If you’re looking for a new Soulslike experience and willing to tolerate some notable negatives all the while experiencing a very unique setting, it’s a decent time. It’s a bit difficult to recommend to a more casual audience, but if you’re seeking a challenge, albeit not necessarily intentionally, Enotria is a decent time. Enotria: The Last Song has its share of issues, but I’d wager it’s a great first step for Jyamma Games in this style, and I can only imagine they’ll make something even better with the next release.

Everything about Gori: Cuddly Carnage is simply amazing. It delivers absurd, over-the-top action in a package that’s tailor-made for anyone who holds a soft spot for ‘00s gaming, and as far as I’m concerned it’s one of the best games of the year so far.

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.

STARWAVE is not necessarily a game I see myself spending a ton of time on in a single sitting, but that is how I feel about all of the rhythm games on VR. I enjoy hopping on, playing a few songs, and then moving on to something else. The daily challenge mode is a fun way to get me engaged with the game each day, with enough time to enjoy myself but not so much that it takes up the entirety of my very limited VR playtime in a given day. With continued support and some additional songs down the road, I can see myself returning to STARWAVE again and again as time goes on, even after unlocking all of the constellations.

As a complete package, Castlevania Dominus Collection is definitely worth playing. I’ve played on both PC and Switch without any noticeable issues, and I’d imagine most platforms will fare the same. Switch may win out a bit due to the option to actually use touchscreen controls, but I wouldn’t call it a requirement to enjoy these games. All three of the original DS games hold up extremely well, and M2’s track record with excellent classic ports remains intact here. Absolutely pick this up when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Overall this compilation is a fantastic package, it’s really hard to find flaws in it. Although I did wish in offline mode there was a way to quickly reset the game instead of having to go back to the game selection to restart. It’s certainly a minor nitpick. With a Capcom Fighting Collection 2 already set for 2025, let’s hope we’ll get other Quality of Life changes and this might be a pipedream, but perhaps Capcom can take a page out of Jackbox’s playbook and put out a single launcher for their various collections. I mean the company sure has a lot of retro compilations (I’m counting 3, Arcade Stadium, Fighting Collection and Beat’em Up Bundle).

It really pains me to say that Akimbot is as bad as it is. It started out with so much promise, and it drew from some of the best influences imaginable. Unfortunately, as this end result shows time and again, good influences don’t automatically lead to good outcomes, and Akimbot is pretty far from anything that could be called a good outcome.

Overall I think Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass – Episode Aigis is a great follow up to Persona 3’s story, albeit with some minor caveats that will affect each player differently. The new music is great, the new “dungeon” backgrounds are just as fantastic as the remade Tartarus in Persona 3 Reload, and as expected the voice cast is just as excellent. Metis is a great addition to the party, even if she’s effectively the gap closer between your lower-tier abilities against enemies that are scaled a bit above you. I think my main gripes are just quality of life things not found out of Steam as a PC player for this review, and that the mall significantly hits my framerate (EXCLUSIVELY in the DLC I might add). The expansion pass costs $35, which is a big turn off for some people I’ve noticed, but Episode Aigis is very much a standalone experience worth the money. It offers another multiple dozen hours of gameplay and story with all the core draws of Persona 3 Reload, so if you’re a fan of the base game I highly recommend it.

Mika and The Witch’s Mountain is pleasant enough that you probably won’t hate it, but it’s far from being a must-play. [Early Access Provisional Score = 65]

If you enjoy platformers and you have an inkling of interest in learning more about Japan, BAKERU might be the perfect package for you

If you’re a diehard racing game fan who prefers racing against yourself rather than others, that may put the game squarely on your radar, but if the allure of racing games is facing off against other people – be they bots or a Player Two – then this game may leave a lot to be desired.

It’s a strange game that’s probably not going to appeal to everyone’s sensibilities – but if it appeals to your sensibilities and sense of humour, there’s a good chance it might be your game of the year.

There are good ideas, and occasionally very good execution, but on the whole none of it feels like it ever clicks into a coherent, must-play whole.

To me, the biggest perk Astro Bot has was being able to see my son play and love his time with it so much. He was engulfed in the world immediately and finished the story before I did. He also compared it to Mario Odyssey, which he shares the same love of it as I do. This was a game that continued the Father/Son bonding we have been building in gaming and even came to my rescue on one those difficult challenge levels I mentioned above. Despite the ease of picking the game up, mastering platforming is a whole other challenge and my son was up to the challenge. Seeing him finish the levels I spent 20 minutes trying to pass is one of the coolest nerd dad moments I have had. In short, I cannot boast about this game enough and plan to chat more about it on Pressed For Time in the near future, so stand by. Astro Bot is well worth the price of admission and will be a great gaming option for all ages with the Holidays coming up quickly.

I absolutely loved my time with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, and I look forward to jumping into more co-op and PVP after the game launches. The main campaign is a real rollercoaster ride of excitement and mayhem, and the sheer volume of enemies that the game tosses at you on a frequent basis make each encounter feel harrowing and epic. It’s a wild ride that I think any action fan will enjoy, whether you’re in love with the world of Warhamer 40,000 or just looking for a fun time that involves blowing lots of stuff up. Definitely check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Madden 25 gameplay is very much in line with Madden 24 and is more so just a refinement than any brand new gameplay mechanics or engine implementations, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I found the gameplay smooth, seamless, and all around a good experience. Now is College Football 25 a better experience? In my opinion it is and that is coming from a diehard NFL fan who watches little to no college football. But if you want the NFL players and teams, Madden is really your only option for better or worse.

Star Wars Outlaws is a perfect example of a good game that could’ve been a great one if only its developers had played to its strengths. Hopefully we get an Outlaws II, because there are enough solid ideas here that you could strip out the annoying bits and wind up with a really incredible game.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is a perfect example of taking a classic title, expanding on it just enough to not ruin the legacy, and making a fantastic game. While it is a little short with only six stages, it will give you enough challenge and replay value to keep you coming back for a long while. NasumeAtari and ININ Games really knocked this one out of the park. I cannot recommend this title enough, download this one as soon as you are able to, you will not be disappointed.

Overall, Gundam Breaker 4 is a fantastic game for fans of Gundam as a whole, whether you are or are not acquainted with previous entries of the series or even the anime. If you’re just a fan of the mecha genre in general and customizing your own mech, I don’t think I could recommend Breaker 4 enough. It’s got excellent customization, fluid combat with enough depth to reward you for getting a feel for multiple attack possibilities, and plenty of reasons to continue to play. The developers have stated that there will be free and paid DLC released throughout the game’s life cycle, so be sure to stay tuned for new updates.

The charm of Visions of Mana manages to shine through. It’s not the most visually impressive game on any platform, but the colorful art style feels Mana appropriate, the soundtrack is solid if not quite as memorable as prior series entries, and the explorable world is larger than you’d expect, with lots of little chests and other items to find scattered about. I definitely did not hate my time with Visions of Mana, but it’s also not a game that feels like it’ll garner much mass appeal either. If you’re like me, and have fond memories of Mana games prior, then it’s worth checking out. For everyone else, there are plenty of RPG’s on the market that are more worth your time.

I’m still marking Concord fairly high, as it’s a fun shooter with solid online play that I’ve really enjoyed playing, and look forward to continuing with throughout the year. I hope that the ship can be righted so the game has a chance to really come to life, and I’d like to see what the devs have planned for future modes, characters and so on, but at the same time it’s hard to suggest anyone drop $40 on a game that feels like it may be destined for heavy discounts, or even go free-to-play, in the near future. If you’re absolutely itching for a new hero shooter to check out, I definitely think you can have some fun with Concord, but if you’re still on the fence, you might be better off waiting just a bit longer to see how or if Concord can overcome its rocky launch.

It’s every bit as shallow as the dating shows that inspired it, so if that’s the kind of game you’re after – and the continued popularity of the genre shows some people are – then this may be right up your alley.

Creatures of Ava is one of the rare wholesome games that adds enjoyable gameplay to its cozy atmosphere. It brings together ideas you’ve seen elsewhere, but does so in a way that makes them more or less its own.

Had it kept things simple – say, with lots of straightforward puzzles to solve with an overarching story that’s easy to follow – it probably would’ve been great. Instead we have needlessly hard puzzles accompanied by an overly complicated plot. Saying, “less is more” can come off as trite, but in this case it’s totally true.

Black Myth: Wukong pretty much delivers on what it always promised: a gorgeous world where you get to battle crazy monsters and demons. It would be nice if there was a little more to do between the craziest monsters and demons, but if you want a game that will test you while giving you some nice scenery to look at, you’ll find it here.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is a very surprising release. These kind of games usually aren’t done well enough to garner attention from today’s gamers, but Konami really hit it out of the park with this one. It can be difficult and seem a little unfair at times, but that is what makes a great vertical shooter. The challenge is real here, and you feel accomplished when you finally make it through that difficult area. If you are a fan of these classic style, vertical scrolling shooters, or just looking for a solid challenge, then CYGNI: All Guns Blazing has you covered. Definitely check this one out anyway you can, you won’t be disappointed.

This was my first time really sitting down and playing Aero the Acro-Bat. I never really had interest in the game when it was originally released, and after my playthrough now, I remain unimpressed. While not broken, the control is a bit too erratic, the overall gameplay can become stale and annoying and while it does throw some challenge your way from time to time, it’s a rather short game that leaves you feeling unfulfilled. Since this is a bare bones port with nothing of note added, I have a hard time recommending downloading this one. This game does has it’s fans, but it’s not going to grab too many new fans. If your curious, try it out, but don’t expect to be presented with a hidden gem from the past.

All in all, Cat Quest III is simply fantastic. It’s got a vibrant world, fun action, a solid story, and, of course, pirate cats, all wrapped together in a package that should entice anyone.