LEGO Voyagers is undoubtedly one of the standout games of 2025. It’s quite unlike anything else I’ve played, combining clever co-op puzzling with a beautiful narrative - all contained within a perfectly presented package. It’s a joy to play and a true feast for the eyes.

Silksong is a game that refuses to be anything other than what it is, an unflinchingly robust and brutal sequel that will push you to your limits. Persevere, and you’ll be able to see past its more frustrating choices to experience one of the greatest games of the year, and a testament to giving developers the time and freedom to realise their visions.

Small issues aside, Borderlands 4 should give fans of the series most, if not all, of the experiences they were looking for. It's bombastic, spectacular fun that puts the emphasis on the player to go out and have a brilliant time. Playing through the story for the first time is one aspect (and again, an enjoyable one), but it's what you do after all that's said and done that really drives home what this game is meant to be. Whether taking on a raid boss with other players or free roaming the world in search of adventure, I sat there with a big, stupid grin stuck on my face for literal hours afterwards. Any game that delivers out-and-out fun at the rate of Borderlands 4 deserves its flowers, and it lives up to the reputation that the previous games so carefully built.

Cronos: The New Dawn is no walk in the park, and it will not hold your hand, and that’s exactly how survival horror games should be. This is the best original IP from Bloober Team to date, and if this is a sign of things to come, aside from the upcoming Silent Hill remake, I can’t wait to see what new terrifying delights the studio has in store for us next. Despite some occasional stuttering framerates, this is Bloober Team’s best original work yet, and Cronos: The New Dawn may go down as the best horror game this year.

It falls short with the combat unfortunately, which is a shame because it’s such a huge part of the game that you can’t really avoid it. Like I alluded to before, the final boss was a slog to get through and not the kind of finale I was hoping for, but it’s clear a lot of love went into the game so I’m trying not to judge it too harshly. I’d still recommend trying it for yourself, but don’t be surprised if the delightful visuals don’t keep you invested till the end credits, it needed a little more.

Overall, Hell Is Us has all the makings of an incredible game but is let down by clunky combat, a meandering main quest and lack of direction. However, it must be praised for its environmental storytelling and attention to detail when it comes to art direction and world building. If you don’t need direction and objectives to enjoy a game, this could still be the one for you as curiosity will always be rewarded in Hell is Us.

There are 12 Starry Stages to tackle in total set across all of the base game’s main zones, each level boasting up to 10 Starries to save. While I don’t have my exact completion time, you’re getting quite a number of hours worth of content here and for £16.99 for the upgrade, my firm assertion is that Star-Crossed World offers plenty of bang for your buck. Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World takes an already stellar experience and expands upon almost every aspect that you know and love. A tad more enemy variety would have been nice but it’s hard to see Star-Crossed World as anything other than a must-play experience.

Konami has improved on near-perfection by leaving all the original story beats, cutscene direction and dialogue alone, and instead, focused all of its attention on improving the visuals and gameplay experience. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a masterpiece reborn. I envy those who are new to this series, who are going to experience this game for the very first time, but for those returning, they will have a long-lost love rekindled.

Given its relatively small scope but simple and fun premise, I can’t find much to fault about Kill the Brickman. If you’re aching for a new roguelike to play, and you’re on board with Poncle’s whole shtick by now, it’s a genuinely fun time that can easily fill the time you spend on your afternoon breaks.

In having a minimalist approach to its storytelling and game mechanics, Herdling is able to bring closer attention to its overarching message about hardship and found families within nomadic, unhoused groups. It does an excellent job at balancing these themes in a digestible way, leaving you room to sit back and really take in what it’s trying to say. That it also manages to be an interesting survival game is just the cherry on top.

All things considered, Abyssus is a good game with a solid foundation, that could easily be a great game come future patches. Even now, it’s great fun to dive in and blow enemies away, particularly with a squad of friends, even if that does inordinately ramp up the difficulty. At the introductory offer price being offered in the Steam store until August 19, I’d feel more than comfortable recommending it to a friend, and it has the potential to be a staple evening’s enjoyment if it can get over the biggest hurdles discussed in this review.

There is no other way to describe Tiny Bookshop than delightfully cosy and a game which you can spend hours getting lost in, much like the very books the game is based around. With beautiful colours, smooth gameplay and relatable characters, you will feel at home in Bookstonbury-by-the-Sea and the magical world that Neoludic Games has managed to create.

With Magic Inn receiving regular patches in an attempt to fix the teething problems that launched with the game, I would still recommend giving it a shot as players will find a cosy, life simulator with that touch of magic. It may not be as polished as others in the genre but, issues aside, it still offers an enjoyable experience with heaps of replayability.

Some small annoyances aside, Mafia: The Old Country is a great entry to the long-running series, and it’s done a fine job at adapting the formula to a brand new historical context. It does run the risk of alienating long-time fans, as the jump back in time makes it quite an adjustment. However, if you just let it tell the story it wants to, you’ll find it can match the quality you've come to expect from this series.

I would certainly recommend this to horror fans, particularly those who love a good creepy atmosphere and prefer it when scary things are implied rather than shown. The few shortcomings it does have feel antithetical to the story Solarsuit is trying to tell, but it’s by no means an immersion-ruining experience.

Dear Me, I Was is certainly not a ‘game’ that’ll appeal to everyone, especially if you’re unwilling to challenge your notions of what a game can be. For those willing to succumb to what Dear Me, I Was has to offer though, it’s an unforgettable experience and one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever had the privilege of playing. Director Maho Taguchi has crafted a masterpiece, evoking similar feelings to those I had when I first watched Isao Takahata's 1991 triumph Only Yesterday. I cried; I smiled. This game won’t be leaving me anytime soon.

If you want to see some stellar performances, or experience some chilling horror, or simply find solutions to fiendish puzzles, then do it with Dead Take, and do it in one sitting. Because the four hours I spent wandering the darkened halls of this mansion will haunt me for some time yet.

On the whole, I got a lot of joy from Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and perhaps in different hands, more skilled hands, the opinion would be even more positive. Perhaps those who will play this, yearning for the days of TMNT in a grotty arcade will get a kick out of the quirks and eccentricities here. I have my complaints, but I’d still recommend this game to everyone I know who likes a challenge or appreciates the retro style.

In many ways, Grounded 2 is more of the same but I don’t think anyone came away from that first outing asking for anything different. Feedback has been taken on board with this sequel offering a larger map, new bugs, a mount system, alongside other refined and retuned features that make for an experience that is more seamless, more immersive, and an undeniable improvement over what came before. Obsidian Entertainment came into this project with great foundations. Grounded 2 may be in early access, but it’s already the definitive way to experience this franchise. [Early Access Score = 90]

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings game doesn’t reinvent the cosy formula, despite several promising glimmers of originality. Any sign of promise is, unfortunately, cancelled out by mediocrity and an experience that is dominated by untapped potential. The game, despite these issues, has undeniable charm but it’s difficult to claim that it’ll resonate and land with the masses.

I can’t help but love Hell Clock, because it exemplifies the reason I love indie gaming so much. This space offers unique, personal stories paired with enigmatic gameplay that refuses to let me go. It impresses at every turn, constantly surprising me. Even though I opened this game feeling like I’d seen everything within, several times before, I felt that glee of seeing something fresh, and I put my controller down having experienced something built out of passion.

I’m finding it apt to compare Killing Floor 3 to Payday 3’s launch, which is another series I absolutely adore. Fans will remember Payday 3 launched with a lot of problems, many of which seem to have been repeated here. Tripwire Interactive has a long road ahead to persuade fans that making the jump to the third game will be worth it. And I truly believe there’s an excellent foundation here to turn it into something great, but I’m not convinced this is what that game is right now.

As I came to the end of my time in Tamagotchi Plaza, it became an insipid place to roam - an existential nightmare where everyone is constantly happy, living in a cycle of benign pleasantries. The constant repetition only serving to chip away at my sanity, much like when I owned my first Tamagotchi as a kid, hearing it chirrup for attention until I shoved it in a drawer to die.

Is Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV worth the cost of the upgrade? Sure, if you can afford it. Without the camera you’ll be missing out on some fun features and minigames, and if you’re playing with a group of four then you’ll need an extra pair of Switch 2 Joy-Cons instead of using your old pair for the original Switch. Otherwise, expect to be missing out on a large chunk of content.

While I don’t think Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is going to become the sudden favourite of soulslike fans, I can see it getting plenty of time in the sun. The issues I felt are, in the grand scheme of things, relatively minor and can all be worked around, or even patched out by the developers. Which leaves me with an utterly engaging world, filled with sheer beauty, and plenty of fresh ideas.

All in all Donkey Kong Bananza is another splendid technical playground from the Super Mario Odyssey team. It's redesigned and reinvigorated Donkey Kong to marvellous effect, and that's coming from someone who was a big fan of Rare's version of the character. I'm not exaggerating when I say the last third of the game had me standing up in joyful disbelief, and by the time the credits rolled I was more than happy to dive back in and look for the collectibles I'd missed along the way. Donkey Kong Bananza is the second first-party Nintendo game to release for the Nintendo Switch 2, and combined with Mario Kart World I'd argue it's more than a good reason to get yourself Nintendo’s new console if you haven't already.

When the writing works, it really works. And when it doesn’t, it painstakingly doesn’t. From the looks of it, it seems as though Metal Head Games is planning for further expansions later down the line. I hope this gives the developer an opportunity to build on what makes the game good, while improving upon some of its more unsteady aspects.

These new additions are seamless and, I hope, can be used as proof of concept for a potential Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5. I’m aware there is already a fifth game, of course, but Iron Galaxy — and you — would do better to forget about that one...Throw in a slew of secret characters, gameplay mods, multiplayer modes, and customisation options that weren’t in the original games, and you have yourself a little slice of skateboarding heaven in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remastered. The birdman has done it again.