ILA: A Frosty Glide delivers on what is a whimsical experience, skating on a broom, and finding a cat. It is a game that you just want to keep gliding around.

Fantasy Maiden Wars – Dream of the Stray Dreamer – is a fan game made with so much love for the Touhou universe and the Super Robot Wars combat style. It blends the two seamlessly.

MotoGP 26 lands squarely in the middle of the pack, offering strong visuals and solid racing mechanics on Xbox Series X, but held back by familiar modes and a lack of real innovation. It’s an enjoyable and reliable entry for fans, yet it never quite pushes beyond what the series has already achieved, making it a good but not essential instalment.

Ariana and the Elder Codex is a fantastic metroidvania game that implements RPG mechanics and action combat that feels satisfying.

Slots and Daggers is a simple RPG roguelite whose battle system is in the hands of the fate of a slot machine’s reels. Earn coin, spend it between battles, and assemble a game-winning build as you traverse through ten different dungeons or Arena Mode.

SLEEP AWAKE is a deeply artistic game that feels like navigating a beautiful yet eerie dreamscape. It’s a bit light on gameplay aside from its eerie stealth sections. But with a haunting atmosphere of psychedelic visuals, otherworldly sounds, and creepy FMV moments, it’s got style for days—or sleepless nights.

Directive 8020 represents the best that The Dark Pictures games have had to offer thus far, proving that Supermassive Games is right at home within sci-fi horror.

Screamer is a fast, chaotic arcade racer that brings back the spirit of the classics with a modern twist. The speed and twin-stick drifting feel fantastic, but aggressive AI and rubberbanding keep it from reaching its full potential.

Cassette Boy may be doused in the green hues of Gameboy nostalgia but it certainly puts its own spin on puzzles with its modern Schrodinger system. Using the familiar elements of the Legend of Zelda and combining them with a rotating 3D camera has you questioning much more than just what you see, but also what you don’t.

PopCap and EA have managed to remaster a absolute classic. Plants Vs Zombies: Replanted is nothing if a brilliant oove letter to a game that could see a resurgence of the franchise or maybe some other classics that EA have twiddling its thumbs while sitting the vault.

Combining a full narrative adventure with Rhythm-based gameplay is not something most would think about doing. D-Cell Games somehow accomplished this with a fantastic soundtrack, intriguing characters, and an animated flair that’s unlike anything else. The imperfections are certainly there with an over-reliance on exploration, jarring narrative elements, and some of the gameplay issues. But the game as a whole, nails the positives so well that it’s well worth pushing through to experience in its entirety.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is a fast-paced co-op shooter that fully embraces its B-movie horror roots, delivering chaotic gunfights, grotesque enemies, and a thumping synth soundtrack. While its mechanics are familiar and progression is fairly light, the game shines when played with friends, turning every mission into loud, messy fun. It’s a confident, no-nonsense experience that values atmosphere and teamwork over depth, and succeeds by knowing exactly what it wants to be.

Romeo is a Deadman is another memorable SUDA 51 game that will stick with you. The bloody hack n’ slash action, the overall presentation, the blend of retro styles, and the bonkers cast and story. It really is the spirit of video games. Including the rough spots and no block button. Don’t try to understand the madness that is a SUDA 51 game. Just take it all in and enjoy the ride. There is nothing like it.

Terminator 2D: No Fate is a faithful recreation of the amazing movie that bears the same name. You get moments to play as Sarah, John, and the T-800, recreating some of the best moments from the film. However, a lack of longer or extra levels that could have added to the playtime of Terminator 2D: No Fate holds it back from being a true masterpiece.

Despite a slow start that almost made me stop playing the game, by the end, Life Is Strange: Reunion became a game that I fell in love with. Thanks to strong writing and excellent performances, Life Is Strange: Reunion delivers the perfect final chapter for Max and Chloe that all long-time fans should play.

Motorslice delivers an enjoyable experience with its chainsaw filled action and creative parkour obstacle courses. Aside from a few issues like the actual motorslicing mechanic and some parkour cues not working all the time, the game is well worth your time.

High On Life 2 is a better-executed version of the first game. The skateboard does add some extra flavor to the gameplay, but it ultimately still is very similar to the core concept of the first game.

NASCAR 25 aims to be the definitive next-gen NASCAR experience on Xbox Series X, delivering stunning visuals, authentic handling, and a deeper career mode. While the foundation is strong, persistent bugs, technical hiccups, and missing features keep it from reaching full speed. It’s a solid start for the series’ revival, just one major patch away from greatness

Code Vein II is what you love about the original game, with new additions and a new open world to explore. There are some performance and resolution issues that are present that can take some players out. Everything else, though, is beautiful. Especially the cast and character designs. The Character Customization is one of the best the series has to offer. Combat is engaging, and the memorable cast and story are what will make you continue the adventure. It may not be all gold, but it is an aesthetic work of art.

Cladun X3 is a pixel game that has a lot of charm and creativity. It can feel like it throws a lot at you, but at the end of the day, it is a fun and adventurous time.

A phenomenal Visual Novel experience.

Little Nightmares III is a solid addition to the series, as it offers more scares and thrilling chase sequences. It could use some refinement to its systems, but Supermassive Games made for a smooth transition for the 3D puzzle platformer.

MADO MONOGATARI: Fia and the Wondrous Academy is an entertaining experience that has a lot to offer for those wanting a fun and humorous time. These characters are hilarious, but the gameplay can get a bit repetitive.

Football Manager 26 represents the biggest change for the franchise in two decades, with improved tactical options and the best match engine in series history. FM26 is still a strong offering, although some missing features combined with the need to learn a whole new UI might be too much of a challenge for series veterans.

All in Abyss: Judge the Fake is a fun combination of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Danganronpa that is much more fun getting to and fighting the bosses than it is for the rest of the game.

Styx: Blades of Greed delivers smart stealth design and expanded levels that reward patience, but rough edges and limited accessibility hold it back from greatness.

Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is a very unique and interesting game with enough gameplay to make you want to boot it up at random to check a few people, just to keep humanity safe. It does have some small issues with soft-lock missions, but that’s not really worth mentioning when you’re having so much fun.

Fallen City Brawl is a fun beat ’em up experience, but it doesn’t have any replay value. I also wish there was a bit more substance to the story in levels.

Killing Floor 3 must be doing something right as the game series is well into it’s third game, but I can’t understand how a very generic horde-shooter can last this long. With under 2000 players on the game a couple of weeks after launch, it shows that people don’t see much in this game anymore, which hurts it more than anything else. Killing Floor 3 is a good game at it’s core, but without players, there is no appeal to a game that is made for online co-op play.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 is what we have come to expect from the franchise for better and worse. It just doesn’t do enough to set itself apart and recommend at full price, unless you specifically want the game for zombie mode.

Edens Zero is a weird mesh of older beat ’em ups, Musou, and Action combat that turns out to be quite fun. It can feel outdated with its accessibility and lack of PC options, but it is still really engaging.

God of War: Sons of Sparta is a very good video game, with strong visuals, excellent music, and simple yet effective gameplay driving an ultimately interesting story. However, as a God of War title, it is held back from true greatness by early pacing issues and a presentation style that feels somewhat tone-deaf to the rest of the series.

MY HERO ACADEMIA: All's Justice is the more improved version of the My Hero's Justice games. Unfortunately, it doesn't justify getting this game if you are new to the series. A lot of the narrative is gutted, and the controls can feel janky outside combat.

Varlet brings a lot to the table in its systems and mechanics. It also adds a lot of self-discovery to the gameplay with the ruler and leader systems. The SSS requests are monotonous and definitely feel more like busy work than anything, but it doesn’t hold the game down too much.

Atomfall Wicked Isle starts off promising with a trip to an eerie island inhabited by cults and creepy fish people. But the call of the mainland proves too much as it segues back to the base game in many ways. It’s a fine diversion, but doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from what’s already in the game.

FBC: Firebreak is a fun fast-paced three player co-op shooter which offers a new perspective on the world of Remedy Entertainment’s Control thus separating itself from the competition. Progression could be streamlined but the core gameplay experience combined with the difficulty and clearance systems make this game an easy recommendation.

Calamity Angels: Special Delivery is a fun, bite-sized experience. It may make some not too happy about the number of things reliant on your luck and mood, but it was enjoyable.

Particle Hearts is a pretty interesting experience. It has a sense of loneliness that feels inspired by Shadow of the Colossus. It also had some fun ping ponging of emotions in the environment that reminded me of Flower when I played that game for the first time. It is a game that asks you to stay aware of your surroundings, and you don’t need to finish the game quickly. Take your time to find the best route and find all the little collectibles. Sure, rest under that mushroom. Explore and enjoy the world. If you are interested in adventure platforming titles and a world where you can explore in a unique way, this is the one to look out for.

Thrive: Heavy Lies The Crown is not a bad game it’s just a game that is chasing the greats and constantly falling short. However, falling short in this genre tends to mean you are still a decent game.

Yaoling Mythical Journey is a fun creature-collector with a battle system that is centered on party building.

Wrap House Simulator is just another one of those meme games that streamers play when they want to have a chill night, which is why it can be recommended. But if you don’t like the idea of working a virtual job after coming home from your real job, then this might not be for you.

Nice Day For Fishing is an enjoyable game that’s best played in short spurts. The battles keep you on your toes with a consistent challenge throughout. There’s always deeper areas to explore and plenty of resource gathering available. However, it does tend to drag out with the repetitive tasks. But aside from that minor quibble, anyone that’s been looking for a Fishing RPG can’t go wrong here, especially if you are a major fan of Epic NPC Man.

Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is a fighter brought back from the era of the PlayStation Portable. A lot of the enhancements are great but it doesn’t stop it from feeling like its still from a handheld from that era.

Rick Henderson has a lot to love when you get to play it and figure out the loop. It can be a bit too simple but for an arcade title it fits in well.

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & The Secret Hideout DX is an updated and enhanced version of the original game. It looks gorgeous, even if it is still a bit clunky overall.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy DX has smaller but more meaningful updates than the first DX game in the series. It is still less important narratively to the trilogy than either of the other titles, but it is the title in which gameplay became much more fun and engaging.

Milano’s Odd Job Collection is a charming game that is basic and straight to the point. Do a bunch of mini-games as jobs to earn money, then spend that money on decorating the house or learning recipes.

Trouble Witches FINAL! Episode 01 Daughters of Amalgam is a fun bullet hell. It adds a lot of content in the core experience, even if not all the content itself is very unique.

Dwarves: Glory, Death, and Loot, a fun roguelite auto-battler that will keep you entertained for hours on end through its addictive progression and seemingly endless builds.

Ys X: Proud Nordics is built on the solid bones of Ys X: Nordics. It, however, doesn't add a lot of extra substance to warrant a new playthrough. It is the ultimate version of the game and the new recommended Ys to play for newcomers.

While MLB The Show 26 does expand and move the dial forward for the franchise, some other things do make you realise that it isn’t a massive step forward. With its new features and World Baseball Championship inclusion they have opened up a lot of content. Also, another year of The Negro League is a massive win for history and learning.