PictoQuest is too complex for a newcomer to delve into and complete in one go, and too simple for veterans to find enough challenge in, but it offers a fantasy and RPG twist that's all too welcome in a tried-and-true puzzle that doesn't get explored enough at a price simply too good to pass up.

I’d like to recommend Nordhold to anyone willing to try it out. It has complex yet easy-to-grasp gameplay and design, with enough depth to keep you coming back for more to see if you can do better this time.

The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is the perfect game for anime and strategy fans, but might leave those looking for a deeper RPG experience in the cold.

While I enjoy the characters and animation, BIOMORPH doesn’t bring many new elements to the metroidvania genre. If you’re looking for a new entry point, then BIOMORPH could be a great choice, but veterans may be left wanting more.

From all-time classics to underrated gems, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is robust enough to not only please avid Capcom fans but also newer players who want to experience some of the company’s older games.

A lot of fun in a little, old package, just so long as you beware the bodily fluids.

Wings of Endless is a great 2D platformer with RPG mechanics that looks great and has fun characters. Plus, who doesn’t want to dress up an owl?

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterpiece from start to finish, a beautiful and deeply moving journey.

Puzzle Dazzle is a unique type of puzzle game, but with no accessibility options and similar colours, it’s hard to tell them apart!

Bahamut and the WaqWaq Tree does a great job portraying fluid water and gets challenging and tense when you are near the darkness.

Spiritfall is a great roguelike title with plenty of action and a huge variety of moves to learn. You need to play this game!

Blue Prince takes the roguelike formula, throws in DIY architecture, and manages to combine them to form a pretty impressive tale of intrigue and a very fun puzzler. The simple mechanics make a complex whole with great puzzles and reason to play run after run!

Drop Duchy feels like Tetris blended with a board game. You must be strategic with your placement — just clearing lines won’t be enough to ensure your victory!

Revenge of the Savage Planet is an excellent, goo-filled adventure with plenty to do on your journey from being a hapless fool to a genuine space hero.

Shotgun Cop Man is just dumb fun, with a short yet excellently done campaign that feels satisfying to beat. What else do you need to have a good time?

Finding Frankie is a mostly fun parkour experience with interesting levels and enemies, but the clunky controls are hard to ignore in this movement-focused title, and the lack of horror won’t satisfy those looking for their next scare.

A near-flawless title, with an utterly fantastic gameplay loop, art direction and variety.

Some minor technical issues aside, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is everything a fan of the series could ask for, whilst also giving newcomers the best version of the game.

As simulator games go, Pets Hotel isn’t one I’d recommend. Too many repetitive jobs and lack of polish make this a chore to play.

Knock on the Coffin Lid Nightmare of Millenis DLC adds more challenge if you get the good ending for every character, so you can play it.

If you’re a fan of the first Monaco, this is better in every way. If you’re not, you just might find that this heist title is right up your alley.

Rise of the Ronin does a great job at combining combat and stealth, improved by a vast array of weapons to wield. The characters are memorable, as are the locations, showing off bakumatsu Japan. Regrettably, performance issues sour the experience.

An unbelievably impressive title, Out of Hands takes a saturated genre and breathes life into it in such a unique manner.

Overall, Vindefiant is a fun, challenging experience. The story isn’t going to win awards, but if you want to smash someone against a window multiple times so you can launch them through the broken glass, this is what you need.

Steel Seed has a lot of fun aspects, but does fall short in some important parts, such as gameplay and music.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a great addition to the series, with a large cast of fighters and accessible controls that let you pull off big attacks with ease.

Bionic Bay is amazing. It’s a game filled with passion and beauty in its brutal and unrelenting world, and has plenty to do after you’ve beaten its short campaign for the most determined of players.

Reignbreaker is a great rogue-like set in a dystopian punk world that feels more forgiving than titles like Hades.

The Darkest Files is a well-crafted courtroom game that’s grounded in history, offering deep investigative gameplay and excellent storytelling.

The First Berserker: Khazan is a fantastic action-RPG, with impeccable combat. Despite some minor issues shortcomings, it’s one of the best of the genre.

CarGo! is a fun and challenging multiplayer game that requires teamwork, but playing on your own can be tricky to do.

Monster Energy Supercross 25 - The Official Video Game works mechanically and has a sense of style, but there’s nothing to keep you playing past a certain point.

A remaster done right, with loads of extra materials to check out, on top of a more polished version of the original game.

Everything works with Grit and Valor -1949, but the repetitive nature of the concept makes it a bit of a slog for long playthroughs.

Airlock Arena: Profit or Perish is a fun and frantic co-op roguelike that can make for some amazing moments of victory or failure with some interesting mechanics. However, having friends to play with is seriously recommended.

If you’ve ever wanted to pretend to be the chief security officer on a random Star Trek episode, this is the game for you! If you’ve somehow never wanted that, it’s still a great story with endlessly charming characters.

Kādomon: Hyper Auto Battlers is pretty fun for what it is, with a fun, addicting gameplay loop with always something to discover. That being said, there are just some issues that make the journey more aggravating than it should be sometimes.

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark has improved a lot of things from the first game and is a 2D Metroidvania to try out for yourself.

Vinebound: Tangled Together is a vibrant title full of personality and a unique co-operative mode. It’s a short but fun experience.

Atomfall reminded me why I fell in love with open-world RPGs in the first place, offering the freedom to do what you want, but deal with the consequences of such. It’ll be a struggle to survive, but it is worth it all in the end.

Kemono Heroes is a great side-scrolling, hack ‘n slash title with multiplayer that feels like it’s from the arcade, but only one save slot makes things hard.

Mark of the Deep is one of the best experiences I’ve had lately, the only existing problems are so minor you might just not notice them whilst playing.

AI LIMIT is well-designed and has interesting lore and characters. However, the slow beginning and bland early levels take away from the experience.

Alcyone: The Last City tells a compelling story, full of intrigue and questions on the meaning of life and our place in the universe. However, it leaves one wanting more than a second or third playthrough might not provide.

MULLET MADJACK is more than worth your time and money, a perfect culmination of artistic vision.

Another great entry to Like a Dragon, just don’t rely on it for hard-hitting canon lore (just hard-hitting cannon balls)!

There’s a lot of heart and dedication on display here, but the later Tomb Raider games issues are still on display.

Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a treat for all turn-based RPG fans, but backgrounds can look a little too smooth and clean.

A game that’s not without its issues, but is a great entry in the franchise, and didn’t feel the need to cram in a ship to captain.

ORDER 13 is a bite-sized horror game that will have you on edge as you try to keep your cute cat alive and strict quotas fulfilled. Cute, scary, and challenging – it’s definitely worth a try.

Kamikaze Lassplanes is a great mix between an ecchi-filled visual novel and shoot ‘em up with a branching story where your choices make a difference and can change the ending.

SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada is a generic third-person extraction that challenges, engages, then bores.

Lilac 0 is a fun shoot-’em-up that provides a tough challenge, great for veterans of the genre but not too friendly for anyone fresh.

Possibly the best Atelier game to date, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is a thoroughly enjoyable, and rather cosy, RPG that anyone can easily sink hours upon hours into.

Trolls vs Vikings: Reborn is a quirky lane defence game, but it has many stages that look the same, making it feel repetitive at times.

The Backrooms 1998’s jumpscare-heavy take on the Backrooms is an underwhelming entry in the horror space with poor sound design choices, lack of intentionality with its mechanics, and bugs.

MainFrames is, simply, a lovely retro-themed puzzle platformer with humour, challenge, and some brain-straining mechanics to master. While not easy, the satisfying controls and charming world will make it hard to put down.

This globe-trotting adventure can err on the side of being too simplistic, but with amazing scenery and fun puzzles, it’s a solid update to the classic Carmen formula nonetheless.

This is a game about digging a hole in the ground and it's just as fun as it sounds, if not more!

While everything in Shieldwall works mechanically, the lack of any variety slowly drags it down to being just okay.

Bing in Wonderland: Power-Up Edition is a fast-paced action title that is brief but can feel repetitive and bland in the fights and music loop.

Quilts and Cats of Calico is a fun console version of the board game, but the music is like a lullaby and don’t expect much for online play.

While Priest Simulator: Vampire Show was fun in spite of its flaws, its DLC is hidden behind frustrating races that just aren’t fun.

Avowed is decent fun and has a beautiful world, but its story, progression and characters leave a lot to be desired.

While it takes some getting used to, it’s possible to have a lot of fun with ROBOBEAT, especially when you add your own music.

While it is missing some features, DYNASTY WARRIORS ORIGINS is a fun time and a great place to hop in for newcomers!

While Waiting is a lovely puzzler that embraces patience and offers a tonne of fun if you let your curiosity go wild while you wait. Its variety, replayability, and charming style make it easy to recommend.

SNØ: Ultimate Freeriding is just a really nice and casual skiing game with no frills or filler. It’s a simple idea executed very well.

On Your Tail is a cosy detective title that lets you see the sights and make friends all while stopping thefts around a gorgeous town, and it delivers on every (sea)front. Make time for this one.

Monster Hunter Wilds is an incredible entry into the franchise that provides a fun and smooth gameplay loop and a beautiful world to explore and hunt in. It’s Monster Hunter at its finest.

Whilst there is an undeniable charm to Build Lands, it’s quickly lost thanks to the repetitive nature of the prebuilt levels and occasional issues when creating your own island.

Despite getting some enjoyment out of it, Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator quickly became both monotonous and irritating thanks to the driving sequences. A disappointing simulator that just doesn’t live up to its potential.

Stunt Flyer is a wholesome and relaxing arcade-style flying game that has great visuals and chill music. It can be played solo or in split-screen co-op.

Techno Banter is a short, but neat game to play if you want a glimpse of a controlled simulation of security work for nightclubs, or simply want to call a music snob a dumb arse… or emasculate an incel.

Let’s Cook Together 2 is a game that is fun to play solo or with others; the controls are easy to learn. The game is wholesome and challenging at the same time.

Dead Dragons looks like a classic turn-based RPG, but with a cool fantasy story and an interesting battle system, this title is a fun twist on the usual offerings in this genre.

Despite some tedious mechanics, Microtopia is a fun and satisfying base-builder.

STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is a fun side-scrolling arcade beat ‘em up, with a few issues, but is still a fun time.

Priest Simulator: Vampire Show is a mostly-enjoyable experience, but it does lose its charm later in the game. While it has a goofy premise with a unique mockumentary format, it could do with a little more polishing.

Coridden is a fun game with an interesting premise, but playing solo just makes you feel like you’re missing the full experience.

Into the Emberlands is a delightful exploration-based game that sees you gathering resources and rebuilding a cute yet ramshackle town. It’s perfect for those needing a chill and casual time with a good balance of challenge and variation.

Driving Is Hard is surprisingly fun despite its rage-inducing nature. It’s not unfair like some of its contemporaries, but is a nice yet difficult journey that will keep you trying even after the biggest falls.

Whilst the story isn’t as strong as the previous title, the endearing, well-written characters and exciting battle systems make this a Trails game that’s well worth it for long-time fans of the franchise.

None Shall Intrude is an epic card-battling game where you play as the bad guy taking down the heroes trying to defeat you. Who doesn’t want to be a dragon?

It has its issues, but it’s nice to finally get this off of the Vita.

F2D - Steer To Persevere is a completely fine, casual racing game for fans of Formula Racing and makes for a decent introduction to the sport, but currently could use some cleaning up.

An interesting story and amazing visuals ruined by annoying gameplay and a sub-two hours playtime.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is one of the finest games I’ve played in years, with a gripping story and refined gameplay. It’s still early in the year, but this is definitely on course to be 2025’s Game of the Year.

Big Helmet Heroes is simple and does what it sets out to do. It’s a fun time, but it struggles with any gameplay depth, leading to a lack of longevity; I did enjoy my time here, especially with the presentation.

Something of a hidden gem which has a lot of gems hidden for you to shoot with your machine gun drill.

Basureroes: Invasion is a side-scrolling game that has a lot of fun stages and characters to play as, but repetitive music and odd gameplay choices make it frustrating.

Dead of Darkness is a creepy and challenging survival horror title with an interesting story that makes you want to solve the mystery of what is happening here.

Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection is a fun adventure with a beautifully voiced cast. However, the gameplay can stagnate a bit and the summoning lacks something that would help it stand out.

With a mix of stale combat, rough translation, and no saving, Ship of Mist has an interesting core concept, but the execution falls flat to the point that I cannot recommend.

Quite a disappointment, with only glimmers of fun to have peeking through the bike exhaust.

A linear adventure that looks great, with some combat and a bunch of puzzles to keep you thinking.

Tap Wizard 2 is a twist on a bullet-hell type game with RPG elements, but it is hard to play with a controller and has too many things to collect and equip with little direction.

Creo God Simulator makes smiting villagers fun, and there’s no shortage of godly powers at your disposal, but gameplay lulls, high building costs, and repetitiveness can dampen your time as Creostrider.