Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a very big step in the right direction for the franchise that has been around for years. It was a great idea to go back to the roots of the series and make it a 2D platformer in the style of a metroidvania. With this game, the creators managed to strike a perfect balance of impressive boss fights, well thought out puzzles and challenging courses. Thus, the gameplay is never boring or monotonous for a moment. Especially with protagonist Sargon constantly gaining new time powers, there are always new ways to take on bosses or solve puzzles. As a player, I continued to marvel at this. It's just a shame that the story really got going late. There was so much potential in the characters and the story told with them. Also graphically, the game is disappointing compared to other parts in the Prince of Persia series. But nevertheless, The Lost Crown is a great metroidvania. I hope Ubisoft continues the franchise this way and we will see Sargon again.

Nintendo has finally brought a graphically enhanced version of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD from the Wii and 3DS consoles to the Switch. The game remains of high quality even today, and the levels are still just as entertaining. This is indeed the best version of the game currently available to play. It's just unfortunate that the game is being sold at the same price as a new Nintendo game, while, apart from the graphical enhancements, it's essentially the same game that appeared on the 3DS more than ten years ago. Additionally, Tropical Freeze remains the superior Donkey Kong game available on the Switch. However, if you've never played Donkey Kong Country Returns or even tried the version on the 3DS, it can certainly be worth it.

Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are excellent 3D platformers, and it’s nice that the second installment is now also playable on modern hardware. Still, I’m disappointed by the way the ports have been handled. Nintendo is asking a significantly higher price per game than with Super Mario 3D All-Stars, the last time Super Mario Galaxy was brought to Switch. In return, there’s only some new side content, while nothing meaningful has really been added in terms of gameplay. That said, these remain two of the best games ever made, bundled together in one package.

With Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Deck Nine delivers a worthy successor to Max Caulfield's story. Despite the absence of a recap and the sometimes directive nature, the story manages to captivate and surprise. This is largely thanks to the strong acting, emotional music, and cinematic scenes.

Mysteria Ecclesiae is one of the strongest DLCs for KCD2, featuring an intriguing story and a vibrant setting, although the way you’re meant to play it feels a bit too constrained.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a fresh hit of nostalgia, though it doesn’t land quite as hard as the first remake. Iron Galaxy has clearly put in a solid effort to bring the games into the modern era, but a few things still slip through the cracks.

The music, voiceovers, and bizarre weapons do a great job of masking the shortcomings of Mouse. Mouse P.I. For Hire won't be the game of the year, but in my opinion, it's the most stylish one.

Mafia: The Old Country feels like a return to the original Mafia titles, and that’s exactly what I was hoping for. A linear experience with excellent presentation, exceptional acting, and a solid story. Unfortunately, the combat and stealth are mediocre, but sufficient to keep the story moving. Fans of the series will definitely enjoy it. With the relatively low entry price, I hope potential fans will be tempted — and that this won’t be the last we see of the Mafia franchise.

You’re better off waiting a bit before picking up Project Motor Racing. Hopefully the game will improve soon with a few patches, because a solid racing sim on consoles with crossplay has the opportunity to be something special.

Code Vein 2 is a promising sequel that learns from its mistakes. The combat is tighter, the world more vibrant, and the story surrounding time travel and the Resurgence is reasonably engaging from beginning to end. Although navigation in the open world can sometimes be frustrating and the weapon variety may feel somewhat limited in practice due to the upgrade system, what you get here is a solid and highly entertaining action RPG that will appeal to both fans of the original and newcomers alike.

Is Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater the ultimate version of this legendary classic? Honestly, not really. It’s a competent remake, but because Konami plays it so safe, I feel there’s little reason to pick up this new version – especially considering the issues on PC. On consoles it might be a different story, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to test those yet. The game looks stunning, but in this remake it feels too easy. If you’ve never played Metal Gear Solid 3 before, you can pick up MGS Δ without hesitation. Purists, however, will undoubtedly remain loyal to the original versions. What I mainly hope is that Konami takes the right lessons from this remake. Fans are craving a true continuation of the series. A remake of a game that still holds up perfectly well will never score outstandingly. Hopefully Konami won’t misinterpret that as a lack of interest in the franchise and put Metal Gear Solid back on ice.

Raidou Remastered makes the slower, heavily outdated original a lot more accessible, allowing its atmosphere to be experienced more easily today. At the same time, it has to make significant changes to the original framework to achieve that. I’d love to see the second game get a remaster as well, but if Atlus truly wants to make the subseries relevant again, it would be better off launching an entirely new title. If Raidou Remastered has taught me anything (again), it’s that Raidou is more than worth it.

Despite minor frustrations, *Roadcraft* manages to deliver an engaging and unique experience. By focusing more on restoring infrastructure than driving in the absence of it, there's less immediate challenge compared to its predecessors. After all, it’s less about carefully steering a massive truck up a narrow mountain trail, and more about making that mountain accessible through thoughtful planning. It’s surprisingly fun and varied work—but you do need to have patience for it.

FAST Fusion is a delightful racer with lightning-fast gameplay and some cool new mechanics. The game doesn’t offer a huge amount of content, but that’s perfectly fine for a price of 15 euros. Once again, FAST proves to be the ideal racer to alternate with Mario Kart. Visually, the game runs incredibly smoothly, although I do hope the image quality in handheld mode gets a bit of an upgrade through a patch.

With Sonic X Shadow Generations, Shadow brings his own set of levels that can easily match the quality of Sonic's. Thanks to Shadow's many interesting superpowers, some of these levels even manage to surpass that level of quality. However, it also exposes a bigger problem within the franchise. Even the best-designed levels in the series don’t always shine due to inherently imprecise controls and mediocre camera work. As such, Sonic X Shadow Generations is an excellent celebration of everything Sonic has achieved over the years—but it also highlights what needs improvement in the future.

Skate Story seemingly captures the freedom and bite of skating with ease, while also showing just how difficult it was for developer Sam Eng to reach that point.

NBA 2K26 is once again a decent installment of the annual basketball series. In terms of gameplay, it feels noticeably smoother, especially on the offensive side of the court. On the flip side, defenders seem less effective. The story mode in MyCareer is surprisingly entertaining and comes with an original European twist. Still, certain aspects of the various game modes could have been fleshed out much better, and in many ways, it feels almost identical to last year’s game. On top of that, in-game purchases still take far too central a role in NBA 2K.

Star Wars Outlaws can never be called a bad game at any point. However, apart from the presentation, the game doesn’t truly excel in any area. A tremendous amount of love has been put into the worlds and characters, but the overall gameplay simply falls short. Nevertheless, I hope we see more of Kay Vess in the future.

Drag X Drive proves that the mouse function of the Joy-Con 2s is no gimmick, but can be a true game-changer when used the right way. The controls are remarkably precise and intuitive, making the short 3v3 matches feel tight, smooth, and surprisingly intense. The absence of local co-op feels like a missed opportunity, especially for a game with such a strong social focus. In terms of content and visual style, the game also drops the ball somewhat, with little variety and a rather cold presentation. Even so, the innovative controls create such an addictive flow that you’ll keep coming back for “just one more match."

Stellar Blade is a great game that entertained me for a good twenty hours. Unfortunately, there are some minor issues. More could have been made of the open world areas, and the acting could have been a bit more convincing. However, these concerns disappear completely when I step back into a fight because the combat is just really enjoyable. It really gives a sense of satisfaction when I parry correctly and can retaliate with an even harder hit. The boss fights were also in a class of their own for me.

Split Fiction is a really cool co-op experience, but where I could recommend It Takes Two without hesitation, the latest game from Hazelight Studios comes with some reservations. The concept of two completely different worlds is brilliant, and the game bombards you with gameplay ideas that follow each other in quick succession. However, when you add it all up, the whole experience quickly becomes chaotic.

When Nioh 3 is at its best, it’s extremely good. Some of the open-world segments can easily hold their own against the best levels from previous games. A number of the new bosses also measure up to the series’ better boss fights. Unfortunately, an open world also comes with the usual complaints.

Tales of Berseria remains what it always was: a strong JRPG with a compelling story and memorable characters. However, this remaster feels less like a true return and more like an expensive 60-fps patch. If you've never played the original, this is still highly recommended. But if you're already familiar with it, you have to wonder if this version has added enough to warrant a fresh start.

With Sonic X Shadow Generations, Shadow brings his own set of levels that can easily match the quality of Sonic's. Thanks to Shadow's many interesting superpowers, some of these levels even manage to surpass that level of quality. However, it also exposes a bigger problem within the franchise. Even the best-designed levels in the series don’t always shine due to inherently imprecise controls and mediocre camera work. As such, Sonic X Shadow Generations is an excellent celebration of everything Sonic has achieved over the years—but it also highlights what needs improvement in the future.

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii isn’t as creative as its subtitle suggests. Nearly all environments and activities feel familiar. This is often the case with Yakuza games—especially now that it’s become an annual franchise. Other entries in the series at least make up for it with a compelling plot, but Pirate Yakuza stumbles in that regard. The only things it can rely on are the usual Yakuza systems, the pirate setting, and the main character. Admittedly, all of those elements are fantastic. I sincerely hope that Majima gets another chance to set sail in a better-written adventure.

Just Dance 2026 mainly offers value for diehard players, for everyone else waiting or choosing Just Dance + makes more sense.

EA Sports FC 25 is an excellent improvement over its predecessor in many areas. Rush mode – especially when played with friends – is brilliant at times and brings back the fun of EA’s football game. However, the game has too many issues to truly impress us. The gameplay and FC IQ are well-designed, but the servers are often so poor that everything feels sluggish. Both the menus and the online gameplay feel very slow, although that still doesn't stop us from enjoying FC 25 quite a bit.

Dying Light: The Beast may not be groundbreaking, but with Beast Mode, Castor Woods, and a few surprisingly fun side quests, it delivers enough chaos and enjoyment to have you grinning as you tear through hordes of zombies.

Reunion is an entertaining but technically imperfect trip down memory lane that proves the bond between Max and Chloe is still worth its weight in gold, even though the rest of the game is a bit less weighty this time around and the resolution sometimes feels a bit rushed.

Renegades is clearly a step forward compared to Edge of Fate. Where that expansion mainly focused on traversal but otherwise felt empty, Renegades actually adds something meaningful to the sandbox. The Star Wars-inspired flavor works surprisingly well, the gunplay is excellent, and the new systems are fun to play around with. Still, without strong endgame hooks, without a new raid, and with a shrinking community, it becomes difficult to keep the light burning for our Guardians. A real shame, because the foundation is still very solid. The big question is how long Bungie can continue to support it.

Heartworm is an intriguing ode to the survival horror games of old. It looks and plays like a first-generation PlayStation title, complete with a wonderfully atmospheric soundtrack. Sam’s story feels personal and sincere, though it doesn’t quite stick the landing. What truly matters, however, is the exploration, the horror, and solving puzzles in a twisted world. Heartworm presents some very strong ideas, though it sometimes only uses them a handful of times, and the game can definitely feel too easy at points, which undermines the horror a bit. Even so, I believe Heartworm does enough to be worth the time of Resident Evil and Silent Hill fans.

Rise of the Ronin has the same tight combat that we have come to expect from Team Ninja. Unfortunately, the action takes place in an empty, sterile open world that even an incredibly fascinating setting cannot breathe life into.

Alone in the Dark offers a good mix of puzzles, exploration and moments of good tension, but it doesn't really surprise or innovate.

The Switch 2 version of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is absolutely not the best version, but if you can live with a somewhat inconsistent framerate, there's still plenty of fun to be had here.

Princess Peach: Showtime! does enough to create a fun, unique experience, even if it remains fairly simple. It's a shame the Switch has a hard time running the game.

If you have already played through Revelations in Celceta, there is little reason to start over. It remains a good game, just not necessarily a better version.

Adorable Adventures may not be an enormously deep game, but it has become an incredibly charming little adventure that will keep you busy for around four hours. After my time with the game, I think the low purchase price of twenty euros is perhaps a little on the high side, but there is clearly a great deal of love poured into its atmosphere and the way its story is told. And Boris has become one of the most endearing heroes in recent years. So cute that I won't be needing crispy bacon on my burgers for a while. And that really says something.

The only times I wanted to put down—or throw—the controller were during the cutscenes with the almost offensively poorly written plot developments. I always thought the Mana games could do just fine without a story. I used to think it was nice to have one, but certainly not essential. Now I can honestly say I'd prefer a Mana game without a story if the alternative is a plot like this. Visions of Mana is so charming, plays so well, and is so addictive that even a terribly bad plot can't completely ruin it—though it certainly tries its best.

Enchanted by Nature is an impressive expansion for players who enjoy playing with occult Sims in The Sims 4, but the nature-themed content is minimal and takes too much of a backseat.

The extra content isn't particularly special, but the minigames do help position To a T more as a game than an experiment. Still, it contains all the experimental craziness you’d expect from Keita Takahashi. To a T is once again an absurd trip that only Keita Takahashi could create. It’s not the longest or most profound game you’ll experience this year, but it overflows with charm, humor, and Takahashi’s unique personality.

Just like in Air Ride, the simplicity of Kirby Air Riders is deceptive. There’s more depth and challenge in this one-button racer than you’d expect. At the same time, those simple systems also hold the game back. Controlling a vehicle with a single button is a funny idea, but it feels like a limitation for the sake of limiting.

Dune: Awakening might just be one of the most challenging, difficult, and entertaining survival games I’ve ever played, with the survival aspect standing out head and shoulders above the rest. However, the combat, story, repetitiveness, and the sheer number of bugs are genuinely disappointing. Still, if you're a fan of the Dune universe or simply love survival games, Dune: Awakening is a must-play.

Octopath Traveler 0 is the perfect game for newcomers, but it doesn’t quite live up to the sky-high expectations of true die-hard fans. As a result, it’s a pretty solid game, but not as good as it could have been.

Football Manager 26 is one of the most extensive management games within the sports simulation genre. It truly lets you step into the role of your own fictional football manager and gives you the freedom to bring the most creative scenarios to life. However, the game could have used a bit more time in the oven, as the pre-release version was riddled with bugs. On top of that, the visuals are dreadful, and it lacks the charm that similar games manage to capture.

Keeper is absolutely unique, with a beautiful Tim Burton-like art style, stunning music, and an intriguing world. I solved light puzzles, but the core of the game is mainly about movement and experience. The way it tries to guide you organically without any UI or hints is bold and admirable. But despite the variety, real tension is missing, and I couldn’t shake the question of whether I was actually enjoying what I was doing.

Frostpunk 2 offers a great survival builder experience in terms of gameplay, but falls short in other areas due to limited content, unfinished aspects, and a lack of a compelling story.

FBC: Firebreak offers strong co-op gameplay, solid gunplay, and an atmospheric world, but is held back by repetitive missions, low difficulty, and a lack of communication options. For 40 euros, it's fun for a few evenings, but it lacks a compelling reason to keep coming back.

The biggest issue with Mario Tennis Fever is that it seems too heavily targeted at children. While the colorful presentation, forgiving gameplay, and simple challenges make it accessible, for older players it feels like the game takes too few risks. Nintendo has chosen safety over depth, a decision that ultimately holds the game back. The franchise has proven in the past that it is possible to strike a balance between accessibility and technical finesse, but Fever fails to find that equilibrium.

Ultimately, Pokémon Champions is an accessible VGC simulator that could have been quite enjoyable, but is held back significantly by pay-to-win elements and technical issues.

Without spoiling anything, I can say that the plot of Ruffy and the Riverside ends with massive sequel bait. I sincerely hope developer Zockrates Laboratories gets the chance to actually make that sequel. I'm not saying that because Ruffy and the Riverside is such a great game – quite the opposite. The game does control smoothly, has a cool art style, and a fantastic soundtrack. More than anything, though, the ‘swap system’ deserves a place in a better title than this one. Now that the characters, world, art style, and game systems have been established, the studio just needs to tie them together in a better way in a follow-up. There’s clearly a lot more potential in the world of Ruffy than this game manages to deliver.

As a big fan of the first two games - and even the mobile spin-off Very Little Nightmares - I can’t help but feel disappointed by Little Nightmares 3. It falls short on the creepy vibes the series is known for, and the story lacks impact. After introducing a partner in the second game, full co-op was the logical next step, but the gameplay remains shallow, and the absence of local co-op is a missed opportunity.

Shadow Labyrinth shows that it understands what it takes to be a solid Metroidvania, thanks to its varied environments and gameplay, but it lacks finesse and polish in its execution.

The first few hours of Hell is Us are fantastic. You find yourself in an unfamiliar world torn apart by war, with shrieking, humanoid demons and ancient mysteries hinting at something earth-shattering, but once you pierce that bubble, the shaky foundation becomes clear.

For a game that started out as a passion project, it’s impressive how far it has come. But as a finished product, it feels like a rough diamond that was never truly polished.

Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League has become a game that fortunately gets better along the way. There are definitely positive aspects such as the good animations, fun dialogues and colorful world. It is just a pity that the game does not offer much variety in terms of gameplay. In addition, it is obvious that the game is constantly working towards the endgame content and that the drudgery due to monotonous missions can hit hard. Unfortunately, it did not become the top title I had hoped for, but with three friends, the game could be enjoyable in short sessions.

South of Midnight is in many ways a small masterpiece—at least visually. The unique art style is truly stunning and could easily win awards for its art direction. Compulsion Games brings to life a world rarely seen in games, full of atmosphere and folklore. Unfortunately, the game falls short in terms of gameplay. The combat is too basic and repetitive, the level structure is predictable, and traversal lacks challenge. It’s never truly bad, but rarely engaging. If you have Game Pass, it’s definitely worth checking out to experience its unique vibe. But if you decide to skip it, you’re not missing all that much either. Hopefully, Compulsion will deliver a sequel in the future that pairs its visual magic with gameplay that matches that same level.

With a poorly thought-out combat system, an uneven story, and an open world that is largely empty, developer Twirlbound falls into familiar pitfalls as they did before.

With high hopes, I embarked on Haroona’s adventure, longing for a nostalgic single-player experience like the ones we used to have. However, in my experience, that "back in the day" feeling felt more like a memory. In many ways, the game has that distinct last-gen bargain-bin vibe. The influences of titles like Uncharted and Tomb Raider are unmistakable, but the repetitive combat and uninspired platforming leave much to be desired. The game is somewhat saved by its set pieces, story, and the strong performance of Anya Chalotra.

Blurb: Hirogami has a cool visual style and simple, old-school design principles, though they don’t always shine through equally well.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a game with a ton of potential, with an amazing atmosphere and interesting story, but the horror is undermined by poor balance, broken combat and technical issues.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a game full of good ideas that rarely come into their own. The emotional story about dealing with loss is compelling in itself, but its execution is more at odds with the game than it contributes to it. At the same time, the game, with its poorly executed Metroidvania elements and bugs, also gets in its own way.

Somewhere inside Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact there’s a fantastic game waiting to shine. Unfortunately, a sparse character roster, minimal single-player content, and a lackluster online experience so far keep it from truly standing out. I sincerely hope the post-launch content can polish things up a bit — even if it’s just for the few hardcore players who’ll stick around that long. As it stands, the game doesn’t offer enough single-player content to convert Hunter x Hunter fans into fighting game players, nor is it polished enough to satisfy those who already are.

South Park: Snow Day is just not well put together. Clunky controls, the same under-snowed design and disappointingly little story and dialogue make you want to skip this game.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers offers little to no original ideas and fails to successfully mimic its biggest sources of inspiration.

The fact that the bosses in Eternal Strands already feel like a chore to get through says it all. The game has grand ideas and even grander sources of inspiration. For a team of around 70 people, it’s quite impressive what they’ve accomplished. But when you choose to take cues from Monster Hunter, Shadow of the Colossus, and Breath of the Wild, you inevitably invite the associated expectations. Those games then become not just your inspirations but also your competition. And Eternal Strands doesn’t come close to these games.

All in all, the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a decent little game that you can finish in an afternoon. The tech demos are fun to try out, and the minigames are fairly amusing as well. However, when it comes to the quizzes and the hidden object sections, the game really misses the mark for me. I definitely wouldn’t spend money on it—especially since it's essentially just an interactive manual and tech demo. In that regard, Nintendo could learn a lot from Sony, which bundled a far better game disguised as a tech demo for free with the PlayStation 5.