Marvel Cosmic Invasion packs all the punch you’d expect from a comic book splash page. It’s clearly made with the kind of love for the source material that I’m looking for, and it improves on Shredder’s Revenge in every way that matters to me.

Winter Burrow is a pleasant experience with a sprinkling of challenge to manage, with good elements of survival, resource management, and cozy. The sum of its parts is adequate but I wish there was more for me to chew on with its mechanics, like more decoration options and varied quests.

It feels like everything in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment comes with an asterisk. The combat is fun and mindless but can get very tedious with how much HP everything has. A constant battle for territory is a neat idea but frustrating in practice. The music is amazing, but very difficult to hear even when set to max volume. There are some cool Star Fox-style rail shooting sections, but they control weird and overstay their welcome. It’s not that this is a bad game, far from it, it’s just that it feels like it was mostly interested in checking the Musou box for Tears of the Kingdom instead of being its own, cool thing.

Wednesdays is a great example of how video games are an important vessel for different perspectives and awareness. Whilst it is more visual novel than actual game, just the simple act of clicking text boxes that maybe shy away from the topic or get straight to the point allows the player to control how they consume such a deep and nuanced topic. It’s definitely a game to give a chance to, especially when it won’t cost you a thing.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is a blast to play. Fans of the show will find that there is no end to the references packed within this entry. The combat feels fantastic, especially when controlling Patrick, and the platforming elements feel smoother than they have ever been. Sadly, the story pacing and cutscenes make the game drag.

Dispatch is a very uneven experience. It has polish in some places but severely lacks it in others. It has great characters but you don’t get to spend much time with the good ones. The dispatching segments can be fun but feel somewhat shallow. The game has sparks of absolute brilliance, though can use those sparks to start a dumpster fire. It’s worth playing and enjoyable for any fans of narrative focused games or superheroes, but might be memorable for the wrong reasons.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is an incredible feat by all teams involved. There has not been a Call of Duty game yet that has the scope of Black Ops 7, or the interconnected social experience it provides. Every facet of the game, whether Zombies, Multiplayer, Endgame, Dead Ops Arcade 4, or Campaign, feels like it was crafted passionately. Outstanding gameplay and progression systems back up a packed title; I’ll be playing BO7 for a very long time. Black Ops 7 is the pinnacle of modern Call of Duty, blending the past with the present in a way that’s worthy of the grind you’ll be putting into it.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is a veritable feast of improvements over not only its predecessors but the whole genre. There are occasionally obtuse moments, but these minor issues are overshadowed by improvements at every possible turn. If you’re looking for your next city builder, this is it.

Forestrike is an action rogue-like where players can practice every battle before it occurs by using the Foresight. This system in and of itself is fun, but the game can’t get out of its own way with unfair balancing that punishes the player regardless of performance. Even so, when the gameplay works, it works wonderfully, with an excellent sense of aesthetics and a strong story and characters to back it up.

Battlefield 6 expands its arsenal with two new modes that bring the heat. The REDSEC battle royale brings all-out warfare to a bigger arena wreathed in flames. It’s a vast improvement from its previous iteration, although Solo and Trio matchmaking options would be appreciated. Gauntlet is an entirely new Battlefield experience that adds some additional fire and flair to the competitive FPS genre, keeping players on their toes every round. PTFO!

Where Winds Meet is a massive, gorgeous wuxia adventure that’s fun whether you want to play solo or engage with the community. Combat is fun, the world is beautifully realized, and the storytelling is engaging. Some of the systems can feel a little clunky, but not in a way that would turn players away. Where Winds Meet tells a huge, sweeping story that’ll keep you busy for 150+ hours or more, and with weapons ranging from swords and rope darts to umbrellas and fans, this has all the trappings to let you live out your fantasy as the hero in your own martial arts epic.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s last hurrah is a stellar one. Mysteria Ecclesiae is a detective-like tale featuring a lot of great dialogue and even more stealth. While it may be more fun to fans of that character build, the story is worth taking another trip to 1400s Bohemia.

Painkiller is a fast and frenetic arena shooter that evokes the best elements of its predecessors. Gunplay is tight, movement is quick and fun, encounters are well-designed, and the weapon upgrade mechanics are fun to explore. While the raids are an enjoyable ride and Rogue Angel offers some variety in replay value, it’s kind of disappointing that there wasn’t a cohesive story to be told. Couple that with matchmaking already showing signs of distress, and I have to wonder if this wouldn’t have been better served as a narrative single-player experience. Still, what’s here is a blast, especially if you have a couple of friends to play with.

After spending some time in the Rust Belt, I can say with certainty that ARC Raiders is a great step for the extraction shooter genre. Beyond the incredible atmosphere of the maps lies in-depth systems to explore. Although simple to pick up, some may find it frustrating along the way. But, if you put in the effort, the mechanics ARC Raiders has available can make for a stellar time topside. That said there's still a whole lot left to explore in the Rust Belt – I've only played a smidgeon of the content for this live-service extraction shooter. If I had to score it today, based on initial impressions, I'd be at an 80/100. I'd also recommend ARC Raiders to all fans of the genre and gamers interested in starting their extraction shooter journey.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake isn’t what I expected in the best possible way. The remake of Dragon Quest I is great, if frustrating at times, as it fleshes out the characters and combat of Alefgard. Dragon Quest II is the real highlight here, though, transforming the black sheep of the series into one of the best entries with delightful characters, a gripping story, and fun, strategic battles. Both games are gorgeous, with fantastic pixel art and orchestrated music, so they’re both well worth your time.

Bounty Star is a title of interesting ideas that never fully realizes any of them. The narrative foundation is strong, the setting is unique, and the ambition to blend mech warfare with homestead management deserves praise. But the execution fumbles with its overly repetitive design and shallow systems.

Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is a stylish and enjoyable revival of the iconic action hero. Blending some anime nostalgia with modern platforming, it's a solid outing and even better tribute to Buichi Terasawa.

Pokémon Legends Z-A gives us an amazing, fresh take on Pokémon battles, but that’s about all it does. Difficult fights are a highlight, but they can feel few and far between in a game that really overstays its welcome. When it works, it’s an absolute blast, but since there’s nothing else to do it’s a very one note game.

Consume Me is a pure delight to indulge in with a style that makes the mundane life of a teenager look exciting and like something straight out of a manga, but with messaging that hits home and touches on very real topics that harm a lot of teenage girls. It’s interactive storytelling at its best with RPG elements and a management system that had me scratching my head and even resetting a few times, which added a layer of challenge that made me want to master its mechanics. This is a true gem that has definitely come from the heart of its devs but with comedy that had me in hysterics, I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Easy Delivery Co. doesn’t need to say or do a lot to show you what the game is all about. It’s vibes with sprinklings of mystery, horror, and cozy that you can infer into as much as you want. It’s simplistic in gameplay and pretty much everything else, so manage your expectations. Once I did this, I wholeheartedly enjoyed Easy Delivery Co. in my evenings, where I just wanted to empty my mind and coast through low-poly snowy mountains. I just wish it had a bit more substance to keep me coming back, like optional challenges and maybe some mini questlines for NPCs.

Keeper is a fascinating tale full of moments that will make you think — not just about the game, but life and our place in the world. The visuals are intriguing, and the on-screen action is supported by a solid soundtrack. The mechanics are simple and can become a little monotonous at times, but there’s always something new around the next bend. While Keeper may not be a game that appeals to everyone, the nature of the story ensures that it’s certainly a game that’s for everyone.

PowerWash Simulator 2 is more of the same, but it doesn’t need to be anything else. With a meaty campaign, DLC offerings in the future, and an ever-addictive feedback loop, things are only looking up for Muckingham’s local hero. Watch out for the “one more game” trap!

FC 26 is fine for a while, but the longer I played, the more I became annoyed with the control scheme. The AI was a big fun killing factor, and no matter how many times I changed the game's difficulty, it never got better. Still, I had fun with a few of the game modes and love the training games.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is a triumph for the Jurassic World Evolution series of games. Every inch of this game is oozing with quality-of-life improvements. I am seriously chomping at the bit to get my hands on free updates and further DLC.

If you craved a sprawling space opera with weighty choices and layered systems, The Outer Worlds 2 achieves that vision. Obsidian succeeds in expanding the scope, immaculate vibes, and mechanical depth of the first game whilst keeping the sharp writing and player choice they’re known for.

If you and a couple of friends are into a quick hack-and-slash adventure, Godbreakers has a quick fix for you. What it lacks, however, is robust combat systems and replayability. While there is fun to be had as you steal abilities from your foes, the highs wear off fast.

Ninja Gaiden 4 answers the call for a Ninja Gaiden successor. The gameplay offers plenty to enjoy for series veterans and newcomers alike, although the elements surrounding the combat don't put up as good of a fight.

Nothing in Varlet’s gameplay or narrative is outright terrible, with even the worst aspects being non-intrusive. Despite this, repetition is what makes the whole package less than the sum of its mediocre parts. My heart sank realizing how its promising foundation within the first few hours is all the game has to offer. Worst of all, as someone often moved by FuRyu’s flawed, but heartfelt games, Varlet commits the biggest sin of all. It made me feel next to nothing.