With its focus on relationships, village building and a smooth combat system, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a natural evolution for the series. The Switch 2 version has strong characters, an emotional story and welcome streamlining without losing what makes the franchise special.
From hoarding virtual items to asking for instructions twice, video games are more than just entertainment. They are surprisingly practical life teachers. In this whimsical Save State column, Vincent Mahoney takes us through five lessons learned from games, county fairs and the occasional horse bite.
What do busted freezers, Sonic the Hedgehog trading cards and retro Dreamcast adventures have in common? They all collide in this week’s Save State as Vincent Mahoney dives back into Sonic Adventure 2, a title that still delivers speed, style and chaos in 2025.
Descenders Next takes the extreme downhill biking concept of the original and swaps in mountain and snowboards for a roguelike ride across random trails. While the controls take some getting used to, overall, it’s a ride worth taking.
This week Save State’s Vincent Mahoney tests out the 8bitdo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth, a Nintendo Switch friendly gamepad with a slick dock, solid performance and just enough differences to stand out from its counterparts.
The 8BitDo Arcade Controller delivers an impressive, lever-free fighting game experience with clicky, low-profile buttons, great ergonomics and tons of customization. And unlike more expensive options, this one is less than $100, making it perfect for specialized gaming on a budget.
Looking for a rhythm title with personality and depth? Rift of the NecroDancer hits all the right beats. Vincent Mahoney, filling in for Fresh Look this week, breaks down why it’s a must-play for fans of the rhythm genre.
In this week’s Save State, Vincent Mahoney enters the fridge and comes out swinging in Leftovers KO!, a hand-drawn boxing game where expired food fights back. With a wild Nickelodeon-style art direction and challenging, timing-based combat it’s a slugfest worth digesting.
In Recycling Center Simulator, players haul junk, sort trash and slowly build a humming machine of industrial efficiency out of garbage. It might be a little bit bland for newcomers, but for those who enjoy sims, this is a clean hit. Who knew waste management could be so satisfying?
This week, Save State’s Vincent Mahoney trades his retro reviews for a rescue mission: reviving a dead 3DS cartridge, diving into flash memory issues and discovering how fragile classic Nintendo 3DS cartridges really are.
