Balatro, developed by LocalThunk, has highlighted the subgenre of deckbuilding roguelike games in a way that hasn’t been seen in some years. The unique combination of a satisfying gameplay loop based on poker hands and the endless uncertainty of a roguelike is as simple as it is instantly effective. Of course, roguelike deckbuilders are a well-established niche, not to mention the wider field of general roguelikes outside of it. Whatever your taste, there’s no end to the number of games to sate your desires for building decks, playing cards, and executing masterful strategies....

Segais slowly making its way throughSonic’s history and remastering all of the Blue Blur’s 3D efforts for modern consoles, albeit with the very obvious exceptions of Sonic 06 and the handful of outings he had on theNintendo Wii. Colours Ultimate launched to a mostly mixed reception, and now Generations is following in its footsteps with not only a remaster, but one with brand new content featuring everyone’s favourite edgy erinaceidae - Shadow....

I consider myself a romantic, which is why I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. Why does a specific day in February matter so much when I can demand my partner buy me flowers any other day of the year? Everything is more expensive on Valentine’s Day, and it’s never worth the money. Want to grab a special dinner? That’s $150, please. Flowers? Twice the price. I don’t think a holiday created specifically to get couples to spend money is very romantic, is what I’m saying....

Summary Action figures come in varying descriptions and levels of quality, and some of the highest-quality action figures you can get are part of the Figma line. Made by the Good Smile Company, several video game characters have been given the Figma treatment, and now Link’s look fromTears of the Kingdomis joining them. This is more than just a toy that will stand on your shelf with the rest of your figures, though....

In the dark reaches of space, they’re coming. A scourge, a horde of unspeakable terror. They swarm with unrelenting hunger, driven by the instincts of all lifeforms: to feed, breed, and spread. To fight them is to delay the inevitable outcome of their swarm. Whether they’re parasitic monsters or a hivemind of hyper-intelligent beings, the Alien horde is a force to reckon with in Science-fiction games. When a single speck of their emergence appears, prepare for a decisive war where every setback makes them stronger, while you grow weaker....

AsMagic: The Gatheringhas evolved over the years, Commander has gone from a fun social side format to the most popular way to play the game overall. So many products and card slots in regular sets now dedicated to Commander that it’s difficult to know where to start for a new player just entering the format. This isn’t helped by the fact that Commander’s popularity has driven up the prices of many format staples, creating another barrier to entry for many....

Summary ThePersonaseries has come a long way sincePersona 3launched on thePS2. The modern-day setting still offers a refreshing change of pace from fantasy or science fiction settings usually featured in the JRPG genre. Even though the original has aged well, Atlus modernized and recreated the PS2 classic in the stunning remake withPersona 3 Reload. The unique modern-day setting pushed the series into the mainstream and helped usher in a new wave of JRPGs with a modern setting....

Summary Dragon’s Dogma 2highly focuses on the aspect of team building. It is important to choose pawns for your party that cover all the weak aspects of your main hero. For instance, if you are playing as a fighter who excels in close combat, you will need Mage or Archer vocations in your party to cover long distances and become unbeatable. Your party should be as versatile as possible if you really want to conquer the endgame battles....

If you visitLorcana’sofficial website, it talks about how the Steel cards of this game are large and imposing. That theme runs strong, some may even say like a great typhoon, through the Steel glimmers of Into The Inklands. Whether it’s powerful Songs, tough Items, or swift and lasting Actions, Steel can take a lot of hits and pack a lot of punches, no matter what other Ink color you pair it with....

The recentYakuzagames have pretty easy completions/platinum trophies, withYakuza: Like a DragonandLike a Dragon Gaidenbeing not that bad at all compared to the likes ofYakuza 0.Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthbumped up the difficulty a little bit. It’s still not as bad as the classics, but definitely a step up in regards to challenging fights, completion length, somewhat tedious tasks, and multiple playthroughs if you’re going for the DLC achievements. That’s right, New Game Plus is mandatory for a full 100 percent completion, an element not usually required....

Summary Owning aSwitchis great. Even accounting for people who have more than one, I think it’s safe to assume more than 100 million of us have one. However, just becauseNintendo’s latest creation is now the third best-selling console of all time doesn’t mean it’s perfect as it is, at least not very everyone. Accessories can improve your experience with your Switch, and the Nitro Deck - a Switch accessory I use on an almost daily basis - is one of the best, and it’s getting three new designs this year....

Quick Links If you thought thatPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Spirit of Justicewas finished with its constant need to reference the past, you thought wrong. In this case, we get to deal with Simon Blackquill yet again in this Athena-centric episode. Don’t worry, after this case, we’re sure to reunite the whole cast in a grand, thrilling finale. This is a shorter episode with no investigative segments, only an extended courtroom sequence that you’ll have to play through in one go....

The question of whetherDragon’s Dogma 2’s food cutscenes were real or not has been tormenting at least one member of TheGamer’s staff since we first previewed the game in September 2023. When I played it atTokyo Game Showas a newbie to the series, I hadn’t thought to try cooking anything at the campsite, and so bypassed it entirely. However, my colleague Meg Pelliccio was playing it on a different continent on the same day, andshe had one big question about the food: is it real, or not?...