Dead as Disco has a distinct vision for what it wants to be and ultimately, it’s a wildly entertaining first step. Early Access is the perfect opportunity for Brain Jar Games to release its rhythm-based beat ’em up into the wild and work with players while they take this concept to its current limits. As engaging as most of its Idol fights are right now, the true gem of Dead as Disco is going to be its custom mode where players fight to the beat of their own music. Ripe for content, I think this one may turn out to be a hit.

Everything is Crab: The Animal Evolution Roguelite from developer Odd Dreams Digital is a marvel to behold. It’s fun, enormous in the number of directions the player can take the gameplay, and it’s easily replayable. It’s one of my top 10 games of 2026 so far.

On the basis of the shifted gameplay loop involving racing against the clock, Fate of the Phoenix presents a more hectic, difficult, yet rewarding way to play Europa Universalis V.

Crimson Desert is almost impossible not to recommend in its past, present, or future state for anyone who has a fondness for open-world games. There are numerous ways myself or others could add or subtract to make it the most ideal personal RPG. But because Pearl Abyss has provided us with so many tools already, it’s hard not to appreciate and soak up the boundless freedom provided here. I’m absolutely curious what it will look like in the fall after months of tinkering have settled in. Maybe co-op will get added, maybe it will just be more pets. Either way, it’s hard to deny the resounding success Crimson Desert is right now.

Bandit Trap from developer PICOMY is a fun multiplayer game that creates a unique, two-sided challenge between home invaders and homeowners. The 3v1 gameplay is simple and fun, though it is still going through some growing pains.

Mullet Madjack is a diamond in the rough of a boomer shooter, perfect for anyone wanting an arcade like experience within a stylishly artistic neon setting. One year after its original release on PC, it remains a must-have for any Nintendo Switch owner wanting the cartoonish violence of a boomer shooter without a need for arbitrary precision. It’s a bloody fantastic time.

The Spell Brigade separates itself from the pack of Vampire Survivors-adjacent games by letting up to four players engage in unruly, wave-based chaos. However, the power climb is locked behind a steep grind that takes too long to feel rewarding and players may yearn for more varied content to keep them truly invested.

Aphelion treads familiar waters for anyone who has played an action adventure game in a post-Uncharted world. But its emotional and grounded narrative about the search for hope is potent enough to look past many shortcomings.

Ground Zero, from developer Malformation Games, is a tip-of-the-hat to classic survival horror times, and well-executed with story and gameplay.

The Day I Became a Bird, from developer Hyper Luminal Games Ltd., is a fun, adorable visual novel adventure that features a fair amount of well-placed gameplay and a good dose of creative and nostalgic flavor to it. It’s a short journey, though, clocking in at 1.5 hours.

Life is Strange: Reunion attempts to tackle the difficult task of wrapping up the loose ends set forth in Double Exposure and find resolution for the series’ two beloved characters. The relationship between Max and Chloe has always been a highlight of the genre and thankfully it carries a weaker entry in Life is Strange that struggles to navigate its overly simplistic gameplay and less important subplots.

OPUS Prism Peak from developer SIGONO, INC. brings one solid narrative to the gaming table. It features humor, drama, compelling characters, and a worthy journey for the player to take on. All of this is wrapped in simple gameplay elements that don’t take the adventure too far away from the story.

As the game progressed, you unlocked new weapons. Despite having a variety of firearms, I found myself really sticking to 2-3 guns the whole game. The guns unlocked in later portions of the game felt more cumbersome than useful. I think of a game like Bioshock Infinite that shows you a little animation after you receive a new ability. This animation helps the player learn the extent of the abilities, and I think this would have been helpful for the equipment in Mouse. Despite their flaws mechanically, they look beautiful, and their names are fantastic. The Tommy gun in this world is a “James Gun”, come on, that’s just good old-fashioned comedy.

Saros pushes the envelope on multiple fronts, changing the roguelike genre in ways that’s more player-friendly than ever while taking advantage of the PS5’s DualSense controller in novel fashions. It’s near perfect in several ways, even if its story lacks the satisfaction that its gunplay otherwise provides.

Tides of Tomorrow is a wonderful game that brings a balance of fantastic branching dialogue and consequences of that dialogue, while also creating some meaningful and solid interactive gameplay that complements those dialogue choices. The game feels very well planned and executed.

Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege from developer Lillymo Games is a tip of the hat to an 8-bit era that featured fun side-scrolling adventure titles, while also sporting some rage-quitting encouragement through challenging gameplay. The devs brought that nostalgic gameplay to life on a modern console and delivered on promises of an 8-bit NES experience.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss feels like a breath of fresh air to Lovecraft’s body of work. It revels in forcing the player to parse through the madness, unraveling the unfathomable questions of places and being we are not meant to understand. Wrapped in cosmic horror like an offering to the Old Gods, this is a claustrophobic journey that respects the player’s intelligence in putting the pieces together to solve eerie mysteries and hopefully not succumbing to the influence of insanity.

The Rogue Prince of Persia’s fluid traversal, gorgeous art style, and satisfying combat make it a promising roguelike platformer. What it lacks in endgame content and variety it makes up for in a game that has now set the gold standard for what traversal should be for all platformers going forward. With its physical release and imminent free content updates, now might be the best time to try Evil Empire’s take on a Prince of Persia title.

Regions of Ruin: Runegate, from developer Gameclaw Studio, is an absolute treat to play. The story is great, the action is simple, and the open-world questing and RPG elements make for a worthwhile gaming time.

Little Nemo and the Guardians of Slumberland is a fantastic 2D platformer/Metroidvania that is far deeper and more entertaining than it appears, and should satisfy any gamer looking for a non-linear adventure.

Pragmata is a remarkably high bar for players who wish to bond with the characters they embody. And for a new IP, Capcom succeeds by confidently not playing it safe. Third-person perspectives have become so fundamental for narrative-based games asking players to be absorbed in their worlds, undertaking the raw emotions their characters are inflicted with. Yet rarely does a game twist the formula in such a way that feels wholly unique and capitalizes on the traits of its individual protagonists. Pragmata is able to deliver an action game with a beating heart and a warm soul because Hugh and Diana are extensions of the player, sharing in their struggles and their emotional triumphs.

GRIME II from developer Clover Bite and publisher Kwalee is a massive Metroidvania that is driven by its creativity and storytelling, backed up by amazing visuals and soundtrack, and does everything on the gameplay side that you would expect from the genre it lives within. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s worthy of your time.

TAMASHIKA is borderline experimental. Therefore, it won’t be for everyone. A pure first-person shooter that holds no ambitions of plot or extended play. Developer quicktequila asks little of the player outside of growth. Whether that growth comes from patience or hardened reaction forge from repetition, the result is the same. Its kaleidoscope of feedback, colors, sounds, and stuff smother the player, gnaw at them. Like a chant, it summons you. Stay a bit, leave, come back. Things will be different but the thrill will be the same.

People of Note proves that turn-based RPGs can offer synergistic fun as long as care is given to both the combat and the content. By centering the game around its musical core, Iridium Studios pays off their efforts in dividends. Not only is the narrative heartfelt and the combat engaging, the creativity used in incorporating song constantly surprises, making People of Note just as catchy as its catalog of earworms.

STAR WARS: Dark Forces Remaster, from developers Nightdive Studios and LucasFilm Games, brings back a very 90s first-person shooter experience with new quality of life improvements. While the gameplay may not be to some players’ liking or up to modern-day standards, it successfully preserves what made this game good in the 90s.

ChainStaff is a game of excess. And that excess is packed into a tight package of constantly surprising and bizarre creatures that often defy explanation. Enough creativity is stretched over the surface of the game to forge its own direction. Using a parasitic alien’s veined weapon as a tool to Tarzan past grotesque worlds and entities is nothing you can say about almost any other game. It may get chaotic and illegible at times but when it’s so gnarly, who cares?

RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic from Atari brings what it promises to the table – a classic. Building, maintaining, and improving an amusement park while not trying to lose attendees is such an addictive gameplay experience, even if it doesn’t hit all the modern gaming notes perfectly.

Dying Light: The Beast Restored Land continues Techland’s tradition of meaningful post-launch content and support for its games. Here, players can tackle Castor Woods with a new hardcore, solo survival mode along with a slew of updates for the base game. Taking advantage of Dying Light‘s signature parkour movement and crunchy combat, Restored Land is a fantastic vehicle to dive into Dying Light: The Beast no matter your experience with the franchise.

Outside of Defiance Remastered‘s improvements and additions, this is still very much a game of the early-2000s, warts and all. Crystal Dynamics had an engaging combat system and a complex narrative. But there’s still a tendency for fights to become repetitive, especially when Kain and Raziel aren’t vastly different from each other mechanically. The story might still bounce around in frustrating or confusing ways. Levels may go on for longer than you wish. But it is still very much a piece of gaming history that many hope will eventually see a resurgence.

Super Meat Boy 3D is a thrillingly apt interpretation of the original Super Meat Boy. Those who loved Meat Boy’s squelching, sticky jumps in 2D would be hard-pressed not to fall in love with the same brutal execution in 3D. While some precision and legibility gets lost in translation to varying degrees of success, the wealth of content and homage is retained. Team Meat’s reverence for the genre is unmatched and I can’t wait to keep exploding in a hail of meat for years to come.

Basketball Classics from developer Namo Gamo and publisher Acclaim, Inc., is a fun 8-bit basketball experience that is simple in its design and execution. While not perfect, it still maintains the essence of some of the best and earliest times of video game basketball gameplay experiences.

Last Man Sitting from developer DoubleMoose Games and publisher Raw Fury is a fun and simple shooter with a ridiculous theme, as well as a bevy of customization and upgrade options. The gameplay is short and repetitive, but the price point helps justify it.

If you’ve ever wanted to feel satisfaction from a coin pushing machine, RACCOIN: Coin Pusher Roguelike will give you the hope, joy, and endless chaos that the real thing couldn’t. It’s a Balatro-fied coin pusher roguelike that’ll keep you chasing the highs of raining coins for hours on end.

Marathon is a game but it is also a statement piece. One that brazenly pushes against the player, creating friction where we usually would expect none. This is not a kind extraction shooter. It is violent, ruthless, and exacting. Players clash with each other in the promise of exponential, evolving power and, much like its AI counterparts, have no qualms about taking their pound of flesh. By design, Bungie has created something confident and singular. And by definition, those are the types of products that will ostracize and exclude. Only at those weakest moments is the player able to capitalize on their own survival instinct and take charge, using the provided tools to complete the cycle and escape into the heavens. You merely have to want it.

DAMON and Baby from developer Arc System Works contains a bevy of fun gameplay elements across different genres that work more than they don’t. The action can get a bit frustrating at times, but big multi-tiered maps, interesting weapons, and a cooking system help to push past that frustration. It’s a good game that has a lot to offer players.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a near-complete collection of the Nintendo DS’ Mega Man titles. Featuring welcome quality of life benefits, new-and-improved (for the most part) audio/visuals, along with online play, it’s a must-have for a Mega Man fan wanting to replay some of the best titles in the series’ history.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage is the same, already great 3D fighting experience that PC players got last year and fans of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown have been familiar with since 2021. It brings Nintendo Switch 2 owners to parity with crossplay and rollback netcode, meaning that it should be easier than ever to find an online opponent.

MLB The Show 26 from developer San Diego Studio and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment is a solid improvement from last year’s game, with more data inclusion, smoother career decision-making, and better backend gameplay refinements. While not a huge leap from the previous year, it’s still a good release with enough reason to consider it, especially if you’re a new player who doesn’t have last year’s game.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on the PC brings the same epic story, fantastic gameplay, and unrivaled visuals. It’s quite an achievement for PC gaming.

The Coin Game from developer devotid and publisher Kwalee is a fun game, especially if you love those ticket arcade gaming experiences. The games are methodically created, fun, and addictive. The two main modes, Survival and Birthday, are just different enough to enjoy a variety of gameplay experiences depending on one’s mood. The game does have its faults, but it has more good than not.

Minishoot’ Adventures avoids being a shameless ripoff of classic Zelda by incorporating twin-stick shooter elements into its fluid gameplay. Tackling friendly bullet hell enemies is made more exciting through a colorful world packed with a flood of rewards and a constant feeling of discovery, making this brisk adventure enticingly unique.

For players who love cozy games and don’t mind a slightly more structured approach to exploration, Collector’s Cove offers a calm, colorful adventure on the open sea. It may not be the most groundbreaking entry in the genre, but it’s a relaxing voyage that’s easy to enjoy, especially for those of us who want nothing more than to pet all of the animal companions in the gaming world.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando obviously has echoes of titles like Left 4 Dead and Back 4 Blood in it. As a cooperative horde shooter it doesn’t stray from the pack in a way that is too experimental to prevent casual fun. Despite the gritty and realistic aesthetic, the open-ended maps offer numerous engaging objectives meant to challenge groups of players. By combining familiar elements of character classes and tangible upgrades, Saber Interactive has borrowed from its best titles to create a cohesive power climb that is best with friends biting back with enough fangs that challenges are fresh and fun.

Resident Evil Requiem is a return to old-school Resident Evil structure with new-school flavor. It’s a more compact and claustrophobic experience compared to the previous title, while bringing dual stories, intense action, and horror, and a proper number of puzzles into the mix.

Sumerian Six fills a very niche hole that few developers have capitalized on. Its six characters and complex maps give players a wealth of options to creatively take out power-hungry Nazis, where careful planning is the best reward.

Overall, the puzzles are clever, increasingly challenging, and packed with humor and personality. Yes, ChromaGun 2 Dye Hard takes a page out of the Portal handbook, but it does it respectfully well.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a valuable sequel because it gently expands on what made the original impactful, avoiding bloated excess. A constant flood of evocative imagery and powerful emotion provides players with a gorgeous world to become lost in and care for its inhabitants. Never resting on the laurels of puzzle mechanics and instilling its characters with depth and gravitas, Children of the Leaf cements itself as one of the best cinematic platformers of its kind.

Dead in Antares, from developer Ishtar Games and publisher Nacon, is an impressive game that is led by survival management, player choice, and paying attention to crew members’ attributes and stats. The gameplay lies within its details and depends on players making a logical decision on how best to keep the crashed crew alive in the game. It can be overwhelming for those uninitiated to the series, but it’s impressive nonetheless.

Death Howl is a ferocious meditation on using difficulty as a crucible for improvement. It takes the mechanics of deck building and twists them in enough clever configurations that players will stare death in the face and relish in triumph. More so, this is a exquisite looking game drenched in mysticism that ruminates on the struggle we all face with acceptance of loss, transforming a game about cards into a truly enjoyable work.

On the PlayStation 5, Tales of Berseria feels less like a traditional remaster and more like a simple port. While it remains an excellent game in its own right (and perhaps one of the best in the Tales series), the struggle is real in recommending it to those who can simply play the PS4 version and not feel like they’re missing out on anything novel.

Crisol: Theater of Idols, from developer Vermila Studios and publisher Blumhouse Games, is a good game that brings a gorgeous, yet horrifying world to life in a reimagined Spain. The game introduces some interesting mechanics that players will either love or have a tough time with, which may affect their gameplay experience. Still, it’s a solid game that, at the very least, tries to take a different FPS route.

Sons of Sparta‘s heart still beats true despite these issues. It embraces the retro aesthetic and even brings Bear McCreary back for a chiptune score. It uses the Greek backdrop to inspire nostalgia for the series’ roots, paying respect with a new visual style. For many it will be the combat and exploration that bring up the biggest points of contention, not the youthful take on Kratos. But Sons of Sparta proves that PlayStation franchises can be iterated on in experimental, exciting ways.

Rayman – 30th Anniversary Edition, from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Ubisoft, shows off the original game on various platforms. While there is no doubt some repetitiveness with seeing the same game repeatedly on various systems, the collection still brings some good video game history and some fantastic gameplay.

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is a more refined and fun journey than the previous entry in the series. It brings a spooky and entertaining narrative that works well with more focused gameplay elements that the series is improving upon.

Absolum has received an incredible shot in the arm with its new Threads of Fate update. While the core experience already proved that Dotemu, Guard Crush, and Supamonks have made one of the best beat ’em ups in recent years, providing players with new difficulty and run modifiers adds more life to an already healthy game. Just as fantastic as it was when it released in 2025, this newest patch provides an incredible reason for anyone to check out what Absolum has to offer.

Hungry Horrors, from developer Clumsy Bear Studio, is a card-based joy to play. It’s engaging, wonderfully circular in its design, and an easy game to revisit regularly. The difficulty might turn some gamers away, but once that hill is climbed, it’s a brilliantly built game that will be tough to put down.

Under the Island, from developer Slime King Games, gives a firm tip-of-the-hat with its design and execution to games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Under the Island contains good action, sometimes difficult puzzles, and a hefty amount of exploration to keep one’s attention firmly locked into the gameplay. The difficulty of some of the puzzles might feel a bit unbalanced and heavy, in comparison to the action, but the payoff feels worth that trouble.

Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land from developer Exquisite Laundry Pet LLC harkens back to a simpler RPG time while adding some worthwhile questing, good turn-based action, and some clever humor.

LOVE ETERNAL breaks through numerous boundaries in its short time. Deemed a horror platformer, developer brlka posits a game that can be multiple things at once, transcending expectations. Primarily a deeply challenging game about jumping, LOVE ETERNAL uses narrative as a way to wedge itself between the player and predictability, evolving into a thrilling work of entertainment.

Rainbow Gate is a good survival horror adventure that combines all the right elements of different horror games from the past. It brings a familiar story while sporting familiar gameplay elements that players might have seen before, but it is nonetheless fun to revisit and experience.

Super Bomberman Collection from developer Red Art Games and publisher Konami is a good collection that maintains the wonderfulness of some classic Bomberman titles, reignites the fun competitiveness included in them, and lays the groundwork for more classic Konami titles to come back to life in a modern gaming world. The collection may not have every great Bomberman title in it, but what you do get is darn good.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X brings the stellar roguelite by way of fighting game to a broader audience. Incorporating a massive roster with deep combat turns it into one of the genre’s flashiest and most entertaining spectacles.

Romeo is a Dead Man is classic Suda51–an irreverent fever dream that constantly threatens to topple any notion of what a game can or should be. By challenging expectations, the game certainly has the potential to be polarizing to a wide swath of players. Yet there is a method to the madness and sometimes the most insane approach can make for the most enjoyable journeys.

Dark Auction positions itself as a visual novel with one of the more intriguing premises tackled in the genre. Players comfortable with a rather straightforward pace and lack of challenge will likely enjoy the ride and some of the strange twists in store.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a delight of a remake, retaining the core story that you and I love alongside a new combat system that makes battles more fluid and frenetic than ever before. Dark Ties is an excellent side story, albeit one far darker in contrast to Yakuza’s tried-and-true storytelling thematics.

I’m thrilled that Switch 2 owners get a chance to enjoy the OG Switch’s best games, but whether or not the Switch 2 update breathes life into Animal Crossing: New Horizons remains to be seen. The 12-player online play is nice in theory, but it’s far from enjoyable thanks to Nintendo’s archaic approach to online play. The Megaphone and mouse-capability are nice-to-have changes, taking some of the pain out from relying on Joy-Cons for minute adjustments. The biggest benefits of the Switch 2 upgrade are its pro-consumer pricing and its utilization of the console’s processing power.

A very respectable port to the iPad gives the platform perhaps its most impressive game. Veterans and newcomers of Chinatown Wars should take note.

Nioh 3 is a testament to player expression. For the third entry of a series in an extremely busy, competitive genre, Team Ninja has always managed to set themselves apart with Nioh. By incorporating open areas to explore and gain confidence and experience in, players will be able to find a playstyle that works best for them. It won’t always be easy but Nioh 3 straddles that delicate line between expert challenge and thrilling victory, where your pulse is racing having exhausted all your options, finally pulling off a clutch encounter with a sliver of life to spare, breathing a sigh of satisfaction at your resounding success.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, from developers Square Enix and HexaDrive, keeps the essence firmly intact that made the old release so good, while improving and polishing the actual gameplay through a newly built backend system that is as easy as it is efficient. Ultimately, it’s a fantastic reimagined game that is a treat to play.

Don’t Stop, Girlypop! from developer Funny Fintan Softworks is a jewel in the crown of fast-paced shooters. It brings good level design, excellent boss design, and throws in fantastic music that helps push the gameplay along. While not everything works with the game, it’s still quite fun to run-and-gun with this one.

Blightstone from developer Unfinished Pixel is a decent, if not good, roguelite tactical turn-based game. It has a solid gameplay skeleton that follows the genre’s perceived structure, while needing some love and care to improve some lacking gameplay elements. [Early Access Provisional Score = 70]

Woolhaven is Cult of the Lamb at its most difficult yet satisfyingly chaotic. It’s arguably one of the better, if not the best, DLC expansions of recent years thanks to how much good content is added to the base game. While it might be punishing thanks to the winter mechanics, it’s in line with the painful existence associated with the teachings of our favorite little lamb. Believe you, me, Woolhaven is a fantastic standalone post-game in and of itself.

If FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE is a proof of concept in stress testing the Switch 2’s processing power, consider it passing with flying colors. It’s the same incredible FFVII remake that’s been available on multiple platforms since its original release in 2020. While it doesn’t add anything new for first time players, it’s the best example of a AAA port done exceptionally well on the Nintendo Switch 2. If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, Switch 2 owner, and have been waiting to play VII REMAKE INTERGRADE all this time, now is the best time to play. If you’ve been waiting to play a AAA port on your new Switch 2, this is assuredly the best port that should be added to your library.

It's not the best racing game on the iPad, but it sure does bring the arcade fun of the original title.

BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW uses the real horror of societal pressure and unrealistic standards to craft an unsettling, psychological narrative that players often won’t find in games. Its short length does have numerous impactful moments but it may leave some wanting more developed plot threads and less monster chases. Should the BrokenLore series continue with this framework in future installments, I will be interested to see what new ways they can not only scare players but make them think.

Ms. Pac-Man is the ultimate sequel to the original game. Level variety, better cutscenes and fast gameplay equal out to a fun experience. It looks great on the iPad and plays just as well.

If you have an iPad and you're looking for an RPG to wear down your 10-12 hour battery quickly then look no further than Square Enix's Final Fantasy III. It's tough, fun, easy to use and presented in the best possible way on the iPad.

Storm Lancers from developer and publisher ProbablyMonsters is a wonderful roguelike adventure that is driven by fun controls, solid action, and interesting bosses. While it’s going to bring some frustration and repetition, it’s still a solid experience.

Routine from developer Lunar Software and Raw Fury is a good space horror game filled with the right amount of intensity and fear, which is complemented by its gameplay elements. The only improvement needed is with the controls.

Tingus Goose from developer SweatyChair is an oddly uncomfortable gaming experience that is driven by strategy and player-created structured multipliers. While it doesn’t go too far beyond what it wants to deliver, the game still brings enough entertainment for a ‘come and go’ gaming experience with a heavy dose of oddity to push it.

There’s little doubt that Octopath Traveler 0 is one of the best JRPGs of the year, if not the best entry in the series. Its novel additions alongside the series’ staples elevate it to new heights. Despite having enough content for a hundred or so hours, it respects players’ time more than any other JRPG I have played.

SLEEP AWAKE‘s psychedelic horror takes players on a delirious journey where the very world shifts and deceives. Its strength lies not in its ability to scare but its ability to make the player question their own eyes. At what point would exhaustion take hold and we refuse to carry on? Mediocre stealth and remedial puzzles inflict minimal damage on this mind-bending narrative, proving that not all fear must jump out at you. Sometimes the worst horrors are the fictions we create in our head.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is an excellent excuse to play a satisfying beat ’em up with friends. It covers a wide variety of content and characters spanning the decades of comics and other media. By pulling well-known heroes and a few oddballs, Tribute Games offers a unique feel for each member of the roster. While the levels and bosses offer Easter Eggs for everyone, it doesn’t make up for combat that may eventually grow a bit stale for players who don’t find thrills in dropping into matches from time to time.

Reus 2, from developer Abbey Games and publisher Firesquid Games, is a fun god simulator that is easy to pick up and easier to enjoy. The controls might fight back a bit, as well as the information architecture the game features, but in the end, it’s quite fun and smartly designed.

A.I.L.A presents a number of intriguing concepts for the player to chew on and initially establishes its ability to circumvent expectations and genre tropes. But as the game continues, positive gains are lost in the swamp of repetitive mechanics. Springing from psychological to survival horror to something wholly unique would have been a welcome surprise but instead, A.I.L.A stumbles right as it begins to gain momentum. Though the overarching story has its moments, players will have to wade through the doldrums to get there.

Constance wields an emotional story, layered action, and incredible style to become more than just another derivative Metroidvania in a sea of heavy-hitters. Genre stalwarts aren’t going to find anything drastically different in its quest for explorative abilities but Constance has heart and a deft gameplay, making it a title that shouldn’t be brushed aside.

Keys of Fury from developer Elecorn is a short typing gameplay experience that brings a good variety of different modes, some short branching narrative moments, and tries to breathe new life into the typing game scene.

If you’ve ever been wanting the bite-sized Vampire Survivors in VR form, Poncle has delivered in ways that makes it the most optimal and fun way to play the game. I never thought I would get Vampire Survivors VR on my Quest 3, but it’s become my favorite Quest game yet. It may lack some of the features and content updates from its flatscreen counterparts, but here’s to hoping that it gets additional support to bring the VR port to parity.

Demonschool from developer Necrosoft Games is a wonderful tactical turn-based fighting game that will entertain players thanks to a strong story, good strategy-led map designs, and enough characters to create multiple paths to approach fights. While it needed to be a bit less linear and more user-controlled on the story side of the tracks, it’s a fantastic experience from beginning to end.

The Berlin Apartment–even with its brief runtime and lack of meaningful gameplay–offers poignant narrative vignettes across its minimalist approach. Taking place entirely in the confines of a singular space, players will experience decades of tumultuous Germany history, reflecting on humanity and the strength of the individual even when entrenched in oppression. It’s in these types of games where an emotional gut punch is one of the deepest mechanics a developer can provide to its audience, leaving them speechless at the mercy of a narrative.

News Tower, from developer Sparrow Night and publisher Twin Sails Interactive, is a marvelous newspaper sim that goes above and beyond the typical simulator formula.

As far as remasters go, R-Type Delta HD Boosted adds very little in terms of new content. There’s the new soundtrack (which is fantastic), the supposed graphical boost, along with the Practice Mode, and…that’s it. It’s a smaller offering than what some of the other remasters of this year have brought to the table, but it successfully manages to preserve the refreshing yet frustrating experience of its source material.

Sektori is pure. Sektori is addictive. The vibrant chaos amidst heart-pumping techno music will leave players in a trance-like state, lost in an explosion of particles, color and skill. Destined to be an arcade classic, the intense, shifting levels beg for replay after replay to master its finely-tuned difficulty curve. Sektori proves, if anything, arcade is not dead, it merely needs new masters.

The Namco Legendary Pack for Atari 50 brings some great insight, good videos, and wonderful video game reviews from the past about NAMCO titles on Atari systems. While the DLC doesn’t feature a bevy of NAMCO games that players would find on a NAMCO Museum release, nor does it bring too many arcade experiences in comparison to other Atari 50 releases, it does bring a variety of NAMCO games on various Atari systems. Some of those translations might not be gems, especially Pac-Man on the 2600, but they’re worth experiencing.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 features some of the strongest launch content a Call of Duty game has had in years. The best part? It can all be played with friends and everything you do counts towards overall progression. But more importantly, the stellar maps and addictive Endgame provide ample ways to play Call of Duty how you want to. Incorporating best-in-class shooting to all these modes means that each pillar of Black Ops 7 is satisfying, exciting, and challenging. This may be the hardest Call of Duty to put down yet.

ARC Raiders exemplifies the strength of games where players craft their own narratives, taking advantage of the systems provided to foster pocket communities of robot-killing looters. While it is rife with complexity, Embark Studios uses smart onboarding, a striking visual identity, and tight third-person action to ease players into a budding sense of progression and growth. Though time makes fools of us all, it’s likely that ARC Raiders is here to stay.

Jackbox Party Pack 11 is a good release that features some fresh games and plenty of good times. It returns the series to a better form, although it’s not perfect by any means, nor will it rival the best of the best in the Jackbox series. But it’s far better than what has been recently released over the last three years and gives hope that more fun is to be had with future Jackbox releases.

Possessor(s) is many things: stylized, satisfying, occasionally frustrating, and short but sweet despite its large map. It’s a familiar yet solid gameplay loop with few frills, save for shirtless demon protagonists and neon stylizations.