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.

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.

What is perhaps most impressive about Mina the Hollower is how effortlessly confident it feels. Many retro-inspired games are content to imitate the aesthetics of the past while sanding away the rougher edges. Yacht Club Games understand that the magic of those older games came not just from how they looked, but from how boldly designed they were. Mina embraces mystery, difficulty, experimentation, and discovery with absolute conviction.

Saros is a third-person shooter at its core, but the roguelike and bullet hell elements feel so refined that it offers an experience worth playing through. The combat is energetic, the progression is effective, and the story will be wrapped up in a nice blanket that feels satisfying to finish. It can be a little brutal at times, especially with destabilization, but that never stopped me from continually going in for more.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 keeps the good parts of its predecessors, the solid battle system, the vibrant art style, and the creature collecting, then backs it up with the best storyline in the series yet. This, combined with the new habitat restoration feature and a beautiful new world, makes it my favorite entry into the series yet.

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.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is pretty much what I had hoped for from when I heard the game announced. A humorous retelling of the Dark Knight Trilogy, complete with a sizable recreation of Gotham City filled with collectibles, built-for-fun gameplay, and you can bring a friend along for the ride.

I didn’t think it was possible for a game of this scale to exist yet, and I don’t recall the last time I ever played a game that wasn’t designed to be replayable that hooked me for such a long time. But here we are. The game lived up to its hype, and even though it isn’t perfect, Crimson Desert is one of the best RPGs I have ever played.

Resident Evil Requiem finds a way to bring the newer and older gameplay styles that have defined the franchise into an exceptionally enjoyable experience that is perfect for fans of the series. The meshing of Grace's slower, stealthier gameplay with Leon's action-packed killing works wonderfully, giving us the best of both worlds. Combined with an exciting story with some fantastic twists and turns and a gorgeous setting with recognizable locations, Requiem stands above its minor issues to become one of my favorite survival horror experiences I’ve played.

Demon Tides exceeded almost all of my expectations for this 3D platformer. The mechanics are tight and sound, with a great level of customization to modify our moveset in unique ways that cater to how we want to play. The open world and player-driven exploration make finding islands with platforming challenges more engaging, while the rewards for completing these were worthwhile and motivating. There are some minor issues here and there, but none of them take away from how well-built the game is.

007 First Light is easily one of the best Bond experiences I’ve had in years. IO Interactive perfectly understood what makes James Bond special and combined cinematic storytelling, clever mission design, fantastic gunfights, strong music, and immersive spy mechanics into something that truly feels worthy of the legendary IP.

Nioh 3 is my favorite game so far this year, hands down. The combat is exquisite with new mechanics that complement the refinements from the previous two games, while the open-world levels fit right in with the series. The story may not be the most memorable, but the action makes up for it completely. This is now my all-time favorite soulslike, and if you have a computer powerful enough to run it, I can happily recommend it with ease.

Cairn combines strategy and survival to create a unique experience that I want to keep coming back to. The combination of strategy and survival in climbing a treacherous mountain is well-balanced, keeping gameplay engaging and fun throughout. It can be brutal and unforgiving with how quickly you can fall, and save points are a little too scattered in some areas, but it was hard to find any moment that didn’t make me want to try climbing again.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a gorgeous, fluid, and intriguing metroidvania that succeeds on almost all fronts. The intriguing story hooked me in, while the fantastic traversal and platforming mixed well with the simplistic combat to create an engaging experience. The fast travel and respawns could be a little unforgiving, and I wish there were more parts to further upgrade MIO to continue experimenting, but it was still fun nonetheless.

Big Hops did something interesting today: it charmed a player who is terrible at platformers into liking it. The gameplay offers plenty of variety with its different mechanics, and I’ve found the story and characters charming. It isn’t perfect, of course, with some irritating camera bugs, a general lack of customization for game settings, and some very frustrating moments at times. None of these are dealbreakers, however, and I can heartily recommend Big Hops as a solid game in its genre.

Forza Horizon 6 plays it safe in almost every aspect. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends on whether you enjoyed the previous entries in the series, and whether or not you were hoping for something new. The rural areas of the map are a delight, but the city of Tokyo left me feeling disappointed with its relatively bland depiction and empty streets. The cars are still great fun to drive, with a huge showing from Japanese manufacturers this time around, and exploration is as rewarding as ever.

I have played more wholesome games than someone like me would have expected, especially in the past year. Of them, Collector's Cove is one of the more unique concepts. While simple on the surface, I love the setting and the focus on just vibing with your animal friend while filling out a codex from the world. With its comfortable charms and focus on exploration, there is more than enough in Collector's Cove for fans of the genre who want something a little different.

John Carpenter's Toxic Commando surprised me. I expected it to be an enjoyable co-op shooter based on my previous experiences with it, but it ended up becoming my go-to game to play with friends. The gunplay is tight and extremely satisfying, and the decision to use contained maps with easy-to-find points of interest means there's action around almost every corner. There's also so much to upgrade, with gun customization being a very high point, and skill trees for the four character classes improving our abilities further. Even though there could be a little more variety, especially with character skins, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is one of the best co-op experiences I have had the pleasure of enjoying.

Gothic 1 Remake is exactly the kind of RPG I wish we saw more often. It doesn't try to impress you with constant cutscenes or turn you into a hero within the first few hours. Instead, it drops you into a dangerous and punishing world and lets you earn everything yourself. Not every mechanic is great; some systems feel outdated, and there are definitely moments where the game tests your patience. But when everything comes together, the sense of progression and adventure is inescapable.

Ultimately, I had a wonderful time playing Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. The focus on experimentation with a multitude of different creatures in a gorgeous storybook setting works well, and creates the gameplay loop that I not only enjoyed, but that I can’t remember experiencing before. It’s a little on the easy side, and can feel very repetitive towards the end, but there’s still a lot to enjoy.

PARANORAMSIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse is exactly what I wanted it to be. It doesn't change up much from the previous game, which is great. It keeps the fantastic structure and gameplay mechanics, while bringing in a new, exciting story and an intriguing cast of characters. It can sometimes feel like an information overload, and there's a lot of information, but the tale is so engaging that it never bothered me enough to stop playing.

NORSE: Oath of Blood has a good game underneath all the bugs. The combat works, the storyline is good, and the presentation is excellent. These things combined helped me power through the many bugs (and sometimes crashes) that I experienced. Hopefully, a few patches down the line, we will have a very solid tactical RPG on our hands.

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.

Honestly, I don’t really see Mixtape as a traditional video game. It feels more like a beautiful little art project that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. If you appreciate strong artistic direction and want to experience something that feels like a gorgeous 3-hour interactive movie, you’ll have a fantastic time with Mixtape. But at the same time, it's definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.

Scott Pilgrim EX is a great beat 'em up that gets almost everything right. The combat is dynamic and exciting, the world is gorgeous and filled with references to other video games, and light RPG systems that made progression more enjoyable than I expected. It can feel a little too simple at times overall, and I had some trouble lining up my attacks, but it never detracts from the gameplay and is still fun, especially when you have another friend to play with.

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.

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.

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.