Madden NFL 26 from developer EA Tiburon is on the right track thanks to some nearly perfect controls that make for a more immersive experience. On the mode side, there is still some work that needs to be done to improve some aspects of Superstar, as well as balancing out MUT a bit more.

The best RPGs impart lasting emotions on the player over the duration of the playthrough. In between its turn-based battles, light character building, and dark symbolism, OFF imprints guilt, horror, and confusion on the player in ways few games successfully pull off. OFF is an RPG that everyone should experience blindly, especially those who appreciate a haunting journey with blips of the bizarre. This remaster is not just a should-play of 2025, but a must-play of the decade. If you want OFF’s rainbow, you must have the rain.

Ultimately, Yield! Fall of Rome from developer Billionworlds is a simple and entertaining experience that brings enough complication to make it a good strategy game.

Earthion is a perfect encapsulation of the timelessness of the SEGA Genesis. Ancient and Yuzo Koshiro have set the gold standard on how to breathe life into a shoot-em-up while innovating its reach to be fun for all players. Despite it being a Genesis title emulated on PC, it’s a must-have for anyone who loves retro games with just the right amount of challenge.

Fallen City Brawl won me over on vibes and thematic. Its gameplay, while frenetic and fun, needs more depth to exceed the current gold standard utilized by recent additions to the modern beat-em-up genre. It’s great for a quick afternoon playthrough, especially when played with friends.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure from developer Sunblink isn’t going to replace Animal Crossing anytime soon. However, it’s a worthy cozy game that offers simple gameplay that is driven by quests, solid exploration, and a good crafting system, which will keep players coming back for more. It’s a good game, especially for a younger gaming audience. It’s a good way to waste time for older gamers.

Wildgate from developer Moonshot Games and publisher Dreamhaven is a fun PvP multiplayer shooter that may seem a bit vanilla now, but it has room to grow. As it stands, you’ll get a lot more PvP co-op gaming out of this than anything else.

Shadow Labyrinth should have been so much more. I wanted my first impression of the game to linger. But the longer I engaged, the more my mind wandered to better Metroidvanias. Ones that either delivered pitch-perfect combat and exploration, or ones that tried something new. Shadow Labyrinth attempts to make a weird, novel Pac-Man experience but squanders the opportunity on sluggish pacing, exhausting checkpointing, and a map that severely needed a few bites taken out of it. Maybe Puck should just stick to ghost hunting.

Dead Take works as a message, as a personal anecdote, as a performance showcase. It may not present a wholly unexpected take on the first-person horror genre nor dazzle with complex puzzles. But this dissection of power and the ones who wield it feels especially timely in our constantly-changing world that seems to reward ambition through viciousness. As an eerie, moody look at Hollywood, players may grow uncomfortable at Dead Take‘s honesty but remain enraptured by the phenomenal talent of its acting and direction until its final, stark moments.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a pitch-perfect action game that revitalizes the long-dormant Ninja Gaiden franchise, smartly calling back to its 2D roots. For a series that was known for brutal difficulty before it became a household trend, it’s wonderful to see a developer like The Game Kitchen use their own expertise to translate decades-old concepts so expertly in the modern day. Blistering speed and challenging, satisfying combat are the hallmarks of any great action game and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound does not disappoint.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game from developer Weta Workshop and publisher Private Division isn’t going to redefine the way a Tolkien license is presented in games, nor is it going to add more depth to the cosy life simulator genre. It’s a simple gameplay experience that brings easy quests, limited yet fun exploration, and an addictive ingredient and meal crafting component.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact has several good ideas, but very little follow through in catering to diehard fighting game players, new players unfamiliar with the tag-fighter subgenre, or even folks unfamiliar with the franchise. It’s fun yet fluid fighter, don’t get me wrong; only time will tell if it reaches a more fulfilling state in the future.

s.p.l.i.t. from developer Mike Klubnika brings mind-bending logic problems delivered through a unique command-line backdrop. While the command-line adventure doesn’t last long, it does enough to warrant a hard look for gamers in search of a good challenge.

Edens Zero from Konami does a wonderful job of representing the source material it was born from. It comes with a meaningful and engaging story with great characters that are well-developed, while presenting an easy-to-jump-into gameplay design that is fun to dive into without much fuss. The hiccups lie with the lack of frequent enemy encounters and the choice of how you can play the game.

Golden Tee Arcade Classics, from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Atari, is a great trip down memory lane, but it feels and acts like it’s still in the 90s. The collection does enough to bring simple fun with uncomplicated physics and frustrating elements that modern golfing games bring to the table nowadays. The additional games included help to make the collection a bit more fun, as well as feel like it offers more than just golf.

Maestro is quite approachable for a rhythm title – something I often have trouble saying given rhythm games’ steep difficulty curves, disparate input methods, and pricy entry points thanks to needing custom hardware. On the Quest 3, all you need is your hands (or controllers, if you choose) to immerse yourself in a novel rhythm game setting. The Complete Edition comes with the full musical experience that will keep you playing for hours!

Fretless is not the type of game to lock you in for hours on end, or change your life, but it shines in its environment and sound design. It’s a passion project turned into a downright fun experience.

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business won’t disappoint fans of the 2023 shooter simply wanting more pulpy shootouts in a dystopian Detroit. And perhaps as a standalone experience and not a true sequel, Unfinished Business is passable. But a lack of fresh ideas and a safe setting lack the humanity found within the cold confines of RoboCop’s hardened steel.

Arashi Gaiden is a great bite-sized turn-based action game set within the confines of a puzzle game. While it might be more difficult than others may expect, it will prove satisfying for those who enjoy solving puzzles with flair.

Shujinkou from developer Rice Games is a surprisingly entertaining JRPG that features a design that harkens back to early elements of the genre, while mixing in a learning experience to further its beautiful complication.

Everdeep Aurora is more than a cozy digging metroidvania. It’s a glimpse of what simplistic platforming can and should be, thoughtfully interwoven into a gameplay loop where discovery is the win condition. Its presentation might lack directness, but I would prefer a world where I can enjoy what I’ve dug up rather than being pointed to the next objective where I can surmise the outcome.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 offers that much-needed shot of nostalgia, from a time where all any of us wanted to do was feel cool. Tony Hawk represented counter culture and Pro Skater was emblematic of that iconic time. While some reshuffling may dampen the experience for purists, the wealth of content found in 3 + 4 proves that Tony Hawk is a timeless champion and this remake is a thrilling reminder of how a legacy is made.

Lost in Random: The Eternal Die from developer Stormteller Games is a wonderful game on the Nintendo Switch 2, if you can get used to the Switch 2’s controls that come with it. Beyond that minor hiccup, the game still brings the same addictive gameplay experience and presentation as the bigger consoles. Having the game on the go is a huge plus as well.

Final Fantasy XVI from Square Enix still brings a wonderful story, well-defined characters, and a fantastic adventure on the Xbox Series X. It might not deliver the same graphical ‘wow’ that the other releases do, but it’s still a worthy game to take on for 50+ hours.

Ruffy and the Riverside finds quirky and joyful ways to meld past and present gaming ideologies. This is a mascot platformer collectathon at heart, feeling like a Nintendo 64 game but not being too bogged down by nostalgia and reverence. While its best ideas may sometimes feel underutilized, Ruffy and the Riverside is inventive enough to constantly push the player towards one new thrill after the next.

FBC: Firebreak is unlike anything Remedy Entertainment has made. While a team-based shooter would not be on everyone’s wishlist from the storied developer, it makes the best of Control‘s unique universe. Bizarre mission objectives and a friendly approach offer enough diversity to draw players in. But a troublesome onboarding process may negatively color the crucial first few hours for players. Should a community form around FBC: Firebreak, there’s a lot to enjoy and hopefully Remedy will continue to support the game in the coming months.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition, from developers SneakyBox and Relic Entertainment, feels too much like the Anniversary Edition released a few years back. While new gamers of the series might enjoy what this title has to offer, as it does bring some solid action that mimics the chaotic nature of the Warhammer world, seasoned fans of the series may not get enough out of this release to justify another purchase.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, developed by Kojima Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, is a new journey with a tonal shift compared to its predecessor, as the narrative is smaller in scope and far more personal. On the gameplay side of the tracks, the new game tightens a lot of loose ends from the first game, expands the world of Death Stranding through new environments and gameplay improvements, and exceeds all expectations with how a game should look on PlayStation 5. This is a solid contender for Game of the Year.