Ultimately, Alwa’s Awakening feels like the foundation to what might have been a rather more substantial revisit of the glorious 8-bit like so many before it. Though its varied locales and array of gems to find do at least give plenty of food for thought on how to achieve what may feel like a frustratingly impossible task, a lot of the finished product that comprises Alwa’s Awakening comes across as either undercooked or much too rose-tinted and reliant on nostalgia for the pure sake of it.

This is an easy recommendation for anyone that has already played through Tales of Xillia and yet another good reason to force you to if you haven’t yet.

Paradox Interactive have managed to release a grand strategy game that actually feels not so overwhelmingly complex as to scare off newcomers.

Samba de Amigo: Party Central isn’t exactly the deepest rhythm game, but there’s still fun to be had here, even if the overall product is held back by its finicky Joy-Con controls. A great soundtrack, enjoyable gameplay modes and a bold, eye-catching visual style help keep the party going even longer, but with a little refinement, future shindigs in this series can be even greater than ever.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 is an excellent take on the Dynasty Warriors formula, and easily the best One Piece game so far.

It may not revolutionize, but Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes 2.0 Edition firmly establishes the property in the gaming landscape.

Megadimension Neptunia VII is slightly refreshing, but not enough to really revitalize this aging series.

Nearly a decade on, Teslagrad 2 strides into view where the original left off, with a modest but still entertaining palette of magnetism-based gameplay and precision-platforming alike. A justifiable approach from Rain Games in parts given how easy it is to grapple with, though one that isn’t as bold and surprising a second time round — lacking the broader creativity a sequel of its nature could have and should have brought. Curious in many ways, when it comes to applying one’s abilities. In others, a game whose short run-time and lacking narrative sadly isn’t offset by a more memorable and meatier world to explore. Short on meaningful exploration it may be, however, a focus once more on the intrigue of its mechanics, one that helped the original shine all those years ago, in similar fashion helps Teslagrad 2 establish itself as that of a solid, though flawed, follow-up.

DOOM VFR is an outstanding, but limited, game. The lack of arcade and multiplayer content hurts the overall package, but it does its sole purpose of replicating the campaign in VR incredibly well. The fat has been trimmed from it resulting in an all killer, no filler approach that keeps the tension and action levels at a high point that exceeds even the base campaign from the reboot. Anyone who enjoyed that and wants to play it in VR should do so if they have a Vive or a PlayStation VR.

EA’s NHL series feels like it’s slowly distancing itself more and more from the NHL and going more of the FIFA route for a wide variety of hockey around the world. Unlike soccer, though, the best hockey players in the world play in North America for an organized league. The focus on Chel and HUT continue to pull away from a true NHL experience as it feels less and less is incorporated on the NHL side to replicate the sport that people watch. While there are touch-ups to NHL 23, it doesn’t do enough this year to make it feel like an upgrade. Some of the gameplay changes are nice, but on the entire scale with the presentation and feel of the game, it’s mostly the same. The Franchise Mode offering the customization option with the ability to bring in Legacy Teams is a positive, but then modes like Be A Pro are left on the bench once again.

What it lacks in technical prowess, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town more than makes up for in sheer fun. The gameplay loop of farm management alongside more active roles such as mining and gathering materials makes the day-to-day adventure a lot of fun, while building up bonds with the townspeople feels like an accomplishment. Anyone looking for a more action-filled life simulation will feel right at home with Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, and it’s also perfect for any lapsed fans of the genre. Players are guided along nicely, but still given tremendous freedom to make their adventure their own.

For some, what you make of Shadow Warrior 3 may well be influenced by the comparisons one draws from the prior 2016 entrant. While all parties will unilaterally agree Flying Wild Hog’s third outing in the series feels more stripped back and “to the point” than its predecessors — least on the surface — feelings thereafter will no doubt be split. Some will deduce this year’s offering lacks what made 2016’s title a novel but compelling shooter to play in repeated session. For others, myself included, that notion of being stripped back by no means signals a negative. But few will disagree that developer Flying Wild Hog have gone about this in as unapologetic and as indulgently-confident a manner as one can get. That attitude may only get you so far in admiration, so it’s thanks to a mixture of smart strategic additions to its combat formula, as well as a welcome care to its artistic design, where the series’ third entrant will garner a majority favor. It may not be reinventing the wheel in any drastic means, but Shadow Warrior 3‘s warranted excess and lovably chaotic flow is one you’ll easily get lost in and perhaps never want to get out of.

While Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may not be a perfect experience, it’s still an absolute delight in almost every way. Memorable characters and storylines are the highlight that pulls together the open exploration, which is truly impactful. It’s hard to stop playing with every corner having a Pokémon hiding and potentially something new to find along the way. A trainer can go through every area and still miss one or two hidden surprises that are so much fun to uncover when coming back. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the best titles in the franchise in over a decade, with the only thing holding them back being performance hiccups we hope manage to get fixed down the line.

Klang’s take on rhythm platformers is indeed a unique one, in both aesthetics and gameplay, and despite some frustrating moments and uneven difficulty holding it back, its variety of levels, attractive look and sound, and easy-to-learn-hard-to-master gameplay can still make for a highly fun experience.

Far Cry: New Dawn is an unexpected but welcome continuation of Far Cry 5. Hope County was an enjoyable setting, filled with memorable characters in conflict against one of the more compelling Far Cry villains, so it’s nice to return to it and help clean up the mess from the disaster Joseph Seed orchestrated.

Like the winding roads of Farewell Wilderness that contain both serenity and danger, Days Gone is a journey with a winding range of emotions. Though the game borrows heavily from other open-world games, Bend Studios has done a solid job melding it together into a package that’s more than the sum of its parts.

Despite a disappointing setlist, Just Dance 2025 Edition still delivers on the fun of the pastime. Some of the choreography can be too complicated for its own good, but there are some tracks that stand out with easier to follow moves like "Paint the Town Red" and "Vogue" by Madonna. The visuals are also striking, while the inclusion of multiple difficulties within some songs is a step in the right direction.

Hitman – Episode 4: Bangkok has a lot of good going for it, but doesn’t quite live up to the excitement that has been established in the past.

The theme of a bunch of teenagers roaming a school haunted by tormented souls trying to kill them may limit the mass appeal of this game, but for the niche audience this type of game speaks to, it is very well done.

Red Thread Games has given us two spectacular worlds to explore, and while actually getting around those worlds can be a bit of a hassle, they’re still well worth visiting.

While the physical limitations of its content are clear, it takes little away from the intrigue and challenge Earth Atlantis generates through its fusion of explorative design with the shoot-em-up mechanics that it unquestionably pays homage to. The variety of boss designs (and the way the hand-drawn, sharp-lined visuals give them that added bold presence) and encounters are offered in just the right doses, and while they may feel at times like a chore just to arrive at, they come across as satisfying to partake in. Everything else surrounding it, if not startling or visually depth-inducing, does complement to a sufficient manner, ultimately shaping the journey through Earth Atlantis into one that can be savored but is easy enough to resume on later playthroughs.

Legend of Mana was already a fantastic experience when it first released, and this brand new HD release has helped make it all the more endearing. While the unique story structure can make it confusing to approach at first, the brilliant, funny and charming writing cannot be denied.

Much like the vast desert making up nearly everything in it, Sand Land can be rough and coarse at times, yet also provides a lot of beauty in various ways. The story is great, the characters are an enjoyable lot, and the vehicular combat and traversal are superb, marred only by annoying travel dialogue and bland levels at times. Whether you're a fan of the great Toriyama's work or not, there's still something special here to check out if you're willing to put in the effort.

In the end, Toukiden isn’t the Monster Hunter killer many were expecting, but it becomes an enticing package if you can get past its shortcomings.

Outside of a sub-par soundtrack, Mantis Burn Racing is the finest overhead racer in years. It combines skillful racing with a level of excitement that is usually absent from the sub-genre.

“Thicker Than Water” has its moments of enjoyment and incredulity, but the slow build-up and the meandering nature of the episode as a whole turns it into a frustrating chunk of a mostly consistent season. Players who stick through it will be well-rewarded with an intriguing finale setup that will hopefully pay off, but individually, the episode feels more like an obstacle than a continuation.

LEGO Dimensions felt like much-needed innovation for a game series that has seen little change since its inception in 2006. Unfortunately, LEGO Marvel Avengers didn’t take many of those innovations to heart.

There are moments of tedium in Death End re;Quest, but there’s a compelling story and entertaining gameplay as well. This title doesn’t always shine, but there are flashes of brilliance when it does, in particularly adding a pinball-esque mechanic to battle. Imperfections aside, this is a worthwhile game to look into, especially for fans of other Compile Heart/Idea Factory games.