Make no mistake, as an RPG Nameless is about as streamlined as it gets. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite hit that exploration/battle balance that's important for preserving interest.

The biggest strength of the game is also its biggest weakness. The game is ultimately a deeper plunge into a very familiar experience.

Days of Doom is a fine enough game that will keep your attention should you decide to dig into it. I think it’s priced a bit too high for what it is, but that’s down to the individual. The biggest problem with the game is that it just doesn’t have anything new to offer, and it’s not the kind of thing that really calls to you after you’ve managed to get through it once. Still, it’s decent enough. Nothing I would yell at you to run out and pick up immediately, but enjoyable all the same.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3: La Pucelle: Ragnarok / Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure gets these two vintage RPGs back out there, and I think that’s a good thing on principle alone. The games themselves are decent if somewhat dated due to their positions in the history of the company, and there aren’t any added features or extras to enjoy. I’m not impressed that this was yet another launch with an unavoidable crash bug in tow, but NIS patched it pretty quickly. Fans of tactical RPGs or Nippon Ichi Software will be satisfied with what they get here, if not necessarily thrilled.

Trauma is a game with small frustrations and big ideas, well proportioned.

While Corporate Fury is a ton of fun to play, there are some issues in the game that really bothered me.

AirStrike Defense is definitely worth a look if you've enjoyed line drawing games in the past, and want something a little more involved than Flight Control and similar spinoffs.

This relaxed take on making games means free games for you, Mr. or Mrs. Consumer, so if Unpleasant Horse sounds interesting to you at all and you can stomach the unpleasantness, then definitely give it a download.

Aside from the neo-retro presentation and moving some actions to separate buttons, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms delivers almost exactly what its concept suggests. It plays like one of the best beat-em-ups from thirty years ago, with all that implies. The farcical retelling of the Three Kingdoms provides a fun excuse for the action, and you’ll have a whole lot of goofy thrills if you opt to play it via the extensive co-op multiplayer options. I could do without the terrible platforming bits and I wish it had the courage to shake the formula up a little more, but those who love River City will find this scratches the itch well enough.

Genre fans will likely get a kick out of it initially, but I have to believe that only the hardest of the hardcore will stick around once the grind sets in.

There is a lot of potential here and despite the glitches and bugs I encountered, Metallic Child is worth getting if you’re a fan of action games and are after something new on Nintendo Switch. After a few updates addressing these issues, Studio HG’s newest release will be an essential for fans of action games and roguelites.

If you love Legacy of the Wizard for the NES and are curious about trying a slightly remixed version of it, then EGGCONSOLE Dragon Slayer IV is something you’ll want to check out. If you’re fully new to the game, I’d probably recommend the Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2 set instead. The NES version included there is just as good as this one if not better, and you get more games to go with it. With that said, this isn’t a bad version by any means, and the language barrier is rather minimal by the standards of these releases. An odd game to be sure, but not one that is impossible to love.

I’ll certainly give Inti-Creates some credit here. Umbraclaw is trying some things outside of the developer’s usual wheelhouse, and they are interesting things. It almost gets there, but it ultimately feels caught between being some kind of roguelite and being a more linear action game. I also think the way the difficulty works here is a bit too manipulative in a way that doesn’t feel good. With all that said, Umbraclaw is still a nice-looking game that is very playable, and even if it fails trying something I will at least commend it for trying.

Depending on how the changes and hopeful improvements pan out, this could be a game worth revisiting down the road, though it's certainly an interesting pickup for roguelike fans as it is.

I think it's a game best experienced in portable format these days, but even with that in mind, it's still really only for those looking for a return to the most simple of times.

I think Kukoos: Lost Pets gets enough right that if you enjoyed games like Super Mario 3D World and are looking for another multiplayer platformer, you should give it a look. As a solo affair, it’s a bit of a harder sell. It’s certainly on the good side of the line, but with all of its technical problems and the heavy competition in this space it’s hard to be too enthusiastic about it. Probably best enjoyed on another platform, but it’s enjoyable enough on Switch.

Granny Smith is a fun, high-speed platformer. It's nice to take a break from the endless types and still keep up the inertia that goes with them.

The highs of Space Age are really high, and I appreciate the ambition and the beauty. But this game is disappointingly flawed; not irredeemably so, but I felt a bit let down after my high expectations.

Doomsday Clicker is not really what I'd call essential, and hardly the apex of the clicker genre, which already has a tenuous relationship with the concept of gameplay to begin with. But, it's amusing with great music, and had me checking in and blowing up the world in comical ways for at least a few days.

It may not be the most memorable game on the market, but it certainly holds its own as an intriguing endless runner with a unique blend of all guns blazing platforming mayhem.

In its current state, I’d only recommend Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical on Switch if you want to play it on a portable and don’t have a Steam Deck. If you want to play on your TV or monitor, consider getting it on another platform for a much better experience. It doesn’t feel polished on Nintendo’s handheld right now, and that holds this otherwise excellent but flawed experience back.

The lack of brawler variety, combined with the shortfalls in controls simply outweigh the potential merits of robot collection and power-up exploration.

The mini-games in the iPad version will have same device multiplayer for up to four players, which should make for some hectic fun in between solving puzzles. Until that time though, the iPhone version of Bumps is a blast, and is recommended if you're looking a new puzzler with some unique ideas.

I can’t say that Samurai Maiden doesn’t do what it seems to have set out to do: have a cute schoolgirl and her cute ninja friends slice and dice weird creatures to save the world while also sharing smooches. It doesn’t drop the ball on its gameplay elements, but all of that is clearly in service to the cheeky premise. If you like the basic idea of the game, I think you’ll find it does what it needs to in order to avoid disappointing you. If the concept doesn’t grab you, there is nothing here that will change your mind.

The one spot I'd criticize are the visuals in particular. While the particle stuff on the explosions are great, I think the art comes off as a little flat.

As long as you go in with your expectations in check forTons of Bullets -- as it has literally no surprises for you in store -- you probably won't walk away disappointed. You'll stumble into re-used ideas like teleporter pads, straight-forward boss fights, and vehicles, but you'll have fun doing it. Hopefully the idea well hasn't run dry, and the teams responsible can pick up right where they left off for a sequel.

There are two groups of players that should quickly fall in love with Call of Duty: Heroes. Obviously, series fans will enjoy the fan service that Heroes has, but I think fans of Clash-style PvP combat will also be intrigued enough with the heroes aspect to want to check it out.

Any platformer fan - retro or no - might just find this one worth some space on their home screen.