My advice is: come for the gorgeous psychedelic artstyle and stay for the second half of the game, even if it means muscling through the relatively stale early hours. It may not be the most satisfying metroidvania around, but it certainly is a unique experience that I recommend to fans of the genre.

Two Point Campus is a robust, accessible and unique simulation game that SEGA and Two Point Studios can be proud of. Two Point Museum is definitely recommended for fans of accessible simulation/management games.

As things are at launch if you have a group of friends to play with it will be a fun, albeit easy 30 to 40 hours before you run out of content to push. If they can bring back the grind of needing specific items to have any chance against the toughest monsters then you can add a few points to this final launch score.

PGA Tour 2K25 is a golf video game. It is neither offensive nor special in any way. It can be shockingly expensive vs. the amount of content on offer, starting at $70 and going all the way up to $120. If you haven’t played a round of videogame golf in a long time it may be worth a go if you can split the cost with some friends. Outside of that, and especially if the crashing issues are happening, it’s tough to recommend.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii brings about solid 3D brawling combat back to the series alongside tonnes of minigames, fun pirating sections, and intense set piece battles the series is known for. It's more Yakuza---are you going to say no to that?

In conclusion, I truly enjoyed playing through the Bloom section of the game. I have played the Life Is Strange games and I might prefer this, but perhaps that’s my 90’s nostalgia speaking! I will replay the game before the second half to get better relationship statuses as it turns out I wasn’t doing as well as I thought with my friendships (and possible relationships). If you are interested in story-driven games, some 90’s nostalgia, and paranormal magic vibes, then I do recommend you check out Lost Records.

Avowed is an excellent game. One major issue that keeps it from being an all-timer for me, with the gear progression system being as restrictive as it is at launch. They can patch that, and I hope they do as the rest of the game is excellent. Obsidian’s top-tier writing has finally been matched with gorgeous visuals and satisfying gameplay.

MACROSS -Shooting Insight- may ultimately be a good fan service title, and it has the modes to boot! But too many cardinal sins add that make for a rather frustrating shoot ’em up experience.

Outside the aforementioned oversights, there’s a near perfect collection on offer here that’s an absolute must for fighting game fans.

Beyond Blue: After the Storm is an enjoyable little underwater adventure that gives insight on man-made disasters along with the lovely living things beneath our feet. Though their importance is stressed, information comes off slim at best and paired with a decent VR experience at the very least makes this game a fun edutainment journey for all ages.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 can be slow and lethargic, sometimes to a fault. It's a game that's more concerned with the plight of a villager than the saving of a kingdom. And yet it's in those very moments, the conversations in the back of a cart, the early morning horse-rides in the brisk, cold air; that the magic, charm, and humanity of it all shines brightest.

Big Helmet Heroes is a charming little cooperative beat ’em up that’ll be a delight to smaller family members and parents alike. A lack of unique objectives throughout most of the stages might be a bit of a bore and visibility issues can sometimes frustrate, but there’s enough here for an amusing local coop experience.

I enjoyed playing Civilization VII. It hits the right notes for me and it’s a good opening salvo for a game I expect will continue to grow with its player base through time. Yes, the age change can be a bit jarring and yes, the crisis mechanic didn’t always hit right for me in my first couple of games…The core elements of the game are there, they work and it’s fun to play. The incentives and dynamism that the new approach to Civilization switching with the legacy paths will keep the game fresh both across games and within them. Abandoning games after about 80 turns was a big issue for me in the last few titles. I’ve not had the notion to do that yet.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a worthy successor to one of the best indie games of the last few years. With it’s addictive gameplay loop, compelling and touching story, great art design, and more, I’d say anyone even remotely interested should give the game a look. Especially considering it’s releasing on Xbox Game Pass, and heck, is one of the best games for cloud gaming there is.

As much as Robobeat’s pace and style hits all the right notes (heh), I feel like it doesn’t truly live up to the high standards of other rhythm-based FPS games on Xbox, such as the aforementioned BPM: Bullets Per Minute and Metal: Hellsinger. While the game’s mechanical depth is sound, with lots of skills, traversal options and weapons, the overlong and battles in flat, unmemorable arenas make these encounters less exciting than they could be. Still, it’s a fun time, and while it doesn’t have the option of importing custom music like on PC, fans of fast-paced boomer shooter should still have a good time with Robobeat.

It’s an audiovisually captivating journey through liminal spaces, a dream-like experience that masters the concept like few other videogames before. Personally, I absolutely can not wait to play the upcoming levels, because Dreamcore is already an amazing and unique ride. This is one dream I won’t immediately forget.

Eternal Strands is a fantastic first title from Yellow Brick Games. It’s an IP I hope to see more of in the future, as its excellent gameplay felt like a breath of fresh air for the genre. It’s out Day One on Game Pass and even in this bloated 2025 release schedule I wholeheartedly recommend checking it out no matter where you play.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is available on Day One on Game Pass, and that’s how I’d recommend anyone but the most ardent fan of the series plays it. At $60 MSRP it’s a big ask for something that can be completed in a night or two. While there is some replay value on offer there isn’t enough new here for those familiar with the series to warrant a full purchase. If you love Sniper Elite and want more though, then you’ll find nothing here to displease you.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a thoroughly enjoyable Metroidvania with detailed action-RPG mechanics, that still offers challenging soulslike combat without feeling like a punishing ride on its easiest mode. On its normal and hard difficulties, the game offers a grind that will leave you feeling tested at best, and a crying mess at very worst. It’s an extremely well-put-together experience that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a fun game with some serious looks and performance issues on Xbox Series consoles. If it’s cleaned up at all by a day one patch then it’s an easy recommendation. Available Day One on Game Pass it’s a solid solo title and one that’s a ton of fun with friends.

Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is a game with plenty of cons and pros alike. It’s an unashamedly simple and fun brawler, with a lot of content, a good variety of characters, a surprisingly meaty story mode for the genre and various extra content – all of which can be played with your (local) co-op buddy of choice. Do arm yourself with patience, however, as many game mechanics are a bit undercooked and unprecise, with a lot of bizarre level designs and features that didn’t quite receive the polish they needed, and that this remaster hardly really improved upon. As a quite minimal upgrade to a forgotten but solid game, clearly this one’s for the hardcore fans, who can jump back to the similarly flawed but enjoyable prequel trilogy’s beginnings.

SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada is a strange game for sure. It’s an enjoyable enough mecha-based extraction shooter, with serviceable combat and traversal and with the excitement of this genre’s formula. Said gameplay loop does very little to stand out from the crowd, despite a somewhat unique presentation, and the technical woes and limited content and variety thereof, end up limiting its potential. It’s also a paid game with tons of baffling microtransactions, timers to wait out, massive grinds and glacial progress, which could make you lose interest rather quickly. At its core, Bandai Namco’s latest is a solid extraction shooter, make no mistake. If you’re looking for that, jump in; this is certainly a very solid game in a vacuum, mechanically stronger than my score would imply. Arriving this late into the genre, however, it really should be offering more and better content than it does to really stand out – and it should respect players’ time and effort more.

I’m the kind of person who can sit in front of an idle game for hours, as I multitask something else like writing reviews or watching a TV show. Yet, Tap Wizard 2’s bizarre game design initially made me want to log off after a couple minutes at a time, and I really had to force myself to sit through various ascensions and countless deaths just to see if something more exciting came along. Eventually, the game evolved to a point that I could say I was having a decent amount of fun. But unless you’re a hardcore idle game fan and need a fix, you can likely this one out, as the first 10-20 hours of this game are easily the least enjoyable part of an otherwise quite okay game.

Team Ladybug’s latest release is a grand one—the slower-paced nature of the action feels good to play especially as you get a better grasp of Shin and his companion’s move sets. The downtrodden Osaka city landscape has plenty of exploration potential and baddies to encounter, meaning that I can wholeheartedly recommend Blade Chimera to the 2D Metroidvania aficionado and novice alike.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is bigger and better, giving the player more combat options and opportunities while offering a map full of movement and combat-based challenges. There’s a solid variety of enemies and bosses along with unique scenarios that keep gameplay fresh and you on your toes. Tie it up with great visuals and music, and you have the best sequel to Ender Lilies that could possibly exist.

The developers at Megagon Industries have done a great job on building on their first game by adding a bunch of excellent new ideas, a fun multiplayer suite and what feels like a great, fresh take on skiing with the tight, responsive controls they’re known for. It’s addictive, thrilling stuff and I can’t wait to hit the slopes as soon as I’ve finished writing this. It’s available on Xbox Game Pass and Steam, and I hope you try it out.

Playing Tales of Graces f again gives me a chance to reflect on the game’s story, which I enjoyed more so in my last playthrough some eight years ago. But I enjoyed running through the game’s campaign way more than Vesperia’s (which is nothing but a blur to me) thanks to fun cast members with a great English dub and an incredibly fun combat system. Don’t go into Tales of Graces f Remastered expecting deep worldbuilding and level design and I think you’ll have a lot of fun that way.

Threefold Recital is a great 2D narrative adventure title, no thanks to its unique setting and enjoyable characters. The team has done an excellent job between balancing story delivery and breaking up the eventual monotony with distinctive minigames that are both repeated and one-off. Behind all this lies themes of living and identity that resonate not only for the three leads but for the player as well.

Make no mistake, I had fun playing DRAGON QUEST III. I appreciate what it’s done and brought to the table. But over the course of its runtime, I found myself losing interest thanks to a bombardment of random encounters and not enough between all that. So many games have come since then (and are still coming out today!) that have been greatly influenced by this JRPG classic, bringing their own twists and turns to storytelling and battle systems. There’s a good time to be had here in the HD-2D Remake, but if you’ve never played DRAGON QUEST III before, walk in with tempered expectations and to be down a few more hours than the game really should’ve been.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a brilliant reboot of the series. Playing as a central character instead of hopping between classic heroes works. It looks damned good most of the time, sounds great, and features an excellent mix of group and single-fighter combat. For those new or returning to the series you’ll find dozens of hours of combative bliss.

I like every part of Alien: Rogue Incursion except for the most important one, the combat. It looks amazing, sounds great, and has a solid story. I am sad to say that I found said combat, and how often it was forced upon me, to make the game tough to recommend at launch. Not only that, but this is a ‘surprise’ Part One. At $40 I hope that the full package, many patches later, can find the brilliance that’s hidden underneath this game’s faults.

Paper Perjury is an enjoyable adventure title and one that should scratch the itch of puzzle solvers and adventure enthusiasts alike—with a great presentation to boot. Despite the issues I took with the game’s narrative and world-building, know that I enjoyed playing Paper Perjury far more than I ever did playing Dual Destinies or The Great Ace Attorney, and I think that’s the best compliment I could ever give.

It is a really solid platformer with a tonne of variety and stuff to do. But I want to be very clear, I don’t think this game is for the gamer who actually grew up on the Smurfs. It’s for their children, who probably don’t even know who the Smurfs are.

Marvel Rivals is an excellent start to what should be a long-running franchise. NetEase has done a great job of proudly using mechanics that are well-known while crafting a uniquely crazy experience all their own. This 6v6 hero shooter/fighter has started from a place of strength. With proper leadership, it should only improve and grow as the years pass this multiverse by.

The Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered feels barebones. You get these titles with a few new bells & whistles and not much else. It is thoroughly disappointing for a game that was in more need of a full gameplay remake than just a graphical uplift. With so many great remaster/collection packages hitting, I wish this one had been given a little more love.

Yeah, Rita’s Rewind doesn’t quite stand toe to toe with the greats of the genre, even the modern ones, but it’s still a very worthy entrant into this classic genre still in the midst of a high quality revival.

Despite bugs and some questing that isn’t all too interesting, Drova drives home a sort of old-school design that is simple, fun, and frustrating when the going gets tough. This is a damn good 2D RPG that action and computer role-playing game fans won’t want to miss out on.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t an average game - it's something truly special. It's got its flaws, but it’s an irresistible invitation to wear the fedora of one of my childhood heroes, to crack the whip and fully embrace the thrill of discovery and embark on a genuinely fantastic adventure. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of the franchise or a newcomer with only games like Uncharted or Tomb Raider under your belt, this game delivers an experience that feels both fresh and heavily steeped in nostalgia. Indiana Jones is the original tomb-raiding adventurer and MachineGames have, to put it simply - nailed it. They've crafted an unforgettable journey that’s worthy of the franchise. Ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime? The mystery of the Great Circle awaits.

Spirit Mancer offers a nice variety of cards to build your deck with, both beforehand and on the fly. And the hub has enough to keep you busy for a short while before you jump into the next mission. And though combat does become repetitive not too long into the game’s runtime, Spirit Mancer’s beautiful presentation, co-op mode, and unique take on deckbuilding combat makes it a fun romp within the genre.

When I found matches, I had some good fun running dungeons with folks. There’s something special about watching twenty people unleash explosions all over your screen, a health bar being whittled down faster than pizza leftovers in a family of six, and callouts coming left and right. SWORD ART ONLINE Fractured Daydream brings about the chaotic nature of MMOs I really haven’t seen in a long time, especially in casual play, and for all its caveats it’s not a bad cooperative action game—but do mind the fractures.

Matsuro Palette offers a unique concept to the point ‘n click narrative adventure genre. A solid visual style and accompanying sound design gives this game an allure that kept me going, in search of the mystery behind this young lady in the painting. If you’d like a short, bittersweet tale that involves you dying in many ways, look no further than here—a unfinished canvas that desperately needs your help.

After a tumultuous dev cycle, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 shines despite some rough edges.

Mindcop is a great detective adventure that puts emphasis on creativity and critical thinking for the player to find the perpetrator. The tools you’re given are adequate for its open-ended approach to game design, and ultimately, it’s up to you to help Mindcop uphold his reputation against a townspeople who carry plenty of baggage.

Does it make for a compelling videogame? Despite a few shortcomings, I feel that it does, as the game’s excellent graphics and tense atmosphere put a nice little ribbon on the package. But this isn’t a game for everyone, and not just because of the (optional) microphone gimmick, so beware what you get yourself into. I still think it’s one of the most unique and memorable horror games in recent times, which is something that mostly makes up for the other flaws found.

Ultimately, Fear the Spotlight doesn’t really try to reinvent the formula, serving as a smart, respectful and well-designed homage to the PS1-era of horror games and the 90’s aesthetic in general. Lovely visuals, great voice acting and genuinely spooky vibes more than make up for the fairly simplicistic gameplay loop and short length, making this retro horror game one of the better picks for a playthrough in a spooky season.

Rise of the Golden Idol is a fantastic game. It is a brilliant 10-15 hour affair that focuses on your mind instead of your reflexes. While it’s best with a mouse, I wholeheartedly recommend it no matter where you’re playing. It has a thoroughly ridiculous and satisfying story and is a worthy sequel to one of 2022’s best games.

Toy Tactics is deceptively simple yet a lot of fun. It’s got the charm of toys clashing about as environments, spells, and the right tactics change the course of the game. And all the while offering varied objectives, great level design, and quite a number of modes for play. If you’re in the market for a unique real-time strategy game, look no further than Kraken Empire’s latest hotness.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival keeps to its core tenants by offering a simple yet fun rhythm game for all to enjoy. This is the ultimate package, so to speak, and I can easily recommend it to just about everyone.

This type of game has a ceiling it can normally hit. It’s a lower-budget genre-bending revival of a beloved but older IP. Leikir Studio has managed to find an excellent blend of old and new. While it can be insanely difficult on hard, it’s just the right amount of punishing on normal. As it is available on Day One on Game Pass for Cloud, Console, and PC I think this one is an easy download or buy for any tactics fan.

SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS is a good collection of two fun games. Sonic Generations is still a solid romp even if this port adds more issues to the game while Shadow’s offering is action-packed and builds on the former’s strengths. This is the most you’ll ever get of Shadow the Hedgehog for quite a while, so dig in while it’s hot.

Slitterhead has a weirdly intriguing plot and cool art design wasted by endless repetition and outdated game design. There’s something here. I found Slitterhead pulling me during the first few hours. It was the last 80% of the game that was a dreadful experience.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard isn’t just in my Game of the Year rankings, it’s in my Best Games of All Time. BioWare has finally matched their recent excellent third-person combat with some of, if not their best, story work to date. This game is an absolute triumph for those old and new to the series.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Campaign is excellent. While the story might not be perfect it was just logical enough to keep me happy. It’s available at launch for Xbox Game Pass Console, PC, and Ultimate members on Cloud, Console, and PC. I’d only recommend a purchase if you’re into the MP and Zombies as well, as $70 is a big ask. Still, if you’re looking to shoot the ever loving shit out of a lot of people, there’s nothing quite like a good Call of Duty campaign. It helps that this one is great. [Campaign Review Score = 85]

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem is a simple stunt game, not really a racer, as players have to do flips, donuts, smash stuff and so forth with these giant-wheeled behemoths in Hot Wheels fashion. It lacks the depth or variety of most Monster Truck games on console, and in particular the lack of any race modes is a bit disappointing, but the focus on younger audiences and a forgiving difficulty should make for a decent Hot Wheels experience, for those that seek such a game. The lack of almost any multiplayer, aside from the 2-player local play is a big bummer for the longevity of the game, but if you want an enjoyable solo romp to run through, it’s a good time.

Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut is a fantastic visual novel with excellent production values and a lot of dialogue options. You’ll go through a tonne of emotions (mostly unease), but you’ll always remain engaged thanks to a great voice cast and a script that is more than happy to explore uncomfortable ideas.

Shin-chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is a fantastic adventure game in that it is laid back, funny, and easy enough to be enjoyed by just about everyone be they child or senior. You might not know who Shin-chan is, but don’t let that stop you from taking it easy and looking up once in a while.

Alan Wake: The Lake House is a disappointing finale to the game’s content. It was released alongside a solid quality-of-life update, and if you have already spent the extra money on the Deluxe Edition/Upgrade then you might as well check this one out. Just use a guide to keep frustration down.

Card-en-Ciel is a fantastic card battling title. I didn’t think I’d find myself so enamoured in playing a card game like this, but the plays at hand along with how the overworld plays into the battle system along with daily and weekly battles makes this game a extremely replayable title.

I enjoyed the first videogame of the Unknown 9 universe, and I sure hope it won’t be the last, as I wanna keep going back to this vast fictional world. And while I absolutely want to applaud Reflector Entertainment and Bandai Namco for trying something different, perhaps they stuck a little too close to the action adventure videogame genre’s tropes, in an attempt to better appeal to the masses. Still, it’s a game that has some good ideas and a terrific lore, one expanded upon by all the transmedia products out there. Fans of action adventure games should take this leap of faith into The Fold and give Unknown 9: Awakening an honest shot, with its budget price that should help with pulling the trigger over such an… Unknown quantity.

It looks beautiful and has some great midi-style music, but is let down by a gameplay loop that simply doesn’t hold up.

It looks beautiful and has some great midi-style music, but is let down by a gameplay loop that simply doesn’t hold up.

The accessibility and approachability of MechWarrior 5: Clans then, may come at a cost – at least for now. It may just however, lead to a mainstream rejuvenation the series so sorely deserves, and with its launch into Xbox Game Pass, bring a whole new generation into our Sibko.

Developer Critical Games has done a commendable job putting together a fantastic retro RPG. One that paces itself well, offers unique mechanics at every turn, and has a fun cast of characters. It also bridges the whole meta-shenanigans of computers playing host to video games quite well and uses that advantage whenever it can. 8-Bit Adventures 2 gets a thumbs up in my book and trust me when I say I’m not always keen on throwing the toe’s cousin up like that.

A licensed Transformers racing game with actual robot combat elements being one of the most unique and fun racers of 2024 was certainly not on my bingo card, but I ain’t complainin’. A very solid racing module, a lot of smashing and bashing in car form, and then a fast-paced, if quite simplistic third-person robot-shooting intermissions make for a legit fun time, with even a surprising depth in the loadouts and available characters. Sure, a bit more polish and variety wouldn’t have hurt, and the progression is rather bizarre – and the lack of proper multiplayer is a bummer. Still, Transformers: Galactic Trials is both a great Transformers game for fans young and old, and an exhilarating racer with a lot of fresh ideas and a quite solid execution all around. Keep an eye out for this one.

The addition of 2-player modes and various improvements make a lot of sense, and do improve the Aaero formula a good bunch, but at the end of the day it’s hardly a hugely transformative sequel. Still, I fail to see that as a devastating flaw. Aaero2 brings us more awesome tracks to ride rails and shoot alien creatures on to the beat of the rhythm. Sure, it could have been a slightly more ambitious sequel in terms of game mechanics, progression and variety. Yet, even so, Aaero2 is one of the most interesting music-based games in recent memory, one that will have my grinding rails while banging my head back and forth for quite some time.

Fans of the genre are unlikely to find a better game this year than this. Now I’m off to have a good cry and hug my kids.

The risk of too much-simulated suffering is that the most challenging decisions can leave you feeling emotionally detached, as the end often justifies the means. This dynamic makes Frostpunk 2 a unique experience where you can never truly be the ‘good guy,’ only ‘less bad.’ It’s better to play this in short bursts, as it will keep you from becoming emotionally numb to all the suffering in Frostpunk 2.

Last Time I Saw You turned out to be an enjoyable narrative adventure. I love the attention to detail, not just in its artwork but the stories of its cast members. A perfect little play for everyone.

DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO is a great 3D arena fighter. It’s got a sizeable roster, huge maps, and a fun combat system that I quite a bit of mileage out of over the weekend. A clumsy user interface and only one splitscreen map does suck the life out of the party a bit, but there’s still a great game here for Dragon Ball fans and arena fighter enthusiasts.

Metaphor’s world design is almost dreamlike, down to the very storybook of irony that Will carries around with him all the time. The cast bonds together incredibly well and I love how everyone has a part to play in this fantasy land of pixies, a race for the throne, dog and box-headed races, and the like. The artwork is gorgeous, the music is splendid. Mixed in is a simple yet fun combat system, complete with unique overworld encounters in the dungeons and out about in towns. I’ve no metaphors for this—Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantastic RPG for all.

Vessel of Hatred has a great start, mediocre middle, and frustrating ending. The Spiritborn class is a fantastic addition, along with the new Mercenary system. At $40 if you’re in it for the story you may come out as frustrated as I am, but if gameplay is all you care about then there’s a lot to love.

Starfield’s first expansion is an excellent dive into one of the game’s key pieces of lore. There are answers to be had and mysteries to be born anew. It is all wrapped up in one of the best ‘looks’ I’ve seen in a video game to date. For any fan of the base game, this is a solid 10+ hour adventure you do not want to miss.

Funko Fusion is a simple game, perhaps overly so, following the footsteps of Travellers’ Tales’ iconic LEGO games but with the Funko figurines instead of the brick characters. The IP crossover aspect is sound, and the game is very accessible, but excessive repetition and a baffling lack of any form of co-op at launch, with online co-op but no local co-op coming down the line, surely severely crippling its value in the eyes of much of the target audience. Once co-op is finally added, as long as the online one fits the bill for you, I’d still recommend playing through the storyline at least once, at least to the people who are craving for a new LEGO-style adventure and are looking for a new twist or two on the formula.

At the end of the day, I had a fun time with Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports. Sure it is a bit janky, its progression for unlocking new content is odd, and the lack of online multiplayer is a bit of a stinger. Yet, its simple arcade recreations of popular sports brings me back the simple days of mascot sports games of old, and it brought me a good couple hours of Looney Tunes-themed fun with my partner as well.

In short, Monopoly (2024) is hardly an essential buy for those who already own other Monopoly videogames. In a vacuum, however, it does most everything right to be a solid digital recreation of this iconic, friendship-breaking board game.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is an excellent remaster of one of the Wii’s best games. It fixes its shortcomings, adds to it with quality-of-life changes, and most importantly makes it available to all on modern platforms. Rebrushed does a good job being both a 3D platformer and a narrative driven-adventure title, sprinkled in with a lot of love for old Disney animation—a fun, unique adventure game for all.

There’s a lot to like about Ara: History Untold, even with the rough edges that appear every so often. Barring some performance issues, I’d say anyone even a little curious about the genre should give the game a shot and try it for themselves (especially if you have Xbox Game Pass). As for those of you with hundreds of hours in 4X games? Well, Civilization VII is still months away and Ara is a worthwhile competitor in the space and so I highly recommend playing at least a few games during this wait. Who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself with a new favourite in the genre…

Shadows of Doubt should be great. A lack of variety leads to repetition so quickly that I can’t recommend this 1.0 and console release. If the devs continue supporting the game with new content, especially something more directed like the tutorial mission, then it could potentially become an indie classic. For now, though the game is a mere shadow of its potential.

It’s a really unfortunate development for me that I just couldn’t find much enjoyment in the simple act of actually just playing this game. It undermined the quality of everything around it and the issue is, gameplay/combat/control is the most important aspect of this genre and if it’s not up to snuff, then the rest falls down around it.

Keylocker is a fun, beautiful turn-based RPG that does a great job of meshing not only a fun combat system but a sleuth of other minigames to keep its journey fresh. If you like rhythm games and an extensive timing-based combat system, look no further than this one.

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown’s Mask of Darkness DLC adds multiple hours of mostly enjoyable new content. It’s a mission pack and not an expansion, thankfully this cutting room floor material is nearly as good as the base game and well worth checking out.

The Plucky Squire is a game clearly made with a serious amount of love for the wonderful medium of glorious interactivity that is video games. And for it being the first title from development team All Possible Futures, it’s a staggering achievement in art, design and ideas. It’s just a shame the gameplay didn’t get as much attention as the nostalgia it so skilfully indulges.

If you are a fan of Dead Rising there’s a good chance you will really like this remaster. If you’ve never played the game before and want a fun zombie slaughter simulation, this game still holds up well, but you’ll have to look past some of the game’s flaws and remind yourself that it is still bound by 360-era design.

Enotria: The Last Song is a beautiful, weird tale that almost nailed the gameplay and customization side of a Soulslike. It is by no means a bad game, it’s just not one I can easily recommend for all but the most ardent players of the genre.

For fans of Jackbox games, myself included, this is a rock solid addition for game nights with friends and family (maybe not your parents though). The addition of genuinely adult subject matter is a lot of fun, even though at times, it literally devolves into drawing multiple cartoon dicks or boobs.

Caravan SandWitch is a beautiful adventure that covers stories of struggles and grief, paired with pleasant French vocals and a vibrant art style. And even though I found its main progression to be tedious, I did enjoy exploring the world of Cigalo and learning about its lovely peoples. If you seek a nomad’s adventure, van included, look no further than this little journey right here.

For all its clunky aiming, messy visuals, glitches and limited content and variety, I still wanna say I enjoyed running through the campaign on a summer evening. Bloodhound is like a cheesy Z-tier movie. You know it’s far from great, yet getting demons splattered left and right for the duration of a summer blockbuster might just be worth your time and money – if not at the full price of 10 bucks or so, maybe on a deeper discount.

Episode Aigis is a great addition to Persona 3 Reload, if only for the additional story content and new battle challenges. But this episode sheds too much from the base game, leaving a tedious adventure in the wake for those looking for The Answer.

NBA 2K25 features phenomenal on-court action, every major mode you could hope for, and is one of the prettiest games of all time. Whether you’re a mtx loving maniac or just looking to shoot some hoops like you’re an all-star it has never been a better time to jump into this long-running franchise.

Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 is an amazing, epic ride through a glorious hellscape. Visceral combat is matched by stunning graphics to create a title that never relents in being as over the top as possible. It is one of my favorite titles of the year so far, and one I cannot wait to dive back into as post-launch content starts to stream in.

Overall the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is a great kit of two very fun adventure titles. Alongside new quality-of-life features and development documents on characters and environments, this collection finally completes the series’ transition to modern platforms and brings an untranslated game westward for the first time. Highly recommended for Ace Attorney fans who’ve never played these games before.

Star Trucker can be as relaxing or sweaty as you like. While the main story’s writing wasn’t the best it was more than made up for by how solid the rest of the title is. It looks great, feels damned good to play, and I could see it easily becoming a new go-to podcast game for millions of Game Pass players.

The developers have once again done a wonderful job of bringing one of the classic and legendary games from history to the present day. Are you interested in a strategy game with a twist? Are you tired of the human/historical conflicts exhibited in Age of Empires and the like? Then take a look at the mythical world of Age of Mythology: Retold. I think you won’t be disappointed. If they can fix some of the AI problems and balance issues in future patches, Age of Mythology can truly stand among its peers. It might even become the true fan favorite it was always destined to be. Maybe we should ask the gods for their favor and start praying.

I had a great time with Milestone’s take on the Monster Jam world. The gameplay is tight and surprisingly accessible, with these behemoth vehicles bouncing and flipping left and right in such fun and satisfying ways in both racing and stunt modes. With a great technical background, too, what’s a bit lacking is the inventive in the single player campaign, with merely a largely repetitive sequence of events to beat with little reason or rhyme – one that even shows how little variety the game itself has, as of now, before all DLC or eventual sequels arrive. Personally, that’s a prospect I really look forward to, because Monster Jam Showdown’s base gameplay is really good, so I’d really love to see the format get expanded upon from here on.

Schim is certainly cute, charming, and has a surprisingly emotional look into the themes of depression and midlife crisis. Perhaps it could dig deeper into its arguments, and maybe even dare a bit more with its gamepaly. Similarly, with a length of only about 3 hours and limited replayability, the launch price of 24.99USD/24,99EUR feels a little excessive, and I would absolutely recommend waiting for a sale. But when that sale does arrive, give Schim your consideration: it’s a quite beautiful little game with an intriguing concept and even a good message to give to its players.

STAR WARS Outlaws is the dream 3rd-person open world title so many of us wanted. It’s big, and fun, and while it has some flaws I have greatly enjoyed my time with it. A massive progression blocking soft-lock is a bit of a bummer and instead of this being a final score it’s going to be a review-in-progress one as I wait to see the rest of the title once it’s fixed. [Provisional Score = 80]

The game is just a blast to look and listen to, which pardons some of the less impressive combat encounters and the play-it-safe game design. It’s not a game that reinvents anything, but it sets out to do specific things, all of which it does pretty well. Fans of third person action adventure games should definitely consider playing Kena: Bridge of Spirits, with accessibility options and a story mode difficulty allowing even newcomers to videogames to enjoy this colourful, cartoon-esque journey.

Despite a handful of bizarre small changes from the original games, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy is still quite a riot. Naughty Dog’s iconic “on-rails” 3D platformers, remade from the ground up by Vicarious Visions, is still a lot of fun, with the main character’s iconic spins making for what is still a quite fresh experience that differentiates itself from other titles in the genre. With tons of content and a massive amount of extremely hard challenges to aim for in the search of that elusive 100% completion (and beyond), this is one of those platformers that could keep you coming back for a while – making this a great addition to Game Pass (also on PC and cloud – the first Activision-published game to be playable via cloud on Game Pass).