SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato is a lovely adventure title that shows just how creative storytelling you can be with the smallest of foods. It encapsulates a piece of Latin America within its gorgeous art, enchanting music, and engaging puzzles. Technical issues do eventually compound to make for a bit of a cumbersome experience, but I can look past that to recommend this adventure to all.

Despite my issues, I found Ink Reverie to be a relaxing and charming game. It blends a bit of idle mechanics with active city building and match three gameplay quite well and served as a lovely detox to everything else I have going on. No need to stress over the finer details, all you have to do is build and watch as your cities grow.

WRC Generations upgrades the general feel of Nacon’s yearly rally experience, tweaking the physics, handling, and smartly recreating the new challenges of the hybrid cars that are racing in the real-life series this season. The lower than usual price point is certainly very inviting, but it’s caused by the fact the game contains very little new content, with even the UIs, the career and practice tracks being virtually unchanged. There’s still a bit of “jank”, and the game is far from the best-looking racers out there, but WRC Generations offers a compelling middle ground between arcade and simulation rally, with a robust enough online and ranking system to push virtual drivers towards perfection for months to come. And now we wait for Codemasters’ first WRC game…

All in all, Headbangers: Rhythm Royale feels like the perfect online game for Game Pass, with hopefully a healthy population guaranteed by the many subscribers on the service, the presence of crossplay and even AI players to fill the gaps. The simple yet addictive gameplay loops feel like something worth revisiting from time to time, as hopefully the game’s so far limited variety will improve. Its got funny characters and hilarious competitive party game shenanigans, but it’s also a tad limited currently in terms of variety and depth for its asking price if bought separately.

LUNARK was a game I had never heard of a day before this review, and I loved my time with it. A beautifully realized throwback look is mixed with fun gameplay and an incredible soundtrack. For $20 if the premise sounds interesting to you then you should do yourself a favor and give this one a go.

Ultimately, Richman 11 boils down to being a very well-made videogame rendition of a solid, though not particularly original or unmissable virtual board game. With multiple game modes, tons of customization, large amounts of shenanigans happening in the match with cards, deities, and more, plus even a solid online mode, it’s hard to ask more from a videogame of this kind. But the board game itself, underneath it all, is a slightly more varied but also somewhat more monotonous Monopoly, one that I don’t consider to be endlessly replayable like certain classics. Still, with this much content and all sorts of local and online multiplayer options, Richman 11 is easily one of the better board game experiences on Xbox, especially for younger folks who’d prefer something a bit more accessible.

Steelrising is a mix of decent-to-damned-good parts that takes the Soulslike Action RPG and puts it into one of the most ridiculous and awesome settings I’ve seen in a while. Mediocre graphics are countered by a fantastic art style, fun combat, incredible music, and a story that I found myself deeply invested in.

Sports: Renovation is a cool take on the cleaning simulation genre. Its love for sports emanates in just about every corner of the game, across multiple levels. It can be clumsy at times, but it’ll eat up your time like no tomorrow. Put on some headphones, learn about sports, and scrub those venue floors clean.

Arcade Paradise is a delightful surprise. Full of wit, heart, and damned fun minigames it’s worth a purchase if the thought of an idle-style laundromat management sim full of fun as hell arcade games sounds enticing. It’s a relaxed, radical tubular time and I can’t wait to see what the devs come up with next.

The Precinct has been a pleasant surprise. Solid shooting and driving mechanics, surprisingly deep police-related activities and an enjoyable 80’s cop movie style presentation mostly make up for the small open world and uninspired plot. The end result is a fun little romp onto the streets of crime – but from a cop’s point of view, for once. It’s not gonna win awards for originality, the gameplay could have surely been more refined, and it’s unlikely to make most people’s GOTY lists come December. Yet, it’s been a fun ride that I enjoyed from start to finish, with the end credits rolling before the game’s limited scope could start hurting the experience. Fans of old school GTA should keep an eye out for this one.

Remnant II tickles greatness but falls short due to a few design choices. It is gorgeous, plays incredibly well, and should be one of the year’s best releases. I’m not sure if my issues with the game can be easily patched out, but I hope the devs at Gunfire Games give this one the same love the first game received over time.

Palia’s multiplayer-based life simulation experience is a unique one, something that sets it apart from other games in the genre. It’s got solid mechanics, an interesting lore, and a welcoming community. It’s a game best enjoyed in short bursts, but that can’t stop you from building the life of your dreams.

The Tale of Bistun left me feeling very impressed. Sure, there are bigger and better games out there and the gameplay mechanics are limited and slightly repetitive but for the price, this game is well worth checking out. This is a classic tale that is worth hearing and is presented in a way that does not outstay its welcome. It is rare for a piece of Persian culture to be celebrated using the medium of video games and this is a piece of work that Black Cube Games should be proud of.

As it is right now, Xbox is the only platform where you can play every single mainline Final Fantasy game, barring, of course, the sequel to this one: Rebirth. But that’ll come in due time, so the point still stands. What is that point, you ask? Pretty simple, really. Xbox is the premier place to play Final Fantasy on consoles, and Final Fantasy VII Remake is a JRPG worth purchasing for fans and non-fans of the genre alike.

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is an expandalone that outshines its original in almost every way. However, better pacing and bigger moments are marred by poor performance, at least at launch. If you can look past that and you already enjoy the first game, then this one is an easy recommendation at only $30.

I had a great time with High on Knife, and I do plan on going back in to clean up some undiscovered items, which thankfully, the game allows you to do, even after completing the main questline. If you loved the off-beat humour, gross body horror and Rick and Morty style humour of the original game, you’ll hardly be making a mistake picking this mini-expansion up. It’s Knifey’s time to shine (or stab everyone)…or both.

Really, this is purely a time capsule that plays really well on the go, perfect for anyone who owned a Lynx and folks who love retro games. The collection’s titles run accurately and bonus functions like rewind and save states along with digitised versions of their box arts and manuals make The Epyx Collection: Handheld worth a look.

Monsters Are Coming! Rock and Road is a solid addition to the never-ending bullet-heaven/rogue-lite/survivors-like (yeesh) genre. It looks nice, plays well, and has at least one bopping track to help carry it through a series of runs that are only let down by some punitive progression requirements.

It’s a comprehensive and entertaining package. The story is a bit basic overall but features well-written, snappy dialogue. Combat is solid and making your ultimate gear setup never got old, and the graphics are gorgeous. Despite their flaming red hair, these twins are full of (Young) Soul(s).

HEROish really hedges its bets on the replayability of its campaigns and its bite-sized matches. At its core, I think it works best as an on-the-go game rather than one on your big TV screen. You probably won’t spend consecutive hours playing HEROish, but it works as a good in-between when you’re bored. But in a world where games demand way too much from the player, short and fun games leave me a happy man.

SteamWorld Build is a city-builder with heart that successfully mixes various genres. It is also accessible to players who don’t put hundreds of hours into Cities Skylines and for players who have played many games in the genre it is a cute palate cleanser that can be played through in one weekend. The game offers various maps, but the replayability is what’s going to hold this title back.

Poor writing and some technical issues are not enough to hold back what is otherwise a blast to play. Solo or co-op if a turn-your-brain-off type of kill-a-thon sounds appealing I think this one is worth it.

Meg’s Monster offers a heartwarming tale for those that love watching gruff big guys become sweethearts over an unsuspecting intrusion in their lives. And with strong art direction, pleasant music, and a well-paced story, this game is a no-brainer for story lovers.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a beautiful, challenging, and occasionally infuriating love letter to old-school FPS titles. It’s just the right length and despite a few flaws it is worth a purchase on both console or PC.

Shadow Labyrinth is a solid 2D Metroidvania and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Its edginess has a lot of spunk and charm, level design is solid, platforming is varied, and progression is paced well. If you dig the idea of PAC-MAN eating people as you explore a world purveyed in turmoil, this one’s worth checking out.

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.

Roboquest is a ton of fun, though it never feels great on a controller. It does feel good enough to recommend on Xbox, though. The devs get what it takes to make a solid run-based title, utilizing their years in early-access to craft another title worth checking out on Game Pass.

The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo plays its strengths through its animators’ beautiful work and the somewhat challenging puzzles that accompany Mr. Coo’s surrealist world. For fans of traditional animation, this adventure is a no brainer.

Despite its stingers, Super Bomberman R 2 is a solid package featuring a decent selection of characters, modes and maps, and a great level editor whose levels can be taken online and for offline play. Highly recommended for your party game line-up.

It’s cute, it’s handy, and a spot of fun. Untitled Hand Game is worth the bit of entertainment it sets out to give.

I had fun with the time I spent in Revenants. There are plenty of alternative endings to go for and an easy passage to go back in time and make amends in previous chapters. The combat system is solid and works well with the adventure-like sequences, even if their presentation isn’t the best. For fans of the previous game and those who like games with plenty of narrative avenues to take, I can easily recommend this game.

Dead Take is a solid four or five hours of classic horror puzzle fun, mixed with some excellent (and some mediocre) live-action scenes. It isn’t looking to break any ground, instead targeting a good, scary time, and nailing it.

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.

Terminator 2D: NO FATE is a gorgeous, fun time, with all the positives and negatives of 90s arcade games. The inclusion of alternate story paths helps the title from feeling too repetitive. Any fan of the franchise would do well to check this one out.

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.

The Last Faith is a mostly good game, with a few moments of brilliance, and a few more that drove me into a rage. It’s a beautiful, great-sounding game with decent combat and a world I found intriguing. In a year of stellar releases, this is one to, at the very least, add to your back catalog.

The game is impressive and an apt tribute to its cinematic roots. Blood spurts satisfyingly as you strike enemies down, burning arrows soar overhead ominously and supernatural sections are sufficiently eerie yet intriguing.

Ultimately, Wheel World is a small and charming open world, presenting a stylish look, an enjoyable biking gameplay loop, and various high adrenaline races, up and down the hills of this magic island. With rather formulaic open-world activities and slightly unpolished physics, the game doesn’t quite reach its full potential, but it’s also a pleasant experience that ends before some of its shortcomings could start to bore or frustrate. And, well, it’s out today and is on Game Pass, so it doesn’t cost much to give it a shot yourself. So, hop on your magical apocalypse-avoiding bikes, and let’s roll.

The game performed well on my Series X, the artwork, music and voice acting is of the usual high calibre and fans of the universe will find this entry as enjoyable to play as any of the others that have gone before it.

This trilogy of somewhat forgotten 90’s platformers are certainly a bit hit and miss – outdated but still often effective humor, a unique but often somewhat clunky gameplay, with even some unexpected narratives and lots of voiceovers and cameos to boot. Given that these games haven’t been properly ported to new systems before, it’s brilliant to see them live once again, but this remaster doesn’t really fix or improve much, with the value added being mainly the impressive depth of original artworks, ad materials, interviews and more. The Gex platformers may have never been timeless masterpieces, but they’re a cool piece of gaming history from a now long gone era of raunchy mascots. A cool time capsule, for sure.

I’m shocked at just how much I have enjoyed Godfall. The melee combat is some of the most satisfying out there and the time since release has been well spent as they’ve rebuilt and tweaked what was a weak new-generation launch title into something far more substantial.

If you enjoy deckbuilding roguelikes, and the thought of one with a competent and voiced story excites you then this is the game for you.

WWE 2K23 continues the series’ upwards trajectory. It’s a massive package full of different things to do. The roster is enormous, the microtransactions seem egregious in familiar “yearly sports title ways”, and the in-ring action almost nails riding the line between sports sim and scripted tv show. There is a love of the genre on display here and for any major or minor fan of sports entertainment, this year’s entry is worth checking out.

UFC 5 is fun to play, looks great, has a ton of fighters, though the career mode is a glorified tutorial. If you love the sport this seems like the best one yet, and should be well worth checking out.

Just Dance 2026 Edition is still just as fun as it always was. It’s a great title to get your friends and family together around the TV all the while losing a few calories in the process. The experience is a bit clumsy this time around and some bugs can get in the way, but that won’t stop you from enjoying the latest round of songs in this year’s iteration of Ubisoft’s popular dancing series. All you gotta do is Just Dance.

As a big fan of cinema and storytelling, I enjoyed the attempt at a mostly well told, if somewhat predictable yarn, full of plot twists and surprises, particularly with friends in tow.

Long time fans of Punch-Out should definitely check out Thunder Ray as it provides a stunning and fun modern day fix at a welcoming price of admission.

Little Kitty, Big City is a short and sweet experience, much like this review. Full of charm and heart, it’s well worth checking out Day One on Xbox Game Pass whether you’re a cat person or not.

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.

Stray is a good game, even great at times. It has some very well designed levels, it looks fantastic, it has an intriguing story, and it does a fairly decent job of making you feel like a cat exploring a new world. But while it does those things well, it has many areas that don’t keep up. The strict jumping can often be a disappointment, the puzzles are almost always too simple, and while the game doesn’t overstay its welcome, I found the second half to be significantly worse, largely due to the lack of verticality in the levels, but also for other reasons as well. With all that being said, while I don’t think Stray is great enough to compete with the very best indie games released (both this year and the last), it’s still a good game. And for 30 USD it’s not going to break the bank either. Especially for those wanting a slightly different platforming experience, one without a bipedal at the helm.

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.

Although there were aspects of this game that I had a hard time vibing with, overall, I think this is a fun game if you’re in the mood for some 90’s 90s-style survival horror. And maybe if I was simply in the mood for this type of game, I would have enjoyed it more. It certainly isn’t a bad game, and I hope no one has that takeaway from my review. I think anyone who likes this style of game should absolutely check it out!

Above all, the team at SMG Studios have created a game with all the LEGO charm one would expect, full of the sort of variety only LEGO can bring, and a selection of mini-games that produced all the screaming, laughter, competition and fun one would want from a family-friendly title. Definitely one to break out on game nights.

Gunvolt Records Cychronicle works great for what it is: a spin-off game with fanservice to Gunvolt fans, the game including CD versions of the series’ songs and all. But it’s also a fun rhythm game for anyone to pick up and play—it might even be convincing enough for new players to check out INTI’s catalogue of fun action platformers like the Gunvolt series.

Layers of Fear (2023) is a solid compilation of two decent horror titles. It is a massive graphical upgrade that uses a new narrative to tie them together in a satisfying way. Releasing at $30 MSRP if you haven’t played the games before and love to get creeped out then this one is well worth checking out.

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.

Landing force is a welcome and timely DLC for anyone who has enjoyed playing Sniper Elite 5. It is another mission to lose yourself in for several hours and although not mind-blowing in its own right it is a good addition to the base game and is arguably of a higher quality than the pre-order linked ‘Target Fuhrer: Wolf Mountain’ mission.

In the end Sloclap has unintentionally put a lot of roadblocks in the way of both your ability to enjoy and desire to purchase Rematch, but behind all that is one of the best feeling soccer games ever made waiting to blossom and be discovered, as long as you can see past those roadblocks and don’t mind paying up front for the potential this game has for the future.

Solar Ash is short, sweet, and a little too repetitive. The gameplay is a ton of fun the first hour or two. By the end things were carried by the gorgeous visuals, excellent music, and heartbreaking story. This one should be a no brainer to at least check out through Game Pass.

With a low play time of 2 hours or less, I would definitely recommend this game if you are at all interested. The story is engaging, even though it ends abruptly. You might feel yourself wanting more, but if you save your progress along the way, you can go back and complete those mini-games you might have skipped or try to find the secret scenes. there isn’t much to dislike about this charming installment other than it ends too soon.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound does exactly what it aims to do. It isn’t trying to be a large, 25-hour, big-budget experience. You’ll get a solid 4 to 5 hours of fun combat and platforming the first time through. It’s full of gore, has a decent story, and the graphical splendor on offer, if you’re into pixels, makes it that much easier to recommend if the $40 price tag doesn’t turn you off.

Solo or with friends it is a hell of a lot of fun, and an easy recommendation to at least give it a try.

Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is a fun, repeatable, relaxing time. Few games let you stare so much before blowing a hot load of lead directly into the target of your gaze.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a fun romp through old fashioned Japanese horror. The atmosphere is lovely, the story is interesting, and though the gameplay might wear down a bit over time, it’s a unique survival horror game that I can recommend to anyone.

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.

Outlast Trials may not be for everyone, but I feel confident in saying that those that do love it, will really love it, and considering Red Barrels approach to listening to player feedback throughout it’s early access, it’s sure to be a worthwhile investment.

Minecraft Legends wasn't a game I was particularly excited about, mostly due to its strategy leanings. However, it's always nice to be surprised, and there's a lot of fun to be had, particularly with friends online. The single player can be as chill as you'd like it to be, but PVP is absolute panic-inducing carnage in the best kind of way.

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 a good-looking, if not very well-performing Unreal Engine 5 game that shows us a cool world, it populates it with an interesting lore and rich characters, and gives them just enough meat to get through a couple sessions’ worth of single player third person action adventure campaign, with a combat that is just enjoyable enough to last the ride. If that sounds like your jam, it’s cheaper than most AAA games of this kind, launching at under 40USD/EUR, with even a 10% launch discount. The lower budget is felt in a lot of areas, but fans of the genre who can close an eye on such things should have a good time with Echoes of the End.

I still think Ruffy and the Riverside is worth your time if you’re a hardcore fan of platformers of the 90’s, especially if you’re still waiting for a proper new Banjo-Kazooie – though I’d argue that Yooka-Laylee does a better job at replicating that style. Ruffy’s adventure has enough spins on the formula to stand out, especially the creative swap mechanic and some ideas beyond the opening levels, but I feel like there’s a lot of unforced errors in this title, which made me not enjoy myself as much as I hoped I would. Maybe it’s just me, because the game definitely oozes charm a lot of the time, but I wish the actual game was as exciting as the ideas behind it.

Floppy Knights is a fun game that is really close to being a great one. Its major flaw for me is how long everything takes. From mission length to waiting on enemy turns, and the slow loading of the menu system it can be a drag.

Technically, the game does look the part, with solid graphics especially on Xbox Series X where the game was tested, albeit there’s noticeable and rather annoying framerate drops whenever the game loads new players into our session. In the end, I find myself having a good time with Shredders, but there’s still plenty to iron out in its design before it has the chance to be remembered as one of the great snowboarding titles.

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.

Despite everything, however, I had a great time with Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny. The simple gameplay formula and the local co-op options turn this ARPG romp into an accessible entry point into this exciting genre, with the 9 playable Nicktoons characters offering sufficiently diverse skills to bother trying ’em all. It’s a short game, with a very limited loot and build variety. Yet, the game’s solid pacing, cute presentation and fun combat still carry the experience all the way to the end, and I could see many younger folks have a blast, as their RPG-ified SpongeBob fights side-by-side with Jimmy Neutron against evil wizards and robots. I certainly had a lot fun, and I’m not even that young anymore!

Soul Hackers 2 is a solid game. It’s not the most impressive technically and you can see the budget constraints, but it tells a fascinating story with a style few can match. If you’re a fan of Dungeon Crawling JRPGs then you should check this one out.

I’d like to say something more original or outstanding about ArcRunner, but in so many ways it’s as generic of a cyberpunk third person roguelite shooter as it gets. Solid visuals, a decent soundtrack, enjoyable but not outstanding gameplay, though impacted by a low variety that becomes evident when grinding through near identical scenarios one after another. And yet, I had a great time with this game, with tight difficulty and risk vs reward gameplay making it an enjoyable way to pass a couple evenings in this relatively unexciting April of new releases. If you need some mindless action that plays and looks pretty good, do keep an eye out for this one.

At its core, OddBallers is a fun game with an engaging gameplay loop and good enough variety to last for a while, but with little marketing, a seemingly nigh non-existent playerbase and some technical woes it’s hard to recommend this one just yet, unless you’re guaranteed have a group of friends to play with.

All in all, Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is a fast-paced, yet accessible racer, based on Netflix’s show and the Hot Wheels toys. It certainly fails to live to some of its full potential due to a variety of reasons. These include an oddly twitchy handling, lack of online, a lack of real challenge and limited variety. Yet, the show’s infectious style, the speedy races and the editor should ensure a good time for younger players and fans of the show. Even I, as an adult, had a good time, speeding through these acrobatic Hot Wheels tracks, despite the game’s limitations.

Turbo Golf Racing is a great racing game and an all right golfing experience. It’s got an appealing visual style and music and it’s a casual title that’s easy to pick up and play but it’s also hard to master. There’s lots of customisation you can unlock to stand out of the crowd, no matter the playstyle. If RC cars and balls appeal to you, this game is for you.

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.

#Blud is a damned funny title with a great art style. While the combat and puzzles could leave me feeling a bit burnt out at times it’s still an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a beautiful, funny dungeon crawler.

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.

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.

Despite a fairly negative-sounding review, Protodroid DeLTA is a fun game. It manages to capture most of the magic of action-platformers of the era, Mega Man X in particular but also the Sonic Adventure games to an extent, with fun, dynamic combat and tons of platforming and a bright, colourful look. Unfortunately, while the gameplay has its moments, it’s also not quite as precise and polished as such a game would require, and with how prevalent and difficult the platforming sequences become, this is certainly a big issue. Nostalgic gamers and people dying to play something resemblign a new 3D Mega Man are still bound to have a pretty fun time with Protodroid DeLTA, and here’s hoping that the title can be successful enough to warrant a sequel that fixes some of its shortcomings.

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened does what a good remake should, and remakes the entire game. New graphics, gameplay, story elements, dialogue, and more all work to bring together an experience any fan of detective-focused gameplay will love. It has some issues with signposting and movement bugs, but if you love Sherlock Holmes then this is a trip worth taking.

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.

Maquette is a short, impactful experience. Through clever use of its puzzle mechanics, it forces you to think in ways only the best of the genre tend to do. While the story and writing aren’t as good as the other parts of the title it is still an easy recommendation for anyone to check out for a night or two through Game Pass.

Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek is a kid-friendly adventure with a few weird design choices related to the puzzles and combat, but ultimately, it’s quirky and charming enough to be blasted through, whether you’re a pre-teen or an adult who has fond memories of the iconic book series by R. L. Stine. I certainly had my fun with it, and would recommend it to those seeking a horror game that’s ideal for a younger audience.

It’s good, simple fun and we’re all here to cheer Girl on and, if anything, intently watch as she fails to keep the buggers off of her. TurretGirls scratches that cheap arcade itch that’s been somewhat missing from gaming these last couple of years—you’ll know it’s for you right from the onset.

The third expansion for Back for Blood is more of the best parts of the game. It’s short, packs a huge punch, and is a lot of fun to go through alone or with friends.

Ultimately, I walk away from Painkiller with somewhat mixed, but overall fairly positive feelings. The gameplay is fast, satisfying, with rock solid peformance and excellent graphics making for a blast of a shooter. It is, however, Painkiller in name only, as not only it loses the series’ core aspects, but also is rather uninspired all around. Very few memorable moments in the raids, generic enemy and arena designs, and not quite the depth needed for such a co-op experience to last you long. Still, if you crave for more shooters in the style of modern Doom, do give Painkiller a fair shot, as it can be a ton of fun both solo and with two allies by your side.

Close to the Sun is short, sweet, and a solid yarn. It takes an interesting alt-history setting and is pretty enough to put up with occasionally clunky gameplay. It’s short at only 3 hours for a full playthrough, so it’s worth giving it a try if you have any interest in the premise.

Completing the main story in any of the 3 available difficulties is once again a 3-4 hour affair, but the game doesn’t quite end there. If you loved the minigames from the campaign, these can also be played in local co-op up to a combination of 4 human or AI players, either picking specific activities yourself or letting it assign us a random one with combined scores across all of them at the end to declare a winner. As said, these minigames range from decent to poor, with a handful of convoluted rules, unoptimal controls, unreliable hitboxes and so on hampering the experience. It certainly ain’t no Mario Party and it won’t be a mainstay in evenings with your friends, but it can be a decent way to pass the time for an hour or two, adding a bit more meat to the package.

What kept me going was the excellent presentation and cool beats alongside the game’s short and sweet narrative campaign. The game supports multiple languages and the typeface for each one is simply gorgeous. I personally kept it in Japanese just because it almost looked like I was reading the game off an eReader. The game has plenty of bespoke panels that fly in and out effortlessly. If you are a fan of manga or manhwa and are curious about Asian stories (and in particular, those about countries under Japanese rule during the late 1800s), I can easily recommend this game. This is one of those few times I’ll take style over substance. I look forward to seeing what else this developer will come up with.

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.

It’s a flawed game, but its tactical approach of energy-management, peloton tactics and multi-rider teams make it a unique experience. It’s quite a visual upgrade from 2024’s game, too, though mechanically it didn’t change a whole lot, and the new refuelling system is quite basic as well. Tour De France 2025 is certainly an improvement over the previous chapter, but it’s still a product with notable flaws, one with limited appeal to a casual audience.

Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch is a solid roguelite strategy RPG. I think players will enjoy the roguelite mechanics and world mythos very much, but combat and level design leave a lot to be desired. Still, it’s not a bad experience—I am quick to drop a boring SRPG, but this one kept me engaged throughout the entirety of my playthrough.

Despite my issues with the game, Ire: A Prologue is one of the better survival horror titles I’ve played. It’s got a good lore backing it, a great performance from the cast, and the objectives chance often enough to keep gameplay fresh. Emily might chip in to occasionally help the player, but you’ll be doing most of the puzzle solving on your own. Against the precipice of a terrifying-looking monster hunting you down in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, this is easily a game that’ll terrify you to bits. If this is a start to a franchise, this is definitely a good one.