Crow Country is the perfect kind of nostalgic trip, one that doesn’t bait players along in hopes of being more of the same thing they remembered. The best games of its type work to wedge themselves into the library of classics they were inspired by. Crow Country looks, sounds, and plays similar to old 32- and 64-bit games because it is, not because it wants to be.

SaGa Emerald Beyond all comes together in a strange swirl of complex mechanics that justify progressing through a weird story that is by no means approachable. It truly is a shame that the game feels so dated and limited by its visuals and presentation. By no means is this a mainstream RPG. Will it make you curious about other SaGa entries? Perhaps. But those looking for a satisfying turn-based system unlike its peers will have enough to chew on.

TopSpin 2K25 from Hangar 13 and 2K is a superb tennis game that looks and feels like you would expect tennis to feel, even down to the frustration and learning curve. It certainly is made for hardcore tennis fans but has enough space for those looking to dip into the series for the first time.

If Annapurna Interactive was to make their version of Pokemon Snap, it would be Umurangi Generation. Somehow, someway, Umurangi Generation VR gamifies photography in a way that makes it less of a chore and more of an emotional experience. Once you get past the jitters of the VR platforming, you’ll experience something more than just taking photos. You’ll be reminded of the joy photography instills – all thanks to virtual reality.

Sand Land from Akira Toriyama, developer ILCA, and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a good game. It is driven by a large world to explore, some crazy characters with meaningful plights, and a fun crafting system that keeps you motivated in the overall journey. Its faults lie with repetitive enemies, empty areas to explore, and spotty character development. Overall, it’s a fun game.

Knowing the ending of FFXVI, The Rising Tide doesn’t change Clive’s outcome or add a meaningful impact to the world to warrant an emotional introspection like the main game’s story. Instead, it adds additional power to Clive’s Eikonic skillset, making him appropriately powerful for postgame content that will assuredly punish players and test their might in Final Fantasy Mode. It might be a weirdly timed expansion, but it adds enough meat to the core gameplay to encourage replaying.

Stellar Blade is a welcome experiment to the PlayStation brand. Developer SHIFT UP has created an action game that should catch eyes for more than just its female protagonist. Though not a risky game in its own right, a complex web of combat skills and harrowing enemies breathe life into a mysterious world that provides just enough intrigue. Nostalgic in all the right ways and evocative of an era where the bizarre and bombastic thrived, Stellar Blade is a satisfying distraction.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU accomplishes the difficult role of translating a deeply personal concept into the medium of gaming. With a lack of intricate backtracking and complex combat, Surgent Studios’ platformer is relatively simple. But the extraordinary narrative, paired with equally powerful visuals and audio provide an experience that is engaging enough to not commit the sin of forgetting it must also be fun and resonant.

Phantom Fury is a decent boomer shooter, albeit one that emphasizes environmental interactivity over an arcade-inspired killing spree in which everything is a weapon. The few moments of cinematic silliness are par for the course in the boomer shooter genre, but they’re not enough to make this any less of a slog.

Launch the Baby from MoyaGames is a fun distraction in between AAA titles. Its simple gameplay concept mixed with its customization is just enough for a good casual experience, and the silliness doesn’t hurt either.

Unicorn Overlord is a masterpiece of a strategy role playing game. Its presentation in giving players freedom to play as they like, go as strategically deep as they like, and the masterful onboarding of often-overly-complicated SRPG elements make it a compelling and beautiful experience. If you’re unfamiliar with SRPGs or are a longtime fan, look no further than Unicorn Overlord.

Horizon Forbidden West on the PC is another example of a game done right in its conversion from console. It brings the same great gameplay, performance, and gaming experience that was established on the PlayStation 5 two years ago.

Verne: The Shape of Fantasy from developer Gametopia is a fascinating adventure that uses a classic author within their own classic tale to push a good story while supported by beautiful visuals and sounds that harken back to 90s-style gameplay. That gameplay works for the most part, though some more direction with puzzles and a more balanced story could have worked a few more wonders for the overall gaming experience.

If Saviorless is Cuba’s first independent video game, then players are in for an aesthetically pleasing yet moody future of game design that touches on emotional elements that leave a mark on the psyche. Saviorless isn’t the best example of a platformer, but it’s a great start to something truly novel in the platforming space.

MLB The Show 24 is spectacular this year. It hits more than it misses. It takes some bold chances and they pay off. It’s just another example of how to do a sports game well.

There’s more to Pepper Grinder than just digging. Ahr Ech successfully managed to cram fluid platforming and free-flowing traversal in ways that make its hallmark digging mechanics joyous while innovating in using the drill for other utilitarian purposes. Its 2D platforming is refreshing and rewarding when you settle into the groove of being able to move in every direction. I truly dug Pepper Grinder, and I sincerely hope that Ahr Ech continues to make fantastic retro platformers while also expanding the current universe of narwhal pirates. Hopefully those games come sooner rather than later.

Open Roads from developer Open Roads Team is a personal and powerful journey that is driven by a solid story and fantastic acting, and supported by small amounts of interactive moments.

The Grandia HD Collection lacks any bells and whistles worth gushing over. Rather, it is a perfect excuse to uncover a legacy JRPG series that many would argue has been lost to time. Players may long for higher quality remakes to allow for the most optimal, modern experience available but sometimes, a polished time capsule is all we need to enjoy a game in its purest form.

Dragon's Dogma 2 presents a challenging yet rewarding gaming experience. Amidst breathtaking scenery and immersive exploration, the game's combat against colossal monsters is where it shines. An innovative mechanic allows players to integrate friends' customizable Pawns into their team, enriching gameplay with shared memories and strategic depth. However, the game suffers from notable faults such as the absence of fast travel and outdated camera controls. Despite these drawbacks, the dynamic world overflowing with roaming NPCs and unpredictable enemy encounters keeps gameplay engaging. While combat provides unexpected challenges and gratifying victories, the game's performance disappoints, with a lackluster framerate and noticeable choppiness.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox: Definitive Edition ultimately improves the game for the better, I imagine. Because I never interacted with the game prior to this experience, I can only sympathize with the frustrations other players went through and wonder if the updates will entice them to return. While key improvements seem to have been introduced to make core features better, fundamental quirks exist that detract from making it a top-tier Metroidvania. Snappier or not, combat is still quite slow and forgettable, leaving the puzzles and the universe the most appealing aspects of an otherwise intriguing game.

South Park: Snow Day is dumb fun best played with friends. While it walks solidly down the middle of the road in terms of it being a roguelite and a beat-em-up mashup, it falls short in offering deep variance and complexity to make things feel fresh and worth the replay. It’s funny as hell, though, so that is worth the first playthrough. Hopefully additional content is on the way to freshen things up.

Highwater from developer Demagog Studio is a powerful and cautionary tale of environmental damage and how people have to survive it when the world collapses. The game hits all the right notes with the story it wants to tell, while not letting the turn-based backbone and strategy steal the story’s spotlight.

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection isn’t beyond redemption (one saving grace being that the game wasn’t steeped in the microtransaction controversy that accompanied the 2015 Star Wars: Battlefront release), and I think Aspyr realizes it, having announced a forthcoming patch to be delivered soon. This comes at a crucial moment for Aspyr, which lost out on the Knights of the Old Republic remake for Windows and PlayStation 5, and its parent company, Embracer, moving the project over to another studio. Aspyr, in turn, is under the gun to make Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection right, get the bug count down, and deliver the experience that was promised to an eager world of Star Wars fans. It wouldn’t be unheard of for a series of patches to make everything as it should be, but the uncomfortable question remains as to why this went out the door in the condition it was in the first place.

Duelists of Eden is an excellent bite-sized grid-battler and deckbuilder fighting game that is properly fit for competitive play. Despite the chaos and learning curve, it’s worth the time investment to experience the chaotic, frenetic, yet strategic battles. I cannot wait to see this game grow!

Rise of the Ronin is not merely an amalgamation of open-world tropes with punishing combat. While its side activities may be unremarkable and its serene world more barren than alive, each system feeds into itself. This is done in service to further expand upon Team NINJA’s character-driven combat fantasy, one supplemented by a narrative housed in cultural and political intrigue during one of Japan’s most turbulent periods. Whether looking for a casual, open-world jaunt or a ferocious action-adventure, Rise of the Ronin is steeped in choice.

Alone in the Dark‘s revival has been a long time coming. And while this new take on the mysteries of Derceto Manor carry a decades-long weight of survival horror innovation, Pieces Interactive almost missed the mark. Barring underwhelming combat and a lack of polish, curious players will be met with an expertly acted, unnerving tale of madness that just might be the spark Alone in the Dark needs to reemerge from the shadows.

Metal Mind has a lot of promise, don’t get me wrong, it just underdelivers on the charm and depth of its twin-shooter roguelite competitors. The glossing over of nuanced gameplay systems, emptiness of its hub, and vagueness of the universe leads me to believe that some additional refinement is needed to fully realize its potential. Once you figure out its systems, the core gameplay is fun and challenging.

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator is just that: cozy. There’s little reason to strive for perfection in a game that merely wants players to dabble in its goal of building whatever kind of idyllic flower patch desired. This kind of directionless aura may be a turn off for those seeking a different kind of simulator but what’s on offer is hard not to enjoy.