MIO: Memories in Orbit is an outstanding metroidvania that easily stands alongside genre giants like Ori and the Blind Forest and Hollow Knight. Its watercolor visuals and captivating, vibrant world full of hazards and secrets kept me glued to the screen for dozens of hours without a single dull moment. The only minor drawback lies in the less engaging classic combat encounters during exploration, though this can be somewhat mitigated through settings.

Cairn is a first-rate climbing simulator that goes far beyond its genre. It captivates with its environment and vistas, soothes with its melodic tones, moves with stories grounded in basic human experiences, prompts reflection on one’s own motivation, and rewards effort of any kind: Significant or small. A profound experience that lingers long after playing, and even when the summit is reached, its repeated call continues to resonate within.

Nioh 3 is not without flaws: It could be more expansive, offer a wider variety of weapons, and feature a more diverse bestiary. Even so, it stands as the most entertaining soulslike since Elden Ring. The ability to switch between samurai and ninja adds new depth to combat, while the option to tailor a fighting style to personal preference works exceptionally well. The thoughtfully designed open world encourages exploration without compromising the game’s tough but fair difficulty. For fans of the series and the genre alike, it represents a clear high point of the trilogy.

Mewgenics is a tactical RPG that only appears cute on the surface, hiding beneath its layer of meows an unprecedentedly deep, brutally addictive, and creatively unrestrained system that rewards experimentation, tolerates failure, and joyfully breaks its own rules. It offers an almost endless number of combinations, constant surprises, and the sense of playing something that refuses to repeat itself or pander. It can easily consume hundreds of hours without ever feeling exhausted or self-indulgent, while confidently pushing the entire genre forward. If a modern gold standard for tactical roguelite RPGs exists, its name is Mewgenics.

Terminator 2D: NO FATE is an honest excursion into the nineties, which does not deny the short footage, repetitive structure or uncompromising difficulty, but balances all this with a genuine love for the golden era of action films and games. Bitmap Bureau, with respect for the original, serves up a brisk, imaginative and surprisingly atmospheric retro arcade that not only evokes nostalgia from the Terminator, but also offers solid gameplay and several pleasant ideas. If you enjoy the smell of the nineties, brutal fights and beautiful pixel art, Terminator 2D works as a great nostalgic ride.

Tormented Souls 2 builds on nostalgia for classic survival horror with tank controls. It succeeds in creating a strong atmosphere despite overwrought dialogue and poorly executed animations in the story cutscenes. It will primarily satisfy fans of B-movie horror, as well as those who once trembled through the early Resident Evil games. Some may even forgive the missteps in combat difficulty tuning, as high-quality puzzles and well-designed levels ultimately reward those who persevere.

Sacred 2 Remaster is a textbook example of how a remaster should not be made. The result feels like half-finished work that not only fails to deliver any meaningful improvements, but is in many respects even worse than the original game. Technical issues, unattractive visuals, an outdated combat system, and poor optimization undermine even the few elements that might have worked. Sacred 2 was once a likeable action RPG with an original world, but the remaster turns it into little more than a relic of the past that should never have been revived. Those struck by nostalgia are far better off returning to the original game with community patches. It will be a much more rewarding experience.

Wreckreation is a hybrid of Burnout and Trackmania, but it falls well short of the qualities of either. The driving model is initially punishing in an unengaging way, and once it finally begins to make sense, it becomes clear that the game itself is largely empty and expects players to create their own fun. And that simply is not fun. The dream of a true Burnout successor therefore remains unfulfilled even 17 years after the last entry, as Wreckreation fails to deliver it.

Syberia returns after 23 years and shines only in part. The world of automatons looks wonderful in its new visuals, and the story remains faithful to the original. If nothing else had been changed, this would have been a dream come true. Unfortunately, the developers could not resist altering certain systems in illogical ways, seemingly neglected proper testing, and outright undermined their own work by leaving several sections in the original visuals, which completely breaks the carefully built immersion. The result is a game that is ultimately neither for newcomers nor for veterans, although the latter may manage to enjoy it through nostalgia, squinting past the flaws, and gritting their teeth.

Mysteria Ecclesiae serves as a dignified final chapter to Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It offers a tightly focused story about faith and guilt that draws the player in and holds attention until the very end. The Sedlec Monastery captivates with its atmosphere and perfectly complements the melancholic tone of Jindřich’s farewell. Mysteria Ecclesiae does not strive for grandeur, but for beauty in the details, and in that, it truly succeeds.

Dispatch, the superhero title from AdHoc, builds on the early roots of Telltale and delivers one of the finest games in its genre. It features an excellent story that blends humor, action, and interpersonal drama. Choices are not merely cosmetic and genuinely alter the course of scenes and even the characters who appear in them. Thanks to engaging hacking mechanics and, above all, the core simulation of a superhero dispatcher, it also plays well and never feels like just a movie with the occasional dialogue option. Superb voice acting and music are simply the icing on the cake.

Escape from Tarkov offers a unique and extremely intense gameplay experience driven by its atmosphere and the constant tension of every shootout. However, this potentially outstanding experience is systematically undermined by a catastrophic technical state, unstable servers, cheaters, and a design that too often confuses “hardcore” with outright hostility toward the player. The result is a game that comes close to legendary status more because of its reputation than the actual quality of its 1.0 version.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 delivers a finely tuned multiplayer and a solid Zombies mode, but is dragged down by one of the weakest campaigns in the history of the series. The evolution of movement, perks, and shared progression is welcome, yet the futuristic setting diminishes the cinematic atmosphere, and the cooperative campaign fails both narratively and in terms of design. The result is a highly uneven entry that excels in PvP but disappoints everywhere else.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a meticulously crafted sequel with a fantastic soundtrack, excellent boss fights, and impressive enclosed locations that prove Retro Studios has not lost its craftsmanship. However, just as strongly as the game can amaze, it can also disappoint: the open desert with the motorcycle stretches the pacing in an unwelcome way, backtracking feels more exhausting than it used to, and after a seventeen-year wait, the amount of new ideas is noticeably smaller than the series deserves. Beyond therefore remains most appealing to long-time fans.

A massive, expansive, and highly distinctive expansion for Crusader Kings III. Though it occasionally suffers from the developers’ overambition, it significantly enriches the base game and offers a truly unique experience set in East Asia.

Escape from Duckov isn’t just a funny parody, nor is it a true hardcore extraction shooter, as it sits somewhere in between. It’s fun, but also a bit repetitive, sometimes overly random, and could use deeper mechanics. In the end, though, it remains an entertaining game that even those who dislike being shot at by real players can thoroughly enjoy.

Football Manager 26 is a disaster few could have imagined. An overwhelming number of bugs combined with a downright atrocious user interface turns this supposed new beginning into a barely playable mess. Amid the chaos, there are brilliant and irreplaceable innovations that make returning to previous installments unthinkable – which only makes the whole thing all the more tragic.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment delivers a stylish, action-packed spectacle that proves even a Zelda spin-off can offer a full-fledged experience. Koei Tecmo successfully combines massive battles, a surprisingly strong narrative, and well-crafted gameplay systems into a game that rewards every button press with a rush of dopamine. While some repetition inevitably sets in and the base difficulty could be higher, it remains an entertaining and technically polished title that will satisfy both Zelda fans and lovers of pure, unfiltered action.

Europa Universalis V has a bright future ahead and the potential to become the ruler of grand strategy games. Its complexity serves as both its greatest challenge and its strongest asset. It’s unlikely to win over newcomers to the genre, but devoted map painters will undoubtedly fall in love with it. This is Paradox Interactive’s most ambitious project to date, and if the studio maintains its long-term support, it will stand without equal.

A highly competent return to the era when action games were fast, precise, and demanding without constantly reminding how hard they were. More importantly, it recalls a time when such games were still plentiful. Ninja Gaiden 4 is an excellent title for fans of the genre, though a few shortcomings may keep others at bay.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings a fresh, action-oriented take on the series, breathing new life into the world of Kalos with dynamic real-time battles. Lumiose City feels alive, a richly explorable environment full of secrets and meaningful interactions. While the game occasionally stumbles over minor technical issues and slight control imprecision, it ultimately delivers a captivating and thoroughly enjoyable spin-off.

The Outer Worlds 2 is a textbook example of a sequel that loses what once made the original compelling. Obsidian drowns in its own satire, trading sharp wit for an endless barrage of shallow quips about evil capitalism and bad fascism. The story feels dull, the world lifeless, and the technical side lags behind by at least two generations. What remains enjoyable is the brisk action, satisfying gunplay, solid soundtrack, and creative character progression.

ARC Raiders is an unexpected triumph of the extraction genre, combining breathtaking audiovisual design with accessible and captivating gameplay. Embark Studios has created a world that not only dazzles visually but also surprises with the warmth of its community. With a well-thought-out progression system, meaningful expeditions, excellent map design, and impressive sound work, it’s a game that entertains far beyond the usual limits of its genre. Despite minor shortcomings in weapon variety and occasional confusion in the loot system, ARC Raiders stands as proof that an extraction shooter can be welcoming, stylish, and exceptionally fun.

Anno 117: Pax Romana sends the city-building series into the Roman era with elegance, meticulous attention to detail, and stunning audiovisual design. The captivating rhythm of construction is only occasionally disrupted by technical issues and overly aggressive AI. Even so, it stands as a worthy successor – one that makes it easy to lose track of time.

Jotunnslayer is, first and foremost, perhaps the most visually striking Vampire Survivors clone, set against an appealing Nordic backdrop. Unfortunately, the game as a whole lacks the polish it deserves. Individual abilities are so powerful that they rarely demand strategic thought. Still, the title guides players through worlds that differ mechanically and feature engaging boss encounters. Once these worlds are completed, however, the experience loses momentum, as the endless mode barely functions.

A worthy successor to the delightfully unexpected detective hit Strange Horticulture. It boasts excellent writing, a strong audiovisual identity, a generous variety of puzzle types and a wonderfully bizarre catalogue of curious items. For the next installment, the narrative could use a more confident structure, a slightly shorter runtime would likely strengthen the pacing, and one unnecessary minigame should have been left on the cutting-room floor. Still, for anyone who delights in inventive deduction, and reading both between and beyond the lines, this is an adventure worth entertaining.

The blue hedgehog returns in full force with a hefty stack of aces up its sleeve. A generous selection of tracks, seamless world-to-world transitions mid-race, an energetic soundtrack, and a roster of familiar faces make for a highly enjoyable casual racing experience, while a solid pool of mechanics ensures that the competitive online component more than holds its own. With entertaining on-track boosts and weapons, plus the option to tailor driving style to personal preference, the result ranks among the best arcade racers available today, regardless of prior affinity for Sonic as a franchise.

It’s clear that Deep Rock Galactic managed to transfer its charisma even into this genre detour. Survivor, however, achieves far more than a simple spin-off. Beneath the familiar façade of space dwarves lies a cleverly designed game unafraid to demand precision and persistence. A well-built progression system and meaningful upgrades make it strikingly hard to put down. Forget the vampires: the age of stone and rubble has arrived. The king is dead; long live the king.