If modern-day AAAs have left a hole in your life that’s longing to be filled by a retro-revival, Mina The Hollower is for you. It’s also for those who are craving their next gruelling gaming challenge.

007 First Light is an exquisite taste of slick spy action and blockbuster storytelling, and is fully what a Bond game should be, but rarely is.

All in all, I came away feeling very impressed with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. While some may be disappointed that the whole game hasn't been overhauled, I believe that by making a ton of quality of life improvements, it not only honours the 2013 original but it also makes it feel somewhat of a modern release, which should be great news for old and new fans alike. [Hands-On Impressions]

If anything, it makes me want to play a fuller version of the game with more maps, deeper stealth mechanics, and more level variety, but given that it feels a little rushed out the door, I’m not sure if OtherSide will have the budget to finish this. In other words, it’s fun for a fiver, but it does feel like a small chunk of something far bigger and more interesting that we may never get to see.

Whatever it lacks in story or challenge is made up with clever gameplay mechanics disguised as weird and wonderful creatures. It’s unfortunate that some of that magic dissipates on a replay, but even when you’ve filled all of the mysterious book’s pages, you’re still left with another charming Yoshi platformer to enjoy at leisure.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is impossible to put down. It manages to imbue the intensity of Gotham with just the right level of whimsy and humour. The game’s perfectly crafted open-world and varied mission design don’t simply just make it a blast to play; it also makes the game very good value for money, and that goes a long way these days. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight deserves to stand proud as one of the best games of 2026 and within LEGO and Batman’s history.

Simply put, Forza Horizon 6 is the racing game fans have waited years for. Out of all the gorgeous places this series has taken us, Japan was always a frequent request across social media, and now that wish has come true. On top of that, the gameplay is divine, and the content that the game has now, and perhaps what’s to come, might just keep us entertained until the arrival of the next entry and beyond, wherever that may take us. We may only be in April, but I’d be surprised if anything pips Forza Horizon 6 as the best racing game of 2026.

Directive 8020 is a near-perfect advancement of Supermassive Games’ tried and tested formula, with added stealth, puzzling, and adventure elements really boosting player agency. Outside of a couple of jump scares, the game’s narrative relies on tension and dread compared to The Dark Pictures franchise’s typical brand of horror, but the game is all the richer for this, rooting itself in tangibility and fears that plague us all. Decisions are difficult to make with thrilling consequences that are both a joy and devastating to watch play out. Add in great performances from the cast and impressive visuals, and it’s hard to see Directive 8020 as anything other than a hit.

If you’re looking for low-stakes escapism, Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth is an easy recommendation. It’s everything you could want in a cosy game, blending just enough player agency with what is, without a doubt, an incredibly relaxing and playful experience.

We’ve been spoiled with what could be the best year for gaming since 2023, and now Saros is the latest banger of 2026. It plays like a dream, has a fun gameplay loop, looks stunning, has a superb voice cast and a mysterious story that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Saros is a game that I can’t stop thinking about, and it’s so good that it’s made me want to give Returnal another chance. We’ve said this a lot already this year, but Saros is yet another strong game of the year contender.

This all culminates in an experience that does an effective job at emphasising the connection between people, achieved in a way that feels particularly clever and responsive to how your own actions affect others, as theirs do unto you. Tides of Tomorrow delivers on making you feel like you’re part of a greater whole, while also providing a story that is wholly individual and intimate.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is an interesting AA detective game, with fun investigation mechanics and a gripping premise, but quickly falls apart in the second half of the story. It’s disappointing, because there are occasional sparks of ingenuity in some of the game’s later chapters, and it’s a shame to see the final quality so inconsistent.

Pragmata truly is a triumph. The mix of hacking and shooting forces you to find a rhythm in combat and depending on what enemies are on the field and what equipment you have, the tempo can vary significantly. Combat never felt like it was outstaying its welcome nor did it feel repetitive. The Cradle is an excellent setting both in terms of story and environment variety so while backtracking for collectibles felt like a pain at times, it was still rewarding to revisit those areas to see what I originally missed. Hugh and Diana really are a dynamic duo and it was a pleasure to see their friendship develop; the humanity both of these characters bring to the plot is essential for the narrative to work and it was refreshing to have protagonists that aren’t carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders at all times. It made for higher stakes when the pair were in genuine danger and levity during the story’s quieter moments.

A Storied Life: Tabitha offers a formula that unfortunately should work better than it does in practice. Players become stuck between creatively crafting Tabitha’s life only to end up with a nonsensical outcome or adhering to a rigid, predetermined path, resulting in a better ending but less joyous experience. Even still, there are some delightful puzzling elements within this short, bite-sized experience that is really exquisitely presented. I enjoyed A Storied Life: Tabitha despite its shortcomings, but it didn’t tug on the heartstrings as I perhaps expected it might.

After many hours playing Screamer

Crimson Desert is by no means a perfect game. It’s an amalgamation of perhaps slightly too many ideas, and that makes for a weirdly paced experience that demands a lot of the player without offering much in the way of help. And yet, it left me in awe more times than anything else I’ve played in recent memory with its dazzling open-world. Crimson Desert may not be the best game you'll ever play, but it’ll certainly be up there as perhaps the most memorable.

It does sadden me that the game turned out this way, as I fear a certain dark corner of the internet will use the game’s negative reception to push an unwarranted agenda, namely that the game’s failure is tied to the assumed relationship of the two female leads which, of course, is not the case. It’s difficult to overlook 1348 Ex Voto’s flaws though. While there are some charming performances on display, it’s ultimately let down by a dull and problematic combat system and poor optimisation that doesn’t really give you any incentive to push on with what is, sadly, a slog.

I tip my hat to the developers for how they are continually able to improve every year. Sure, it’s not a perfect game, but objectively, I believe that WWE 2K26 is the best wrestling game ever made, and that’s the bottom line, because I said so.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a new all-time favourite of mine. It’s a near-perfect package, offering a moving and captivating adventure infused with solid platforming and smart, varied puzzle design. Its cliffhanger ending may have us all holding our breaths for yet another instalment, but returning players won’t be disappointed by what’s on offer here. Reuniting with Lana and Mui is a treat, and I hope we all get the chance to do it again.

There’s no one reason why Pokémon Pokopia is so special; this game is a sum of its parts, without a single weak link in the chain. It’s a title that offers a unique spin on the cosy formula, made all the more magical by the familiarity of this wonderful franchise. Pokémon Pokopia is a true adventure that boasts a refreshing sense of freedom. Totally devoid of grind, this experience rewards the curious with heaps of content on offer. You’ll be hard pressed to put it down, and it's certainly a title that we’ll all be discussing when this year’s GOTY discussion rolls around.

As a horror game in its own right, Resident Evil Requiem is a very solid nine out of 10, but as a passionate fan of the series, it earns an additional bonus point thanks to the attention to detail and craft that’s gone into every pore of this game.

Reanimal is a game that I sense may be divisive. Its confusing world and short runtime don’t exactly set it up for universal success, but it’s hard not to come away from the game feeling entertained and impressed. It’s a jarring adventure but one that is held together by some utterly brilliant set pieces that make it a worthwhile co-op experience. I sense that Tarsier Studios has something fascinating to say with this one. I just wish I could work out what it was.

Mario Tennis Fever kicks off Mario’s 40th anniversary year in triumphant style. It’s a sports entry that delivers enough variety to be of appeal to all fans of the famed plumber, no matter their genre of preference. With its surprisingly charming Adventure Mode and more match variations than you could possibly imagine, Mario Tennis Fever is a bountifully delightful release that conjures up the pure, whimsical escapism that only Nintendo so wonderfully nails.

Starsand Island is exactly what I’ve claimed it to be in previous previews. It’s the very best of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and The Sims, with a flavouring of Studio Ghibli thrown in, but it’s also something completely original. Starsand Island’s depth of offering places it leagues above its competitors making it, for me, the new poster child of the cosy gaming space. I’ll be championing it until the rest of the world catches on, but I have a feeling that won’t take very long. [Early Access Score = 100]

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a worthwhile remake that follows on from the great work achieved in the original Kiwami and Kiwami 2. The game feels fresh in all areas that it needs to be, without losing the identity of what made this game popular in 2009. The combat is fluid and fun, the graphics are sharp, the camera is not restrictive, and there are some new elements, such as cut-scenes, modes, and mini-games that help make the game feel somewhat fresh. Simply put, if you’re already in love with the Yakuza series, then you’re gonna love Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties.

Cairn has now become one of my favourite games of all time. I absolutely love the game’s reactive climbing mechanics, the tough-but-fair difficulty, and its entire presentation is simply gorgeous. Even though there aren’t really any changes between playthroughs, this is a game I’ll be regularly coming back to, if only to continue experiencing the thrill of the climb over and over again.

All of this is to say that I think Inkle is on to another banger here. Narrative has always been one of the studio’s strongest points, but I absolutely love the way it unfolds here, where much of the backstory can only be pieced together by you. It’s a great method to tell a story in a way that only video games can, by emphasising the interaction between the player and the game, and is now one of the finest examples of doing this.

It doesn’t do much to reinvent the wheel, there’s nothing massive here that separates it from a game like Hollow Knight, but it doesn’t need to, either. I liked that it kept its features and ideas down to the simple fundamentals of the Metroidvania genre, where its appeal rides by on vibes alone. Even after reaching the end of the game, I’m excited to go back and see what I’ve missed, because I’ll bet there’s quite a lot of content I’ve still not seen yet.