It's every bit a Batman game made by fans for fans. [3-Hour Hands-On Impressions]

If you like urban open worlds with life sim elements, then it’s impossible not to recommend NTE right now. This game has one of the most beautiful, vibrant sandbox settings I’ve seen in some time – and despite some irksome characters, I’m generally enjoying its plot so far, which blends slice of life mangas with sci-fi horror. The gacha business model is understandably not going to resonate with everyone, but at launch this is one of the more generous games in the genre thus far. And the sheer number of things to do day one, from managing coffee shops to beating down possessed DJ decks in DDR-style rhythm battles, is simply unprecedented.

Monster Crown: Sin Eater's lack of direction and often demanding difficulty won't be for everyone. But if you can embrace the grind, there are some deeply addictive RPG systems at work here, backed by a shockingly mature and engaging story.

By and large, Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes succeeds in adapting the series for headsets, though it’s disheartening that it repeats mistakes from past titles. But, if you already like Little Nightmares, you’ll absolutely enjoy the two hours you spend with this.

An undeniably gnarly brawler that really moves despite its 3v3 format, Invincible VS should appeal to both fighting game fans and comic book OGs. The story mode is slickly animated but almost insultingly short, and there’s not a lot to appeal to single players beyond that. But the rollback netcode seems sturdy and the combat system mixes accessibility with depth, resulting in a system that should have legs long beyond its initial novelty.

Saros is a brilliant third-person shooter that takes what worked in Returnal and streamlines it for an even smoother game without diluting the fun. The core gameplay is the star attraction; complex yet intuitive, and a perfectly judged challenge that's so satisfying to overcome. With compelling permanent progression, flexible ways to modify your experience, and an intriguing story to follow, this is another step towards Housemarque's planetary takeover.

There's so much to like in Vampire Crawlers; it's fast-paced, tactical, and super satisfying. We heartily recommend it, but beware its terribly addictive nature.

But all in all, this game made us smile. If you have any fondness at all for early era Castlevania, then you should definitely give it a try.

MOUSE: P.I. for Hire offers incredible art and animation, as well as enjoyable first-person shootouts. For that, it certainly succeeds — just don't expect it to do much of anything else.

We expect great things from Supergiant Games, and with Hades 2, the developer has proved its mastery of the roguelike genre. Addictive, rewarding, stylish, and extremely compelling, you cannot call yourself a true roguelike fan without experiencing Melinoë's immortal journey.

Pragmata knows its strengths and leans into those hard, and the result is a cracking action game that just feels brilliant to play. One could argue it could do with a little more variety throughout its campaign, but the game's unique hack-and-shoot combat is so fun and so satisfying to pull off that you won't mind doing it over and over again. A refreshingly straightforward structure and charming dual leads round things out, but it's the inventive and tactile action where it truly sings.

Starfield is bigger and better than ever on PS5, but it still crashes against the roadblocks of old. A complete lack of exploration leaves the RPG in an awkward place where it can feel like an objective ticking exercise with little to distract you. Its faction questlines are the highlight, and the improved combat systems and new gameplay capabilities make the experience worthwhile. However, two and a half years later, there is considerably more Starfield. Only some of it makes it better.

I know there have been other musical RPGs before, but People of Note still feels largely unique. I love how heavily it leans into its theme, and while I don’t expect the YA vibes to resonate with everyone, I personally found myself invested in the release’s cast and its brisk storyline. I think the battle system could have been further refined to feel more impactful and I would have liked to see it evolve faster. Furthermore, I’m not sure all of the environmental puzzles are as fun as the developer intended – although they can be disabled if you’re not feeling them at all.

Life is Strange: Reunion could have been a full Double Exposure sequel, and it could have been a full Max and Chloe entry. Instead, both narratives are squeezed into a bloated finale with dull pacing and a lacklustre resolution. There are sparks of brilliance in there and fantastic chemistry between its two leads, but it's never given the love and care to blossom into something beautiful.

Marvel MaXimum Collection is worth the price of entry for X-Men: The Arcade Game alone, but there’s a lot to love about this bundle. While not every game included is an all-timer, there’s a good enough mix here to make this a compelling collection of superhero brawlers, and the quality-of-life inclusions are excellent overall.

We can't fully recommend Crimson Desert in its current state on PS5. Far too many technical issues — of varying shapes and sizes — hold the experience back. But given time, and despite its obvious narrative shortcomings, Pearl Abyss' fantasy outing has the potential to be something truly special. As an open world adventure, it can be utterly engrossing; a smorgasbord of systems and mechanics that somehow — against all odds — form an intoxicating whole. For better or worse, there's simply nothing like Crimson Desert.

Marathon doesn’t have that instant fun factor and casual appeal that an extraction shooter like ARC Raiders does. And for a lot of people, that likely means it isn’t the game for them. But Marathon is a game that gives more to you the more you give to it. With impeccable Bungie gunplay, a gorgeous world and artstyle, and a gameplay loop much denser than its competition, we think Marathon is something special. The more we play, the more we love it.

Although some parts haven’t aged as well, most noticeably regarding its gameplay, the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is worth checking out if you enjoyed Battle Network or are looking for a new RPG series to dive into.

While the presentation is mixed and the game does ultimately run out of ideas, we actually do recommend this to beat-’em-up fans. There’s more depth to the combat than we anticipated, and there’s an air of weirdness to the whole endeavour that helps it to stand out.

The overall technical execution leaves a lot to be desired. This is an indie title, so certain dispensations can be made. However, a wildly inconsistent frame rate, constant texture pop-in, and a truly bizarre facial animation system test the patience more than most low budget releases.

Screamer is a bold and exciting arcade racing game that stands out from the pack. It takes some big swings, and most of them have worked out, save for a story that maybe outstays its welcome. The racing itself is unique and challenging, and once you have a handle on all its systems, it's very rewarding to master. With its stylish presentation on top, this is one racer very much in its own lane.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake is arguably one of the scariest games we’ve ever played. Team Ninja has somehow managed to make an already terrifying game even more so, turning Minakami Village into a visually striking and tense playground for fear. The Camera Obscura combat remains novel and unique, but clunky controls and some drawn-out encounters can frustrate.

The Island makes its return this year, and seeks to persuade sceptical players to hop into its multiplayer world, joining one of three, Superstar-lead factions for wrestling dominance. While it's to be commended that voice acting, the bonkers Scrapyard match, and additional character customisation options have been added, we experienced several crashes throughout, plus it still smacks of money grubbing to us, so your mileage may vary...Equally, the Battle Pass-style changes to DLC and general unlocks could prove divisive, and not all wrestler likenesses are created equally. In spite of these shortcomings, however, WWE 2K26 is another strong effort from 2K and Visual Concepts, and one not to be missed by wrestling fans.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is the pinnacle of the series in so many ways — especially from a storytelling perspective. At its core, it's a ridiculously addictive monster taming RPG, boasting in-depth progression systems and satisfying combat mechanics — but it does take quite a long time for everything to truly click.

It's just good fun. You can argue against some of the back-tracking and some slightly fiddly platforming, but by and large this is a solid beat-'em-up with a lot of personality.

There's so much to like about Tokyo Xtreme Racer, and while it has its flaws and certainly isn't for everyone, it stands out thanks to its brazenly old school and pleasingly straightforward approach.

On paper, Resident Evil Requiem is essentially a two-in-one package that delivers both excellent survival horror and action gameplay. It is that in practise, too, but the playtime imbalance between the two is enough that you’ll get too much of one and not enough of the other. At the end of it all, it’s another fantastic entry — you just might not get everything you’re looking for out of it.

Ultimately, it's four identical games with no newly developed content, a sprinkling of bugs, and an absence of the nostalgia-inducing original soundtrack. It leaves us wishing Ubisoft had spent more time deciding which games to include in this collection, and also put more effort into refining the 30th Anniversary Edition of one of PlayStation's most iconic IPs.