Annette Polis

If not for Steve Blum’s distinctive voice in the slick trailer for Neon White, I would have waited to see what other people thought of this flashy game that immediately made me think of Phantom Dust. But I let myself get suckered in. Blum is a siren for anime nerds like me. The moment his voice hits your eardrums, you’re entranced. Which is why I am so disappointed that Neon White just isn’t for someone like me. This action game is a speed runner’s dream.

Beautiful puzzle games with brief, Kleenex-required storytelling seem to be everywhere these days. Somehow they all find their way into my gaming library one way or another. This time around, it’s the Switch version of Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery. It’s the story of two aspiring artists and the threads that connect them. Entranced by Behind the Frame‘s strong Studio Ghibli inspirations, I wondered if the game’s trailer was truly representative of the game itself.

Sometimes you want to play the field. Other times, you just aren’t looking for romance and want to surround yourself with good friends. Giving players the freedom of choice, and a lot of choices at that, is what makes Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers such an enjoyable visual novel. As the game introduces new potential partners, you’ll be presented with First Impressions. This determines whether or not you want to be friends, enemies, or keep things open for some quality flirting.