Ironically, it pains me to say that Anshar Studios Painkiller has turned out to be one of those co-op shooters that just doesn't hit the mark the way you hoped it would. Devoid of a decent Painkiller-worthy backstory, 2025's Painkiller primary focus seems to be to just be punishing in hyperchaotic ways that drain the fun out of the combat loop. Adding the fact that most guns don't really feel punchy and the disappointing prospect of a meager nine repetitive levels at launch, Painkiller could be compared to over-the-counter Paracetamol: works for some, but not too long.

The Spirit of the Samurai combines stunning stop-motion visuals with challenging Soulslike combat and Metroidvania exploration. Despite impressive moments, the fun is sometimes tempered by frustrating combat and technical flaws. Fans of stylish action-platformers will find a unique challenge here, but it is not for everyone.

Crown Wars: The Black Prince feels more like a mobile game than a full-fledged strategy title, with its simplified mechanics and repetitive gameplay. While it offers a historical setting with some tactical elements, the overall experience lacks depth and polish. It may appeal to casual players or those new to the genre, but seasoned strategy fans are likely to find it underwhelming and lacking the complexity they expect.

DuneCrawl is an ambitious indie with a striking concept and stylish presentation, but it struggles to stay engaging due to repetitive gameplay and uneven execution. The chaotic co-op shines when played with a full group of friends, yet solo or duo play quickly exposes sluggish AI and design friction. At its price point it’s a fair deal, but only if you can convince others to join the crawl.

Hotel Barcelona is just as strange as you’d expect from SUDA51 and SWERY: stylish, bloody, and dripping with atmosphere. The combat feels clunky, but those who push through will find bizarre bosses, hidden secrets, and an unforgettable horror vibe.

Visually striking and ambitious, Dreams of Another struggles with shallow gameplay and poor execution.

Project Motor Racing is a visually impressive, no-nonsense sim designed for the hardcore crowd. It's punishing and demanding, yet deeply rewarding for those willing to master its steep learning curve. That said, the game lacks flair and the absence of mechanical damage is a missed opportunity.

Tales of the Shire offers a relaxing Hobbit life experience where you set your own pace, engaging in activities like fishing, farming, and cooking. The game shines in its detailed cooking system and home customization, with friendship levels unlocking upgrades and new content. While the seasonal changes add variety, the lack of deeper interactions, birthdays, and holidays feels like a missed opportunity. Despite some optimization issues and a simple narrative, the charming art style and immersive world make it an enjoyable, if imperfect, escape.

The First Descendant offers engaging sci-fi action with stunning visuals and fast-paced gameplay, but it comes with some caveats. While the combat and world-building are strong, the experience is somewhat marred by repetitive missions and a lack of innovation. It’s a solid entry for fans of the genre, but it may leave those seeking something truly groundbreaking feeling slightly underwhelmed.

Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles 2025 is essentially a rerelease with minor improvements like extra characters and couch co-op, offering a nostalgic trip for fans at an affordable price.

Sugardew Island has the potential to be a cozy farming sim, but its simplistic approach works against it. While the game looks beautiful and plays smoothly, repetitive gameplay and flat NPCs prevent the island from truly coming to life. It’s a relaxing experience for casual players, but seasoned farming sim fans may find it is a missed opportunity.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour feels more like a paid manual than a real game. While it teaches you a thing or two, it simply doesn’t justify the €10 price tag. Only worth a look if you're a tech nerd or waiting for payday.

Funko Fusion struggles to find its audience, with repetitive gameplay, messy narrative, and dated franchises that may not appeal to everyone. While the game looks visually good and the Funko figures are well-represented, the mix of childlike focus, challenging puzzles, and creepy story makes it feel mismatched. Ultimately, it lacks clear direction and doesn’t justify its full price.

What should’ve been a triumphant return for a long-dormant franchise ends up as a disappointing misfire. Legacy of Kain Ascendance shows flashes of promise—strong voice acting, a killer soundtrack, and some fun levels here and there, but they’re buried under clunky controls, odd design choices, and annoying difficulty spikes. Fans deserved better, and the series deserves another shot.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has solid gameplay and an excellent setting, but is plagued by severe technical issues that ruin the experience. Frequent server problems, framedrops, and graphical shortcomings make it feel more like an early access title than a full-priced game. Despite its potential, the game’s online-only design and performance issues prevent it from delivering on expectations.

Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact has heart, but lacks punch. The tiny roster and short story mode won’t cut it for most, unless you’re a die-hard fan. For real fighting thrills and a proper brawling fix, you're better off elsewhere.

While hints of greatness linger in the streets of Industria 2's Nordvold, one can not deny that Bleakmill has work to do to let that greatness come to light. As of now, Industria 2 feels more like an Early Access game, held back by missing assets, curios level design choices and mediocre combat. This is not the Industria(l) revolution the fans were waiting for.

Even if the last-minute delay of La Quimera raised the eyebrows of many, it probably was the best thing that Reburn could have done, and so was the choice of shifting it into Early Access. The extra time has given the Ukranian studio some breathing room to drag La Quimera out of its utterly unplayable state, delivering a sci-fi shooter which is at least playable now. But make no mistake, while gunplay has been improved massively and even offers some solid action left and right, other aspect like story building and voice acting are still so unbearable that is't difficult to not feel a sense of embarrasment when sitting through the over-the-top Latin-Americans soap opera drama. [Early Access Score = 50]

MindsEye feels like a massive missed opportunity: technically a mess, creatively lost. Even with future patches, there's little left to get excited about.

MotoGP 24 for the Nintendo Switch falls short of expectations, with performance issues and compromised visuals detracting from the racing experience. While the core gameplay remains intact, the lack of polish makes it difficult to recommend on this platform. Fans of the series might enjoy it on other consoles, but the Switch version struggles to keep up, missing the mark for an optimal racing experience.

Train Valley World nearly hits perfection with its intricate railway management and engaging gameplay. It’s a must-play for fans of the genre, blending strategy and fun in a satisfying way.

Space for Sale in early access sounds promising but falls short in execution. Despite its creative concept, the gameplay feels underwhelming and lacks the depth needed to keep players engaged. It’s an idea that works better on paper than in practice. [Early Access Score = 40]

Shift 87 offers a familiar sci-fi horror experience with a few new twists, but it may not feel fresh enough for all players. While the game delivers solid tension and atmosphere, it treads very similar ground to what fans of the genre have seen before. It’s a decent choice for those who enjoy this style, but don’t expect groundbreaking innovation.

Monster Jam Showdown brings the classic chaos of Monster Trucks to the Switch with smooth gameplay and impressive trucks. While the racing action is fun, the experience quickly becomes repetitive due to limited variety and slow unlocks. Ideal for fans seeking quick, mindless fun, but don't expect a deep experience.

Edge of Sanity delivers an atmospheric, Lovecraftian horror experience with strong characters and a tense start, but loses momentum after the first act. As the plot drags and camp management becomes repetitive, the initial tension fades into indifference. It's a decent pick for horror fans, but there are stronger games in the genre.

WARCANA combines deckbuilding and base defense in a tactically challenging way, with surprisingly detailed pixel art. However, the steep learning curve and small player base raise questions about the game's future.

City 20 offers a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic survival genre with a city setting and dynamic interactions. While the survival mechanics can feel repetitive at times, it holds enough potential for replayability and experimentation. [Early Access Score = 70]

Breachway effectively uses its sci-fi theme, with gameplay centered around strategic decisions based on ships, cards, and crew. However, you barely carry anything over to the next round. Which makes pre-run planning non-existing. While the resource-based card system works well, players are limited by a standard deck and RNG. The game looks polished with exciting visuals, but it currently lacks some depth and the desire to keep playing. [Early Access Score = 50]