With fresh combat mechanics, plenty of features, and a ton of replayability, Panzer Paladin is the latest great retro-action platformer that is worth your time.

A great game. The story is gripping and enticing, and for people that don’t want it, it’s not forced down your throat. While improvements could be made to the controls and framerate, I had a blast with Q.U.B.E. 2 and I hope that Toxic Games decides to add more to the game in the months to come.

Collar X Malice is a great visual novel that happens to also be an otome. The story is dark, stressful, and creates an atmosphere that forces the player to want to continue. True, there are many wrong paths, but once you see the end in sight you will understand what makes this game so good. I enjoyed my time with Collar X Malice and I’m eager to experience the remaining routes and endings that I missed, which could easily take 40 hours of accumulative playtime.

The 25th Ward: The Silver Case takes chances and pushes the boundaries of storytelling and character development.

Everything fun from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story gets a facelift, but what's new might not be special enough for another purchase.

Mighty Gunvolt Burst is something that you’ll want to show your friends who quit playing games in the 90’s.

The Division 2 is better than it has any right to be. Considering how well everything works with one another, it is hard to not overstate how much this game does right. This is what “games as a service” games are supposed to be. Sure, it has the launch hiccups of its predecessors and that one mission that I loathed, but it is loaded with so much content that is both fun and challenging. The Division 2 is the litmus test for loot shooters from here on out and I will surely be playing more as its free DLC starts rolling out.

Life Is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2: Brave New World showed me what Deck Nine is capable of in terms of storytelling and character growth.

Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth does what it came to do: criticize the injustice of winter existing at all. The game makes you reflect on existential dread, dedications to your partner, chores, and the adorableness of life as a whole. Some controls and mechanics could have been explained better, but this is a great, snowy, cozy game that adds some variety to a genre that's oversaturated with farm life.

Fresh Tracks took an hour or two to click for me, but I was addicted once it did. This is a really unique and fun rhythm game featuring awesome original music that all ties together with an increasingly fun narrative. You'll want to turn off the game's extra/optional sound effects to be able to completely lock-in to the groove, which is a little awkward for a title where sound should be completely dialed in. Still, I can't wait to finish writing this review so I can jump back in and try to improve all my high scores in one of my new favorite rhythm games on the market.

Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch is a refreshing roguelite tactical RPG with thoughtfully crafted character design, challenging turn-based combat, and customizable playstyles. While I'd like to see additional ways to interact with the environment during battle, and possibly more variations of routes to take at forked roads, these are very minor things that could hopefully be added in later. Overall, I've had an absolute blast with Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch; there's a lot of replay value and exciting possibilities.

With all these new additions and improvements, I guess the answer some of you are looking for is whether Observer: System Redux is worth checking out if you’ve already played through the original. Well, there are several answers to that question. If you haven’t played it already, and you really dig horror and sci-fi stories, then you should absolutely play this game. If you played it and enjoyed it the first time, like myself, then yes, you should totally play Observer again. If you are looking for a game to show off your new toy to your friends or specifically want to see what cool new things Bloober Team added to Observer: System Redux, then you can definitely skip this one.

As a showcase for the PS5 and DualSense, Astro's Playroom is more than just a tech demo; it's also a playful and remarkably fun platformer.

Death Stranding has its fair share of gameplay issues but also boasts more heart and a willingness to take chances than any other game in years.

Quotation forthcoming.

Team Sonic Racing is one of Sonic's best spin-off games to date. Even with the handful of problems I had with the game, I found I was easily able to overlook them because of the pure fun I was having. Team Sonic Racing is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for your next kart racing craze.

Enotria: The Last Song is a Souls-like experience that takes a lot of big swings, and while there are a few hiccups along the way, a lot of these risks pay off. The freedom to experiment with builds, plan ahead with pre-set Loadouts, and take on the roles of your fallen enemies are all standout features that set this title apart. Which Enotria backs up with impressive visuals, a compelling Italian folklore-inspired world, and several memorable bosses. Sadly, performance issues, a lack of genuine, consistent challenge, and some systems that flatter to deceive stop this game from being a truly iconic game within the sub-genre, but when the curtain closes, and the actors take their final bow, I feel plenty in the audience will be throwing roses and applauding regardless.

Jackbox Party Pack 4 is a guaranteed multi-hour adventure into adult fun.

If Found… features some of the most realistic, human characters, that I’ve experienced in recent memory.

Its addictive gameplay and unique approach to playing party games offers hours of replayability, all the while remaining fun to play.

The Plucky Squire is both a familiar and predictable, and gorgeously ambitious and creative title. At its best, it's a dimension-hopping romp with excellent meta-writing, standout set-pieces and mini-games, and undeniably creative puzzle mechanics. However, the game does suffer from an aggressively accessible approach, which makes the moment-to-moment combat and exploration feel like a derivative Zelda-clone at times. Plus, each puzzle mechanic feels like an intriguing concept that has not developed to its full potential. That being said, The Plucky Squire is an undeniably feel-good and wholesome indie title deserving of your time and attention, and while some minor bugs need to be ironed out, the trade-off for the seamless blend of 2D and 3D is well worth it. It may be the best 2D/3D mash-up since Fez. High praise indeed.

The limb targeting mechanic offers up some true innovation to the combat formula established in Demon Souls. This makes The Surge the one of the first real competitors to the Souls series, as The Surge offers up its own unique gameplay style that keeps each encounter fresh in a very unique setting. Fighting multiple enemies at the same time can be a pain, and the game does suffer a bit in the narrative department, even with its interesting world, but overall I found The Surge to be a well built Souls-like.

The Battletoads make their comeback after a 26-year hiatus and, for the most part, offer a solid re-entry into the cult classic franchise.

This is a strategy game title I see myself consistently returning to.

Atomfall’s DLC is a notable accomplishment for one big reason: it successfully adds a story expansion that almost seamlessly integrates itself into an incredibly delicate, immersive sim-like storyline. While it may not fix any of the issues with the base game, the added lore and questlines put another profound spin on the Atomfall world. More than anything else, the ambiance and beautifully distinct aesthetic of the new expansion should be a massive reason for fans to give this DLC a whirl.

At the end of the day, a bad Metroid Prime game is still a good game and one that I'll happily play any day of the week. As frustrating as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond can be, it's still worth playing and a solid way for Nintendo to end 2025. Is it a must-own Nintendo Switch 2 game? That's something I'm honestly not sure about. On the one hand, I can see it being a great way to introduce people to the Metroid genre in a way that's more accessible than, say, Metroid Dread. On the other hand, Metroid Prime Remastered is right there. Ultimately, Metroid Prime 4 is a game that's worth playing, but it could be so much better.

Overall, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files is far from a perfect game, but as a virtual reality title I found it to be an ambitious as well as a good first virtual reality title for Rockstar Games.

A game that shouldn’t be missed for anyone looking for a relaxed mental challenge.