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Valheim stands out in the survival genre by maintaining a more focused and linear approach to progression. The intentionality behind Valheim’s base-building mechanics makes it feel like I’m not just surviving in the world, but living in it. While the Deep North biome may not be the most impressive addition to the game, the overall package remains one easily recommendable to both veterans and newbies to the genre.

End of Abyss is a strong debut title from Section 9. It’s a tight and well-paced adventure that makes great use of its creepy setting, with great exploration elements and serviceable combat. It doesn’t overstay its welcome; it left me wanting more from this universe.

Minecraft Dungeons 2's biggest weaknesses now lie in an unstable online component, which is a major problem for a game like this. I want to be able to join my friends online without worrying about constant rubber-banding or random disconnects. Or if I've had enough of dealing with these problems, I'd like to at least take my character off the online grid entirely without having to start over. I had been enjoying myself with this game a lot, but the online issues did a lot to sour me by the end to the point that I was just ready to wrap the whole thing up...Minecraft Dungeons 2 is a great game night idea, but just make sure your party's all gathered under one roof first.

Did this, the ninth game in the series, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, live up to the hype? I dare say you had better believe it. Beautiful skies full of a variety of aircraft and aerial combat are accompanied by a compelling campaign, amazing soundtrack, and a multiplayer I can’t wait to play more of with other fans.

Control Resonant hits a vibe I haven’t felt in a while in an action melee. Dylan’s super-powered nature makes for a fun ride through the paranormal, chaos-filled streets of Manhattan, and the palpable fear of him by normies and his general awkwardness make for an interesting dynamic through the game as he tries to help others while also chasing Jesse (whom everyone tells him they liked more). Control Resonant isn’t an airtight experience. Besides running into a little too much repetition hours in, the bugs are sometimes as weird as the narrative, and the visuals, while atmospheric, are sometimes a harsh assault on the senses with no options for alleviation. However, between bizarre side encounters, mind-bending traversal, and a compelling main quest, there’s more than enough here to keep it moving.

Silent Hill: Townfall is a great horror game that prioritizes immersion, using small details to make you feel like you’re walking the cold and lonely streets alongside the protagonist. Its puzzles are thoughtful and challenging, and its implementation of stealth led to some heartpounding sequences as I navigated the creepy island town. This should be the path forward for Silent Hill: standalone installments that retain the franchise’s signature elements, but with interesting characters in unique locations.

Fundamentally, Infinite Rush is still a solid racing game, which is what makes the online multiplayer component so much more disappointing. I want to be able to hit the big orange tracks with the cars that I collected, but am forced to rely on local races instead. For what it's worth, local multiplayer is still a hoot, even if my friends and I can't explore the open world together. Hot Wheels loves to "take it to the track," as the old slogan goes. Just take an extra moment to consider whether Infinite Rush is the game you want to take to the track.

Intelligent Systems delivers supreme tactical combat in Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave with refined mechanics and a plethora of options to choose from, and a story that is uniquely structured in a way that encourages fans to overturn every stone. It’s sure to delight fans of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, but is also independent enough that newcomers shouldn’t feel lost. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is the dense, character-rich RPG that I’ve been waiting to play on my Switch 2.

For as much as I don’t gel with roughly 50 percent of its combat system, I do like these silly, little Trails games. They’re massive storytelling endeavors that are always compelling in their ambition and earnestness, with a massive cast of characters who are a joy to spend time with. Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is very much an iterative sequel to the first remake, and that’s all it really needed to be. Also, the Switch 2 version knocks it out of the park out the gate here, so those lessons learned across the past year (1st Chapter got several updates, some quite recently) really paid off. It’s always great to hang out with Estelle and company again, and while I’ll always prefer new games and original replays to remakes, this one goes great lengths to be an adventure worth having.

What really stood out to me about Graveyard Keeper 2 is how deliberately tedious it feels. Everything you do is a weirdly multi-tier process. Some of the basic things you’d expect from a farming sim or likewise sort of game take a step or two on one or more skill tree-like menus to access. Or you have to make your way to building and utilizing multiple gadgets that work together to achieve the thing you need, like a plank of wood. Everything is absurdly complex, and that seems to be the marquee feature, the defining aspect that makes Graveyard Keeper 2 itself rather than another thing like it. It isn't complex in an interesting, brain-stimulating way; it's just for every one task you want to perform, there's a gaggle of prerequisite tasks you have to go through first. I reckon there’s some kind of elevated sicko audience appeal thing happening here, for the people who look at Story of Seasons and think it’s for babies, and yearn for a labor sim game that has digital friction akin to the real damage done to your bones and muscles by manual labor in reality. Those folks are out there, certainly.