Signalis is a near-perfect love letter to the survival horror genre. Its atmosphere and tension feel natural and earned, with callbacks to sci-fi classics scattered throughout. It is at its best when you're darting between enemies, using stealth and patience rather than brute force. While some of the combat encounters felt a little forced, the puzzles are just the right mix of challenging and approachable. The surreal imagery and unique storytelling structure add to the overall polish of a game that is the perfect length for what it is. Highly recommended.
Like the gears in an engine, everything in Factorio has a purpose. There is little in terms of extras here but what is present in this factory management sim does its job beautifully. Despite some issues with the way the Switch port is presented and controls, these are minor issues in an otherwise stellar game that will have you obsessing over the best possible layout for your factory or wanting to keep playing to see what the next research tree unlocks.
If you’re looking for a horror game to play, Yomawari: Lost in the Dark is a solid example of atmospheric storytelling and tackling daunting subjects without hammering the point home too much. It plays great on the Switch and benefits from the console’s portability. Playing with headphones in and in a dark room really adds to the tension. You can also grab it on Steam and PlayStation consoles.
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is the quintessential Monster Rancher experience, just bigger, louder, and more polished looking. The mechanics of the combat and training cycle will be familiar to long-time fans while the new larger scale of the creatures lends itself to the scale of Ultraman and his monstrous foes. Scanning every electronic device in your house to see what monster pops out is satisfying even if the actual gameplay gets stale over time.
Dragon Ball: The Breakers isn't likely to challenge titles like Dead by Daylight for the top spot in this growing asymmetrical multiplayer genre, but it is a fun game that stands out among the rest of the Dragon Ball franchise for daring to do something different. Despite some technical issues at launch and the need to do a lot of grinding if you want to get enough experience with the different Raiders, this is still a worthwhile multiplayer timesink for anime fans.
If you’re new to 4X games, we could see this being a gentle introduction to an often-overwhelming genre. There is certainly enough content here to get new players interested, though for returning veterans it will probably not scratch that itch for more than a handful of hours. For them, The Battle of Polytopia will be a brief distraction and very little else.
Chaos;Child is, by most metrics, a step up from its predecessor and has every right to stake a claim at being the best game in the Science Adventure series. There is a huge amount of content and it will take several dozen hours for players to get to the bottom of the return of the New Gen Madness case. Despite some small issues with the text's formatting, the story is compelling enough to keep most players invested through the long runtime. With solid characters and some genuinely surprising twists, fans of visual novels will want to get their hands on this one if they haven't played Chaos;Child before.
Chaos;Head Noah isn't the best game in the Science Adventure series, but it is a great point for players to jump in if they're new to the genre. Visual novel veterans will find plenty to enjoy here as well, with a story that goes to some dark and unsettling places. The plot makes no attempt at making sense and there are times when we wanted to strangle Takumi for being such a weirdo, but it remains engaging and fun throughout. This is an easy one to recommend, either on its own or as part of the bundle with its sequel.
Railgrade doesn't try to recreate the railway management sim game, but it polishes and bolsters what is there to become one of the better examples of this niche genre. The story, light as it tends to be, pokes fun at late-stage capitalism without it becoming the sole focus of the game. It falls short of greatness due to repetition and a lack of depth in its later hours, but there is still more than enough here for resource management sim fans to not feel like they've been taken for a ride.
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris takes forever to get moving. By the time the training wheels come off, players will likely have switched off in frustration. Pacing is a big issue for the first half of the game, with hours spent in unskippable cutscenes or repetitive tutorials before the best features become available. There is a decent game locked away behind the multiple missteps and technical issues, and if you've got the requisite patience and high regard for the source material, there are things to like - most notably the smooth, engaging combat. The problem is that getting to it feels like work rather than play.
There is a lot to love about Let's Build a Zoo. Players can get stuck into the minute details of managing their own zoo or they can take a more relaxed approach to building an animal empire, but the amount of freedom is really what makes this game stand out among other management sims on the market. The sheer variety of animals on offer and the charming visuals make up for the monotonous music and sparse tutorials. This is a solid choice for players who are looking for something fun to play at a bargain price.
Despite its shortcomings, The DioField Chronicle is still a solid tactical RPG experience with enough JRPG tropes to interest fans of both genres. The unique gameplay provides plenty of challenge, though it can require a lot of grinding to keep pace with the difficulty curve. The art style is beautiful both in and out of combat but the characters and plot fail to live up to the same standard. In this case, its ambition outstretched its means and it fell just short of where it wanted to be.
Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 offers two early and accessible works from one of the most prolific and unique video game developers in the business. La Pucelle: Ragnarok and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure are both ambitious titles that pushed the boundaries of the tactical RPG genre at the time, so it is a delight to see them get a chance to shine on a modern console. Both games come with some graphical upgrades, but the core gameplay and experience remain the same. If you can get past some of the dated mechanics and visuals, we'd say it's worth taking a punt and diving into another slice of gaming history.
Digimon Survive is one of the best visual novels to come out so far this year, with plenty of heart and tension to carry you through to the final act. Fans looking for an engaging story with well-written and presented characters that deal with life-and-death situations will enjoy the ride, while players focused on the combat will probably find that the game comes up short. Despite its sluggish, padded start, Digimon Survive is well worth the long wait.
The game leans into the classic JRPG trope of starting slow, forcing you to sit through multiple long cutscenes before the world opens up for you. It doesn’t quite reach the limits of my patience, but there are multiple stretches of at least 20 minutes where I never even touched the controller. The world-building is good and I’m excited to play with these characters. I just wish the game didn’t take so long to let me get there.
Coromon takes aim at one of the greatest series of all time and, while it isn't any threat to Pokémon's worldwide domination, it is a charming and fun nostalgia trip for fans. Excessive grinding and a story that takes its time to get going mar what is otherwise a worthwhile journey, but if you're a fan of old-school Pokémon, that shouldn't put you off investigating this title up. Whether you're a new trainer or you've been catching 'em all for years now, Coromon has something for you to enjoy.
XEL takes many of its cues from the Zelda franchise, with combat and puzzles that keep things interesting throughout as well as a charming, fun cast of characters. However, technical glitches in the Switch version make it difficult to enjoy at launch. There is the potential for a great game in here, possibly after a hefty patch to fix some of the bugs, but despite its obvious promise it fails to live up to its potential in its current state.
Rabbids: Party of Legends is a fun, polished party game that can soak up a few hours if you have enough people willing to jump in and out. The visuals feel unique within the Rabbids franchise while still capturing the charm and personality fans will expect. The slow progression of unlocking new games in Party Mode, the lack of online play, and the fact that the game is almost unplayable in Tabletop Mode hold this title back from being truly worth the asking price, though.
AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is one of the most interesting visual novels we've played through in a while. The murder mystery at its heart is brought to life by some great writing and quirky characters alongside the satisfyingly integrated, beautifully balanced Psync puzzle elements. Even with some minor control issues, there is a lot to love in this game even if you never picked up the original. Highly recommended if you're even a little bit curious.
Between multiple endings that can be unlocked depending on what quests you complete and more difficult game modes for those who like a punishing challenge, there is a lot to each playthrough of Lost Ruins that will keep players coming back. Though the overall combat can be a little repetitive, there is enough exploration and weapon variety to ensure that there will be a combat style to suit you. If you're a fan of Metroidvania or survival titles, or very attractive pixel art, there is a lot to enjoy here, but the challenge can be unbalanced at times.