I’m so glad Konami are in the business of publishing good video games again. Entrusting the Contra franchise to WayForward for Operation Galuga was an incredibly smart decision, resulting in a thoroughly replayable and enriching return to the grandfather of the run-‘n’-gun franchise. There is so much fun to be had learning levels, dying and grinding it out as you become familiar with level design patterns and weapon skills. Challenge levels are also fantastic gauntlets that’ll make any seasoned Contra player sweat. Though the story is neither here nor there and the HUD driving it is a bit barebones, none of that gets in the way of the romping and stomping good time you’ll have fighting for liberty and taking it to the alien threat once more. Contra is back.

Eternal Strands delivers a slick, action-packed fantasy adventure with tonnes of heart and a whole lot of elemental fury to play with. Despite a little tedium creeping into its late-game grinding missions, it manages to weave an unbelievable number of mechanics into a cohesive gameplay loop that feels very satisfying. On top of that, its vibrant and imaginative world is gorgeously realised and full of delicious lore for fantasy nerds to devour. An incredibly strong first offering from new indie studio Yellow Brick Games.

The Mortuary Assistant is a great game that can only be made better down the line with patches and quality of life fixes. Interruptive but brief bugs did not deter from the wondrous and horrific experience to be had. Deep, bone-chilling moments are aplenty, offering some of the biggest spooks I’ve experienced in a game ever. Narrative moments provide haunting and memorable imagery, making The Mortuary Assistant a must-play horror experience this year. So get dissecting, investigating, and hunting.

With an innovative Pawn system by your side, delve into a so-so story in a deep world teeming with intrigue and mythical beasts. Challenge awaits at every turn, from the treacherous landscapes to the heart-pounding battles, where mastery of diverse vocations is key to victory. Though stained by visual monotony and performance woes, Dragon’s Dogma 2 with its thrilling emergent gameplay and superb combat stands as a solid return to the series.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a great little gem to come out of this year. Where NieR is a good series though not quite for me, this absolutely is. The team have created a true sleeper hit that is well worth seeking out for NieR or fantasy adventure fans alike. The music and wondrous exploration on offer are engaging throughout. While other limitations in roleplaying are noticeable, they’re never enough to rob you of your enjoyment. What’s here is some clever and wonderful writing, a charming cast of characters and another weird world worth delving into. Yoko Taro and the team have done it again.

Despelote beautifully captures the mundane but rich childhood experience of play and sport through its gentle slice-of-life narrative. Via its stellar first-person soccer mechanics, intimate scope, and outstanding hand-made visual stylings, it succeeds at capturing a personal autobiographical sense of Ecuador and the quietly affecting experiences of youth.

The biggest and boldest Battlefield to date, 2042 combines trademark action with impressive innovations. Experimentation with loadout and attachment changes drive the enormous spectacle of 128 player warzones and dynamic weather events. Hazard Zone provides the grounds for extremely tactical gameplay but needs refinement to make it a lasting experience. The shining star without question is Portal, allowing series veterans to jump back into their favourite legacy maps and muck around with creative modes and features – it's basically four games in one package. If it wasn't for a few poorly designed 2042 maps, combat balancing issues, and performance concerns, Battlefield 2042 might be the best in the franchise.

The Thaumaturge is a riveting mix of investigating gorgeous environments, weaving together narrative threads and battling through punchy, stylish turn-based combat. It’s a story where it feels like the choices do matter, and that makes decisions feel weighty as you progress through the twisted and memorable supernatural setting. Some of the investigations hold your hand a little too much, and it’s lacking some overall polish in some areas. Even so, The Thaumaturge absolutely nails the brief in every other way, making for a compelling RPG that stands on its own as unique, visually impressive and deliciously dark.

Song of Iron is a short and sweet Nordic adventure that tells a simple story which ends up much deeper than it first seems. With a range of gorgeous environments to explore and relatively satisfying combat, it only occasionally frustrates with some tricky boss fights and clunky movement resulting in some platforming pitfalls. Still, these grievances don’t last long, as I found the world created by Resting Relic to be a stunning one to explore and very thoughtful in its style and presentation. Mostly, I’m just astonished with how great it is that a solo developer is capable of creating this wonderful little journey, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

While Tales of Arise isn't perfect by any means, it is a meaty, colourful, and engaging game that I think should be on any self-respecting JRPG fans must-play list. Mastering the action combat is a thrilling and rewarding experience, as is the satisfaction of finding rare materials to craft with or taking down massive beasts for big rewards. The overarching plot is richly detailed, filled with twists and turns that will keep you interested, all while embarking on the journey with a party of well-realised characters. With some minor flaws found in the game's competing visual styles, graphical options, and side quest content, I think there are more than enough positives to be found that Tales of Arise could easily end up being one of the best RPGs released this year.

Bandai Namco Entertainment proves that it wasn’t just first-time luck successfully bringing back classic Tales of games. Tales of Xillia Remastered delivers a thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish. And despite some of the structural faults that remain from when it was stuck on the PS3 for the last 14 years, and the new errors of overrelying on AI upscaling, it remains an excellent and faithful remaster. Newcomers and fans alike will find themselves enamoured with its engaging battle system, captivating cast of characters, and the sheer charm that it is packed with from top to bottom. What little faults there are do not hold this game back from being a great entry in the Tales Remastered Project.

A great strategy title for fans of tactical turn-based combat. The synergy between different factions, playstyles, and faction heroes offers plenty of variety and, combined with the reward system, keeps things interesting. Maps can become repetitive after a long play session, but this felt like a minor bug in an otherwise solid strategy game.

When Ghostwire: Tokyo capitalises on its spooky surroundings by whisking you off into strange dimensions, fighting evil with powers you shoot from your hands, it’s excellent. The haunted, deserted Shibuya is a thrill to explore, and helping spirits with their final requests provides some engaging mini-adventures. Where it fumbles slightly is in the delivery of its open world, which regularly feels a bit old school as you chip away at the fog of the map, cleansing fast travel points as you go and repeating some filler tasks. Still, with a curious mystery laid out before you and a creepy atmosphere that will keep you on your toes, Ghostwire: Tokyo provides plenty of spooks and intriguing diversions around every corner that are just begging for your attention.

Super Mario Party Jamboree is yet another quality entry in the series, containing a generous number of new boards, minigames, and fresh game modes. The new Jamboree buddy mechanic adds a much-needed element of chaos, and the game boards contain interesting events and hazards. Its similarities to the previous two Mario Party titles for the Switch are starting to feel a little long in the tooth, but that won’t stop you from having a grand old time. I just hope Nintendo spices things up even more for the next one.

Skate City is a visually stunning game with an incredibly catchy soundtrack. It effortlessly provides the chill gameplay environment that skating games are renowned for, complete with sleek and minimal graphics. The controls with a mouse and keyboard, however, can feel counterintuitive, and if you’re looking for a layered and complex experience like Tony Hawk, Skate City might fall short. However, if you’re looking for a relaxing skating game to help you unwind at the end of a busy day, you’ll find that Skate City does the trick superbly.

Exploring Botany Manor is a great experience as everything feels beautifully interconnected and the puzzles are fun and engaging to tackle the whole way through. It makes up for its lack of difficulty with charm in spades and an interesting personal story happening behind the scenes if you know where to look. Putting together the Herbarium is a lot of fun, allowing you to grow some plants you’ll never be able to kill.

INAZUMA ELEVEN: Victory Road delivers a fun sports story about football by looking at players who walk away from football in their own ways. Showing their development and how the team comes together is genuinely interesting to see. Gameplay allows every player to shine rather than letting a few star players shine. It’s not perfect as the story takes lots of time to get started, and there’s a lot to learn. Give the game a chance, and you will have an enjoyable soccer adventure on your hands.

Cozy Caravan is the living embodiment of the phrase “It’s all about the journey, not the destination.” It’s actively trying to do something different. Because of its uniqueness through its various in-game mechanics and progression, Cozy Caravan feels like it’s dragging itself out, but at the same time, that slowness and need of absolute patience is part of its charm as its what Cozy Caravan is trying to offer – a sweet escape away from the city and giving you the chance to explore someplace far, where everyone knows each other.

While there is a lot to keep track of in Age of Wonders 4, persistence pays off when it comes to the main gameplay experience. While it may take time to get used to the different gameplay concepts and menu screens, the level of variety when it comes to customisation, hero units, underground passages, and ancient wonders makes Age of Wonders 4 a paradise sandbox for strategy fans at all levels. No matter whether you’re a turn-based combat buff or more of a city management fan, you’ll be sure to find something to like in this whopper of a game.

After the too close for comfort clash with the Baker family in Louisana, Resident Evil Village attempts to match that creepy tone and do more. Much more. As a result, this tale has facets of methodical horror combined with the ridiculous action of Resident Evil 5 or 6. While some players may not enjoy one or the other, undeniably Capcom does both very well. A better mix of the survival horror and extreme action could have made this stronger overall, as the messy pacing, lacking antagonist development, and easing difficulty hurt the overall adventure. The final package is still a wonderful spectacle of a video game. It’s entertaining, it’s engrossing, and it’s Resident Evil in every aspect. With the best visual/audio design in the series’ and a satisfying Metroidvania world design, Resident Evil Village is unmissable.

As is the case with many good multiplayer games, the game itself is well made, but mileage may vary with your actual experience playing it. Mechanically, I was impressed with the depth and breadth of everything that you get to play with. Combat itself is incredibly detailed, and the capabilities to have such a compelling game in a crowd of warring factions is impressive. However, the chaos of the battlefield may be a dealbreaker for you; you may find it compelling, or you may find it frustrating. At best I can say it is part of Chivalry 2’s charm, but I’m not able to say that I always appreciated it. Regardless, the specific flavour of madness it provides makes for a fun, violent time, even amongst the varying degrees of chaos.

Even if it can feel like the deck-builder roguelike genre is getting a bit oversaturated, Banners of Ruin is definitely one to check out. With its generous and frequent unlocks, as well as its complex-yet-mostly-well-explained combat mechanics, it is easy to pick up and enjoyable to master. While it is not as challenging as some of its roguelike cousins, I personally found its user-friendliness a positive quality. If you are looking for another deck-builder roguelike to play, you should definitely add Banners of Ruin to your deck.

Unpacking is a game about making a space your own, taking space up, and making space for others. Each of the game’s levels is a loveable snapshot of believable modern human life. Brisbane-based developer Witch Beam have made a delightful game that I know fans of Aussie indies have been looking forward to for a long time. It isn’t just a fantasy where I’m more organised than in my real life, it’s a relaxing, stress-free experience that I will definitely revisit.

With thoughtful Australian representation, Innchanted is sure to be an incredible experience for all gamers. The puzzles, music, and themes are so enjoyable that it’s hard to put the controller down. There’s something new with every level, making the game increasingly engaging as you progress. Plus, up to four-player multiplayer lets your friends join in on the fun. Throw in a plethora of cute costumes that you can collect and a storyline so intriguing that it won’t leave you disappointed, and you’re left with a recipe for a good time.

New Pokémon Snap is a fantastic sequel to a much-beloved N64 classic. It improves on everything from the original game, and the opportunity to snap cute pics of our favourite Pokémon with upgraded graphics is worth the purchase alone. Due to a few small annoyances, it falls short of being a masterpiece, but it’s certainly nothing that will ruin your enjoyment. New Pokémon Snap was worth the wait, and it’s a must-have for any Pokémon fan.

As it stands, Knights of Honor II: Sovereign is a massively impressive feat that will delight many strategy fans. The medieval setting is beautiful and immersive, and the different paths to victory are a great mechanic keep players on their toes. Since some victory paths, like securing resources for a kingdom advantages victory, can take time and effort to achieve, this also adds a healthy dose of challenge and flexibility to the overall experience. You’ll often find yourself having to re-think a strategy mid-playthrough as wars break out and foes close trading deals. While this type of gameplay may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it will certainly be challenging and energising to those that don’t shy away from some statistics and resource management.

TR-49 is a strong start to 2026 and continues an unbroken chain of extremely well-crafted packages by developer inkle. It’s smart, it’s thoughtful, and it’s filled with those investigative moments that make you feel smart just for making an educated guess. Its playtime manages to cram in a lot in a short amount of time, and is especially meaningful for today’s world, where written works can be generated — and overwritten — by machines.

With high-energy beats and an outlandish visual style, Everhood 2 is an unconventional title that strays far from the beaten path. Despite falling for some RPG trappings leading to padded content, this release still finds a way to surprise and delight with moments of hallucinogenic thrill and perplexing characters that’ll leave you absorbed in the insanity.