SaGa Frontier 2 was ahead of its time. Though not everyone will feel the love with this remaster considering its notorious difficulty, SaGa Frontier 2 maintains a special place in the genre for its unique combat, storytelling, and incredible art style. It's just a shame it can be such a brutally difficult game.

Croc is a throwback to a formative time where developers were sinking their teeth into 3D development and when met on its own terms offers more than enough charm and character to put a smile on most faces. Though you can only sand the rough edges so much, this is the best way to play one of gaming's forgotten mascots and indeed is a compelling package for those dyed-in-the-wool fans who have been clamoring for a return of the green reptile for all these years.

Wanderstop won't win any awards for its deliberately thin gameplay mechanics, but over its 10-15 hours you'll be reminded how a simple act of kindness can change lives and that just slowing things down and taking time for yourself away from the stresses and white noise of daily life is perhaps just what the doctor ordered.

Koira is a charming game that delivers in spades. It's a beautiful symphony of visuals and audio that should absolutely not be missed.

On a functional level, AI Limit fulfills what it sets out to do and does so with very few hiccups in most regards. Outside of that, it exists as a time capsule of the mechanics that the industry is explicitly moving away from. While imitation can be argued to be the strongest form of flattery, here it feels tacky and it dilutes what ambition the team had in their own right. What is here, is good enough. But there isn't much outside of that.

Remarkable is one of the most appropriate ways to describe Atomfall. So many triple A games these days are situated in American cities and smother you with their American cultural values, but Atomfall is as British as a Yorkshire Pudding, and thus it's an absolute treat. The array of difficulty options, the elegant scenery, the incentive to discover and go off the beaten path, and all the pleasant sights and sounds of Atomfall make it an unforgettable and outstanding survival game that is irresistibly moreish and well-worth your time.

The First Berserker: Khazan is greatness from nothingness personified. Neople has done what so many have tried to do in the past. If TFB Khazan is not on your map, then, well, you need a new map. From brutal yet manageable combat to fantastic level and monster designs, Khazan aims high and hits every target it finds.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is almost the best game across the long-running franchise, as a beautiful game to look at the whole way through, with strong central characters, solid improvements to exploration and perhaps the best combat and stealth gameplay we've seen from the series yet. Its strengths, however, make it all the more upsetting that the poor progression system and elements of bloat still drag the experience down. Still, it's very close to being the best game we've seen in the series yet, and a true sign that Ubisoft is on the right path to elevating the franchise beyond its original peaks.

While Under Defeat does show its age - particularly with the UI - it still manages to be a brilliant challenging shoot-'em-up that has some quite unique elements. Boasting some glorious couch co-op action, some banging soundtrack options and a fierce challenge for any arcade shooting aficionados, this is one of the very best games of its kind.

After years of small-time games, the franchise finally reached more people than its dedicated niche following. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land capitalizes on successes from the Ryza trilogy and blazes its own trail with changes of its own.

Age Of Mythology Retold is a solid RTS with tonnes of content and modes to satisfy different gaming tastes but its steep learning curve and time investment to master its controls may be too much for some.

Dungeons of Hinterberg scratches that itch of providing both a relaxing and challenging gaming experience. I loved my time in Hinterberg and exploring its various regions and dungeons, although it's a shame you can't explore it entirely because of the limited activities you can do throughout the day. Despite this, its visuals and characters stand out and kept me coming back for more.

WWE 2K25 is a great game, despite some unfortunate missteps such as the new Island Mode. An awesome My Rise campaign that focuses on intergender wrestling, and a decent array of other refinements across the board do enough to ensure WWE 2K25 remains at the head of the table.

ROBOBEAT manages to convincingly blend the rhythm game genre with roguelike shooters to create a mix that I hadn’t ever considered before. It banks on the spectacle of synchronised action and does so with explosive results. While I don’t necessarily think the aesthetic manages to stand the test of repeated playthroughs, what is here is commendable and certainly well-conceived.

Sorry, We're Closed does a lot of things well: storytelling, organic world building, and writing. It even adds in its own twists on the horror genre, like the neon presentation and the way it delivers combat. The Third Eye makes for a nice touch as well. Aiming can be a finicky problem unless you turn on aim assist, and the game likes to throw a lot of enemies at you. Even with all that, Sorry, We're Closed is an easy recommendation and necessary content for anyone even claiming to be a horror fan.

Split Fiction is a damn good time. It has problems inherent to the gameplay, like checkpoint issues and overly taxing boss fights that don't visually work well in split screen. There are ways around it if you have the hardware, and the game does help keep things moving forward.

The Backrooms 1998 has its issues, but for just $9.99 remains an attractive slice of entertainment for an evening.

The quality of the games in Tomb Raider IV - VI is nothing short of a mixed bag, but the remastering job is top notch. Fans won't probably need convincing to plump down the cash for this latest bundle, and The Last Revelation was always one of Lara's best outings. Despite their flaws, Chronicles and Angel of Darkness are worth dipping into, and the latter is in its best shape to date, warts and all.

Two Point Museum manages to stand out among the crowd as a management simulator that actually feels good to play on a form-factor that traditionally makes them a true struggle. Beyond that - it’s a phenomenally layered and engaging game in its own right, with a brilliant balance of mechanical depth and humour that never felt like it wore thin or strayed into silliness. The two elements are married together in a way that’s incredibly moreish, and delightfully self-aware, despite some of the mechanics being a bit more random than I’d like for this game.

Endlessly ambitious and full of detail, Monster Hunter: Wilds manages to deliver on everything that it sets out to do and then some. I have complete faith in Capcom to keep building off of this launch as one of their strongest foundations yet. Putting the game down genuinely seems like an impossibility with just how much there is to do. The wait has been long and tense, but Capcom haven't missed the mark with their latest and arguably, greatest.

Tape 1 of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a solid prologue for what might hopefully "bloom" into a memorable story of reunion and reconnecting after decades apart. There are some bold new steps for the genre here, that are unfortunately held back by design choices that already felt archaic back when we first encountered them a decade ago. For now, I'm intrigued and interested to see what comes next, despite the obligatory wait.

Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is totally bonkers in places, but don't let that put you off; there's a surprising amount of heart in its narrative, and the game effortlessly captures the thrill and spirit of adventure. With tons of content, rewarding and cinematic combat, and a memorable cast of characters, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is nothing less than a triumphant spinoff.

Ultimately, I enjoyed my time with Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip. The combination of writing and premise make this a funny game to waste away an afternoon with. The way the game puts things together and then subverts expectations is nothing short of special. Unfortunately, gameplay itself feels more like a means to an end instead of an engaging experience in its own right.

Turbo Overkill proudly wears its influences on its sleeve to weave together a ferocious blast through a cyber retro world. It's chock full of charm with plenty of viscera to boot, and reminds you exactly why you loved all the games it doffs its cap to while simultaneously feeling like its slick modern counterparts.

Trails Through Daybreak II tells a great story with many twists and turns. NIS has also made quality-of-life improvements throughout the game to make everything flow as smoothly as possible. With excellent writing and entertaining combat, Trails Through Daybreak II shows it can stand on the same mountain as the biggest titans in the genre.

For many like me, seeing Ninja Gaiden emboss a game basically guarantees a purchase. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is no exception. On top of its stapled blisteringly challenging combat, the entire game receives a visual level of polish that makes it feel new again. That said, the problems still exist, like enemy projectiles flying through objects and still hitting you. Above all else, though, the camera issues remain the most frustrating element of the game. Still, there's enough fun, gore, and challenge that will outweigh the outdated traits, even for newcomers.

Though not without some flaws inherited from the previous game, Warhorse Studios has nonetheless done it again with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. An eye-wateringly authentic, historical open world RPG that will utterly take over your life with its evocative depiction of Medieval Europe and frequently hilarious side quests, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the single most immersive medieval power fantasy there is and the first essential RPG of the year.

2025 is off to an excellent start with Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector; as it improves upon its predecessor in every capacity. In large part due to its stellar characters and writing, Citizen Sleeper 2 stands as a remarkable achievement not only in the video game space, but in the sci-fi genre as a whole.