METAL EDEN is a satisfyingly fast paced slaughter as you glide through the air and tear out the hearts of your enemies. With the varied weaponry at the Hyper Unit’s disposal, you’ll certainly have a blast rescuing the citizens of Moebius from the cryptic engineers, even if the conclusion comes quickly.

Cronos: The New Dawn is Bloober Team’s attempt to prove they're more than just remake specialists. Did they succeed? You betcha.

Lost Soul Aside is a flawed but occasionally brilliant action game that represents both the potential and the pitfalls of passion-driven game development. What Yang Bing and his team at Ultizero Games have accomplished is nothing short of extraordinary, because the core combat system genuinely delivers the kind of stylish, skill-based action that genre fans crave. However, another year of development to smooth out the rough edges might have allowed this game to live up to its sky-high expectations.

Hell is Us is an experience that won't appeal to everyone, particularly those who prefer clear objectives. You will spend a lot of your time figuring out what to do next, piecing together what clues you might have missed. But, the game also represents something increasingly rare in modern gaming: a title that respects your intelligence and isn't afraid to make bold design choices. Now, get ready to take some notes.

Even after a week of finishing Shuten Order, I am still pondering how I feel. It's an excellent experience I overall enjoyed, yet left a tad bit unsatisfied at where the adventure ended. Strangely, I feel this is its own unique merit. A destination that invites you to reflect back on the journey, wishing to see more of the path forward, but content with the distance that has been trekked. Kodaka, Nakazawa, and the writing team’s simultaneous celebration and critique of religion is one I found thoughtfully uplifting just as much as it is deeply disturbing. A take that plays on familiarity to craft something subversive. Shuten Order may not reach the peaks present in their other works (thankfully it also avoids the pitfalls), but it is a deeply introspective murder mystery that left me lost in thought about the nature of my own existence past its conclusion.

Abiotic Factor is a gorgeous survival game about pushing the boundaries of reality as we know it. You won’t be stranded on an island; this time, you have to survive a facility teeming with creatures, objects, and other humans who want you dead. How far are you willing to go to escape?

Once Alive is a two-ish hour walking sim with a narratively rich story to tell. It might have some rough edges, but the love the developer put into it shines through. If you love games with a compelling story and atmosphere a-plenty, then pick this one up.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is novel in that it’s a lost GBA game finally being finished and released, but that’s about all it has going for it. The adventure itself feels like just another day in the life of the half-genie heroine, with nothing really interesting to see or do. It has some bright spots, like the puzzles and transformations, but is incredibly forgettable, bland, and inconsistent.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance doesn’t settle for redoing the past. Instead, it brings the series forward with a distinct art style and bold new ideas. Art of Vengeance captures the spirit of Sega with a well-designed game that as an overly concerned Shinobi fanatic, I can muster only minor gripes about. It's good, it's fresh, and it's fun.

Mastering the manipulation of time, traversing a dreamlike cosmos, and solving immersive puzzles showcases why Hidden Memories of the Gardens Between is an adorable VR title that you shouldn’t let go under the radar.

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater wants to have its cake and eat it too by remaining incredibly faithful to the original while also updating some key aspects like the controls and visuals. To die-hard fans of the PS2 classic, this is less of a definitive remake of the game and more just another way to play a fantastic game. Newcomers are certainly in for a treat, however, as Δ smooths over the original’s rougher edges for a more modern experience. It loses a lot in the translation, like some of the nuance in stealth and combat, but remains a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Among the Whispers - Provocation takes the formula that Conrad Stevenson’s Paranormal PI introduced, streamlines the pacing, and adds a strong story with a killer setting. Any fan of single-player ghost-hunting games should consider this one a buy.

The Rogue Prince of Persia excels in 2D side scrolling combat by infusing a buttery smooth parkour system into the mix. Retaking Ctesiphon from the Huns using the immortal powers of the Prince works so well for the roguelite formula, and each run had me wanting to jump right back in.

Liminal Exit is a game that knows its inspiration and executes on it well, from the eerie anomalies to the uncertainty of progress. While the game will probably only take you around an hour to beat, it leaves a lasting impression.

Overall, OFF is definitely worth the purchase just for the experience you have whilst playing it. It’s wholly unique and has you contemplating your actions and its world throughout and way after the credits roll. Whilst it may just have a basic battle system and puzzles, OFF is a masterclass in feeling and atmosphere, and this new remaster makes it even more accessible to a modern audience.

Sword of the Sea is a beautiful, almost-cozy experience that, like Giant Squid’s other titles, stands as a strong argument for games as art. The game has chill vibes and a gorgeous, atmospheric aesthetic while still delivering an eloquent narrative. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, Sword of the Sea is the low-friction adventure for you.

After tons of time squinting at my monitor trying to solve whodunits and twisting my iPad around to see if my puzzle will cooperate, The Drifter has been the refreshing and innovative experience I’ve been looking for. You’ll find me hard-pressed to find any glaring flaws, as it excels in its characters, writing, puzzling, and everything else. It’s a thrill ride from start to finish that I’d recommend to anyone.

EA Sports Madden NFL 26 has a lot going for it this year with major updates to Madden Franchise Mode and a great new start to a refresh for NFL Superstar, all the while keeping MUT and online play steady as always. Franchise mode feels the most cinematic it’s ever felt with Rich Eisen and Scott Hanson bringing a new level of immersion into the game and adding all sorts of weekly reports and planning. The gameplay itself feels updated with the inclusion of the wear & tear system coming from College Football to Madden and multiple choices when it comes to passing mechanics. While bugs are a’plenty right now, this is a major step in the right direction for the Madden franchise that really needed a strong showing this year. If you’ve not played Madden in a while, this is where you’ll want to jump in again, especially Franchise Mode fans.

Echoes of the End may be one of 2025’s best surprises. While it has a bit of jank that leads to occasional frustration, it’s easily offset by gorgeous visuals, a great story, fascinating lore, engaging combat, smart puzzles, and excellent traversal mechanics. I desperately hope Myrkur Games continues to build and grow what has the potential to be an incredible franchise.

Disney Illusion Island feels a little shallow. With a lack of combat and a slow introduction to your abilities in-game, things can quickly become stale. However, playing with a few friends makes the game blossom into a much better experience.

Dungeon’s Hinterberg takes dungeon crawling, makes it a capitalist venture, and results in a personal story about the benefits and downfalls of tourism in our small towns. It’s a heartfelt story that charms you straight off the bat. The dungeons themselves are fun and feel more like a sightseeing holiday than terribly complex combat-fueled ventures, but if you’re looking for a chill time with hacking and slashing and hanging out with friends whilst saving the town from magic, then Dungeons of Hinterberg is a perfect holiday.

Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga is a test of frustration. It’s rarely fun to play and the sagging story never merits giving it a shot. It may look jaw-droppingly stunning but don’t be fooled - there’s not all that much going on beneath the surface. If you’re a PS5 owner who loved the original game and have been waiting forever to get your hands on the sequel, you’d best do yourself a favour and play the first game again instead.

Mafia: The Old Country harkens back to the old days in more ways than one. While the gameplay is more of a standard third-person action affair, it’s refreshing to play a game that doesn’t require you to wade through padding to find the good stuff. With a stirring narrative that commands your attention and visuals that fully capture your gaze, The Old Country is exactly the place to holiday as the summer comes to a close.

For 15 nights you'll need to hold back the darkness or embrace it as the sole lifeline of those on the sea. Even if the scares aren't that high, Static Dread still manages to tell the eldritch story it wants to in a reasonably fun way.

We already knew we had a long-lasting gem when Two Point Museum hit our screens in March. However, what is a surprise is how they hit it out of the park straight away with their first paid DLC expansion. Fantasy Finds is unique and adds refreshing new gameplay mechanics and decorations so you can fall in love with creating a museum all over again. For such a small price, you’re guaranteed many more hours to indulge in this masterpiece of a management sim.

Dune:Awakening does a phenomenal job of making Arrakis come to life, from the oppressing heat and sand as far as the eye can see, to the terrifying encounters with Shai Halud. Once you get your feet under you, the game has dozens of hours of exploration and content to work through, making it a very enjoyable experience. The combat leaves a lot to be desired, but classes, weapons, and gadgets feel fun. Took some points off for lack of housing decoration options and mods, and for the lack of real end game content. Would love to see raids, or overworld bosses, and better boss encounters in Testing Stations. Over all Dune:Awakening is a unique and fun experience that will suck you in right away.

Ragebound shows a great deal of respect to Ninja Gaiden’s legacy while being unafraid to try out some new ideas. It looks great, sounds great, and plays great. I just wish it respected the player on the same level as its predecessors, as its low difficulty and high player dictation is somewhat offputting for a longtime fan like myself.

Dead Take succeeds in harnessing terror by means of anticipation and stellar environmental horror. The performances of the cast are on point, delivering interesting themes, but that aren’t always tied up in the end. Even with a bit shallow of a narrative, Dead Take kept me on my toes from beginning to end, a commendable effort from Surgent Studios.