The game has a fantastic premise and offers legitimate moments of joy, but it feels like it could be so much more with additional content added to the mix. More hairstyles. More facial hair options. More conversation templates for our lingo to be slotted into. The ability to encourage a Mii to confess their love or propose, rather than just waiting for them to figure it out. More “toys” for them to play with. Just… more. As it stands, I don’t think Living the Dream will have as much longevity for me as something like Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Pokemon Pokopia (two other life simulation games on Nintendo Switch), but I’m still enjoying checking on my Miis multiple times per day, at least for now.

Considering the hours you will get from Vampire Crawlers, it's hard to give it anything more than an enthusiastic recommendation. As a dungeon crawler, it is both competent and fun, but as an experience, you will likely find yourself enraptured. If you, like me, are the type of person to spend an entire weekend in a hotel room just playing Vampire Survivors on a Steam Deck, the exact same thing will happen with Vampire Crawlers...For the time you spend playing it, it will likely swallow you entirely, and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up to you and your loved ones.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is one of those titles that works better than you think it would. Nailing the Doom-like gunplay and rubber-hose art style, it’s just as enjoyable to play as it is to look at. Plus, with a stellar cast, especially Troy Baker, it’s one of the most memorable shooters you can play. There are a few holes in it, like various glitches and repetitive elements, but it's a cheese worth taking a bite of.

I don’t know that we will ever get more of these games, but I think that’s fine, because what’s here is going to endure as an interesting experiment. If anything, the boldness of pairing this game next to a decidedly safe mainline Resident Evil title says to me that Capcom is confident that the weird still has a place next to the secure. Pragmata is a game that I think some people are really going to love and some people are going to completely bounce off of, but those are the kinds of games that you still talk about in ten years.

[Marathon has] brought a multiplayer shooter back into the rotation for my friend group. A central game for us to rally around, to share memes, tips and tricks, and just discuss theories and where it could go next. The possibilities in Tau Ceti IV feel endless if Bungie is given the runway to continue building out this universe.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly remains an unmissable experience for fans of survival horror. But like a spectre captured in the background of a photograph, this remake has lost the finer details which brought the original so vividly to life. Mio and Mayu’s intertwined descent is an immensely engrossing journey of discomforting discovery. I just don’t think this is the best version in which to enjoy it.

Even with so many systems and so much “stuff” to account for, the formula here is nearly perfect and I find myself struggling for things to truly complain about. Pokemon Pokopia is a master class in cozy game design and an absolute triumph.

I did actually enjoy my time with Monster Hunter Stories 3 despite having a list of issues with it, and I suspect the reason is because it reminded me of those unsung RPGs from the late 90s and early 2000s. It feels like the kind of game you had heard someone talk about glowingly on a message board years ago and when you look it up on eBay it’s inexplicably hundreds of dollars now. The bits of the game that did tickle my brain were tied to its myriad of systems and, while it can be overwhelming, I think the game would be lesser without them. Go ahead and give it a shot if you’re both a fan of Monster Hunter’s designs and world and also want to whittle away time making numbers go up.

WWE 2K26 will scratch that video game wrestling itch, with a Wrestlemania-sized offering of matches, modes, and wrestlers to choose from. Changes to the way things are unlocked are disappointing, turning the game into more of a grind than it should be, but the different formats you'll play in order to unlock those items rise above the grind. The Island continues to impress, while the MyGM and Universe modes allow you to get deep into the nitty-gritty of show planning in a way other wrestling games have yet to manage…WWE 2K26 is another championship-caliber entry in the franchise, but it still has a ways to go to become a Hall of Famer.

Resident Evil Requiem, to me, is one of the series’ best. As a culmination of every game that came before, I can confidently say that the story serves as both a fitting conclusion for many threads left open over the years and a benchmark for where we can expect to go from here. It combines the best parts of virtually every modern Resident Evil title, offering the iconic horror atmosphere that pioneered a genre, incredibly satisfying combat mechanics, and immersive puzzle design that even newcomers can enjoy.

If you’re just looking to enjoy Mario Tennis Fever alongside family and friends in the same room, or even in ranked online play, there’s a great deal of fun to be had here. The tennis mechanics and the fever racket system combine to deliver the best (albeit most hectic) gameplay the series has seen in ages. It’s just such a shame that Mario Tennis Fever’s stellar multiplayer action feels so let down by the single player and other modes that surround it.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties brings quite a lot to the table in terms of a remake, with its refined combat mechanics along with new story content and mini-games. While the pacing and visual changes might be offputting to veteran fans, this is a sleek and modernized way to play this entry.

Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined is a strong remake and one that does a lot to improve upon its predecessor. An RPG that revels in nostalgia and the warmness you feel after a night out with friends, even if it's that one friend who doesn't realize last call at the bar was hours ago.

Code Vein II reminds me of a PS2 game, and I say that as the highest praise. It doesn’t always get what’s going for, but man is it trying. It’s the kind of game you’d rent for a weekend and think about for years afterward, not because it’s the prettiest or the most polished or the best in its genre, but because it’s unique and trying hard and succeeding in cool, memorable ways.

For it being an Early Access title, Tailside is in a pretty solid spot. There are some issues we’d love to see addressed, but the team has a really great foundation on which to build with future updates, potentially even beyond those already planned, depending on player feedback. We’re excited to see how this one grows. [Early Access Score = 60]

In the end, my disappointment with the content in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack has done nothing to harm my love for the game, and I fully intend to keep playing for many, many more hours into the future. That’s why this review still gets 5/5 stars. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a masterful experience that feels like a warm hug and – if you’ve spent a long time away – like coming home to friends and family who have been waiting to see you...If, for some reason, you’ve never touched the game, or you stopped playing shortly after release, I highly recommend coming back in and seeing what’s new. And you might as well upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition while you’re at it. Maybe you’ll have better luck with the megaphone than I did.

More than anything, it’s great to see Trails Beyond the Horizon take steps to answer some of the series’ longstanding questions, and set the stage for the grand finale of the entire epic. There’s still nothing else out there quite like Falcom’s series, and Trails Beyond the Horizon is a strong reminder that those hundreds of hours it takes to play all these games is well worth it. And perhaps more importantly, picture proof that Falcom is willing to learn from its past, and I’ve more hope than ever that it might truly be able to stick the landing for the wild experiment that Trails has become.

While the story here is a simple one, it evolves as the town comes alive with lights, and is altogether heartwarming. Combine that with the game’s solid decorating gameplay, and I can see myself coming back to this one each festive season, or any time I need a quick pick-me-up.

Make no mistake: this isn’t the triumphant return of Metroid Prime in the same way that Dread was for the 2D series. But most of Metroid Prime 4’s issues feel rooted in a lack of focus, rather than a lack of talent. In fact, the first half of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond makes it clear that Retro Studios still has everything it takes to make a spectacular Metroid Prime game, and moments of sheer brilliance occasionally shine and sparkle in its eerie corridors until the final couple of hours. But once things went south, there was no going back. Still, I’d like to see Retro take another crack now that the burden of expectation has been lifted.

It is difficult to tell if I am judging Unbeatable harshly because of how good it should be or I’m being too forgiving over how good I want it to be. At the end of the day, it’s a moot point. Unbeatable, as an experience, is not where it needs to be.

A tremendous score, blurry textures at higher resolutions, and an unevenly paced narrative make Octopath Traveler 0 a mixed experience, but one that punches up when it needs to. A comforting experience that I won't soon forget and one I recommend to those looking for something warm and comforting.

At its best, Deadpool VR matches up to the standard that Meta has set for its first-party VR releases – which makes the stumbles all the more disappointing. If you're someone who is already experienced in VR and loves Deadpool, the game is an easy recommendation even with those caveats. If you're just now looking to enter the VR market, though, maybe save this game for a rainy day. Maybe by the time you get around to it those pesky performance hiccups will be fixed.

By embracing it's stranger side, Kirby Air Riders delivers a refreshing racer that mixes in party game antics to create an encompassing and engaging collection of modes.

Family is complicated, messy, and growing up isn't a linear path. Parental expectations can drag you down like cement boots if not managed accordingly. Despite it all, the fights, the miscommunications, and the people we've left behind, Goodnight Universe's greatest message lies in learning to tell people how you feel, however you can, while you're still here.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 feels soulless and mercenary, doing just enough to avoid major outcry, while always feeling like a nip and tuck version of the games you once knew. This game may not be the worst game in the franchise, at least not for long, but it makes you question what we as an industry are even doing anymore.

There are ups and downs in the latest Hyrule Warriors title. While it makes a significant improvement over the previous game, it does little to justify itself as a game necessary to Zelda fans looking for an expansion to the lore, or Warriors fans looking for the next great leap in the genre.

Game Freak succeeds in taking the strengths from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to create what felt like its freshest take on Pokemon’s battle system and exploration yet. I especially recommend it to both newbies and longtime fans who enjoy exploration, experimenting with Pokemon teams, and customizing their outfits.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is an excellent remake, offering voice-acted cutscenes, an overhauled battle system, and a newly rendered world that helps build a sense of place in a larger universe. So much of the Trails series revolves around the interconnected politics of the world, highlighting how each region contributes to the larger picture. This remake reinforces this notion and provides players with a clearer visual identity for Liberl and its towns.