Reliving those childhood afternoons in the new guise of Carmen Sandiego has been like unlocking a good memory of an old friend who I thought was lost forever, but thanks to television we have her back as a character, and thanks to Gameloft as the ideal educational entertainment to share with the family.

It's surprising that with such a simple premise and simple gameplay, solo developer Cyberwave has managed to strike such an exquisite balance between player progression and curiosity to get to the end of the story in A Game About Digging A Hole.

Cloverpit is a game you shouldn't play, but you can't stop playing. And that, my friends, is probably the most accurate review you can give a game that is about never really being able to stop.

While its short length and navigation issues may deter some, its adorable cosmetics, amusing emotes, and plethora of quests ensure a heartwarming journey for players of all ages.

If you like strong stories and games where your choices matter, Dustborn is for you. It's a game that's more about the journey and the people you meet along the way than action-packed battles or complex game mechanics. If you're looking for a game with deep and satisfying combat mechanics, there are better alternatives out there.

Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival has the potential to entertain for what feels like endless hours. Not least thanks to the fact that you can buy 700 songs if you wish, but also thanks to the fact that there are so many game modes to choose from where everyone entertains on their own terms.

Commandos: Origins is a great game in a genre that sorely needs one. With a difficulty that'll challenge even the most tactical minds, combined with refreshing visuals and characters that are fun to play, what you get is a satisfying,, rewarding experience that has you reloading save after save, believing the next strategy you try will be the winning one. The difficulty may cause the odd frustration here and there, and you may wish for a bit more besides a satisfying gameplay loop, but overall this is a win for the fans of RTS games out there.

Yooka-Replaylee is an oasis of play and joy in the crowd of grey action role-playing games and Dark Souls clones that we get in abundance and even though there are still some issues with the camera and the game doesn't revolutionise the genre, this is one of the best games you can get in 2025 if you miss the old classic 3D platformers from a bygone era.

Civilization VII is a more than worthy inclusion in this historic franchise. As with any Civilization game, not all of the changes are going to be welcomed by every fan, but largely, this is a streamlined 4X strategy that is just as endlessly playable as its forebearers, and a title I have enjoyed, warts and all.

With such an affordable price (€17.49), replayability options with different difficulty levels, collectables and challenging achievements (such as completing the game in less than three hours), I can't help but recommend Crisol. It's a game that reimagines Spanish history and folklore, constantly reminding you of this with the names of the characters and visual information, as well as its aesthetic and sound design, but in terms of gameplay, it doesn't matter where you're from, because you'll find a first-person action title that's well worth considering.

PGA Tour 2K25 is a really solid golf game, with many hours of gameplay, lots of content and, not least, a configurable difficulty level that allows almost everyone to join in - both beginners and hardcore golf enthusiasts.

All in all, this is a very, very complete remake in a lot of senses, and shows that Capcom has really nailed this process of bringing back its beloved titles in a faithful yet meaningfully improved way.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a game that hits hard. It has you feeling like the most badass thing in the galaxy in one minute, before reminding you the universe is a terrifying and deadly place the next.

In a perfect world, I would have liked some extra graphical options allowing this version to feel even closer to the PC one, such as being able to turn off the dreaded motion blur. I also would have loved anything that made this adventure feel entirely new no matter if you've played before or not, such as some aforementioned combat tweaks. However, the world isn't perfect. Nor is Warhorse's first go at recreating medieval Bohemia, but it is beautiful. Made even more so by this Next-Gen Edition, which is a fine reminder or fantastic introduction to Henry's debut.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess shows how versatile Capcom can be and it ends up being one of 2024's most surprising games to date. It's surprising because it shakes things up so that pieces from several different genres end up landing in quite surprising ways. It's a surprisingly well-functioning hybrid between an action game, a tower defence and a strategy game.

Metal Eden is the most ambitious project from Polish developer Reikon Games, who previously created the small top-down isometric cyberpunk shooter Ruiner. They've done a pretty good job here, but there's definitely room for improvement on the technical side. However, if you can overlook the occasionally uneven graphics, Metal Eden is a good, solid sci-fi action experience.

When Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hits these high points, it's impossible not to completely indulge in Ninja Theory's bleak vision of the Viking Age. The often unforgettable scenes practically transform it into a visual poem, and in these moments, it couldn't matter less that the game's mechanical components are smoother and more superficial, because it's more of an interactive experience than a traditional game.

Humanity is a fine puzzler that brings some unique challenges to a rather saturated genre. The puzzling and platforming mechanics keep the gameplay feeling fresh level after level, and the UGC focus means that you'll never tire of levels and challenges to overcome.

Company of Heroes 3 is a well thought-out and visually enjoyable game that feels very similar to its predecessors, but adds a lot of improvements and an entirely new Mediterranean-themed theatre of war.

Although Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is not necessarily the definitive version of these two great games, it is the best possible version to date and, above all, the most accessible.

I enjoyed my time with Cairn, I really did. I wish Aava had exposed her character a little more, though. Returning to the way the game positions her, there is a lot of talk about her, and although this is subtle and understated, it could have been beneficial for her to reveal a little more of herself. That said, she is not exactly a superficial character, and Cairn is not a forgettable story about personal pride, toxic ambition, and the ability to identify bad motives in oneself and others.

If the stress and time investment of F1 Manager games put you off of them but you still want the thrill of leading a motorsport team to victory by racing on familiar tracks with familiar sounding corners and landmarks and familiar teams and drivers then Golden Lap does enough right to make this a top choice.

Botany Manor is an ideal Game Pass game. It's easy, charming, vibrant, and sweet. This is a puzzler that has just the right balance of challenge and simplicity, and the first-person setup and the wonderful presentation make for an immersive experience in a world you want to explore. It doesn't quite have the narrative depth of Call of the Sea, the ingenuity of Viewfinder, or the mechanical excellence of Maquette, but looking at the overall package, as far as immersive sim puzzlers go, this is a fine addition to the collection.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a title that serves as a bridge between the two main series by filling in those plot holes left over from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, while also offering a complete new epilogue to Kazuma Kiryu as the protagonist, before ceding his throne as Like a Dragon's protagonist to Ichiban Kasuga.

The basketball is better than perhaps ever and the presentation of the game, especially around the games, is leaps and bounds better than what other sports game series offer. If you can overlook (because it's hard to overlook) all the attempts to get your money out of your wallet, this is such a great sports game. I just wish they would stop being so greedy, but the fact that it's incredibly fun to play basketball on the court might be the most important thing.

What really sets Arco apart from the indie clutter is the resonant narrative, that the game manages to get the player invested in these ephemeral characters living in a world of infinite natural beauty that is then repeatedly ruined by greed, by revenge, and even though the dialogue exchanges are relatively short, it is believable throughout.

As it is, with its few pitfalls, it isn't quite as refined as I would have hoped, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to love and appreciate in worldbuilding, narrative, character design, and presentation. Spitfire Interactive has taken some risks with this game, not all of them have paid off, but there's definitely still a lot of potential and promise with this game all the same.

When it was all said and done, and after 12-15 hours of playtime, I felt pretty good about Super Mario RPG as both finally getting to play the original adventure in full, and enjoying one of the finest remakes Nintendo has ever published.