RoboCop: Rogue City ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the season. Not only is it a great RoboCop game, but a damn fine and fun experience throughout. Having played it on both Steam Deck and Xbox Series X, it is better on Xbox for sure, but I enjoyed experiencing the combat and story on Steam Deck despite the visual cutbacks. This one is an easy recommendation if you want a competent RoboCop game, and enjoyed the original movies.

The Talos Principle 2 is quite simply one of the best games of 2023, and while I was hoping it would play a bit better on Steam Deck, it is essential. If you have the option to play it on console, I’d get it there. The Talos Principle 2 is just stunning on PS5 and Xbox Series X. If you are ok with some visual compromises to play on a portable, I can’t recommend The Talos Principle 2 enough on Steam Deck. I’m looking forward to grabbing the PS5 physical edition when it releases in the near future.

Like a Dragon Gaiden feels like a love letter of a game for Kazuma Kiryu. I was initially disappointed when Sega announced this release because I thought Yakuza 6 was a perfect send off, but Like a Dragon Gaiden proved that the team still has it in them to deliver a compelling story for Kiryu, and still make brawler games that feel great to play. I expected Like a Dragon Gaiden to be an appetizer for Infinite Wealth in January, but it ended up being so much more. Just don’t play it unless you’ve already experienced Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

While Videoverse might not hit as hard for you if you weren’t around back then, it absolutely delivered in making me think fondly of the past, and delivered a heartfelt story with the closest time capsule experience to the early 2000s internet there has ever been. I can’t wait to see what developer Kinmoku does next. This one is special. The only game to get me nostalgic like this before was Gone Home, and I think Videoverse ended up excelling over that in just about every way. If the premise sounds interesting, just grab it. You won’t regret it.

Wizard with a Gun has a lot of potential. It absolutely could reach the highs I expect from a quality Devolver Digital-published game, but right now it feels like it needs more time in the oven. I love the visuals, movement, and music, but it feels a bit too grindy and lacking in other ways. It perfectly suits the Steam Deck though, and I recommend getting it to play on Deck over even PS5 if you have the option right now.

Barring one annoying control issue I ran into on Steam Deck, Little Goody Two Shoes is a superb experience, and really timed perfectly given the season. The trailer and screenshots make it look great, but it really is on a whole other level in person on a good display. Not only does it have great art, voice acting, and music, but it also feels like the best modern take on an older-style horror adventure game. This is a game that deserves your time even in this busy release season.

Ghostrunner 2 ended up surprising me. While I wasn’t too pleased with the opening levels initially, it ended up hooking me quite a bit throughout, and I love how it feels on Steam Deck. This will likely be the only portable version of the game for a long time now, so I’m glad the team at One More Level made it such a great experience on both Steam Deck and PS5.

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is a heartwarming and accessible adventure puzzler that I recommend on Steam Deck over Nintendo Switch if you have the option. I’m glad to see Riot Forge changing up genres like this as well, and while this release feels more suited to a younger audience, it is a great game that has been a joy to experience on Steam Deck over the last week.

Would I ever recommend this game over Vampire Survivors? No, not in a million years. But I can give it a light recommendation if you enjoyed Vampire Survivors and Brotato and are looking for something else that is similar and half-decent. Hero Survival feels a game that can’t quite find an identity of its own, and it’s something of a shame because the nuts and bolts here are functional and fairly enjoyable.

Visco Collection gives you seven games to play at a quality above this publisher’s usual efforts. While some good effort has been made in some ways, such as by adding online play to some of the games, it’s less impressive in other aspects. Don’t expect any fancy explanations of what these games are or why you should care about them or Visco. It’s just the games, running more or less as they should, with a few options in tow. For some that is going to be plenty, while others will find themselves wishing for a little more.

The story CRYMACHINA weaves is the main thing that will keep you playing, as even if it isn’t the most original of tales there’s something a bit grippy to it. The gameplay is as average as it gets for an action-RPG, and it’s decent and interesting enough that it shouldn’t keep you from enjoying that tale. The usual Switch port technical issues are here, so do keep that in mind if you have other acceptable options for playing it. It falls well short of the works that seemingly inspired it, but CRYMACHINA is one of the better games from FuRyu on Switch.

Just like Shaun told me, a Trese Brothers game means it starts out with a lot of potential, but will bloom into something special if the many releases by the developers are anything to go by. In its current state, Cyber Knights: Flashpoint plays and looks great, and it just has a few quirks with its interface on Steam Deck. This is well worth keeping an eye on through its early access period.

In its current state, Station to Station is just lovely. I love the aesthetic, soundtrack, and puzzles, and it has been a joy to sink into daily over the last few weeks on Steam Deck. I hope a future update adds the ability to go a step back or destroy a part rather than reloading. With a lot planned for the game already, Station to Station is worth your time, and I can’t wait to play the new content when the updates arrive.

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is an essential for fans of dungeon crawlers even in its current state. Those looking to sample a true classic will also find a lot to love here. This release was my first taste of the original Wizardry, and I think Digital Eclipse has done a great job even in its initial Early Access version. I can’t wait to see how it evolves over time.

Having now played Kingdom Eighties with its latest updates on iOS, Switch, and Steam Deck, it absolutely delivered in its promise of being a story-based expansion to the world of Kingdom. I was interested thanks to the setting, but the team nailed almost everything about this across its aesthetic, music, and story. The lack of co-op will no doubt be disappointing for some though, and I wish it ran without the few scrolling issues I encountered. Barring that, I have no issues recommending Kingdom Eighties at its current asking price. I hope the team builds on this setting for a future mainline game though.

Dave the Diver is an amazing game. I’m shocked at how well it keeps up its pacing of unlocks and new missions throughout its two dozen or so hours of runtime, and there’s just so much to do. I never got tired of playing it, but I hope future patches can address the long load times on Switch. Barring that, Dave the Diver is top tier, and essential for Nintendo Switch. Just download the demo right now. Don’t waste time.

The mad-cap energy of Bang-On Balls: Chronicles and its sprawling, jam-packed playgrounds make it a 3D platforming experience that would be easy to love were it not for the severe technical issues that plague its Nintendo Switch incarnation. I highly recommend checking this game out, but I would do it on another platform if it’s at all possible. If the Switch is all you have, then all I can say is that you should proceed with the utmost caution.

Wargroove 2 is a very safe sequel, but I can’t really disagree with that approach given how good the original game was. With a robust new story to play featuring three campaigns, an interesting new roguelite mode, and a few new features and additions here and there, this game might be preaching to the choir but it’s hitting all the points they like. I’m not sure I’d be up for a third game that follows the formula as closely as this one does, but for now I’m more than satisfied with another heaping helping of that Wargroove good stuff.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged is just as fun of an arcade racer as the first game, and the various tweaks and improvements to the formula makes it a far smoother experience. It feels like it’s sometimes just a little much for the Switch, with moderately lengthy loading times and some resolution issues, but the actual racing action keeps its speed properly. Some players might run into some issues with the challenging post-game content, but that’s why it’s in the post-game. If you enjoyed the first game, you’ll probably like this one even more. Series newcomers should feel comfortable jumping immediately to this sequel, too.

On the whole, Haunted House isn’t bad. Its greater focus on stealth gives it a bit of distinction compared to the typical roguelite action game, and the presentation is quite good. It doesn’t quite nail the pacing of its grind, and the isometric perspective can cause serious and fatal visibility issues at critical moments. Still, there’s something here that kept me coming back, even if it took more than a few gameplay sessions to push through it all. Hardly a homerun for the genre, but if you’re looking for something spooky to play during this Halloween season, you could do a lot worse.

I think Wild Card Football is a decent starting point towards filling the void left by the long absence of NFL Blitz, but as it stands it doesn’t quite have what it takes to fulfill that role. This Switch version in particular struggles with some technical issues that will hobble anyone looking to take advantage of the online cross-play feature, which is a major problem when so much of the game’s experience rests on that mode. I think you can have a good time here, but you would likely have a better time on another platform. This might be the best football game the Switch has, but that speaks less for this game’s quality and more for the sad state of the genre on the platform.

If Sonic Superstars was meant to reinvent 2D Sonic, I think it missed the mark. But it’s a good, solid entry in a series that is always in need of such, and that counts for a lot.

While the two games in A Boy and His Blob: Retro Collection were and are a bit clunky, if you learn to take them on their own terms they’re both a lot of fun to figure out. Both games are well-emulated and while the list of features isn’t very big, the wrapper has what you need. Those who want less friction in their adorable Boy-Meets-Blob game should probably look to the previously-released reboot title, but if you’re willing to put up with some quirks for the sake of adventure, this set is worth looking into.

If you’re interested in the idea of fighting fires and are open to playing with others online, I think you’ll have a good time with Firefighting Simulator – The Squad. It plays well and figuring out how to work together to put out a fire is a change of pace from the usual multiplayer fare. If you’re planning to go it alone, it’s a slightly tougher call. With the AI squad not being very helpful, things take a lot longer and the missions can start to feel just a little tedious as a result. Still, that core idea and its implementation has a fair bit of water in the hose.

Long Gone Days sometimes feels a bit too ambitious, but when it hits hard, the few issues I have with certain aspects don’t matter as much. This is a special game that pulls from a few genres, but one that manages to tell an interesting story that is worth your time. It might not be for everyone, but I am excited to see more from the developer going forward.

I don’t think Front Mission 2: Remake is a spectacular remake of the original game, but it’s not a bad one either. It’s on the good side of that line. The game itself is very enjoyable for those with the right mindset, though it hasn’t seen any mechanical changes here and feels very much its age as a result. The biggest fly in the ointment is the iffy English localization, which takes a game with an outstanding story and almost mulches its challenging plot. Still, it’s nice to have this game officially available in English at all, and the technical improvements over the original are very much appreciated.

While the idea of a smart-talking Pikachu who solves crimes is one that I think almost everyone can get behind, Detective Pikachu Returns is a game with narrower appeal. If you loved the first game and can accept that this is essentially a 3DS follow-up that fell between the couch cushions for a half-decade, you might enjoy this. If you have a Pokemon-loving kid, I think they’ll get a kick out of this entry-level adventure. Otherwise, this is harder to recommend to anyone with even the smallest amount of experience with the genre. Not everything aimed at a younger audience is going to work for us big kids, and I regrettably think this is one such case.

What a game. This year has been superb almost non stop for great games, but Chants of Sennaar, like Cocoon, is mindblowing. While the stealth elements in Chants of Sennaar are annoying, everything else is amazing. If you have even the remotest interest in unique puzzle games, I urge you to at least try the demo. Chants of Sennaar is a work of art in its design, aesthetic, and experience.