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.