Stellar Blade is an ambitious action adventure boasting a masterful boss design and compelling gameplay progression. Between the addictive exploration and finely tuned sense of weight and speed ingrained in each of Eve's swings, it's indisputable that this is a lovingly crafted journey.

Another Crab's Treasure introduction to the soulslike subgenre and offers enough customization and interesting mechanics to keep it interesting for veteran players. Each fight feels rewarding and meaningful, while the lovingly crafted environments make exploration a treat for the eye. Some camera issues muddy the waters somewhat, but not enough to make this an excellent title from Aggro Crab.

Resident Evil 3 is a heart-pounding nightmare that blends survival horror and action elements perfectly with the help of its two protagonists. There's so much to explore and discover during every moment of this thriller that it's easy to forget about the horrors that await just around the corner. However, the limited puzzles and short length make it tough to justify the full price. But, like a zombie hungry for brains, I can't seem to get enough of this game.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an unapologetically stylish and sleek Metroidvania action adventure that boasts magnificent movement and brilliant boss design. Aside from setting itself apart from other entries in the Prince of Persia series, it also stands toe-to-toe with some of the genre's giants. While the narrative isn't comparatively engrossing, this one-of-a-kind journey will undeniably satisfy both beginners and veterans of the franchise. The never-mundane gameplay loop full of ceaseless reward and discovery is one that shows clear, meticulous thought poured into it. At its core, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown redefines what Prince of Persia can bring to the table and proves that it can still shine in the modern age if given enough polish and opportunity.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on Switch is just as great of an instant classic as it was on PS4. While the new content (extra weapons) is essentially insignificant, if you haven’t played the game yet, this new version is a great chance to fall in love with this one-of-a-kind work from Vanillaware and Atlus.

Melty Blood: TYPE LUMINA is an incredibly enjoyable fighting game that you will have a good time playing online, even on the Switch. The updates offered in this version make it an even more competitive fighter as it introduces high skill-level mechanics along with accessible options for players looking to play as their favorite characters.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is an amazing gaming experience that drifts into the darkest of places, yet its beauty still shines. Its brutal scenarios do well to break the player, but the determination of Senua's aura guides you forward. Some might say this drifts into the realm of a walking simulator or a game more about art. But I can't put these labels onto Hellblade II because I've never experienced anything like it from a cinematic gameplay experience. This is a game that pulls you in with its imagery but grabs hold of you with its tense narrative beats and the drive to see Senua reach her goal.

DoDonPachi Resurrection is the kind of experience that fully represents what the series and its developer are all about. This Switch release is complete as it contains an excellent port of the main game and several other variations that feel like entirely different games. In short, you are given a lot of choice and customization. If you own a Switch, then you cannot go wrong with adding this game to your collection.

Summer Pockets ended up being the visual novel that I didn’t know I needed right now. The game can take anywhere from 30 – 40 hours to complete, but along the way, you’re in for some excellent moments of narrative storytelling. Be sure to have a box of tissues handy if you’re sappy on love stories. You’ll need them.

If you’ve never played NieR:Automata or intend to replay it, I highly recommend picking up this release above all others. The game itself is certainly not perfect, what with its sometimes shallow combat and instances of heavy-handed messaging, but it usually illustrates its intentions splendidly. Plus, the former is made up for with sheer variety and eye-catching animation. You need to have an open mind and accept unconventional pacing to truly appreciate NieR:Automata, and once you do, you’ll never be off Yoko Taro’s wild ride, nor would you want to.

Even without strong narrative backing, Shin Megami Tensei V delivers a compelling experience for the entire 60+ hour journey. The game smartly provides the player with core features the series is known for, alongside excelling in its fantastic environments, combat mechanics, and immaculate soundtrack. Shin Megami Tensei V is a natural evolution of this series and a must-play RPG.

The Talos Principle: Reawakened is a surprisingly topical game to come back to in 2025, and neither its plot nor its excellent puzzle-solving gameplay has aged a day. Not everything in the experience really benefits from the graphical rework that significantly increases the system expectation, but the new expansion takes full advantage of both the more advanced engine and the player’s high understanding of game elements, even if I’d describe it as punishingly difficult. Croteam shot for the sky with the original and lands among the heavens with this remake.

Kunai is a thoroughly fantastic game, taking some of the best elements of the genre and putting them into one parkouring package. It’s apparent that a lot of care went into fine-tuning weapons and Kunai to make your actions feel as instinctual as they are fun. Kunai is one of the most unexpected and delightful gaming experiences I’ve had in a long time.

Resident Evil 4 remains a divisive entry in the series as it caters to fans of survival horror and action within a well-crafted gaming experience. The updated narrative, by far, makes this a solid entry as it fills in plot holes and provides character growth that wasn't present before. The atmosphere and level design only enhance the enjoyment, but the popcorn action structure of the final area hurts the overall pacing. Still, this is undeniably a stellar remake of an already fantastic game.

Arcadian Atlas is a brilliant love letter to the SRPG greats. While its inspirations are easy to spot, the narrative immerses players in this world across a story of love, honor, and loss. Every system lends to the depth of combat that evolves across the entire campaign. The result is an experience unrivaled in this space, where players are challenged during battles, but their emotional attachment to these characters keeps them pushing forward. Some quality-of-life updates are needed to fine-tune the menu navigation, but the wait for this release was genuinely worth it.

Top-tier gameplay with captivating ideas is a fun approach to a genre that needs as much creativity as it can find. Different difficulty options welcome all types of players and significantly lets one grow and aim for yet, another challenge.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarök brings us a huge dose of Norse Mythology and a much-needed fantasy element to the expansions of the base game. The campaign is intense with a strong conclusion, and the added powers provide new ways to approach combat. So even with some of the typical growing pains of a new open world to explore, if you were waiting for a good time to jump back into Valhalla, this is it.

Wasteland 3 will consume your life as it did mine. The game makes progression come across so naturally through its narrative focused world-building made by player choice. During the countless quests across impressive setpieces, I would say Wasteland 3 is one of the best entries in the RPG genre. Throw in accessible leveling features, likable characters, and wrap them up with an engaging cover-based battle system, and you have everything you need to keep you playing for months. Sadly, the bugs encountered were mostly found in multiplayer, but the developer has acknowledged that these are being patched.

Don’t let its presentation fool you, Omori is an adventure into some dark themes of loss, growing up, and fear of change. These are easily relatable elements uniquely projected to players through its expert story presentation and character writing. You feel yourself immersed in this world and with these people to the point where you want so bad to see their adventure through until the end. Luckily for us, this is one experience that you can’t easily grow out of.

Europa offers a heartfelt adventure set on a forgotten utopia, where players control Zee, an android seeking answers on Jupiter’s terraformed moon. With intuitive jetpack-fueled platforming and an atmospheric narrative conveyed through diary entries, Europa excels in tone and immersion. While some may find its short three-hour playtime a drawback, the beautifully designed environments and engaging mechanics make it a memorable journey. For those looking for a brief but impactful gaming experience, Europa is worth exploring.

If you haven’t been playing your VR device lately, Star Wars Pinball VR is the perfect reason to charge it back up. This is perhaps the closest you can get to experiencing these tables in real life and they translate so well in the VR space. Even if you’ve played Star Wars Pinball before, I think this version provides enough of a unique experience that warrants an additional playthrough. [Oculus Quest 2]

Nioh 3 is a bold and rewarding evolution of Team Ninja’s action RPG formula, expanding the series into an open-field format without losing the tight, satisfying combat it’s known for. Though the narrative falters early, its gameplay depth, time-spanning structure, and layered progression systems make it a must-play for fans of skill-based combat. From its masterful boss encounters to its robust exploration mechanics, Nioh 3 delivers a dense, challenging experience for those willing to invest in its systems.

Nukitashi presents itself as a unique, well-written, and poignant comedy experience. It doesn’t shy away from its adult themes and, instead, embraces them to deliver a memorable narrative. Qruppo’s first game is a must-play that hits all the right notes when considering character development, theming, humor writing, and presentation.

Resident Evil Village is like a reunion of all the previous games in the series. It takes what worked and gives it to fans in small bites across this horrifying adventure. Tension is created in multiple ways that force you to adjust on the fly, but as scary as it, the thought that answers to all your questions lie beyond the next door will keep you playing long into the night. Resident Evil Village isn’t having an identity crisis. It’s fully aware of what it’s doing. Somehow, the blending of these systems produces the most entertaining nightmare you’ve ever had.

I don’t think anyone expected Persona 5 Strikers to be as fleshed out as it is. There's a massive full game here with well over 50 hours of content for you to experience. Further, it's a way to reunite with a cast that you’ve probably already spent just as long with, if not more. The action-RPG systems make for a surprisingly fun and addictive gameloop that isn't overshadowed by the mainline entries and it still offers enough unique elements to differentiate it from other Musou titles.

Ninja Gaiden Master Collection is a must-play for action fans, especially those seeking titles demanding on-the-fly reactions and arduous trials of failing and learning. The first two entries are as masterclass as you can get, and the third, while questionable in several areas, also proves to be more than an adequate investment of time.

There was a lot of love put into crafting this Lovecraftian visual novel. I felt the need to keep reading, wondering just what supernatural influence was affecting the city this time. The exceptional writing brings out the geek in me that I never knew I had when it comes to this kind of mythology. The dark and gritty atmosphere, combined with the pleasing visuals and soundtrack, engrossed me into the bizarre life of this bookstore owner. He can’t leave Hermitage, and I didn’t want to either.

Bleach: Rebirth of Souls is a surprisingly robust and faithful adaptation of the beloved anime, delivering an expansive story mode, deep character exploration, and a combat system that blends accessibility with strategic depth. Though it suffers from occasional animation hiccups and minor visual bugs, it stands tall as one of the best single-player anime fighting game experiences in recent memory—especially for longtime fans of the series.