Even with hobbled online offerings, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is a lovingly constructed tribute to one of the medium’s most important franchises. Digital Eclipse’s signature timeline menu and array of well-produced (if sometimes overly safe) documentary clips lay out the necessary context that walks players through Mortal Kombat’s importance, culminating in a newly streamlined game that acts as a playable museum exhibit. Cheap, quarter-munching AI means not many of these titles have aged well, but an extraordinary amount of tweaks and options ensure these renditions are presented in the best possible light and offer some protection against the sands of time. Soft-pedaling the series’ weaker moments is disappointing, but this thorough collection is, for the most part, the historical deep dive Mortal Kombat has deserved and opens the door for another chapter that thoughtfully explores its divisive 3D era.

The Dragon Quest I + II HD Remake is a remarkable effort to revitalize classic RPGs for modern audiences. Dragon Quest I remains a charming, approachable experience that is improved but still basic, making me wish it received new content. Dragon Quest II, however, stands out with meaningful new content, expanded maps, and strategic gameplay enhancements that make it worth the price of admission on its own. Despite some small shortcomings, these remakes show how classic RPGs can be updated without losing their essence. For longtime fans, this is a trip down memory lane with a modern polish, and for newcomers, it’s an accessible and engaging entry into the early Dragon Quest universe, especially ahead of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined.

I’d just finished building the Triceratops pen perfectly, and now I’m terrified that it’s going to all fall apart and terrify the poor babies. It’s a level of immersion I never really experienced in park sims, but Jurassic World Evolution 3 achieved it. Even if you’re not a park sims gamer, this one is good enough that it’s worth giving a try — and if you are already a fan of this genre, get ready for a new favorite.

Despite a few little snags with the UI and load times, however, Two Point Museum feels utterly at home on the Switch 2. It’s the kind of game you just want to play for hours on end, and it certainly delivers enough content to ensure you can do so. If you like a management sim and own a Switch 2, this is definitely a game you’ll want to add to your library.

Dispatch‘s first two episodes have set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the season. With a snappy script, killer jokes, superb pacing, shockingly well-realized dispatch mechanics, and wonderfully eloquent animation, this superhero-filled narrative adventure is already shaping up to be one of the genre’s finest. It’s unclear how the next few batches of episodes will shape up or how well subjects hinted at here will be followed up on, but that doesn’t change how these introductory episodes hit harder than a punch from Phenomaman.

With gorgeous graphics, solid visual aesthetics, and a script that fits the tone, The Outer Worlds 2 is a very solid addition to the sci-fi landscape. While it may not be perfect, it’s a very impressive showcase from Obsidian highlights how the developer continues to improve on the sandbox approach they’ve been refining for years. Fans of the first game, the Fallout series, and good comedy writing will find plenty to love about this adventure.

When Ninja Gaiden 4 is at its best, the graphics paint a vivid portait of a bloodsoaked ninja moving through enemies like a ghost while cutting them to pieces with brutal efficiency. In these moments, everything falls away and players are left with a rich experience of unstoppable power. More often than not, however, players may be more frustrated by needing to cut down the same looking soldier for the 50th time in a level just so they can turn in a side-mission to unlock another air combo. A solid entry point for the series and an enjoyable enough experience for gamers who love a good action title, long-time fans might find themselves disappointed in the lack of variety in Ninja Gaiden 4 — but if you’re looking for an excuse to cut up ninjas in gruesome high-definition video, this is the game for you.

Xbox users looking for a mile-a-minute gameplay will likely be bored by Keeper‘s ambiguous storytelling and lofty worldbuilding. They should still give it a chance, though. There’s a level of artistry infused in every drop of Keeper that makes it impossible to turn away from. While it may not be the game that players revisit the most this year, it may prove to be one of the most memorable entries to the Xbox library in years. A strong argument that gaming can be just as artistically minded as any film, song, or artwork, Keeper is something special in a medium that’s always in need of more inventive approaches.

For all the old school mechanics and minor gripes, I ultimately really enjoyed playing Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2. Once I got the hang of gliding across rooftops, scurrying up fire escapes, and kicking some vampire butt, Bloodlines 2 gave me that immersive vampire roleplay feeling that led me to pick up the Vampire: The Masquerade TTRPG in the first place. It may not quite live up to what I wanted it to be, but it still feels like a vampire game worth playing if you’ve been craving a spooky, blood-soaked RPG this October.

Even with an uneven grind that loses purpose in the home stretch, Ball x Pit is still a mesmerizing mix of the brick breaker genre and auto-scrolling shooters. It doesn’t solely lean on one pillar, though, and greatly benefits from this hybrid approach. Stacking a screen-filling amount of upgrades and witnessing their destructive capabilities is empowering and being able to bounce balls with precision means it’s more than dopamine slop to passively consume. Ball x Pit certainly traffics in that space but does so intelligently and without feeling like a guilty pleasure. It’s just a pleasure, full stop.

Playing Pokemon Legends: Z-A just felt good. I enjoyed exploring the city, collecting side missions, and gathering clothes to craft my ideal outfit. Not every mechanic is a win, and some of the platforming elements of exploring the city felt a bit clunky, but it’s a game that had me wanting to come back for more. I appreciated having a bit more of a straightforward story than in games like Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, while still having plenty of side content to immerse myself in. The main story is a good length, and with all those side missions and hidden areas to explore, I can easily see myself sinking many more hours into Legends: Z-A even after the credits roll.

Battlefield 6 delivers a cinematic action experience worthy of an IMAX screen. It's big, it's loud, but Battlefield Studios has carefully molded that into something beautiful and bold. The scope and scale of this game are absolutely tremendous, immersing you into an epic and chaotic war zone every single match with the signature all-out warfare feeling that Battlefield does so well.

The fact that Beyond Victory is able to infuse these different gameplay approaches with such a lived-in touch of the Star Wars magic underscores how clever design and effective application of the tech can do wonders for established franchises. Beyond Victory is a fun experiment and showcase for the VR tech that Star Wars fans will find plenty to love about, but hopefully, the developers can take these lessons from this title and build on them in ways that only improve upon a solid bedrock.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is the best Digimon game we’ve had. The graphics and nuance are absolutely stunning, and the game offers a solid turn-based JRPG experience. But with its pricetag, it feels like it’s missing just a bit of polish. For Digimon fans, though, Time Stranger is a must-play that will truly take you into the Digital World.

At the end of the day, the best thing that can be said about this entire release is simply that it exists. With Super Mario Galaxy previously locked behind the aforementioned Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario Galaxy 2 still gridlocked to Wii (and technically Wii U), it has become increasingly hard to play this series as time has gone on. Nintendo has now omitted one of its gravest sins by bringing Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 to Switch consoles, and with the movie set to hit theaters next spring, this release couldn’t have come at a better time.

Caveats aside, my friends and I really did just have a good time playing LEGO Party! and that’s about all you can ask for from a casual party game like this one.

Even with a few shortcomings, Ghost of Yotei is an exceptionally captivating experience. The combat is dynamic and uniquely cinematic, the story is thrilling and emotionally rewarding, and the world is unbelievably breathtaking despite eventually devolving into typical open-world fodder. Ultimately, Sucker Punch has managed to find beauty and catharsis in such a violent revenge saga.

Hades 2 is truly an impressive feat in gaming. It delivers on nearly every level, from gameplay to voice acting to visuals and beyond.

These insufficiencies get even more frustrating since they’d likely address the staleness that creeps into Forgive Me Father 2’s latter stages, as well as its difficulty that occasionally borders on being unfair. Boomer shooters don’t always have to be power fantasies, but Forgive Me Father 2 illustrates how one suffers when it submits too much of its power over to the Elder Gods.

Dying Light: The Beast’s inability to focus on the right aspects is its ultimate downfall. The parkour should be the focal point the title revolves around since it is its most unique feature with the greatest potential, yet it’s hobbled by inaccurate controls and incessant losses in momentum. Most of the other mechanics — like its stealth, melee combat, and RPG systems — are shallow or superfluous; flavorless gruel meant to pad out the menu. It’s hard not to see the breadth having anything but a negative influence on its depth, showing how this beast isn’t nearly as formidable as it should be.

It’s a tremendous work from Konami, developer NeoBards, and writer Ryukishi07 that invites plenty of discussion and theorizing on the part of the player. Silent Hill f lingers in the mind, in a way few horror games have in years. Silent Hill f is everything great about the series, told in a new J-horror style that perfectly fits the classic aesthetic. While it may not have the tightest combat, that’s reflective of a tone that values ambiance and thematic weight over the quick thrills of other games. Silent Hill f is the meditative, gorgeous, and absolutely terrifying entry that fans have been waiting for.

While the real-time strategy aspects of the city-building gameplay run into natural difficulties in the transition from mouse-and-keyboard to a controller, the execution of Frostpunk 2‘s story is enough to lure players back time and time again. The depth of the worldbuilding ensures the campaign can play out in several different ways, all dependent on the player’s choices amid tough situations. The result is an engrossing strategy game that’s hard to put down, even when the controls become frustrating.

Borderlands 4 earns a high rating because its innovations and polished gameplay deliver a return to form that the series desperately needed. While not every player will have a smooth experience, those who can navigate or tolerate its technical issues will find a game that rewards you for playing it exactly like you want to. It is a bold and energetic entry that revitalizes the series, and for me, a jaded veteran, the combination of core improvements and inventive design is enough to justify its final rating.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor doesn’t necessarily revolutionize its genre, but it doesn’t need to. With this entry in the action roguelike autoshooter genre, Funday Games has created a delightfully enjoyable game that will keep you coming back for more.

LEGO Voyagers also feels inspired by the mini-renaissance of cooperative video games led by It Takes Two and Split Fiction creator Hazelight Studios, and this title deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those two acclaimed games. Despite some minor blemishes, LEGO Voyagers produces joy and nostalgia that anyone who loves co-op experiences — along with an affinity for plastic bricks — should play.

While it may be short, TROLEU might also be just the right length to keep the controls from getting aggravating or wearing out the wackiness of bit, ensuring gamers can leave the trolley satisfied and giggling.

Hornet’s tale isn’t likely to be rushed into a film or television adaptation, but it is another example of the growing quality and prevalence of real storytelling in video games. It didn’t have to be that way, either. The game has a wonderful atmosphere, enthralling gameplay, and tons of content, so the developers could’ve gotten by without adding a rich narrative to highlight it all. But they chose to anyway.

It is a game that does one thing, and it isn’t reinventing the wheel. It’s just golf, and without those extra levels of unprecedented creativity, it isn’t going to be the most memorable title to come out this year. If you don’t like virtual golf, this isn’t going to change your mind. If you do enjoy golf and miss the days of having Wii Sports golf be relevant, then it’ll be a fun, if not mindblowing, experience.