Pocket Tactics

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales offers everything an enjoyable action RPG should: tricky puzzle design, rewarding exploration, and nuanced combat. A lack of gameplay innovation and reliance on well-worn narrative tropes slightly hold it back from true greatness, but if you're a fan of the genre, it's still a quest well worth embarking on.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is a fun adventure that's a joy to go back to, and while the performance is mostly good on Nintendo Switch 2, outside of the rendering problems in the opening seconds of cutscenes, the complete inability to use the gyroscope controls is a bit of a turn-off.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a deeply ambitious port, and while it looks great most of the time, you're going to encounter the occasional framerate drop and a little pop-in. However, as a primarily portable gamer, I will exclusively replay Rebirth on Switch 2 going forward, as it's great to be able to explore Gaia on the go or grind levels with Netflix playing in the background.

007 First Light doesn't just understand James Bond: it embodies him. IO Interactive delivers a thrilling origin story packed with slick bare-knuckle fights, punchy gunplay, ingenious gadgets, and enough cinematic swagger to rival the movies themselves. Backed by stellar performances and some of the strongest gameplay the studio has ever crafted, First Light more than earns its license to thrill.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a charming, family-friendly puzzle platformer with all the beauty and comforting vibes of a bedtime storybook. Approachable for younger gamers, but with enough challenge and collectibles for experienced players, this game is sure to make you smile.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an impressive Nintendo Switch 2 port, with glorious visuals in docked mode and solid handheld performance. I’ve got a couple of quibbles with the gameplay itself, especially in the early stealth-oriented missions, and there are a few rough moments in transitions between cutscenes and gameplay. However, I’d still recommend this version to anyone looking for a quest that lives up to the legacy of this iconic franchise.

Mixtape is a heartfelt coming-of-age adventure that captures the fleeting magic of youth, blending nostalgia, music, and friendship into one unforgettable final night. Its authentic vibes, sharp writing, and standout voice performances will have you smiling from ear to ear, while the perfectly curated soundtrack will linger in your head for weeks to come.

Wax Heads is a phenomenal debut indie game, oozing style without ignoring substance. If engaging puzzles, banging tunes, and an underdog story rooted in the DIY music scene are your jam, this game is for you.

Vampire Crawlers is an almost hypnotic roguelike card game that pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until you clear the credits. You might have to deal with one or two performance issues here or there, but the hyper-engaging core gameplay, a reliable autosave system, and some lovely PS1-style visuals make it all worthwhile.

As a genuinely new take on space games, Pragmata is an impressive feat for Capcom. Though the writing is a little cliched, the game finds solid footing through its unique and rewarding gameplay, as well as great level design and vast customization options available.