Game8

TOJIBO is a fun and challenging co-op platformer that will patiently test you and a friend to solve its puzzles at your own pace. It has gorgeous art and a cozy atmosphere, though its inorganic addition of physics- and acceleration-based mechanics, and little replay value might turn away newcomers from trying it out.

BLUE REFLECTION Quartet is a collection that is less than the sum of its parts, with the adaptations for Ray and Sun being extremely lackluster. Additionally, the new and improved visuals are still quite dated and also unimpressive from a performance standpoint, especially on the Switch 2. Despite its phenomenal audio design, which significantly elevates the experience and all its other elements, the collection feels more like a missed opportunity, much like its overall narrative that wasted its potential.

The Relic: First Guardian is a game that dared to be different and suffered for it. In the pursuit of challenging what has been tried and tested, it put forth a plethora of great ideas: equipment-based tactical combat, non-respawning enemies as progression, and genuinely great boss battles. Unfortunately, it also revealed why those ideas weren’t the norm. Poor animation implementation, questionable camerawork, and forgettable narratives all end up making this a much lesser product than the sum of its parts. In fixing what wasn’t broken, it only revealed the cracks within itself.

Hololive Dreams stands on its own as an excellent rhythm game, offering polished presentation, satisfying gameplay, and remarkable value as a free-to-play experience. A simple story and a handful of progression systems that could be introduced more clearly do little to overshadow an experience that's easy to recommend to both newcomers and longtime rhythm game players.

Rubinite is a strikingly good Soulslike which slashes through the fluff and delivers a razor-sharp boss rush experience with a surprisingly potent emotional center. At its core, Rubinite’s Focus mechanic and the myriad of imposing boss fights deliver a uniquely fun and challenging take on the genre that's bolstered by the game’s beautiful 2D pixel-art style, lovable characters, and wonderful story. There are a few unfortunate issues, such as the overly cryptic narrative presentation and occasional janky hitboxes, which hold it back a bit. Still, every gemstone has a flaw or two, and Rubinite is no exception; it’s a pureblooded, crystallized gem that’s worth the adventure.

Dinoblade is equal parts fun and rough around the edges. There's clearly more work to be done before it can earn its place in the soulslike food chain. But its solid gameplay foundations, borrowed from its contemporaries, prove that this game can stand on its own. With an over-the-top premise centered around dinosaurs wielding greatswords, it's a game that thrives on its meme status, provided you can overlook its technical hiccups and barebones storytelling. For $20, you'll get a surprisingly serviceable soulslike that has plenty of bite and enough personality to avoid extinction in an increasingly crowded genre.

Disgaea Mayhem is the kind of spin-off that has a lot of potential as a concept. The series, by its nature, routinely produces characters that lend themselves well to the action genre. Unfortunately, limiting the entire experience to a single playable character while carrying over progression systems designed for a full roster strips away much of what makes Disgaea satisfying in the first place. The result is a game that understands the appeal of the grind, but rarely gives you a reason to enjoy it.

Splatoon Raiders successfully proves that the series can thrive outside its multiplayer roots, delivering a rewarding single-player adventure built around progression and player expression. Although a shallow narrative and an uneven mid-game progression keep it from reaching greater heights, its satisfying gameplay loop and excellent customization systems make those shortcomings easy to overlook. Whether you're a longtime Splatoon fan or simply looking for a fun action-adventure, Splatoon Raiders is a worthwhile expedition that confidently charts a new course for the series.

OUTBLAST has a few good things going for it: nice visuals, tight controls, a simple beginner-friendly gameplay loop, and a cool twist in the level design. However, it played it too safe as an homage to early bullet hells while refusing to learn from its modern siblings’ innovations. There’s a fine bullet-hell experience underneath it all, for sure, but it’s too bogged down by lackluster customization options, missing polish, and sluggish level progression to truly shine.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is such a strong reimagining of a beloved classic that it occasionally struggles to define exactly what kind of reimagining it wants to be. At times, it’s committed to faithfully recreating the original, while at others it seems hellbent on carving out an identity of its own. Either way, it's an exceptionally polished experience that more than earns its shockingly tame price tag.