Ghost of Yōtei
In 2020, Sucker Punch delivered a certified hit with Ghost of Tsushima. As a love letter to classic Japanese cinema, its gripping story, immersive open world, and visceral combat made it one of my favorite games from the PS4 generation. Five years later, the team is back with Ghost of Yōtei, a game that aims to give us more of what we got before, just refined to a razor’s edge. Not every swing lands, and the reliance on what worked before weakens Ghost of Yōtei in some key ways, but when it hits, it’s sharp enough to cut through the noise and make this another fun and memorable adventure.
Lost Soul Aside
My mindset is always the same whenever I start playing a character action game. I expect a healthy amount of spectacle and excitement when it comes to the combat, interesting level and game design to prevent things from getting stale, and a decent story that’s compelling enough to keep me invested in the events that contextualize all the action. Lost Soul Aside, unfortunately, does not check all these boxes. It strikes gold with its extremely fun combat, but sadly, it misses the mark in all other aspects.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
When I first laid eyes on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it seemed like a game that would be right up my alley. From its interesting premise to its impressive combat, this new entry in the JRPG space from French developer Sandfall Interactive appeared to hit all the right notes for me as a fan of the genre. Yet somehow, Clair Obscur managed to surpass my expectations by delivering an experience that’s deeper and more exciting than I could’ve possibly imagined, making it one of my favorite games of the year so far.
Nintendo Switch 2
When the Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, it was a truly revolutionary piece of technology. Not only did it pioneer the hybrid console format, but it also led to the current revitalization of handheld gaming. As the third-best-selling game console of all time, with a total of 152.12 million units sold as of March 2025, the question of how Nintendo would follow up on a nearly perfect device was at the top of everyone’s mind. Nintendo’s answer? Stick with what worked before, but refine it with slight alterations. This focus on refinements makes the Nintendo Switch 2 a vastly superior console when compared to its predecessor, but it also makes for a largely boring new console experience.
TheComfySpot 