It goes without saying that Pragmata is a terrific game and one of 2026’s must-play titles. It fires on all cylinders and doesn’t let you go, even after the credits roll. The frenetic action, charming characters, and striking visuals help bolster a creativity rarely seen in AAA titles. While it can play it safe in the story and settings, it is one of Capcom’s best games this decade and a sure-fire Game of the Year contender in my book.

Though it’s impossible not to question Marathon’s long-term appeal, it’s one of the most confident big-budget FPS in years and a fantastic reminder that Bungie devs can shake things up when given the space and freedom to cook.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake successfully captures the soul and voice of a classic while improving on the presentation and scope, but shoddy combat often brings those commendable efforts down.

Resident Evil Requiem is one of the series’ best outings in recent years. Delivering on the action and scares, the game shows what makes the franchise so special. It can fall into the trap of fan service, but never falters much in what it sets out to do. Yes, it’s February and, yes, it is cliché, but Requiem is already one of 2026’s best and an experience that fans and newcomers won’t be able to get enough of.

Disciples: Domination is a flawed, by-the-numbers strategy RPG that shows some creativity with its units and certain boss mechanics, but lacks enough depth and variety to sustain the amount of fights it throws at you across its decently lengthy campaign. Its writing lacks a consistent tone, its world fails to grip you, while Avyanna only stands out as one of the most unconvincing protagonists to date, making Domination a functional but rather forgettable second entry in the series.

Nioh 3 is a fast, relentless, and tough thrill ride that maintains a great sense of progression while rewarding exploration and player freedom. The sheer amount of options is overwhelming, while opening the door to the souls-like genre for newcomers with its Ninja Gaiden-inspired action.

Craftlings successfully rediscovers genre-bending mechanics and systems to deliver a puzzle-strategy adventure that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but feels thoroughly polished and focused.

Terminator 2D: NO FATE doesn’t go the extra mile to really mine the sci-fi classic for gold, but it lands all its shots and delivers highly replayable, no-nonsense retro goodness that looks, sounds, and controls great.

Total Chaos’ remake can be orthodox to a fault, but it’s a polished evolution of a fascinating blend of survival horror and shooter that never lets off the gas.

Earth vs Mars doesn’t have a fresh take on familiar tactics, but it gets all the basics right, is constantly pleasant to play, and offers good value for little money.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is a more measured, relaxed city builder than its predecessor, operating on a smaller scale while reshuffling key elements of the series' well-established formula to varying amounts of success. Both familiar and refreshing, it makes you think differently about how you build your cities. Its two different regions are both gorgeous, equally viable starters, providing their own sets of compelling challenges to solve as you settle islands and watch your cities and settlements grow – and oh, what joy it is to admire the results of your work as its excellent soundtrack plays in the background. Sadly, a short campaign and underwhelming narrative alongside a UI that requires a bit too much clicking and scrolling to navigate sabotage the latest entry in the series. The same can be said about its clunky, unsatisfying RTS-lite naval and land battles that provide too little reward for the attention they demand. Yet, even so, Anno 117: Pax Romana's best parts still outshine these missteps, making a rather compelling argument to don the mantle of governor.

Sacred 2 was the sort of action-RPG you turned to once you’d exhausted better, more focused options in the genre. 17 years later, a decent remaster can’t mask what’s a largely plodding and miserable experience.

Europa Universalis 5 marks a bold step forward for the series, managing to lets its tangle of initially intimidating systems breathe and interact with each other in an outright impressive manner that also feels less limiting than the Monarch Power of its predecessor. The sheer amount of detail and granularity on display feeds into a complex gameplay loop that, with enough patience and help from its integrated automation, reveals itself as surprisingly approachable while allowing you to claim victories as you're learning the ropes...Its focus on simulation does translate to a slower-paced sequel that, on top of demanding lots of time for one playthrough, can also feel cumbersome. Yet, in breaking away from the series' boardgame roots and borrowing elements from its cousins, Paradox Tinto has managed to truly put the "grand" in grand strategy, creating a beast of a game that's eager to eat hundreds of your hours provided you're brave enough to cross the swamp leading to its lair.

Free from last gen’s technical limitations and focused on creative control, Jurassic World Evolution 3 is the ultimate Jurassic Park video game and a culmination of Frontier’s entire body of work.

Battlefield 6 triumphs as an old-fashioned, polished all-you-can-eat of multiplayer chaos, hitting the ground running instead of limping. Its single-player campaign is a waste of many studios’ time and manpower though.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a remnant of the legacy of survival horror. It takes whispers from two titans of the genre and blends them with its own ideas. It would have benefited hugely from ruthless editing in areas, but remains a masterclass in world building and a perfect balance of tension and release.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a remnant of the legacy of survival horror. It takes whispers from two titans of the genre and blends them with its own ideas. It would have benefited hugely from ruthless editing in areas, but remains a masterclass in world building and a perfect balance of tension and release.

Gears of War’s second remaster isn’t a substantial makeover, and some rough edges linger, but small improvements pile up to make Reloaded the best way to experience a modern classic.

Lizardcube has perfected its craft of elevating retro games for the modern era. The gorgeous 2D graphics feel fresh yet oddly nostalgic, which is mirrored by the fast, fluid movement that feels like the natural progression for 2D platformers. Not everything is polished. Some parts of the level design, menus and UI don’t live up to the heights of other aspects of the game, but this doesn’t wholly retract from an experience that will delight 2D platforming fans new and old.

Relic’s conservative and surface-level approach to this remaster means Dawn of War – Definitive Edition isn’t quite definitive, but it’s by far the best way to play one of the finest RTS games ever made.

Playing OFF, you can see why it has enjoyed a huge cultural impact over the last 17 years. It’s a timeless piece that pushes what we believe to be standard video game convention, and the added content is a loving epilogue for long-time fans.

The more focused second half saves Eriksholm from oblivion. For a game clocking around 10 hours, it takes too long to get going and put all its cards on the table.

Besides some remaining rough edges, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is a near-perfect RTS package for old and new players alike.

While a bit too rigid and buggy at times, Commandos: Origins is a worthy enough return to nerve-wracking tactical WWII scenarios that are a blast to figure out.

Dune: Awakening finds its Voice in the strengths of the universe it adapts and the weirder elements that can’t be found elsewhere even if its early hours and melee combat need more work.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Master Crafted Edition is an adequate remaster that makes 2011’s third-person action game easier to play on modern machines while improving how it looks and sounds. None of its additions address the original’s fundamental issues, preferring to leave it largely as it was. Its flawed but fun campaign delivers plenty of visceral slaughter while its multiplayer is worth dipping into for a few matches every now and then, provided you don’t run into lag and find enough players to fill a lobby. It’s easy to see why the game became a cult classic, but for what it offers, the remaster’s price tag and the lack of an upgrade option or discount for existing owners are undoubtedly head-scratchers.

Roadcraft is an excellent addition to Saber’s roster of sim titles. Focusing on construction over driving represents a step forward, showing that this formula can do more, especially when the mechanics and depth are as impressive as they are here.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a notable new entry in the long-running FPS series with a flavor and gameplay ideas of its own, but it can feel oddly unfocused at times, plus not every change is for the better.