Clockwork Ambrosia is a solid Metroidvania with some interesting and well-executed ideas, and while it hits its target with a satisfying bang, it lands wide of the bullseye.

An exceptional, breathtaking world that players will be kept busy in for years, Forza Horizon 6 is one of 2026's best games of the year and one of the best racing games ever created.

The Caribou Trail left me caring for an unknown war story. Fisher, Gordon and Lonnie’s human tale of small island men being cast into a global conflict is equal parts sombre and heartwarming. The title’s great voice acting and audio design immersed me into this short story deeply.

I enjoyed my 5 hour playthrough of Call of the Elder Gods. The puzzles, environments, and voice acting were all fantastic and that’s all you really need for a fun weekend chomp of a title. However, the move from one island to jet setting across the globe in those five hours didn’t do the pacing of the story any favours. There’s a lot going on, and the game rattles through some of it’s reveals at a fair clip, losing a lot of the intrigue that made the first game so compelling. When it comes to facing the Cosmic Entities at the end of the world; I think I’d have preferred a little less movie conspiracy, and a little more actual mystery.

If you’re looking to slow down and experience a visual novel game that leaves a strong impression not by dramatic twists, but rather slice of life relatable nostalgia, Nook Fall: West Town is the one to play.

While it’s pretty, it just feels so empty, and without a story that really hooked me in, I found myself almost looking forward to the end of my time with it. But would I recommend that someone try HYPNOS? I would, if not solely for the visuals, but to give a taste of what some of the newer “liminal space” games are like. And who knows – maybe you’ll be more hooked into the why of this world than I was. [Early Access Review]

Saros is a triumph for Housemarque and a reminder that some of the most exciting games being made today don’t need to rely on cinematic spectacle to leave a lasting impression. It takes everything that made Returnal special and builds upon it in meaningful ways, from its improved progression systems to its breathtaking world design and its roster of unforgettable boss encounters. The story is heavy, the gameplay is addictive, and the world of Carcosa will stick with you long after the credits roll. If Returnal was Housemarque announcing themselves to the world, Saros is them planting their flag. Don’t sleep on it.

It might not be a groundbreaking experience, but Directive 8020 delivers as one of the Supermassive’s best games.

Outbound is a game that, if given enough time, could be good in the future. It has a wonderful world that can be filled with things and people to interact with. A wonderful building system that can be improved with better delivery of blueprints. And a road-trip experience that can be improved with sound. Unfortunately, much like its world, right now it’s a game with a shallow gameplay loop that is difficult to stay interested in. Maybe it’s more fun with friends?

Aphelion is a fine action-adventure game. I use “action” loosely here as there isn’t that much action, but there is more than we are used to in a Don’t Nod title. With a solid enough story there is enough to get invested in here. But with game play mechanics that faulter more than they work, and a final third of the game that drags on far too long, it’s hard to recommend Aphelion to anyone other than the die hard Don’t Nod fans.

Mixtape is fun, fantastical and heartfelt. It may be fleeting, but I expect it will stick with you for a long while. Especially when you're inevitably playing one of the game's songs in one of your playlists and someone asks you "where this song is from?"

WILL: Follow the Light, without the few negative hiccups I noted, is a 10 out of 10 game. But as it stands right now, the few nits that exist within the game pull away from that score slightly - but only slightly. That being said though, if these updates and needed fixes are made, I can easily see this being a can’t-miss game. The beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story, coupled with the intriguing puzzles and environment of the game itself make for an unforgettable digital experience.

Although Invincible Vs has some rough spots, it overall succeeds where it needs to in a fighting game. The gameplay is fun, the netcode is good overall and the roster is a blast to play with along with solid presentation. While some character omissions are lamentable… The fact that Quarter Up made me want to try Dupli-Kate out makes up for it and thankfully we’re in the age where bugs can be fixed rather quickly.

Wax Heads is one of the best games I have played this year. It’s full of cozy stories, amazing music, and wonderful characters. I think anyone who is craving meaningful human connection could learn something from Wax Heads.

In an era where so many games seem terrified of simplicity, Motorslice feels confident enough to strip everything back to movement, atmosphere, and momentum, and it is all the better for it.

There’s a few rough edges for now, but the core ‘cute-em-up’ action is good old fashioned shmup fun. Chaotic and gorgeous to look at, Astro Burn is a shooter that is worth playing in early access and keeping an eye on for the full release. [Early Access Review]

Sudden Strike 5 is a solid, if unspectacular RTS experience. It feels authentic and immersive as a WWII strategy game, and really makes you focus on the strategy part of that in order to succeed. It’s clunky controls on console and lack of teaching the player the game hold it back from being great, but any RTS fan should find the experience enjoyable.

It’s always nice to see an IP within a genre that’s difficult to stand out it. While it may never reach the heights of giants like Pokemon, Digimon, etc, it’s important that there are fresh experiences. It’s wonderful when one can take heavy inspirations from these giants as well, while truly making them their own. Monster Crown: Sin Eater deserves a place in the hearts of gamers who love the monster taming, RPG genre. It’s a beautiful, yet dark and dangerous world. Teeming with monsters and people struggling under the weight of evil, fans of the genre should experience the world of Monster Crown: Sin Eater.

While making sure that every item is in its correct location, balanced perfectly, and faced in the correct way; a tedious yet relaxing task, zoned out as if in a meditative state, and lost in your own thoughts, time stops. While you’re absorbing all the stories and requests your customers have, arriving one at a time, indulging in their lives, your outlet to the outside world, nothing else matters. inKONBINI is a reverie, a narrative driven game that needs some engagement, but only asking from you what you want to give it. It nails the very atmosphere of a quiet, slow, nighttime 1993 experience. While its stories could be better delivered through voiced dialogue, it’s an experience I would highly recommend if you are looking for a reverie.

With 7 unique districts to unlock, 18 customizable buses, and the ability to make Emberville your own. Creating routes and learning how the city changes throughout the day, Bus Bound has so much content to keep me entertained for hours.

Is ShantyTown going to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards? No. But is it worthy of your time, and worthy of consideration of those numerous smaller indie awards out there? 100% it is! The beautiful designing aesthetics and relaxed vibes, coupled with a near limitless replayability, ShantyTown has definitely won over a fan of this genre of design game.

Double Fine has created a fun multiplayer experience. Creating your own pots is enjoyable and easy and the gameplay is simple yet effective. Unfortunately the game has very little content at launch with only 1 game mode and 5 maps. Without much reason to progress beyond new cosmetics, the team will need to quickly add content for Kiln to have any staying power. With how fun the game is, here’s hoping they can.

Hyper Games has successfully captured the unique duality of the Moomin stories - the whimsical charm of helping neighbors balanced against the slight, beautiful melancholy of a lonely Scandinavian winter.

Elementallis is a game that pays homage and draws inspiration from an iconic series many gamers love - Zelda. They do this by successfully applying the gameplay mechanics that made us love this top-down, action adventure genre.

Vampire Crawlers is a wonderful follow-up to a game I hold dear. It translates seamlessly from the bullet-heaven genre into the deck building genre. While there are a few frustrating levels and as of now a lack of endgame content to keep me going, there’s enough here to justify playing this for hours on end and keep you engaged. If you’re a fan of Slay the Spire or Balatro, Vampire Crawlers is absolutely a must grab, even if you have no prior experience with Vampire Survivors.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream offers an almost limitless toybox of creativity and player expression, held together by a distinct and wonderful sense of humour that still manages to delight me just as much as it did 12 years ago. With the exception of some restrictions and cut features that feel like they are yet to be added, this feels like the ambitious game that the series has been building towards since its inception.

Visually satisfying and a very cosy soundtrack mask the frustrations I had with the fundamental gameplay of Find My Frogs. The frogs themselves were fun to find, but the secret items would have been bordering impossible had it not been for the infinite hint tool.

Developer DigixArt went bold and unique with Tides of Tomorrow and it has paid off. With characters you can get heavily invested in, a surprisingly deep story and a gorgeous world, there is a lot to like here.