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While I enjoyed another romp through the small burrows of Tokyo and Osaka that feel now like a second digital home, returning to Kiwami 2 felt more in service of Kiwami 3, which will be here before we know it. The Switch 2 port is a serviceable one for sure, especially when considered against the PlayStation 4 version, and there isn't a major sacrifice made to run around these punk-filled streets on-the-go. If you're becoming a Yakuza collector or have never experienced the second game in the series, there may not be a better time.
At the end of the day, however, this is the definitive way in 2025 to buy a trilogy of some fantastic games along with its DLC, new content, and other upgrades. If you've been thinking about getting into the Atelier series and don't know where to start, this is a great place to begin your Atelier journey. If you're already a seasoned alchemist, it might be OK to wait to see what else Gust is cooking up - or hey, pick up one or both of the other Atelier games released this year.
Their taste might not be fully refined, but this is the type of game that is made for them more than it is for me. They enjoy playing against each other (though they don't understand why they can't be on the same side) and they enjoy cheering each other on in the mission mode. Hello Kitty and Friends: Freeze Tag Party succeeds at what it's trying to do, in that it's a vehicle for young fans to engage with Sanrio characters in a familiar game. It's not a great adaptation of that game, but who doesn't love running around with Tuxedosam.
My oldest (7 years old) has played countless rounds by himself. We've played tons of rounds together as a family and LEGO Party has been a consistently fun time. I still don't really know what the plot of Ninjago is, but I'm still having a blast playing this virtual board game.
The weird thing about Silksong is that it is also a merciless grind but for entirely different reasons that you will read about someday when I beat the damn thing and write my review of it. Look forward to that, readers!
I enjoy the act of building out the solar system and making better planets as I learned the best approach. It's a shame that the way to navigate and read the game is so crippling for an otherwise fun game. Fingers crossed they consider some enhancements in the future.
This second generation of Pokemon games on the Switch - Scarlet, Violet, and Legends: Z-A - has repeatedly gone back and forth between "we are so cooked" and "we are so back". Pokemon Legends: Z-A has basically distilled that down to one game, because it feels like everything that annoyed me about the game was countered almost immediately by the game doing something I enjoyed or impressed me. Of the two Legends, I still prefer Arceus though, and I do hope a third Legends game is more focused on catching than combat.
The gameplay and scope of the modes never elevates that far past competency, though. I left this game wanting a little bit more out of it, but I had a fun time playing it while the fun lasted. With the right local crowd, this could be a recurring arcade sports game, but outside of that, this is a sixth man of a basketball game - it's a good complement more so than the main attraction.
Neal: If this were the video version, we'd have a flashy reveal of the score, but you, dear reader, already know the score. Anyway, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is a great package. Collectively I still think last year's remake of Dragon Quest III is stronger, but this is a fantastic companion and well worth diving into whether you've played the games before or just want to know the history and legacy.
Its focus on being a remaster of the first Plants vs. Zombies means it doesn't have all of the new plant types introduced in later sequels. Still, it's a great tower defense entry point and a welcome reminder of how much we rely on Mother Nature, even during a zombie outbreak.
It's even better that the one on Nintendo Switch feels like the third game in a trilogy with the two original PS2 games (that are also available in HD remaster form on Switch). Once Upon a Katamari is a full-fledged fresh entry in a series that hasn't had this kind of shot in the arm since HDTVs were a thing. Here's hoping we get a more consistent drip of Katamari following this charming entry that largely understands why the first one was such a cult hit.
If it wasn't for the flood of RPGs I still have to play this year, I think this would be "teh urn" for Persona 3. As it sits, I do want to see this one through to graduation, knowing full well what awaits me there, and the 45 minute / 13 stage final boss fight I have to go through to do it. There's still some structural issues with Persona 3, but it's probably the most underappreciated member of its trilogy.
BALL X PIT filled a hole, or a pit if you will, for me that I wasn't aware I had. The only thing I can do is keep crawling back out, shouting that others should join in, before I'm dragged back into its depths again. I don't think I'll be leaving the BALL X PIT anytime soon.
Not just mysteries or dark tales, but fun and creativity are what drive Blippo+. There is no game like it I've played all year and is something that I will often be thinking about in the months to come. If you're looking for a game that's both passive and creative, you will simply need to tune in to Blippo+.
Level design comes with the occasionally odd difficulty spike in places, but in general provides a satisfying shoot-em-up experience. It doesn't really push any boundaries in the gameplay department but handles the basics well. On very rare occasions the gameplay takes second seat to the visuals but most of the time they work together to create an memorable and enthralling journey.
undefined.There's more to do after rolling credits the first time, but my main take away is just how good the combat feels and how gorgeous everything looks while you're doing it. Absolum is made by a team that understands how to make a great brawler, like Shredder's Revenge and Streets of Rage 4, so you can expect a similar level of polish and chops. I ended up clearing the game with every character because I was having such a good time, and with all the awesome games I still haven't played from September, that's proof positive that any beat-'em-up fan should absolutely be checking out Absolum.
But it is disappointing that I can't say that more definitively. There are a lot of great quality of life updates but between stability issues and some questionable feature removal, it is hard to recommend this version without reservation. As I said at the outset, I like the original Yooka-Laylee. And I like Yooka-Replaylee. I think I can say that it probably fixes more than it breaks, but I'd rather it avoided breaking anything in the first place.
Overall, there's a bit too much holding Towa back from a recommendation. There are better Hades-likes out there, most notably Hades II: Melinoe Goes West. If you're a dyed-in-the-wool roguelite fan, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree will definitely fill your cup, but I think it's too easy to walk away from.
The whole experience is buttery smooth and pretty snappy. This is a unique rail-shooter with a lot of legitimately new ideas that I've never seen elsewhere. There are some mild colorblindness issues to be aware of if that is relevant to you, and now and then progression feels a little padded, but it is hard to complain too much when Candy Rangers is doing so many new things and doing them well.
I'd imagine a lot of people going to this with '90s or '00s Nick nostalgia in their eyes could leave a little disappointed due to the overall simplicity, but this is an action RPG for the younger sect. More specifically, it's an action RPG for adults with said nostalgia (and maybe some love for Diablo-esque games) to play with their children. It's a serviceable dungeon crawler with a lot of love for the Nicktoons involved that is super cute and playful.