Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly may not do much to differentiate itself from its predecessor, however it still delivers a quality visual novel experience packed with plenty of hot drinks and lo-fi beats to brew them to.

Garden Story is the kind of chill adventure that’s great in short bursts but long play sessions may leave you bored. The combination of genres is unique, but I feel like each aspect could have been explored more for a deeper experience. I definitely enjoyed what I played and was charmed by the characters, environment and music, but at the end of it all I was left wanting more. But how much can you expect of one humble grape?

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a successful retelling of one of the series’ less-understood titles, massaging it into something that's a touch homogenous but ultimately more agreeable. But some off-putting choices and a fumbled focus on Mine in both the main game and Dark Ties stop it from sticking the landing.

Moonscars brings a deeply satisfying core combat loop and exciting art direction to the Soulslike genre, even if it has some teething issues with its overlapping systems and narrative.

Under The Island is a charming, puzzle-filled adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The balance between the game’s systems ensures that progress always feels meaningful, and while it would have been good to see some slightly more rounded out combat and extra polish, there’s enough substance here to make for a fun and memorable adventure.

With a cracking setting and emotional narrative that’s expertly brought to life by fantastic voice acting and writing, Still Wakes the Deep is a solid horror title that falls short of greatness due to its generic gameplay and limited scare factor.

Ruffy and the Riverside is an impressive debut title and a top-notch 3D collectathon adventure. The texture-swapping gimmick adds a rich layer to the canvas that more than makes up for some spotty platforming, and Riverside itself is a wonderfully weird and gaudy locale well worth exploring.

Strangers of Paradise is a loveable action-RPG despite its best efforts to spoil itself with a story that only becomes interesting in the last hour. The action is a little messy and not all of the moving parts gel together perfectly, but it's got a compelling janky charm that is hard to ignore.

Given a little more time to cook, Pathologic 3 would be an easy recommendation to players looking to see what this cult series is about. For those returning, tragic healers, these wobbles will hardly detract from the allure of another deadly vacation with gaming’s most neurotic medicine man.

The magic of manual map drawing is curbed with the handy auto-map feature, yet pulling off risky expeditions into Etrian Odyssey's dangerous labyrinths remains unmatched.

Whether you are a returning Shadow Warrior fan or a new one, Shadow Warrior 3 is bound to delight all high-octane shooter fans. Its minor shortcomings are rapidly overcome through the simple act of being gloriously fun.

Afterlove EP pulls from a deep emotional well to weave threads of grief, love, hope, resentment, forgiveness, identity and more through a mostly-good mix of choice-driven visual novel and rhythm game. It has some issues with flow, and the rhythm stuff isn't amazing, but stick with it and you'll fall in love with this little slice of Jakarta.

Like A Dragon: Ishin! does exactly what it says on the box. It takes the recognisable characters that have appeared throughout the series and transformed them into 19th-century analogs. The super dramatic storyline, backstabs and betrayals remain pleasingly offset with the eccentric substories that feature memorable characters in the wildest of circumstances. Kiryu-Ryōma-Saito remains the ever-loveable stone-faced uncle driven by honour, stoically seeking the goodness in hearts everywhere before curb stomping a handsy mugger.

Not a mere reboot or refresh, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons delivers a fiendishly familiar beat ‘em up that will have you hooked on its charming retro styles and clever modern trappings.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a super fun yet sometimes frustrating arcade racer that is hindered slightly by some design shortcomings.

Through this occult management simulator l was challenged like never before, navigating magic, zany challenges and the offbeat humour that aims to thrill and vex it’s players. Call me a masochist, but I had fun.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is still a Tony Hawk game at heart, and as expected, plays brilliantly. As a package, the plethora of content on offer is easily the best way to revisit the masterful skating experience that was THPS 3, even if it entirely overshadows the meek representation of THPS 4 within the title.

As a successor to the S.W.A.T. games and tickling a strategic itch that Rainbow Six hasn’t scratched in years, Ready or Not nails the tension and tactical satisfaction that this genre prides itself on. Its single-player Commander mode is one of the better ‘training’ modes for a hardcore multiplayer game in years, though the wobbly AI can lead to many frustrating failures. With friends or a like-minded community, there’s probably no other tactical co-op game this engaging or evocative right now. It’s just a damn shame that the game’s matchmaking does nothing to nurture this experience.

A Little to the Left perfectly captures the cosy and softcore vibes you’d want from a game primarily about the cute-ification of everyday cleaning tasks, with great approachability options and puzzle variety to boot. But its simplicity may leave you feeling a bit listless in the end.

Progress is hard fought in Final Fantasy Tactics, arguably the hardest of this isometric strategy sub-franchise. At the same time, it wastes none of the player’s attention, rewarding us with an incredibly un-Final Fantasy setting and characters. Its story is the biggest winner from this pseudo-remaster, with the professional voice cast offering their dramatic best. The themes hit so much harder this time around. Its main players are far more sincere and tragic for the emotion well voiced through the often overwhelming, but nevertheless compelling, writing.

Despite its awkward pacing, one-note combat and tedious open world collectible hunting, Ghostwire: Tokyo is as unique and atmospheric as they come. Side-stepping its horror roots, Tango Gameworks delves into the depths of Japanese folklore and urban myth through the lens of the modern world and the results are as refreshingly charming as they are routinely unnerving.

It’s difficult to place in the face of the game’s overwhelming and evident visual prowess but there’s a quiet self-consciousness to Neva that leads it to places incrementally but mountingly less than it should be. There are moments and even stretches of ingenuity and beauty that paint a portrait of a developer entirely in control of their craft, coalescing into a richly satisfying emotional conclusion. Neva’s path to this place is less certain though, resting too neatly atop a pile of influences and structural choices that rob it of being more than its aesthetics or touchstones. Perhaps most simply, Neva is a good game from a studio capable of greatness.

Subway Midnight is a wonderfully wholesome surrealist horror game that stumbles slightly with its replayability.

With slick and satisfying gameplay wrapped in a visually stunning package, AllStars has an almost limitless potential that will only go unrealised if a few irritating roadblocks stay unmoved.

The best video game adaptation of the wildest manga property gets a better-than-average port. For Jojo's fans only, though.

I miss the Virtual Console days, when your new Nintendo console came with a potentially vast library of classic games at very approachable prices. Now, we’re caught between paying a subscription fee for drip-fed retro catalogues, and paying top dollar at retail for games considered too new for Nintendo Switch Online but old enough that they need retouching. Thing is, I’ve been ecstatic at being able to jump back into these games – Super Mario Galaxy 2, especially – and what’s here is a perfectly fine way to play or replay them. I think we should just be glad that Nintendo is (rightly) averse to the whole Unreal Engine 5 remake path.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game brimming with potential, and it damn near reaches it on so many occasions, but the pitfalls of its development ultimately drag it down. There's still a lot to like here for RPG fans and lovers of the genre, but it's far from the generation-defining masterwork that the world was waiting for.

Carmen Sandiego is a welcome addition to a franchise that continues to educate in all the right ways. For better or worse it doesn’t mix the formula up too much, but any young one should find much to like. Just be sure to stick with a portable platform to enjoy it best.

While it’s not as immediately vocal about its changes and improvements, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak still offers a great deal for fans of the Monster Hunter series.

With fun exploration and an enjoyable world to get lost in, Blacktail is a whimsical journey of self-reflection through our favourite fairy tales; not too hot, not too cold but just right.

Gunborg: Dark Matter is a simple yet challenging arcade platformer that pushes players to perfect their timing and dodging abilities. The 8-bit world is beautifully coloured in a neon palette and complemented by a soundtrack that is absolutely jamming. If you’re a fan of testing your mettle in old-school style arcade shooters, Gunborg: Dark Matters is more than worth the $17.95 asking price.

While the fear factor may not go all that far, the gameplay experience in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is smooth as butter and flows like claret from a freshly opened artery.

While this sandy action RPG is somewhat lacking in technical and visual polish, Atlas Fallen is still a strong outing from Deck13, with the outfit continuing to prove it's got the chops when it comes to crafting interesting mechanics and fun combat.

Without a focus on MJ’s career, 2K23 doesn’t offer too much more than last year’s iteration. It’s a serviceable experience for newcomers and pros alike, it’s just a damn shame it’s becoming more and more a marketing tool than a game. What concerns me is, where do they go from here?

Hearkening back to the good old days of arcade wrestling games, Fight Forever is an accessibly fun and awesomely faithful title that’s sure to entertain from bell to bell, despite its numerous shortcomings.

En Garde! is a fun, humorous and stylish frolic through a colourful 17th century Spain that pays homage to Zorro and the golden age of swashbuckling adventures.

Quotation forthcoming.

Lord Winklebottom Investigates is a fun, gorgeous and often funny point-and-click adventure that is a solid addition to the genre’s library.

Humankind is an impressive showing of what Amplitude can do with historical turn-based strategy but is edged out by the series that clearly inspired it. The promise on the box of building a culturally diverse empire is not yet fulfilled, with successive playthroughs showing the moral choice and culture systems as being underdeveloped.

Like its adorable amphibian hero, Big Hops is charming and scrappy in equal measure. For all of the issues I faced during my playthrough – some squashed by patch work and others more fundamental – it’s ultimately one of the most charming, playful, exhilarating and deeply funny adventures I’ve embarked on in some time.

For just over $10, Movers in Paradise is fairly easy to recommend to those who enjoy Moving Out’s quirky personality and clever gameplay, as it’s more of what you likely loved the first time around. The new features are mostly fun, save for the few moments where they become frustrating, and the fresh location is a nice change of scenery. We’re all dying for a holiday, yet none of us can go, so perhaps think about booking a ticket to Packmore Island instead.

Telling a number of touching tales of loss and love, Kena is a visually stunning action-platformer that feels like a classic PS2 game in mostly the right ways.

Adol Christin's most agile adventure excels but its PS5 port can only be recommended to first-time players

Team Ninja and PlatinumGames' collaboration brings a stylish new numbered entry of this hallowed series into the modern era. Some old problems persist, but it's nonetheless a (very) bloody good time with some of the slickest action gameplay out there.

Loco Motive does what it sets out to do – be a modern and faithful homage to the LucasArts adventure games. I’ve said it before, but modern game design has seen puzzles evolve beyond simply combining every item to progress and unfortunately, Loco Motive’s crime is that some puzzles pay too much homage, hurting the experience as it brings the game to a halt when you feel invested. Thankfully, the game’s captivating characters, funny dialogue and excellent pixel art animations mitigate the annoyances, and regardless, adventure fans should give Loco Motive a ride at some point.

While it's not overly surprising to see PlayStation migrate two of its biggest last gen titles to the PS5 and slap a new entry fee on the front, it's also not an overly exciting end product. There's merit in playing these beloved and bombastic blockbuster hits in an eye-searing new fidelity but the weight of this package isn't quite worth the gold.

I love to see projects like this in the games space, ideas that are hyper-specific and borne of a deep passion for something, and then given some genuine backing in production. Lushfoil winds up a wonderful game of Show and Tell, where the Show is Matt Newell saying “Look at all these great trees I made!,” and the Tell is a set of handy instructions on how to take a really good photo of them.

While personally I don’t think Brother: A Tale of Two Sons Remake feels like an essential release, it’s still a welcome and faithful reimagining. Its gentle pace and dark themes are sure to inspire many to spend a few hours traipsing across its beautiful magical land, even if I believe that those dark themes don’t ultimately crystallise into something truly cohesive. The visual makeover is at least profound and breathes new life into the title, and this is certainly the definitive way to experience the tragic yet heartwarming tale of our two suffering siblings.

It’s all too easy for me to say that WWE 2K26 offers the best gameplay this series has ever seen. The moment-to-moment gameplay was already excellent, but the improved collision and physics manage to push the presentation even further. While not revolutionary, the new match types offer new ways to have fun and widen the suite for folks who are on the lookout for authenticity. While it’s wearing a little thin for me as a concept, this year’s Showcase is solid, and the MyRise and MyGM offerings continue to impress. Isn’t it a shame, then, that all I can think about when I look at WWE 2K26 is how much this game wants to nickel and dime me, just for being a wrestling fan.

Wo Long is another solid entry into the hardcore hack and slash RPG genre, but some wonky difficulty and questionable enemy AI spoil some of the design nuances and mean it doesn't quite hit the heights of Team Ninja's previous efforts.

Frogwares’ remake of Sherlock Holmes The Awakened successfully blends the otherworldly with the logical in a compelling and well-written adventure that shows a different side of the iconic detective.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers may not be overly impressive out of the gates, and could at first glance appear like just another Soulsborne ripoff. But persist and the game will open up and demonstrate its true character, with plenty of freedom to build and customise your skillset and exploit some of the unique mechanics at the core of the experience. Some of the level design is a little obtuse for its own good, and a handful of bosses need to calm the fuck down, but this is a competent and mostly confident opening foray from a development outfit that should now firmly be in the gaming’s public eye.

Dros wears its heart and 80s influences on its sleeve, combining elements of past 3D puzzle platform adventure games to craft a unique but familiar experience.

SMT3 Nocturne HD Remaster realises that the less time we can spend with the cobwebs of the past by opting into the new Merciful difficulty, the more time we can enjoy this world and its story anew.

Lean, light, and pleasingly presented, this is a perfect snack on the Switch when travelling on your next exciting adventure.

With a truly spectacular retrofuturistic aesthetic, Routine delivers an immersive sci-fi horror that is incredibly tactile to play, impressively creating tension amongst the silence, but a disappointing ending, frustrating design choices and gameplay repetition stops it from reaching the stars.

Biomutant's weird and wonderful world is a treat to take in, even when its diverse gameplay elements don't always hit the mark. If you're looking for a fresh and furry take on open world RPGs and don't mind a little jank, this might be just the ticket.

Playing in this Western sandbox is a joy when it is rewarding your exploration and moral choices with strange outcomes and interesting characters. A lack of late-game variety brings its flaws to the fore.

Your experience with The Tomorrow Children will vary, especially if you don’t get any players visiting your space. But when everything clicks like a well-oiled machine, there’s a strange sense of appeal here that makes it intriguing enough.

While the gameplay isn’t going to leave much of an impact, the twists and turns of Asya’s dramatic journey through war-torn Europe is surprisingly well told, and is further heightened by its unique aesthetic and satisfying soundtrack.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human could have been one of the highlights of the year, but a disappointing story, some frustrating design choices and performance issues mean it doesn’t cash in on its potential.

The Master’s Pupil gives players an inside view into the artistic eye of Claude Monet. Expect to be delighted by hand painted scenery and challenged in your colour and physics knowledge, as you move through this artist's aesthetic through time.

With its stunning hand-drawn, graphite visuals and meditative tram driving gameplay, Short Trip is the respite we all need from the chaos of our current zeitgeist. If only it offered a deeper experience to fully escape into.

The Crew Motorfest crafts a stunning playground for its refined array of vehicles but never fully realises the potential of its new toys.

A sort and sweet visual novel which gives the player plenty of choice and leverages its source material well, only occasionally stumbling in the writing department.

Bungie has been promising the world to us with Destiny 2: The Final Shape and has proven that competent and cohesive story writing is something that is no longer on the cards for Destiny 2. While the story is quite disappointing, there are at least steps in the right direction in a game design sense to make the game feel better to play.

When Indiana Jones and the Great Circle plays to its strengths it’s a captivating adventure led by Troy Baker's exceptional performances, but sadly some design choices bog it down and stop it from being a generational treasure.

Rosewater combines the Wild West and traditional point-and-click mechanics with relative success, taking players on a road trip that is more about relationship building than the trip’s purpose. Which is both its biggest selling point and frustration. Rosewater is full of well-written and performed characters, but it’s hard to care about all of them when they’re not your headline.

Easily the game with the highest meme potential of 2026, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream’s combination of zany (if repetitive) writing and player input makes for a memorable time. The open-ended play is balanced with a steady flow of bite-sized activities for structure, and while the game could have used a bit more substance, it’s surprisingly addictive nonetheless.

Open Roads is a journey I’m glad I went on, though the disappointing circumstances of its development do feel as if they loom over its final form. As a complete package there’s something to love, something to respect and admire, with two lead actors elevating the material well beyond what many others might have achieved. It’s just a shame it couldn’t have been bigger, bolder in its impact and exploration of its themes and its mysteries. Maybe it needed something darker, something stranger to lean into, but the results stand as a simple yet effective road trip that’s worth taking for an hour or two.

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals spends a little too much time washed out in white noise to truly deliver on its promise but when tuned just right, it sounds like little else. A coming-of-age story for people who should have already come of age is a beautiful and poignant launching pad and despite getting bogged down in hard rules and lore, Night School Studios still display a grasp on horror aesthetics and storytelling worth the price of admission. The signal is a little fuzzy, this is a game still worth listening out for.

Earth Defence Force is like the conventionally unattractive partner you experimented with in your youth. They were so grateful for your attention, and in turn, really knew how to show their appreciation. A genuine guilty pleasure of the kind that you might be a bit sheepish to introduce to friends because they buck the trend of traditional beauty (and they just sound a bit weird). But goddamn it, you grew from having indulged the relationship with the ugly duckling. It’s great coming back to that partner as I settle into adulthood. They don’t give a shit about how they look, are mostly stable, have a pleasant demeanour, and still aim to please by exploding all over my jorts.

Those who delve into the survival horror genre and Cthulhu enthusiasts will be able to scratch their Cthulhu-shaped itch with the experience Edge of Sanity offers. Despite its predictability, it is an addictive, fun and spooky eldritch horror that will keep you entertained for hours as you endure monsters on each run and manage your resources for survival. It’s safe to say that Edge of Sanity is yet another great addition to the Cthulhu-inspired eldritch horror genre.

There are definitely moments that feel like you’re playing a game that could have come out 10 or more years ago, but the point-and-click genre is one that can accommodate such design choices if the narrative is good enough. In the end, Asylum’s narrative is solid with some great atmosphere that makes it a point-and-click adventure worth checking out if you like games with horror elements.

Aping great co-op shooters like Left 4 Dead but in the VR space, After the Fall provides a fun yet fleeting experience that could do with more to do.

A blast from the past that appeals even in the modern age, It’s easy to be grateful that this experience has not been lost to the sands of time.

South of the Circle beguiles with its polished presentation and top-notch performances but often forgets to make itself a compelling game in the process.

The beating heart of the Call of Duty experience in terms of multiplayer feels like a solid return to the classic formula, but abundant technical issues make this a worrying stumble into a new generation.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity impresses with its narrative and fun hack and slash action from the offset, but dreadful performance and repetitive gameplay ultimately stifle its impact.

Raidou Remastered is an enjoyable MegaTen curio that needs a few more ideas to give its real-time combat any lasting appeal.

If a challenge is what you’re after, you’ll find it within Aeterna Noctis. There’s still plenty to appreciate and enjoy if that’s up your alley, but it doesn’t do enough to allow its concept to stand out from the competition.

Though it can be a relatively shallow and imperfect game, Minecraft Legends offers a fun and unique experience that feels befitting of a Minecraft spinoff.

Akka Arrh is a relic from a lost time, making itself quite at home with a modern player through overwhelming visuals and a gameplay loop that seeps into your gray matter.

Mario Golf Super Rush is competent, and it shows flashes of creativity in its Speed Golf and Battle Golf modes, but the package ultimately loses momentum a little too quickly. Still, with friends it's a blast, so if you've got a good group of friends that're ready to don some plaid plumber's overalls you're in luck.

The Library of Babel takes its short story inspirations and runs, crafting a compelling, strange sci-fi world that isn’t always as fun to explore as it is to read about, or just simply vibe in.

Keeper and its endearing story of friendship and nature hits every artistic mark you would expect out of Double Fine, but its unengaging gameplay and lacking puzzles keep it from joining the studio’s top-shelf hits.

If you want to get your heart pumping and your clickin’ fingers firing, Rayze will get you on track and blasting off.

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE could have used its inventiveness more concisely, but what’s here is still an enjoyable first entry for a new IP that holds plenty of promise now and hopefully into the future.

Unreliable performance and some underdeveloped mechanics do hurt the impact and atmosphere of After Us, but its intriguing post-apocalyptic world and satisfying movement still make for a worthy adventure.

Ubisoft have built upon the foundations of its immensely satisfying city-building blueprint with a winning retheme, but a few too many technical and interface issues mean Anno 117: Pax Romana falls just shy of a recommendation.

Scars Above is an enjoyable, if simple, entry into the sci-fi shooter genre. Although elements of the game feel a bit rushed or unpolished, none of that will detract from the overall experience. If you have a few hours to spare and you like mysterious adventures on far-flung planets, I recommend giving this one a go.

A simple, yet enjoyable puzzle platformer, Scarf is a beautiful title that plays around with the tried and true tale of the hero defeating evil.

Repetitive combat and exploration pad out this wonderfully remastered cult JRPG experience that falls just short of a recommendation.

Lego Horizon Adventures will find an audience in its target demographic of young kids wanting something easy to pick up and play. But a short campaign and a lack of originality hurts the finished product for everyone else.

DOOM 3 VR Edition is a welcome addition for AIM Controller owners, but a little too late to the party.

As is sometimes the way, after reading my thoughts back I get a sense that perhaps I have been a little harsh. This remaster is undeniably beautiful, and faithfully recreates the experience of the original Ninja Gaiden II and its Sigma version on modern consoles – this much is certain. But despite its gruesome and oft entertaining spectacle, many aspects of its design, be it the one-note linear structure or godawful camera, mark it with a certain quaintness that isn’t entirely becoming. It was fun to replay this moment in time, but I don’t see myself going back for more. I’m watching very keenly to see what the extraordinarily talented people at Team Ninja and PlatinumGames can cook up with Ninja Gaiden 4 – hopefully we’ll see what a true modern reincarnation of this legendary series looks like.

Age of Empires IV is a worthy return of an iconic series, but is difficult to recommend over older remastered entries. Newer players, and some returning ones, may find use of its new gameplay features but will probably end up scrapping them as they grow more experienced.

Kardboard Kings is a relaxing and beginner-friendly management sim game with a quirky cast of characters and a story that, while interesting, struggles to reach its full potential.