Mario Kart World is the ultimate evolution of the series, bringing together everything that worked before into one ambitious game. Racing feels more creative than ever, and despite a few setbacks, it’s an impressive experience.

REANIMAL feels in every way like the natural successor to the first two Little Nightmares games, yet it manages to establish enough of its own identity to avoid feeling like a simple retread. Tarsier Studios proves they still perfectly master the DNA of this formula, elevating the experience in subtle but meaningful ways through a more intense atmosphere, new gameplay elements, and a more cohesive world.

Borderlands 4 is a rock-solid co-op game that will keep you busy for dozens of hours. The story isn’t its strength, but the hunt for the best loot is pure fun.

Pepper Grinder is a short but charming platformer. The unique way of movement is well executed and thus extremely satisfying. Additionally, the game offers sufficient challenges with boss fights, later levels, and time attacks.

Arrowhead Game Studios has really managed to deliver a great fun game with Helldivers 2.

With Midnight, World of Warcraft once again delivers a fantastic expansion, featuring a beautiful new version of Silvermoon and the surrounding areas, a highly entertaining story, and new systems that can keep the game going strong for years to come.

Ys X: Proud Nordics isn’t a revolutionary reinvention of the series, but it is the most coherent and streamlined Ys in years. The maritime system works, the duo combat deepens the formula, and the build options give players more control than ever. The story is solid, but it lacks the emotional high point of its strongest predecessors. The combat is refined, but not limitless. The re-release is the best version, but not an automatic upgrade. What remains is an action RPG that almost never loses its rhythm. And sometimes that’s exactly what a series needs: not a revolution, but a sense of direction.

The Outer Worlds 2 is an RPG that retains the strengths of the original but presents them on a larger scale, with more variety and a more direct impact on gameplay and choices. For both fans of the first game and newcomers, The Outer Worlds 2 offers a challenging, clever, and humorous sci-fi experience that, despite minor imperfections, is well worth exploring - and revisiting in a potential next playthrough.

All in all, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is one of the most unique experiences I have encountered in a game in recent years. The way the psychoses that Senua undergoes are depicted in the game is an excellent way to help people understand these mental issues. Additionally, Hellblade II is also a fantastic game to play, though I would recommend playing in shorter sessions due to the challenging subject matter. The story is beautiful and is enhanced by a stunning landscape featuring impressive puzzles.

For me, Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles felt like a warm, nostalgic embrace. I loved puzzling with the many Jobs to get through battles in as few turns as possible and without losing any of my units. The game would easily have scored at least one point higher if it had been in 2D-HD, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a wonderfully polished version of a game that, even 30 years later, is still fantastic to play.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A neatly solves the biggest problems of Scarlet & Violet for me. The creative interpretation of the battle system combined with the Mega Evolution battles truly makes this Pokémon a joy to play again. The fact that the game holds your hand quite a bit and the story is as transparent as cling film is something I’m more than happy to accept.

Dozens of hours later, I have to conclude that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster is—and remains—a fantastic game. The frustration from crashes or poor performance quickly gives way to nostalgic enjoyment. That feeling of wanting to complete just one more quest or self-imposed task still holds strong after all these years. Oblivion might not be the best game of 2025, but it will probably be the one I spend the most time with this year.

With High On Life 2, Squanch Games has created a wonderfully colorful, varied, and creative game. The gameplay is tightly structured, and the humor is absolutely captivating, but never overly crude. It's a game I can't play continuously however as it's still quite chaotic in terms of overall impressions. That said, the game is an improvement over the first installment in almost every aspect and is definitely worth playing. A short break between main missions is certainly a necessity for me.

DOOM: The Dark Ages has turned out to be an excellent shooter, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of DOOM: Eternal. What remains is a stellar shooter campaign that feels more like the original DOOM games, crafted by the masters of the genre. And that’s more than enough to keep me satisfied until the next installment.

Super Mario Party Jamboree combines nostalgia and innovation with five new boards, 110 minigames, and a competitive ruleset that rewards skill over luck. While the partner system can add extra strategy, you are quite dependent on where this partner is placed on the board. The CPU doesn't always behave optimally and sometimes makes frustrating choices. The additional modes feel a bit unnecessary, with the unbeatable Party mode standing out as the clear favorite. Despite the lack of major innovations, the game remains perfect for fun evenings with friends and offers enough enjoyment to justify the purchase.

Despite a few caveats, Against the Storm remains a game that grabs you and doesn’t let go. It’s challenging, tactical, and consistently fresh. The combination of city-building and roguelite elements works surprisingly well, and it feels like the developers have chosen depth over spectacle. The balance between threat and reward, control and chaos, makes every run exciting. You have to think, plan, and endure – and if you fail, you fail with a lesson in your back pocket.

Sonic Racing Crossworld brings back everything its predecessor was missing and delivers a packed, solid racer.

Ninja Gaiden 4 has turned out to be a very strong action game. The gameplay is rock solid, and those who love games where you can decapitate, dismember, and brutally tear into your enemies will definitely find plenty of enjoyment here. Still, I would’ve preferred to see PlatinumGames and Team Ninja balance the focus more evenly between Ryu and Yakumo. Ninja Gaiden 4 falls a bit short in polish here and there, and Ryu in particular doesn’t always feel like the Super Ninja the game constantly claims he is.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a remarkable game, even though it has its flaws. The game is challenging and stays true to the core of the series, including its gritty survival mechanics. Despite some rough edges and technical issues, it offers an immersive experience, with a vast amount of content and an impressive open world.

Grime II fails to learn enough from its predecessor’s shortcomings, especially its technical ones, but still delivers another stunning Metroidvania packed with thrilling action, challenging platforming puzzles, (art) philosophy, and atmosphere.

Robocop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a great follow-up to its 2022 predecessor. While it’s an expansion with a few imperfections, it easily delivers more than enough value for its modest price tag.

As a 'cozy game,' Wanderstop has little to offer: it's simple, shallow, and gives you little to work toward. But that’s exactly the point. Wanderstop forces both you and the burnout-recovering Alta to slow down and reflect on yourself and the life you lead. That may not sound very cozy and might even seem depressing. Yet, well-written characters and Wreden’s signature humor add a cheerful touch.

With Directive 8020, Supermassive comes out of the gate strong: a compelling story with a solid, diverse cast that makes for a horror adventure that slowly unfolds. The formula of making choices and living with consequences is somewhat undermined by the Rewind feature. Given the claustrophobic and tense nature of this story, the emphasis on stealth gameplay is a very smart decision. By constantly shaking up its gameplay elements, Directive 8020 never grows stale – helped in no small part by the fact that the game can be completed in six to eight hours. If you're a fan of Event Horizon or The Thing, this game is a must-play. All other horror fans will find a capable game, where the developers take their time building towards something truly impressive.

Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy offers a nostalgic and immersive experience. Despite some technical shortcomings and a lack of significant innovation, the game remains a visual and narrative gem. It's highly recommended for new players and fans of narrative-driven puzzle games. However, seasoned players familiar with the original might expect a bit more innovation.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a lot less daring than you might expect after Remake. Fortunately, even a safe sequel means more of this fantastic world and near-perfect combat system.

Civilization 7 is a true innovation for the 4X genre. And while many of the improvements and additions aren’t new—such as changing cultures per Age—Firaxis has perfected them. Thanks to the shorter gameplay loop and quest-based progression, the notorious late-game slog is a thing of the past. Military units have been streamlined, and city-building offers more freedom, with complex systems from previous entries wisely simplified. The biggest drawback, however, lies in the presentation: in many aspects, it falls short—so much so that it detracts from the overall experience, which is a real shame.

Trails Beyond the Horizon is not a game for everyone, and that is both its strength and its weakness. The title rewards years of careful buildup with strong revelations and a compelling finale, but demands a great deal of patience in return.

Mio: Memories in Orbit is a largely brilliantly designed Metroidvania. The setting and central mystery are intriguing, the watercolor art style is beautiful, and Mio feels great to control. Her powers, and the way you use them, are cleverly conceived. When Mio is at its best, it can comfortably stand alongside the genre’s greats. Unfortunately, a significant portion in the game’s second half makes it linear and needlessly frustrating.