Like every year, it delivers a very solid on-field experience, with plenty of options for how deep you want to get into managing a team. But I don’t think I’ve ever played a version of MLB The Show that felt this generic, and it’s clearly, undeniably time for someone to start thinking about making the overall package more compelling.

Months after MindsEye’s first came out, it’s hard not to think that it was the victim of a pile-on that was only partially justified by the hubris that surrounded its release. If you can find it on sale for a deep discount and don’t mind playing a generic action game, you may find it perfectly acceptable.

I will not pretend that Marathon is a game for everyone. I don’t even think it’s a game for most people who enjoy FPS games, but… that does not stop it from being a great game in the end. Marathon offers a lot to give people the ability to experience a hardcore looter shooter in a more well-designed and refined environment than has otherwise been available before its existence. Tarkov or Delta Force might look good, but what they are both missing is that casual friendly polish that you can only get from a studio with a long history like Bungie. In my opinion, both of the aforementioned games suffer from being unpolished in the grander view in a way that, while not necessarily making them bad, definitely makes them hard to approach. Marathon’s UI might be a bit wild, but it’s not the crazy patchwork that you’ll find in its competitors. It does what every other extraction shooter before it has done, but more polished and cohesive. There’s always clear goals and expectations, and upgrades are easy to understand and progress. Marathon is, in my opinion, the clearest winner of the genre to date that offers the kind of experience it does.

WWE 2K26 gameplay is top notch and matches play out better than they ever have from entrances, commentary, presentation and the matches themselves are all improved. It’s a shame that the Ringside Pass brings down the overall product and locks too much behind it. Despite the items being on the free tier it takes way too much grinding to unlock wrestlers that were available from the beginning in last year’s entry. Even purchasing the more expensive deluxe versions does not give you any instant unlocks to the Ringside Pass, it all just screams money grab. Unfortunately, I have to recommend sticking with WWE 2K25 at this point until more updates are provided by 2K unless you’re a die-hard CM Punk fan. In closing, Larry Forever!

Does it ever come close to matching Portal? Obviously not. But it doesn’t need to, either. Chromagun 2 may not do a whole lot new, but the fact that so many other games are out there now that are also copying Portal makes that easier to forgive.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is everything I’d hoped for in a follow-up to the second game, so seeing it realized so well is nothing short of fantastic. With excellent characters, a decent story, an enjoyable gameplay loop with as much grinding as you want there to be, and a really gorgeous appearance and world, it’s a genuine must play for fans of turn-based RPGs. In a year of Capcom releasing some of the most exciting titles, Monster Hunter yet again stands out with Stories 3. I’d say it’s a treat to play through, but it’s more like a full course meal you can’t get enough of. Whether you’re a fan of Monster Hunter or RPGs, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not playing.

Overall Tales of Berseria Remastered is one of the better Tales games in recent memory. If you have it on PS4, and have a PS5 that can play it, I would probably hold off, unless you really need the buttery smooth 60fps. If you don’t have the original, this is a great game to get started on.

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.

The key similarity, though – and the reason why, even if I’m disappointed in Lil Gator Game: In the Dark, I can’t say I don’t love it – is that, like Lil Gator Game, In The Dark is a cute look at kids (well, animal kids) making up ridiculous stories and having fun with them. There’s a sense of wonder and silliness that not many other games share, and it’s enough to suck you in and keep you entertained right up to the end of the closing credits.

Super Battle Golf is an excellent, fun game, and there’s so much good to be found here, so much fun to be had, and so many friends to be lost. I can’t help but love Super Battle Golf. I’m hoping it continues a series of content drops in the near future that keeps it alive and continues catching people’s attention. It’s the kind of party game fun you don’t often see on games outside of the Nintendo garden. Give it a play, don’t miss out. It’s cheap and a ton of fun. Just make sure you bring at least 2-3 friends to get the best experience.

If this is the first beat’em up you’ve picked up in a while, I’m sure you’ll have a great time. Although I have to admit for me, having played other beat’em ups prior to Scott Pilgrim EX, it feels like it leans on its IP a little too much and doesn’t really do anything that innovative. That said, if a buddy called me up to help them in their run, I will have no qualms with showing up with my fully powered crew to flex on the robots, vegans and demons that are besieging my friends. To tie back to my opening statement, perhaps it’s time for me to take a breather from beat’em ups, however I will be the first in line if there is a second chance to pick up the premium editions of this title…simply because I need to put it next to the premium editions of the first game.

The combat will feel familiar to anyone who’s ever played any of those games, but that’s kind of a selling point for me: it’s nice to go back to a pre-Soulslike world, where you don’t need to figure out parrying or timing, and you can just run roughshod through enemies. Does that make Blood of Mehran a good game? Again, definitely not. And you need to have a fondness for a very specific era of PS3 gaming to fully enjoy it. But I’ve definitely played significantly worse games than this – and considering Blood of Mehran’s reputation, that’s better than I was expecting going in.

Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 is just fine, but “just fine” is only going to continue to carry this series for so long. Some substantial changes need to be made in the development of Chapter 6 if Mob Entertainment wants to have any hope of propelling Poppy Playtime into the future.

As someone who misses the old Sony and the way they’d try weird things (and not just go for big and cinematic with every one of their games), it feels weird to criticize them for a game where they try something different. But the problem is that God of War: Sons of Sparta isn’t particularly fun. It’s a perfectly adequate metroidvania at a time when there are plenty of very good metroidvanias that are more worth your time, so unless you desperately want a Kratos: The Very Early Years game you can safely skip this one.

With clocking in 40 hours as of this review, I had a phenomenal time with Resident Evil Requiem and only had a couple minor issues with a possible challenge that may not be working and a puzzle that stumped me for way too long. As a complete package, this is a remarkable new installment in a franchise that delivers on so much but still has me itching for more. My biggest drawback was having no one to discuss lore with during the review process and cannot wait to have a show about it soon. Capcom has done it again.

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.

As a single-player game, it’s solid enough, but add in some friends and multiplayer, and you’ve got the makings of a party classic.

A studio like Piranha Bytes lasted decades despite churning out awful games, simply because there was something endearing about a bad game making an effort to be good. Anyone who misses that studio can take solace in the fact that Of Ash and Steel is continuing its legacy. But if you do, just be mindful that it is, at heart, a bad game.

Ultimately, though, Rainbow Gate succeeds or fails on its moment to moment play, and that’s where it lands as a unique entry in the genre. If you’re looking for a stable, smooth running PC mascot horror game with a strong opening and a handful of enjoyable puzzles and chases, Rainbow Gate is worth a look at the right price. Just know it doesn’t evolve much past its first impression. This is a good placeholder until Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5.

Overall the title is a pretty solid entry, it’s a shame that the studio’s actions and in some cases inaction will probably leave a black mark on this title. I’m not going to pad out this review by rehashing it, so rather I’m going to leave a link to this Kotaku article which summarizes why this title will probably be polarizing to come. For those who haven’t been with the franchise for long, this will likely be a streamlined retelling of the 3rd entry, for long time fans this game will likely mark a horrible divergence from the sacred timeline (You didn’t think I’d forget about that MCU reference I made in the first paragraph, did ya?). As for me, I’m somewhere in the middle, I’m curious as to what the team will be doing moving forward, but a tad weary at the approach. Like a Dragon as a franchise will likely continue indefinitely, but Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties will probably be remembered as an inflection point amongst the fanbase.

All in all, I think Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined is a great representation of the game, but I still think the 3DS version feels like the more complete package. The cut content is disappointing, even though some of the early streamlining and quality of life changes are nice to see. It’s still a really fun adventure with a charming story and beautiful visuals, but maybe not the version of Dragon Quest VII that hardcore fans were hoping for. Everyone else new to the game will likely not notice the changes though, and considering the secondary market price point on the prior releases of Dragon Quest VII, this Reimagined version is the way to go if you’re wanting to jump in for the first time.

The love of Rick and Morty, Gundam, and old school cartoons/comics is evident, and Romeo is a Dead Man is proof that you can be inspired by a variety of mediums and your creativity can still show it in an all-new way. From DeadMan’s design to the wild supporting cast, there is so much to love about the game and all I want next is for DeadMan to meet up with Travis to save the world and time together. I’m all in.

All-in-all, I don’t think Code Vein II is bad. It’s mostly an improvement over some of the stiffness and art direction of the first game, bringing new features, weapons, and jails for players to build their characters around. The music is still great, albeit more orchestral than the grunge of the first game’s collaboration with VAMPS. The biggest problem that this franchise (is it a franchise yet?) struggles with seems to be chasing the Souls-Ring feel but not nailing it as much as I’d have hoped for the second entry. If you liked the first game, you’ll absolutely enjoy Code Vein II, but costing $70 in a market with other similar titles is a tough ask for people looking to get into Code Vein. Code Vein II isn’t a bad game, it’s rather far from it, but it falls short where it needs to really hit hard.

I guess the question is, does Painkiller have any merits? It kind of does: again, if you don’t mind repetition and just want to shoot demons, it gives you every opportunity to do that, and you’ll get some big honking guns in the process. But if you want anything deeper or more substantial, you’re not going to find it here.

EvoCreo doesn’t stray too far from the Pokémon formula, all things considered. But it also doesn’t really need to do more, either. It may be a clone, but it’s a well-made one that does everything you’d hope for from the game it’s copying. That’s not enough to break EvoCreo out of Pokémon’s shadow, but it’s enough that if you’re a PC gamer and you want to play Pokémon without owning a Nintendo system, it’ll certainly be a tolerable substitute.

If you have the Atari 50 Base Game, then you MUST grab this add on! It is extremely fantastic to have these games in the already great collection and make the base game feel more complete. Despite any insignificant gripes I may have, this is a must own add on to an already fantastic collection! Download now and dive back into the world of Atari!

I know it’s a survival horror game, but it doesn’t take long for it to start feeling incredibly unfair. Not only is your ammunition limited, the enemies are also bullet sponges. It’s a weird combination, and it means that, far from the fast-paced shooter promised in the trailers, you’ll spend a lot of time running away – or, I guess, trying to run away, since we’ve already established that movement in Beneath is pretty terrible.

I’m still skeptical of the remake and I am a purist when it comes to the original Final Fantasy games, and my favorites of the series are turn based. Would I have liked to see Final Fantasy VII Remake be a full turn-based game? Yes. I’m not going to allow that to Cloud my opinion on if this is a good game by itself. The answer to that question is a solid yes. This is a great game. The next chapter in the Final Fantasy VII remake saga, Rebirth is coming to Switch 2 and Xbox, hopefully later this year. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has convinced me to give them all a shot, and I highly recommend that you do too.