Gears of War: Reloaded hasn’t aged evenly across the board. The movement system and NPC AI in the campaign definitely show their age. Even so, it remains a game with a rock-solid foundation that’s still worth playing today. PlayStation players in particular—who never had the chance to experience this amazing franchise before—are in for a treat. Xbox players, don’t worry, there’s plenty for you too, with a bonus chapter and the ultimate way to play the game in 4K at 120 FPS.

Purists may feel let down by Dynasty Warriors Origins. Admittedly, the focus on a single character, the limited number of weapon types, and the lack of multiplayer are significant drawbacks. However, the final result more than justifies these sacrifices. With Origins, the series is finally taking steps back in the right direction (and into modernity). It boasts the most competently told story in the franchise, significantly improved gameplay, and an unprecedented sense of scale. If this is the new direction for the series as a whole, it could easily thrive for another 25 years.

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.

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.

Once Upon a Katamari is a worthy successor to the series. All the cheerful whimsy of the original games has been preserved. The abundance of levels and collectibles, the challenging yet excellent controls, the infectious music, colorful visuals, and humorous little stories can’t help but put a smile on your face.

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.

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.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment continues in the same style that Age of Calamity used to captivate me five years ago. The combat feels great and becomes increasingly engaging as you play, while sending enemies flying through the air as you dominate the battlefield has an almost therapeutic effect. There’s so much to discover and unlock on the map that I constantly felt like I was making progress – even if much of it is repetitive. It also presents a story through extensive cutscenes that are fully voice-acted – and, above all, remarkably serious. The new Switch 2 hardware has solved Age of Calamity’s biggest issue: there are no more frame drops, and it looks fantastic in higher resolution. When all is said and done, Age of Imprisonment completely drew me in, and it was a joy to watch the hours fly by on TV or in handheld mode just as quickly as the Bokoblins launched from my sword.

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.

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.

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.

The hub connecting the main locations does more harm than good, but it can’t stop the triumphant return of Samus Aran. Beyond that, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a game that only honors its predecessors.

LEGO Voyagers may look like a simple kids’ game, but it turns out to be a short, heartfelt journey full of detail and charm.

A game that completely absorbed me with my own created world and characters, but ultimately also made me realize that I mainly had to make it fun myself.

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.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden isn’t perfect, but it is a very intriguing action RPG with a moral dilemma that kept me at the edge of my seat. It tells a beautiful story about love, loss, acceptance and fear. I loved doing research on the villagers to find out the truth, walking through the beautifully crafted world and the combat kept me interested for a long time. The ending even made me want to start another playthrough, right after I finished.

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.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a bold and surprisingly successful evolution of the Elden Ring we know. With this co-op spin-off, FromSoftware proves that the world of Elden Ring also thrives in a more social setting, without compromising on challenge or atmosphere. In fact, the presentation during certain boss fights might even surpass the original, precisely because so much attention has been paid to it. The addition of teamplay, roguelite elements, and nostalgic bosses from earlier titles results in a game that feels both familiar and refreshing.

Mario & Luigi Brothership feels like the series never left. AlphaDream may no longer be at the helm, but Acquire respectfully takes up the mantle. The lighthearted humor, interesting characters, world-building, and recognizable gameplay all feel as familiar as ever. Yet, despite the enjoyment I had throughout the lengthy storyline, the poor performance leaves a bitter aftertaste that will stay with me.

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.

FC 26 is without a doubt one of the best football games in years – perhaps even the best since FIFA 17. This time, the developers have genuinely listened to the fans, rather than just making empty promises. The game – including its servers – feels fast and smooth, making it simply enjoyable to play again. You don’t boot up FC 26 because you feel you have to, but because you want to. In terms of new modes, FC 26 isn’t revolutionary, and graphically we would have liked to see a bit more progress. Still, that hardly takes away from the overall package, which once again guarantees hundreds of hours of fun.

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.

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.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 has turned out to be a very solid remake. RGG Studios has significantly cut back on side quests, but simultaneously introduced new elements and storylines that provide more depth. While the game might be slightly shorter than before due to the trimmed substories, the quality of the overall experience hasn't suffered. Unfortunately, Dark Ties doesn't offer a whole lot of content, clocking in at just a quarter of Yakuza Kiwami 3’s playtime. Nevertheless, the complete package is definitely worth picking up.

Crimson Desert is an excellent game with an engaging open world, highly challenging boss fights, and mind-bending puzzles. The game is certainly not perfect, but Pearl Abyss' willingness to listen to feedback gives me hope that Crimson Desert will only continue to improve in the future on what is already a strong foundation.

Obsidian Entertainment has once again crafted a stunning RPG with Avowed, featuring a dynamic world that feels incredibly alive and combat that flows smoothly. Meaningful decisions are at the heart of the game, with everything reacting to your choices – whether it’s NPCs or the way the world evolves. Every aspect of the game feels carefully thought out. While the story wasn’t always equally compelling, it remained engaging enough thanks to exciting twists and tough moral choices. As a result, Avowed is a fantastic example of how a great modern open-world RPG should be designed.

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.

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.