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.

Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 serve as proof that true classics never age, while the gameplay, creativity and charm of both titles remain fully intact. The port runs smoothly, benefits greatly from 4K resolution and the controls translate surprisingly well. However, it is ultimately just a visual polish without any meaningful improvements, which makes the steep price feel a bit too self-assured.

The fact that EA Sports FC 26 remains the best football game on the market says more about the state of the competition than about the game itself. Nothing substantial has changed this year: old issues persist, and the systems that worked before still work reasonably well. In the end, it feels less like a triumph and more like a quiet acceptance of whatever the hegemon chooses to serve.

A moody return to a world shaped by childhood nightmares. Although the pacing occasionally dips due to less imaginative puzzles and some repetitive design choices, the experience still delivers an unsettling, wordless kind of storytelling that gets under the skin. It offers exactly what long-time fans of the series expect: another dark fable unafraid to be uncomfortable, both in themes and the way it plays.

Battlefield 6 delivers exactly what it set out to do: a polished, accessible, and satisfying modern military shooter aimed squarely at a mainstream audience. By steering clear of the pop-culture mashup trend currently engulfing many long-running shooters, it preserves a more grounded sense of identity. However, the experience is still held back by a lackluster campaign and the noticeable absence of truly large-scale maps that once defined the series.

Once Upon a Katamari is a delightfully bizarre and captivating experience that thrives on absurdity. Rolling up everything from dancing cockroaches and mermaids to entire ships or orcas creates a strangely hypnotic rhythm that grows more satisfying over time. For completionists, it serves as a treasure trove of challenges and oddities; for others, it offers a blend of laughter, bewilderment, and gentle confusion. It may not resonate with everyone, but its unapologetically eccentric charm is precisely what makes it special – every piece of joyful madness eventually finds its devoted audience.

Absolum is a fantastic fusion of a 90s-style beat 'em up and roguelite mechanics. The story drags a bit, but the gameplay loop will keep you hooked for dozens of hours before you even notice. A wide roster of playable characters and the option to tackle the run in co-op make the whole experience downright irresistible, and the soundtrack easily rivals the best of the year. Another hidden gem of 2025.

A meditative, visually enchanting adventure that draws you into a surreal world brought to life through a lonely lighthouse and its avian companion. It thrives on gentle exploration, interaction through light, and a softly implied narrative, with each location unfolding like a living work of art. While the puzzles are simple and the fixed camera can occasionally hinder navigation, these small shortcomings never overshadow its unique atmosphere and poetic charm.

An unexpected blend of modern vampire drama and noir detective fiction. The combat is serviceable, but any excitement it offers gets buried under repetitive city wandering and dull quest design. Bloodlines 2 isn’t the catastrophic failure some feared, yet it falls far short of the legend many had been waiting for.

Lego Voyagers is a charming co-op adventure that builds a surprisingly moving experience out of simple mechanics and a wordless story. While the camera and a few frustrating jumps can break the flow, and the playtime may feel a bit too short, the result is a compact, intense experience that shines brightest with two players sharing one couch. Light Brick Studio once again proves that even small bricks can carry big emotions.

Borderlands has found its identity again with the latest installment. The humor has been toned down, but the sheer fun of the gameplay has taken its place. The story could be stronger, though it’s far from the lows of the third entry, and the open world would benefit from more varied activities. On the other hand, it serves its purpose well as a playground for hunting top-tier loot, cosmetic trinkets, and mountains of gear. With every hour, I had more fun, and in the end, I’m left with the feeling that the series is finally back on the right track.

Kyle Crane is back – and so is his darker self. What started as a planned expansion has grown into a full-fledged game, offering more brutal action and a more appealing setting. Unfortunately, it’s once again packed with recycled activities and an utterly unnecessary story. Fans of the first game will find plenty to enjoy, with dozens of hours of content to sink into, but it still feels like something essential is missing – and something unnecessary is weighing it down.

Hades II is a worthy successor to a modern legend – bigger, darker, and more complex than its predecessor. It may not reach the absolute flawlessness of the first game, but still stands as one of the most remarkable roguelites in recent years, once again cementing Supergiant Games’ place atop the gaming Olympus.

Thrilling combat, captivating sound, and a breathtaking art style—these alone make Ghost of Yōtei well worth experiencing. The rest of the game, however, is harder to praise without reservations, and next time the developers would do well to embrace more experiments, rework the climbing segments, and bring in new writers.

Silent Hill f takes a bold step outside the titular town without losing its way, proving that the series can preserve its identity even on another continent. The powerful, symbolism-laden story of high school student Hinako, the fantastic monster design, and the chilling atmosphere elevated by top-notch sound and music rank among the very best the franchise has ever offered.

Hollow Knight: Silksong proves that patience pays off. Although not revolutionary, it managed to distill the very best of the metroidvania genre into an experience that will take your breath away. A beautiful world, cleverly designed challenges, and uncompromising difficulty make for an adventure you won’t soon forget. The wait was worth it.

The remake of The House of the Dead 2 isn’t outright broken and still delivers a nostalgic ride of on-rails shooting that’s all but vanished today. Its biggest issue, however, is that most of the new additions make the game worse rather than better, be it the gamepad controls, changes to the hitboxes, or the atrocious voice acting.

Originally a solo project by Yang Bing, this game has grown over the years into something far larger. So large, in fact, that it now buckles under its own weight. While the combat system is often fun and brings a few neat ideas, it can’t make up for the muddled story, dull setting, uneven pacing, and generic execution. The result is a title that doesn’t warrant outright dismissal, but still falls well short of true satisfaction.

The debut from Iceland doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel of the action-adventure genre. Instead, it looks back, stripping away modern hybridizations and leaning on the classic pillars of platforming, puzzles, and combat. None of these elements stand out as exceptional, but none fall flat either. Its true strength lies in a heartfelt story, a likable duo of protagonists who grow over the course of their journey, and the stunning Icelandic landscapes that bring flavor to an otherwise grounded fantasy. With a runtime of around ten hours, it never outstays its welcome, even if it’s a game you’ll likely forget soon after finishing.

Titanic Scion is riddled with flaws, from its empty open world to a story weighed down by anime clichés, but its heart lies in the superb building and fine-tuning of mech suits. The boss battles deliver thrilling action, and its B-movie stylization ultimately feels more like charm than weakness. If you can tune into its over-the-top anime wavelength, it rewards you with heaps of fun and plenty of room for experimentation.