SD Gundam Battle Alliance is an entertaining crash course in the Gundam series. It’s approachable no matter your level of fandom as it offers remixed historical battles with the added context of the true matchups. There’s so much to unlock and enjoy across each mission, but the repetition can weigh on the experience. Regardless, this is an addictive action game that mobile suit fans everywhere will enjoy.

Mad Rat Dead is a quality rhythm-based platformer that you may not have been expecting. If you can get past the problematic jump attack, you get to experience a blissful and upbeat soundtrack across an addictive gameplay loop and surprisingly unique story.

Ogre Tale is more than just your standard everyday beat ’em up as it has some of the best character writing in the genre. It’s a game that you can take at your own pace and will consistently provide you with new items and upgrades after each mission. The game could use some difficulty balancing and additional controller support, but nothing really takes away from the overall fun experience. The saddest part is, when it’s over, your left wishing you can hang out with these characters just a little bit longer.

Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom is an excellent sequel to an already delightful game, taking what its predecessor already did marvelously and improving on it even further with more locations to explore. Even if you don’t know a single shred of the Doraemon series (don’t worry, I don’t either!), you can still enjoy the cute interactions between Noby and his friends since it’s fundamentally Story of Seasons, but with a couple of tweaks and enhancements to fit the aesthetic.

Monster Hunter Stories is a welcoming revived journey in an era of sometimes needlessly pursued bloatedness. This 3DS entry has aged shockingly well thanks to a strongly handled remastered effort. The combat and character progression are endearingly addictive, and the cast is fairly memorable. Still, the lacking difficulty for the story's duration and the monotony brought about by what can feel like overt simplicity make this a turn-based title best experienced in brief bursts.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is a reunion for some and a brand new experience for others. However, no matter when you play this game, you are guaranteed to have a great time. The beat ’em systems are a product of their time, but they still fit in with modern genre entries. This is a game best played over an evening with a group of friends, no matter if you have a relationship with the franchise or not. Here’s to another 10 years of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game.

If you can appreciate a unique art style and want to try your hand at some creative puzzles, then DARQ: Complete Edition is a game you’ll adore. However, there’s very little in the way of narrative build-up that makes your connection to this world and the character flimsy. This is only hurt further by its short runtime, but it still manages to provide an exceptional experience.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered is a fantastic remaster of one of the best Call of Duty campaigns ever made. The lack of substantial content might make the experience barebones, but it’s enough to provide you an afternoon of well developed FPS action. While playing, it’s easy to see how the series has evolved over the years mechanical, but the responsive and tight controls that it is known for shines during each moment of this unforgettable campaign.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a whimsical platformer that blends clever puzzle mechanics with charming storytelling. While its unique element-swapping feature brings refreshing gameplay twists, occasional pacing issues and vague objectives slightly hinder the experience. A visually delightful and inventive indie gem.

I had no idea what to expect from Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, but it will undeniably be another hit under Capcom's growing catalog of critically acclaimed successes. On a personal level, this title echoes some portion of the developer's past that I've missed dearly, and sincerely hope it sticks around and grows. The gameplay shortcomings here may fail at encourgaing the incentivized replay value enough, but they don't detract from the quality present here.

RiffTrax is the perfect game if you ever want to sit down with a group of friends, remote or in person, to have some great fun with redubbing old movies and funny clips. The fact that only one copy of the game is required is a big plus. Not only that, but the game is available for the low price of $10, and if you already enjoyed what its predecessor What the Dub had offered, you’ll certainly find a lot of fun in here. Playing this with the staff was also very fun, as we laughed at each other’s jokes for hours.

Still the same dungeon-crawling RPG comfort food I remember from the DS version. However, the added systems change its core audience to include players of all ages, which make it the perfect entry point to the genre. Every moment of gameplay is met with a reward and the present game loop creates a substantial reason to return to dungeons countless times, across dozens of missions. While the remake doesn’t do too much in terms of changing the core formula of what the series is, there’s enough here to warrant an additional playthrough.

The Entropy Centre is, ultimately, a game that charmed and frustrated me in the best possible way. It doesn’t quite reach the level of its inspiration, but it does deliver the perfect puzzle experience of beating your head against the wall until you get the dopamine hit of figuring out the perfect solution.So, if you go into it looking for a brilliant puzzle game that just happens to have a decent sci-fi story attached to it, it’ll be exactly what you expect.

I arrived expecting a novelty game brimming with fanservice. What I discovered was a tropical playground that merged comedic escapism with a dash of genuine emotional resonance. Whether it was Tamaki’s snarky texts or Honoka’s enthusiastic winks, each interaction felt personal enough to keep me hooked. Now, as I stare at the phone notifications, reality reminds me it is time to take a break, but something tells me Tamaki is patiently waiting for my return. In the end, it is a journey that merges silliness and sincerity, showing us that, if anything, a bikini-clad photo game can have a beating heart beneath the sun-soaked surface.

Elden Ring: Nightreign takes the franchise into cooperative territory with a bold, punishing multiplayer expedition mode. While its demanding design may alienate casual players, the game delivers deep combat, rich class variety, and satisfying progression for veteran Souls fans.

Dispatch is a vibrant narrative adventure that channels the spirit of classic Telltale storytelling. Centered on the grounded yet compelling Mecha Man, it offers a character-driven experience filled with meaningful choices, sharp voice acting, and a refreshing presentation style. While it nails emotional dynamics and voice performances, uneven pacing and gameplay repetition occasionally dull its impact. Still, fans of episodic storytelling will find plenty to enjoy in this heartfelt debut.

I enjoyed the Jackbox Party Pack 9, but I still think Pack 8 takes the golden crown, as it had completely original games. But, ah, well, it’s not so bad to have a fan-favorite make a return once in a while. My favorite of all the games was probably Quixort because of its minimalistic art style. Still, I can’t wait for what they have in store for the very-special Jackbox Party Pack 10 next year.

Sniper Elite 5 excels at being an entertaining experience with a high level of tactical challenge that matches the player’s engagement. It’s a game that delivers on everything it’s trying to provide and doubles down with excellent sniping mechanics, gun customization, and gorgeous environments. It can be a bit overly complicated in some areas, and the random AI glitches can hurt the immersion, but this is the best entry of the series to date, and I don’t see it slowing down any time soon.

Hogwarts Legacy is a genuine wizarding adventure from beginning to end. There’s no mistaking that the writing and world-building lend so much to the experience that it overshadows the repetitive battle system and unintuitive menu designs. There’s a true sense of discovery provided that stems from the freedom given to players to take on this game the way they want. The jury is still out on the target audience, but I had a magical time.

Maid Cafe on Electric Street is a charming slice-of-life cafe management sim that combines nostalgic pixel-art visuals, heartfelt storytelling, and otaku culture references into a relaxing experience. Players manage the Fuwa Fuwa Cafe, build relationships with quirky maids, and explore the vibrant town of Nipponbashi. While the management gameplay and quality-of-life features could use more depth, the engaging voice acting, rich world-building, and low-stakes atmosphere make it a delightful choice for fans of visual novels and cozy games.

I had a blast taking out thousands of enemies, and I couldn’t recommend more to those hungry for some solid Musou action.

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is an absolute rush to the goal as its soccer systems don’t lean too heavily into the outrageous. Instead, it finds a perfect balance of zany and strategy through control depth and over-the-top systems. The highlight is the two very different, but equally as important story modes, with a few multiplayer options to cap off the fun. You may encounter some AI issues, and some objectives during the story mode may not sit well, but you won’t want to sit on the bench for this game.

Symphonia is a visually stunning 2D platformer where music and gameplay intertwine in a harmonious adventure. With its unique momentum-based mechanics, orchestral soundtrack, and challenging optional areas, the game delivers a short yet satisfying experience for fans of the genre. However, minor bugs, an underdeveloped story, and some confusing mechanics hold it back from reaching its full potential. A must-play for platforming enthusiasts seeking something fresh.

Mr. Driller DrillLand is the perfect bite-sized puzzle game for the Switch. Its western debut has been long overdue, but this release encapsulates all the zany characters and addictive drilling-puzzles for new and old fans alike. A few new attractions would have made this release a proper remake, but the added casual mode and updated visuals do enough to bring this series to puzzle-lovers everywhere.

High on Life knows what it wants to be and delivers that experience to players who likely want the same thing. The level of humor and writing is on another level. Still, you’ll want to pace yourself, if only not to grow tired of the waves of enemies you’ll encounter, which is thankfully broken up with platforming sections and standout interactions. The phrase, “Made by gamers, for gamers,” has never rung truer than when describing High on Life.

The Star Named EOS is a well-paced adventure that touches on some emotional themes without being overly imaginative, which keeps the fantastical experience grounded and creative. It’s an exploration of memories through photography, with the help of some gorgeous hand-drawn environments. While the puzzles can be a little ambitious and frustrating, I think they pair well with the short runtime because, trust me, this is a game world that I didn’t mind hanging out in, thanks mostly to the brilliant soundtrack.

If you desire a qualitative, hardcore platformer that demands unquestionable skill, then this is the game for you. While not possessing any particular traits that make it stand out from the hotbed of its genre, Lumione is still a joyous experience that should not be overlooked.

If you're going to play Days Gone, do yourself a favor and play it on PC. There's a decent level of options here for PC players to fine-tune their experience and even quality-of-life features missing from other PC-only titles. The story can be messy, but the more you progress, the clearer the intent of this staggered narrative becomes. The level of immersion is high in some areas, but Days Gone knows when to be a game and when to challenge the player's patience with mundane systems. This game is a must for survival action fans.