Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is what happens when someone with a deep love for JRPGs—and the talent to match—sets out to create something truly special. It captures the heart and soul of classic JRPGs with its rich storytelling, turn-based combat, and emotional depth, yet it confidently forges its own identity through bold artistic choices and modern design. Expedition 33 doesn’t just pay homage to the genre—it revitalizes it, delivering a familiar yet refreshingly unique experience that stands tall on its own.

Promise Wish Granted! This is the text that appear after each quest you complete in Silksong and Team Cherry have indeed granted the wish of many Hollow Knight fans, even when it feels as if they overdid it with the “Challenging” part to the point I questioned if Team Cherry even wanted us to have fun sometimes.

If Yacht Club Games was aiming for the skies with Shovel Knight and its expansions, then they reached the moon with Mina the Hollower. One of the greatest 2D Action Adventure games ever created.

This game overflows with creativity and inspiration, constantly throwing a whirlwind of fresh gameplay styles and heartfelt homages at the player. While not every idea lands perfectly—some mechanics shine more than others—the sheer variety keeps things engaging and unpredictable. Despite the occasional stumble in execution, the moments of brilliance far outweigh the weaker elements, making the overall experience feel ambitious, energetic, and thoroughly worth exploring.

Sometimes a game seems to be trying too hard with throwing every conceivable item, mechanic or even end boss(es) at the player, making it feel like it isn’t so sure of itself. DKB starts out strong and finishes relatively strongly but wobbles on the way there.

Forza Horizon 6 is one of the best open-world racing games ever made, finally bringing the series to Japan with a massive and detailed map, improved progression systems, and a wealth of content. While it doesn’t reinvent the series, it refines the formula in all the right ways.

The Buster Sword that once severed the relationship between Nintendo and Square Enix is now used to mend it, delivering one of the most impressive ports on Switch 2 and finally making this masterpiece playable natively on the go.

While it can get repetitive and grindy, and there are some technical faults and some quality of life shortcomings, the game manages to push through due to its charm, creativity, and freedom.

While sequelitis is nothing new in video games, a game praised for its boldness and uniqueness has more to lose with a similar sequel, especially when it’s made more mainstream while still being somewhat repetitive, which is enough to dull its edge but not enough to snuff out its moments of brilliance.

Part Resident Evil 4, part RE2 and 7 and even 5, presenting the best the series has ever offered (and sometimes the worst), with enough new or enhanced elements to make it also feel fresh. After 6 and Village's limp amalgamation of both gameplay types, this game finally nails it, for better or for worse.

Dispatch brings us back to the peak of narrative-driven games, where the story is shaped by your choices. It offers a captivating world and a legendary storyline with a high degree of artistic creativity and cinematic flair, featuring characters I truly enjoyed spending time with. The game is an experience you must try if you’re a fan of this genre.

Monster Hunter Wilds is shaping up to be Capcom’s next monumental achievement—a game that doesn’t just follow in the footsteps of its predecessors but looks ready to redefine the series yet again. With the legacy of Monster Hunter: World still fresh in players’ minds, it’s easy to envision Wilds making a similar global impact, captivating millions across platforms with its scale, ambition, and polish. The early glimpses we've seen suggest a title bursting with innovation, depth, and a level of detail that signals Capcom is aiming for nothing less than another genre-defining success. If it delivers on its promise, Monster Hunter Wilds might not only match the heights of World—it could very well surpass them.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a testament to how the Tactics name still carries weight even when released for this generation, offering the best way to experience this masterpiece.

With Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Warhorse Studio has truly outdone itself, crafting a sequel that feels both ambitious and deeply refined. It smartly builds upon the foundation laid by the original, addressing many of its rough edges while pushing the series forward in meaningful ways. The world is populated with richly written characters whose stories are brought to life through dynamic, well-acted dialogues that never wear thin. Quests are intricately designed, offering a remarkable range of gameplay experiences—from tense stealth encounters to morally complex choices—that keep the journey constantly engaging. Though the game isn't without a few minor technical blemishes, these are easily overshadowed by its strengths. The one area that still feels underwhelming is the combat system, particularly in melee encounters, which can come off as clunky and lacking fluidity. Even so, Deliverance II stands as a confident and compelling step forward for the franchise, promising a historical RPG experience that's richer and more immersive than ever before.

007 First Light is what happens when a developer isn't afraid to make a video game first and a movie adaptation second. It takes a younger, more compelling James Bond and places him at the center of an adventure that showcases the action adventure genre at its finest.

Trails in the Sky First Chapter is not only the perfect remake for the RPG classic, but also the best way to put a long running franchise into the map by refining it and make it better without changing it’s core. This is what a remake should be, new and faithful.

Shinobi Art of Vengeance raised the bar too high for side-scrolling Hack n Slash games, with an extremely fun combat and museum worth visuals.

While the enhancements are minimal unlike the asking price, the fact remains that this is a supremely brimming concoction of ideas executed well.

While it loses some of the allure of Returnal, this game aims to attract players by smoothing out the learning curve.

There are tons of Rogue-Lite games released this year to the point where I roll my eyes every time I see a new one, but Absolum managed to stand out with its incredibly addictive beat ’em up gameplay and stunning visuals.

When viewed on its own merits rather than through comparisons with more powerful hardware, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on the Switch 2 is a technical greatness that gives Nintendo players the chance to experience what is arguably the best Final Fantasy in years, if not the greatest the franchise has ever brought.

Ninja Gaiden Ragebound isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the NES classics, but it is a modern classic that took this genre to its peak.

The game that saved the series, or at least rebirthed it taking the series back to its root while simultaneously modernizing it, now in great shape on a portable console with all extra content included.

The content and variety here is unmatched, which with some tweaks and additions means that even if the controls remain similar this entry feels fresh as a daisy.

Nioh 3 is bigger, better and knows exactly what it wants. A better version of the previous 2 games that not only improved upon them, but to create the best combat in Team Ninja’s history and that exploration aspect they added was the icing on the cake.

While it follows the formula set by its predecessor, and one might say set before by Ubisoft, some added freedom and a more engaging plot make this the better game, but not by much.

Saying this is both what a Silent Hill game has always been while also being totally different from everything that has come before might seem like a cop out but it's the truth. It goes places with its plot and might be the most personal story yet.

You’re getting one of the best and slickest action games available in a richer package that is still quite impressive on the go.