Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Also on: PC (Steam), Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 5 Price: $19.99 I love a good murder mystery. I love smart, creative detectives. Sherlock Holmes. Hercule Poirot. Benoit Blanc. Columbo. Add Detective Grimoire and Sally Spears to that list. The Mermaid Mask captures everything I love about the smart, funny, and creative storytelling found in the mysteries starring those iconic detectives. Add amazing art, stellar music, and innovative puzz

The game is challenging, but its accessibility features let me change the starting number of lives and bombs, with one tradeoff: my score won't be added to the leaderboard. That's one of the things I love about Truxton Extreme. It lets players chase a high score or provides a way for those who just want to experience the story.

Join Quill on a grand journey that blends interactive storytelling with inventive gameplay in a world where even the smallest hero can make a big impact.

I haven't played a game like Shards of Order before. The deckbuilding mechanic is different from most games in the genre. There is no mana to play cards. Instead, each card costs points on an enemy's timer. I like this game a lot. It's a dark RPG, and the card mechanics reinforce the brutal nature of the world the game creates.

Platform reviewed: Steam Price: $8.99 Moldwasher is a cleaning sim where I play as a little sushi roll, where my job isto make the kitchen clean. Because a healthy snack such as myself needs to stay clean and fresh. I’ve always enjoyed playing cleaning games. They y have this way of taking the repetitive nature and using it to place me into a state of zen. Rubel Games, the developer behind Moldwasher perfectly captures the zen I was expecting, from the music to the little tro

I've been waiting a long time for a new entry in the Culdcept series, and Culdcept Begins doesn't disappoint. The local and online multiplayer features, along with GameShare, were exactly what I hoped would be included, and I'm thrilled they made it into the game. While I wasn't expecting a story, it grew on me over time. That said, I wish multiplayer and other features weren't locked behind the first few story chapters. Overall, though, Culdcept Begins is the best game in th

LumenTale: Memories of Trey is a perfect game for players who love Pokemon but are looking for more traditional JRPG elements in their games. The game is challenging, but not overly so. It strikes the right balance between difficulty and fun. If you're looking for a monster-collecting game with a deep story, LumenTale: Memories of Trey should be part of your library.

Mina the Hollower follows Mina, who you guessed it, is a Hollower tasked with bringing the power back on to a cursed island plagued with a rebellion and roaming monsters.

In an increasingly crowded survivors-like genre, Zombie Rollerz: The Last Ship does quite a bit to stand out. Its robust management systems, particularly the ability to customize my Ark, add far more strategy than I expected. Once I adjusted to its leveling structure, which prioritizes growth within each individual run over permanent vehicle progression, the experience became much more rewarding.

I love Sektori. The roguelike-inspired elements and smart risk/reward systems feel fantastic within the fluid arcade shooter framework Sektori delivers. I’d heard people loved this game, but playing it on the Switch 2 feels especially right at home on the platform. If you’re a fan of challenging twin-stick arcade shooters, pick up Sektori. You won’t regret it.

Platform reviewed: PC (Steam) Price: $14.99 Chess played out as a dungeon crawler? What a brilliant idea. That’s exactly how Below the Crown feels, a strategy deck builder that combines the tactical depth of chess with elements of roguelikes and dungeon crawlers. It’s one of the most unique games I’ve played in a while, and it gets me thinking on a deeper level, in more ways than just how to defeat the king. The game opens with a view of a castle. Visually, it feels like I’m

I spent a lot of time with Basketball Classics. The arcade-style gameplay, along with the presentation and attention to detail, makes this game an instant classic for me. Inspired by retro games, the graphics are 8-bit, but the amount of animation and detail made me forget the pixel limitations.

As satisfying as the gameplay is, the real strength lies in its storytelling. The emotions conveyed through the art are powerful, and the decision to present the narrative through an alien language makes the world feel more immersive and unique. Even without understanding a single word, I always knew what was happening, thanks to the game’s visual direction and presentation.

Minishoot’ Adventures is one of my favorite games on the Nintendo Switch 2. It feels right at home, especially since it clearly takes inspiration from games like The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. It does little to hold your hand, but subtle clues point you in the right direction on where to go and what to do next. There are plenty of hidden secrets as well, giving completionists a lot to explore.

Demon Tides is a very fun platformer with charismatic characters and smooth movement. It’s the perfect spring or summer game to play just to get into the season and remind everyone to sit back and enjoy the waves sometime.

Baladins is a breath of fresh air. Its board game inspired playstyle, coupled with branching dialogue and open quests, allows me to explore and experience it at my own pace. Adding the ability to play with up to three other people makes it feel like I’m sitting around a board game with friends. The loop mechanic adds an interesting element, refreshing the board every six turns, but it never became troublesome, as the game offers plenty to explore and do.

When a story is told well, one that makes me laugh, cry, and even feel angry, then I know I’ve experienced a truly great piece of art. Perfect Tides: Station to Station is one of those games. Its raw storytelling, emotional highs and lows, and expressive animation come together to create a point-and-click adventure that’s hard to put down. There are only a handful of games that I find difficult to walk away from, and Perfect Tides: Station to Station is one of them.