Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a complete package of being the ultimate badass, with the impact and combat to really back that up. Combine that with a killer soundtrack and a surprisingly interesting story, and you’ve got a truly excellent action game package. It is worth a warning that some people might find the experience repetitive if you’re not a fan of this style of game, but if you’re a new player seeking an entry point, there really isn’t a better jumping in point than this new entry. If you’re looking for a “nothing but fun” game to start off the new year, look no further than Koei Tecmo and Dynasty Warriors: Origins.

Tekken 8 continues the fine balance of pulling up newcomers while catering to seasoned players. Despite a vocal minority already raising a stink about the game’s post launch plans, Tekken 8 is a fully featured game worthy of your money. Players will not need to worry about a Tekken 8+ or a Tekken 9 coming in the near future. Harada and team have built a fine foundation and Tekken 8 will be facilitating a lot of “Good Ass Tekken” for years to come. Now if you need me I’ll be in the lab, cause newbie crushing can only be so fun for so long…maybe it’s time for me to elevate my game (well until I get the platinum trophy and move on…but at least it’ll be a fun time.)!

Starfox 64, while being a solid title, has one major flaw, length. Although there are separate paths, the game still isn't long enough. Within an hour of booting it, I finished the game, within the next half hour, I completed one of the alternate paths, etc.

For a first console development effort, Shift Up knocked it out of the park with Stellar Blade. They crafted a fascinating world, combat system that felt so good to the point where I would seek it out encounters less I was running low on health items. As stated in the previous statement, players will be surprised by Eve’s characterization and she will probably find her footing amongst other female protagonists such Samus Aran, 2B and Bayonetta. Much like Round8’s Lies of P helped put a spotlight on the South Korean Games Development scene, Shift Up’s effort will just make that light brighter. Shift Up certainly stepped up!

Say what you want about Xbox and its library, they really came out swinging hard for the fences with Playground Games and Forza Horizon 6. It’s an extremely gorgeous title with tight racing, a soundtrack that’s sure to please anybody (and this is before any added stations from future updates like Epitaph in 5), and a fantastic set of roads to race on. If you’re looking for more Forza Horizon in a new locale, it doesn’t get any better.

If you’re jonesing for a fresh action adv…yoyovania, then Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo will absolutely fit the bill. The game steadily grants you new abilities as you traverse a charming contemporary world which I would dare compare to the one found in Nintendo’s Earthbound. As the adventure heads to its conclusion, it becomes a test of all the skills you’ve accrued along the way. Thorough players will find every badge, pay off every contract, conquer every mini-game and collect every Rose and BP shard, but even if you don’t, at least you’ll be treated to a grand story about an unlikely hero with a heart of gold.

To wrap everything up, Persona 5 Tactica is a genuinely fantastic experience from start to finish, and I couldn’t be more excited to have gotten to play a Persona game in this genre. I cannot recommend this game enough to fans of tactical RPGs or Persona games, and I think it has something for everyone. I sincerely hope anyone who reads this gives Persona 5 Tactica a chance when it launches on November 17th. I think it’ll sneak on by a lot of people here at the end of the year as a genuinely fantastic title in a year so full of industry wins.

IREM is off to a great start with this five volume collection. If they continue in this fashion, we might be in for some really great classic games for the modern consoles. While the games included aren’t ground breaking or super flashy, they will bring the fun factor as well as that classic shooter frustration that makes you want to keep trying no matter how many times you die. Definitely a good collection.

I was continually surprised by Turok’s near-perfect mood-setting graphical quality -- the outstanding character animation and the cleverly assembled array of transparent weapon effects must be seen to be believed.

A weak one player game, Mario Kart 64 excels in the multiplayer arena, and that alone is worth the cost of admission. Few titles can come close to this one in terms of party games.

If you enjoy futuristic racing with action-packed gameplay and insane track design, look no further. Extreme G is the game you've been waiting for. This game won't set the world on fire, but it's got what it takes to be fun and exciting.

Wipeout 64 isn't a bad game by any means. It just doesn't have the same level of adrenaline pumping action and playability that Miyamoto's racer has.

All and all, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is a quite enjoyable experience, although it falls short of the perch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge has made for itself. It would definitely be interesting to revisit the title when its online co-op features are implemented. Hopefully I can get one of my fairweather friends to go through this title…I would even be magnanimous enough to them select the Green Ranger. To circle back to the weird rant from the beginning of this review, here’s hoping that products like Rita’s Rewind will show that the fanbase will still come out when it’s created by people who respect and revere the IP. I would love to see what Digital Eclipse has in store for the title, perhaps we’ll even see the game inch closer to the title that stands at the pinnacle.

Annoying or not, it’s a neat mechanic to build a platformer around, and Pecker does a good job of doing just that. Its name may evoke some of the lower points of 3D platformers from a few decades ago, but its gameplay recalls some of the better ones, and for that reason it’s worth investigating if you’re a fan of the genre.

Personally, with PowerWash Simulator 2, I am excited about the future of the PowerWash franchise. If you look at their freshly released 2025/2026 roadmap you can be excited to see 3 paid IP DLC, 3 free Caldera Chronicle Jobs, and what they claim will be a bucket full of other planned additions coming. They are really giving us more of the game we all fell in love with, and I hope they continue to listen to their community. I highly recommend purchasing this installment if you enjoyed the first game, it will be well worth the investment. Go on, let’s go gnome hunting in PowerWash Simulator 2. If you like cozy, comforting games, it’s one of the best.

To be sure, most of what goes on in Promise Mascot Agency is utterly insane if you view it with any kind of detachment. This game is unquestionably bonkers. But it’s also the kind of game you can sink your teeth into in many, many ways, and if you want a unique experience, Promise Mascot Agency offers exactly that.

My concern overall is, will the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster do well enough to ever help justify a new game? The fans are out there, but after part 4, and a canceled sequel, I would remain cautiously optimistic. This is still a remaster that respects its roots in most ways as something that is a product of its time. If you can get past the time management frustrations and balance issues, and make sure to use all your save options, it’s still a bloody and entertaining experience worth the price of admission.

Overall, Cronos: The New Dawn feels like a proper spiritual successor to Dead Space in many ways, but the narrative and environment stand tall on their own to create a truly memorable experience in survival horror. It gives “The Thing” body horror vibes which is a bonus.

Regardless of whether you want to play with someone else in-person or online, Split Fiction is well worth your time. It’s an excellent co-op adventure, and it’s easy to imagine the game garnering the same kind of following – and accolades – as It Takes Two.

It’s a very good port, is what I’m trying to say – and not only that, it’s a very good port of a very good game. Whatever issues Star Wars Outlaws may have had last year, they’re all fixed now, which means that you get all the positives from the first version (a good protagonist, a fun story, some big open worlds), with all of the negatives pushed off to the side. If you didn’t get a chance to play the game the first time around, now is definitely the time to do so.

It’s absurdly easy to pick up, and it only sucks you in more and more as you see your accumulated wealth get bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s not likely to replace Balatro (or whatever your deckbuilder of choice may be), but if you want something that gives you a quick hit of adrenaline without being too demanding, you should probably check it out.

Age of Imprisonment mostly improves upon its predecessor albeit with some caveats that don’t superbly impact the player experience. The characters are all fun to play as, the music is great, and the mechanics all blend together pretty well in combat, mixing into one enjoyable concoction. With the holidays coming up, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is definitely a contender for your list if you’re looking for a nice Zelda story with some mindless hack-n-slash fun.

EA Sports could have done the easiest thing and reskinned the Madden engine and this would have still sold millions, so for them to not take that route I think they should be commended. College Football 25 is a definite buy for the college and pro football fan alike.

Crow Country is clearly influenced by some of the scariest games of the ‘90s, but it’s good enough that it can be enjoyed today even if you never played those games the first time around (or even if you’re generally too much of a scaredy cat to play them).

Koei Tecmo has absolutely blown it out of the water with this release, so big props to the team behind it. When it comes to doing remakes well, I’d put this up on the pedestal alongside games like the Resident Evil remakes. It is an absolute must-play for survival horror fans, and if you’re curious on what survival horror looks like outside of your typical association, you’ll definitely want to check out Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake.

Nioh 3 is an excellent game with very few rough edges in the moment to moment gameplay. It’s a ton of fun, well made, beautiful looking, and full of content. Another excellent addition to the series, there’s little to desire short of hoping they put some more effort into the storyline. But… that’s not what anyone is here for anyway, so you can essentially just write it off as a con. Boss fights are unique, stylish, and flow well. Chaff enemies even require you to get used to their patterns and offer a bit of challenge on their own. Everything is here to make for a stellar experience for any Nioh fan or Soulslike enjoyer looking for something new to explore. Obviously considering my notes on the lacking storyline, you needn’t worry about having played the previous games. Just hop in and give Nioh 3 a shot.

It’s a relaxing puzzler that doesn’t allow being “cozy” to get in the way of challenging you just enough. If you’re tired of puzzlers that all feel like they’re chasing after a game that almost perfected the genre more than a decade ago, this will be a very pleasant change of pace.

Konami’s return to new titles is strong with Silent Hill f despite its shortcomings in the combat department. The setting is gorgeous and eerie with the music only adding to that, the voice acting is excellent (I played the Japanese dub of the game), and the story is downright gripping. Every new story beat had me eager to theorize with myself and uncover as much as I could of this narrative unfolding in front of me. It truly is a “must play” of the survival horror genre and I wholeheartedly believe this marks the comeback of Konami as a powerhouse in gaming once more.