While there are many failed crowd-funding efforts, Sea of Stars is quite the opposite. If you were around in the 90s and loved the console RPGs of that era, you won't want to miss this gem.

Until Then brings us back to our teenage years for the good, the bad and the ugly. This coming-of-age story, set in the beautiful Philippines, takes us on an emotional roller coaster while its darker secrets are bubbling away under the surface. Though it might take some time till you reach the juicy bits of the story, the wait is worth your time.

In some ways the developers could have been more courageous concerning innovations, because beside graphics and new arranged score there is not much really new stuff. But playing it safe is fine, because with that Super Mario RPG is a beautiful looking role playing game with a great mixture of round based combat and action elements.

Block, parry, cut through demons: DOOM: The Dark Ages is a great addition to the cult series, taking the action to a new level without forgetting the series' roots. Anyone who enjoys challenging shooters with a ton of style and options will get their money's worth here. An absolute must-have for fans and newcomers alike.

Subnautica: Below Zero is an excellent game, held back mostly by the inevitable comparison to its groundbreaking predecessor. This sequel doesn’t change much but deepens the focus on storytelling combined with above-water exploration. This is no doubt one of the best survival games I’ve ever played, which is why I would have loved to see more of it, more vehicles, an even more ambitious story with actual NPCs and a world that didn’t feel so familiar after playing the previous game. Either way, this is an absolute must-play for any fan of the original and a good starting point for anyone who found Subnautica’s pacing too slow.

More than just an expansion with interesting mechanics and wonderful additions to the sprawling lore of Total War: Warhammer 3, the newly released Thrones of Decay shows a willingness from Creative Assembly to listen to fans and learn from past mistakes. Both paid and free additions and changes show the vast potential of this game and that we still haven’t seen all the franchise has to offer.

Fast paced Musou battles combined with the typical Persona 5 elements take you on a wild, stylish ride. Perfect for everyone who found P5 too lengthy. Strikers is cool, fast, and a little shambolic.

Splatoon 3 still lives from its unique gameplay mechanics that had been just slightly extended. Five years after Splatoon 2 there are mostly minor enhancements concerning gameplay and technically. Too little for reaching a new series' climax, but enough for Splatton 3 to maintain the high class of its predecessor.

Marathon is polarizing. On one hand you have some of the best aspects that the FPS genre has to offer. Fantastic feeling guns, absolutely smooth movement and distinct but mostly balanced characters. It is just a joy to play. Marathon also offers more story and lore than most other competitors which can easily be skipped as well. It offers so much if you are willing to take the time to learn all the ins and outs. Because on the negative side Marathon also offers barely any help if you want to learn all of the mechanics it has to offer. You either have to have outside help or invest a ton of time. It is a game that isn’t too inviting to newcomers but that is something that is perfectly fine if you are in for the ride.

Battlefield 6 marks a true return to form for the series. Battlefield Studios successfully blends classic large-scale warfare with modern refinements, delivering intense battles, impressive visuals, and a satisfying sense of chaos. While the campaign is short and the weapon balance still needs fine-tuning, the foundation for a lasting comeback is solid. Not flawless, but definitely the "Battlefield"-experience fans have been waiting for.

Anno 1800: Console Edition brings the successful city builder to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X. Ubisoft did a great job, adapting gameplay and controls to this new environment. "Anno 1800" works surprisingly well with a gamepad.

Story, setting and main characters are still engaging. The fighting system is faster and more handy than in the original. And there are also some new quests and enemies that insert seamlessly into the game. Concurrently the weak points basically remain the same including too much there and back together with much better, but still behind the times, graphics. But overall, there are more good reasons to (re-)visit NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... than against.

If you have never played a Visual Novel and were always curious about the genre then PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse and its predecessor are as good a place as any to start. Combining a fantastic cast of lovable characters with a grounded but very paranormal story is a joy to play through. Added on top are great visuals and a lovely soundtrack. Smaller issues with the controls for controllers or sometimes greatly exaggerated sound effects hamper the fun only very slightly.

Two point campus let you build the school campus you ever dreamed of. With knights, wizards or mad scientists as students and you ll face a lot of different settings and challenges. Everything quite nicely balanced so its fun to discover the crazy campuses the devs came up with.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a beautifully crafted and atmospheric Metroidvania that rewards exploration, patience, and skill. Its strong visual style, fair challenge, and smart progression systems make it a standout indie title. Fans of Hollow Knight: Silksong in particular will find a compelling and memorable sci-fi adventure here.

Stray struggles to leave the high expectations this game has built up over the last 7 years behind. The feline adventure through the suburban jungle is enticing in a lot of ways, but stumbles occasionally with its uncanny-valley protagonist and a slightly generic story. The highlight is the atmosphere it can build as players jump between rooftops lead by neon signs towards the goal of climbing out into freedom. Stray is well-worth playing, but won’t blow anyone’s mind in the process.

The Switch 2 version of Kirby and the Forgotten Land benefits from its refined graphics including the now stable (and higher) framerate. The Star-Crossed World expansion delivers twelve high quality levels and a demanding boss fight with around three to four hours of additional gameplay. If you have not played it yet, this is your best chance to catch up with this lovely feel good 3D platformer.

Age of Mythology: Retold not only lets a game that was already extremely fun at the time shine with a largely contemporary look, but also adds many useful improvements, most notably the multiple-use god powers, the villager priority system, significantly more accessibility options and a really well thought-out controller layout. All this is flanked by thoughtful balancing adjustments, tons of quality-of-life additions, cross-play, mod support and a map editor.

Triangle Strategy delivers a great tactical combat system that's as complex in a pleasant way as it is fun. The twisty, decision based storyline is interesting and makes the game feel more immersive. But on the other hand, it could have been more summarized, because the amount of time you'll spend on story sequences (if you don't skip it) is just too high related to the the time you'll spent on the battlefields.

Starfield may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to Bethesda’s formula for role-playing games, but it cleverly combines the best elements of past games in a very appealing sci-fi setting. The highlights are no doubt the many well-written and well-designed quests that you’ll encounter throughout your journey through the settled systems. No matter what appeals to you as a player, be it nail-biting gunfights, the quiet construction of your own base or the thrills of laser-dodging dye dogfighting, Starfield has hours upon hours of content for you to lose yourself in.

In virtual reality, the diorama concept works amazingly well - and one wonders why this perspective isn't used in many more VR games.

No matter if you are a longtime fan of the franchise or if this is your first time, we highly recommend "True Colors" to anybody who appreciates great stories (with some twists) and well-written characters. Don't miss this one.

With Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot Camp both GBA classics remain great turn-based strategy games that are complex and accessible. The scope is also greatly motivating and amazing with at least 45 hours only for the two solo campaigns. The presentation is nice, but cheap, but does not change anything about the gaming fun you'll have, even if you're not a fan of the genre.

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 sets a new standards not only for games set in the 41st Millennia, but also for horde based shooters. The innovative combat system that cleverly builds upon the foundation of the 13 years old predecessor shows incredible depth when mixing different weapon styles. Together with an entertaining, albeit narratively shallow campaign and a wealth of customization for co-op players, this game is every Warhammer 40k fans dream come true.

If you wanted to know how the future of the Pokémon series could look, play and feel, you will find the answer in Pokémon Legends Arceus. It is a modern 3D action RPG with open and free deployment areas, immersive real-time catching, active stealth mechanic and seamless gameplay even between exploring and combat. Arceus feels fresh and great in nearly any aspect. And don't be afraid as a fan: Game Freak simultaneously succeeds in brilliantly retaining the core elements of Pokémon games.

Helldivers 2 is an excellent co-op shooter, that sadly doesn't really build on its predecessor and instead puts a lot of the original content on a live-service road map. While the core gameplay is among the best of the genre, corporate greed ironically has sunken its claws deep into Super-Earth and the premium battle pass hides some of the most fun weapons and powerful armour behind a paywall, with more to come in the future.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has already been a great game at its release in 2020, but with the free update to version 3.0 it's even better. Including 12 instead of 8 players online, little better graphics and shorter loading times the Switch 2 has a small extra plus over the also updated Switch 1.

A successfully pimped up classic with a speed boost that may appear a little too modern for retro fans and a little too old-fashioned for contemporary players. Nevertheless, the short story structure, fantastic soundtrack, and meaningful gameplay innovations are sure to impress.