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You could spend hours doing something completely pointless and still feel like you had accomplished something and that’s ultimately what makes Oblivion great. The developers’ story about the poisoned apple says it all. A player found a solution that nobody had specifically designed, because the systems were allowed to interact in ways that produced an unexpected result. That is the kind of emergent storytelling that made Oblivion special in the first place. The Nintendo Switch 2 version doesn’t try to replace that; it gives it a new home. My little brother had Morrowind. I had Oblivion, and I still don’t care for Skyrim (sorry). Nearly twenty years later, Bethesda has given me the opportunity to return to the game that introduced me to Tamriel, this time on a Nintendo handheld. They rebuilt a large portion of the underlying technology and made the game work on hardware that didn’t exist when Oblivion originally launched. But the brain is still there. The strange quests are still there, and the freedom is still there. And somewhere in Cyrodiil, there’s probably still an NPC doing something completely ridiculous for no apparent reason. That’s Oblivion, and that’s exactly what I wanted back.
Visually, the game is one of its strongest aspects. Unreal Engine 5 creates a convincing, drowning Lovecraftian city, although technical issues, performance drops, and occasional visual problems prevent it from feeling completely polished.
Mortal Shell II isn’t trying to prove that it can make a better Dark Souls. It’s trying to prove that a Soulslike can evolve without losing what made the genre special in the first place. And after playing it, I think Cold Symmetry has made a pretty convincing argument.
So, is Mistfall Hunter worth buying? If you enjoy high-risk gameplay, PvPvE combat, character progression, and the constant tension of deciding whether to stay or extract, then absolutely. It may still need some polishing, but there is a lot to like here. Mistfall Hunters understands what makes extraction games exciting: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose—but there is always a reason to go back into the mist and try again.
It’s been a while since Marvel took another serious shot at the fighting game genre, and handing the reins to Arc System Works initially seemed like an interesting pairing. As it turns out, it simply works. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls manages to be approachable enough that newcomers can start throwing out spectacular attacks within minutes, while its 4v4 system hides an impressive amount of depth for those willing to put in the time. Combine that with a varied roster, gorgeous anime-inspired presentation and a clear affection for the Marvel Universe, and both fighting game enthusiasts and Marvel fans should find plenty to enjoy here.
Perhaps that’s why the Switch 2 Edition works so well: it doesn’t need to reinvent Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Monolith Soft already did that in 2017. This time, it simply gives that experiment the hardware it deserved. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition makes Alrest sharper, smoother, and considerably easier on the eyes, while Merc Assault, MOMO, the new Pyra and Mythra styles, and the Field Skill improvement provide returning players with meaningful reasons to explore it all over again. Is it a completely new experience? No, and it doesn’t need to be. Because Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was already doing something more important back in 2017. It was proving that a sequel doesn’t have to follow the path laid out by its predecessor. Sometimes you need to build a completely different road, and sometimes, almost nine years later, you just need better hardware to appreciate where that road took you.
Disgaea Mayhem is an attempt to create a Musou-style fighting game in the Disgaea universe. The story captures the whimsical DNA of the main series to the fullest, but the gameplay feels lackluster. Battles feel repetitive and button-mashy, especially because you have to play every map four times without any change to the gameplay. Since you can get strong quickly, you don’t really need to engage with the side modes. Truly a shame, because waging large-scale war as an Overlord with demon armies could be so awesome, dude!
Whether every individual entry reaches the same heights is debatable, and the collection’s modern alterations will undoubtedly remain a point of contention among longtime fans. Yet taken as a whole, Blue Reflection Quartet succeeds in something far more difficult than simply compiling four releases onto a single cartridge. It preserves the identity of a franchise that has always dared to be different. It doesn’t want its players to simply become heroes, it asks them to become more understanding human beings, and that’s an idea worth preserving.
Looking back, Helix: Descent N Ascent worked best when it trusted me to figure things out for myself. The story is told without long explanations, and most puzzles expect you to experiment instead of waiting for a tutorial. For a large part of the game, that approach works really well. There were also moments where Helix became too vague for its own good, though. Instead of asking myself, “How do I solve this?”, I occasionally started wondering, “Am I even supposed to be doing this?” That can be frustrating, especially because the rest of the game proves that the developers know how to build clever puzzles. By the time the credits rolled, however, I was thinking more about the strange landscapes, the quiet story, and the puzzles that made me feel smart once everything finally clicked. Helix doesn’t always explain enough, but I would rather play a puzzle game that occasionally asks too much than one that gives away every answer before I have the chance to find it myself.
I wasn’t really sure if I needed another metroidvania, but Constance kept pulling me back in. Moving through the world as paint feels great once everything starts to click, and the story about creativity, pressure, and knowing when to stop gives the adventure a rather emotional experience. That being said, the map can be a bit too vague, and some bosses suddenly hit a lot harder than the sections leading up to them, but neither problem was strong enough to ruin the experience for me. Constance isn’t perfect, but it made me care about both the world and the person fighting her way through it. For me, that says enough.
Lies of P: Complete Edition is the most complete package released for the Pinocchio-themed Soulslike. Everything we came to know and love from the original release is still here, and the Switch 2 handles the game wonderfully. Both in handheld and docked mode, it runs at a stable frame rate without issues. The visual quality may not be comparable to the current-gen versions, offering last-gen textures that can sometimes be a bit too dark for comfort. But Lies of P feels right at home on the Switch 2, because being able to undock my console and take my game wherever I want is still the biggest benefit of them all.
Perhaps the nicest thing I can say about Teeto is that it never felt like the first game from such a small studio. It often reminded me of the work Playtonic has done, not because it copies those games directly, but because the developers clearly grew up with the same kind of collect-a-thons and knew which parts were worth bringing back. Teeto does not try to completely change the genre, and does not need to. Exploring colorful worlds, finding collectibles without being buried under them, and returning to older areas with a new ability were already enough to keep me interested. The game could have used a few harder optional challenges for experienced players, especially near the end, but its lower difficulty also makes it much easier to enjoy with children. For a first game from a small team, Teeto turned out better than I expected, and I would gladly see what Eat Pant Games does next.
Midnight Moments is less of a traditional game and more of a creative sandbox aimed at players who enjoy designing visually striking dystopian cityscapes. It offers a solid selection of building tools, customization options, and impressive lighting effects that allow creative minds to experiment with architecture, atmosphere, and composition. However, the lack of gameplay mechanics, objectives, varied presets, and quality-of-life features such as an undo function prevents it from feeling like a fully-fledged city builder. If you’re looking for a relaxing digital canvas to create your own cyberpunk-inspired metropolis, Midnight Moments delivers a satisfying experience. Those expecting resource management, progression systems, or city simulation elements will likely find it too limited. Ultimately, it succeeds as a niche creative tool, but falls short of offering the depth and replayability many players associate with the city-building genre.
Heave Ho 2 is difficult to get under control, and some challenges become frustrating when a small mistake ruins an otherwise good attempt. That being said, playing through it with my wife resulted in plenty of moments where our carefully discussed plan ended within seconds. The variation between regular campaign levels kept us interested, while Showdown offered a fun reason to turn against each other for a while. It takes patience, and you need a co-op partner who can laugh when things go wrong for the tenth time but if you find one of those, you’ll have a blast with Heave Ho 2 for sure!
Senara: The Sacrament won’t appeal to every horror fan, but those who appreciate immersive exploration and tension built through atmosphere rather than constant action will find a memorable experience. It proves that horror doesn’t always need monsters around every corner; it can be just as effective when it lets your own imagination fill in the gaps.
Gothic Remake 1 is a faithful return to a legendary RPG: it captures the original’s charm, rewarding progression, and immersive world while modernizing its visuals and adding meaningful quality-of-life improvements. Yet outdated combat mechanics, technical stuttering, and rough animations hold it back from true greatness. For longtime fans, this remake is a fun revival; for newcomers, it remains a demanding but deeply rewarding RPG adventure. For veteran players, the game will have almost everything they wanted due to the refreshing remade features; however, I do believe newcomers will feel a bit out of touch with the core game plan and vision of the game due to the lack of hand-holding and its time-consuming grind.
Halo: Campaign Evolved does exactly what I hoped it would do. It brings back the original campaign without messing with the foundations too much, while making the classic moments look and play better than ever. Some cutscenes are a bit rough, and the lack of traditional multiplayer will hurt for some fans, but as a campaign remake, this really delivers. The co-op, Skulls, and new Operation: METEORITE missions give returning players a good reason to come back, while newcomers finally get a modern way to experience where Halo started.
Splatoon Raiders surprised me in the best way possible. I expected a fun solo experiment, but Nintendo turned it into a surprisingly deep spin-off with raids, smart loadout choices, great bosses and a fun co-op system. Some raids might feel repetitive after a while, but the constant stream of weapons, gadgets, mods and upgrades kept me hooked from start to finish. This isn’t just something to play while waiting for Splatoon 4, it’s proof that Splatoon can work really well outside of its usual multiplayer comfort zone.
Star Ocean The Second Story R remains a fantastic remake. It brings back an old-school JRPG without making it feel dusty; the 2.5D style still looks great, battles are fast and fun, and the mix of fantasy and science-fiction still gives the game its own flavor. On Nintendo Switch 2, everything simply feels cleaner and smoother, making this the best Nintendo version of the game by far. It’s just a shame that Square Enix made the jump from Switch to Switch 2 more annoying than needed. No upgrade pack and no save transfer are hard to defend, especially for returning players. But if you missed the game the first time around and you’re looking for a classic JRPG to play on Switch 2, this is a very easy recommendation. Star Ocean: The Second Story R was already worth playing, and this version makes that journey among the stars feel even better.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulu is a gripping Lovecraftian co-op experience that excels in atmosphere, sound design, and its brilliantly unsettling insanity system, creating genuinely unique moments with every expedition. While the combat and progression systems still need refinement to sustain long-term engagement, the game’s eerie charm and psychological horror make it a memorable and highly promising adventure for fans of cosmic terror.