Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream's gameplay isn't meaty enough, and it's disappointing that there are some features missing that were present in the 3DS version, like the Concert Hall. But the game is undeniably bursting with charm and is a decent distraction for a little while. Playing it in short bursts is the ideal experience, and while I don't feel the same kind of pull to never stop playing like I do with more well-rounded cozy games, I still plan on checking in on my Miis from time to time. $60 is too steep of an asking price for what's on offer, though.

Saros is an excellent, heart-pounding action game that is easily one of the PS5's best exclusives. The combat is exhilarating and Carcosa is a blast to explore. The quality-of-life features make it more accessible than Returnal, and while that might upset some purists, it helps Saros avoid some of the frustrating pitfalls that roguelite games sometimes fall into. Saros is one of the year's best releases and a must-have for PS5 gamers.

There's something special about engaging with a piece of work that is a labor of love, as Vampire Survivors was before it. Vampire Crawlers doesn't try to be something it's not. It doesn't try too hard to be different, because it doesn't need to. Poncle has found his niche, with his retro Castlevania-inspired world and frequent dopamine hits making me a fan of his work in mere minutes, yet again.

Replaced is full of surprises. From the very first frame, I was surprised by its striking art style which, while on clear display in the game’s trailers, is infinitely more arresting with hands on sticks. I was surprised by how the combat sandbox, while not revolutionary, evolved into something challenging and exciting, and I was surprised by how much Replaced managed to surprise me late into my playthrough—a hallmark of a passionately, artfully crafted video game. Coming from the consistently solid indie publisher Thunderful, Replaced is the debut release of Sad Cat Studios. The gaming world is no stranger to impressive indie debuts, with the past several years playing host to several up-and-coming industry darlings, like last year’s Sandfall Interactive, maker of Clair Obscur. While Replaced is perhaps not on the same level as that game, I would argue that it puts Sad Cat Studios in the same league as the likes of Sandfall, with its impressive, nuanced, and inventive art style, writing, and game design. Even when Replaced stumbles, it quickly recovers with an astonishing setpiece, gorgeous view, or new mechanic, which keeps it on the up-and-up throughout its 11–12 hour runtime. It's still a bit early, but Replaced has definitely earned its place among the best indies of 2026. Replaced Is an Audiovisual Feast review-roundup-replaced-a-site Replaced Press Image 10 Replaced Press Image 9 I’m not sure that I’ve seen a game that looks quite like Replaced. The closest point of comparison might be Square Enix’s HD-2D games (e.g. Octopath Traveler), or the fantastic Tails Noir, but those don’t have the incredible attention to detail, nor the panache, of Replaced. Perhaps this is due to linearity: Replaced is a predetermined sequence of levels, for the most part, which helps it draw attention to its own beauty in subtle ways. For instance, the camera perspective will pivot slightly if you enter certain areas, indicating a difference in elevation or dimension. You'll see most of Replaced's environments just once, which only elevates the game's sense of style and confidence. Replaced’s visual design is overflowing with this kind of attention to detail. Characters are 2D sprites and backgrounds are composed primarily of 3D models, and juxtaposing these elements lends Replaced the same aesthetic texture as the aforementioned HD-2D games, but with a degree of darkness that’s missing from most titles under that label. I mean that both figuratively and literally: Replaced’s use of light is often mesmerizing, turning the player-character into a silhouette or illuminating him in a soft glow. And the game’s dystopian cyberpunk world, which is appropriately grimy and ramshackle, lends environments narrative and thematic intrigue as much as surface-level allure. Perhaps the greatest strength of Replaced’s aesthetic smorgasbord is its cinematography. Most 2D games, if they feature cutscenes at all, will include them as mere extensions of the regular 2D stage. In other words, the cutscenes are static, without much thought given to the movement of the virtual “camera.” But Replaced will pan, zoom, and rotate its camera, which not only makes for a more dynamic cinematic experience, but also highlights the strengths of the 2.5D style, as the camera will move between the various layers of the game-world, making it feel like a series of painstakingly detailed, multilayered dioramas. Confronting Uncle Ben and the Termites in Replaced Replaced’s World and Story Will Keep You Guessing I think that Replaced’s narrative is best experienced blind, so I won’t go into great detail about it, but suffice it to say that if you like games like Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll probably resonate with Replaced’s story to some degree. It hones in on the sociocultural commentary of the cyberpunk genre, but also its outlandishness, presenting a high-tech world defined, in large part, by some of the worst and most inventive aspects of humanity. The only drawback of the Replaced story that’s worth mentioning is its pacing. Perhaps Sad Cat Studios simply wanted to pad out its game, or perhaps it had to mold the story around pre-designed setpieces or environments, but there’s a good bit of downtime in Replaced that doesn’t always work. Sometimes it's fine, like when you first visit an implausibly cozy settlement built in an abandoned train station. The story slows down so you can enjoy new sights, sounds, characters, and even side activities, but other times, Replaced will grind its narrative to a screeching halt by having you embark on glorified fetch quests and other busy work, right as things are starting to get interesting. This is a problem that can impact Replaced’s gameplay as well. Gameplay is Replaced’s Weakest Link Replaced Press Image 1 Replaced Press Image 8 Replaced Press Image 7 ✕ Remove Ads I didn’t expect much from Replaced’s combat sandbox, which presents itself as a watered-down version of the Batman Arkham combat. At their core, fights are about performing basic combos and counters with the press of a button, but the system blossoms into something more complex with the introduction of special abilities, different enemy types, and new defensive options. It’s certainly not the most expressive or experimental combat system out there, but it’s consistently entertaining and exceptionally flashy: you’ll always feel cool after clearing a room. Subscribe to the newsletter for deeper indie game coverage Get deeper breakdowns—subscribe to the newsletter for visual analysis, narrative context, and design insights that explain what makes indies like Replaced stand out, plus curated picks to help you find more bold, artful games. Email Address Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. The same can’t quite be said about the game’s platforming, which sometimes feels sluggish and imprecise due to slow character movement, limited midair control, and inconsistencies like how the player-character will sometimes magnetize to ledges that they wouldn't be able to reach regularly. Platforming sections are also typically more about timing and precision than freedom: you’ll regularly engage in activities like waiting for a spotlight to pass before walking down a corridor, or jumping between hazards on a timer. Such challenges are fine, but also disappointingly pedestrian and predictable, and are often akin to the filler that affects Replaced’s narrative. ✕ Remove Ads Although I can identify areas where Replaced falls a little short, I’m still walking away from the game impressed and satisfied. Its visuals are stunning, its story is risky and full of heart, and what its gameplay lacks in complexity, it makes up for in variety, never feeling complacent even despite occasional pacing issues. Replaced is a terrific experience, especially for the price and hopefully, it’s also just the beginning for Sad Cat Studios.

While MOUSE may fall into some trappings of the first-person shooter genre, it escapes largely unscathed and with the cheese. It is easily one of the most unique first-person shooters to hit the market in years, and it's definitely the most charming of the lot. Fumi Games poured every ounce of ink, sweat, and stubborn dreams it had into MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, and it's clear the end result was worth the effort.

Pokemon Champions is easier to tolerate because its monetization model doesn't seem to be predatory or egregious, like what we see with many other free-to-play games. It delivers fun Pokemon battles that look great, but the game's biggest issue is the lack of content. Anyone that needs a little more than endless Pokemon battles isn't going to get a lot out of Pokemon Champions, but at least those that do decide to play it regularly won't have to break the bank to enjoy it.

Pragmata certainly starts strong, but it doesn't have quite enough to stay completely engaging all the way to the end credits. It's a highly-polished sci-fi game with fun combat and exploration, but its lackluster story and characters keep it from reaching its full potential. Still, it's exciting to have a completely original IP from Capcom, and while Pragmata doesn't live up to the high bar set by some of the studio's other efforts, it's a mostly worthwhile adventure.

At first glance, Marathon may seem like a fundamentally solid game with a lot of potential, but one that simply feels too intimidating to invest in. But if players are willing to jump over the unnecessary hurdles in Marathon's opening hours, they'll likely discover that Marathon doesn't just live up to its potential, but it exceeds it, with the current version offering a host of replayable maps, an engaging progression system, and a core loop that should keep extraction shooter fans coming back time and time again.

The shortcomings of Raccoin are, ultimately, far from game-breaking, and I still find it fun, charming, and mechanically unique: it can net you a few dozen hours of solid gameplay, easily. However, we are living through an unprecedented era of deep and vast roguelikes, many of which offer hundreds of hours of constantly evolving gameplay. Against just a handful of these more avant-garde and ambitious titles, Raccoin, despite being well-made and enjoyable, feels unessential. It may only be marginally less compelling than something like Slay the Spire 2 or Balatro, but in this time-consuming genre space, that makes a massive difference.

From the moment Life is Strange: Reunion begins to the very last choice, that answer is woven into every conversation, every contemplative moment, and every relationship. The answer lives in the same way Max Caulfield and Chloe Price navigate the weight of their pasts, the burdens of their present, and the uncertainty of their futures. And by the time the credits roll, it's clear the answer to my question was always meant to be felt, understood, and ultimately accepted, one way or another.

If you played MLB The Show 25, you can probably skip MLB The Show 26, but if you are someone that didn't check out last year's version, the new game will likely provide more value. MLB The Show 26 is iterative, not essential, and while it delivers fantastic core gameplay and enough content to keep hardcore baseball fans busy for hours on end, the franchise could definitely benefit from a more significant and daring upgrade soon.

Crimson Desert will likely appeal most to players who enjoy getting lost in an incredibly detailed and realistic open world and figuring things out for themselves, even when the game isn't always clear about how everything works. Those who value exploration and long-form progression will find plenty to dig into, especially if they don't mind learning it all through a fair amount of trial and error. On the other hand, players who prefer a more streamlined experience, a stronger narrative focus, or systems that clearly communicate their rules may find the journey more frustrating than rewarding. Even though Crimson Desert initially seemed like a game for everyone, it's not, but it is one that everyone should at least try.

With fun multiplayer and an addicting story mode that is virtually impossible to put down once you get going, Pokopia has absolutely nailed the concept of combining the world of Pokemon with the life-sim genre. It's as good as the best life-sims, and a must-buy for Switch 2 owners. And if you don't have a Switch 2 yet, Pokopia is one of the best reasons to go out and buy the console ASAP.

There are nits to pick with Toxic Commando​​​​​, but how egregious they are will ultimately come down to player preference. Some may find its accessibility a win for the multiplayer experience, while some may find it too easy. Some will appreciate its lack of bloat, while others will want deeper skill trees and more customization. All in all, though, fans of cheesy horror and zombie co-op shooters will find plenty to love in it. John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is not a game-changer, but it doesn't pretend to be, and it's all the better for it.

Small gripes aside, Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a fantastic, one-of-a-kind experience that I won’t soon forget. Its monster-collecting and battle systems are uniquely engaging on a level far beyond typical JRPG grinding, which injects almost every other element of the game with depth that would otherwise be lacking. It doesn’t have the mass appeal of something like Clair Obscur—I don’t imagine it will stray too far beyond its target demographic—but Monster Hunter Stories 3 proves that Capcom is on the right track with this franchise, positioning it to grow into a JRPG institution on the level of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.

Planet of Lana 2 won’t tickle the dopamine centers of your gamer brain, but there’s a very strong chance it will pull on your heartstrings. More than this, it will engage your imagination like few other games can, presenting its one-of-a-kind world with the utmost confidence and panache. And with best-in-class art direction and arresting musical composition to boot, Lana 2 is more than deserving of a spot on the narrative-platformer Mount Rushmore, right alongside the likes of Inside and Gris.

WWE 2K26 lives in the long shadow cast by the improvements seen in WWE 2K22 throughout WWE 2K25. It even makes its own improvements to the tried-and-true formula, but it ends up disappointing far more than its predecessors. The in-ring action still hits hard, and most modes deliver the experience fans have come to expect, offering just enough variety to keep the hours ticking by. There’s fun here, but it's undermined by a lack of creative ambition. Creativity within its offerings is what elevates a good wrestling game into a memorable one, but WWE 2K26 often feels trapped in a creative plateau.

The switch to an “open world” does bring with it some hiccups, but Scott Pilgrim EX is still a great beat 'em up in the tradition of its predecessor. It’s an assault on the senses in all the right ways, and having Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley on board as a writer (along with Scott Pilgrim Takes Off co-creator BenDavid Grabinski) ensures that this universe is handled with all the care and love that fans hope. At $30, some might call it short, but when you see how much variety is packed into the design, you understand that Tribute Games pushed itself as much as possible.

Resident Evil Requiem's gripping story and intoxicating gameplay blend are wrapped up in a perfectly-polished experience with eye-popping graphics and a blood-pumping soundtrack. Resident Evil Requiem is a horror gaming masterpiece and one of the best games Capcom has ever made. It's the ultimate Resident Evil game and will be remembered as fondly as the franchise favorites in the years to come.

God of War Sons of Sparta is an okay prequel—the problem is that it feels like it was released before the original 2005 game, not just taking place before it. Its safe approach feels like a game made generations ago, not one released in 2026, and makes it a chapter in Kratos' life that is forgettable.

Mario Tennis Fever's single-player is a letdown, but the overall package is stellar. The game looks great, has catchy music, features a variety of fun game modes, and most importantly, it absolutely nails the core gameplay. Mario Tennis Fever is the best Mario Tennis game yet, and sets a high bar for future Mario sports games on the Switch 2.

Tokyo Scramble is weird enough that it is sometimes entertaining, and it's technically playable from beginning to end, but there's so little enjoyment to be had that I don't recommend it. It's the worst Switch 2 exclusive to date, and with a lineup that includes games like the boring Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour and the wildly overpriced Survival Kids, that's saying something.

In the end, High on Life 2 understands what made the original work and pushes it forward in ways that actually matter.

Romeo Is a Dead Man is like a Suda51 brain blast, a trippy and irreverent vision beamed directly into our minds by Grasshopper Manufacture. There's not a stuffy, responsible business committee in the world that would approve of this game, which is exactly what makes it worthwhile.

Crisol isn't a perfect survival-horror game, but that's not to say that it's not a solid time overall. I really enjoyed Crisol's combat and though the levels are a little bloated, the game still delivers a fairly solid rendition of the classic survival-horror gameplay loop. Genre fans should definitely make sure to give it a look.

Ultimately, Nioh 3 feels like a confident step forward for the series, expanding player freedom through its Ninja style, Style Shift system, and deep build-crafting without losing what makes Nioh work. While its open-field design can lean on tired ideas, it rarely drags the experience down, and the game's combat is the strongest it has ever been. I enjoyed my time with Nioh 3 enough to immediately jump into New Game Plus, which says a lot on its own, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out now with the increased difficulty and customization options it offers. It also helps how well the game runs on the PS5, where it has performed smoothly for me from start to finish with no technical issues to speak of. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, Nioh 3 proves that the series still has room to grow, experiment, and surprise.

Despite my disappointment with it, I acknowledge that others may fully embrace Code Vein 2's art style, and really, my biggest issue with the game is its lackluster open world. Everything else is quite good, with Code Vein 2 offering a fun, well-rounded Soulslike experience that should appeal to genre fans. Even though it may not reach the same highs as some of the heavy-hitters that inspired it, Code Vein 2 is still a great time from start to finish and an easy recommendation.

Despite the fumble here, I think that an open world Metroid Prime game can work, but it can't be a half-measure like Beyond is. Beyond could have been a revolutionary step forward like Breath of the Wild was for Zelda, but instead it's a weird in-between that is only fun when it is recycling its old ideas and everything new it tries falls flat on its face. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has an identity crisis and the result is a baffling open world surrounded by solid dungeons that still fall short of what came before.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a game I'm glad I spent time with, even if it made me sigh as often as it made me lean forward. It delivers some of the series' most memorable moments, both in how it tells its story and in how it lets you build a small corner of its world through Wishvale. At the same time, its constant cutscenes, uneven rewards, and reliance on the illusion of choice keep it from reaching the heights it seems so close to touching. For every moment I was absorbed by its atmosphere or impressed by its combat, there was another where I felt the game tug me back into a pace that wasn't my own. Even so, there is a sincerity to this entry that stuck with me. It might not be the total reinvention some fans hoped for, but it still carries the heart of the series, and that was enough to make the journey worthwhile.

There's nothing wrong with Routine from a technical standpoint, and its story, visuals, and audio are all top-tier. The problem is that the gameplay is such a slog that it makes it hard to appreciate what it does so well. It can be flat-out boring a lot of the time, and the scares simply aren't there to make up for its lack of engaging gameplay.

I wish that the game tried a little bit harder with its promising source material, and some boss fights could be a little more refined, but these are small gripes in the grand scheme of things. Tribute Games has made one of the best arcade throwback titles of the past several years, raising the bar once more, just as it did with TMNT: Shredder's Revenge. Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a surprisingly nuanced, mechanical and visual banquet worth anyone's time, whether they've gone in for beat-em-ups in the past or not. It's an absolute joy.

It's not surprising that Where Winds Meet drew millions of players after its initial release in China. Almost anyone can find something they enjoy in it, and there's enough there to sink hours into. But as a jack of all trades and master of none, it won't likely be many people's favorite.

The sheer amount of content Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 brings to the table is impressive, even if some of it doesn't live up to expectations. The co-op campaign is a mixed bag, Endgame is a bust, and the game is largely derivative of what came before, but it's a comprehensive, feature-rich package that will keep fans busy until the 2026 Call of Duty game. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a no-brainer for longtime Call of Duty fans, though it won't win over any haters.

As much as I've already tried, Arc Raiders keeps pulling me back in for reasons I can't always explain. It's fast, punishing, and unpredictable, yet it never forgets to be fun. Its world feels alive in a way that makes every step Topside matter, every run tell its own story, and every narrow escape feel like something worth bragging about. The sound design, traversal, and enemy AI all come together to create a rhythm that's equal parts chaos and control, and it rewards players who learn to move with it instead of against it. After more than thirty hours, I’m still discovering new ways to survive, new risks to take, and new reasons to go back.

Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake is a respectful return to two foundational RPGs that still have value today, even if they don't age so gracefully in every area. The visual overhaul is excellent, the story additions work far better than expected, and the world feels more alive than it ever has. However, the shallow, slow, and repetitive combat, frequent encounters, and grind-heavy pacing hold it back from being as inviting as it could be for new players. Longtime fans will appreciate how faithfully these classics have been recreated, but anyone looking for a modernized experience may find that Dragon Quest 2 carries most of the weight while Dragon Quest 1 struggles to justify itself beyond nostalgia.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is much better than Scarlet and Violet all around, though it does fall short of the heights reached by Arceus. The new battle system is fun and filling out the Pokedex is as rewarding as always, but the lackluster presentation keeps the game from reaching its full potential. Even so, it's easy to get lost in Pokemon Legends: Z-A for hours and with the substantial Mega Dimension DLC on the way, there will be even more Pokemon to catch soon.

While the occasional technical hiccup is disappointing and the lack of a New Game+ mode is a bummer, The Outer Worlds 2 still provides an excellent action-RPG experience that will greatly appeal to Fallout fans and those who enjoyed the original game. The Outer Worlds 2 is yet another great RPG from Obsidian and is a brilliant way to cap off what has been an incredibly impressive year for the studio.

Much like Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Ninja Gaiden 4 takes the best elements of the series that players remember — a tough-but-fair challenge, outrageous enemy designs, and refusal to shy away from bloody, gore-soaked combat — and updates them just enough without completely trying to reinvent the wheel. It proves that the Ninja Gaiden franchise is primed for a new golden era with fresh perspectives steering the ship, and it has positioned itself as one of PlatinumGames' best titles and quite possibly the best action game of 2025.

While Keeper's last 45 minutes finally offered the energy and creativity you expect from a modern Double Fine project, the 3 hours preceding it are sorely lacking those distinctive, integral elements. Keeper is a truly beautiful game where almost any and every frame can be a painting, but it's one that's best enjoyed when the controller is in someone else's hands.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 won't be a game for everyone. If you're looking for the depth and variety of content offered by other leading AAA RPGs, The Chinese Room's relatively modest take on Seattle-at-night might leave you feeling a little underwhelmed. But if you want a story that you can sink your teeth into and gameplay that, while not always given the proper room to breathe, often gets the job done, then you'll likely settle into this relaxed-fit action-adventure quite nicely. In a way, Bloodlines 2 is a fitting continuation of its predecessor's legacy: it's deeply flawed, but masterfully written.

Battlefield 6 is the most fun you will have with a Battlefield game in nearly a decade, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

Absolum is one of those rare roguelikes that feels like it knows exactly what it wants to be, even if it's not ashamed to imitate games like Hades in many ways. Its world is intriguing with its characters and lore, its combat is punishing but rewards patience and persistence, and every run feels like a whole new experience. Even after dozens of hours, the mix of beat-em-up mechanics and roguelike structure still surprises. It's challenging, fulfilling, and full of personality, and the more time players spend with it, the more they will realize that Absolum's magic extends beyond the wizards themselves.

Players who get enjoyment from titles like Minecraft or even Super Mario Maker will find that King of Meat's suite of creation tools gives them plenty of options and is fairly easy to use. But much like the core gameplay loop, this creative mode lacks the depth and complexity of any of the aforementioned games to be something that could keep creative-minded players engaged for more than a handful of sessions. King of Meat is not an objectively flawed experience, but in a year when gamers are practically drowning in one incredible game after another, a title can't really afford to be this forgettable.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger does some things right, but its repetitive quests and dungeons drag the experience down significantly, to the point where it becomes almost a chore to play at times. Still, hardcore Digimon fans may be able to overlook even its most glaring flaws, as the game was clearly built with love for the franchise.

LEGO Party is a polished, fun party game that delivers exactly what its title promises. It's basically Mario Party with LEGOs, but there is nothing wrong with that. Party game fans will get a lot out of LEGO Party, and while it may not have enough to justify playing it for hours on end in single sessions, it is something that will be easy to go back to on game nights.

Behind the janky combat in Hotel Barcelona, the lackluster stage design, and the annoying difficulty, there's actually an interesting story and narrative that had me wanting more. I was expecting to get a lot more lore bits each time I came back to the Hotel after dying, but that just didn't really happen. There aren't many cutscenes in Hotel Barcelona either, and it's a shame since the few that are there are quite fun to watch, like the intro.

LEGO Voyagers is an incredibly gorgeous, charming game with a strong emotional core and engaging gameplay. The freedom its physics-based mechanics allow for can lead to some puzzles feeling a tad too easy for older audiences, and its lack of side content might make its short 3–4 hour runtime sting a little. But in spite of that, LEGO Voyagers is an adventure that will have players of all ages grinning from ear to ear, from beginning to end.

Ghost of Tsushima walked so Ghost of Yotei could run. Yotei beats Tsushima in every category, with better graphics, better music, better gameplay, and a better story, despite the occasional narrative lull. Ghost of Yotei is the kind of game that you can't stop playing, and when you're not playing it, you'll be thinking about when you can play it again. It's a masterful open world game and one of the best exclusives on the PS5.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a prime example of how to do a remaster right. With a deft hand, it enhances the 1998 original to make it prettier, more immersive, and less annoying, without changing its most essential aspects. How such aspects measure up against contemporary turn-based RPGs will almost certainly be a subject of heated discussion in the coming weeks and months, but fans of the original game should enjoy them. And first-time players will probably find a lot to love as well, provided they keep an open mind and take the good with the bad.

Hinako's journey in Silent Hill f is brutal, beautiful, and brilliant. As someone that has been playing survival-horror games for decades, Silent Hill f is exactly what I want from a modern-day entry in the genre. It features challenging puzzles, gruesome monsters, and a ton of replay value wrapped in stunning graphics, great performance, and smart quality-of-life features that ensure it meets today's standards. Silent Hill f is a masterful horror game that stands tall alongside the likes of Silent Hill 2 and other survival-horror classics.

In the end, Dying Light: The Beast proves that Techland still knows how to craft a memorable zombie apocalypse, with visceral parkour and survival thrills to boot. Its linear revenge story is taken to greater heights by side quests that bring out Crane's humanity, its open world is breathtaking despite some repetitive activities, and Beast Mode adds a ferocity that keeps combat feeling fresh and intense. With stable performance and plenty of memorable moments, it may not reinvent the franchise, but it stands as one of its most polished and engaging Dying Light games yet.

While it's great to be able to hop straight into the endgame with a new Vault Hunter, Borderlands 4's campaign is so good that it almost feels like you're missing out on doing so. Still, for anyone who plays through a Borderlands game to get to the endgame loop and focus on a particular build, Borderlands 4 has you covered in ways that will make revisiting a past game harder. Borderlands 4 is ultimately "more Borderlands", but it understands that assignment so well that it ends up being the best the series has felt in over a decade.

Just like the Arsenals the game revolves around, Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion has a very strong core, but one that frequently comes under attack. The central loop of finding new gear and experimenting with new builds and playstyles remains satisfying long after the credits roll, and there's a plethora of engaging side content for players who want the most bang for their buck. However, Titanic Scion's performance on the Nintendo Switch 2 and some clunky narrative choices often hold it back from reaching its full potential.

Cronos: The New Dawn does some great things, but going into it expecting the same level of polish and quality as the Silent Hill 2 remake is a mistake. Despite a rather unique story concept and a few clever ideas, Cronos: The New Dawn is a fairly run-of-the-mill survival-horror game with a few key flaws that hold it back from being as good as its inspirations or Bloober Team's own Silent Hill 2 remake.

Even with its blemishes and missteps,The Knightling is not bad, or even totally mediocre. Its combat is weak, its story underwhelming at best, and its open-world design is nothing to write home about, but traversal and atmosphere save the day. Indeed,The Knightling is worth recommending on the grounds of its movement abilities and soundtrack alone - it's just the rest of the package that isn't up to snuff.

Gears of War: Reloaded is a remaster of a 2006 game so players going into the game with that in mind will likely be happy with what's on offer. But those expecting a truly modernized version of this flagship Xbox game might be disappointed, especially if they're PlayStation newcomers who have been told for two decades that they're missing out on one of gaming's best experiences.

The story and haunting world of Hell is Us overshadow most shortcomings, and Rogue Factor’s message is a powerful one. The team’s refusal to hold the player’s hand may frustrate, but it also creates a unique sense of immersion and discovery. Hell is Us is meant to unsettle and provoke thought, not just entertain, and where it stumbles in one area, it succeeds in another. For players willing to overlook missing variety and conveniences, and who value atmosphere over a perfect presentation, Hell is Us offers a journey well worth taking.

Metal Eden is worth recommending to those who love challenging, fast-paced, sci-fi action similar to games like Doom — that is, if the price tag matches its length. Otherwise, this might be one of those "wait-for-sale" games, but it's nonetheless one that is worth a play once it becomes worth the money.

If Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was more challenging and had more depth to it, it would potentially be the best game in the franchise to date. As it stands, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is still a mostly triumphant return that will keep genre fans thoroughly entertained while it lasts, and it would be great to see a follow-up that builds on its foundation to create something even bigger and better.

Midnight Murder Club is the kind of game that is dependent entirely on who you play with for it to be fun. The core concept is great and lends itself well to funny moments with friends, but the matchmaking experience is dreadful, the PvE mode is a waste of time, and the bot restrictions are head-scratching. If you can scrounge up five friends to play with, Midnight Murder Club is good for some laughs, but everyone else will be better off playing a different multiplayer game.

Sword of the Sea is the epitome of short and sweet. All aspects of the game's presentation, from visuals to audio design to score, are the best they possibly could be, and they all go hand in hand with the game's exceptionally smooth and engaging traversal mechanics to deliver a peaceful, introspective experience that's more than deserving of just about anyone's time.

The complete lack of charm and content in Drag x Drive makes the game difficult to recommend, even at its budget price of $20. It's the best showcase yet of what can be accomplished with Switch 2 mouse controls, but offers little else. There is some fun to be had with Drag x Drive and perhaps future updates will make it a better game, but there isn't enough at launch to keep Switch 2 owners busy for any serious amount of time.

Gradius Origins would almost be worth recommending just for Salamander 3 alone, which makes it that much easier to recommend since it contains impeccable ports of other classic games in the Gradius series. Like other M2 ports, input lag is minimal, modern features make the games more enjoyable, and having them readily available under a single umbrella makes playing them more convenient. For shmup fans, Gradius Origins is the full package, and for genre newcomers, it's one of the best introductions money can buy, only held back by its lack of Gradius 4 and 5.

Mafia: The Old Country isn't a bad game, just a tepid one. Its gameplay is flaccid and restrictive, its narrative is dull and predictable, and its world has no more charm or presence than an Unreal Engine tech demo. It nails the bare minimum, but a game like this, from a franchise as beloved as Mafia, should have gone beyond that.

The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is undoubtedly the new standard for Demon Slayer games, and it does the material justice. CyberConnect2’s prestige animation is the star and its decades of designing interactive narrative experiences and action combat also show through, even if the studio is playing things safe. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is a smooth ride through familiar territory, and it doesn't need to be anything else.

Dead Take clearly wants players to focus on uncovering its story, and the mansion is built in a way that makes exploration feel rewarding even without much resistance. The atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, with sound and lighting creating an ever-present sense of tension that kept me leaning forward the whole time. Dead Take might not break the escape room genre wide open, but it finds a creative way to pull players into its world, and it's worth seeing through to the end.

That Ragebound's story runs concurrently to the events of the first Ninja Gaiden is fitting, as Ragebound is the best the series has felt in 2D since that iconic 1989 classic, and it's more than deserving of being talked about in the same breath as one of the greatest action-platformers of all time.

Tales of the Shire is a perfectly enjoyable life-sim that embraces its Lord of the Rings source material well. But due to some prominent graphical shortcomings (at least on Switch), it's far from a perfect adventure. There's enough content and engaging progression in Tales of the Shire to ensure that Tolkien fans have a good time with it, but those who aren't fans of the IP don't need to look far for a better alternative.

For Nintendo Switch 2 owners, Donkey Kong Bananza is a no-brainer. It successfully appeals to old-school Donkey Kong fans and newcomers to the franchise alike. Simply put, Donkey Kong Bananza is the Nintendo Switch 2's first must-have game since Mario Kart World and a good reason to go out and buy the new console.

What ultimately sets Wuchang apart is how it handles progression and customization. The Madness system adds a layer of risk, allowing players to trade safety for higher damage, while the Inner Demon mechanic creates tension without being overly punishing. The skill tree is deep but flexible, letting players reset one point at a time for free, which opens the door for testing different playstyles without starting over. Magic and melee are both viable, though neither is allowed to dominate, thanks to elemental resistances and boss-specific counters. Benedictions and Temperance bring added depth to weapon builds, while the armor system demands regular adjustments based on damage types and status effects. Altogether, these features give Wuchang a sense of depth that's easy to overlook at first glance, but becomes more impressive the longer you play.

Hell Clock has some blemishes but its core gameplay and narrative experience are compelling. The story of the Canudos people is heartbreaking and galvanizing, constantly encouraging the player to rain righteous vengeance upon their enemies. Thanks to the game's flexible combat sandbox, this process is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally invigorating, and will have players itching for one more run. For a roguelike, it's hard to offer higher praise than that.

Unfinished Business an easy recommendation to both newcomers and series veterans alike. Whether you've played RoboCop: Rogue City or not, you can come into Unfinished Business and expect to have an absolute blast with the moment-to-moment gameplay, cementing it as a worthy follow-up to one of the most surprising FPS titles of the last few years.

For those who count Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 and SWAT 4 among some of the best tactical shooters around, playing Ready or Not feels like riding a bike. Even with the adjustment of going from PC to console, Ready or Not still shoots to the top of the list of tactical shooters available on PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, because there's simply not much else on the market like it.

After my disappointing experience with the original game, I did not expect to like Death Stranding 2 as much as I did. Its huge world is fun to explore, its graphics are incredible, and its tools give players a great deal of freedom to choose how they want to handle every challenge that comes their way. The dialogue and repetitive mission structure keep it from reaching the heights of some of Kojima's other games, but Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is still a worthwhile adventure.

Chronicles of the Wolf is not for everybody. It's not even for all Metroidvania fans. But for those that it clicks with, it very well may be the best game in the genre you've played this year. It's not without its fair share of frustrations as far as its mechanics and gameplay go, but the elegance of its design and the obvious passion that Migami poured into it make those frustrations worth bearing. If you can look past a little bit of jank and forgive Chronicles of the Wolf for its old-school sentimentality, what you'll find is one of the year's best Metroidvanias on par with the best of what the genre has offered in 2025.

On the whole, Tron: Catalyst feels like a successor of sorts to the classic AA games from the Xbox 360 generation. It's a simple and fun action-adventure game that doesn't have any bloat, but it has a handful of notable problems that hold it back from greatness. Tron: Catalyst is being sold for just $25, and honestly, it’s worth the asking price. It can keep players entertained for a day or two, even if they're a newcomer to the Tron franchise.

Rematch has the potential to be the next Rocket League with its engrossing mechanics, rewarding team play, and stylized aesthetic. But the game's performance issues and lackluster progression systems might stop it from living long enough to achieve that potential.

There's a lot more good than bad in RAIDOU Remastered, fortunately. It's a wonderful walk down memory lane for fans of the original, and a worthwhile excursion for newer Atlus fans, discovering the studio via games like Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio. More than anything, this new-and-improved RAIDOU is easy to love, packed to the brim with charming characters, addictive combat, and a wacky, lore-rich world to sink your teeth into, making it easy to recommend to just about anyone.

Date Everything is the very definition of creativity, and a game I’ll be turning to when my heart is heavy.

Firebreak may be a bit of a wait-and-see situation: it doesn't feel like it has enough meat on its bones to justify its $40 asking price, not to mention its paid battle passes. Firebreak has the bones of a truly exceptional co-op game, and hopefully, Remedy will get the chance to deliver it.

It's hard to go into more detail about why The Alters is so great without spoiling the experience—it truly is a game that is best enjoyed with as few preconceived opinions as possible. What is more or less undeniable is The Alters' ingenuity, its clever and thoughtful narrative structure, and its satisfying, genre-defying gameplay loop. The Alters represents a massive step forward for 11 Bit Studios, positioning its greatest strengths in a new light, and ultimately unfolding into one of the best gaming experiences you're likely to have all year.

For character action and Soulslike fans, Stellar Blade is absolutely worth picking up on PC, and it joins a growing roster of like-minded games while simultaneously standing out as one of the better entries in the genre. PC players have been waiting over a year for Stellar Blade to make its way to the platform, and ShiftUp has put in the work to make sure it arrives in the best possible state, delivering a port that lives up to the game's quality and sets a bar for how other developers should approach their PC ports of formerly console-exclusive titles.

Where things start to come apart is in the combat, which never quite finds the same footing. Melee feels stiff, stealth is undercooked, and the flow of encounters doesn't always match the scale or intensity the rest of the game sets up. But even with that in mind, there's still something satisfying about building your own identity on a planet that feels as dangerous as it does alive. Dune: Awakening isn't perfect, but it's confident in its vision, and that makes all the difference.

The real draw of Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is its gameplay, and to the game's credit, it's strong enough on its own to generate that "just one more run" feeling that the best action roguelikes do.

Everything in Survival Kids technically works and the co-op support, while not implemented nearly as well as it could have been, is still appreciated. But the game is mind-numbingly boring most of the time and, at a staggering $49.99, it's impossible to recommend it to early Switch 2 adopters. There are far better local co-op experiences on the console at launch, and money is much better spent on those games.

I am disappointed with Mario Kart World's Free Roam, but the game nails everything else. It's good for near-endless hours of entertainment, and it will definitely stay in my Switch 2 rotation for years to come. Mario Kart World is the best the series has ever looked or played and a definite must-have for Switch 2 early adopters.

Fast Fusion is available at a budget price of $14.99. Compared to some other Switch 2 games, it's super cheap, and it definitely gives players their money's worth, even with the lack of proper online multiplayer and misguided progression. Racing game fans that need something a little different from Mario Kart World should consider giving Fast Fusion a look. As long as they are aware of its shortcomings, they should still walk away satisfied with the overall package. Plus, Fast Fusion has new content on the horizon that should make it even more worthwhile.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is not an enjoyable experience in the least, but it does have a few redeeming qualities. The giant-sized versions of Switch 2 hardware looks cool, and there is more to do than expected. Someone that wants to get 100% will have to buy a couple of accessories and spend a decent chunk of time mastering the mini-games and taking all the quizzes. It's not exactly my idea of fun, but I suppose it's something to do while waiting for more exciting Switch 2 exclusives to land on the platform.

Even with a few minor gripes against it, Elden Ring Nightreign never stops being fun, whether it's your first Expedition or your hundredth. For fans of roguelikes and FromSoftware games, Elden Ring Nightreign's gameplay feels like a match made in heaven, and FromSoftware deserves praise for its skillful pivot of the award-winning Elden Ring formula into a whole new subgenre that is bound to become one of 2025's most-played games.

What makes The Fall of Avalon worth playing isn't just its reverence for classic RPGs, but how it reinterprets their ideas through a much darker lens. Questline's take on Arthurian myth is an intense and mature narrative, pulling players through a crumbling world where every choice feels like it might be the wrong one. There are lessons here, but more than anything, there's a story that feels like it was made for players who still crave consequence, immersion, and discovery in their RPGs. And while it might stumble in execution at times, it rarely loses sight of what it's trying to be.

Artificial difficulty spikes and needlessly obtuse level design can lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration, and that frustration can quickly overshadow the game's greatest strengths. Blades of Fire had all the right materials in front of it, but it forged an uneven blade that keeps accidentally wounding its wielder.

Out of Sight's extremely short runtime keeps it from reaching its full potential. The second-person gimmick is used to great effect, but there isn't enough time to fully explore its possibilities. There are certainly great moments in Out of Sight, and it would be a perfect entry point for someone that has typically shied away from the horror genre, but it desperately needs more meat on its bones to be elevated to something that genre fans must go out of their way to play.

The history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one that's inextricably tied to the rebirth of the gaming industry in North America, and the best games to utilize the license have always understood the core appeal of what makes the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles such an iconic IP. The Turtles' combat prowess and place as martial arts experts always made them seem better suited to beat 'em ups than any other kind of game, but Tactical Takedown proves that the team is a perfect fit for the turn-based tactics genre thanks to a creative dash of board game-style movement and combat that blends the "tactics" in Tactical Takedown with the gameplay of classics like Turtles in Time or the more recent Shredder's Revenge. As a result, it feels like it's destined to be talked about in the same breath as one of the best games to feature the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

When a company remasters a beloved title in its back catalog, it's always faced with the dilemma of needing to strike a balance between two very different audiences. That balancing act becomes especially precarious the more beloved a title is, and honoring the legacy of a game's original vision to appease longtime fans can sometimes have the unintended effect of pushing away a contemporary audience. As a remaster, Onimusha 2 is a success because it lands at a comfortable middle ground between staying true to the original while also serving as perhaps the best jumping-on point for the franchise ahead of its revival.

Overall, Deliver At All Costs is what it says on the box, but also something deeper. Gamers wanting nothing more than an escape where they can raze a city to the ground in an old pickup truck can get just that. But the game also offers a tight, well-told mystery-thriller for a fun, pulpy story experience. On both fronts, it's a joy to play.

While Spiritfall may be a bit short, its story might not be anything to write home about, and not all of its boss fights live up to their full potential, the game's enthralling combat and consistently gratifying sense of progression make it an absolute must-play for roguelike fans, especially if they have a penchant for platform fighters.

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is one of the more impressive entries in Capcom's growing series of compilation titles precisely because it unearths and preserves an eclectic selection of titles that often get overshadowed by larger series like Street Fighter or Darkstalkers​​​​​​. Each of the included titles' arcade modes is still incredibly fun while they last, and bringing underrated classics like Power Stone to a modern audience brings hope that Capcom might revive the series someday. Casual fans will quickly run out of reasons to regularly return to each of the included games unless they decide to dabble in online multiplayer, but as another entry in the Capcom Fighting Collection series, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is just as essential as its two predecessors and a must-have for fans of Dreamcast-era fighting games.

At its core, Captain Blood feels like a game that was meant to come out two decades ago. The gameplay harkens back to hack and slash titles of the past, and if it had come out then, it may have fit right in. However, in 2025, the title is extremely lacking. The core gameplay is repetitive, the audio mixing needs a lot of work, and the lack of polish holds this game back considerably. That being said, those looking for that old-school hack-and-slash experience may want to take Captain Blood for a spin as it delivers just that. Yet, for most players, this title does not offer much. It is still nice to see a game get out of development hell after all of these years, but it could have been so much stronger than it is.