If it featured more visceral and tight combat, Somber Echoes would be an excellent Metroidvania with its awesome game world to explore.

With its clever scenarios and sense of randomness, Ready or Not offers an exciting team-based tactical shooting formula that's great fun.

With unique and simple puzzle gameplay and a ton of stages to master, Nurilogy 1000 is a solid game to check out even if it gets repetitive.

Simply using bombs in a shoot 'em up is a novel and somewhat fun premise but Blast Rush LS doesn't do a heck of a lot with this formula.

It's awesome that TRIZEAL Remix is finally available for Nintendo Switch so pick it up and get DELTAZEAL and XIIZEAL while you're at it.

I love when games provide freedom while also ensuring that each step of progress is satisfying and Locomoto does just that in all its cuteness.

With its steep difficulty curve and imbalanced co-op, Flora & Fang is a bit rough despite having a solid foundation and great visuals.

If you're looking for a chill indie game to enjoy at your leisure then diving deep through Everdeep Aurora will certainly make you smile.

I had a lovely time with Exo-Calibre and its adorable game world that houses some truly unique and satisfying shoot 'em up gameplay.

Soulstone Survivors is one of my favourite games in this newly emerging genre so if you enjoy these kinds of games, absolutely check it out.

Not only does Spiritfall look sharp and stylish, its gameplay is, too, thanks to its oodles of clever skills, upgrades, and unique challenges.

It may be very different but Wizard of Legend 2's lovely 3D visuals and slick action-packed co-op gameplay will definitely cast a spell on you.

Missile Command Delta definitely isn't what I expected it would be but that's great because it really launched a missile straight to my heart.

Irem Collection Volume 3 is definitely the most difficult compilation in the series so far which will delight hardcore retro gaming enthusiasts. Plus, Mystic Riders is the highlight as it's a wonderful shoot 'em up, especially with its lovely co-op gameplay.

Fast Fusion offers a lot of fast-paced fun and is a great showcase for the power of Nintendo Switch 2 with its selection of stunning courses.

The original is one of my favourite SRPGs of all time and FRONT MISSION 3: Remake does a decent job of modernising the gameplay. However, its downgraded visual assets often make its aesthetics feel cheap.

With its energetically vibrant world that'll keep you smiling and clever puzzle-filled platforming, Ruffy And The Riverside has everything you'd need for an excellent 3D funfest. Plus, it's so cute that it's now one of my life goals to have a Ruffy stuffie.

Fruitbus deserves great praise for its adorable graphics, heartfelt story, and relaxing yet entertaining gameplay. However, it should have baked in the oven a little longer while working out its oodles of glitches that frequently take away from the lighthearted fun.

There's a lot of content in Klaus Lee - Thunderballs and its gameplay is solid and varied for sure so check it out if you want a challenge.

With so much variety to unlock and action-packed combat that'll have you dodging and shooting like a pro, Section 13 is one great shooter.

How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine has a very specific audience and if you're part of it, you'll be amazed with its variety of ingenious puzzles.

Once you get past the learning phase, The Wizard of Bug doesn't do much to hold your attention but it's certainly a smart puzzler at its core.

As the latest console release of my favourite tower defense series, Kingdom Rush Vengeance excels at providing strategic action and hilarity.

I can't believe that a retro-inspired RPG with such a heavy emphasis on fishing could be this fun but Nice Day for Fishing is great stuff indeed.

From its clever premise to its tactical battles and its pitch-perfect visuals to its oodles of side content, I loved every minute of Novel Rogue.

Survival Kids may just be my new go-to co-op game thanks to its multiplayer-focused elements that really come together beautifully whenever you're playing with a friend. With lovely sights, charming characters, a silly narrator, and spot-on sound effects, it's a treat to watch, too.

I didn't think we'd ever see Gex again but Gex Trilogy proves that this irreverent and charming series is definitely enjoyable and unique enough for today's gaming audiences. With that being said, the humour and visuals surely haven't held up as well as a gecko clinging to the ceiling.

I had a superb time with Battle Train and can't believe how much it fits my tastes from its roguelike structure to its deep strategic gameplay and its silly premise to its wealth of unlockables. I may just have a new favourite roguelike as it chugged along straight to my heart.

With a slew of destinations, contracts, and targets to entertain you, HITMAN World of Assassination - Signature Edition provides hours and hours of top-notch sandbox stealth gameplay so get to it and start killing, chums.

BRAVELY DEFAULT FLYING FAIRY HD Remaster makes for a great excuse to re-play one of the best RPGs out there which takes job systems to a whole other level and delivers a top-tier battle system that's complemented with superbly attractive visuals.

Date Everything! is a love letter to the very concept of love in all of its many forms. Try as it may, AI will literally never make something as beautiful and authentic as this. Thanks to its lovable, well-written, gorgeously designed, and impeccably voice-acted cast of characters, it effortlessly achieved a love ending with me and I think it could get one with you, too.

I wish that Pirates VR: Jolly Roger offered lootin' and ship-captainin' because its confusin' and frustratin' adventure just isn't all that jolly.

The blend of Survivors-like gameplay and puzzle-like inventory management makes God of Weapons stand out but it's still rather flat overall.

With its unconventional yet immediately intuitive puzzle gameplay, Wilmot Works It Out provides a relaxing and rewarding formula indeed.

If you're in the mood for nonogram fun with adorably rewarding unlockables after every puzzle then play Squeakross: Home Squeak Home.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is certainly the best iteration of this puzzle combination yet and it's full of line-clearing and chain-triggering fun.

Whether you're exploring, taking on a boss, or configuring your loadout, the very authentically retro Chronicles of the Wolf has a lot to love.

I enjoyed the overall variety within Super Technos World: River City & Technos Arcade Classics a great deal but at the same time, some of the included games are clunkers and there really aren't that many of them to begin with.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Alters, especially thanks to its blend of gameplay styles and variety of mysteries throughout. If you relate to the protagonist then it'll be a much better experience for you but keep in mind that not everyone will.

Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is one of the best action-packed combat-heavy roguelikes you can play and with hearty challenge to spare.

Mario Kart World is the definitive kart racer with its variety of themes, characters, and vehicles as well as the frenzied new Knockout mode.

Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is an absurdly great indie Zelda-like that even rivals iconic overhead action adventure games with its charming world, incredibly satisfying gameplay, and oodles of extras that are always exciting to discover. Are you still reading this? Go, play it now.

Spray Paint Simulator is the best game in its very specific genre that I've ever played so if you want to relax and paint things, play it, chum!

I love Starlight Legacy with its lovely game world and classic RPG gameplay that brought me back to a simpler time in the best way.

Lynked: Banner of the Spark is an excellent game for co-op hack and slash action that features so many elements, it'll make your head spin.

Trident's Tale is a clunky adventure that has plenty of charm and variety so I still recommend it to curious chums who enjoy similar games.

Its repetitive nature holds Scar-Lead Salvation back from being good but it's still enjoyable enough to play whenever you want to wind down.

Definitely don't dismiss Cubic Odyssey as a Minecraft clone because there's a lot of great gameplay and enjoyable exploration packed in here.

As a long-time fan of Rune Factory, I was pleasantly surprised by Guardians of Azuma's additions. The beautiful traditional Japanese setting, engrossing village-building mechanics, and increased transparency around relationships all come together to make for a great time.

to a T really connected with me and lifted my spirits during a particularly rough time. If you sometimes struggle in life and especially if you're disabled, I sincerely can't recommend this adorable, silly, and heartwarming game enough.

Blades of Fire is an excellent Soulslike that boasts a unique and cohesive blacksmithing theme throughout with visceral combat and plenty of secrets to uncover. Its more frustrating moments are hurdles that you'll gladly overcome for more of its sweet weapons-based action.

Level-5 has done it again by delivering a high quality adventure RPG that is chock-full of a ton of silly fun and stays exciting throughout.

With an impressive RPG throwback core game and oodles of high quality physical extras, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Collector's Edition offers one nostalgic package that any fan of dark fantasy role-playing will absolutely adore.

Even with its retro baggage, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny is an undeniably great game that fleshes out the original's formula very well and in some unexpected ways to boot. Plus, it looks excellent with its redone visuals so you're bound to have a lot of fun slaying demons.

Deliver At All Costs is a very funny physics-based romp that features a great deal of variety and consistently entertaining gameplay. At the same time, I wish it wasn't solo-only and it can also be occasionally annoying to play.

Hot Rod Mayhem is a special racing game that offers such a unique sense of fun that you don't often see anymore and I friggin' love it.

Although there's a lot of entertaining dungeon-crawling and puzzle-solving to be had in CTHULOOT, frequent bugs take away from the fun.

Playing a puzzle game as intricate and ingenious as Preserve thoroughly impressed me and I highly recommend it to any puzzler enthusiast.

From its overarching campaign where you try to take down crime lords to its day-to-day patrolling, there's a lot to love about The Precinct.

If you enjoy fast-paced action then you'll find a lot to love about Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade even with its repetitive campaign.

Pet the Pup at the Party is a very silly game that put a smile on my face and it's fun to show its goofiness to folks but it's also very short-lived.

With a herky-jerky camera and gameplay that doesn't really do anything particularly noteworthy, Dunk Dunk offers okay indie sports fun.

Maliki: Poison of the Past is an imaginative and fun blend of adventure and turn-based RPG gameplay but it can also be super-frustrating.

I absolutely loved my time with Into the Restless Ruins' sim and survival mix and would love to see more indies boldly experiment like this.

I love indie games that present simple concepts and really flesh them out in surprising ways and that's what Aureole - Wings of Hope does.

In American Arcadia, you get to play as an escapee from a living TV show as well as a hacker who secretly helps him. The story is fun to watch unfold and it has many entertaining gameplay segments, too; that is, if you have patience for the more frustrating moments.

If you have fond memories of the 3D fighting boom back at the turn of the millennium then you'll adore what Capcom Fighting Collection 2 has in store. Of course, fans of the 2D classics have a lot to sink their teeth into as well so there's something here for every fighting fan.

After a couple of great and highly underrated RPGs, Death end re;Quest: Code Z certainly disappoints with simply being a generic take on a Mystery Dungeon game. However, its cast of familiar characters and some nifty mechanics may make it worth playing for some.

Fireball 2 is a supremely fun arcade-style game that will thoroughly test your 2D dodging skills. However, with no online leaderboards and gameplay that only really shines in its limited survival-based modes, scoring high can feel rather hollow.

I'm super-happy that a puzzle game as rewarding and whimsical as Tempopo exists so if you enjoy gradually working out elaborate solutions to complex scenarios, you'll be absolutely smitten with what it has to offer. Plus, it's so cute! And the music's great.

CATO: Buttered Cat is such a silly game but it's also one of the best puzzle platformers you can play thanks to its very clever gameplay.

I had some fun with BIOMORPH but it definitely doesn't live up to the dozen or so must-play indie Metroidvanias already out there.

Finishing the levels in Sacre Bleu is enjoyable enough but when you throw in its clever scoring system, you're left with a ton of replay value.

Although it can be maddeningly frustrating, Bearnard remains an enjoyable game; that is, if you're willing to really hone your aiming skills.

With its blend of character-swapping, puzzle-like scenarios, and rewarding exploration, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Wings of Endless.

I'm very happy that games like Bionic Bay exist as it offers a super-fun 2D platforming formula that'll constantly surprise you.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an RPG that raises the bar in many ways with an engaging battle system and intriguing story that's set in a beautiful and unique world. It's definitely limited in a few ways, though, but not so much to take away from its must-play status.

Revenge of the Savage Planet is one of my favourite games of the year with its awesomely colourful and lighthearted alien planets and entertaining gameplay that's so packed with variety, it's hard to put it down once you take off.

There's definitely fun to be had in Captain Blood with its simple and frantic action that has surprisingly satisfying old-school violence. However, with irritating quick-time events, repetitive gameplay, and plenty of frustrating moments, you might want to dock this ship.

I loved my time with Wall Town Wonders thanks to its awesome cast of characters, adorable premise, and variety of fun mini-games. However, its glitches and unrefined aspects unfortunately make the overall experience less enjoyable.

There's a lot to love about Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree from its expansive and diverse map to its brutal boss fights that'll thoroughly test your character build. Its combat could definitely benefit from a bit more complexity, though.

The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is a fun turn-based strategy RPG with a large entertaining cast and an intriguing story. If it featured more variety in its enemies and locales and fleshed out its characters' motivations a bit more, it would be a must-have.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 2 answers some questions and fails to deliver on other plot points. Although it provides a lot of optional endings and you learn more about Kat's life, the abundant glitches make it an only somewhat satisfying ending to the summer of '95.

Steredenn: Binary Stars is a roguelike shoot 'em up which provides so much variety that I could play it for hours at a time. I'll get back to it.

I had a wonderful time playing through Nikoderiko: The Magical World - Director's Cut so if you enjoy DKC or Crash Bandicoot, you'll love this.

The core gameplay of Skies Above is a ton of fun but the repetition of it all will certainly make it wear thin after only a few hearty attempts.

It may be quite lonely on Star Overdrive's planet but there's so much to see and do and its rockin' vibes help tie it all together.

I sincerely love Once Upon A Puppet but its glitchiness and frustration factor are so high that it's hard to widely recommend it.

All in Abyss: Judge the Fake is a simple game of quirky lighthearted fun for those who enjoy a little high stakes gambling.

Steel Seed is a delightful surprise as its blend of stealth, action, puzzles, and some of the best stage designs in the genre make it stand out as an exceptional experience. Even with its obvious shortcomings, I recommend playing this gem for sure.

Although it's relatively short, Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacy is an engaging adventure with an interesting story; making it worth the effort to power the Hydrafloat along the river and save a dying species.

FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves may not be the most expansive fighter ever made but what's here is undeniably great stuff that any fighting game enthusiast can easily enjoy. The question is: will Hotaru's ferret be available as a stuffie? I sure hope so.

I, Robot is my new favourite arcade-like VR experience so if you have a headset, boot this sucker up and feed your head to the web.

HITMAN World of Assassination VR provides so much familiar yet fresh gameplay that it's actually hard to go back to the non-VR version.

UNDERDOGS presents a pitch-perfect underground atmosphere with arena combat matches that will keep you sweating.

There's no denying that you and a few chums can have a solid time with CarGo! but it could use more elements to make it stand out.

As a unique co-op take on the Survivors-like, Vinebound: Tangled Together is a cute and rather enjoyable indie roguelike.

If you're nostalgic for this quirky series then SNOW BROS. 2 SPECIAL is the game to get as it's bursting with 4-player good times.