If you’re looking for Castlevania of 1987 through a new skin, this is the game for you. It sounds, looks, and feels fantastic to play; a perfect “port” of an old game to 2026. However, if you’re looking for an NES-style 2D platformer with retro gameplay, but expanded upon, this might disappoint, like adding sprinkles on your vanilla ice-cream.

Under Par Golf Architect brought me back to my childhood days of SimGolf in all the right ways. While they could do a bit more in terms of making the management side of the game having more of an impact, everything else hit like a perfect drive.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss presents itself as a homage to one of the greatest horror authors of the 20th century. Even with some minor performance issues, the derelict locations you explore as Noah are some of the most beautifully crafted renditions of Lovecraft’s mythos that have ever been put to a screen.

OPUS Prism Peak feels at times a lot less like a game and more like a work of art. That is if you can handle the joy, the loss, the pain, or in other words, life. It is cathartic, it is real, it is beautiful, and it is sad.

If you're looking for a short, relaxing experience full of charm with puzzles just tricky enough that you'll need to think, but not too hard, Gecko Gods is the perfect Sunday afternoon game to chill out with.

Mouse: P. I. For Hire is a great send up to old cartoons and detective stories as well as being a pretty good old-school style fps. There's a lot to like here with its fun Gunplay, solid story and characters, funny animations and good soundtrack. Although it's difficulty may not be enough for hardcore fans of the genre and some things hurt it's replay value, it's a great package overall.

Replaced’s strong narrative, excellent world building and well realised audio and visual style make it a must play. Exploring the question of humanity via cinematic storytelling and visceral combat makes this 80s cyberpunk thriller worthy of your time.

Gunboat God is slick, chaotic and fun, much like Yeti's titular vessel. The tight controls, striking visuals, and fun tone make it worth your time alone, but that itch in becoming truly godly is incredibly satisfying to scratch. I cannot recommend Gunboat God enough.

Arcadia Fallen II is an exceptional visual novel that excels in presentation and character-driven storytelling. While its choice systems and roleplaying elements don’t fully reach their potential, its excellent voice acting, clear structure, and exceptional cast make it an easy recommendation, especially for players looking for a more relaxed, story-focused experience. Don’t hesitate to dive right into this game, even if you’ve never experienced the original.

Cleaning Up is not a game to sweep under the rug. If you’re looking for a satisfying clean up game to spark some joy, this mess-terpiece is one to try.

Embracing the nature of relaxing, High Above is one to find solace in time and time again. With so many ways to play and decorate, each serene rooftop is a little escape. No timers, just a quiet space in the clouds for your creativity and dreams to come alive.

Often feeling like a game chasing greatness, Crimson Desert is in every sense of the word ambitious. Sure, Kliff’s story of revenge is one that been told a thousand times, but it’s seemingly endless open world begs you to chase the adventures beyond the horizon. When you tie this beautifully crafted playground together with a combat system that encourages the player to experiment and think outside the box, you get a game that feels impossibly complex while feeling eerily familiar in the same breath. Crimson Desert is many things – dangerously ambitious, clunky, beautiful, messy, and most importantly: mind-numbingly addictive.

If you enjoyed PowerWash Simulator 2, then you will absolutely enjoy The Adventure Time DLC. It plays the same as the base game. Just more things to clean, with the added joy of the Adventure Time art style and characters.

Everything about People of Note feels new, refreshing, and fun; elements that have been remixed into its own style. You can tell how much love Iridium Studios put into their game. While it could use some fine tuning before it can be a masterpiece, this is a beat that you shouldn’t miss. I highly recommend it.

This is not a bad horror game for people looking to jump into the horror genre or looking for a new horror experience. There are a few jump scares but nothing too outrageous for those gamers who find horror games to be overwhelming. But big horror fans may feel a little underwhelmed.

Darwin’s Paradox is a strong debut from ZDT Studio, cleverly utilizing cinematic platforming genre staples to create a fun, well paced 5-hour adventure. That being said, an abrupt ending unfortunately robs the game of a satisfying conclusion, and it’s clear that the Nintendo Switch 2 version needed more time in the oven to properly utilize the hardware.

If you’re willing to tolerate performance issues (or you’re lucky enough to land on a hardware configuration that plays it smoothly), and if you enjoyed the first GRIME or are just interested in weird, artistic soulslike metroidvanias, it’s absolutely worth playing. The game respects your intelligence and your ability to learn systems, and there’s a real sense of progression as you absorb more Molds and unlock new areas. But go in knowing that there’s parts of the game that may frustrate you – intentionally or not.

As Max and Chloe have grown to young adulthood in Reunion, the series has matured in equal measure. Reunion ends Max and Chloe’s love story in the right way. More than simply fan service, this is a finale that delivers love to the Arcadia Baes, the series and its fans.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance may not be the triumphant return that long-time fans have hoped for, but it is a confident step toward bringing the series back into the spotlight. Its moody pixel art, stellar voice performances, and thunderous industrial-orchestral soundtrack capture the gothic soul of Nosgoth remarkably well, even in a new 2D form. While the straightforward combat and brief runtime keep it from reaching the heights of the series’ best entries, the game still delivers an entertaining slice of dark fantasy that respects the lore and legacy that came before it.

Fishbowl is a game that you need to accept with open arms and an open mind. A game that attempts, and at often times succeeds, in making you empathetic to Alo’s emotional state and perhaps even make you reflect in yours. They do this through their great usage of simple gameplay mechanics, art direction, sound, and music. It’ll make you happy. It’ll make you sad. It’s a game that you need to be ready for in order to fully appreciate, if you’ll let it.

For those looking for a video game that feels like a warm bath after a long day, Hozy is one to sink into. With versatility in design comes so much replayability. No pressure, no time limits, just a great game to relax with.

For those looking for a shorter, narrative driven game to dive into, I highly recommend The Posthumous Investigation. It’s an intriguing character study that keeps you guessing and makes you wonder, who truly was the culprit and why? What in the human condition made this man both so loved and hated? You’ll have to play to find out.

If you’re familiar with the survivor genre, you’ll likely get some enjoyment out of this, as the games difficulty will hold your attention, especially with the sheer amount of unlocks the game has. However, if you’re looking for a more fun and relaxing game you can check out of and just play, there’s easier, and better, games in the genre out there to try.

Everything about John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando just works. SnowRunner with Zombies about sums it up. So far, I’m having an absolute blast. With each completion giving me enough to upgrade something to make me feel a little bit stronger. I haven’t been able to complete a very hard mission yet, but I’m getting so close. With a couple more levels and full communicating squad, that Sludge God will be mincemeat.

Only Up Rush is a bananas game that does what too few games aim to do this generation – be basic, dumb fun. The ascent to the stars will test you and in a couple of sections, potentially temporarily break you. But the journey, is definitely worth the budget price of admission. And if you get stuck on this eclectic climb, you could always listen to Yazz to remind yourself of the only way to go.

If controller user experience is important to you, Trash Goblin may slightly sour your experience. It’s unfortunate when a port doesn’t fully execute their game their new demographic. Things like this ends up leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Luckily, throughout its year of release on Steam, Spilt Milk Studios supported the game well, providing 4 significant content updates. Therefore, it’s likely that this can easily be patched.

At its best, Chico’s Rebound captures the addictive satisfaction that made block-breaker games a classic arcade staple. The clever stage design, creative boss fights, and charming pixel presentation make every successful run feel rewarding, even when luck occasionally plays a role. However, the repetitive tower exploration and occasionally demanding score requirements can slow the momentum and turn triumph into frustration. Despite these bumps, the core gameplay remains engaging enough to carry the experience, making Chico’s Rebound a fun, if slightly uneven, climb up the Celestial Tower.

Coming from someone who is completely new to extraction shooters, Marathon is a triumph. The excellent visuals, audio design and gameplay creates a game and world that wants you to have “just one more run”. Hell, I’m only writing this during the server maintenance downtime, otherwise I’d struggle to tear myself away! Bungie have succeeded in creating a world that is begging to be explored and experienced even if the lore and storytelling feels slightly secondary. It may feel overwhelming at first, but a little perserverance, and not much at that, will open up a game that is incredibly well made and demonstrates a lot of love and work. Marathon is a game that has defied my expectations, embraced the weird and wonderfulness of its creative team, and should absolutely be celebrated.