Songs of Glimmerwick is a charming magical-school RPG that replaces combat with music, exploration, gardening, and relationships. Its slower pace and occasional quest confusion may test patience, but its world and atmosphere are memorable.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword gets it right that the best moments are putting a sword in your hand and fighting an ever more intriguing series of monsters. Onimusha is back after over two decades, and it’s a game worthy of the name. It’s not flawless, but it’s great combat, great bosses, an amazing presentation, and a great samurai feel, making it one of Capcom’s most successful reboots.
Vacation Cafe Simulator delivers a gorgeous Italian getaway with relaxing exploration and charming cooking, but repetitive tasks and shallow management keep its café fantasy from reaching its full potential.
Mortal Shell II feels like a sequel that gets that bigger-is-better when it adds to the original notion. It’s still a weird, hard, and often messy Souls-like, but it’s also a really interesting action RPG with its own unique visual identity and a rewarding sense of discovery.