Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream feels like a kind of chemical experiment, where the player’s imagination collides with the game’s unpredictable interpretations to create laugh-out-loud, emergent moments. New systems like Little Quirks and the island’s shared lingo undeniably elevate the series’ core appeal. However, the experience of grinding into that loop ultimately works against it. While the limitations placed on sharing features are disappointing, its distinct identity still stands out—even in 2026, a year filled with rich and varied slow-life games.

A compact yet intricately crafted original third-person shooter. Its blend of hacking and gunplay successfully creates a unique sense of satisfaction, though it can occasionally feel a bit unfocused, leaving you wishing for greater weapon variety and more diverse combat styles. While the overall story leaves a somewhat muted impression, the lighthearted, everyday banter between the two main characters offers a charm unlike anything found in other games.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure successfully course-corrects after its predecessor lost sight of the series’ direction. By toning down the more grim elements and refocusing on the relationship between Max and Chloe, as well as the dual-protagonist system, it recaptures the brilliance of its core appeal as a coming-of-age mystery. Its highly satisfying choices and conclusion provide a fitting and impressive landing as a final chapter.

Crimson Desert is an open-world adventure game that boasts stunning visuals and an enormous amount of content. From challenging combat and puzzles to slower-paced activities such as trading and animal husbandry, it offers a wide variety of ways to play. That said, the game falls short in its storytelling, and some inconvenient systems leave it missing the mark in many respects, making it hard to call it universally accessible. Still, for those looking to embark on a complex, anything-but-straightforward ambitious journey, it’s a game well worth experiencing.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake faithfully preserves the haunting charm of its story, where sadness, beauty, and eeriness coexist, while vividly reimagining the classic horror experience. Combat with the Camera Obscura can occasionally lack a sense of punch, which is a minor drawback, but the enhanced presentation gives the village an even more oppressive and unsettling atmosphere, and the gameplay now holds up well by modern standards. Though some aspects of its progression remain old-school, the game’s meticulous structure is still exceptional, making this remake in large part a welcome revival of a horror classic.

While drawing heavily from the lineage of Dragon Quest Builders, Pokémon Pokopia successfully translates the inherently complex creatures and systems of Pokémon into a cohesive gameplay loop, reconstructing the overall experience into something with the relaxed, leisurely pacing reminiscent of Animal Crossing. The Pokémon models are charmingly rendered, and the distant scenery showcases the capabilities of the Nintendo Switch 2. With the potential to become a long-beloved staple title for the platform, it also represents a breakthrough in how the Pokémon IP can be approached, resulting in a game with a uniquely impressive level of polish and accomplishment.

CODE VEIN II isn’t merely an evolution into an open-field format; it’s a carefully refined follow-up that identifies and polishes the weaker elements of its predecessor. The revamped Buddy System in particular feels like a true innovation, transformed into something entirely new that brilliantly balances tension with a strong sense of camaraderie in battle. The story, however, leans heavily on repetition and often lacks emotional impact. Even so, thanks to its many user-friendly features, CODE VEIN II stands as a Soulslike—indeed, an Elden-like—that can be confidently recommended to a wide range of players.

An ambitious remake that not only succeeds in addressing many of the original fans’ longstanding grievances, but also reveals a clear determination to pursue its own creative vision. While certain newly added scenes suffer from a lack of sufficient explanation, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties ultimately transcends the label of a mere remake. Instead, it stands as a pivotal work—one that offers meaningful insight into the future direction of the Like a Dragon series.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined reconstructs the original’s sprawling narrative with a far brisker, more accessible pace. That approach may well represent the optimal solution for guiding modern players through such an enormous adventure, yet it comes at a cost. In streamlining the experience, the game sacrifices some of the strategic depth expected of an RPG, as well as the literary weight of the original’s meditation on the limits of salvation. It is charming and eminently approachable, but the sharp edges that once lingered in the heart have been smoothed away—resulting in a remake that feels exemplary, yet somewhat too well-behaved for its own good.

Resident Evil Requiem fuses the horror sensibilities of the Resident Evil 2 remake with the exhilarating action of Resident Evil 4’s remake, rearticulating the series’ fundamental appeal in what feels like a definitive culmination. While its level design and gimmicks—heavily indebted to the legacy of past entries—occasionally verge on repetition, the game nevertheless delivers a sense of closure to Leon’s harrowing journey and stands as a remarkable realization of the franchise’s long-gestating ambitions. It is, without question, a requiem worthy of the series’ history—an elegy to the memories it has built over the years, and an experience well worth seeing through to the very end.

While Nioh 3 offers a much greater sense of challenge and depth, there are lingering concerns about hitting a ceiling in terms of mastery, as well as balance issues—particularly the Ninja playstyle which seems to be overly powerful. Although the benefits of the open-field approach are strongly felt on the first map thanks to the satisfying loop of combat, exploration, and progression, the experience loses its shine from the midpoint onward for a variety of reasons. Even so, as a loot-driven action game, Nioh 3 retains a uniquely compelling presence, and its ability to keep players coming back for more remains firmly intact.

The HD-2D edition of Dragon Quest I & II is a masterful package that builds on the recent similar version of Dragon Quest III, overcoming that game's shortcomings while clearly positioning itself as a “sequel” to III. In particular, Dragon Quest I reconstructs the original game's exploration, combat and story with impressive quality. Dragon Quest II still has issues in areas like exploration and storytelling, but overall it shows a deep understanding of – and strong respect for – the original versions, making it a memorable remake.

With its new mechanics, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment offers more tactical and refined action than its predecessor, Age of Calamity. On the other hand, the slow pace of unlocking features and progressing through the story gives it an undeniably slow-starting feel. Because it centers on the theme of the Imprisoning War, it offers fewer elements that will excite fans of the original series, but the new episodes told through its original characters are compelling.

NINJA GAIDEN 4 delivers an astonishing “high-risk, ultra-return” style of action. It goes far beyond simple parries or evasions — its system allows players to even toy with bosses by taking calculated risks, resulting in an incredibly satisfying gameplay experience. It truly opens up new possibilities for 3D action games and will undoubtedly stand as a significant milestone in the genre’s history. Whether everyone fully understands that right now, however, is another matter.

While the combos and the Shinobi Execution special attack may not be particularly unique, Shinobi's battle system is well crafted and delivers a strong sense of exhilaration. The consistently challenging level design and boss fights expand the classical appeal of 2D action into a modern context, offering something fresh for players tired of Soulslikes and Metroidvanias. That said, the story and worldbuilding remain stuck in the kind of B-grade sensibility often found in retro games, leaving something to be desired by the standards of contemporary videogames.

Ghost of Yotei excels in design that speaks through experience rather than spectacle, with its flashback system seamlessly connecting story and exploration as it shifts between past and present. The field prioritizes density over sheer size, making even detours feel like an integral part of the world. The narrative, while framed as a single tale of revenge, gains depth from the presence of factions such as the Matsumae clan, the Ainu and the Six of Yotei, giving the stage more weight than the previous installment. While combat is still centered on the sword, Yotei introduces a wider variety of weapons, with mastery sequences that heighten its polish. Rather than finding flaws, one is overwhelmed by its craftsmanship and overall quality.

In Silent Hill f, scenario writer Ryukishi07 has crafted an overwhelming story, yet the repetitive gameplay required to reach its conclusion diminishes the overall experience. The game's ambitious narrative structure – designed to overturn the player’s perception with each playthrough – clashes with game design that cannot fully support it, while its awkward distance from the traditional motifs of the series further complicates its evaluation. And yet, the story and characters themselves are undeniably genuine, carrying a value that deserves to be remembered and retold for generations to come.

Mafia: The Old Country is an ambitious action-adventure game that portrays the Sicilian Mafia of the early 20th Century through a realistic lens. However, its excessive fixation on realism results in tedious gameplay and a story that lacks excitement, ultimately alienating a broader audience. As a consequence, the game will likely only resonate with a niche group of players who have a strong interest in the lives of the Mafia at that time.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is not a remaster that relies solely on nostalgia. With fully voiced storytelling and refreshed graphics, the sense of immersion has been deepened, and the Imperial Capital — where modernization and superstition, science and the occult intertwine — feels more alive. Battles have been refined into a polished action experience through a variety of new elements, while the distinctive resource management system feels innovative even today. The one shortcoming lies in the simplicity of ally demon AI, which at times clashes with the freedom of character development. Even so, this work has successfully transformed from an eccentric title into an epic that can truly reach a wide audience.

Death Stranding 2 boasts stunning visuals and refined gameplay that builds upon the strengths of its predecessor. Additionally, the story, consistently developed around the central theme of connection, is truly impressive. On the other hand, the introduction of new gameplay elements is limited, resulting in a somewhat lacking sense of freshness. The storytelling also feels underwhelming for much of the game, with little development until the final stages. Overall, while the game achieves a high level of polish, it fails to deliver much in the way of further innovation.

Saeko is avant-garde video game literature. The moment the player learns that they were transformed to their diminutive form by the titular Saeko a few minutes into the game, her true intention becomes clear. While it is graceful that the story branches according to the player’s choices, some of its literary quality can get lost depending on the order in which you experience its multiple endings.

to a T is the strangest game I have ever played. It starts out as a life simulator of a teen whose body is stuck in a T-pose, but it becomes even weirder as the game progresses. It’s a fascinating story-driven adventure that makes clever use of interaction, but its sandbox exploration is average at best. The message it tries to deliver toward the end felt conventional and shallow, but the journey was so crazy and funny it hardly mattered.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 mixes JRPG-like turn-based battles with real-time action. While I was hooked to this combat system, the story’s sudden plot twist felt forced. Although this was hard to ignore, it is undeniable that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an appealing game that delivers a strong message.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ beautifully realized open world, engaging story and lively characters are some of its greatest strengths. On the other hand, its side activities are not of the scale we have come to expect from the series, while some of the game’s mechanics feel underdeveloped, making it a game with both strong and weak points.

Goro Majima takes the lead in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. This is an action-adventure game with a unique setting in which fan favorite Majima becomes a pirate in modern-day Hawaii. Fans can finally use his iconic fighting style during battles, while an all new combat system that incorporates the game’s pirate theme is added as well. Although the main story doesn’t utilize the game’s spacious field to the max, the game packs in a lot of content to enjoy.

The vast and detailed world of Monster Hunter Wilds is spectacular. Although I have some minor complaints, Capcom has managed to expand the game's scale while also making it easier to play, which is quite an achievement. The Focus Mode mechanic that allows players to target their prey's weak points is another welcome improvement. Although the story becomes a little frustrating towards the end, Wilds is carefully crafted to allow you to concentrate on the narrative and enjoy it.

With beautiful visuals and new scenes in its story, this remake successfully translates the original’s charm and storytelling that allows the player to imagine the world and story in their own way. However, the essence of this adventure is diluted by the many modern quality of life improvements, resulting in a remake that takes a direction that can be questionable for fans of the original.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a unique gameplay experience in which stress is part of the fun. While a multitude of bugs and other issues stand in its way, the game’s appeal is strong enough to overcome these shortcomings. While difficult to understand for newcomers, the story is a perfect culmination of the series and the ultimate love letter to its fans.

Infinity Nikki is an ambitious title that combines dress-up elements with open world gameplay. While it succeeds in creating an open world that feels unique and fresh, it comes with flaws such as an underdeveloped combat system.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins brings the series’ concept of beating up hordes of enemies to a new level due to more varied and better-paced gameplay. While the way characters interact with each other and the protagonist’s own story can feel a bit awkward, experiencing China’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms period as a nameless warrior is extremely satisfying.

Slitterhead’s body-swapping system is unique, and its grotesque monster design is definitely appealing. However, it feels like the choices the team had to make with its limited development budget did not work in the game’s favor. Combat needed more polish, the characters lack emotional expression, and the first half of the story is weak. Things do get more interesting towards the end of the game, but not enough to forget about its shortcomings. While its ambitious ideas deserve praise, it's a shame that Slitterhead was not able to fulfill its potential.

This remake pays the utmost respect to the original, and successfully brings a classic story that depicts human weakness into the modern era. It also brings back the fun of classic survival horror with a nerve-wracking over-the-shoulder combat system. It is a masterpiece that should serve as a benchmark for future installments in the Silent Hill series.

The stellar visual experience of space combat is Homeworld 3’s only real strength. With a plot that’s easy to predict, limited strategies available and a cumbersome UI, Homeworld 3 is a game that we expected more from.

Not just the wide range of new weapons and magic, but also challenging yet well-designed boss battles make Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree an experience well worth your time. However, the lack in variety of new regular enemies and an open world that feels too big for its own good make this DLC feel less polished than the original game.

Black Myth: Wukong’s combat system doesn’t have anything that makes it truly unique. The variety in ways to tackle combat is often lacking, and it doesn’t feel all that good to play either. That said, the concept of creating openings for the enemy rather than exploiting them is interesting, and by rewarding players who take full advantage of the few chances the game gives you, it makes its boss encounters worthwhile despite its lacking combat system. Character customization and exploration is on the thin side too, and the story is hard to follow if you haven’t read Journey to the West. However, the impressive graphics make every moment of the game look like a painting. Experiencing this world based on classic Chinese literature through the game’s unique vision is still worth your time.

Visions of Mana succeeds as a new entry in the Mana series that feels faithful to its identity while bringing it into a modern context with beautiful visuals. Cute characters and a casual battle system make this an action RPG that is approachable for newcomers to the series as well. Small inconveniences and flawed UX design are not enough to hold the experience back, but a story that approves of self-sacrifice narrows its appeal as a whole.

Astro Bot is a fantastic 3D platformer that does not disappoint. Astro and the other bots are always endearing, stages are full of variety and creativity, and the incorporation of the DualSense controller and classic PlayStation characters offer plenty of new gameplay. While the game isn’t very long, top-notch quality shines throughout.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with Stellar Blade’s combat, which is exhilarating and also offers a sense of accomplishment. The unique visuals and soundtrack are of high quality as well. While its game design might not shine with originality, Stellar Blade is a well made videogame overall. That being said, while taking a story-focused approach, Stellar Blade’s scenario and world-building felt clichéd and left us disappointed. With some boss battles being reused and tedious side quests, the experience started to drag a bit during the latter half.

Everything that makes Eiyuden Chronicle great is introduced in the first part of the game. From the 120 heroes that you can recruit to the epic one-vs-one duels, its game systems always make you feel the heat of the story. While the difficult turn-based battles might not be for everyone, as long as you prepare well they are a lot of fun to engage in. The soundtrack is great, but when played with headphones the sound balance seems a little off at times. Recruiting the 120 heroes functions as a rewarding side activity. Not being able to develop your town as you wish without certain heroes can prove frustrating at times, but the way your fate is influenced by the particular set of characters you’ve crossed paths with is a part of Eiyuden Chronicle’s unique charm.

As a turn-based RPG, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is an absolute banger. By allowing the player to freely move each character in their party during battles, combat is both more strategic and more exhilarating than the series’ previous turn-based installment. The Hawaii setting is both expansive and dense, with almost too much going on. The story features both protagonists Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu, resulting in a tale that culminates the series as a whole.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink does a great job of incorporating elements from the original game at a high standard of quality. The story could have been introduced better, unlockable characters would have benefited from a bit more care and the lack of a map or mini-map is baffling. That being said, Granblue Fantasy: Relink’s exhilarating action and gorgeous visuals more than make up for its shortcomings.

This expansion successfully blends the fun of synergy through enhancements of the roguelite genre with the unique action of the Splatoon series. It does lack volume, and it doesn’t offer the player enough opportunities to show off the enhancements they made. The art and sound design are stellar as always, but its presentation falls short and the story is not much more than a sequel to the events of Splatoon 2’s Octo Expansion.

As a historical game set during the end of Japan’s Edo Period, Rise of the Ronin is an absolute masterpiece that can not be praised enough. At the same time, as an open world game, Rise of the Ronin is a dated experience that I have many complaints about. For most players who are simply looking for an open world action game, knock one or two points off this score. That being said, its immersive storytelling is something truly exceptional, to the extent that your view on historical games will probably change after playing Rise of the Ronin. As someone fond of history, Rise of the Ronin is a game I won’t forget.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is packed with well-crafted content, and unlike its predecessor, none of it feels like filler. While Cloud’s new and unknown journey isn’t finished just yet, Rebirth already delivers an emotional story that could have only been achieved with a remake. While a small amount of the minigames can be tedious, from exploration to battle, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a top-notch experience. It delivers a surprising amount of quality, quantity and diversity in its content, to the extent that there pretty much isn’t anything like it.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has everything you would want from a Metroidvania game: Both its combat and platforming are quality. However, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the genre, and the story isn’t anything to write home about either.

Super Mario RPG is a great remake that manages to keep what made the original so memorable intact while refining it as well. Not only are the visuals and sound greatly improved, but the tweaked battle system makes it genuinely more fun to play. That being said, this is still fundamentally the same game, and Super Mario RPG does show its age at times.

While its name might have changed, EA SPORTS FC 24 is a new entry in the long-running FIFA series through and through, and you’ll find the series' strengths and weaknesses haven’t changed one bit.

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a blend between motor racing and gun action that feels somewhat similar to the Trials series. While the exploration elements don’t quite hit, shooting at enemies while riding a bike feels fresh and satisfying. Elements besides the gameplay, such as a melancholic soundtrack, are also well executed, and the story that depicts the relationship between Laika and her daughter feels novel in an action game like this.

While there are obviously some differences, Lord of the Fallen is very similar to Dark Souls. Sadly though, Lords of the Fallen is nowhere near as polished or well made as one would expect from a Dark Souls game. Its implementation of two worlds layered on top of each other is more cumbersome than interesting, there is a huge lack in enemy variety, enemy positioning can be too unforgiving, and technical issues like an unstable framerate and bad camerawork can be added to the long list of its shortcomings. On top of all that, the second playthrough is way too demanding and makes the first playthrough feel distorted.

Detective Pikachu Returns takes place in Ryme City, a place where Pokémon live alongside humans rather than being used for battles. This is a setting that every Pokémon fan has dreamed of at least once, and the Pokémon are all portrayed wonderfully. Pikachu can now collaborate with other Pokémon during the investigation, an element that was not present in the series’ first installment. However, as a detective adventure, Detective Pikachu Returns feels overly simple and lacks depth, both in its gameplay and story.

With a fantastic story, interesting lore, and great graphics and presentation, Phantom Liberty succeeds in expanding Cyberpunk 2077’s already rich world even further. While some of the individual side quests can come off as weak, they do a good job in contributing to Cyberpunk 2077’s world. With this DLC and patch 2.0, Cyberpunk 2077 has become a complete and pretty much flawless package.

The Forza series is famous for its engine sounds, which have reached new heights for Forza Motorsport. The graphics are outstandingly beautiful, especially in their rendering of the air. The racing is highly enjoyable, and the powerful assistance makes it more playable with a normal controller. When played with a racing wheel controller, the force feedback is more accurate than before, making Forza Motorsport a simulator that is also fun to play. There is not much to do beyond racing, and if you want to modify your car things can get a little bit grindy, but Forza Motorsport does offer you the chance to learn more about cars.

Sonic Superstars is a good classic 2D Sonic game that shines especially in its visuals. Stages have a wider array of gimmicks when compared to older 2D Sonic games and boss fights are much more complex. However, the game design can feel unpolished and often doesn’t do a good job in communicating with the player. While the addition of local co-op sounds great on paper, Sonic’s speedy gameplay proves to be a difficult match for it.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder implements the recent trend of adding adventure elements to the 2D action genre. The Wonder Flowers cause surprising twists and the new multiplayer contributes to making a new 2D Mario adventure feel fresh again. That being said, we would have wanted Super Mario Bros. Wonder to feel even more wondrous.

Remnant II is a TPS that combines Souls-like hard boss fights with treasure hunting that allows the player to create new builds. The campaign's randomly generated stages and extraordinary amount of secrets greatly enhance the fun of the treasure hunting element.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a unique combination of a Greek mythology murder mystery and a musical. With its sexy characters and variety of memorable songs the musical part is especially powerful, and enough to make this an unforgettable experience.

Enjoy the Diner is a game that fascinatingly depicts a place on the border between life and death. It succeeds in utilizing the inorganic feel of a minimalist visual novel as an expression of the story it wants to depict.

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a compact game that allows you to enjoy the series’ unique take on the slowlife genre. That said, the ending is weak and its simplicity can feel unsatisfying at times.

While Ninja or Die’s core of high-speed jump action is well realized, its 2D rogue-lite level design has many shortcomings.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code has pacing issues and its puzzles aren’t very satisfying. That said, the deep world building and story make up for its shortcomings.

While bugs and issues can stand in the way of your enjoyment, F1 23 has a lot of content, and its VR mode in particular is sensational. The story mode’s scenario also felt deeper when compared to previous entries.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a Jet Set Radio clone made by fans of that title. It takes what was great from Sega’s classic, but lacks its own style. While definitely a fun game to play and the best clone of Jet Set Radio available, it fails to become anything beyond that.

Oatchi – a cute dog that learns new abilities throughout the game – was all that the Pikmin series needed to become more approachable. The series’ wide array of gameplay elements are implemented in the story, and some of them are tough enough to make even fans of the series feel challenged. Pikmin 4 is a great game that can satisfy both fans and newcomers alike.

Armored Core 6 has a true sense of speed and exhilaration, its robot design is everything a mech fan could wish for, and it even has an outstanding storyline. For fans of the series, some elements might feel lacking or different, but there is no doubt that this is the pinnacle of robot action.

Starfield’s vast universe is home to unique planets, factions and characters and offers a wide array of choices. It allows you to become whoever you want to be, and savor both the light and dark sides of the universe the way you want to. Starfield doesn’t only improve on Bethesda’s previous games, but gives birth to an entirely new universe that is the company’s best open-world RPG yet.

While Final Fantasy XVI is a focused game that has no hesitation in eliminating the unnecessary, the breathtaking realm of Valisthea feels polished like a true AAA title. It is a high-quality experience that can be cherished through its many details. That being said, the series’ more traditional tropes don’t always match Final Fantasy XVI’s modern production standards, which can at times stand in the way of the player’s enjoyment.

Street Fighter 6includes everything you could want from a modern fighting game, and the mechanics at the game’s core are complete at the time of release. The World Tour campaign suffers from an uninteresting story and battles that feel like a slog, but overall, Street Fighter 6 will satisfy a wide range of fighting game fans.

Breath of the Wild’s concept was described by Nintendo as “creating a game through multiplication”, but after playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, its predecessor almost feels like a prototype. Not only are the amount of possibilities that Tears of the Kingdom’s level of multiplication offers so much more diverse, its field was designed to put those into practice to a much greater extent. Never before was the vast land of Hyrule packed with this amount of well-designed gameplay. Without a doubt, this is the best game in the series.

With beloved characters from throughout the series, the remake of Like a Dragon: Ishin is an all-star game that fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series will appreciate. It makes you feel like you are watching an epic drama series about the Meiji Ishin period with your favorite characters starring as historical figures. While this remake does bring new elements such as a change in its cast and special skills becoming available during normal battles, compared to the series’ other remakes it feels a bit lacking in novelty.

With great battle mechanics and karakuri crafting, Wild Hearts stands out as a unique hunting game. When playing alone it can feel a bit intimidating, but the difficulty becomes just right during multiplayer, which allows for interesting ways to chain different karakuri devices. While as a new IP there are certain elements of the game that could be improved upon and while there are some technical issues that hold it back, Wild Hearts is a game without any real major flaws.

Dread Templar is a fast paced FPS that seems like an exhilarating experience at first, but due to balance issues it doesn’t really feel all that good to play. The enemy’s heavy shots come at you from far away, while the player’s attacks don’t deal a lot of damage, which causes frustration. It can feel good to take down an enemy by throwing a katana sword or using a bow and arrows, but altogether this game is more exhausting than fun.

While the story can feel childish, altogether Octopath Traveler II takes what was great about its predecessor and makes it even better, resulting in a great sequel.

Meg’s Monster is a great story game with clever twists, and even its battles contribute to the narrative. The relationship between Meg and her monster companion Roy is well written and deeply touching.

Resident Evil 4 is simply one of the best remakes out there. It doesn’t only modernize the original game, but also gives the player more ways to tackle combat. The updated knife combat in particular adds a whole new layer of fun. The graphics and sound are of high quality, and even the story moments and characters that were lacking in the original have been improved. That being said, in 2023, Resident Evil 4 doesn’t leave quite the same impact as the original did back in 2005.

Taking its cues from Nioh and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty boasts a number of challenging mechanics. The simple yet profound Kisei system and the Morale Rank system are innovative features, and the sheer speed of the combat is addictive. However, while the fundamentals of Wo Long are excellently made, it suffers from a number of problems both large and small, including an unwieldy UI, a one-dimensional story, and a lack of variety in both melee attacks and enemy types. If developer Team Ninja’s Nioh series is anything to go by, it’s possible that many of these problems will be resolved in future updates and DLC. For now, at least, Wo Long is a highly enjoyable game that falls just short of hitting the next level.

Hogwarts Legacy is a detailed open world game focused around magic. It completely fulfills the dream of enrolling in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While the game has its fair share of problems in terms of UI and performance, it isn’t just for Harry Potter fans: Its casual nature also makes it a great game for newcomers to open world games.

Wanted: Dead feels like it was released with only the game’s most basic concepts brought together. Its combat doesn’t evolve, enemy movement feels unnatural, camerawork is bad, the difficulty balance is a disaster, there is a lack of enemy variety and the story doesn’t make sense. The idea of combining sword fighting and third-person shooting in one combat system isn’t bad in itself. If the development team had focused on fleshing this out rather than adding unsatisfying minigames on the side, things might have been different.

Hi-Fi Rush is a rock-themed masterpiece rhythm-action game. Its combat makes you feel like you’re performing on stage, and its wholesome story is exhilarating throughout. In 2023, there is simply no rhythm-action game that we could recommend more.

With low quality puzzles and unpolished motion for certain objects, Somerville feels rough around the edges when compared with the games that made its creators so well regarded. Sudden twists in the game’s second half feel unnatural, and the multiple endings don’t feel different enough from one another. That being said, the studio’s potential can be felt throughout the game.

Not only is Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered more playable than the original version, its added content also does a great job in making the game’s nonlinear “free scenario” system more fun. The new UI isn’t much of an improvement, and the experience has aged in some parts, but this remaster is definitely the best way to experience Minstrel Song.

As the first mainline entry to depict a school-life story, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has appealing characters, mysterious twists and a well prepared ending, making it one of the best stories the series has ever had. While it struggles as an open world, the game approaches multiplayer in a new way and is full of elements that can be enjoyed for a long time.

As the first mainline entry to depict a school-life story, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has appealing characters, mysterious twists and a well prepared ending, making it one of the best stories the series has ever had. While it struggles as an open world, the game approaches multiplayer in a new way and is full of elements that can be enjoyed for a long time.

Due to an increase in mobility, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopes is a deep and unique strategy game that is also easy to pick up. That being said, the story requires knowledge of both its predecessor and Super Mario Galaxy, and even if you do know them, it still lacks depth.

As a prequel to one of gaming’s most beloved classics, Crisis Core did a great job of enriching the original game’s world as an action RPG on the PSP. This remaster not only enhances the visuals but also improves on many of the original’s shortcomings. While there still are some inconveniences, altogether Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is an exhilarating experience from start to finish.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a new challenge for this long-running series. It is full of Dragon Quest’s unique charm and delivers a wonderful experience that lasts for many hours. However, altogether the experience feels a bit too shallow. Deeper character development and more monsters could have gone a long here. Still, as a more compact game, Dragon Quest Treasures is a great open world to casually have some fun in.

While A Space for the Unbound has a sweet and nostalgic playfeel, its deeper themes are heavier. The dragging storyline and lack of challenge in its puzzles can sometimes make it feel too long for its own good, but in the end it all comes together with a shocking reveal.

Forspoken is an ambitious title that builds both its fluid movement and its battle system around the concept of magic. From comfortable exploration to speedy combat, this unique open world action RPG has plenty of appeal, and its story that depicts the spiritual growth of its young New Yorker protagonist is immersive. That being said, the game does have issues, such as a lack of variety in side quests and a hub area that takes too much time to navigate through.

Goodbye World is a short yet emotional tale of two struggling indie game creators that never turns into the obvious success story you might expect it to become. Despite its characters feeling symbolic and one-sided, it manages to feel genuine throughout its two-hour journey.

Signalis is a top-down action adventure game that was heavily inspired by classic survival horror titles. Although not for everyone, severe resource management makes every encounter with zombies frightening. Its science fiction and Lovecraft-inspired setting is well crafted, and the game’s puzzles fit in naturally. The story left me thinking, but for some players it might be frustrating that no real answers can be found in the game’s ending.

While promoted as a mix of RPG and agricultural simulator, in reality Harvestella heavily leans toward its RPG side. While the idea of resource management dependent on the passage of time feels fresh for an RPG, the game's cheap story and presentation, a combat system that doesn’t feel tactical enough and a lack of customization on the farm make Harvestella a game with room for improvement in both genres.

Metal: Hellsinger is a heavy metal FPS that feels like a love child between Doom and a rhythm game. While the lack of variation in its maps and boss battles is a pity, killing hordes of demons while listening to one of 2022’s best soundtracks is an exhilarating experience for sure.

Moonscars lacks the depth you would want from an Metroidvania title in its exploration and character building, but manages to deliver as a hardcore Soulsborne game.

While not bad, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition is an unremarkable version of a great game. The new content definitely plays it safe but delivers what the fans wanted.

From graphics to game design, music and general playfeel, everything in NeverAwake is of surprisingly high quality. It reminded us of why we love shmups. Nearing the end of the game, the difficulty spikes and can feel a bit unfair, but that can also be seen as a part of the game’s identity as a shmup.

While the universe of Made in Abyss is recreated with class, as a game there is a lack of tension and balance. The game’s original story is faithful to its source material, but its twists feel so sudden that it is hard to advise newcomers to join the world of Made in Abyss through this game.

Easy Come Easy Golf comes with a wide range of brand new courses of stable quality. Its video tutorials make it an accessible game for newcomers to the genre as well. Easy Come Easy Golf could have the potential to create a new generation of golf game fans.

Valkyrie Elysium’s world and characters based on Norse mythology are fascinating, and its speedy combat is exhilarating. It’s too bad that the title feels like it could have used a little more polish, and the button mapping doesn’t match the game’s systems. The game lacks a bit in volume as well, and its world and characters could have been fleshed out even more.

While Asterigos has excellent graphics and music, basic elements like the combat system feel cheap, making the package as a whole feel like an unbalanced Soulsborne title.