What Dead as Disco already gets right is arguably the hardest part: it has a combat system that feels fantastic, and a musical backbone that elevates it beyond simple imitation. If you’ve ever loved the rhythm and flow of Arkham-style combat, this is a game that understands exactly why that worked - and then dares to remix it into something fresh. It’s stylish, it’s confident, and most importantly, it’s an absolute joy to play in time with. Harmonious, even. [Early Access Score = 90]

Motorslice is a fun game that feels great when it works, but the odd controls keep it from realizing that potential. The simple combat can be fun, while the parkour moves that we have flow nicely with each other and are accentuated by the good level design. However, there were too many times when I would want to do a specific move and ended up doing a completely different one. This would’ve benefited from a little more polish, but there is still something to enjoy here.

TerraTech Legion is easily one of the most unique survivors games I have played. It pushes the upgrade system to something that feels customizable and impactful with each block you place to build your own vehicle. It was so enjoyable to start each run and build my vehicle up to the kind of powerhouse I wanted it to be. The permanent upgrade system leaves a little to be desired, and doesn’t encourage trying to operators as much as I would’ve liked, but I didn’t mind just using one because each run felt like a new way to experiment.

Bus Bound feels like it has a conflicted identity. Presenting us with a somewhat realistic driving simulation, backed up by almost no management or logistics gameplay. Unless you want to drive a familiar path, day in, day out, then Bus Bound isn't the game for you.

Invincible VS is a game full of contradictions. It builds a genuinely engaging foundation with its deep, movement-focused gameplay and constant mind games, but almost every other aspect surrounding it feels underdeveloped or uninspired. From its lack of content and weak character design to its forgettable presentation and missing modern features, it often feels like a game that needed much more time in the oven.

inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories is quite possibly one of the most relaxing, heartfelt games I’ve played this year. The laid-back feeling of stalking the store, while talking to and getting to know the intriguing customers, is great. The gameplay is on the basic side, but it still feels enjoyable. There are some little nuisances here and there, but nothing takes away from how great it is to relax and play.

It might be Early Access with a long way to go, but the content and mechanics on offer are plentiful, and fans of the genre will appreciate the core gameplay and the narrative in the campaign. Plenty of skirmish maps, multiplayer, and the map editor at launch offer enough on the buffet table, and so far, I really like how Olden Era is shaping up. It needs work with optimization, and I want to see gamepad support for certain. The experience on the Steam Deck is a little rough due to the tiny text size and controller issues, but there is plenty of time for fixes to come in.

Tides of Tomorrow has a strong, intriguing, and ultimately emotional narrative that makes it worth experiencing. The gameplay sections are merely a vehicle to keep the narrative moving, and while they aren't the most engaging, they do their job. And while the Online Story Link system does elevate the gameplay and impact how you approach the game, it can fade into the background. However, the story feels impactful and engaging enough to keep you going despite the setbacks.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered offers slight visual enhancements, but the real upgrade is the new camera system and controls, which make the game much easier to play. Whether such a small change is worth the release of an entirely new game is up for debate, but series fans will probably want to check out the "best" version of Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Airborne Empire tries to merge a role-playing adventure experience with a city-builder, and while neither area excels at what they do, the game is enjoyable for a playthrough of the Adventure Mode. I can't see myself returning for repeats or trying out the non-story modes, though.

Gecko Gods is a game of contrasts for me. I love the unique transversal mechanic and the atmosphere of casually exploring the world. Being able to walk on walls changes exploration entirely, and Inresin has done a great job with the overall gameplay.

Mouse P.I. For Hire is a solid shooter with a beautiful aesthetic and interesting story, but the combat can feel a little too generic. The expressive rubber hose animation works, wonders, and the great cast help bring the characters to life in this mystery thriller, but I found it difficult to stay interested for longer periods of time because it didn’t have that spark that other big shooters have. It’s still fun, and I had a good time, but it just didn’t do enough to keep me locked in for longer periods of time.

I don't give out perfect scores lightly, and I mulled over this for some time, but there was almost no part of PRAGMATA I disliked. The story had emotional weight and surprised me with its twists, and the combination of puzzle and action in real-time made fights engaging, and the temporary weapons continually made combat feel dynamic. The simple progression was enjoyable, and I felt that every single collectible I could find held meaning that made me more powerful. This is a must-have game.

TAMASHIKA is a weird, fast-paced FPS that doesn’t need an overwhelming amount of content to prove its worth. The balance of visual craziness and audio cues turns each run into a skill-driven rush to kill every enemy on screen and get to the end of the level as fast as possible. And with how tight the core mechanics are, it’s hard not to love every second of it. The game is extremely small, and I mean, only one procedurally-generated level small, but I still couldn’t stop myself from playing that same level over and over until the next day comes, and I can try a completely new level to top the leaderboard.

People of Note is a solid RPG with a fantastic concept that sounds incredible. The variety of locations and the obvious musical influence across the entirety of the game are amazing, and it includes the music and how it switches throughout the mechanics. The actual RPG mechanics are basic, and I found it to be a little easy, but I was still a lot of fun to play through, and especially a lot of fun to listen to.

Even with the issues, Hozy succeeds as a relaxing experience that is worth playing through. I love the visual style and how cleaning is more interactive. The levels may be short, and there aren't many of them, but each one feels unique and exciting to play through, as long as it's your first time playing.

When it was said and done, Cooking Simulator 2 went in a different route than the previous game, sacrificing some of its uniqueness for a streamlined approach. Co-op and the blueprint system are easily the two best features of this sequel, with the former improving general gameplay in so many different ways. It does suffer a little when it comes to its progression systems, and I miss what made Cooking Simulator so engaging, but it doesn’t change how solid the experience is, especially with friends.

Death Stranding 2 is everything I could have asked for in a sequel and more. Its incredible improvements, combined with insane visual quality and immersion, make it an outstanding experience from start to finish. Even if you were put off by the first game’s gameplay loop, the sequel’s more action-packed approach and more natural, engaging narrative make it feel fresh.

Marathon is a game of extremes. When it’s firing on all cylinders, it’s gripping, punishing, and deeply satisfying. When it falters, it can feel overly rigid and unnecessarily obtuse. It’s not an easy recommendation, but it is a fascinating one - and in a genre that often plays it safe, that alone counts for a lot.

ALL WILL FALL puts an interesting twist on the city-builder genre. Whether it's the natural disasters, changing sea levels, or the complaints of your citizens, the game keeps you on your toes, and everything can literally "fall" in moments.

After all this time, this should have felt like a return - something that rekindles what made the series special while confidently pushing it forward. Instead, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance feels like it’s caught between reverence and reinvention, never fully committing to either. For those of us who grew up with Legacy of Kain, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of disappointment. Not because it’s outright bad, but because it comes so close, so often, to reminding you just how special that world once was, without ever quite reaching it again.

Darwin's Paradox is a relatively short and sweet adventure, completable in a day if you really go at it. For the 7 hours it lasted, I had an enjoyable time, despite a couple of frustrations. Darwin makes for an interesting (and somewhat cute) protagonist, with a unique moveset that makes you think outside of the usual platforming box in this beautiful world.

Grime 2 has all the makings of a great metroidvania that overshadows the issues that make it frustrating. The world is beautiful, and the basic combat loop is a ton of fun. It can get obnoxious when fighting multiple enemies, and I wasn't a fan of navigation, but exploration feels rewarding with a solid progression system.

World of Warcraft: Midnight feels more like a DLC of The War Within than a brand new expansion. The atmosphere, redesigned Silvermoon, soundtrack, and surprisingly detailed housing system are strong highlights, however. But they aren’t enough to fully compensate for uninspired storytelling, underwhelming class additions, and a noticeable lack of a defining expansion identity.

Nova Roma is in a good place, and Lion Shield has clearly learned a lot from developing Kingdoms and Castles over the years. The blend of Roman architecture, appeasing the Roman gods, and mechanics makes for an excellent experience. It may lack the insane depth of games such as Farthest Frontier and Heart of the Machine, but there is a great foundation so far. [Early Access Score = 80]

Capcom’s Legacy collections have been one of the few groups of retro releases that I’ve been looking forward to. Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is one of them. It feels very similar to the Battle Network games, both for better or worse, and all seven games that were released in the series have been wrapped up in a nice package with extras, quality of life improvements, and online multiplayer. It doesn’t change the quality of the games themselves as much, so there are still some big reasons why they may not be enjoyable, but as a fan of the Battle Network games, this was great.

Screamer combines a variety of unique driving mechanics to create an engaging driving experience. Backed up by an electrifying soundtrack and some flashy visuals, Screamer should be on any arcade racing fan's wishlist. There are some curious design choices regarding car balancing and objectives in the story mode that can frustrate some missions, but by and large, Screamer is a positive experience.

Pokémon Pokopia succeeds because it understands Pokémon at a fundamental level. It recognizes that the appeal of the series isn’t just about collecting creatures or filling a Pokédex; it’s about the sense of adventure, discovery, and companionship that comes from exploring a world filled with these iconic monsters. By leaning into that idea and building an enormous, engaging experience around it, Pokopia becomes something special.