An absolute blast at every turn and just pure concentrated fun overall, Enter the Gungeon is an absolute gem that is not to be missed out on and Dodge Roll should be congratulated for it.

As a side-scrolling brawler, Dragon’s Crown is deep and loaded with replay. As an example of 2D art in gaming, it’s unequalled.

Rising represents some of the most fluid and enjoyable combat mechanics to grace a modern action game, presented in a manner so over-the-top that it’s hard not to laugh hysterically at the sheer ridiculousness of the affairs.

The Last Guardian is Team ICO’s magnum opus. Everything they learned from the prior games in this semi-series has been put to use here and allowed them to craft their greatest adventure yet. Trico’s tale is one of sadness and joy, and something that everyone who enjoyed the team’s prior work should partake in as soon as possible. Newcomers will want to come in with an open mind for exploration and puzzle-solving, but if they do, they will be rewarded with the finest gaming experience yet on the PlayStation 4. Its sense of scale is unmatched and it features the best graphics yet on the console. Minor flaws do exist, but they don’t detract from the overall experience enough to make it anything less than a masterpiece.

Whether you’re a fan of exceptional adventure games, science fiction, or even its apparent influences, there is a memorable adventure in Technobabylon backed by a believable setting and driven by a strong narrative.

In essence, though nothing beats being in front of the actual machines and feeding in a quarter to square off with it, Pinball Hall of Fame – The Williams Collection is about as close as the video game medium allows for.

Everything that sold everyone on College Football 25 is bigger and better in College Football 26. The game simply can't be put down and the game modes are more encompassing than they were last year. Road to Glory will have you making multiple characters and Dynasty Mode will have you hooked on the updated aspects with recruiting and crossplay with your friends online. 300 coaches, multiple playbooks, 136 teams and the updated Team Builder with a better online process makes College Football 26 an unprecedented experience. The elephant in the room is the physics-based gameplay as the extremely upbeat and snappy gameplay from last year takes a slight dip in favor of more realism and that's truly felt. Bugs that weren't nearly this apparent last year are here at launch. The physics-based gameplay starts to shift the franchise towards Madden, and a big selling point to many on this series is that it isn't Madden. In the end, however, there's an impeccable College Football replication in EA Sports College Football 26.

Ether One might well represent the apex of its particular subgenre. It engages the player at every level they might want to engage it, and rewards them handsomely for plunging into its depths.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred continues the story of Diablo IV into its next inevitable chapter. The story continues in a satisfying way as players explore the new region of Nahantu. The Spiritborn class is a blast to play, the mix of a martial artist with different Guardian Spirits providing support has potential for numerous viable builds. Ultimately though, even with the new area, vocation and other new features added, Vessel of Hatred offers more of what players can expect from Diablo IV.

Solas 128 is an intricate sprawling mass of puzzles, slowly building in intricacy from managing a single beam to untangling multiple colors and filters with only a handful of reflectors. The initial “guide the beam to the exit” eventually changes to “guide the color to the place to activate the trigger to get to the area while keeping an eye on three possible exits, all of which will be used eventually but in what order?” Meanwhile the neon-vector art style keeps the screen looking great even as the minutes tick by, and while the repetition of the soundtrack doesn’t fare so well in the long run, the steady beat of the synthwave music keeps the brain flowing along in a puzzley trance. There’s a lot to untangle in the depths of a corrupted machine, but when fixed maybe it can finally function again good as new.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon encapsulates what the heart of the series has always been about. Its engrossing story combines finally bringing forth some of the huge bombshells that the Calvard arc had in store while also not forgetting the importance of fostering the vast world where even the most mundane NPC truly matters for those who have been following the tale so far. Meanwhile, the gameplay is truly remarkable in its customization and strategic elements while finally showcasing, along with last year’s Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, that Falcom has found a great balance between the action-oriented and turn-based formats.

It’s a mixed bag and the game is nowhere near perfect. Stick through the linear and less gripping parts for the first few hours, and you’ll end up with a story and combat engine that’ll hold you hostage until completion.

Despite a few issues that prevent the game from being a wholly immersive open-world exploratory experience, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter packs an impressive punch.

Samurai Warriors 4 DX is the best version of the ten-year-old game. The performance is smooth with a stable framerate on both PC and Steam Deck. The large amount of included DLC is a nice incentive for those who are only familiar with the vanilla version or simply missed out on the original when it arrived. Most of the DLC consists of cosmetic items such as new costumes or custom character creation parts, though. Overall, this is a great port of Samurai Warriors 4, but unless the inclusion of all the DLC is a major point of interest, there isn't much reason to revisit this game for those who already have the original.

It may not achieve the same immediate and resounding brilliance as its predecessors, but The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III is brilliant nonetheless. By modern design standards, albeit not a graphical showcase, one of the best examples of what JRPGs can be.

Counter-Strike 2 is a mostly positive update to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The enhanced visuals that range from improved textures to lighting and particle effects help bring the graphics up to date while keeping the required specs low enough where the experience isn’t limited to those with super expensive gaming rigs. The removal of Demolition and Arms Race is choice that likely won’t sit well with most fans, but there’s hope these modes will return someday. Even with all the changes that were implemented, Counter-Strike 2 plays like an old friend who is returning after a prolonged absence. It has a new look and made a few changes, but essentially it’s still Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and those who enjoy team-based shooters will still enjoy spending countless hours with the upgraded version.

MLB The Show 18 incorporates plenty of content to keep players busy while offering the best visuals and strongest core gameplay in a sports simulation. Franchise Mode feels more intuitive, Diamond Dynasty is loaded with Legends and many different outlets to score more cards, and Road to the Show is the best version the series has seen. The adjusted ball mechanics can be felt immediately, but there still seems to be an abundant amount of foul balls. While the lack of something revolutionary may bother yearly players, the game of baseball that The Show 18 plays will attract baseball fans.

ModNation Racers is an enjoyable game that is packed to the brim with so much content that you won't know what to do with it all.

There are still some qualms here and there, such as the returning frame-rate slowdown and repetitiveness, but in general this is a solid action-RPG that should be played by anyone who adores the genre.

While not a lot has changed in terms of ways to play MLB The Show 23, the experience on the field is much improved. The time spent on the audio aspect and the focus on better replicating a television broadcast are this game’s specialty. The lack of updated rule changes, however, is a weird gaff. The modes remain the same for the most part outside of the inclusion of the Negro League stories. This is hampered by tying progression down to the Challenge Mode, which has been historically frustrating. Spreading the game across multiple outdated platforms and also tying this to Game Pass is hurting the progression of the series as it has become visually dated. This isn’t a big deal if you’re already paying for Game Pass, but paying $70 for a dated-looking game where a good bit of it is unchanged and previous Diamond Dynasty progression is reset is a hard ask. MLB The Show 23 is still a solid game of baseball, but it has been a solid game of baseball for years and being stuck on one platform no longer offers an excuse for attracting new players.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a fantastic and beautiful kart racer that any fan of the Sonic franchise will enjoy. The fast-paced gameplay has a tight learning curve, but with practice both children and adults can find plenty to enjoy. If you're feeling an itch for a good racing game, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is your best option this year.

RunGunJumpGun is simple arcade action taken to its extremes. The basic controls don’t get in the way of the gameplay being run through endless permutations, with each of the 120+ levels giving a new challenge distinct from the previous ones.

Even with its safe confinement to a generally unchanged art-style and environmental aesthetic, HoPiKo remains enjoyably engaging and challenging from beginning to tantalizing end.

Though not quite matching the Everest-high peak of its contemporaries, Creepy Castle delivers enough charm and quirkiness to leave a satisfying impression. Satisfying enough to look past the aspect ratio, put it that way.

If you do any type of eSports racing or are a long time fan of racing in general, Circuit Superstars is worth a look. If you enjoyed the classic games of racing’s past such as RC Pro Am and the like, then this will be right up your alley. While the Grand Prix is fine for single player, it’s going to take devoted effort to learn the game and the tracks. It lacks the hook and appeal of Mario Kart, which makes Circuit Superstars less inviting to spend hours on learning everything. This is a fun racing game to play with friends with the same light-hearted approach the developers had when creating the game. For $19.99, this is a great good option to have in your arsenal when friends come over.

Though it may retread old ground in parts, it's the wealth of material as much the care for the smaller details, where Digital Eclipse's reverence is most strongly felt. Not as complete or as comprehensive as one might've liked, Tetris Forever is still nonetheless a pleasant, worthwhile look back on one of gaming's and indeed all of culture's most-prized creations.

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics may not be anything revolutionary, but it’s a fantastic collection of classic games from around the world that creates an easier way to enjoy them with others or alone than ever before.

Halo Wars will feel like a game of ’My First RTS’ for all the well seasoned veterans of the genre, but a good solid starting point for those that have never played a strategy game.