Castlevania Dominus Collection includes three DS-era classics—Order of Ecclesia, Portrait of Ruin, and Dawn of Sorrow. With updated features like touchscreen integration and quick save, these challenging yet rewarding games are now more accessible.
Fate/Stay Night Remastered revitalizes the classic visual novel with enhanced graphics, modern UI, and an official English release for its 20th anniversary. The multiple story routes, diverse endings, and rich storytelling offer high replay value and make it a standout visual novel for Fate franchise fans.
Bakeru stands out in the crowded action platformer genre by blending nostalgic gameplay with modern mechanics. While the story isn't groundbreaking, it excels in character design, art style, and engaging gameplay.
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid offers a nostalgic slice of rural Japanese life. The game creates a relaxing atmosphere for players to enjoy a carefree summer vacation. However, repetitive gameplay and technical issues, such as blurry visuals and performance drops on the Nintendo Switch, detract from the experience.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is an enjoyable Metroidvania game, though it is marred by a lack of clear direction and frustrating platforming sections.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak serves as an excellent introduction for new players and a warmly received return for those familiar with the series. The game enhances its combat system with new adjustments, resulting in a more dynamic and thrilling battle experience. While it may not achieve the pinnacle of the franchise, it lays the groundwork for a promising start.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance expands the base game with new content, improved performance, and deeper lore. Despite the challenging difficulty, the added quality-of-life improvements make it a rewarding experience for both returning players and newcomers.
Shadow of the Erdtree maintains the high standards set by the base game. It introduces the challenging Realm of Shadow, offering new boss fights, weapons, and progression without excessive grinding. The expansion revitalizes the sense of discovery with secrets, mini-bosses, and unique NPCs.
Sand Land is a visually stunning game with a heartfelt narrative that unfortunately stumbles in gameplay variety. Fans of Toriyama’s work will find much to love, while newcomers might find the combat repetitive. Nevertheless, it is a journey worth experiencing, especially for those who appreciate a well-crafted world and engaging story.
Unicorn Overlord blends Vanillaware's signature artistic flair with a complex combat system reminiscent of Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics, set against the backdrop of a rich high fantasy narrative. The game not only provides a deep strategic experience with its innovative combat mechanics and expansive world exploration but also excels in storytelling, offering a compelling tale of liberation and the quest for justice, making it a standout addition to the genre.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake impresses with its visual upgrades and co-op mode, yet its unchanged gameplay and performance issues question its necessity for those familiar with the original. Best suited for newcomers, this visually enhanced journey offers little new for returning players, making it a beautiful but non-essential revisit.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash falls significantly short, delivering an underwhelming and superficial gaming experience that fails to leverage the rich potential of its source material.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink transitions from mobile to console and PC, offering a balanced mix of action-oriented combat and deep storytelling that competes with top RPGs like Final Fantasy. Despite minor exploration and performance issues, its compelling narrative, striking visuals, and innovative blend of single-player and live-service elements make it a standout title in the RPG genre.
All in all, Fae Farm is an excellent choice for those who enjoy farming simulation games with a touch of adventure. While it might not reach the heights of the genre, there is still plenty to offer here.
Lil' Guardsman is a standout indie game that combines humor, strategy, and point-and-click elements, presenting a compelling story of a girl guarding her town. Its gameplay is enriched with decision-making, gadgets, and a time-control feature, offering replayability and a diverse character cast set in a visually stunning world reminiscent of Disney's Gravity Rush, making it a memorable experience on portable platforms like the Steam Deck
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown marks a significant shift from the series' traditional 3D action and platforming to a Metroidvania-style game with cell-shaded art and side-scrolling combat. Despite initial skepticism from fans, its exceptional platforming, engaging gameplay, and return to the series' roots have made it an unexpected hit, offering a fresh experience while maintaining the essence of the beloved franchise.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora by Ubisoft Massive is a visually stunning game with unique gameplay elements, distinct from the Far Cry series. It offers immersive exploration and narrative depth in the Avatar universe, despite some technical issues and narrative shortcomings.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince presents an innovative twist to the Dragon Quest spin-off series, focusing on monster collection and battling with a unique progression system, although it falls short in narrative depth and visual presentation. The game shines in its engaging monster synthesis and combat mechanics, offering depth for enthusiasts of strategy and monster recruitment, but is let down by subpar graphics and an underdeveloped story.
Tales of Arise: Beyond The Dawn plays it safe, extending its universe for devoted fans without breaking new ground. While it commendably develops characters and retains an engaging combat system, the expansion stretches a thin narrative over an extensive playtime, potentially leaving those craving a richer story unsatisfied.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R rejuvenates the classic JRPG with modern graphics and a dual protagonist system, offering a visually appealing and immersive narrative experience. Its enhanced combat system and quality-of-life improvements cater to both series veterans and newcomers.