline game feels on iOS when it arrives later this year.

Right from the start Felix the Reaper makes three promises: There will be dark comedy, there will be shadow puzzles, and there will be dancing skeletons. It delivers on all three. The humour is black, the puzzles are interesting, and Felix’s dance moves are excellent, if somewhat mistimed. This is clearly a labour of love, and that love shows through clearly. Unfortunately, it was not evenly distributed, and the rough patches make themselves known rather quickly. Nevertheless, I would encourage you, oh reader mine, to give it a shot. Watch some gameplay, read a few reviews—it could be just the game for you!

Overall, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales on iOS is an essential for any fans of The Witcher 3 and Gwent. If you don’t like card games but enjoy the world of CD Projekt Red’s Witcher the storytelling here will more than make up for that. You can even play on a lower difficulty to skip encounters if you just want to experience the story and world. The writing and story are strong enough to even make this worth it for those who don’t know anything about The Witcher since this is a standalone experience. With a few fixes and improvements, the iOS version of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales can easily be the best way to play it.

Crying Suns is an easy recommendation for those looking to experience tactical gameplay with a extra helping of dark scifi frosting and a glaze of mystery.

Overall, Death Come True is one of my favorite FMV experiences for sure. While I was hoping for more polish in the localization with the lack of subtitles for many things, the story was excellent and I enjoyed my time across the game with its multiple endings. Hopefully Izanagi Games can patch in subtitles for the bonus content and some of the in-game text because Death Come True deserves better. While this isn’t a visual novel or adventure game that Danganronpa fans would be hoping for, I’m glad to see Kazutaka Kodaka try out new things in his first released project with Too Kyo Games.

If you only have one device and don’t mind some small touch targets for the interface, Slay the Spire will easily be one of the best games you play on your iOS device. Once these issues get addressed, I can see Slay the Spire becoming one of my most played games on iOS after it has already been on that list on Nintendo Switch and Xbox One in recent months.

SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit is a nice casual game for people who love the show, or just enjoy some platforming games. Although it’s on the easy side, Patty Pursuit offers a bunch of fun levels with secrets scattered throughout the level, which makes you want to play it again and again.

Overall, Neversong is more than just a creepy story. As the game puts it, it’s a story about loss and hope. Sure, there are scary moments, but there are also funny and sad moments. The game does such a great job creating this story in a cryptic way that keeps you hooked. You find yourself caring for these characters and you want to see how the story ends. If you’re looking into Neversong, I’ve got to tell you it’s a joy to play. It doesn’t matter if you’re into a good story or you just want a platforming adventure with pretty visuals, Neversong delivers in every aspect and it’s a must-play game from Apple Arcade.

It was already a must play for anyone looking for a good story and great music and it is more accessible than ever before thanks to iOS and Android releases of such a high quality. Even if you try and rush through it (which I wouldn’t recommend), you will find yourself enthralled for over 20 hours here. I can’t wait for Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair to arrive because it is my favourite of the trilogy. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition is well worth your time.

If Found… is yet another winner from Annapurna Interactive. Dreamfeel’s story is important, touching, and brilliant. If you enjoy interactive visual novels with excellent stories, great music, and gorgeous visuals, If Found… is for you. It doesn’t overstay its welcome like many visual novels and the two to three hours you put in will just fly by. I can’t wait to see what Dreamfeel does next because this is top notch stuff.

Although a bit easy, Spyder is really fun to play. In my opinion, this is one of those games where the journey is more important than the destination. If you’re looking for a casual game that you can enjoy without any issues, Spyder is a great game to try on Apple Arcade.

Roundguard is a great game altogether. It’s got everything you’d want from a bouncy dungeon crawler/RPG. You’ve got unique characters and enemies that are beautifully designed, witty and smart dialogues with a small dose of easter eggs, and engaging gameplay that you can play both mindlessly or completely focused. If you haven’t already, Roundguard is a game you must try out as soon as possible.

Overall, Loud House: Outta Control is a good mini-game, but it’s a tougher fit as an Apple Arcade game. As a mini-game from the App Store, this is a good game to play and to kill time with. It looks and feels great when playing, and provides a challenging yet fun experience. As an Apple Arcade game though, Outta Control lacks an engaging story, complex and fun gameplay, and other characteristics that other Apple Arcade games have already given us. In a world with awesome and creative games like Jenny LeClue or Sayonara Wild Hearts, Outta Control seems outta place.

Ultimately, Incredible Mandy is a long ways from being the game I thought it would be. Despite that, and despite the controls, the combat, the overly-taxing particle effects and bare environments, it is a fun game. While the overall experience was not what it could have been, I still enjoyed running around the varied landscapes, solving puzzles, and admiring many an expansive view. While I have a hard time recommending it, if you happen to enjoy adventures, puzzles, and have also exhausted your backlog, it’s worth a shot.

While there are some improvements that can be made here, particularly with regards to features like iCloud support and control placement options, it’s really hard to think of many compelling reasons why a person shouldn’t buy Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for their mobile device. It’s three measly dollars for a solid port of one of the finest games of all-time, one that even allows you to use a controller if you really can’t get on with the manageable virtual buttons. I really hope this isn’t just a one-off for Konami as I’d love to see more of the Castlevania games or the company’s PlayStation library make the jump, but we all know how this usually goes. For now, let’s just enjoy what we’ve got here: a wonderful pile of secrets.

No Way Home is a must-play Apple Arcade game. While it sometimes might get repetitive by shooting your way through from point A to point B, the engaging story, funny characters, and different game modes make this game a great experience that’s completely worth playing.

There are undoubtedly fans of classical music and legendary compositions. There are also fans of rhythm-based iOS games. However, the niche is the fans that inhabit the center of that Venn diagram. The game works itself into a form for that specific niche. It doesn’t have anything overbearing, too complicated, or odd to maneuver. It’s simplistic, it’s easy to play, and it’s perfect for those people looking for a game that can perfectly align itself with their musical tastes.

Overall, Company of Heroes on iPad is easily an essential purchase if you enjoy real time strategy games. While I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Rome: Total War because of the setting, there’s no denying the game quality and port quality here. Having played a lot with both interface options, I’m unsure if the non mobile focused control option will make it to iPhone. The command wheel definitely feels like a good fit for smaller screens. Feral Interactive have proved me wrong multiple times in the past so we will have to wait and see if it does show up on smaller screens in the future. At the asking price, Company of Heroes is an easy recommendation.

On the whole, Book of Demons is an easy recommendation, especially for iPad. With the Flexiscope, a feature that allows you to pick the amount of time you want to play and a dungeon based on that play time will be created for you, it is capable of delivering both a short romp and a longer dive. While it doesn’t have the near infinite replayability of Diablo, that doesn’t mean it isn’t replayable at all. It is, and it’s just as good the second, third, or even fourth time through as it is on the first.

Disgaea 1 Complete on mobile with the new features is the best version of the game on any platform now. While I still prefer Disgaea 5 Complete overall, it is good to see NIS continue to refine the original game with every new platform offering better ways to experience the origins of one of my favourite tactical RPG series ever. While I can’t vouch for the post launch support of this release when a new iOS update hits, in its current state (with the cloud save issue fixed), Disgaea 1 Complete on iOS is an easy recommendation for tactical RPG fans.

At its worst, Little Misfortune is a game that makes missteps that become apparent while playing it from a critical standpoint. At its absolute best, it’s a game that encapsulates thoughts and emotions that many wouldn’t consider while giving you a story that grows with each turn, and voice acting that sets it above many others.

Even at its best, it doesn’t come anywhere near the sheer joy of SaGa Scarlet Grace‘s masterful gameplay. That’s a shame, because this game sure does look and sound great. If you’re willing to invest time and energy into a rather cumbersome game to find the gold within, you may enjoy The Last Remnant. But while it may not have the word ‘SaGa‘ in its name, know that it represents that brand’s typical ups and downs quite thoroughly in its essence. Proceed with caution.

There’s no overarching commitment, there’s nothing more to it than the puzzle itself, and because of all of these factors, Unitied excels as a puzzle game. Although it may have started its journey on other platforms, it’s definitely found its place right at home on iOS.

Even though it’s a bit short, Doomsday Vault is a joy to play. Its easy puzzles and great environment lets you have a relaxing and fun experience that leaves you craving for more.

Overall, Pascal’s Wager feels great to play despite its quirks. The combat is great and more than makes up for the graphical flaws and dubious voice acting, the character swapping mechanic is new and interesting, and it is delightfully dark. Despite its problems, I can’t wait to spend more time with it, and very much look forward to where it’s taken in the future. It has without a doubt exceeded my expectations and, with a little help, could readily meet my hopes. All it would take is a bit of polish, a few fixes, and a lot of editing.

Monomals is one of the most polished games available on the service. So, while a music-fishing platformer might not sound like everyone’s cup of tea, it’s certainly one worth trying out.

Overall, End of the Universe feels good to play. While neither music nor sound effects alone stand out, the combined effect, especially with the art, is excellent. The controls are smooth and work well, and the basic gameplay of avoiding obstacles, bullets, and catching baddies with a hail of lasers, missiles, or a black hole (a black hole!) is incredibly satisfying. While it’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, fans of Immortal Rogue will not be disappointed. More broadly, anyone interested in pixel art, rogue-likes, pixel art in rogue-likes, or fast-paced games with mild tones of existential dread should give it a shot. It’s worth it.

Overall, Card of Darkness is a fantastic game. Its simple, yet addictive gameplay, fantastic visuals, and creative battles outweigh the mild annoyance you might get by its randomly generated dungeons.

Despite its free-form approach to puzzle solving, the game offers very little incentive to replay it, so it’s not really a game you’ll keep installed on your phone for long. It is, however, a game that’s well worth the time it takes to play. If you’re already a subscriber to Apple Arcade, LEGO Builder’s Journey is a must-download, if only just to see how much a game can accomplish in a story while taking such a minimalist approach.