Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds does what any arcade racer should and provides the player with an absurd sense of speed. Pushing players to constantly maintain ludicrious velocity on a number of exciting, smartly designed courses will fuel countless hours of competitive adrenaline-fueled play. While the lack of single-player modes and an exciting roster may deter some, tight controls and a fun world-shifting mechanic are enough to make this a heavy-hitter in the genre.

Dying Light: The Beast shows that Techland has learned from what players didn’t enjoy from Dying Light 2 Stay Human. While this new entry isn’t exactly a return to the series’ roots, it relishes in the trademark speed of running across rooftops and avoiding the undead. Hefty combat that becomes more horrific and tense at night provides enough variety to keep players moving in its scaled back but more inviting world. Sometimes a more cohesive vision is better and Dying Light: The Beast is certainly stronger for its more constrained scope.

PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC from developer Now Production Co. and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a nice revision of an old 3D platformer. It maintains the essence of early 3D platforming that made it stand out back in the day, while adding and improving modern amenities that make it feel more present than ever. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s fun to play.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is the best iteration of Final Fantasy Tactics yet. Its phenomenally creative job system, engaging gameplay, and gripping storytelling make it top of the list for anyone wanting a good strategic RPG. Best yet, it perfectly encapsulates what TRPGs should be, even with its handful of quirks.

Silent Hill f from developer NeoBards Entertainment and publisher Konami is a fresh take on the series. It features an unsettling story that honors the Silent Hill franchise, while bringing a fair amount of deep gameplay and fun fighting that will keep the experience fresh.

Ghost of Yōtei is a phenomenal achievement in open-world design, being every bit the spectacle that players should expect from Sucker Punch’s prior efforts. Though it shares the fundamentals of Ghost of Tsushima‘s combat and navigational loops, Atsu’s open-ended journey allows players a gorgeous, profound sense of freedom. This is a world where players are invited to soak up every detail and bask in the natural, vibrant beauty of Japan, becoming lost in each new story.

Baby Steps is not a game for a broad audience. But it’s not just rage bait trying to frustrate players while providing amusement to passive observers. There are lessons to be learned and accomplishments to be felt. It tiptoes on the knife’s edge of punishment and profundity, victimizing or enthralling, depending on the player. That fine line opens the path for both a brilliant anti-game or a fist through your screen, your mileage simply may vary.

Wizordum has all the trappings of an early 90s first-person shooter, expertly looking and playing the part well. But Emberheart Games has gone the extra mile to incorporate modern flair, creating more than just homage.

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, from developer Brownies, is a fabulous roguelike action game that brings more to the table than not. It features solid presentation and story, a great backend system that brings a heavy amount of strategy and fun, while hiccupping only with its enemy repetition.

DK Island and Emerald Rush is a dichotomous, albeit controversial, DLC addition to the already fantastic Donkey Kong Bananza. The former is a love letter to DK’s past; it’s a letter that is best appreciated by those who want that trip down memory lane. The latter, though, is a highly replayable and ever-so-engaging roguelite mode that takes things up several notches to truly test your mastery of Bananza’s mechanics. You shouldn’t consider this DLC unless you’ve completed Bananza or intend to do so.

LEGO Voyagers‘ child-like sense of play is the perfect mold for not only the LEGO format but an inviting cooperative experience that players of all ages can enjoy. Despite the thin runtime and a lack of intense challenge, the gorgeous world Light Brick Studios constructed isn’t any less fun. LEGO Voyagers is brimming with charm, like a proud parent watching their child pick up a controller and laugh with giddy excitement.

Bubsy In: The Purrfect Collection from Limited Run Games and Atari is a solid trip down memory lane that features good add-ons and a worthy refurbished 3D version of Bubsy 3D. Now, that said, the collection might be tough for modern gamers to get into because of its difficulty and stiff controls, as the titles certainly belong in the ‘90s from whence they came. Ultimately, it’s a good collection for Bubsy fans and video game history enthusiasts.

‘NHL 26’ is a revamp and refresh. However, to me, it’s an incredibly hard game to justify buying from last year’s installment. In the game’s defense, I will argue this against those online who say ‘this is just a glorified roster update’ because I can tell there have been several little improvements to make things a better playing experience. ‘NHL 26’ is still a good game for me. Plus, I can see possible ways that modes like ‘Be A Pro’ can go in the future, especially with the updates to ‘Franchise Mode’ in ‘NHL 25’. I do feel like we are a goalie that’s been left out to dry in the third period late.

Dragon Ball Genkishin Squadra, from developer Ganbarion and Bandai Namco Games, is a surprisingly solid MOBA game. It takes the Dragon Ball universe and merges it beautifully within the MOBA genre without losing the essence of the IP.

Cronos: The New Dawn, from developer Bloober Team, is representative and respectful of the traditional survival horror genre. It brings gameplay elements that any gamer should expect from a survival horror experience, while testing out minor methods to improve an old formula. At the end of the day, the game is beautifully unsettling, gorgeous to take in, and does enough to make it worth your time. Is it reinventing the genre? Not really, but it’s still quite fun.

It won’t be the next Forza or the next great sim, but it doesn’t need to be at the end of the day. It’s a charming little arcade racer that, even for all its quirks it takes you on a journey. Back to the days of eating too much pizza in the arcade at a birthday party. Going wild cause mom let you have all the quarters in the ashtray of her 1998 Ford Explorer and running to the cabinets to play whatever arcade games are there. In a world of sim racing rigs, VR headsets, and top-dollar racing equipment, it’s nice to have something that gets racing and rally back to its basics. So go order some greasy pizza and maybe an ice cream, and rip around the course to be the new World Rally Champ.

Adventure of Samsara from developer llex Games and publisher Atari is a tough Metroidvania that slowly turns into one of the most unexpected and enjoyable experiences of 2025.

Lost Soul Aside, from developer UltiZeroGames, lacks a good, cohesive narrative that should be driving the solid gameplay and action. As it stands, the game does a great job with its action gameplay design, features interesting and compelling enemies, and contains a solid backend progression system.

A year or so later, Helldivers II remains an entertaining romp of online co-op fun. It flexes its muscles with wacky lines, a large number of ridiculous military objectives, and various ways to strategize and be entertained.

Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, from developer Hyde, brings together a strong essence that makes the series so much fun. A good set of modes, overdramatic characters, and easy-to-use mechanics make this experience entertaining and accessible, even for the non-golf fan. While it’s not perfect, it’s a solid release in the series.

Heading Out is a wholly unique game that defies expectations. More narrative-driven adventure than vehicle-driven roguelike, expect a fascinating black-and-white style and progressive story beats but little else in the way of meaningful longevity.

Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids brings a wonderful combination of action and real-time strategy with its gameplay. The difficulty can be a bit much at times, but the challenge will more than likely keep gamers coming back for more.

Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is a fun action platformer that brings an entertaining story, familiar characters, and good gameplay to the table. It does have some faults, but it’s a cool and stylish Cobra adventure.

Triangle Strategy from developer Artdink is a marvel of a tactical RPG experience. While it is heavy on story that is driven by complex and solid branching choices that affect outcomes, and fantastic acting, it still brings some amazing tactical gameplay with new twists and turns.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance‘s unparalleled art style is an intoxicating gateway into this incredibly engaging action game steeped in classic roots but offering undeniably modern touches. Lizardcube’s peak combat and level design are equally at the forefront, providing a masterfully crafted interpretation of a classic that will now be a triumph in its own right.

Midnight Murder Club from developer Velan Studios is a cool idea that will have hardcore online gamers frothing at the mouth to show their stuff. While the entry point for novice players might be difficult, and the lack of longevity beyond modes is a tough sell, what you get with the price point you pay is enticing.

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater respects its source material in ways that other games should follow suit. The story is retained, each emotional gutpunch hits home just as hard (if not harder), and the core stealth gameplay that you and I grew to love in our adolescence is preserved. While it’s hard to ignore that this MGS lacks Kojima and the segmented maps are archaic, it’s just as hard to ignore that this iteration of MGS3 is the faithful modernization you and I deserve.

Heretic + Hexen brings back a revival of 30+ year old marvels that progressed the first-person shooter genre in the 90s and set the path for future FPS games. The additions of new online modes, direct access to mods, and new content make this even sweeter. But the games do look like they’re from the 90s, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea.