The worst thing about Adorable Adventures is its title: yes, it does indeed offer an adorable adventure, but it's far more than that. This heart-warming journey sees a young boar reunite with his mother and siblings after a forest fire, and thanks to meaningful gameplay and gorgeous visuals, it's an utter joy to play.

It's very short but oh-so-sweet: Duck Side of the Moon is a cosy adventure about repairing your ship after crash-landing on a rocky planet, and it'll warm your heart. It's just a shame that it's done with in only a few hours.

This console port of Lovecraftian adventure game The Shore fails to impress for various reasons. But ultimately, it's brought down by the fact that its story isn't particularly cohesive and its gameplay is unrewarding and clunky.

The Last Cat in the Universe is a short tale about mining for resources to provide for the titular feline. It occasionally get a little tedious, but its heart-wrenching story will make you want to hug your cat. Then all the cats.

There's a fast-paced, fun and accessible combat system at the heart of Invincible VS, but it's let down by a lack of modes. It's disappointing that its Story Mode comes to an abrupt end, too. Still, you'll get plenty of enjoyment out of it if you're a fan of the franchise.

Bus Bound is one of the most accessible bus simulators out there, expecting you to drive with care but not bogging you down with too many intricacies. It works both for and against it: this will be enjoyable for many, but a lack of depth means that it soon becomes quite repetitive. Still, it's worth a look, especially with its budget price.

A cosy and intriguing sim game that you won't be able to put down, seeing your store in The Last Gas Station come together is wonderfully rewarding. Add in the game's mysterious storyline and its beautiful pixelated graphics, and you've got something rather special.

Thanks to a new rider-based handling model, the racing action found in MotoGP 26 both looks and feels better than ever. There are some welcome improvements to its Career mode, too, though there's nothing all that drastic. Ultimately, this is an evolution rather than a revolution.

Aphelion may not impress all that much on the gameplay front, with its traversal and stealth sections sometimes marred by its clunky controls, but its story and presentation pick up the slack, making it an enjoyable trek across an alien planet on the whole.

The Spell Brigade doesn't do anything wrong, but it also doesn't do anything to make itself stand out in a sea of survivors-like games. Its gameplay isn't all that exciting, its art and sound design is ho-hum, and any meaningful upgrades take far too long to unlock. There are plenty of other games in the genre that are far more rewarding to play.

Free of challenge and peril, Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth is a cosy hug of a game; the type of thing you play when you need to destress and escape into a new world. Whether or not you're an existing Moomin fan, you can enjoy this wonderful adventure, filled with quests, exploration and collecting. A truly beautiful game no matter your age.

Making your own pots in Kiln using the ever-growing range of options is delightful, truly allowing you to express yourself. And it's fun to take your pots into battle too, at least for a while. With just one match type currently available, Quench, things can soon get a little repetitive.

Housemarque is back with yet another fantastic fast-paced third person shooter. Saros builds on Returnal, delivering deeper and more enjoyable gameplay, as well as a new permanent progression system and modifiers which allow you to tweak the difficulty to your preferences. All in all, it's Housemarque's best game yet.

Mixing together adventure, stealth and a gripping narrative makes Tides of Tomorrow a very intriguing prospect indeed. It's just a shame that its novel 'online story-link' mechanic isn't as enjoyable as it should be, leaving you feeling like you're existing in someone else's shadow rather than carving out your own path through this unique world.

Jay and Silent Bob are back in another side-scrolling beat 'em up. Though while Chronic Blunt Punch looks absolutely fantastic and is genuinely humorous at times, its gameplay lets it down.

Vampire Crawlers is a weird spin-off, as it has almost nothing to do with Vampire Survivors other than it exists in the same world and contains the same characters and items. And yet somehow, this fast-paced dungeon crawler manages to be just as moreish as the game it is derived from.

It's too short to pack a real emotional punch, but The Day I Became a Bird is a cute, whimsical story about a schoolboy and his crush. Varied gameplay and fun little activities keep you playing, and the gorgeous art style makes it a worthwhile experience, but you'll likely be left wanting more.

Making use of a 1930s cartoon aesthetic, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is absolutely brimming with character and personality. It looks incredible, and it plays well too: this is a fun (if casual) first-person shooter that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

While there are many games based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss stands out thanks to its focus on you conducting an investigation. With some genuinely tough puzzles to solve, it's just a shame that one or two are more frustrating than they are fun, and that there are numerous technical issues to deal with too.

As its name suggests, Find My Frogs is a game about, well, finding frogs. And gnomes, and insects, and other bits and bobs. With a gorgeous art style, this is a seriously pretty and relaxing hidden object game that's well worth its discount asking price.

If you’re a roguelike fan, Hades II is a no-brainer. With a compelling gameplay loop, beautiful visuals and a fantastic, fully-voiced narrative to enjoy, it’s the gold standard of roguelike action games, and one that you’ll find yourself going back to time and time again. It’s been worth the wait to get the game on home consoles, and enjoying it on a big screen is undoubtedly the best way to play.

Despite the odd bit of patchy voice acting, Hacked: The Streamer weaves a tense, engaging FMV tale that will keep you hooked.

It's beautifully presented, and the puzzle of packing boxes is mildly satisfying. But A Storied Life: Tabitha lets itself down in its storytelling, which is little more than a messy headache of ideas. If you were hoping for something to rival Unpacking, this isn't it.

Capcom has taken a gamble with Pragmata, blending together multiple genres to create something that feels fresh and unique. At the heart of it is hacking-infused third-person shooter combat, which remains engaging and exciting throughout. And when paired with a story that tugs on the heartstrings, the result is something rather special. Ultimately, Pragmata is not only game of the year material, but also one of the most exciting new IPs in recent years.

Asteroids 69 is a consistently fun Asteroids remake, capturing what made the original great but offering enough in the way of variety to challenge newcomers and hardcore players.

With its terrible voice acting and some minor gameplay issues, Dragonkin: The Banished isn't a faultless experience. As far as action RPGs in the vein of Diablo go though, it's one of the best there is, with a fantastic skill system and enjoyable city development.

A turn-based RPG with a unique presentation, People of Note not only looks fabulous but it's a joy to play, too. It mixes together traditional RPG elements with puzzles and music to make a game that isn't afraid to be different.

Taking on the role of a paranormal investigator, The Occultist gives you multiple unique abilities to make use of as you explore areas and solve an assortment of puzzles. It's a bit rough around the edges, but fans of narrative driven supernatual adventures will likely get plenty of enjoyment out of it.

Who knew that combining Scrabble with Balatro would be so compelling? It's a crossover that works so well, and if you're a word game fan, consider Beyond Words an absolute must-play.

Zelda meets Dark Souls, Tombwater is a fantastic action adventure set in a Lovecraftian reimagining of the Wild West. Tricky combat is king here, but thanks to difficulty options you can choose to focus on exploring the rich world around you and uncovering its secrets. This is a real hidden gem, and one that really should be on any action-adventure fan's radar.

Now available on consoles, Go Home Annie: An SCP Game benefits from additional polish and a newly added content. Its stealth sequences are less than stellar thanks to its basic mechanics, however, and some puzzles can frustrate.

It should be fun playing a game that puts players in control of Raziel and Kain one more time, but this 2D action adventure wastes the opportunity. Legacy of Kain: Ascendance has an intriguing story which is accompanied by good voice acting and a solid soundtrack, but its gameplay is repetitive and often downright messy.

Darwin's Paradox is a brief but enjoyable 2.5D platforming adventure which also incorporates stealth and some light puzzling. It has some minor issues, such as dubious checkpointing in places, but Darwin's undeniable charm will ultimately win you over.

A fitting end to Max and Chloe's story, it's a real joy to have these two iconic characters back together again. While the story, revolving around Caledon University and Abraxas, might not be quite as gripping as it should be, this is still a very strong entry into the series, with brilliant visuals, stellar voice acting, and a great mixture of puzzle-solving, evidence-hunting and exploration.

Marvel MaXimum Collection has the usual features to make it more attractive to retro fans such as save states and rewind, as well as a music player and an archive. It's just a shame that the games included generally aren't all that fun to play.

Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers isn't as rewarding to play as, say, Streets of Rage 4, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. Inconsistent visuals and a poorly localised story will be the biggest gripes with the game for some.

It might not offer up anything particularly new or exciting, but Ariana and the Elder Codex is a solid metroidvania adventure game with an enjoyable narrative. Multiple difficulty levels make this readily accessible too, so this combat-heavy romp never needs to feel too challenging.

One of the best survivors-like games currently available, Grind Survivors sets itself apart with a persistent weapon mechanic. Meaningful upgrades, excellent visuals and silky-smooth action all help to make this a game you're not going to want to put down.

A cute and enjoyable puzzle game about organising suitcases and following a number of rules, Pakinpaks is a must-play for fans of the likes of A Little to the Left – with a bit of Resident Evil-style inventory management thrown in.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection bundles up a whole series of action-RPGs and adds some valuable extras and enhancements. But while exisiting fans and those who love the Battle Network series will likely lap it up, newcomers might find it all a little too dated.

A short but utterly compelling detective game that has you searching through a retro Wiki-style website, Lost Wiki: Kozlovka is mysterious, intriguing and delightful. Considering this is largely the work of a solo developer, any puzzle game fan should consider this a must-play.

Screamer looks great and has some neat ideas. But this anime-inspired arcade racer is let down by inconsistent and unbalanced competitor AI and controls that can often feel overcomplicated for the sake of it.

It has some minor issues that might frustrate some, as well as some elements that feel a little underbaked, but Project Songbird is an engaging narrative-driven survival horror experience on the whole. If you like the idea of Firewatch crossed with Silent Hill, you should give it a try.

Hatsune Miku and picross might seem like an odd combination, but it works. It's a shame that music feels like an afterthought here, but as far as picross games go, this is one of the best you can get on PlayStation.

Being a yearly franchise, WWE 2K26 features the usual assortment of tweaks and upgrades to its many modes, and combined with its enhanced gameplay it makes for the most authentic wrestling experience yet. It's somewhat ruined, however, by a new Ringside Pass system that forces players to grind to unlock content. Unless they're willing to pay real money for tier skips, of course.

With a lengthy campaign offering plenty of high-octane racing action across a variety of events, Trail Out is easy to recommend to arcade racing games fans who are also fond of a little destruction. It has some technical issues that pull it down a little, and there's no online multiplayer, but if you can live with those things, you'll have an absolute blast.

As beautiful as it is enjoyable, The Artisan of Glimmith is a relaxing puzzle game about arranging shapes to complete stained glass windows. With a wealth of puzzle types and different difficulties, this is a joy to play for anyone who likes to while away the hours solving classic puzzles.

Don't Mess With Bober has a humorous premise, but its gameplay isn't all that enjoyable with stealth sections that ultimately rely on trial on error. It's also very, very short.

Gameplay-wise, there's not much here to win over those who aren't already fans of this Monster Hunter spin-off series, but thanks to numerous gameplay enhancements, a more mature story and full voice acting, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is undoubtedly a cut above its predecessors.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake successfully builds on the original game, adding new mechanics that enhance the gameplay and more. It's just a shame that its inventive camera-based combat can be frustrating at times, and its stealth sections can feel a little trial and error.

Very short but powerfully sweet, Pieced Together is a cosy scrapbooking game that reminisces over the course of a childhood friendship. It's not only fun to play, but a powerful reminder of how precious childhood friends can be.

It's very short, with a running time of just under two hours, but Portrait of a Torn has a dark and engaging story to unravel. Some minor issues such as dialogue not lining up with text bring it down a little.

Lana finds herself in yet more trouble in Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf, a game which proves to be a bigger, bolder sequel with more gameplay variety. Needless to say, it's a must-play for fans of the first game.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered gives a classic game a solid makeover in terms of visuals and performance, and also offers fans the chance to indulge themselves in some lost levels and more. The gameplay at the heart of the experience hasn't stood the test of time very well, though.

Scott Pilgrim is back, and this time he needs to work with his enemies to save the world. Scott Pilgrim EX looks great, has a wonderful soundtrack and is a joy to play thanks to its enjoyable combat. It's just a shame it has no modes beyond its main adventure.

A roguelike Metroidvania about a witch and a magical hat, Never Grave is beautiful to look at and a joy to play thanks to silky-smooth combat and traversal. It's just a shame that making progress can feel too much like an uphill battle.

Tales of Berseria Remastered takes an already great JRPG, tidies up its visuals, and adds some welcome quality of life features. It's the fact that it also includes most of the game's DLC and brings it to more formats that should make it particularly appealing though, especially to newcomers.

It may not adhere strictly to canon but Reigns: The Witcher is an endlessly entertaining new way to experience the Geraltoverse. Just don't be surprised when death comes for you again, and again, and again.

With its dual-protagonist setup, Resident Evil Requiem caters to both those who love traditional survival horror as well as action horror. Throw in a fantastic range of truly terrifying enemies, including zombies that feel freakier than ever thanks to their unique behaviours, and you have one of the best Resident Evil games yet, especially for those who can appreciate both of its distinct gameplay styles.

Letting players take control of a young Kratos, God of War Sons of Sparta is a retro-styled 2D Metroidvania that offers a large, interconnected world to explore. It's both engaging and rewarding to do so, too, though repetitive combat that can feel a little scrappy brings the experience down somewhat.

Reminiscent of Link to the Past but with enough charm and ingenuity to boldly stand out, Under the Island is a gorgeous and imaginative action-adventure that tasks you with saving your home island. It's utterly joyous, and even the odd spike in combat difficulty isn't enough to spoil your fun.

It's short, and rather basic in terms of features, but Aerial_Knight's DropShot gameplay loop of shooting enemies with a finger gun as you fall out of a plane is fun while it lasts.

It may be let down by its lack of original sountrack and the fact that four of the five games here are practically identical. But the museum content makes Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition a worthwhile purchase for fans – and there's no denying that Rayman still stands the test of time as one of the best platformers from the 90s.

Paranormasight is back, and The Mermaid's Curse has another supernatural tale to tell that's full of twists, turns and horrifying events. The non-linear format here makes piecing together the story ever so rewarding, and once again it's a title that's not afraid of breaking the fourth wall to great effect.

Styx, the Master of Stealth, is back, and in his latest adventure he has more freedom than ever as he hunts down valuable Quartz. The openness of the levels is perhaps the highlight of Styx: Blades of Greed, though the new tools and skills available to Styx are also welcome. It's just a shame there are no maps to help with your navigation, and the combat remains something that will frustrate.

With no overly complex mechanics, Stormbridge feels like a more accessible city building game than most. But with a storm that's constantly brewing and set to repeatedly undo your hard work, it's a challenging game to beat. The roguelike nature may get a bit too tiresome and repetitive for some, but there's still a lot to like if you're a fan of growing settlements and working against the odds.

While it lacks online multiplayer, you might want to pick up Gear.Club Unlimited 3 if you like the idea of developing your HQ in Japan, competing in races to unlock new features and put together an impressive garage of cars. You'll have to put up with a handling model that isn't all that impressive, however, and some will rue the lack of assist and difficulty options.

Inspired by German folklore, Heart of the Forest follows four amateur hikers as they get lost in the sprawling Black Forest. This horror FMV is a decent romp, and although it isn't particularly scary it does at least feature some suitably unsettling imagery, and a smattering of decisions means you have a genuine impact on how the narrative unfolds.

Its fast-paced combat system is one of the best in the genre, and BlazBlue fans will love the large number of playable characters. Throw in some truly eye-catching visuals and BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is a must-play for action roguelike fans.

It feels like we've been waiting for it for a long time, but Little Nightmares dev Tarsier Studios has finally delivered its next game. Unsurprisingly, Reanimal feels very much like Little Nightmares in all but name. While it doesn't have the strongest narrative, stellar visuals, an eerie atmosphere and excellent environmental puzzles all more than make up for it.

A first-person survival horror game with a story steeped in Spanish history, folklore and religion, Crisol: Theater of Idols may borrow from the likes of Resident Evil but it manages to stand out thanks to its creepy enemies and clever blood bullet mechanic.

Go along with its absurd story, and chances are you'll have lots of fun with Romeo is a Dead Man, even if its combat can be scrappy in places. This is Grasshopper Manufacture's most polished game yet, and as ever it's full of amusing quirks and gameplay features.

RIDE 6 is quite easily the best entry in the series yet, with an engaging campaign that spans multiple racing disciplines and a phenomenal collection of bikes to acquire and upgrade. Thanks to an optional new Arcade racing style, it's also more accessible than ever.

One of the best FMV games to date, The Run is expertly filmed, set in the gorgeous Italian countryside. Not only does it look stunning, but it's a genuine joy to play, thanks to solid acting, faultless pacing and an intriguing storyline. FMV games may be an acquired taste, but when they're made as well as this, they deserve to be played.

My Hero Academia: All's Justice truly is a treat for fans of the franchise, offering multiple substantial game modes and a huge roster of playable heroes and villains. It's not very welcoming to newcomers, however, and its Team Up Mission mode isn't always all that exciting to play through.

With its new open field format, Nioh 3 is undoubtedly the best entry in the series yet, giving players more freedom to explore and making the experience feel more seamless. Add on top of that additional new features, such as the ability to switch between samurai and ninja styles on the fly and being able to freely respec, and you have a stellar example of just how good the Soulslike genre can be. This is an early game of the year contender, without a doubt.

An open world arcade racer, JDM: Japanese Drift Master may not be as pretty or expansive as its peers, but those who love getting sideways will still find lots to love about it. The drifting focus here makes the game feel relatively unique, and while there are no multiplayer options, its campaign should keep players entertained for a considerable amount of time.

A rich psychological horror, Pathologic 3 is a tad more forgiving but no less demanding than its predecessors. With a complex but never impenetrable timey-wimey story, it puts the weight of the world on your shoulders and you'll be grateful for it.

Already one of the best JRPGs available, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is truly impressive on Switch 2. The visuals are astounding whether you play handheld or docked, and while it's not flawless, performance is solid. Throw in new Streamlined Progression features which make the game more accessible than ever, and you have a must-play, especially for newcomers.

Frustrating and relaxing in equal measure, there's something quite special about Cairn, a game all about climbing a mountain. It perfectly captures the tension and peril of every hand and foot movement while also weaving in some light-hearted story sequences along the way. While every misplaced foot might make you swear, the elation of reaching each incremental goal is quite unlike anything else.

With its comic book visual style, isometric viewpoint and focus on crafting, I Hate This Place is a unique entry in the survival horror genre. It's just a shame that it's let down by gameplay that feels rough around the edges and a lacklustre story.

Hilarious and unabashedly silly, Earth Must Die is undoubtedly the best game yet from Size Five Games. Brilliantly written, beautifully animated and with an enviable voice cast, there's so much to love here if you're a fan of point-and-click adventure games.

It's a shame that GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition has no multiplayer modes, but it's an absolute treat for those happy to race against the CPU. With two meaty modes for players to sink their teeth into, attractive visuals and plenty of options to tweak, this is easily one of the best racing games available on Switch 2.

Taking inspiration from Elden Ring, Code Vein 2 is an ambitious sequel which presents players with a vast open world to explore. It can feel a bit lifeless at times, but it's rewarding to venture into its nooks and crannies nonetheless. And everything you do helps build your character, an endeavour which proves to be a highlight of the game, along with manipulating time to build bonds with your companions.

Taxi Chaos 2 can be fun in small doses, but its story mode in particular can quickly feel like a drag. Add in issues such as poor physics and a dire soundtrack, and you've got a game that fails to capture of the magic of the the arcade series it's obviously inspired by.

Massive Monster has nailed the concept of DLC with Woolhaven: it gives fans of Cult of the Lamb more of what they love, but with enough of a refresh that it feels notably different. This is a substantial expansion, adding dozens of hours worth of new content, and with not only new dungeons to overcome but new ways to interact and grow your cult, it's a must-play for anyone who enjoyed the base game.

Beautifully presented and intelligently put together, TR-49 is a masterclass in puzzle games done right – although coming from the developer of Heaven's Vault, that's not at all surprising. This delve into curious and forgotten literature is far more compelling than it has any right to be, and it's a must-play for any puzzle fan.

While Apartment No 129 does a good job of creating an unsettling atmosphere, unfortunately it's a bit of a mess. Terrible combat, awkward controls, localisation issues and more suck the fun out of what otherwise could be a fairly effective horror experience.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is yet another challenging but rewarding Metroidvania for genre fans to sink their teeth into. It suffers from many of the frustrations typical of the genre, such as difficulty spikes and troublesome backtracking, but its unique visual style and intriguing world make up for it.

While Visions of Four Heroes largely offers more of the same Dynasty Warriors: Origins action, it's not exactly a bad thing. The four new stories presented here have lots of exciting battles to play through, and there are some new features such as Strategic Battles and additional weapons to make things feel somewhat fresh.

As good an entry into the hidden cat genre as any, Cats Around Us: Giant Cat has you searching out cartoon mogs in a quirky comic book environment. There are only four levels here, though, alongside four small jigsaw puzzles to complete – but given the tiny asking price, it's hard to mind too much.

Putting you in control of an expanding team of cats, hell-bent on reclaiming their city, Clawpunk is a riotous 2D action game with a style all of its own. Its roguelite elements mean that it starts tough but gets somewhat easier over time, though there are unlockable modes that offer an increased challenge. It's just a shame that sometimes it can be a little too chaotic for its own good.

Clever crimes require a clever brain to solve them. Confidential Killings is certainly going to test your deduction skills by asking you to gather clues and come up with a valid hypothesis. It's a great detective game, but best enjoyed in short bursts to avoid repetition setting in.

Challenging players to trace track lines while fending off enemies, Aaero2: Black Razer Edition is a rewarding rhythm-based shooter that will go down especially well with fans of EDM.

Thanks to its retro-styled visuals and old-fashioned gameplay, Terminator 2D: No Fate genuinely feels like a blast from the past, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. While it's rather short and it's disappointing that there's no voice acting, it perfectly captures the essence of the classic film and remains fun to play throughout.

A story-driven adventure that holds your hand every step of the way, Detective – Rainy Night will disappoint those hoping to actually do some detective work. It has other issues, too, like poor localisation, but those who are intrigued by its narrative will get some enjoyment out of it while it lasts.

With its ridiculous story, unique visuals and brilliant soundtrack, there's a lot to like about Skate Story. Its gameplay is the weakest link here, though, with fiddly controls and other issues introducing a level of frustration that might push some players away.

Sleep Awake has an interesting premise, and makes nice use of full motion video to assist in blurring the lines between what's real and imaginary. It's just a shame that it's not as engaging to play as it should be. And it's not all that scary, either.