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Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection demonstrates that the series has really come into its own in recent years. With its engaging story, strong visuals, and excellent soundtrack, it immerses you in a wonderful world filled with unique creatures. The Monsterpedia offers a great mix of classic monsters and newer additions from more recent titles. Combat can feel a bit random at first during clashes, but once you unlock the Rite of Channeling, you can customize your Monsties to your heart’s content. If you’re looking to dive into this vibrant world and push back against the encroaching threat, this is an easy recommendation.
Tales of Berseria Remastered brings one of the best stories in the franchise to modern consoles, but the Nintendo Switch version never quite feels like a true remaster. Content-wise, there are some welcome quality-of-life improvements, yet graphical hiccups and a capped framerate prevent it from fully living up to that label. It’s still one of the strongest stories the series has to offer, but sadly not the best remaster.
Resident Evil Requiem is the new blueprint for what survival horror should be. Capcom really delivered with its dual perspective, offering extreme horror on one side and over-the-top action on the other. It’s the perfect marriage of the two Resident Evil styles, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. There are small letdowns in the story that prevent me from giving it a perfect score, but this one is a no-brainer nevertheless. If you’re a fan of the genre, this is a must-have.
Planet of Lana II stays true to its original vision while carefully expanding upon it. Instead of starting over, Wishfully tweaks it all while addressing critiques of the first game and delivering a more varied, more in-depth experience without sacrificing its familiarity and fitting charm. The added mobility, more layered puzzles, and greater variety in environments help the sequel feel more dynamic overall. Anyone who enjoys thoughtful platforming puzzles wrapped in a cinematic, emotionally driven story will find much to appreciate in Planet of Lana II.
Whether you’re revisiting the game from 2004 or you’re a young trainer who would like to know how the pinnacle of classic Pokémon plays like, FireRed or LeafGreen is the way to go. You’ll find them on the eShop for $20 each. The price is up for discussion, and I leave that up to you on some forum, but I do understand that the decision raises some eyebrows. The reason they’re not included in the NSO is probably because that system allows “rewinds and save states”. Something GameFreak isn’t keen on. And with the addition of the Pokémon Home compatibility, which will be able to receive Pokémon from these re-releases, it’s only fair. Home will probably be able to send Pokémon to the upcoming Pokémon Champions game, which will be a competitive game in the series, so I understand the fairness in teambuilding that is implied with this decision. Now we need Pokémon Emerald to complete the set of Advance games to fully explore the classic Pokémon feel!
Ys X: Proud Nordics is an enhanced version of a good JRPG that could have elevated it to greatness, but it left me wanting more on some of the promises made. The story remains the game’s highlight, with intriguing plot development, great new characters and locations, and a dungeon as icing on the cake. However, the combat feels repetitive and button-mashy at times, so some new mechanics would have been welcome alongside the further skill mastery and mana hold. The graphics are also a mixed bag: the character design and cutscenes are great, but the muddy textures sometimes made me wonder if this was a current-gen game. This may be limited to the Switch 2 version that I played, but I think Ys X: Proud Nordics would have benefited from more development time and a longer break after the first game, which is still fresh in the minds of most fans.
Tokyo Scramble starts with a few interesting ideas, but it never manages to make them entertaining. Between the messy story, unclear stealth, recycled enemies, and a gameplay loop that quickly wears thin, this ends up feeling unfinished. I kept waiting for it to click, but in the end, it simply didn’t.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is still a fantastic RPG, and the jump to 60fps on Switch 2 genuinely makes a huge difference. Sadly, the strange upscaling in handheld holds this version back from feeling truly definitive. Docked looks great, portable less so. With a patch, this could easily be fixed, but right now it feels like an upgrade with rough edges, and that’s a shame for a game this iconic.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is not a game you rush through. It doesn’t hand you the ending, it invites you to dive for it, piece by piece, like a diver searching for a lost pearl. Its pacing can be deliberate, its story demanding, and its branches sometimes unfurl more slowly than players might expect, but there’s elegance in that patience. This is a game that doesn’t rely on cheap scares or gimmicks. It leans into mythic depth, human emotion, and story mechanics that respect the player’s intelligence. It draws you into a world that feels real, yet steeped in the uncanny, and it stays with you long after the ending, gently urging you back for another dive. And please, search for the True Ending. It’s so worth looking into the mechanics behind it. Trust me.
High on Life 2 is bigger and louder than the first game, but it also feels more considered. Movement finally matters and feels tight while exploration feeds back into progression in meaningful ways. The humor is still relentless, but it’s paced better, and the world gives you more space to exist between jokes. It’s not flawless. I ran into performance hiccups on Xbox, and not every gag lands. Some fights still drift into visual overload. But I never felt bored, and I never felt like the game was coasting on novelty alone. If you enjoyed the first game’s energy, this gives you more of that but with better flow and stronger structure underneath. If you already hated the talking guns, you won’t last long here.
Halfway through the game, I stopped comparing it to the big God of War entries and just let it be what it is; that helped a lot. Some fights could’ve hit harder. A few bosses are cool in the moment but don’t really stick. The map made me circle back more than once, wondering if I missed something obvious. And yet… I kept going. It’s not spectacular. It’s not one of those “you have to play this” entries in the franchise. But it’s a solid, surprisingly thoughtful Metroidvania with Kratos at the center, and once I met it on its own terms, I genuinely enjoyed my time with it.
Nioh 3 proves to be more than just another Souls-like entry in an abundant genre. Nioh 3 turns out to be an experience that was both rewarding and deeply engaging. Its greatest strength lies in its combat depth. The dual-stance system—Samurai and Ninja—creates a dynamic back-and-forth that forces players to think, adapt, and master timing rather than rely solely on button-mashing. The KI system, switching between stances, varied weapons types, Ninjutsu, martial arts abilities, talent tree, and expansive build options ensure that no two battles feel the same. Boss fights are challenging yet fair, offering flexibility and strategic freedom that make victories feel earned rather than frustrating. Beyond combat, the open-field design marks a major evolution for the series. Exploration feels meaningful and rewarding, filled with mini-bosses, side missions, and powerful loot that truly impact your build. The added mobility through sprinting and jumping enhances both combat tactics and world traversal, making the environments feel alive and immersive. Even with minor technical hiccups in performance mode on PS5, the overall experience remains smooth and visually impressive. Ultimately, Nioh 3 refines everything that made its predecessors strong while boldly expanding the formula. It is challenging yet accessible, complex yet well-introduced, chaotic at first yet deeply satisfying once mastered. For fans of action RPGs—and especially those who enjoy strategic, skill-based combat—Nioh 3 stands as the most complete and ambitious entry in the series to date.
With Gear.Club Unlimited 3, nothing gets reinvented, but plenty gets refined. The addition of Japan, a tighter Career flow, Highway Mode, and deeper customization give the game more variety and confidence, while Switch 2 finally lets it run the way it should. It’s an accessible racer with enough depth for car fans and competitive players alike, and an easy entry point for families. Not groundbreaking, just solid, polished, and comfortable in its own lane.
Styx: Blades of Greed successfully brings the goblin anti-hero back into the spotlight with refined mechanics, strong vertical level design, and flexible stealth gameplay. The addition of Quartz abilities adds fresh tactical options, and the semi-open environments encourage exploration more than ever before. However, while the game plays smoothly and offers a consistently enjoyable stealth experience, it rarely dares to surprise. The core loop begins to feel repetitive, and the innovation expected after such a long hiatus simply isn’t fully realised. For fans of the series, this is a worthy continuation. For the genre at large, it’s a solid entry rather than a defining one.
If you’re buying a Switch 2 primarily for family play and social sessions, this is a top-tier pick. It’s one of those rare Nintendo titles that comfortably spans age groups: kids giggle and learn quickly; adults find the depth keeps giving. If you’re a competitive player, the ranked mode and crisp core mechanics offer a rewarding ladder to climb, though the lack of lab-grade analytics might push power users to third-party tools for deeper study. In short: Mario Tennis: Fever is easy to learn, hard to master, and, most importantly, built to be played with other people. It preserves Mario’s charm while delivering actual mechanical depth. Whether you want short bursts of chaotic couch fun with your kids, a mini-tournament with friends, or a longer grind in ranked matches, the game gives you all of it with Nintendo’s usual polish. It’s charmingly domestic, deceptively deep, and a multiplayer delight, making it a solid must-play this year. Just ask yourself this: Do I want to fork over 60-70 bucks for a tennis game? Because it’s still a tennis game, even though it’s one of the best tennis games Nintendo has ever put out.
REANIMAL is Tarsier Studios at their darkest, and at their most confident. It takes familiar ideas and expands them into something bigger, scarier, and more deliberate. It’s not perfect, but its atmosphere, co-op design, and standout set pieces left a strong impression. One of the most memorable modern horror games I’ve played in a while.
In many ways, Romeo Is a Dead Man feels like the ultimate Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture game, combining so many crazy ideas into one experience. It’s by far one of the most original and surprising games I’ve played in years, and I honestly can’t stop thinking about it. Can I easily recommend it to everyone? Not really, it’s a bit too out there. But at its lower price point, it’s definitely worth giving a shot. If you’re tired of sequels and remakes, give Romeo some love and save the multiverse together.
In Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Square Enix once again proves its ability to do a remake justice. The new orchestral soundtrack and handcrafted visual style not only elevate the immersion, but also make the game more enjoyable. The changes that streamline both story and gameplay also make the transition to newer hardware much more enjoyable. Combined with the deep accessibility options that let you adjust the difficulty and the episodic structure of the separate islands, this makes for a long RPG that even the busiest players will be able to enjoy at their own pace. If the quality of recent Dragon Quest games sets a new standard, I can’t wait to see what the teams at Square Enix will show us next.
I Hate This Place has a strong identity and some genuinely compelling ideas. Its early hours make effective use of sound, darkness, and isolation, and its visual style gives it a personality that’s hard to ignore. But the systems underneath don’t push back hard enough to sustain that tension. Survival becomes comfortable, and for a horror game, that’s just a shame and something I can’t ignore. I didn’t hate my time with I Hate This Place, but it could have been so much better.
As a remaster, Fighting Force Collection does exactly what it needs to do. Both games run well, look as good as possible, and are presented in a way that respects their original form. There are no game-breaking issues, no lazy emulation shortcuts, and no technical excuses. This is a competent, respectful revival. Where the first Fighting Force remains the clear highlight: still fun, still chaotic, and still best enjoyed with a second player on the couch. It’s proof that good core design can outlast technical limitations. The second game? It’s… fine. Functional. Interesting in a historical sense. But also a strong example of why some games are better remembered than replayed. And that’s okay. Not every classic needs to be reinvented, and not every sequel deserves the same reverence as its predecessor. The Fighting Force Collection succeeds because it lets you experience both and decide for yourself. So, what you get is a solid, enjoyable remaster anchored by a genuinely fun original game, slightly dragged down by a sequel that time hasn’t been kind to. Yes, it’s worth playing, worth remembering, just maybe not worth revisiting everything.