The actual puzzle design is effective and leans into that sense of natural exploration, giving players more reason to take in the creepy sights and sounds. Composer Christian Björklund does a great job enhancing the narrative through subtle touches and effective musical stings. While the game itself suffers from some control issues, it’s never so distracting that it can fully undo the effective moments of immersion that Altered Echoes delivers. While the purposefully ambiguous and thematically heavy story might be a tad opaque for some players, there’s enough craft and tension in Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes to make it a must-play game for horror fans.

What I played left a strong impression overall. First Light already has the foundation of something confident, stylish, and occasionally very clever, even when it is still adjusting its tie in the mirror. It’s Hitman roots are clear as day, but the strong narrative pivot First Light is really diving into really kept things feel fresh throughout my session. I think fans of both Hitman and James Bond are really going to like what First Light showcases, and it could become something genuinely memorable. [4-Hour Hands-On Impressions]

It’s impossible to tell if Invincible Vs as a whole will stick around since quality fighting games don’t always get the attention they deserve, but it has the potential to. Its combo-heavy, tag-centric combat is quite the spectacle that also has enough depth to be more than a glitzy explosion of blood and expletives. Not everything surrounding that crucial core is as robust, but just like Invincible himself, it’s strong enough to overcome its weaknesses and become a great fighter in its own right.

Between the stunning pixel art, compelling story, and satisfying management gameplay loop, The Last Gas Station is a must-play for fans of the genre. It offers a unique twist on the management sim while still delivering the core components you want to see in this kind of game. And of course, there’s a mystery to solve, which adds another layer to keep you clocking in day after day.

Despite my hesitation, Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era feels like a dream come true. It captures what made the series special while leaving space to grow into something even better. If the developers continue refining and expanding it, this could finally be the game that brings the franchise back to the top of the strategy genre. Combat, exploration, army management, and the story are exactly what I wanted from a new Heroes of Might & Magic game, and if the only issues are minor ones, I am beyond happy. Longtime fans will not want to pass on this one. It may never reach the same heights as Heroes of Might & Magic III, but it is well on its way to making that attempt. [Early Access Score = 90]

Saros’ story remains an overall disappointment and is another reason why the game is an unsatisfactory follow-up to Returnal. Not only does Saros fail to build on what that 2021 title started, it takes massive leaps backward by having an unstable and frustrating difficulty curve, a less cohesive story, and shallower roguelike systems. Devoid of the context given by release dates, it would seem as though Saros came well before Returnal with how much less confident and taut it is in comparison. While fiery suns define Saros and play an ever-present role in it, it is Returnal that is the shining star here, one that cleanly eclipses its spiritual successor.

Valorborn feels like it was born into Early Access a little too early, like it got pushed out of the oven while the center was still deciding what temperature it believes in. The potential is not theoretical, it is visible in motion, and anyone who spends real time with this game can see the shape of something much stronger trying to push through the cracks. But right now, even as an Early Access purchase, it feels like a step taken before the ground finished forming beneath it. [Early Access Score = 50]

Those who love a truly challenging game will no doubt enjoy Lucky Tower Ultimate. But don’t expect “Peasant Mode” to make it much easier to survive the Tower, because starting with clothes and a weapon is a small boon in a world that’s determined to kill you. To truly see what this game has to offer, you’ll need the patience to get good and outsmart the Tower without much help. If that sounds like your kind of game, go forth. As for me? The challenge proved a bit more infuriating than fun.

As part of its gameplay loop, Living the Dream incorporates real-time elements, with shops refreshing daily. That does make you want to keep coming back to see what new items you’ll unlock. And checking in on the Miis is pretty entertaining at first, too. But as I mentioned, many of the requests and cutscenes start to repeat, which unfortunately made this game grow a bit stale for me far sooner than I would’ve liked. I enjoyed Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream very much for the first several hours I played it, but after the novelty wore off, I found myself wishing for a bit more.

Segmenting out these little nuggets of cheese harms much more than its story. Mouse’s ability to successfully channel the golden age of American animation in boomer shooter form is fascinating, as the comedic qualities of this embellished animation style are timeless and not exclusive to just one medium. But that slick presentation can’t make up for unremarkable gunplay and lethargic pacing. It’s common for rubber-hose animation to stretch out various limbs and body parts, but Mouse took that inspiration too far by stretching out its levels, gameplay, and story, too.

Such a vision and the stubbornness to stick to that vision is commendable. Purposely pulling back from the excesses of modern game design and carefully curating how much players can take at any one time fits with the game’s meditative themes and overall aesthetic. But given its mechanical strengths, it’s difficult to not envision a better middle ground where the game can hold back while also giving players a bit more to chew on; carving up and blasting little green guys and vibing out to its visuals is too satisfying to be limited to such short, controlled bursts. These qualities mean Tamashika is a high that is ever so sweet but much too fleeting.

Pragmata’s combat encapsulates this fresh take on a familiar concept. It wears the skin of a generic third-person shooter but augments that base with a hacking mechanic. Instead of merely blasting bots until they blow, players have to simultaneously crack into their matrices by moving a cursor through a grid with the face buttons. Hacked bots take significantly more damage and can recover from hacks after a bit of time, making this a crucial and consistent component of combat.

A great pick for younger players that older fans will find plenty to appreciate in its lively tweaks on well-worn but effective styles of gameplay, People of Note is a big and bombastic blast if you let it be.

There’s a fun concept in Ascendance right from the jump, reintroducing one of gaming’s most beloved vampire epics with a riff on one of their closest peers in the medium. However, the game is held back by some lackluster design choices and overall lack of depth. While the game can be fun, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance never quite matches the ambitions it set for itself.

The central gameplay does a great job of keeping the momentum up and the excitement growing, even as it subtly delves into a surprisingly effective story about coming into one’s own. Grime II does the Metroidvania genre proud, with a terrific balance of worldbuilding and game design underscoring it all. While it may not be flawless, this gorgeously rendered adventure is a definite must-play for fans of the classic adventures that codified the Metroidvania genre in the first place.

It’s a surprising disconnect, one that evokes the game’s very title. Darwin’s Paradox’s name is derived from biologist Charles Darwin’s observation that coral reefs thrive in water without many nutrients. How can something so lively sustain itself in a barren environment? While unintended, Darwin’s Paradox offers up a similar conundrum: How can something so lively and pretty be so boring and bland on the inside?

This is a story with an important message about self-care, mental health, and forgiving yourself and your loved ones. It really resonated with me and even inspired me to do a bit better with my own self-care routines. Fishbowl‘s story is compelling and well-written, and it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time. For just $10, it’s cheaper than most paperbacks these days and delivers a strong story served alongside entertaining gameplay elements that immerse you in the tale.

The Marvel MaXimum Collection follows the trend of modern collections to simplify the game, which does take away some of the natural challenge and engagement. When lives are infinite in X-Men: The Arcade Game, then some of the tension of battles and the excitement of victory are undercut. The whole point of these collections is to recreate those original games in all their weird, fun, colorful glory. This isn’t a problem with the Marvel MaXimum Collection alone, but it does reflect the idea that this game feels more like a museum piece than a full-throated embrace of the titles. It’s still a very good piece of superhero gaming history that remains a lot of fun to play, but it doesn’t perfectly capture the feeling of playing those original games quite like some other collections have in the past. Luckily, the strength of the presentation and the enduring quality of the games featured in the collection deliver a timeless experience.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an action-adventure game whose cute graphics might lull you into a false sense of security. The game brings Souls-lite combat, platforming, and puzzles that will put your gaming skills to the test. On Switch 2, the game looks great and runs smoothly (for the most part). Despite being only a few years old, it feels like old-school Legend of Zelda with modern graphics, and that makes it a perfect addition to the Switch 2 lineup of action games.

The underlying combo-heavy combat has enough of a crunch to give it all weight, even as the pacing and mechanics sometimes can’t live up to the potential. While the story mode is a fairly tight action game with a short run time, the various playable characters available provide enough extra edges to make replays fun. While lacking the pace of more successful modern beat ’em ups, Rushing Beat X has more than enough internal depth and external charm to be great for fans of the 90s era — and side-scrolling action games in general.

Crimson Desert is a game built on impossible ambition, meticulously realized. Its UI frustrations and annoying inventory management are most certainly setbacks from true perfection, but they cannot and do not obscure the brilliance beneath. Even with these flaws, it undoubtedly stands atop the peaks of open-world games, looking down on nearly everything else alongside legends like Elden Ring. It is a triumph of scale and vision; a world that lingers long after the play session ends.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando delivers a wild ride through the undead apocalypse with just enough new to make it worth your time. It takes the familiar bones of the genre and wraps them in something bigger and louder. Sometimes that spills over into repetition, but when everything clicks, which it will for your first several hours of play, it feels like standing in the middle of a raging river (of zombies) and letting the current (of zombies) carry you straight through the storm.

The charm of the characters and the laidback presentation of the inventory itself open up for a very relaxing experience. While it’s not quite a comfy game, it’s a surprisingly close one. While more game modes and styles of poker could have added depth to the expeirence, Poker Night at the Inventory remains as easy to fall in love with as it did when it was first released. Hopefully, this remaster draws enough attention for a follow-up that remakes the second game — or lays the groundwork for a new sequel that adds more gameplay elements to flesh out the underlying strength of the gameplay design.

Despite those issues, the wrestling in WWE 2K26 is outstanding, and the depth of the roster and the updates to the array of modes make this game considerably better than last year’s version. Considering last year’s game was already stellar, it only makes WWE 2K26 that much more impressive.

Scott Pilgrim EX is everything fans of the cult classic game could have hoped for, taking the concept and expanding it into something extraordinary.

For all its minor snags, though, I do think Game Freak and Koei Tecmo have created something special with Pokemon Pokopia. The game feels at once like a well-crafted and engaging cozy game and an impressive Pokemon spin-off. Even without familiar staples like battles or catching, it does very much feel rooted in the world of Pokemon. And it’s also just plain fun. Even if I sometimes felt overwhelmed at the amount of work it’ll take to turn the block-filled expanse into a cozy home, I kept wanting to come back for more.

Those who are familiar with the Reigns series, or who are big fans of The Witcher, will no doubt enjoy the game and the wealth of different options and choices it offers. But there are some stumbling blocks here that could put more casual players off the game after a few runs gone wrong.

Rather than trying to do something entirely new, the ninth mainline installment in the saga, Resident Evil Requiem, finds a way to perfectly mesh all of the best aspects of the series so far. The result doesn't just make Requiem one of the greatest Resident Evil games yet, but it stands as a perfect celebration of the franchise for its 30th anniversary.