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Dirtbag Mahjong is a relatively casual little single-player Mahjong game with a fun little twist, starring an irreverent sitcom-esque basement full of largely sapphic/LGBTQ+ goofs. The story mode is hit and miss in its humor and gameplay, but I enjoyed enough of it for what it was. It’s a relatively casual little game best enjoyed at your own pace, where it can be decently fun.
The enormity of Octopath Traveler 0 is something that must be seen to be believed. Official developer comments about the game’s playtime being around 100 hours weren't made with exaggeration, and even with that, I never felt like so much as a minute of my time was wasted. The stories it tells are grand and sweeping, and all fit snugly into a greater work that feels sort of like a playable epic. Octopath’s core gameplay in exploration, combat, team-building and mid battle strategy have also evolved considerably. The eight-character system and high number of party members means that just about everyone is going to approach it differently, and that's before getting into the open world and exploratory elements, which have also been noticeably improved. What ties this all together is the high quality of its writing. It's probably my favorite video game narrative since Dragon Quest VII (which still sits as my favorite in general), combining lots of interesting themes and talking points with a flair for the theatrical. It's over the top in ways that feel deliberate and serve to heighten the emotions felt by the characters, who themselves are very compelling. While I would never say story is the sole reason you should play Octopath Traveler 0, it is the greatest factor in why all of its systems synergize so well. From top to bottom, I loved this game to pieces. It's to a point that, after a while, I began to ask “How in the world are they supposed to top this?”
Last Command is a master class in taking an idea to its creative limit. The game’s concept of “Snake meets bullet hell” is simple yet surprisingly novel, and it constantly demonstrates new ways to incorporate additional twists on its ideas. It has its share of limitations in narrative areas and an unfortunately weak translation, but it makes up for that with some brilliant, inventive combat and boss design, which is where you’ll be spending most of your playthrough. The game became one of my favorites of 2022 from the sheer number of times it managed to do something that impressed me and left me awestruck in spite of its seemingly humble exterior.
R-Type Delta: HD Boosted to me feels like a game laser-focused toward existing fans of the R-Type franchise who may have missed out on it when it first came out. While certainly enjoyable, it isn’t the title I would say would most appeal to newcomers; rather, the value comes from wanting the next challenge in an incredibly challenging series. With a slightly done-up lick of paint, a new soundtrack, and the chance to play this title on newer systems, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is going to be one for the Shmup masochists to sink their teeth into and for fans of retro to gush over while repeatedly hitting the walls of the stages. It’s good to know going in that this game will kick your teeth in and that progress is going to take time; once you do, you’ll find yourself with a rewarding and infuriating retro shmup that finally has its chance to shine outside of its original PlayStation prison.
Galaxy Princess Zorana is a worthy successor to Long Live the Queen and a great game in its own right. The combination of stat management, tons of potential paths to explore, and secrets to find even after I was crowned kept me playing it for hours. Just be aware, the path to the throne is not a simple one, but through trial and error, you’ll soon hear those important words; All hail Zorana, Empress-Elect of the Celestial Empire.
Purely off the charm of its setting, commitment to its motif, and a relatively fun combat system at its core, I can almost recommend Kingdoms of the Dump. Unfortunately, it just feels incredibly unpolished and undercooked. It’s littered (no pun intended) with incomplete sections, massive swaths of graphical issues, major design problems, and many bugs of the bad variety. The farther in I got, the less polished the game felt, such that by the final act I began to doubt if even the non-buggy parts were properly playtested. The story and characters also just don’t elevate the game past these issues. I had a share of fun despite navigating around these issues. There are plenty of cool ideas here. This game is an obvious love letter to the great JRPGs of old. Sadly, the handwriting of that love letter is very messy in a few too many places.
Whether you're new to Zelda, new to Warriors, or a veteran of both, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a joy to play. With surprisingly deep combat for a Warriors game and an incredible amount to unlock, it'll keep you playing for hours on end.
Home Sweet Homecoming (E School Life) is a romance visual novel that leads you through the experience of high school love. It lets you peek into common troubles that everyone experiences such as anxiously confessing your feelings, sharing various kinds of firsts, and planning an ideal future with your partner. The way it frames its characters' interactions is personal and intimate, making it quite an endearing title for those who might wish to try and relive that specific part of their youth. On the other hand, it is almost a blank slate when it comes to creating a moving and entertaining story. Most of the scenarios depicted in the visual novel are mundane in nature, and hence, are relatively tame in both stakes and possible opportunities for conflicts. While there are glimpses of inner character motivations rooted in their personalities and circumstances, the narrative does the bare minimum to acknowledge this, and as such, keeps them relatively inconsequential for their individual character arcs. This also means that Ryoutarou as a protagonist falls largely flat, having been deprived of big opportunities for character growth or change. Ironically, this makes him an ideal protagonist for self-insert stories, as his presence is largely negligible due to a lack of unique, impressionable traits. Hence, if you’re seeking deeper, meaningful connections and conversations between characters in a story, then this title is not for you. Given the amount of time it takes to finish its story, you’d be better off picking another title from your never-ending backlog. Should you be craving a small reminder of what was or what could have been, feel free to pick up Home Sweet Homecoming as your next title to read! It’s a light and enjoyable way to spend time without becoming overly invested, as it’s mostly a feel-good story with lots of cliches that help depict the excitement of young love. Don’t work that brain too much though, you might find yourself disappointed once you start seeking out the specifics of their loving relationships.
As a collection of iconic titles through the early years of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is a great package. It has some curious omissions such as Mortal Kombat Gold or Digital Eclipse’s own Gameboy Color port of Mortal Kombat 4, but all in all, there is enough here for any fan or curious fighter to get stuck into and find their new or old favorite death match. As an online competitive fighter, it’s an unacceptable release. The lack of basic features such as lobbies and crossplay really hampers what could have been the definitive way to play these titles. As it stands, it may be the only way to play most of these online with other people, but it’s a far cry from what fans of the franchise wanted. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection as a Kollection is great, well worth the asking price and time for any fans of the legendary tournament. With patches in the horizon, I can only hope this game ends up a true champion, but if you don’t have much of an interest in the history or preservation of the series, it comes off as a chump.
Lumines Arise offers one of the most joyous experiences I’ve had yet in a video game, one I will keep coming back to for years to come. It’s a meticulously crafted effort of love, love which shines through every part of the experience. It takes a winning formula and touches on it enough to bring it more life than Lumines has maybe ever had. It’s not just one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played; it’s one of the best and most triumphant releases of 2025 all around. Seldom does a game just melt away the time and the bad vibes quite like this one. Please, play this game.
As a free to play game, Sonic Rumble is fine. It provides a Fall Guys-esque battle royale platforming experience with just enough Sonic flavor to distinguish itself adequately as its own thing, though not enough to quite capture the distilled essence of the blue blur. The developers have also been working on implementing new ideas and improving the experience, which is welcome for a live service game. Unfortunately, almost every positive with this game has some sort of caveat, which makes me question its long-term prospects. Ring Survival is a bit lacking in variety at present and doesn’t feel very winnable if you don’t place really well in its first stage. Its monetization can feel almost predatory especially with purchasable upgrades that provide tangible advantages in stages, and the restriction on game modes availability is disappointing. I don’t regret my time playing Sonic Rumble and had a share of fun, but I also don’t see myself coming back to this game years down the line. I don’t love drawing comparisons to competitors on the market, but it’s hard to find a reason to keep playing Sonic Rumble over its generally superior competition.
Double Dragon Revive will not be the return to form that it should have been for some. Others may look beyond the iffy art direction and new-yet-dated graphics and find a very competent and, dare I say, fun brawler with a healthy dose of combat. You’ll find me in the camp of the latter. It’s always welcome to see the Lee Brothers, and while it’s not quite as addictive or fun as Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons, it offers plenty for fans of the genre and the franchise. It’s one I’ll return to time and time again, and I would love to see a sequel to see how the developers would tackle a remake of Double Dragon II in this style.
Harmonic Reflections is a refreshingly grounded drama with thoughtful characters and an appropriately contemplative atmosphere. It could have been more impactful with a stronger protagonist and more developed climax, but it’s worth the read if you’re in the market for a short, focused visual novel.
I was incredibly curious to see if Bloober Team could make it 2-for-2 since 2024, especially considering that up until the Silent Hill 2 remake, they hadn’t dealt with combat before. I’m glad to say not only is Cronos: The New Dawn a success with its combat, but they also managed to really nail the tension of working with low resources and making key choices in the way you can only get from a survival horror. Cronos: the New Dawn offers a gripping tale, plenty of jump scares, more tension than the bottom of the ocean, and a world you'll just want to explore. It did a fantastic job of reminding me exactly what I love about the genre, and wasn’t afraid to humble me when I got too cocky. This is an essential title for horror fanatics and people looking for a unique way to spend their Halloween.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake surprised me with the transformative experiences they offer. While they fall short of the highs of Dragon Quest III’s modern conversion, that’s more in testament to how these games specifically aimed to offer the fullest and most complete-feeling iterations of the first two titles. Dragon Quest I in particular left me very pleasantly surprised, turning an experience many would call antiquated into something fresh and modern, but still dedicated to the old-school roots that defined it. Dragon Quest II’s turns one of the more unremarkable chapters in the series’ history into something to be celebrated. The new map was a lot of fun to explore, and the new party member brings in some considered rebalancing to the entire game that makes it even more enjoyable than before. When combined with III’s remake from last year, I dare say this is my favorite modern RPG trilogy in recent memory.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A departs from the mainline Pokémon titles and succeeds in telling its own story, with a very engaging battle system. It has a great gameplay loop that kept me hooked from start to end, and plenty to find in a small city. While not perfect, it feels like a new take on Pokémon, with elements I'd love to see carry over to the next mainline installment.
There’s not really much more that needs to be said about Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2, is there? Even now, they remain quintessential examples of Nintendo being masters of the craft. If you can swallow the hefty price tag, you’ll find that these are excellent ports that bring out these games’ full potential in both graphics and performance. While the control scheme in Handheld Mode is disappointingly finicky, Docked Mode and Tabletop Mode offer up experiences that feel nearly as good as they did back on the Wii. I think both of these games are must-plays if you enjoy 3D platformers. While I wouldn’t say Galaxy 1 warrants the extra purchase if you already own 3D All-Stars, definitely jump into Galaxy 2 if you haven’t already.
Hollow Knight: Silksong asks the player to meet on its own terms. It's completely unashamed of itself or the challenges and warts of the experience it offers. Even its strongest supporters will likely say that it pissed them off at some point or another. It revels in its own excess to the point of hubris at times, and most of its issues feel like a consequence of said hubris. Yet underneath it all, I think Silksong is one of the most triumphant sequels I’ve ever played. It leans into a great many of the strengths of its forebearer while improving on so many areas, all without sacrificing the trademark ruthlessness of Hollow Knight. Silksong combines excellent action and platforming into one of the most salient, gripping, and addictive platformers I’ve ever played.
The biggest barrier to recommending Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is not really a functional one. The game wasn’t made to be the most balanced experience and it has many of the issues that typically limit crossover titles in their ambition, but it’s still made with the goal of fun in mind, and it’s chock full of goodies. This is also far from a rush job of a port to modern systems, as refint/games did a lot to make the game play well and feel fitting among these franchises’ existing western releases, given the game featuring dual audio, maintaining a consistent English voice cast, and the work that went into its online features. Indeed, as someone who played the original PSP title many moons ago, this is more than I could have hoped for with a 2025 rerelease of this title. Some minor hiccups aside, it is a genuinely excellent remaster of a rather niche game. Rather, it’s the fact that this game conceptually feels made for a fairly small number of people. This one is for Falcom fans specifically, and there’s a lot of appeal to them here, even if it doesn’t break a ton of ground for either series. For anyone outside that space, it’s significantly harder to recommend this game. Which is a bit of a shame, because this game is genuinely quite fun for what it is. The implementation of 3D Ys mechanics into a fighting game works better than it perhaps should, given this is a company not known for making fighting games, and it has perhaps the best assembly of music of the company’s illustrious catalog. If you aren’t already a fan of Ys and Trails, this game can be a tougher sell, much as I recommend getting into those series already with all my heart. If you are a fan of Ys and Trails already, this is a worthy title to fit into your collection. It’s a neat little time capsule of Falcom’s history, and a fun experience on its own for what it is.
Mamorukun ReCurse! has so much in common with G.Rev’s other title Under Defeat HD+ in that initially it had enough to interest me but didn’t quite grip me. Switching to the twin stick controls sold the game to me more, and I found myself losing hours to just trying to get further up that scoreboard, engrossed by its visuals, unique aspects, the soundtrack. The game won’t be for everyone, it’s very much unabashed as a cute ‘em up and the timed nature of the arcade mode will put off some of the purists. But for those that can adapt or are happy enough to lean into the goofiness of the title, you’ve got a fantastic package full of content, and in my eyes, the definitive way to play the game. This is absolutely recommended for score chasers needing their next fix.