An absurd tone with surprising pockets of earnest pathos, fun characters, and bombastic action are all present and accounted for here.

KCD2 is challenging, demanding, and often unforgiving. But, like the sharp blades I smithed in-game, through fire, it forges an exciting, surprising, and unforgettable fable.

Buoyed by the excellent returning dice gameplay, incredible sci-fi writing, and a fantastic score, Citizen Sleeper 2 is a worthy sequel, even if its UI and finale didn’t quite match the heights of the rest of the package.

While not a gigantic leap forward, chalk up another good outing in this hidden gem of a Metroidvania series.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fantastic reminder that the franchise that began on the Super Nintendo in 1994 is a real competitor for Nintendo’s best 2D platforming series, an extremely competitive landscape.

The Great Circle reminds me of why I fell in love with Indy in the first place and should be a template for how to craft new interactive stories in this legendary series.

With a huge roster of free playable characters , a satisfying gameplay loop, and the fast matchmaking, Marvel Rivals executes a simple concept with skill and finesse.

It may not be an all-time standout among beat 'em ups, but Rita’s Rewind is the Power Rangers’ best cooperative outing yet.

Ultimately, Dragon Age: The Veilguard delivers on the promise of every Dragon Age with its strong characters, engaging combat, and a classic BioWare role-playing experience.

The potent combination of Sonic and Shadow Generations makes a strong case for being the best package of 3D Sonic content we’ve ever seen.

It may not be the revolutionary VR title that unequivocally makes the platform become widely adopted, but I would absolutely count it among my favorite VR experiences alongside games like Beat Saber and Half-Life: Alyx.

Grief catalyzes a blossoming partnership that anchors this exceptional action platformer.

Despite the overly drawn-out final act and the poorly tuned final boss, Metaphor: ReFantazio’s journey is well worth embarking upon.

Despite the difficult revelations Silent Hill 2 unveils along the way and how uncomfortable the experience made me (by design) I was eager to immediately start the journey again after seeing the credits.

We finally got to experience a full, proper, no-asterisk Zelda adventure without having to explain, “Actually, you play as Link,” and are am grateful for the experience.

Mouthwashing is an existential horror show with unique visual effects, brutal dialogue, and surreal consequences that kept my eyes locked to the screen for the entire three-hour playtime.

Jot’s big adventure is presented as a children’s story, and it’s hard not to feel like a kid playing it in the best and worst ways.

With climactic setpiece moments dosed heavily throughout each mission, endlessly enjoyable third-person gunplay, and impressive swarm tech that pits you against hundreds of enemies at once, little time is wasted on anything that isn’t fun in Space Marine.

Despite the persistent pressure to spend on microtransactions, NBA 2K25 shows the long-reigning dynasty might still have some gas left in the tank.

Astro Bot can proudly stand beside the PlayStation icons it so fondly celebrates.

Though the developer has some horror highs in its catalog, The Casting of Frank Stone rests six feet at the bottom of it.

Moving between planets and wandering Outlaws’ dense cities is where the adventure shines, but shooting your way through your current gig so you can make it to the next is also compelling, if sometimes a little simple.

Madden NFL 25 is a consistently good entry in the annualized franchise, but it does little to push for the highlight reels.

Arco's thrilling, compelling story enthralled me with its seamless blend of gameplay and narrative.

Despite minor flaws, 1000xResist has firmly established itself as one of the most groundbreaking stories in video game history.

Despite the overt repetition, both by design and through over-design, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate effectively channels the spirit of the most well-liked games that have come before it in the franchise. Though I sometimes succumbed to frustration after falling short during a promising run, the experience only galvanized me to excitedly take what I learned from my failures into the next run.

Nobody Wants to Die delivers a few hours of largely engaging storytelling, easy yet well-presented puzzle-solving, and jaw-dropping sights. It has an ideal length, as it wraps up just when the long investigation segments begin feeling repetitive since your toolset never changes. While I didn’t get to wear my detective hat as tightly as I wanted, I enjoyed my tour through this cautionary vision of the future.

Kunitsu-Gami’s story is light but effective, with every moment delivered through simple choreography free of dialogue. I was more invested in the upgrade loop than the story and felt it ended without an emotionally satisfying conclusion, but I enjoyed making my way along the path of Mt. Kafuku. Time will tell if Capcom pushes Kunitsu-Gami along the same track as games like Monster Hunter or Resident Evil, but I would be perfectly happy for it to forever exist as an excellent standalone experiment that delivered satisfying results.