Double Dragon Revive is a lazy sequel. Although the developers tried to adhere to the spirit of the original, they failed in the task of updating the gameplay to modern standards, drowning in goofy mechanics, unoriginality, and boredom.

Absolum is an interesting roguelike that can be completed in a couple of hours on the lowest difficulty setting. However, even after the finale, the developers encourage players to keep exploring the world to try out new builds and characters.

Despite a number of missteps, Dispatch has become one of the most notable games of the passing year. And given its success, the development of a second season already seems inevitable.

Ninja Gaiden 4 cannot be called a return to the roots of Tomonobu Itagaki. However, PlatinumGames has created a bloody slasher with complex and interesting bosses in memorable settings.

Without a doubt, the developers at Team Cherry didn’t waste these years. They poured an immense amount of work into creating the most ambitious and visually stunning Metroidvania to date—one truly worthy of standing at the very peak of the genre. Hollow Knight: Silksong lives up to the expectations of its devoted fans in every way. Yet, like any work of art, it isn’t entirely free of objective shortcomings and debatable design choices—particularly in terms of balance—that may push away less prepared players.

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian is a charming yet rushed game built on the foundation of a now‑defunct gacha title. Nevertheless, it attempts to win back fans who were dissatisfied with the radical changes introduced in Atelier Yumia.

Ghost of Yotei is another sequel in the vein of modern Sony titles. While keeping the core foundation intact, the developers made this new entry far richer and more varied than its predecessor. Comparing Atsu and Jin directly doesn’t make much sense — they’re just too different. Personally, I preferred Jin, but the fierce Onryō, with the stubbornness and boldness of a honey badger, turned out to be an interesting character as well.

The Outer Worlds 2 is a vibrant and distinctive adventure that evokes memories of Obsidian Entertainment's former glory.

Hotel Barcelona doesn’t motivate players to endure or dig through this pile of «brilliant ideas» from Suda 51 and SWERY.

Despite its dynamic gameplay, Painkiller stumbles in every other aspect. The game will certainly disappoint series veterans and solo players, and even co‑op enthusiasts would find it hard to recommend at such a high price point.

However, the strengths of Silly Polly Beast outweigh its flaws. The atmosphere of a Russian provincial town, combined with stunning visuals and an engaging storyline, does its job—immersing the player in a mysterious world shrouded in demonic fog.

Battlefield 6 has proven to be a successful return to form for the series after a string of disastrous failures. While it's clear that not everything went according to plan for EA, Zampella and Co. managed to lay a solid foundation for future development.

The depth of customization — from controls and game tempo to tactical nuances and role assignments on the field — is genuinely impressive and engaging. The positional setups and other elements of football strategy have strong potential, but that potential simply isn’t realized. Of course, some players might enjoy this kind of “football-flavored” experience, but it’s definitely not what I — or many fans of the world’s most popular sport — are looking for. If you plan to play only against AI opponents, or if the issues mentioned above don’t bother you, feel free to add one or two points to the final score.

Tormented Souls 2 is a worthy successor to the original game, offering an improved experience for players. The sequel has significantly enhanced user-friendliness with its well-designed puzzles and intuitive hints. While the combat system and balance mechanics still present some challenges, players have the option to adjust the difficulty settings or wait for upcoming patches.

Keeper is an unexpected masterpiece from Double Fine Productions and one of the most captivating walking simulators of the past few years. It dazzles the imagination with its rich visual design and an unconventional narrative approach that borders on genius. It’s truly disappointing that Microsoft’s incompetence led to the game’s release being overlooked by its target audience, which now puts the studio’s future existence at risk.

The initial concept of Dead Reset envisioned a choice system with far-reaching and partially irreversible consequences, even after «resetting». In practice, the game turns out to be an overly linear FMV adventure, the outcome of which feels predetermined.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a good example of the gap between ambition and execution. Despite an intriguing premise and well-developed main characters, the game ultimately feels too linear and repetitive, with limited player choice and shallow world interaction. Many of the lengthy dialogues have little to no impact on the story, side quests are dull and formulaic, and the world itself feels empty and lifeless. In the end, Bloodlines 2 comes across more as a walking simulator with light RPG elements than a worthy successor to the cult classic.

Despite Supermassive Games’ efforts, Little Nightmares III turned out to be a corporate business product, devoid of the very features that made the series beloved by millions of players around the world.

As a purely interactive experience, Silent Hill f is as uneven as it gets, honestly. But more than that - it's still a very interesting piece of art. Strange, multi-layered and mostly unique - in all the places that matter.

Despite the limited bestiary, difficulties in exploring the world, and not the most engaging plot, Hell is Us is impossible to put down.

Metal Eden presents itself as a visually striking yet brief action experience, boasting innovative gameplay mechanics. However, the game falls short in terms of boss encounters and narrative.

Just like its main protagonist, Cronos: The New Dawn is so obsessed with capturing and replicating the past, that it's kinda forgets to do something more important - to have a soul of its own.

Destiny: Rising has become one of the biggest unexpected surprises of 2025. NetEase has unexpectedly offered a highly competitive alternative to frustrated Destiny 2 fans, albeit presented with a touch of gacha elements. This should be a wake-up call for Sony and Bungie.

Lost Soul Aside leaves a mixed impression. The game offers truly spectacular battles with unique bosses that provide fresh experiences, and the environment is designed in a memorable art style with high-level detail. However, players must endure lengthy levels, a mediocre plot, and subpar voice acting.

This new version of the game will definitely be someone's first foray into the entire Metal Gear Solid franchise, which is honestly the biggest and most important thing about the whole Delta release. And chances are that by the end of the credits this person will convert into a new fan that will carry the series legacy into the future. This is good, isn't it?

Beneath its rough exterior lies a captivating project, kept alive by its vibrant open world, non-linear progression, and handcrafted gameplay. It’s simply fun to play — unlike the heavily outdated Oblivion, which, aside from visuals, has little left to offer.

The Rogue Prince of Persia turned out to be a rather mediocre roguelike game, which falls short of both Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Dead Cells.

Despite the aforementioned shortcomings, Donkey Kong Country: Banana Kingdom literally draws the player in and doesn’t let go for a single second. This is a unique platformer with incredibly addictive gameplay, stunningly diverse levels, and magnificent music.