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Like 1st Chapter, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is a remake made by a team that clearly shows love and reverence for the original game, and genuinely enjoyed making it. The second arc of Estelle’s journey is still an experience with noticeably higher highs and lower lows than its first, but those highs are truly incredible. While I do have a modest amount more complaints, both with the remake and Sky’s second chapter in general, they end up feeling more like nitpicks overall in the grand scheme of things, and I had a blast revisiting it in full 3D. It delivers on a lot of what 1st Chapter set up, with some of the most emotionally compelling character arcs in any RPG I’ve ever seen. While I am still somewhat partial to the tighter and more reserved way the original Sky SC was handled, this is still a great way to experience this game and story that are very near and dear to my heart.
Mystery Dungeon has moved onto greener pastures since its first outing, but much of that success was owed to a surprisingly solid first outing. Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD- is an alright look at its humble beginnings. While the overall quality of the port is in need of some elbow grease (particularly in the audiovisual department), a good English localization and generally fun gameplay make it a worthwhile endeavor for any Mystery Dungeon aficionados. The focus on collecting money and rare items is genuinely still a unique factor even when taking the broader franchise into consideration, and although this doesn’t smooth over its relatively thin novelty, a short runtime at least means that it won’t risk becoming too stale. I would not say that this is essential for anyone other than diehards, but I definitely had fun experiencing the ups and downs, the trials and errors, and the great sense of victory that comes with Mystery Dungeon.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a home run for Capcom. It’s an amazing way of bringing the series back into the forefront of gamers' minds. The series has always had a bit of a struggle with its identity, often just resembling a samurai version of Resident Evil or even, confusingly, a Smash Bros clone at one point. I think Capcom drawing influence from the soulslike style of game couldn’t have worked better; it has all the cinematic flair you would come to expect from the developer while not doing the obvious thing of just copying and leaning on a certain Dante-led series. Much like a rose, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a beauty with a few barbs. The difficulty is going to be mixed for some, and the fluff of the open world can really do a number on the pacing. But all in all, Capcom has once again put the gaming world on notice with a very strong contender for Game of the Year 2026 and has done an amazing job of resurrecting another long-forgotten franchise. I can only hope that one day I can see them bring back another of their dormant series as spectacularly as they have with this one.
Cocoro the robot girl is plenty lovable, but I found the COCORO the visual novel unambitious and overly sentimental. It doesn’t do anything interesting with its science fiction setting and characters, nor does it really earn the emotional climaxes it aspires to. That said, if you enjoyed Konno Asta’s previous works like ATRI and GINKA or just want to indulge in a cute robot girl, you’ll probably find something to like in COCORO.
HimaNatsu: Of Churches, Sunflowers, and Long Summers is a nakige that makes use of summer imagery to tell a story about the inevitability of change as a part of our lives. Clamoring for one more unforgettable summer, they end up rediscovering themselves in each other as they face both their shared pasts and what prevents them from moving forward. But just like how summer ends and flowers wilt, their tribulations come and go. Will they wait for a better time, or will they have to move now? There’s no one answer for their respective journeys, but they can at least pray for each other’s happiness. Despite the overall cohesiveness of its themes, there are some nitpicks that feel a bit off-putting given its typing as a nakige. Missed opportunities for story momentum, oddly placed adult content, and rushed pacing are only some of these, but they’re mostly minor grievances. At the end of the day, while there are feelings of inconsistency between parts of the game due to its collaborative nature, it boasts consistent messaging that’s sure to thaw even frozen hearts. With great visuals, an impressive musical track list, and a relaxing atmosphere, HimaNatsu is a feel-good romance story you should definitely give a try. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to rediscover yourself through them this summer as well.
When Apidya’ Special landed on my desk, I had no idea who this package would be for. After playing it for a handful of hours, I can wholeheartedly say that it’s a game for me! It’s a loving remake of a cult Amiga classic with enough tweakable options to make the game enjoyable for gamers of all skill levels. It looks fantastic in both its original and enhanced modes, and those visuals and quirky stage design help separate it from the other Shmups on the block. I don’t think it’s going to attract much of a new crowd given how niche a title it is, but for you retro enthusiasts out there, Apidya’ Special is absolutely worth it. It’s a loving remaster of a unique title from yesteryear, when games didn’t really need a reason; they just took an idea and ran with it. Or, in this case, turned into a wasp and flew with it!
The Sinking City 2 is a solid survival horror and a great way to lead into the spooky season of gaming. What it lacks in identity it makes up for in providing a genuinely tense and challenging game, lovingly wrapped in the blanket of H.P. Lovecraft. It provides a tight narrative and gameplay experience, but loses some of the stronger investigative mechanics from the original game in exchange.
I want to like Angeline Era substantially more than I actually do. There’s plenty of love put into the game, with lots of appreciation for both the early 2D and 3D eras of action games, and its presentation largely nails what it’s going for. There’s definitely an audience for the game here if they can get past some of its design faults. The gameplay loop just left a lot to be desired, as its simplicity ends up being exposed by its areas of weaker or questionable design. The story has a couple of moments, but left very little meaningful impression on me. It’s a game that drags its simple concept on for too long and left me feeling fatigued well before the finish line, despite not being an especially long game. Even as someone who has been a bit of a defender of bump combat in action games, I find Angeline Era doesn’t really serve as a kind of shining example that does that system as well as I would like.
Splatoon Raiders is the kind of game that the Splatoon series had always been missing before this point. As a fan of single-player games over multiplayer games, it naturally wound up appealing to me more than the mainline games do. Without the typical baggage of Splatoon’s online play such as map and game mode rotations, the end result is something that feels more focused and considered towards single-player and cooperative play. The surprisingly high skill curve and daunting enemy designs also makes it one of the toughest Nintendo games in a while, with a real mean streak that allows the customization elements to be fully leveraged. This in conjunction with a surprisingly long main campaign makes for a game that’s easy to enjoy fully with friends or by your lonesome. Pretty much the only issue with it is that it’s somewhat wanting for variety, as all its got going on is the core Splatoon gameplay, which is as good as ever, but potentially not a good sell for everyone without the multiplayer or live service elements that help define it. While I don’t think the end result is quite as strong as it perhaps could have been, it’s very much a worthy entry in the Splatoon series.
Koikata: How Our Love Grows stands out for its striking art and cute heroines. While the plot was rather thin in most routes, I enjoyed learning about the heroines' problems and seeing the protagonist support them, helping where he can.
LABYRINTHOS: The Depths Want You is a dark fantasy visual novel with roguelite gameplay elements that present the journey of a single man to reclaim his past. Despite what would be a long struggle against forces of Chaos and the temptations of flesh, he ascends the tower to discover more about himself, and by the end, finally reclaim his freedom. There are a lot of interesting story elements scattered around that readers can appreciate if they piece them bit by bit, but the pacing relative to the frequency of erotic content makes it a little bit hard to digest the storyline as it unfurls. It requires a lot of persistence from the reader to get through the slog of its simplistic gameplay loop to finally get to the meat of its narrative. By that point, it might be hard to say whether or not it was worth the trip. For people who are keen on reading consistently interesting dialogue, this one might not be for you. Between the lackluster gameplay and the buffet of honey pots, there are too many stopping points that break the flow for what otherwise would have been a fine dark fantasy story. But for those who like equal amounts of plot twists and curves, you might have found your next interesting pick-up. There’s a protagonist that serves as an easy self-insert, and there’s plenty of ladies to woo along the way. I highly recommend it for people who like picking up girls in dungeons without the need to make any commitments.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition offers the definitive way to experience one of the first truly great JRPGs of the Nintendo Switch. This game is just as immersive and captivating as it was nine years ago, but with a few additional perks and tweaks to really bring it to life now that it isn't running on a system being completely pushed to its limit. While its main plot and combat systems are more adequate than outstanding and can put off at least a few players expecting more from them, its lovable array of characters, awe-inspiring and imaginative landscapes, unique world, and gorgeous soundtrack makes it one of the most memorable RPGs of the 2010s. Even if it’s in a “better than the sum of its parts” way. There’s so much to do and so much to see in the world of Alrest, and a lot of it is still pretty great.
Starsand Island gets an incredibly begrudging recommendation, with a list of asterisks next to it. It’s a surprisingly fun core experience, and it implements a ton of features that I wish other life simulation games had with great-feeling gameplay. The way everything interlinks is done really well, and there’s tons to unlock. Sadly, it’s let down by the minimal content around the characters and an incredible number of bugs and other issues to the point that it feels like it should have never left early access before being dealt with. Yet despite all the problems it has, it’s just enjoyable enough in many ways to somewhat forgive the issues and keep playing for hours on end.
My (♂) Life as a Vampire's Maid (♀) offers a very specific combination of tropes, but even as someone who enjoys many of them, I found the game to be ultimately forgettable. The narrative does have a few interesting ideas, and the characters can be charming and quite funny. Sadly, it simply fails to fully develop its narrative or pull me in with its more salacious content. Still, its niche appeal might convince some people to give it a shot.
Sister Other Paranoia is a psychological horror visual novel that features sensitive mental health issues and overlays it with an eventual descent into madness. By poking at the truths that people hide to protect both themselves and others, it unleashes a feeling of fear related to breaking subtle social norms that everyone has experienced in some shape or form at some point in their lives. Hasuya, alongside the rest of the cast, provide sets of dialogue that seek to understand forms of internal, interpersonal conflicts and encourages readers’ introspection to appreciate character arcs’ resolutions. Although relatively simplistic and straightforward in terms of the storyline, Hasuya’s own journey, his interactions, and his borderline metafictional reflections about social issues make for an interesting and memorable experience. Additionally, the themes that Sister Other Paranoia features give much-needed visibility to people who might suffer from similar forms of social anxiety as the members of the cast. With excellent visual assets, a cohesive presentation, and an impressive lineup of musical tracks, it’s hard not to enjoy Sister Other Paranoia. For those looking for a more sensitive creative work to read, it’s not a bad candidate for a pickup. There will be people who enjoy the game less because of the compromises as a result of its limited length, but I think the game’s well-rounded enough to be a strong title regardless. I recommend giving it a go if the subject matter is something that interests you. It’s short, cute, and easy enough to relate to. I enjoyed my time reading this one, and I’m looking forward to what HazeDenki will have in store for us next.
STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is a science fiction visual novel that seeks to enhance the original STEINS;GATE visual novel’s reading experience by featuring redrawn art assets, rerecorded voice lines, an updated soundtrack, a few additional scenarios, and a polished modern UI. By drawing inspiration from the charm of the traditional visual novel format and the updated flow in STEINS;GATE ELITE, it brings its well-loved time travel story to 2026 for old fans to relive and for younger fans to experience for themselves. With the incorporation of the E-mote system as part of its visual presentation, STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT’s cast exudes liveliness previously unseen in previous versions. It achieves the balance of providing entertaining motions to the characters without transitioning into a fully animated title like ELITE, avoiding the weaknesses that format brings. Overall, I do think that despite its shortcomings (see: the handling of the character 4°C), STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is now the best way to experience the Future Gadget Lab’s journey through Rintarou’s eyes. It’s definitely worth a try, and I highly recommend it for both old and new lab members. With that being said, there is still the consideration of prices across all of the available versions. In terms of experiencing the full story, the original STEINS;GATE fulfills that purpose well enough for half the price point ($30) of the two other versions, ELITE and RE:BOOT, which are both at $60. ELITE, on the other hand, is bundled together with the side story Linear Bounded Phenogram as a package. Honestly, it’s a pretty opportunistic move given that you’re forced to get the animated version of the visual novel if you wanted to read the spin-off. Fortunately, these versions go on sale frequently enough that getting both of them is still probably cheaper than RE:BOOT will be for a good while. You’d be missing out on the new features that RE:BOOT offers, but they’re more fanservice additions than requirements to fully appreciate the STEINS;GATE world. Regardless, RE:BOOT is definitely worth the try, and I highly recommend it for both old and new lab members alike.
Ready or Not – The Deadline is Coming! spends more time telling the reader about the challenges of the eroge industry than focusing on romance with its cast of mostly older heroines, and that’s what helps it stand out. With an interesting premise and a surprisingly informative story told in an entertaining way, it’s also worth reading this visual novel if you have any interest in the industry itself.
Staffer Retro: A Supernatural Mystery Quest is a worthy follow-up to Staffer Case that expands and enriches the Staffer universe. Though it focuses more on narrative than puzzles and has somewhat different strengths and weaknesses than its predecessor, Staffer Retro maintains the series’ main thematic thrust and has me excited to see where the story will go next.
Blue Reflection Quartet is an impressive collection that goes surprisingly far in some areas while falling short in others. Blue Reflection is a good if flawed game that certainly could have used more comprehensive improvements, and the changes to Sun from the original gacha game go much further than I would’ve expected. Ray was admittedly not as good as I’d hoped, but I do appreciate that they made a new, albeit very short, game just for this compilation. The lack of inclusion of the existing DLC is also a slight letdown. In the end, Blue Reflection: Second Light is the star of this collection, and it brings with it all the titles that lead up to it and the context and character introductions they bring. Given that buying Quartet is cheaper than buying Second Light, which is already more than worth it at the higher price point, the inclusion of the other titles is icing on the cake.
70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X isn’t going to quite match the shmup genre’s elites, but it is absolutely a quirky, unique, and fun experience with an average, if janky, shmup attached to it. I, for one, feel it is absolutely going to resonate with its target audience of classic anime fans and those who crave something a little more unusual in their life. Like a dynamic time capsule from the 1990s emulating the 1970s, 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X does a fantastic job of being a playable and fun Saturday Morning Cartoon, with enough content and spirit to keep even the most casual of fans engaged in the battle of Geppy-X and the Space Devil Empire. Go, Geppy-X, win the war and inspire the hearts of the world!