The game is relatively not punishing yet not easy, and it does have that Nintendo polish on it. It’s incredibly engaging as long as you accept this game for what it is (which is not Yoshi’s Island). In comparison to other games Good-Feel has done for Nintendo, this is one of their best and that’s because it’s not trying to be Yoshi’s Island or Kirby’s Dream Land with a cute aesthetic, but a new type of game using a familiar move set… and it’s much better than their last outing Princess Peach: Showtime!

My time overall with the charismatic James Bond was a very well written spy story that will have you guessing who the bad guys are and who are the good guys for many hours. The cinematics are outstanding and visually the game looks amazing albeit with a few glitches here and there. The gadgets were fun to use but could have had more variety. The driving sequences could have been tighter, and the combat could use a tweak. But for the most part as a first installment in a long time for this storied spy master, I think it hits its target. Hopefully they will continue and grow this franchise in the future.

The Adventures of Elliot is a great progression of the 2D-HD style. It brings a new genre into the mix with solid results. There are things here I would definitely change, the excessive dialogue being at the top of that list, but for a first effort, it stands out. If you are like me and craving that Zelda-style adventure, this is definitely worth a look.

Sudden Strike 5 is a fun RTS game that plays really well on console which fans know is a rarity. With some great graphics and effects that help to immerse players in the WW2 theater of war, this is a great experience on the XBOX Series X. I love that there was less focus on base building and more on the moment-to-moment action and strategy involved to win these games. I just wish there was better control and identification when it came to commanding your units.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is an outstanding return to the formula. Fans of the Dark Knight will be pleasantly surprised at all the suits, songs, and storylines included. If they could figure out how to cater to solo players a little more, it would be nearly perfect. As it stands this is a game you need to play if you have any affinity for Batman at all. It is just pure joy 99% of the time, and I cannot wait to collect everything it has to offer.

As a noob to UFC in general I really had a good time playing UFC 6. Coming in fresh I felt like the developers did a good job of kind of easing me into things. I do think it’s weird that the customization in this is a shadow of what is offered for players of the 2K sports games but it works. With some incredible visuals, and a dope physics engine that adds to the charm of the game, UFC 6 managed to land more punches than it missed with me. I may not be a full-on fan for life, but I will be coming back to this game to try my hands at some multiplayer.

I had an absolute blast revisiting this game and even did a bit more of the side stuff this time around. The Remake project has improved with each entry so far, and I really hope the final entry will continue this level of excellence. I do hope Square-Enix takes the time to fix this Xbox version though. It is really disappointing to see the state it is currently in. Fix the camera judder and the VRR implementation so we can enjoy the game as it should be. Still, I cannot recommend this game enough, it was my 2024 game of the year, and I am happy it is finally releasing on these two consoles.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is an amazing upgrade for the series. Between improvements to the narrative and all the new mechanics this finally feels like a series that has come into its own. While it is not going to appeal to everyone, for fans of the monster taming genre; Monster Hunter Stories 3 has the chops to stand with the big dogs and shouldn’t be missed.

I absolutely loved Echo Generation 2 and it will undoubtedly be on my Game of the Year list for 2026. Its narratives mix of charm, horror, comedy and heart is something delighted and kept me guessing as I played it. And with the game launching on XBOX Game Pass, I really hope a lot of players take the opportunity to experience what I am calling one of the year’s best RPGs.

Overall, Vampire Crawlers is a fun and somewhat addicting game that is easy to get into and challenging enough to keep you playing even if the content seems a little on the slim side. And in the immortal words of Leslie Nelson from Dracula: Dead and Loving It, “I’m drinking vine (wine) and eating chicken!” but in this case, its floor chickens.

Invincible VS is a great addition to the growing media empire for its source material. The arcade type endings for each character are hit-and-miss, but the story mode ends up being solid; if a tad short. Developer Quarter Up are to be commended on dropping a fighting game that eases players in with its mechanics and for having a solid roster, but most of all the love that this team has for the license can be felt in each punch and heard in all the voice lines. This one has been a long time coming, I just hope we get more.

The Forza Horizon series is still my favorite current racing game series, but the formula is starting to wear out its welcome. I was really hoping to see some more dynamic changes to the main career mode, instead for players who only engage with that aspect, it feels a lot like FH5 in a new map. If you are a creation junkie, this game adds a lot. Either way no one can deny the quality of this title. It is massive, has tons of content, and runs and plays like a dream. There is little to complain about in a technical sense. Add in the fact that players have access to the game if they have Game Pass and it is a no-brainer. Forza Horizon 6 is a quality video game that is just in need of some updates to its core formula.

Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes is a phenomenal experience for newcomers as well as long time fans of the show. Like I said at the outset, I can’t think of a better fit for a roguelite game; a genre that is based on survival, risk vs. reward and more. Basically, the very definition of what the Battlestar revival series is; developer Alt Shift took that and has delivered a fantastic video game experience that emulates the shows high pressure tension as well as fits nicely in the lore. As a fan of the show, who can ask for anything more?

Overall, I did enjoy the game even though it seemed to be geared towards a younger audience with the visuals and simplistic story and characters. As far as value goes, you get a lot to do for a budget title.

I wish Pearl Abyss had focused in a bit more on Crimson Desert’s quiet moments. I enjoyed scaling mountains and finding ruins to explore or meeting randoms in small towns; these moments felt the most special to me. Sure, it’s nice to have the ability to do… well just about anything you can think of in a game but without a more meaningful narrative I felt like I was all dressed up with nowhere to go most times. Crimson Desert is an odd game for me to place, I enjoyed it for the freedom I had to make my own story and for all the combat and systems but I wasn’t a huge fan of the narrative; even though it did get better. If you are a fan of sandbox games that allow you to live out a fantasy then Crimson Desert is here for you, I just don’t know if I can recommend it for its story. If you are looking for a great narrative, well you will find that in another castle.

Directive 8020’s over reliance on stealth segments, cheap jump scares and jarring story transitions prevents it from being one of the best in the series. However, it impresses with strong performances, atmosphere and the addition of the Turning Point system that makes replaying the game to see new plot points more convenient than ever, making it a solid new entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology.

Call of the Elder Gods is a worthy successor to Call of the Sea in almost every way. Combining exploration with some stellar puzzles and gameplay the game manages to tell a wonderful story with a Lovecraftian twist. The fantastic soundtrack mixed with the wonderful job the voice actors have done really help to make Call of the Elder Gods stand out. This one is sure to be on my Game of the Year list for 2026.

Between the cost of the games separately on original DS hardware and all the changes Capcom has made to make the experience more enjoyable, there is zero reason to return to the DS originals. I won’t be and I own them. It’s another great collection in the Mega Man series and from one of their most overlooked renditions of the blue bomber himself.

Despite some hiccups here and there, People of Note deliver’s a rockin’ performance. There is a fun and engaging combat system here and a story that has no shortage of musical style puns. But I feel like the game is held back by the performance and rhythm aspects of its gameplay. I would have loved to see the attacks and abilities be more on beat with the background music. But despite those flaws People of Note delivers a solid game that has a lot of heart and soul.

It wasn’t all a flowery trip to Pottery Barn though; at launch there was some issues with matchmaking, but it was corrected pretty quick. Kiln actually performs quite well, aside from some longer loading times; I had really no issues with the gameplay or anything. In fact, my only real gripe is the lone game mode that is currently available. Not that there is anything wrong with quench because it is a lot of fun, but there is no variety outside of it and we all know that gamers get bored of things quicker than a babysitter’s boyfriend when a car pulls up. And even though the Kiln is on Game Pass I worry about the longevity of the game, especially since it’s multiplayer only. But I guess that’s tomorrow’s problem, for today we smash pots.

Darwin’s Paradox is a quirky puzzle platformer that harkens back to classic games and I loved it. The goofy cartoon art style is its biggest selling point, and the nods to classic Konami games are fun. The price matches the experience, and it is easy to recommend. I had a great time digging through it and we don’t get a ton of these types of games anymore, so it is always great to see a new one.

Mouse P.I. For Hire is one enjoyable and visually stunning video game. While it stumbles like a drunk on Tuesday night when it comes to enemy variety; it more than makes up for it with a stellar voice cast, some fun combat and genuinely laugh-out-loud side quest missions. The game may be on the easy side but don’t let that dissuade you, this is one case worth taking on gumshoe.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Grime 2, for those that are fans of the genre this is a weirdly, beautiful game. The move from the more horror focus of the original to the artistic surrealism that developer Clover Bite has embraced is really a sight to behold and one I think helps make Grime 2 stand out. While I would have preferred a more, straight forward narrative the combat, creatures and world presented here are all interesting enough but the game is held back by some technical issues and a lot of repetitive backtracking.

Overall, Saros is a fantastic experience that should not be missed. Housemarque has taken what worked for them previously and made it better. More importantly, they’ve taken the negatives from previous releases and assessed them honestly, allowing them to turn said negatives into positives.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is my type of game, a horde shooter that I can play co-op with my wife and friends. But look; Toxic Commando isn’t the second coming of Left 4 Dead and honestly, we have got to stop thinking that every game in this genre has to be. L4D came out at a special time and introduced us to something that has persevered over the years, those memories and experiences will never be taken away. We do not need to retread those games but instead forge new paths from the undead roots that they laid before. I think John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando does just that through its absurdly 80’s story to its explosive gunplay and addition of vehicles. It takes the zombie/horde baton and treads its own path, one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

As someone who missed the original release of Tales of Berseria, I really enjoyed this remastered version. They story is about revenge, and is much darker than the typical JRPG but to me it also felt more earnest in its approach. While the developers made things prettier with the remaster, I do wish this was a full-fledged remake; but what’s here is a lot of fun.

As a fan of the beat ‘em up genre I am glad I was introduced to RUSHING BEAT X: Return of Brawl Brothers. It’s a very quirky type of game, one that prioritizes over the top fun rather than deliver a cohesive story. And with quite a few playable characters to choose from, I guarantee there is someone here for every playstyle. I was pleasantly surprised by this one, sure it has some flaws but it delivers in fun.

Pragmata is an interesting game that sometimes overcomplicates or oversimplifies its mechanics and setting. I really enjoyed my time with the game, but I’m not sure it will stick with me over time. There were moments where I thought it was outstanding, while other times it was just another space shooter. That is probably its biggest flaw. The pacing of the fun is too uneven and could have benefitted from better pacing.