Incredibly charming depiction of Batman's entire history in a game that could easily be a full-on spin-off from the Arkham series.

While Tokyo itself is somewhat disappointing in terms of size and flair, the drift-prone driving physics are incredibly fun. Content-wise Forza Horizon 6 is as big as ever - there are dozens of hours of fun to be had here.

While adding little to existing career and other modes Milestone has taken huge strides with its largely improved physics model. Virtual bikes never felt as real as these do.

Forbidden Solitaire turns a simple game of patience into a surprisingly clever horror card adventure with dungeon-crawler DNA. Not every battle hits hard, but its musty ’90s CD-ROM charm works brilliantly.

Saros might not be perfect, with the storytelling in particular showing some rough edges. It takes a while getting up to speed but when all systems are in place, it's an exceptional arcade shooter and an extraordinary spectacle.

A clever, engaging mix of roguelite and tower defense with an antique flair and a high 'schadenfreude' factor - despite minor UI clunkiness and slightly too punishing progression loss upon game over.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a visual revelation that fuses the comic charm of 1930s cartoons with the chaos of a modern shooter. While enemy variety and detective gameplay could have used more depth, it ultimately remains an original experience full of heart and humor.

Sad Cat Studios’ debut is an atmospherically powerful tour de force that only occasionally runs out of steam.

Capcom’s new franchise impresses with engaging mechanics, tightly designed environments and dynamic combat. Only the characters and storyline fall short in what might be the start to a great new franchise

Modernizes the original X-COM's challenging tactical battles with a varied campaign and more charm than screenshots will let you know.

A very successful conclusion to the story of Max and Chloe with familiar gameplay and a few technical quirks.

Marathon is an incredibly intense, nearly perfect first-person shooter in a visually breathtaking scenario. It keeps you engaged with an incredibly well-tuned cycle of looting and improving, while you constantly progress even after failing a mission.

A monumental masterpiece: Despite the bugs, clunky menus, and awkward controls, its magnetic pull is simply impossible to resist.

A great port of an incredibly strong sequel – an experience quite unlike anything else. The only question is whether Kojima’s idiosyncratic post-apocalypse can hold the PC community's attention, with Crimson Desert out on the same day. Regardless of its commercial fate: if this is the final nail in the coffin for PlayStation games on PC, at least it’s a really pretty one.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is a worthy continuation of the Worldsoul saga, thrillingly continuing the story of Xal'atath in a beautiful setting. It features many improvements and new features that can now be crossed off the community's wish list.

Minishoot’ Adventures is the triumphant fusion of nostalgic dungeon exploration and modern bullet-hell precision – further proof that the best ideas are often the simplest.

A true remake bringing back the tense atmosphere and thrilling fights using the Camera Obscura. The new Fatal Frame 2 is one of the scariest games you'll get to play these days.

Stunning, deep, and incredibly rewarding - Monster Hunter Stories 3 transcends its spin-off roots to become its own unique beast. A top-tier, premium JRPG experience.

A relaxing time-sink and creative outlet with loads of stuff to do. This is what truly great sandbox gameplay looks like.

Even in the original game I liked Kazuma's story in Okinawa but only now that Kiwami 3 strengthens his relationships and ties to the place and its people did I build a strong emotional bond to one of the best locations in the entire series.

Resident Evil Village on Switch 2 is a technically impressive port, but ultimately one that will likely only appeal to Nintendo purists.

Resident Evil 7 on Switch 2 is a technically polished piece of series history and, above all, a very well-rounded package for Nintendo fans who don’t own another console.

The strongest new Resident Evil chapter in a long time. Capcom delivers an atmospheric triumph that blends classic survival-horror-virtues with fresh ideas. Even though the boss fights and the finale falter slightly, it remains a truly strong survival-horror experience.

Entertaining tennis action with exciting Fever special attacks. Strong in multiplayer, weak in solo mode.

A harrowing but profound experience: Reanimal is a brief yet haunting journey to the breaking point of the human spirit.

Escape from Ever After is far more than a simple Paper Mario clone. It blends sharp corporate satire with challenging turn-based battles and the exploration of a diverse, puzzle-filled world.

Highly addictive tactical roguelite with flexible rules and endlessly motivating progression. Already one of the candidates for game of the year.

Although highly formulaic, this open-world adventure is incredibly engaging because both the action and the completion of numerous tasks, including the extensive character development associated with them, feel excellent.

It hardly shows its age: Square Enix's Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined offers charming JRPG fun in bite-sized portions. Perfect for exploring the genre without having to completely immerse yourself in it.

In its rousing finale, without a single word, Cairn makes me understand what was always inscrutable to me. I realize what Aava feels when looking up at Mount Kami from below. Not a grave, not even a threat, but a gateway to eternity. Powerful.

Outdated visuals meet a demanding old-school edge: Code Vein 2 is far more engaging than many of its slick, overpolished contemporaries. Those willing to look past the layer of visual dust will discover a Soulslike action RPG with surprising depth.

Imaginative space Metroidvania, with beautifully escalating mobility, distinctive design, and plenty of good ideas straight from the belly of a dying spaceship.

That´s all there is to it. Touch for slide, touch to land, that is all the interaction, you will find here. Throw in a few sunflowers to bounce of from and some water hazards and you get a game that manages to create an almost perfect flow.

Terminator 2D: No Fate is a near-perfect T2 nostalgia capsule: tightly directed, beautifully animated, and packed with iconic moments. It’s also very short, though, so it’ll mostly appeal to side-scroller fans who don’t mind running through a game multiple times.

In my opinion, there is really nothing to complain about. During the two-year early access phase, there was ample time to refine the game, and that time has not gone to waste. Pioneers of Pagonia plays very well, looks very nice, and its sights and sounds create a pleasant, relaxing experience.

Skate Story is an intoxicating hell ride with great board feel, insane presentation, and a fiercely singular identity. If you love games that scramble your brain and senses, you should definitely give this trip a chance.

Sektori is a direct continuation of what Geometry Wars did so well: easy to learn, hard to master – all the while including a double shot of Housemarque for good measure.

A game that can be very unusual and chaotic at times, but is still enjoyable once you get into it.

It's both the funniest and most exciting game story of the year, presented in a package of incredible creative integrity. Dispatch presents the most convincing argument against player-facing generative AI in video games. It's full of life and character that machines will never be able to replicate.

Goodnight Universe is a striking reminder of how powerful good storytelling can be. The webcam controls are simple, yet far from a gimmick — they amplify each scene and pull you in even deeper. In short: a small game that hits straight to the heart and lingers long after it’s over.

Lumines Arise is a fresh and striking audiovisual experience that elevates the only game matching the brilliance of Tetris to a new level.

While neither its story nor simplistic real-time combat are stuff to write home about, the depth and accessibility when building beautiful cities up from the granular structure of every quarter will keep you highly engaged.

The Séance of Blake Manor spices up the classic whodunit formula with Irish folk horror and colonial guilt, sprinkles in a touch of Lovecraft, and serves it all as an interactive unease that creeps under your skin slowly but effectively.

1000xRESIST tells a surprisingly deep and compelling story. What at times it lacks in terms of pacing and production value, it makes up with an abundance of creativity and unique storytelling.

What might be the friendliest extraction game out there might also be the best: Incredibly solid core mechanics converge with a captivatingly beautiful world that consistently produces memorable moments.

Surely, this one’s not the ‘farthest frontier’ of what this genre is capable of. But Crate managed something arguably better: presenting you with a city-builder that feels like coming home.

Ninja Gaiden 4 marks a milestone for the series as well as Platinum Games. It features fast combat, precise controls and a uniquely exhilarating experience like no other - it's a step up from all its predecessors.

Keeper is more experience than challenge – a surreal, poetic game that fills you with a sense of wonder instead of testing your skills.

Ball x Pit is an audiovisual onslaught – chaotic, clever, and cathartic. A Breakout for the modern age that proves the simplest ideas often have the longest shelf life.

Battlefield 6 plays it safe – but in this case, that's okay! Like an unstoppable wrecking ball, the pendulum swings back and forth between attritional battles of destruction and stirring, triumphant battle scenes. The question about the future of this series remains unanswered, but for now, the developers have done right by the players.

Absolum is a game that convinces you of its quality right from the start, only to reveal new strengths with every run and every new ability. Do yourselves a favor.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger manages to avoid mundane JRPG-formulas and even adds some fresh ideas to the genre. There are still some minor issues, but they don't take away from the fun the digivolution is adding and the massively improved pacing, compared to its predecessor.

What else can you say about these two games? For me, they were and remain the crowning glory of Mario creation, masterpieces of level design, and a bottomless treasure trove of interesting ideas to toy and tinker with.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is the long-awaited return of the series that I have been hoping for for many years. But it's not just the excellent voice acting that's impressive; lots of welcome and significant changes to the core of the game elevate the experience.

Gamepad controls and visual design are not great, but the ingenious concept is going to draw you in as it did almost 20 years ago.

While Ghost of Yotei’s gameplay and structure are fairly conventional, it’s still home to a gripping revenge story, a great combat system, and one of the most beautiful game worlds in a long time.

Hades 2 elevates what Hades began: It's a beautiful and incredibly engaging sequel with mightily satisfying combat.

Authentic and competitive playstyles bring flexibility to this year's version, but also limitations. Otherwise, EA Sports FC 26 offers some nice new features and sensible gameplay optimizations, while FUT continues to utilize pay-to-win mechanics.

The 'f' is for 'finally': Not exceptionally scary and treading on very familiar ground in terms of gameplay, but still disturbing and powerfully resonant: Silent Hill f revitalizes the legendary horror series as a subtle narrative puzzle for you to pick apart.

Silksong spins yarns of pain and freedom into a breathtaking Metroidvania fill of surprise and secrets.

If you're tired of Mario Kart World, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is nothing less than the best possible alternative you can currently buy... Overall, CrossWorlds is truly on par with a strong package here, positioning itself as a serious competitor that doesn't just copy Nintendo.

The latest installment proves that the series still has a lot of potential. The open world, which feels totally natural, looks truly beautiful, and stimulates the urge to explore, while the parkour elements enrich the experience even further. Overall, I think it's one of the best Borderlands games.

Great DLC with largely the same quality as last years’ best game, featuring great attention to detail and some stunning environments. Its only major flaw is that Machine Games somehow had to fit it into the Great Circle.

Cronos: The New Dawn hurls you into a shattered sci-fi wasteland where ammo is scarce and monsters are plenty. The pacing may sag in places, but its relentless challenge and gripping atmosphere keep the tension razor-sharp.

Here, you'll find a few nice new levels with new challenges. None of this transforms the game in any way; it's simply more of the same. You can have a few hours of fun with it and enjoy the noticeably improved technology, perhaps even on a completely new playthrough. Nevertheless, I'm ultimately left with the impression that, despite the quality of the content, I think €20 is a bit too much, especially since other Nintendo games have received a free technical upgrade on the Switch 2.

Deep Sleep: Labyrinth of the Forsaken is raw, intense, and haunting. No gloss, no spectacle – just indie pixel horror that hits harder than many AAA titles.

Colorful action and rewarding exploration make for an excellent platformer: Sega's silent ninja returns in an inspired adventure.

Comprehensive modernizations, useful QoL features, and a spectacular graphics update: While not entirely free of some grating gameplay anachronisms, this is still the best possible version of Kojima's legendary classic.

Not only is Sword of the Sea fun, but it feels like something that's actually good for you. It's wonderfully uncomplicated and relaxing, while always being engaging. While AAA productions pile up mountains of features to simulate “added value,” this game focuses on a single idea—and develops it so clearly and consistently that it entertains for hours.

Everything is here, and as with the other franchises Konami tackled before, Gradius Origins is the ultimate fan package. This is how you remaster and present old games. This is the way, no question about it.

Beautiful in its presentation and with a powerful protagonist: Hellblade 2 is a landmark in fantastic storytelling.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is certainly not the pinnacle of Soulslike gaming. But it is a solid entry and I loved its fabulously staged game world and feminine grace. The game is hard, but never unfair, and with the huge skill tree there is still plenty for me to do (...) If you are looking for a Soulslike with East Asian flair, a stylish protagonist and some cool, crazy bosses, I can definitely recommend Wuchang: Fallen Feathers.

The Old Country is definitely old school, but I would never call it stale. It's sheer genre purism: familiar mafia tropes, no experiments - and that's exactly why, fans of classic Cosa Nostra material will immediately feel at home. If you'd rather treat yourself to Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather for the twentieth time than give Barry Levinson's The Alto Knights a chance, you've come to the right place.

Rarely did I enjoy getting to know the numerous facets of a vivid world as much as I did here. And rarely did I miss in-depth systems as little as in this cleverly constructed stealth puzzler - in which sneaking, puzzling and quiet exploration come together in pleasingly varied situations.

So there are minor limitations, but there's hardly a better way to overhaul two games that are almost 15 years old. After all, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 plays as smoothly as a current title would and looks the part too.

The Drifter combines everything we love about point-and-click adventure games with modern storytelling, clever controls and the kind of style and character that few adventure games have had since the Lucas Arts classics. This is more than just life support for a genre that has long been said to be dead, it's a highlight for anyone who loves captivating stories.

A game that almost only Nintendo can make. Colorful, entertaining, and always a little crazy. Bananza is bursting with creativity and ideas.

With a humorous script, lovingly designed characters and a goofy story, Date Everything turns out to be a really cool dating sim.

Easily the best version of the classic sci-fi thriller, which leaves a bit to be desired, though, in terms of transferring controls to modern gamepad standards.

The result is a game I didn't know I needed or even wanted. Death Stranding 2 is huge, pompous, moving, shocking, inspiring, confusing - and ultimately, and above all, concerned with what connects us and makes us human. Even if that thing is just the sheer joy of an insanely long zipline ride through snow-covered mountains.

If you're a fan of turn-based strategy, you're can't go wrong getting Songs of Conquest on your Nintendo Switch. The port is a success, and the game still is a lot of fun on Nintendo's console, reminding you of the "good old days" of the genre while enjoying a modern version of it at the same time. It's just a shame that there are no optimizations for the Switch 2 yet - I hope these are still to come.

Ultimately, Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most remarkable games you can buy for the launch of the Switch 2. Firsty, because the port proves what Nintendo's console is technically capable of. And secondly because this is just a massive, excellent RPG that has matured nicely, indeed.

As I was still far from finished with Tears of the Kingdom, I was delighted to be able to do so with improved technology. If you feel the same way, or if you haven't played the title yet, you should definitely go for the Switch 2 version. As with BotW, it's a bit of a shame that the Zelda Notes features are only accessible via an app.

Fast Fusion plays just as excellent as its predecessors. This game is all about fast, precise driving and perfect utilization of the boost ... You might not put as many hours into this that you will into Mario Kart World, but at just 15 bucks you cannot go wrong with this, no matter if you play solo or with friends.

A spotless conversion of this top-of-class action-adventure, which shines with excellent boss fights, an exciting scenario, engaging exploration and many entertaining ideas.

A nice technical upgrade of the modern classic, but nothing more. The Zelda Notes functions should have been in the game rather than on smartphones.

You should definitely treat yourself to the upgrade if you picked up Hogwarts on Switch back then, only to put it aside after an hour or two in frustration. Or you can start fresh now because you already thought it wouldn't work back then. Either way, now is the time to catch up on a wonderful game in a version that does it justice.

So yeah, short speech, long test, Street Fighter IV 3D be damned, and the same conclusion as 18 months ago: Street Fighter 6 is a great brawler that beginners can tackle without getting too frustrated and pros will find enough depth to really get into it.

Sonic has rarely been in such good form as in Generations, Shadow has never been as good as here and the fact that I enjoy his 3D stages almost more than Sonic Classic speaks volumes.

Lies of P: Overture adds a beautiful chapter to a fantastic game. The only criticism you could levy against it, is that it's not as essential to this game's world as it should be.

If you get involved with No Man's Sky, you can expect a phenomenal space adventure. Something I certainly wouldn't have said with such enthusiasm about the game that was released under this name in 2016. I'm sure it can be said often enough how much Hello Games put into this to take you into space the way they imagined it. But I haven't said it often enough yet, so I do it once more.

Even though I know the original well and know what's coming in the next hours, I might still stay a little longer with Bravely Default than I wanted to. If a game can do that after all these years, it must have done a lot right in the first place.

As with every annual game series, the question arises with F1 25 as to whether the new acquisition is worthwhile. Sure, we have the new licenses, which is enough for some. For others, Braking Point is an incentive. The fact is that F1 25 is a very good racing game in its own right, offering the joy of virtual driving. There are many modes and options, a high level of flexibility, and all in all, it's an excellent representation of racing.

You've got big, varied stages, some really nice bosses, intelligently hidden collectible items and rewarding bonuses to unlock. This isn't a quick or mass-produced game, it's a thoroughly enjoyable romp that should appeal to anyone for whom the missing link between Crash Bandicoot and Donkey Kong Country sounds like a good time.

Although struggling with some disappointing shortcomings JDM: Japanese Drift Master lets you drift swiftly through a fictional, yet painstakingly detailed area of Japan like no other racing game does.

I've never felt such an urge to try out different types of weapons as in Blades of Fire. If a game manages to lure someone as stoically pig-headed as me out of their sword-and-shield-comfort zone, it definitely did something right. Which brings us back to the beginning: I didn't know what Blade of Fire was until very recently, and I can’t be the only one. Pretty sure that’s about to change drastically.

Technically sound and quite varied collection of eight classics, most of them aged gracefully. Could do with a bit more meaningful curation, but offers a lot of options to be enjoyed even by today's standards.

Open-world arcade racer with a few rough edges, but deep customization and excellent car handling that allows for some smooth drifting.