The franchise returns bigger and renewed after 13 long years without a full-fledged entry on a main console. While the creation systems across every aspect of the game, along with the different interactions between Miis, are more than funny, what keeps it from fully reaching the finish line is the lack of an easy, official way to share our creations without having to rely on third-party websites.

Saros is a full-blooded action game and an essential pick for anyone who thinks not everything has to be Marvel’s God of Wolverine: Forbidden West of Us 2 Remastered. It delivers an experience that simply does not exist elsewhere at this level of production, at least not on any other platform. Roguelikes may be more or less appealing depending on the player, but this is the kind of experimental PlayStation we always want to see.

Capcom is back with a new IP that shows it still is not afraid to experiment with new formulas and evolve familiar mechanics. More importantly, it serves as a reminder that experimentation is also a fundamental part of video games. Pragmata tells a beautiful spacefaring story through two protagonists who perfectly complement each other, while blending the best of the RE Engine with a third-person shooter that features a real-time hacking minigame. The result is a system with near-endless combat possibilities, where risk and reward become the driving force behind a unique and deeply addictive experience.

The new Pokémon spin-off is one of the best things the company has made since Mystery Dungeon or Rangers. Its greatest strength lies in taking a simple genre framework and elevating it through the charm of its pocket creatures, delivering exactly what many fans have been asking for. The music, the atmosphere, the creative freedom, and the dialogue all work together to make the player feel constantly rewarded and eager to keep exploring without stopping.

This turn-based RPG combines the franchise’s trademark mechanical depth with creature-raising systems and ecosystem restoration. With an entertaining, if somewhat predictable, story, colorful characters, and visuals on par with the best anime-inspired games in the genre, it is aimed squarely at Monster Hunter fans and rewards them with hours upon hours of content. Its steep learning curve and slow pacing can feel overwhelming, but for those already familiar with the series, it stands as one of the best entries Capcom has delivered.

Reanimal delivers an unsettling co-op adventure built around survival and teamwork. It stands out thanks to its oppressive atmosphere, strong audiovisual presentation, and a symbolism-heavy narrative. Its linear structure blends exploration, puzzles, and intense chase sequences in a well-balanced way, while local co-op and Friend Pass support strengthen its identity as a shared experience. Even if it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it reinforces a solid formula that lands with real emotional impact.

Capcom keeps its streak alive with the folks from Raccoon City, delivering a masterpiece packed with memorable moments—ones that, the second you experience them, you’ll want to run and tell someone what just happened. The dual-protagonist system makes the whole ride feel perfectly balanced between tension and spectacle, gameplay and variety, proving it’s not a gimmick but a carefully tuned experience designed to squeeze the maximum fun out of every scenario they throw at you.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is the most faithful—and, at the same time, the most contradictory—remake in the entire saga. It pulls off something that feels almost impossible: modernizing a game whose very essence was slow and contemplative. It improves the areas where it hurt the most (especially visuals and combat), adds a new storyline to patch its gaps, yet it can’t (and doesn’t want to) change its core as a “yakuza dad” simulator.

Nioh returns with a third entry that aims to establish a much deeper, more distinctive identity. This time, Nioh 3 leans into a more direct, in-your-face style of gameplay, with more versatile movement that lets you switch on the fly between Samurai and Ninja modes. It also encourages exploration through a semi-open world, featuring some platforming and more varied transitions between scenes. And while it can slip into recycled enemies and animations at times, it remains relentlessly challenging, addictive, and epic.

It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or reach masterpiece status, but if you’re into battle arena games—if you really make the most of each of the modes mentioned and take into account the huge base roster of characters—you’ll undoubtedly find countless hours of fun here. And whether you’re a fan of the franchise or not, visually you’re looking at one of the most stunning anime-styled games ever made.

This new interpretation arrives at just the right time for anyone looking to step into the world of Dragon Quest. It’s practical and easy to pick up, with a story that hooks you, memorable characters, and—above all—the unmistakable essence of the franchise intact. The music and art elevate the experience, while the cast’s charm pulls you into a one-way ride that never lets up.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ port on Nintendo Switch 2 is, overall, a surprisingly impressive technical achievement, although it comes with the expected trade-offs of adapting a next-gen open world to hybrid hardware. If you prefer a better frame rate or more graphical “muscle” in terms of detail—and you have the option to play on PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC—those remain, without question, the best choices. But if portability is your priority and you want the full Shadows experience in the palm of your hand, Switch 2 delivers a more than solid version.

This may be the definitive and most complete version of the story of the beloved John Marston. An award-winning 2010 Game of the Year returns with graphical improvements, portable play options, and a new mouse mode on the Nintendo Switch 2. It delivers strong technical stability, very satisfying resolution, and excellent load times. And while it still retains some of the original’s infamous bugs and NPC issues, it remains a highly enticing package that’s well worth revisiting.

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is the classic you already loved, now dressed in a fresh suit with a localization that’s genuinely appreciated. It feels like the definitive version because it runs like a dream and remains as brilliant as ever—even if the new scenes sometimes feel like they belong in a different game. But when you’re playing, the magic is absolutely real.

Whether it’s your style or not, there’s no doubt that Kirby Air Riders is both bold and innovative, making it a unique experience that already feels like a cult classic in 2025. It perfectly blends casual, welcoming gameplay for those who just want to have fun with a surprising amount of depth and challenge for players looking to master all of its mechanics and objectives.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, besides being the definitive musou game based on The Legend of Zelda series, is an installment that fits perfectly within the narrative arc established by Tears of the Kingdom. It boasts a satisfying technical presentation, an art style that respects the original game, and, above all, a solid gameplay loop thanks to a considerable number of missions and battles filled with drama and action. While the experience can become repetitive after several hours, the option to play in cooperative mode on the Switch 2 helps maintain interest and provides a compelling conclusion to the Zelda story told thus far.

ARC Raiders presents itself as a post-apocalyptic extraction shooter that breaks away from the traditional military style that gave birth to the genre. It stands out with a fresh and solid proposal that leans toward third-person action and a gameplay loop built around exploration and looting mechanics — all while driving the extermination of machines, either solo or in teams of three. Through feats and mission systems within each raid that feed into individual progression, the game showcases both ambition and a distinctive identity. It achieves this with visuals and sound design that feel as realistic as they are satisfying.

Sanatorium: Mental Asylum Simulator combines the best of resource management with a deeply human and critical narrative. Through a simple yet effective card-based system, the game portrays the horrors of psychiatric treatment in the 1920s with both irony and sensitivity—avoiding sensationalism or trivialization. Its tone, oscillating between the sinister and the darkly comic, manages to entertain while inviting reflection. Small in scale but grand in ambition, it’s one of those indie gems that accomplishes a lot with very little.

Sports Interactive and SEGA stay true to their essence of portraying the world of football from a different perspective. With Football Manager 26, diversity takes center stage, and the addition of the Premier League license — together with an optimized interface and a more intuitive transfer system — make this entry a strong draw for both newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Obsidian Entertainment—famous for Avowed, Pentiment, and the widely acclaimed Fallout: New Vegas—does it again, delivering an RPG as formidable as it is replayable. An instant classic for genre fans that will satisfy even the most demanding players. A chapter no choose-your-own-adventure enthusiast should miss under any circumstances.

Ninja Gaiden 4 marks an exhilarating return to one of the most iconic hack & slash sagas—one that has inspired countless successors. Despite retaining some of its old habits and featuring an explicitly linear level design, this new installment delivers a decisive katana strike straight onto the list of the best action games of 2025.

The franchise continues to grow and evolve in the right direction, even if it sometimes feels held back—whether by technical limitations or a reluctance to take risks. Despite these drawbacks and visuals that aren’t particularly impressive, the adventure remains genuinely fun, filled with activities and dynamic exploration. It preserves the signature mechanic of capturing creatures stealthily or engaging in large-scale battles, offering players multiple ways to approach encounters. The storyline stands out as one of the best in recent years, and by breaking free from the traditional turn-based combat system, the game opens the door to fresh and exciting gameplay experiences.

The new installment of the world’s fastest hedgehog feels light, satisfying, and—above all—fun and family-friendly. With very little to criticize, the game not only checks all the boxes of the genre but surpasses them through its variety of characters and customization options. The music, the races, and the overall atmosphere perfectly capture Sega’s golden 90s era.

LEGO Party isn’t a title that completely reinvents the genre, but it does add a few clever ideas. With well-executed humor, strategy, fair competition, and creativity as its strongest points, it stands as one of the most accessible and entertaining party games in recent years. Sure, it could use more content—but its transformations make every match feel entirely different. When it comes to having fun and competing with friends or family, this game has all the right pieces.

As the next step in the franchise, it successfully fills the shoes of its decades-old successes and far surpasses its most recent entries. This long-awaited shooter delivers exactly what fans of the genre were hoping for: movement, adrenaline, chaos, destruction, and particles flying everywhere across massive maps.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is ambitious within the core of the saga. It aims to expand the combat experience with multiple gameplay layers, supported by a story that pushes mystery and exploration to the forefront, all while encouraging players to collect nearly 450 Digital Monsters. Highly appealing for longtime fans, and though not flawless, it proves just how much the series has matured over the years.

EA Sports FC 26 sets itself apart in gameplay compared to its predecessors in the saga. The third installment under the EA FC banner is a solid option for those who prefer competing against AI thanks to its authentic gameplay. On the online side, passionate Ultimate Team players will once again embark on their yearly adventure, this time with the return of tournaments and meaningful updates to the already established modes.

The return of Crane with the new gameplay mechanic that lends its name to the game is exactly what the franchise needed. In a post-apocalyptic world full of blood and gore, the beast can finally be unleashed to do as it pleases. Techland understood its audience and delivered directly to them, with clever nods, an improved RPG system, more entertaining animations to execute, and a story that may be simple but ties the package together—making this the best Dying Light entry to date.