Gris is an incredible achievement, using its art, music, and gameplay to tell a thematically consistent story about a woman overcoming her grief. Despite the weighty subject matter, the way its protagonist's triumph over sorrow is reflected in increasingly fluid and diverse platforming makes it a joy to play. While Gris is low on challenge and impossible to fail, it still feels exciting. Even if it doesn't sound like your kind of game, Gris absolutely deserves a try.
Dark Souls Remastered doesn't add a lot to the Dark Souls formula, but then again it doesn't need to. Its graphical updates are subtle, and sometimes dubious, and the tweaks it makes to the game will only be noticeable to the already converted. But a refreshed pool of players means more opportunities for jolly cooperation, and the Switch makes it more convenient than ever to play the sometimes unapproachable classic. For better or worse, Dark Souls Remastered is essentially the Dark Souls you already know on a new platform.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice manages to live up to its monstrously high expectations in nearly every way. Its high-risk combat system is as satisfying as it is punishing, and its level design begs you to explore every inch of the world. While its locations and enemies aren't as varied as in previous From Software games, you'll hardly notice when you're locking swords with opponents across several beautiful settings. Sekiro tells an intriguing tale about loyalty and mortality packed with surprises and easy-to-miss side stories.
Eliza is a poignant, well-presented tale about how even technology created to help people can be harmful when it replaces human connection. Rather than demonizing technology, though, Eliza is a paean to compassion, communication, and all the varied ways people can lift each other up.
Disco Elysium is a difficult game to describe, but it's easy to recommend. One of the most inventive games in recent memory, it's an often cynical, mean-spirited RPG that's nonetheless full of beauty and humanity. While its obsession with the nastier parts of the human psyche will definitely turn some people off, the depth of its story and systems reward a deep dive into the mire, as do its beautiful art and writing.
Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood does the bare minimum, but it's still well worth playing. While there are no extras included in this anthology, the two games it contains are some of the best ever made, and one of them has been pretty difficult to come by until now. Aside from the replacement of Symphony of the Night's wonderfully campy voice acting, both games are delivered in perfect shape and are still as worth playing today as they've ever been.
"...aside from some pacing issues and a few blown payoffs, Endwalker delivers a conclusion worthy of the thousands of hours fans have poured into the game so far and plants the seeds for more adventures to come."
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen has already been released a handful of times on different consoles, and this port doesn't add anything new. The ability to play in handheld mode is great, but this version also comes with some pop-in and framerate drops not present in other releases. Still, it's worth it just to experience one of the most overlooked games of the decade again, or for the first time. If Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen's stellar combat, unique class system, and treacherous world hook you, its technical flaws are extremely easy to overlook.
A clever addition to Mario + Rabbids that plays to the original's strengths without takings many risks. While Donkey Kong Adventure likely won't win the game any new fans, it's a treat for anyone who were left wanting more. The expansion trims some of the fat from the original, delivering a quick, focused game that quits while it's ahead.
Ashen uses the Souls-like formula to tell a very different, optimistic story about community. Whether you're playing alone, with an AI companion, or with another person, combat with the game's varied enemies and bosses is challenging and satisfying. Ashen's world feels real and lived-in, and getting to carve out your own settlement and watch it prosper is truly satisfying.
Book of Demons introduces a unique card-based skill system and a sense of humor to the stuck-in-its-ways ARPG genre. It has plenty of tricks in its dungeon to keep you on your toes, but gives you ample ways to form your own strategy. With three distinct classes and an endlessly replayable quest, you can get lost in Book of Demons' papercut dungeon for quite a while.
Cadence of Hyrule is a perfect blend of classic Legend of Zelda adventure with roguelite rhythm gameplay. It's a short adventure that can sometimes feel too difficult and chaotic for its own good, but it's worth sticking through to the end. Not only is it a tremendously fun game, its new take on Hyrule is a joy to explore.
Remnant: From the Ashes is a tough, co-op centric third-person shooter hiding a surprising amount of depth in both its combat and narrative.
Untitled Goose Game proves that you don't need complex mechanics or an involved story to make a great game. It takes a simple premise — you're a goose here to make trouble — and spins it out into a short but extremely satisfying slapstick journey. Untitled Goose Game is effortlessly funny, succeeding as much on its physical comedy as its clever puzzles.
Guacamelee 2 recaptures everything that made the original great and adds a few new tricks for good measure. It's a joy to look at and it feels great to play, especially when it focuses on challenging platforming. The game feels a little padded out with lots of backtracking and locked-room combat sequences, but it's still an absolute blast to play.
Using only text messages, Bury me, my Love develops two relatable main characters and tells the engaging story of a Syrian woman's search for refuge in Europe after her sister is killed in a bombing. The game rewards multiple playthroughs with its compelling writing and interesting storylines, though replaying the same passages can be tedious.
Katana Zero is a game that I loved playing, but I walked away from it with some major reservations. On top of its tight, excellent swordplay, fun time-shifting powers, and pitch-perfect soundtrack, Katana Zero packs some interesting storytelling tricks that I wasn't expecting. On the other hand, it uses its innovative structure to tell a story rife with ill-conceived takes on disturbing subject matter without a content warning in sight. Katana Zero is an extraordinarily fun experience for the few hours it lasts, but the bad taste it left in my mouth lingered much longer.
Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a creative infusion of card-based combat with a traditional RPG. It plays entirely unlike any other card combat game, and it's worth a look even for those who don't generally like the genre. While it's light on story, less replayable than other card games, and could use some refinement when it comes to building decks and equipping characters, it's still a fun twist on a familiar concept that's easy to recommend.
Yuppie Psycho turns a workplace satire into a survival horror adventure, and does right by both parts of that strange formula. Despite some frustration from its punishing difficulty, Yuppie Psycho is a surreal but cogent parody that's well worth clocking in for.
Lost Ember ties a fun, original gameplay concept to an enjoyable, if a bit unremarkable, story. It will feel too thin for anyone approaching it looking for any amount of challenge, but if you're willing to just enjoy the journey and let the story wash over you, Lost Ember is a singularly enchanting experience.