Candle is an engaging delight and highly worth your game playing time.

I Expect You to Die is able to keep the player engaged throughout and further drills home the point that simplicity in VR is the way to go.

I loved Chronicles of the Wolf. It’s rare to find a game inspired by proto-Metroidvania NES adventure games. It’s also rare to find a game that looks like a Sega Genesis action platformer. These aspects set the game apart from other contemporary Metroidvanias. The little bit of needed menu polish will hopefully be patched soon, because Chronicles of the Wolf is one of my favorite games of 2025. It definitely has my favorite music from any game of 2025. If you’re at all curious, please don’t hesitate to pick it up.

Putting aside the gorgeous graphics, the obtuse level design, and the various modern touches, Link's Awakening is still an exceptional Zelda game. I found myself sneaking in extra sessions instead of sleeping or working. I was frantically seeking out guides online, only to discover they were all obsolete. I put off challenging the final boss for hours, all to scoop up more shells, heart pieces, and collectibles. Whatever flaws I spotted, I had no desire to leave Koholint behind. I still don't. However long it takes, I'll keep plugging away until I've crafted a fully complete save file. If you're on the fence about this game, either as a remake or a new experience, don't be. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a great game, and a clear high point in the franchise's history.

Metro Awakening VR is an ambitious effort. Aside from the mura issue, which is PSVR 2 specific, the only other blemish is a restart bug. Whenever I died and the game restarted, it would often crash. Hopefully, this is a bug that can be quickly fixed with a patch. Aside from the PSVR 2 mura issue, this is a top-notch game that should not only appeal to VR Gamers but fans of the Metro series. The game has 12 chapters and each chapter should take you about an hour to play. That is if the mutants and spiders don’t creep you out and force you to rip off your headset.

Not only does it look significant better than its little brother on the current generation systems, Madden 25 on the Xbox One seems more authentic and more true to life.

Overall, this is a real charmer of a game. It plays with the real scale of a world in VR to create an engaging experience. Oft times I found myself smiling like one would with a Nintendo Mario game.

Few games have been as effective as Clustertruck at making me want “just one more try”. It’s bizarre, wacky, skill intensive, tough as hell, and you could end up needing a new controller or two before you’re through.

WWE 2K24 develops on the solid foundation from its predecessors. Each thoughtful tweak and refinement improves the gameplay to faithfully replicate the television experience. New additions help to bolster the package giving you plenty of options to engage in the world of wrestling. While it sticks to the established formula, it’s still a confident step in the right direction.

The real question here isn’t ‘is Persona 5 Royal’s switch version worth playing?’ It’s ‘is this a good place to pick up Persona 5 for the first time?’ The answer is a solid ‘yes.’ If you’ve never had a chance to play Persona 5 before, this is a great place to start.

At the end of the day Rock Band 4 feels more like an evolution than a drastic departure.

It's possible that my careful steps around the bulk of the narrative have failed to entice you into playing. The premise appears rather clumsy and bare, at least from a distance. Children piloting mecha to save the world from giant monsters? Preposterous! Reconsider, I implore you. For the anime nerds in the audience, this is a narrative of light novel complexity, a misleading moniker that belies the beast in its depths. For the rest, know only that the density of plot and complexity of the characters make this story more layered than most time travel tales. The combat sections will hook you just as hard, though for very different reasons. If you can absorb the narrative, and see past the strange battle sections, you'll be left with a rich, beautiful, compelling game you can scarcely put down.

Whether you are a SHMUP fan or not, Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst will be an addicting time. It’s refreshing to play a game that emphasizes that fun factor, so much so that I really couldn’t find much fault with the game other than the extremely small window in which the action takes place.

It’s safe to say that for those who haven’t experienced this title in its previous forms, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is a no-brainer. It features the biggest roster, the most content, and plays well at home or on the go, despite some technical issues. Those who may have only played one of the 3DS or Wii U versions would also be making a very safe bet in this case, but ultimately, this is just a solid choice for any party that is interested in seeing Link and friends (and foes) kick all kinds of ass across what is essentially a love-letter to fans of the series.

Frostpunk 2 is plagued with classic symptoms of a PC-to-console port. The text was too small. Objects on the screen were difficult to distinguish. The controls were confusing, with major UI elements were sporadically accessible to me until trial and error finally showed me the way. Sure, I wasn’t hunched over a desktop, but I discovered heretofore unknown ways of putting cricks in my neck in order to read the tiny text littered across my screen. Occasionally, I blinked and realized I had been standing directly in front of my TV for several minutes. In a possible record-breaking first, I found myself repeatedly wishing for a PlayStation Portal. I also lost reasonable amounts of progress to in-game crashes. I took it as a chance to fix mistakes I’d made, but didn’t save more frequently, though. Especially in the game’s later hours, the process just took too long. Every settlement was clearly always running in the background, slowing the whole thing down. Still, even this port can’t keep me away. I’m already ready to brave the frost again.

While I did find some disconnect with the main character I found the game did a remarkable job at telling the story and setting the stage for Corvo's relentless pursuit of those who set him up. The amount of character interaction in the game is impressive and the experience can go as deep as you'd want it to go.

Children of the Worm is absolutely the type of expansion that Back 4 Blood deserves. It is substantially better than the awful first expansion. This expansion brings a new Cleaner, four new enemies, and six new levels to play through. The levels feel like they’ve been carefully constructed to showcase both the new enemies, especially the snipers, and the hordes of Ridden. There are some minor annoyances, such as a ridiculous overabundance of bear traps strewn about. However, all in all, this is a worthy addition to Back 4 Blood. If the third and final Back 4 Blood expansion follows this formula, we’re in for a treat.

I immediately fell in love with Yarny and his companion, and the puzzles and platforming were consistently solid. It’s unfortunate the story was sidelined a bit, but the implantation of couch co-op surely helps makes up for it.

Overall, Adventure of Samsara is a solid 2D side-scrolling action-adventure game with Metroidvania roots. Its strengths lie in its deliberate combat, immaculate vibes, and unique camera perspective. It’s held back from greatness due to its challenging nature and decisions, which may hinder it from gaining mainstream attraction, not limited to its release timing. For anyone with an interest in Metroidvania titles, Adventure of Samsara is worth a look, whether in the immediate or distant future.

Antihero is a charming aesthetic package wrapped around a solid tactical core. If you can master the various systems at play, you can turn any situation into a victorious one. There are multiple paths to success, and you’re only funneled into a specific one if your opponent is absolutely dominating the board from start to finish.

Frontier Developments has taken fan feedback from F1 2022 to heart. F1 2023 is a more refined version that offers greater flexibility for the player. This is a strong incremental improvement over its predecessor.

American Arcadia is a stunning narrative-driven adventure that tells its story in a unique and immersive manner. Brimming with innovation, each moment offers up new ideas that help to create a well-paced, engaging experience. For those looking for a fresh and unique take on interactive storytelling, this delivers a memorable journey that blends cinematic flair with clever gameplay twists.

Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged enhances every aspect of the original, making it the definitive version of this already incredible adventure. The reworked visuals breathe new life into the world, while the refined UI and added accessibility options ensure that anyone can enjoy this classic. With its masterfully crafted story, witty dialogue, and rewarding puzzles, it stands as one of the finest examples in the genre.

With a lucky roll of the map, a skilled trio, and lots of practice, Nightreign provides transcendent moments of fun and accomplishment. It's a far more complex and nuanced battle royale than some of its more populist contemporaries. In its release form at least, Nightreign has a few limitations, like a somewhat unrewarding solo mode, no AI party members, and no duos. Still, while it may be a game that few Souls fans thought to consider essential, Nightreign is an unexpected gift that will no doubt be a new addiction for many.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar represents a fascinating blend of comforting tropes and freshly-broken ground. Blistering, brainy combat is tucked into a gorgeous package rife with excitement and fun. Regardless of your spot on the RPG spectrum, Battle Chasers: Nightwar is one game you won’t want to miss.

Gunbrella takes a ridiculous idea and creates an incredible adventure around it. The gun/umbrella combination allows you to quickly traverse and blast enemies with ease. Surprisingly, the narrative includes an emotional punch and is brimming with charm. Although some of the side missions are not as strong as the main objectives, the game is a delight from beginning to end and a must-play for fans of Metroidvanias.

The first major DLC for Forza Horizon 2, Storm Island, is now available. The core game of Forza Horizon 2 has its share of off road action, but the DLC adds extreme tracks, a new level of off road madness, new vehicles and extremely wet weather that affects your outcome; mix these all together and you’ve got some racing game goodness.

It is a fun game that will challenge your gaming prowess, especially the Hyper Mode levels, but it's a very short title without being too complicated. In the end it is quite a fun game for ten bucks, and I have no problem recommending it.