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.

Crimson Desert combines all the phenomenal aspects of some of the most notable titles of the past decades. It has the sense of discovery like Elden Ring, a deeply engaging and dense world like Skyrim, unpredictable moment-to-moment gameplay like Red Dead Redemption 2, and the exciting exploration and overall feel of the latest Zelda games.

Unlike the direction the Zombies mode from Call of Duty has taken in the past few iterations, Zombie Army 4 offers a cohesive and fun experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s engaging from start to finish and with its weekly challenges, the arcade-like setup of the chapters and leaderboards, and with Horde Mode, there’s a bunch of replay value here. Zombie Army 4: Dead War has finally broken free of its Sniper Elite shackles and will hopefully give rise to a lasting franchise of smiting out Nazi zombies.

The beauty of its terror is that it is not earned cheaply.

In single, isolated moments, Sniper Elite 4 is a great game. However, mediocre AI, a throw away story, and a lack of polish in some key places, prevent it, as an entire package, from being a great game.

The Sexy Brutale is a refreshing new take on the classic murder mystery genre. Throughout my journey of the mansion I went through many different emotions as I raced against the clock to save the guests from their unfortunate demise. The rather short campaign should not outweigh the brilliant music, gorgeous graphical style and unique game mechanics that make up The Sexy Brutale as a whole.

NHL 20 is the best the series has been this console generation. Improving upon the changes made in NHL 19, the game has never felt better. The changes may seem subtle, but they really tighten up the gameplay enough for it to feel better than its predecessors. Besides the distracting scoreboard, the presentation has received the same treatment, truly immersing you in the action on the ice.

Cronos: The New Dawn is the best new horror IP I have played in over a decade. This game not only provides a gripping narrative in an unapologetically Polish setting, but it also offers top-tier survival horror that keeps the player feeling vulnerable throughout. Combat is cumbersome in the best way, the game is visually impressive with sublime sound design, and it's a rare example of a game that gets better with each passing moment. A lack of a dedicated difficulty mode will ruffle a few feathers, the game isn't without its cheap moments, and I'll admit that I wish it were scarier across the board. But, in a genre where established games rule the roost, Bloober Team has just muscled into the conversation, as Cronos is good enough to rub shoulders with the horror greats.

I appreciate what DotEmu has done with the console port of Ys Origin. A story localized this good deserves to be easily accessed by gamers on as many ports as possible.

[Valiant Hearts] perfectly captures the cold, desperate, and horrific moments of World War I.

Remnant: From the Ashes is an ambitious title and a fairly unique one at that, it just does not always stick the landing.

Once again, Madden NFL 26 overpromises and underdelivers. The new updates to Franchise mode and the general gameplay are nice, but let's be honest: the core issues are still there. This is a house with a shoddy foundation, only excelling at delivering a disappointing football experience. It's the only game in town for the NFL, so there's sadly nowhere else to go. I'll still probably begrudgingly play on occasion, but only when I want to enact revenge after the Patriots lose.

Toukiden 2 shows that an already impressive series can be made even better by taking chances on new systems. The story stays in scope of the premise throughout the game even after accepting multiple side-quests, theres always clear knowledge of what to do next. Although the open world map by intimidating to some, the game offers easy quick traveling options to seamlessly get players from one place to another. After playing the game for well over 30 hours, I feel like I can continue playing for another 100 and with that I happily say, “Bring it on!”

I tried hard to be in on the joke of Baby Steps for the first hour, but it lost me insanely quickly. The thing is, I don't think it even cares. The QWOP-iness of the movement actually is well-done, and there are some moments of absurdity that worked for me. It then just shifts too far from a stupid but fair rage game, to a stupid but cheap-feeling rage game with no redeeming qualities. You'll painfully wander aimlessly for hours. You'll cringe hard at the "humor" that gets way too gratuitous, gross, and vulgar completely unjustifiably. This becomes a mostly mean-spirited game that even wants to drive you insane with the soundtrack. Laugh and watch someone else experience it if you want to, but do not play it yourself.

It presents some solid ideas that are really needed to make this series worthwhile.

Immortals takes inspiration from many of its Ubisoft predecessors, as well as some other big titles, but it doesn’t really do a good enough job of differentiating itself. There’s no denying that there’s a great time to be had on the Golden Isle, just don’t go into it expecting anything genre-defining.

At the end of the day, the traversal alone is enough for me to recommend The Pathless. It’s just fun to get from place to place using your bow; everything else is just a bonus. The overall story is good with performances from Laura Bailey and Troy Baker, the different environments are vast and beautiful, and while the puzzles have a wide range of difficulty, they’re still fun to figure out. It’s just a shame that there’s no synergy between each individual gameplay loop. The Pathless is absolutely worth your time if you’re looking for a game with a sense of adventure and a rich atmosphere.

My favorite artistic element of The World Ends With You has always been the soundtrack, which is carried over successfully in Final Remix.

An addictive loop, well thought out systems and wide variety of classes make Star Renegades worth a shot for any rogue-lite fans.

GNOG serves as a great way to spend an afternoon and one of those rare occurrences where you’ll want that earworm (albeit a relaxed, whimsical one) floating around in your brain.

Regardless of if you’ve played every Darksiders game or this is your first one, Darksiders Genesis is worth playing. The characters and combat remain fun and exciting to play even after the credits roll. While some enemies can be annoying, combat never gets dull and new items you earn along the way always make encounters fresh. Amongst the other big titles launching this spring, Darksiders Genesis is one that shouldn’t be missed.

Mothergunship is worth seeing through once but I’m sure you’ll want to tackle the campaign at least one more time.

Bus Bound is the type of game that you'll love if you love simulators, but you might enjoy how peaceful it feels even if you don't usually play this style of game. It's a polished game that delivers what you expect and more. The world alone is beautiful to look at, and the number of pedestrians and other cars makes it feel alive. Aside from a few issues with handling and passenger feedback, the only complaint I have is that I didn't get to try the game with multiplayer or while using a steering wheel controller.

It’s difficult to put into words my experience with this game. It offered a strange peace that was, all at once, a somber experience — one full of joy, sorrow, laughter, and regret. It explores the weight and comfort of memories, the impact they have on the world, and the importance of existence. It can be meandering at times, and some of the side characters’ voice acting pulled me out of the experience. If you aren’t in the mood for this kind of game — a walking simulator vibe with an emphasis on scrapbooking, bicycling, and photography — hold off on playing it and wait until the right mood strikes. When you go in with the right mindset, this game can get under your skin in the best way. Season: A Letter To The Future isn’t a perfect game, but it is a significant one, and one that I will carry with me for a long time.

Something I would recommend to those who either grew up with these games or just enjoys them in general. Since they are straight ports, if you didn’t like them before, nothing in this collection is going to change your mind. I wish I could give it a higher score because of my love for Disney, and I probably would have if these games were fully remastered, but the fact of the matter is you are more than likely only going to be playing DuckTales and DuckTales 2.

Blasters of the Universe is a diamond in the rough that is worth owning.

Though it packs plenty of charm and heart, New Super Lucky’s Tale isn't quite ready to be in the leagues of the platforming greats just yet.

Holding two entirely-knew Kingdom Hearts experiences and a criminally underplayed title in the franchise, Final Chapter Prologue is a collection that every likely Kingdom Hearts III player should experience.