Video Game Reviews

The Pokemon Universe, an imaginary realm within which gamers are challenged to collect — and sometimes train — a vast assortment of fictional creatures, is the most profitable media franchise of all time.

Inspired by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved 1943 novella “The Little Prince,” “Deiland: Pocket Planet Edition” (Chibig) is a charming and imaginative sci-fi-tinged farming simulator.

Set in a wintry wasteland, the alternate-history game “Paradise Lost” (All in!) explores a young boy’s grief over the loss of his parents.

Unique combat abilities, an engaging storyline and stellar graphics make the futuristic adventure looter-shooter “Outriders” (Square Enix) fun for adults but intense mayhem and other elements render the game unsuitable for kids.

The latest addition to a franchise that dates back to 2004, “Monster Hunter Rise” (Capcom) is the first game in the series to come to the portable Nintendo Switch platform.

“El Hijo: A Wild West Tale” (HandyGames) tells a charming and beautiful story centered on love.

The whole fabric of space and chronology having been ripped open by villains, the stakes are high in “Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time” (Activision).

The whimsical farming simulator game “Harvest Moon: One World” (Natsume) adds to a franchise that reaches back to 2007. Full of innocent fun, its engaging quests and magical adventures make it an entertaining title.