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.

In the super violent world of Bloodroots, everything becomes either a weapon or something to kill. Every time you die there’s something new to learn, and while it’s definitely a flawed experience, becoming better and stylishly killing everything coming your way is a thrilling experience nonetheless.

Improved lighting makes PES look even more stunning than last year. Dribbling and shooting motions are more varied and feel more authentic, resulting in a more exhilarating soccer match.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon’s atmosphere is faithful to the series, and your favorite critters are as cute as ever. The visuals will remind you of the picture books from your childhood, creating a sweet and lovely experience. While gameplay-wise there may be few new surprises, this remake is a great entry point in the spinoff series for anyone.

Metallic Child is a roguelike action game with the unique twist of temporary upgrades. While definitely a game of high quality, the lack of new enemy types in later stages of the game makes the gradation of difficulty feel unbalanced.

Lost in Random is a 3D action game with a focus on deck-building with magical cards. By having the player roll a dice, the game brings an interesting factor of chance to the table, but it can not be denied that this element can also work against itself.

The reactions of Pokémon when items are used can be a little underwhelming, and the photography scoring system feels a bit off, but each of the Pokémon and the detailed world they inhabit are so well crafted that it all really comes to life. While the premise of replaying the same course over and over to take pictures may sound a bit too simple, the different Pokémon you encounter and the stories they provide prevent the experience from becoming tedious. New Pokémon Snap has us hoping that future installments in the Pokémon series will learn from its stellar world building.

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.

Dungeon Encounters is a pared-back RPG focused purely on battles and exploration. By gaining knowledge and experience, the player needs to learn how to overcome traps and enemies, resulting in a satisfying experience. Although the game kind of loses momentum in the second half, it’s still well worth a look.

Resident Evil Village is a game of unquestionably high quality, but sometimes its parts do not fit together. It’s hard to tell whether the developers were aiming for a terrifying horror game or an action-packed shooting experience: There are elements of both, along with the story, the new game plus systems and the inclusion of The Mercenaries, and sometimes these various elements do not work in harmony with each other. Village is a great game that you can enjoy with confidence, but with a little more synergy it could have been even better.

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.

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.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles faithfully recreates popular anime Demon Slayer as a competitive 3D action fighting game. While the amount of playable characters and the exploration part leave room for improvement, there’s a lot to love here for fans of the source material.

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.

The Ascent is an ambitious game that incorporates body modification, heavy weaponry and corporate war. While playing it can be stressful, stellar gunfights and beautifully crafted maps are enough to make you forgive the game’s shortcomings. If you’re a fan of violent games set in a cyberpunk world, look no further.

From its setting to world building and especially the battles with monsters, this is truly an RPG that stays true to what Monster Hunter is all about. While the story is definitely on the light side, exploring the beautiful world with your favorite Monsties is an experience packed with content that any Monster Hunter fan will love.

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.

Scarlet Nexus’ stylish psychokinesis-based action is tons of fun. That being said, the player’s attacks tend to leave big openings for the opponent, and with many enemies that have a specific weakness you need to strike, it can become quite stressful. While I had some issues on the story side as well, the well realized characters and great pacing were enough to make me overlook its shortcomings.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel’s story and gameplay are built around the bond between children, and teach the preciousness of life. The tutorial is well done, and the simple yet tactical battle system is fun to play. It’s too bad that the controls and UI make the game harder to play than it should be.

Twelve Minutes is a game that allows the player to experience what life is like for a protagonist caught in a time loop. While spending the same 12 minutes in a small apartment over and over might not sound too epic, the loop cycle is well done and has something new for the player to discover each time. That being said, the game’s story and theme aren’t as well executed. In many ways, Twelve Minutes is a game with a truth you might be better off not knowing.

The Breaking Point narrative mode allows the player to join races while feeling like they’re the lead in a Hollywood movie. That being said, the mode’s story is linear and your racing efforts don’t necessarily have an effect on its scenario. While the career mode is as well made as always, if you’ve played the series before, there’s just not enough to make the experience feel fresh again.

The main changes to The Last of Us Part 1 are in the character’s facial expressions and accessibility options, while the rest can be summed up as “extra features”. Compared with the original game, some scenes have actually decreased in quality and I came across bugs as well, which makes it a remake that comes with both advantages and disadvantages. While a conservative remake indeed, in the end the appeal of the original shines through.

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.

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.

With low-texture pixel art and an FM synth-rock soundtrack, Blazing Chrome is best described as a spiritual successor to Contra games from the 16-bit era. A 16:9 aspect ratio, devastating enemy attacks and upgradable weapons give Blazing Chrome a unique sense of thrill and exhilaration. Heavily inspired by older games yet original at the same time, Blazing Chrome’s refined level design will have you learn each time you die. Fighting your way through this classic run-and-gun game is like reliving an experience that never gets old.

As a hybrid between the occult and technology, Soul Hackers 2 boasts a unique world. The story, which depicts grown-up devil summoners, is its biggest appeal. In battles, powerful Sabbath attacks allow you to clean up all enemies with a single move, resulting in an exhilarating experience. That being said, the high encounter rate and overall tempo of battles do have pacing issues.

While being a new entry to the series, Crash Bandicoot 4’s stages are full of references to the first two games. And while it is without a doubt the hardest game in the series, amusing animations and a great score will make you want to keep going.

Whenever the protagonist of Unpacking moves to a new home, it is the player's task to open cardboard boxes and decide where her belongings should be placed. While this can be a tedious experience when you’re just putting socks into a drawer, whenever an item that conveys something about her life comes out of the box, Unpacking becomes a unique storytelling experience.