The Smile Alchemist is one of those unexpected KEMCO games, as it brings Asobox's pleasant alchemy life simulator to a wider audience.
Odencat's Meg's Monster is a brief, pleasant adventure that takes rather obvious cues from Undertale.
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a good snack for people who enjoy Inti Creates titles, the Bloodstained: Circle of the Moon spin-offs, or games that are Metroidvania-adjacent.
The Crimson Flower That Divides: Lunar Coupling is a game that puts its characters through hell and features a localization fraught with issues, but its heroine is absolutely wonderful.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe further embraces the idea of embracing an introductory multiplayer experience with friends, especially given the existence of Magolor Helper and Merry Magoland.
Octopath Traveler 2 is one of those sequels that builds on the original in every way, remaining accessible even with eight stories to tell.
While it doesn't try too hard to reach players outside its target audience, Cuddly Forest Friend is a cozy, family-friendly sim with minigames.
After getting a bit experimental with Three Houses, Intelligent Systems returns to more traditional, stellar gameplay with Fire Emblem Engage.
Persona 3 Portable remains an interesting adaptation of Persona 3, with its visual novel approach to daily life, and it's a joy to play on the Switch.
One Piece Odyssey is a game that feels crafted for fans, with handholding elements present to assist even if they never played an RPG before. However, people familiar with the games or unfamiliar with the series probably won't get much out of this adventure.
There was clearly a vision for Sports Story, but overextending to include too many sports and a buggy launch means you should wait to play it.
MegaWobble's clearly inspired by A Short Hike and The Legend of Zelda for the charming Lil Gator Game, which usually works out well.
Aka is a game with a generally sound concept and a laudable goal of a relaxed life sim, but quite a few issues come up along the way.
Marvel's Midnight Suns is a thoroughly enjoyable tactical title with mass appeal, letting players live their superhero dreams alongside fan-favorite characters.
If it was a budget title, Samurai Maiden might be worth someone's time as a guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, it's not.
Dragon Quest Treasures is a lot, with tons of treasures to collect and quests to complete, and should keep players busy for weeks.
Lover Pretend is a surprisingly good Switch otome game that features fun characters and a lighthearted story.
A Little to the Left is often a calming way to tidy up both stages and your thoughts, but occasionally it gets a little too easy or obtuse. PC version reviewed.
Goat Simulator 3 remains an absolutely bonkers game, albeit one with occasional hiccups, and it's still great to be a goat. PS5 version reviewed.
Yes, it is a farming life-sim and action-RPG, but Harvestella is more enjoyable when you're not comparing it to its contemporaries.