I love coming-of-age stories, but Mixtape stands out even among my favorites for how well it nails its earnest, whimsical tone, treating life milestones with grave sincerity. Its stellar writing, concise runtime, and inspired use of its licensed soundtrack make it an instant classic and a heartfelt trip down memory lane.

Vampire Crawlers elevates an otherwise simple but highly entertaining card game with sensations more reminiscent of a casino (or Vampire Survivors) or the blinding blue light of doomscrolling late at night to create a retro-inspired diversion that’s hard to put down. Its pull is less powerful with its dozen or so stages complete and behind me, but it’s clear that desire to return will never quite let up, lingering, waiting in the gothic wings for one more run.

With plans for post-launch content already announced, Invincible VS is likely to only improve as its lifespan progresses, which could certainly address some of the current shortcomings. However, with an already solid foundation built upon approachability and personality, Invincible VS is easy to recommend to both seasoned fighting games fans and Invincible enthusiasts.

Moving, shooting, improving (both in stats and skill), winning, and even losing is an unequivocal joy in Saros, and I only wish I could write this sentence faster so I can hurry up and get back to planet Carcosa and attempt another run.

The unique way the story is conveyed is more impressive than the story itself, but it's still a great time for fans of choice-driven games.

Despite these hardships, both intentional and otherwise, I eagerly fired up the next stage, excited to test my skills and get angry all over again. When stages click, it’s a deliciously fun challenge. When the perspective makes it tough to even tell how to proceed, it can be frustrating. Still, Super Meat Boy 3D makes a strong argument that Team Meat’s formula can work in three dimensions, but it needs to iron out some kinks before it reaches the same heights as its 2010 classic.

These moments, combined with the fascinating vintage visuals and music, make it easy to overlook the areas where Mouse wastes some potential. Sure, I'd have liked more meaningful investigative mechanics and fewer reskinned baddies, but I was often too busy tapping my toes to jazz tunes and laughing at the riotous cartoon antics to be too bummed about it.

Gamers often complain that big publishers refuse to roll the dice on new properties with unique systems; I give Pragmata big props for doing precisely that and experimenting with something unconventional. The story and structure as a whole feel a bit by-the-numbers, but the beautiful futuristic visuals and inventive battle system are solid wins.

Through its stellar use of the roguelite formula and ability to build your loadout in such rapid fashion, Deadzone: Rogue provides a compelling shooting experience that I look forward to firing up for a few runs every day. But it's not just the structure that has its hooks in me; the shooting mechanics, varied enemy types, and the compelling narrative mystery all coalesce into one of my favorite shooters in recent years.

The Maximum Collection gets just about everything right, but there’s really only one game in the mix that I’d hold up as a true classic of its genre. Beyond X-Men, the experience here is likely for those hunting nostalgia or players with a particularly keen eye for understanding the early days of superhero video games. If that’s the sort of thing that makes your interior Colossus roar, you can expect a solidly good time.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder was a joy to play through in 2023, and now, a few years later, it's even better.

Like any good extraction shooter, Marathon is a game about the choice and consequences inherent within a run. Yet, it's more than just that. Bungie's excellent audio design and gunplay, paired with increasingly complicated level design borrowing from over a decade of expertise designing Destiny raids coalesce into something special. Marathon is proof Bungie is still at the top of its game.

Much like a consistently winning sports team, MLB The Show 26 didn’t change things too dramatically, but this entry almost feels like a soft-rebuilding year; so while many of these changes may elevate the overall package in future games, they aren’t quite there yet. But much like those perennial contenders, even when it’s not the best the franchise has looked, MLB The Show 26 is once again lined up for another winning season.

While I’m still working my way through endgame content, including several raids, battlegrounds, and a target-hunting Prey system, Midnight’s core experience is great. As the second entry in a trilogy, Midnight effectively fleshes out returning characters and blurs the line between good and evil in interesting ways. Ending on a dark note, this middle chapter creates more questions than answers, and serves as a great staging ground for the story’s final act. While the conclusion is still years away, I’ll happily devote that time to decorating and, inevitably, renovating my new abode. Now more than ever, Azeroth feels like a home away from home.

As the WWE 2K series churns out another game each year, they’re becoming tougher to remain enthusiastic about. Visual Concepts found a strong formula with 2K22 and has steadily iterated on that without rocking the boat too much, making for a consistent but gradually less exciting package each year. Starting with The Island’s debut last year, the VC infiltration is becoming irksome, especially in a package that already has multiple expensive editions and paid unlocks. Art is starting to imitate life – it’s never been more expensive to consume the WWE product, thanks to sky-high ticket prices and the pricey streaming subscriptions required to even watch everything. My feelings while playing 2K26 began to mirror my current relationship with the on-screen product: It’s still enjoyable, but the negatives are catching up to the positives.

My grievances with Monster Hunter Stories 3 are relatively minor. It's an RPG that plays it safe, and while that means it avoids massive missteps, it also fails to make much of an impression. Despite spending over 60 hours exploring its world, I don't expect to think much about Twisted Reflection now that I've rolled credits. Still, its good outweighs its bad, and I don't regret my time in office as the prince of Azuria. At the very least, it was a joy to look at.

Tribute has become skilled at creating visually nostalgic beat ‘em ups, and its return to the Scott Pilgrim franchise is no exception. It is, however, light on surprises or mechanical innovation.

Despite my minor complaints, Pokopia sticks out as one of the best examples of a third-party developer using the Pokémon license to the fullest extent possible.

Requiem is Resident Evil at its finest…It is fantastic, a revelatory mix of terrifying survival-horror and action.

Despite those deviations from the series that inspired Raptor Claw to develop this game, Fur Squadron Phoenix is an excellent spiritual successor for those who remember that Fox and Falco exist outside of the Super Smash Bros. games. Nintendo may not know what to do with the Star Fox franchise, but Fur Squadron Phoenix makes a great case that the genre can still flourish in 2026.

Because the breeding happens in between the game's fantastic runs, it's hard for me to come to a firm consensus on how I feel about Mewgenics. Its combat mechanics truly stand out, and in isolation, might make it one of my favorite games of the year. But even though those hours and hours of combat comprise almost all of my playtime, the odd, upsetting creative decisions stick with me. Despite Mewgenics' best attempts to kill my appetite, dozens and dozens of hours in, I'm still hungry for another run.

Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is a brilliant modern adventure game, filled with mysteries, delightful characters, and gorgeous art. Truly, I never thought we'd see a second Paranormasight; its predecessor felt like a one-off flight-of-fancy for Square Enix, destined to be a fond oddity for genre aficionados. Now, I can only hope there's more in store.

Nioh 3 is a fantastic leap forward for Team Ninja’s generally great but increasingly stagnant take on Soulslikes. I had to stop myself from seeking out the next awesome hidden boss or from learning a cool new weapon to see credits to write this review, and the experience largely manages to maintain its excitement throughout its lengthy runtime. Nioh 3’s hardships are many, and failure is plentiful, but its thrills are bigger and more impressive than ever before.

High On Life 2 sets out to make you laugh, and it does a good job of it. It also sets out to bring you stylish, fast-paced combat with cool movement, and it does a good job of that, too. This is the kind of game that you can put on, laugh at for a while, and forget what's troubling you, even though reminders might slip in through the pointed social commentary. High On Life 2, despite being a battle against Big Pharma, is just what the doctor ordered.

Reanimal is a simple game with a challenging subject matter. Those looking for a fun co-op experience should look elsewhere, as it is neither great as a shared experience nor fun. But it is thought-provoking and stimulating, and if you can stomach combat suicide, animal harm, and more – all proxies for the effects of war on the people who wage it and the victims of that destruction – Tarsier has created something worth wrestling with.

Mario Tennis Fever is hardly a revolutionary entry, but it nails the series' most important element by offering a well-rounded experience with myriad ways for players of all skill levels to enjoy the game of tennis.

I was left wanting more from the love story incidentally promised by the protagonist’s names, but I was eager to keep playing to make Romeo stronger, see where I was going next, and learn more about the colorful cast of characters.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 continues the solid streak for Ryu Ga Gotoku and the series. The gripping narrative and fun combat deliver on what players enjoy. It doesn’t raise the bar in any way, but newcomers and returning fans will find it a thrill ride from start to epic finish.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined has just as much heart as its previous iterations, but is now also much more welcoming and modernized. The presentation is endearing, and the new gameplay mechanics, as well as the plethora of modifiers, will help new players navigate uncharted territory. Even if the challenge isn’t always there, those who’ve set sail on this adventure before will find plenty to love in this latest expedition.

Even with some minor missteps, Cairn is a stunning and surprising masterpiece. I’ve rarely encountered a game with such a slow overall pace that nonetheless kept me on the edge of my seat. Gameplay is buoyed by a subtle, emotionally powerful musical score and a uniquely textured art style that enhances both the game’s beauty and one’s ability to read its many pockmarked walls. When all its merits were added together, I was constantly drawn back to the climb to see the next vista. Cairn is challenging as a game and as a story; because, and not despite its many differences from other games you’ll play this year, it deserves your time and attention.

With many great games, I am eager to shout from the rooftops to get as many people as possible to play. I sincerely enjoy Mio, but I’d also be extremely hesitant to recommend its rigors to all but very experienced players, eager for platforming, bosses, and exploration that are often more chore than satisfaction. However, if that kind of thing sets your heart aflutter, Mio should be very high on your list of must-plays.

Death Howl is cohesive and well-crafted. The game's dour tone complements its surreal art style and soundtrack. Its myriad genres coalesce into consistently engaging combat and tactics. But most of all, across story and gameplay, Ro's journey taught me to embrace obstacles to overcome them. Having reached its end, it's a journey I'm glad to have taken.

Total Chaos is disgusting, bloody, and taxing, but it’s also sympathetic and cathartic. And despite its misgivings and missteps, it is fun, twisting together horrific perversions with tension-filled gameplay in the way every great survival horror game should. Poor voice acting and repetitive gameplay/monster design dampen what makes Total Chaos great. However, its inventive crafting-focused combat and stirring story cement Trigger Happy Interactive’s sophomore release as one that will surely haunt my thoughts long after this playthrough.

Terminator 2D: No Fate nails the feeling of a game that should have existed in the early ‘90s to coincide with the release of the film. It’s the kind of game that, had it released at that time, would have likely been revered as a great adaptation to this day. In 2025, it is still a strong retro adaptation of a beloved film, but it is not without some design annoyances that we’ve moved beyond.

I’m not totally sold on the melding of universes that Renegades aims for, but I think the expansion as a whole offers many hours of satisfying exploration, build-crafting, and new rewards to discover. This isn’t the fundamental reinvention of Destiny that many fans seem eager for, but as a creative twist on expectation, it offers plenty of good times.

Routine is a survival-horror game in the lightest of senses. There are robots and creatures to run/hide from occasionally, and you have little in your arsenal to fight back, but that genre tag is a misnomer – this is a puzzle experience drenched in tension and terror. With your CAT tool and the wits you’d hope appear if you, yourself, were placed in this terrible situation, a seductive Pandora’s box of escape rooms awaits you.

As Skate Story’s credits rolled, I wasn’t totally sure what to make of it. Despite its imperfections, I knew I liked it, but I struggled to articulate why. I won’t pretend that every metaphor or symbol resonated with me or even made sense. It’s a deeply poetic journey, and the way to enjoy any good poem is to focus more on how it made me feel rather than any literal interpretation. In that sense, I’ll fondly remember the awe I felt admiring this imaginatively conceived underworld, the adrenaline rush of barreling through courses as a shining beacon of defiance and perseverance, and the thrill of hitting stunts so sick that entire celestial bodies shatter at my awesomeness.

Demonschool is infectious. The tactical clicks as I fired off a masterful turn that wipes out swathes of demonic creatures kept me coming back, day after day, week after week. Each new character pushed me in new directions, opening new horizons, while also luring me into new bonds and relationships. Though it takes a while to get going and falls a bit short in its side activities, Demonschool still manages to be a haunted PS1 disc of tactical joy.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a slightly different approach to the series, especially since it’s made up of readjusted elements from the Champions of the Continent mobile game. Despite the inflated cast, the main characters are likable, and smart changes to the core battle system and the town-building aspect differentiate Octopath Traveler 0 from its predecessors. It's got a solid story and combat that puts a captivating twist on the classic turn-based formula. With a staggering amount of content, Octopath Traveler 0 will keep you entertained for dozens of hours.

My annoyances with Beyond are vastly overshadowed by a pristine, rock-solid science-fiction exploration experience. Discovering all Viewros has to offer is incredibly rewarding and delivers an unmatched sense of alien ambiance. The wait for a new Metroid Prime has been long, but it only takes a few minutes in Beyond to remember why we have been so eager to re-enter this universe for the past 18 years.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion follows in the footsteps of Shredder’s Revenge by offering a smartly modernized take on the arcade games of yesteryear. It’s not the deepest package, nor does it completely shatter this genre’s reliable mold, but anyone bearing a nostalgia for the Marvel arcade brawlers of old will have a great time smacking around villains as Earth’s – and the galaxy’s – mightiest heroes.

Kirby Air Riders is an inflexible experience, forcing the player to learn its mechanics and engage with all its modes to get the most out of it, and it's a better game for it. Its gameplay is simple to learn but hard to master, and with such a variety of machines and modes, there are a lot of different definitions of what that mastery looks like. It's a game with a strong, unique identity that likely won't unseat your favorite racing game, but it isn't trying to. Kirby Air Riders is a star shining for no one but itself, and I can't help but respect it for that.

Despite its shortcomings and the campaign’s lack of variety, Black Ops 7 is a solid entry solely for establishing new ways to play while making Call of Duty the social space it used to be. Treyarch and Activision’s commitment to additional modes continues to cannibalize their storyboards, and while it remains to be seen if their open stance on skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) is merely a PR tactic, they’re still capable of producing absorbing multiplayer and Zombies experiences that improve with every round. Black Ops 7 may not be the sequel some wanted this year, but in the most BO4 way possible, it emulates individualism to set a new bar that’s worth surpassing.

Both the dialogue and gameplay of Marvel's Deadpool VR sometimes grated on me, but there are a number of impressive moments and the occasional strong joke that surprised me and made me laugh.

Perhaps Age of Imprisonment’s best trick, however, is how it makes me feel like I’m back in the world of Tears of the Kingdom. The art direction, menu elements, music, sound effects, and more all make me feel like I am back in 2023 getting lost in one of my favorite games of the last decade. Imprisonment’s gameplay is very different, and not nearly as engaging or consistently novel, but I eagerly pulled the warm blanket around me while executing Zelda’s ultimate attack for the hundredth time.

Dispatch isn’t a triumph of mechanical innovation. It doesn’t reinvent the narrative adventure game, but it doesn’t pretend to. On the other hand, it delivers one of the most compelling interactive dramas in years, an adult animated superhero story with the emotional punch of prestige television and a script that truly shines. I didn’t want to stop playing just because I needed to know what happened next; I kept playing because I cared who it was happening to.

Despite my misgivings, I hold the human-made experience of Arc Raiders in high regard. Its creators have made an intriguing world full of curiosities and payoffs. Nearly every match yields a memorable sequence: an unexpected encounter, a dramatic escape, a hilarious interaction, or a tragic end. While casual gamers may find its harsh consequences frustrating, Arc Raiders provides an impressive setting and format for multiplayer fans seeking excellent engagements and novel interactions.

While it doesn't land with quite the impact that I felt from Before Your Eyes, Goodnight Universe still shows there's an impressive range of story and interactivity to explore in this space. Its hardware requirements and format justify themselves well through how the game utilizes those tools, creating truly moving moments through interactivity that you just don't see often. Goodnight Universe is a wonderful exploration of what's still possible with a simple webcam.

The most disappointing aspect of Possessors is that it plays it quite safe compared to Heart Machine’s past titles, Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash. Little about its formula will surprise Metroidvania enthusiasts; still, the studio has nonetheless notched another entertaining single-player action game under its belt, proving its action and world-building chops transcend genre.

Lumines Arise is stirring, beautiful, and always engaging. Like its cousin Tetris Effect, it's the kind of game that I won’t delete from my hard drive because I will always want the option to lose myself to the game periodically, which Arise is consistently excellent at.

The level of care with which Digital Eclipse creates its compilations is unrivaled. Though the online suite is incomplete at launch, each game plays exceptionally well and offers a plethora of options to tweak the classic experiences to your liking. Getting excellent versions of these games in one cohesive package is great, but the true highlight is the in-depth interactive documentary and all the fun relics that exist therein. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is not only the best way to play these games in 2025, but it’s also the best way to peek behind the curtain and witness the creation of a modern-day icon.

If you enjoyed last year's Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, you won't go wrong by picking up this collection. These graphics are likewise bursting with life, and the classic Dragon Quest monster designs are as charming as ever – which makes the sting of character designer Akira Toriyama’s passing that much harsher. But it's good to know his Dragon Quest legacy is in fine form.

Even though the last time I visited Lumiose City was over a decade ago in Pokémon X and Y, I couldn’t help but shake the constant feeling of déjà vu, not for the city, but for the Pokémon routine. Still, where Legends: Z-A does experiment with the Pokémon formula, it succeeds in delivering a novel experience that will hopefully encourage Game Freak to continue challenging what Pokémon games can be in the future.

Though its main narrative is anti-climactic, I’m left amazed by how much Obsidian was able to cram into this 30-hour odyssey, with side content that weaves seamlessly in and out of the golden path and a level of reflexivity other RPGs often try and fail to achieve.

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is a great and faithful remake of an excellent, simple, and now-classic game. The new animations and character designs are also wonderful, without changing what made them so memorable to begin with. It’s all a pleasant reminder of a different era for PopCap Games and mobile games in general, where monetization rarely extended beyond the premium price of purchasing a game, which allowed the creators to focus on the core experience while keeping it light and simple. Replanted makes me pine for that era, but also grateful that this revisitation of the original game has been handled with such reverence and care.

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is a great and faithful remake of an excellent, simple, and now-classic game. The new animations and character designs are also wonderful, without changing what made them so memorable to begin with. It’s all a pleasant reminder of a different era for PopCap Games and mobile games in general, where monetization rarely extended beyond the premium price of purchasing a game, which allowed the creators to focus on the core experience while keeping it light and simple. Replanted makes me pine for that era, but also grateful that this revisitation of the original game has been handled with such reverence and care.

PowerWash Simulator 2 is a very specific kind of game that will appeal to a very specific kind of audience. If you’re the kind of person who spends your evenings watching videos of things being cleaned or organized, you’ll likely enjoy an interactive version of that. However, if you prefer your action heavy or your systems robust, you might find yourself bored or restless. Though I fall more into that latter category, I felt an undeniable satisfaction each time I completed a job, which serves as a highlight to the overall package.

There’s not much to do outside of slicing and dicing, but high-speed rail grind sequences and fast-paced grapple hook-focused parkour segments can be almost as fun as the combat. Although the often lengthy battles can wear out their welcome and need wider enemy variety, and the simple side quests and challenge rooms are uninspired, Ninja Gaiden 4 gives fans what they want: a pure, often arduous test of their ninja skills. This comeback finally washes away the bad taste left by the reviled Ninja Gaiden 3, and I hope to see Yakumo’s legend grow over a new series of stylish action adventures.

Keeper is strange in many ways, and sometimes crosses over into genuine psychedelia. In evaluating it as a game, some things didn’t work for me. As a piece of art and creative endeavor, it fares far better.

Even if some fraction of the joy drops off in the endgame, Ball x Pit remains a deeply entertaining update to an ancient arcade formula. It’s easy to lose yourself in the flow of the seemingly endless bouncing balls, and I was consistently eager to unlock new characters, levels, and new balls to experiment with in battle. This is one of those “don’t judge a book by its cover” sorts of games, where the real excitement only reveals itself once the controller is in your hands. It will only take a single level to make you a believer.

Most maps are dazzling sandboxes just waiting to be leveled, firearms feel impactful with detectable recoil patterns, and a bevy of demanding progression challenges keep the grind loop fresh. But like in most hard-fought victories, not every wartime decision yields a winning result.

Absolum is a game I’ve wanted to play since I was a kid. We get simple, approachable brawling battles, high production values in art and music, and a richly imagined fantasy world, all wrapped around a narrative that makes replay and progression worth coming back to advance again and again. It’s not a game that is going to change anyone’s opinions about the genre, but it is a brilliant implementation of a very old formula into something that feels modern, deeply replayable, and unmistakably fun.

While its pacing can be hit or miss due to its procedural map generation and unpredictable player behavior, Wildgate stands out amidst other PvPvE multiplayer offerings. Working with teammates to overcome challenging scenarios to unearth new equipment and upgrades for the spaceship is excellent, especially when it often culminates in larger-than-life dogfights that require every person to play a role, resulting in cinematic, often white-knuckle match-ups.

Little Nightmares III delivers on the original conceit of the series with a horror-filled adventure that feels like trying to escape a nightmare you desperately want to wake up from. Outside of a few noticeable, if underbaked, additions Supermassive has introduced, I’d welcome more variation to the game’s formula. However, even if Little Nightmares III offers more of the same, it’s hard not to smile whenever Low and Alone’s adventure sends chills down my spine.

Gamifying your food habits is, indeed, an awful idea, and Consume Me lays it out in a manner I found deeply compelling and entertaining. Even if you ignore the content warning, its message is clear from its opening moments. If its ending hadn't stumbled, it might've been one of my all-time favorites, but there's still a lot to love here despite that underwhelming conclusion. Consume Me is teeming with creativity and personality, and for that, it's earned a special place in my heart.

Even with its issues, EA Sports FC 26 offers a level of player development and immersion that you just don’t get in other sports titles. On the surface, it’s easy to describe the gameplay overhaul as simple quality-of-life updates, but this year's changes tackle several player frustrations (particularly around goalkeeping), ultimately improving the franchise for the long haul.. EA Sports FC 26 is a robust step forward for a franchise I had lost faith in, and now, I can’t stop playing.

The absolute glut of content is impressive and intimidating all at once, and NBA 2K26’s on-the-court performance is so good that it’s worth the annoyances that come with the franchise. Whether you want to chart your custom character’s career through the NBA or WNBA, take the reins and rewrite your favorite franchise’s history, or build your dream roster of players from across eras, NBA 2K26 gives you all the tools to do so.

There are so, so many games coming out every year, and no real ruling body for determining a "gaming canon" of any sort. So in lieu of that, I'll just say Final Fantasy Tactics was, and remains, an essential work. It's the type of game that, played with fresh eyes nowadays, would surprise newcomers with how engrossing its Job system is, how expressive the character sprites and music are, how gorgeous the dioramic battle maps can be, and just how moving its story can be. Time has passed, but Tactics never got old.

Hades II is the pinnacle of the roguelike genre, a position I previously granted its predecessor, but one that its sequel has handily earned.

Working your way through lists in a video game can be incredibly satisfying. Ghost of Yōtei understands this intimately and capitalizes on it by starting with protagonist Atsu literally writing out her hit list of the six men who took everything from her. It’s a simple, but incredibly satisfying setup, and that core idea – the joy of knowing your objectives and completing them – extends to every other element of Ghost of Yōtei to create a consistently satisfying experience that is very difficult to put down.

Silent Hill f is a curious beast. Despite my misgivings, it’s a good Silent Hill game and an enjoyable survival horror adventure in general. The game nails its oppressive and creepy atmosphere, and it boasts a killer presentation from visuals to audio. The combat is faithful to past games while adding cool, effective wrinkles, but for how heavily it's emphasized, the game fails to have players engage with it any differently than they had in the opening hours (save for one mid-game twist). Perhaps my biggest gripe as someone who loves to be scared is that you’ve seen the extent of how Silent Hill f plans to frighten you within its first half; beyond that, it’s diminishing returns with very few surprises. I like Silent Hill f, but I was prepared to have a love affair with it, and I’m left feeling as foggy as its quiet, ill-fated village.

Dying Light: The Beast can feel a touch safe at times with a serviceable story, but the high-flying parkour and gorgeous graphics are top-notch. Castor Woods makes for the perfect zombie-slaying playground for you to enjoy. It’s pure adrenaline packed into its 20 hours, continuing to carve out its own corner of the crowded zombie space.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds offers some exciting twists on the tried-and-true kart-racing formula, making for a streamlined experience that wastes no time getting you into the action. Though there’s substantially less content and replayability than its primary contemporary, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is concise and effective in its mission, offering the most well-rounded kart racer of the year.

Musicians know the feeling of a piece that is woven with complexity, which takes longer to learn than most, but brings commensurate satisfaction upon mastery; Silksong is the video game equivalent, sitting ready to be played and adored, but only after appropriate levels of devotion and persistence.

Throughout my time in Metal Eden, I couldn’t help but imagine just how good a sequel I hope Reikon makes could be. This is a great start in the FPS genre for the team; its ideas are strong, and with refinement, Aska’s next mission could be as excellent as the Ghostrunner and Doom Eternal adventures it’s clearly inspired by. Though the star of the show – its first-person shooting and movement – is sometimes weighed down by an overreaching narrative and boring morph ball sections, when Metal Eden shines, it’s as bright as the sun that sheds light on Moebius’ dark underbelly.

While I wish it had an adjustable camera or the ability to tweak visual settings on console, I had a great time regardless. Ultimately, whether it's online or local, the dedicated two-player experience is Lego Voyagers' secret weapon. The game is intentionally abstract and open to interpretation, so you'll fill in the gaps with your partner: you create a relationship between your Lego avatars, shorthand for game terms to get through levels, and eventually build a new, player-specific version of the game for yourself. Light Brick Studio did a great job designing Lego Voyagers, but the experience I built with my partner is what will stick with me.

Though many of the series’ core elements remain intact, Gearbox has refined and reconfigured them in such ways that Borderlands 4 rises beyond anything the series has accomplished to this point, making for a chaotic looter-shooter worthy of the series’ sterling early-2010s reputation.

Hell is Us feels like a modernized spin on the classic action/adventure game that, as a third-person game, feels obligated to include combat. The game’s investigation elements are much more fleshed out in comparison to the action, which is, at least, passable enough to endure while I enjoy the main treat of running around and solving puzzles. I’ll be deciphering the game’s remaining riddles well after I rolled credits, and I can’t wait to see what revelations await. Hell is Us isn’t perfect, but it’s a bold and respectable debut that largely delivers on its promise, laying a strong foundation for future stories in its fascinating world.

If you’re in the mood for something that recalls games like Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space, Cronos might hit the spot. But it’s not without its pain points.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance should serve as a blueprint for delivering a retro-facing experience of an absentee franchise while still leveraging modern technology and game design conventions.

With my 100-percent playthrough clocking in at about five hours, Is This Seat Taken is a satisfying snack of a game. Complete with a chill soundtrack and a cute art style, it felt like a breath of fresh air. While I played it on PC, it would feel right at home on the go on its other platforms, Switch and mobile. It's an easy recommendation for anyone even slightly interested in puzzle games.

Metal Gear Solid 3 didn't necessarily need a remake, but now that it’s here, I’m not sure I will ever be able to go back to the original versions.

Sword of the Sea moves at the pace of a magical swordsperson speeding across sand dunes on a floating blade at 170 miles per hour, and it never gives you a reason to look away.

And Roger left me feeling a whirlwind of emotions, from distressed to sympathetic to hopeful, using little more than a mouse cursor. The best compliment I can give is that it reminds me so much of 2018’s Florence, a game I adore, in how it uses clever interactions to communicate relatable feelings and situations. While I wouldn’t wish the plight of its protagonist on my worst enemy, I would happily recommend this experience as another strong example of video games' strength as a storytelling medium.

Quotation forthcoming.

It’s very competent and enjoyable, but much of it feels like Soulslike junk food; tasty with a few neat ideas, but nothing will stick with me compared to more substantial offerings. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers may not revolutionize the genre, but it’s a good rendition of a favorite song.

Ragebound is tough to complete and even harder to master, but it’s hardest to put down. It’s demanding with little frustration, engaging with few lulls, and ultimately, a reminder that while Ryu’s modern-day adventures can be great, there’s still Ki to be found in Ninja Gaiden’s original dimensions.

Donkey Kong Bananza is the Switch 2’s first exclusive that feels truly and wholly new. This is an entirely unique adventure with familiar characters and new mechanics that I suspect would not have been possible on the original Switch. Donkey Kong and Pauline’s adventure is a showpiece for Nintendo’s new console, and it meets the incredibly high standard the developer has been setting for itself since the ‘80s.

Eriksholm is a great puzzle game under the guise of a stealth adventure, utilizing the mechanics of the latter to create the pieces for the former. With a focused cast, three playable characters that synergize harmoniously, and a world whose nooks and crannies beg to be seen (with collectibles to reward your efforts), I’m left wanting more. Eriksholm, for the most part, avoids the critical error of stealth puzzles that grow beyond complex into frustrating, and turns in a series of challenges that are almost always fun and, in the final handful of hours, brilliant. I just wish the rest of the game matched its later heights.

College Football 26 didn’t throw out the playbook from its first year back, but it didn’t need to. Instead, iterative improvements and quality-of-life adjustments build upon an already strong foundation. Like my Dynasty team, EA Sports’ newest series is quickly amassing prestige as one of the best sports franchises today, and College Football 26 only helps its case.

Peak stands out as a delight in a year of self-serious major game releases, and I especially recommend it to anyone seeking levity amidst life’s stresses. The climb to the summit may be treacherous, but overcoming its many hazards with my friends is one of my favorite memories of playing games this year.

This futuristic vibe and unrealistic speeds may not be for everyone, but I’m delighted to see this style of play still alive and kicking its way down the course.

The THPS series shaped my music taste, fashion sense, and more while also delivering an incredibly fun timesink on my PlayStation 2. A perfect remake of these games would do the same all these years later, or at least remind me why they were so impressionable when I was growing up. While Iron Galaxy has excellently modernized the gameplay and graphics of these classics to feel right in 2025, I wish it had done a better job of highlighting the influence these games once had in their heyday.

Death Stranding 2 is a game with faults and annoyances, but it also makes big, expensive swings and is trying to establish its own unique genre, often successfully.

While Mario Kart World doesn’t earn high marks across the board, it has it where it counts. As a launch title for Nintendo’s new system, this is a friendly and approachable release that will delight all members of the family, while also offering a high skill and knowledge ceiling for dedicated players who want to dig deep. And it’s just as maddening and hilarious as ever to hit your buddy with a shell and watch him spin out. At the end of the day, isn’t that the point?

Overture, like its base game counterpart, is an excellent Soulslike journey that oozes confidence, fun, and a deep appreciation for the genre.

The reward for my efforts is the mastery, knowledge, and adrenaline I spent dozens of hours building in Elden Ring, condensed into a single run. And every success is as visceral and glorious as the last…The adrenaline and dopamine of a great Elden Ring session are present throughout Nightreign, and it’s exciting knowing you’re theoretically just 45 minutes away from experiencing those feelings again.

Even as a brief game of only a few hours, I felt ready for things to wrap up by the time I hit the credits, but that’s not an indictment of how it all came together. Instead, this new tactical twist on the Turtles knows not to overstay its welcome. It’s a bite-sized chunk of strategic fun with an evident love of these classic characters that shines through, and that’s worth plenty.