Crime Simulator on Xbox is far from polished, and the jank is noticeable, but the heart of the game; planning a heist, sweating through the tension, pulling it off against the odds; is genuinely satisfying if you are playing with friends. And while Co-op elevates it, solo play tests your patience, and the whole thing feels like a deliciously unstable tower of theft, luck, and questionable decisions.

Outlaws is not a household name, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it. If you enjoy the kind of games that Nightdive has been bringing back, then this one is a must. The extras are great and the theme is not something we get a lot of in shooters. Definitely worth checking out and I hope Nightdive continues to bring back the classics of my childhood.

The balance of slow-burn inspection work and sudden chaos gives the game a pulse that a lot of sims completely miss. When you’re marking down discrepancies like a stern librarian one minute and trying not to get shot in a forest the next, it leaves an impression. Contraband Police isn’t polished, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s engaging, tense in all the right moments, and strangely absorbing once you settle into the rhythm. The rough edges in combat and driving hold it back, and the repetition eventually starts to rub, but the core loop is strong enough to earn its stripes on console.

Inferno could have been a solid title if Supetrick put any sort of effort into actually improving the original game’s formula, but it instead comically doubles down on every single aspect that made it a chore to play, except now you have to pay an entry fee (which doesn’t mean microtransactions are gone, by the way). Inferno is a weird amalgamation of the first Let it Die and Deathverse, attempting to merge them into a PvPvE experience that ends up being for nobody. Maybe it’s time we simply Let it Die.

Revisiting these games has been a treat. I loved them back in the day, and while they haven’t all aged gracefully, I appreciate them for what they are. Nostalgia is a heck of a drug, and I love that we can now play these games on modern consoles. The omission of the Saturn and PlayStation versions is its biggest flaw though and I wish we could have had a complete collection.

Saborus is a unique concept that simply fails in its execution. This could have been a gem but instead remains forgettable. I wanted to love it more than I did, but it kept fighting me the entire way through. While the novelty is there, I cannot recommend this game outside of a curiosity on something like Game Pass.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a curious game- as a sequel to Octopath 2, it’s more steps down than it is up but considering its origins as a mobile game, I’m very glad they decided to give it the single player game reimagining as the story is one well worth experiencing and the system of fielding all eight characters at once is something I’d like to see explored further in the true sequel.

Pigeon Simulator has a premise you want to root for. It aims for goofy, chaotic fun, and there are moments when you can see the spark of what it could’ve been. But the repetitive mission design, underwhelming flight controls, weak progression, and lack of comedic punch make it difficult to recommend. If you’re looking for a quick laugh and don’t mind the rough edges, you might get a brief kick out of it. But for me, this pigeon never quite spreads its wings.

Tormented Souls 2 is the rare kind of sequel that doesn’t try to reinvent itself. It refines, sharpens, and honors the formula that worked before. Dual Effect clearly knows its audience and delivers a polished, confident love letter to old-school horror. It’s atmospheric, unsettling, and just challenging enough to keep you hooked from start to finish. If you grew up with fixed cameras, ink ribbons, and limited shotgun shells, you’ll feel right at home. But if you are like me and have outgrown tank controls and fixed cameras, then this is one mystery that is better left unsolved.

Dying Light: The Best is a return to form. I loved revisiting this world after the disappointment that I had with the second game. It knows what it wants to be and never apologizes for it. If you loved the first game, this is a must-have.

I am happy this game exists and I can now play it on a modern console. I wish there was more though. The price tag is a bit steep for a port of one original PlayStation game with a lack of extras and features. The quality of life stuff is nice, and the updated visuals help with those warping polygons, but I might recommend waiting on a sale for this one. It is a fantastic game that is slightly overpriced.

In the literal sea of fantastic games that have come out in 2025, Marvel Cosmic Invasion shouldn’t be missed. Now, truthfully speaking mileage may vary on how much fun you have depending on how you feel about the brand. As a huge comic fan, I loved this game and can’t wait to play with friends when the online multiplayer goes live. But some folks may be turned off by the lack of enemy variety and the shorter length of the campaign which can be finished in about 3-5 hours; completionist will get about 20 hours to see everything. With its inclusion in Game Pass Ultimate (a shame we have to differentiate) it’s definitely worth checking out.

PowerWash Simulator 2 doesn’t need to shake things up to earn its spot. It’s a warm, relaxing escape that’s all about small wins and satisfying progress. On Xbox Series X, it looks cleaner, plays smoother, and offers just enough new content to keep both veterans and newcomers happy. Whether you’re playing solo or spraying away grime with friends, this is one of the most oddly comforting experiences on Xbox right now. It’s gaming at its most zen and sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

Reus 2 is a rare gem; a god-game that encourages creativity and patience instead of chaos and destruction. It’s a strategy title that rewards thoughtfulness, experimentation, and curiosity. Abbey Games clearly learned from the first outing and refined it into something both deeper and more approachable. The Xbox version looks great, runs smooth, the only real wrinkle is the controls feel clumsy with a controller. Hopefully we can see a patch or two that will address this, but even with that issue players on Xbox will find more to love than hate with Reus 2.

For someone who’s never been on board with extraction shooters, ARC Raiders didn’t just surprise me; it has fully converted me. It balances tension and reward with a deft touch, makes solo play genuinely compelling, and wraps everything in a world that’s fun to exist in, even when it’s trying to tear you apart. If you’ve bounced off extraction shooters before, this might be the one that clicks. It certainly was for me.

Titans of the Tide is a very competent platformer that is further enhanced if you are a fan of SpongeBob and his cohorts. I had a great time even without in-depth knowledge of the show. It plays well, looks great, and is genuinely hilarious at times. We need these types of games, and I am glad SpongeBob continues to carry that torch. For the price, this is more than worth your time.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is exactly what you’d expect if you’ve played the series before. It’s enjoyable, visually pleasing, and satisfying to manage, but it doesn’t reinvent the wheel. For fans of dinosaur park simulators, there’s enough here to keep you entertained, but the lack of innovation keeps the experience from feeling truly fresh.

At the top of this I posed a question, does all this content equate to a better Call of Duty game, and I think the truthful answer is no. No doubt the team took some really big swings this year with the campaign, but I feel like they missed more than they hit with it. The lack of checkpoints and being always online is rough, especially when there are tons of fans who only play single-player and loves these games. If you are returning to Black Ops for the multiplayer or zombies then you are in for a great time, of course mileage may vary depending on which mode and if players vibe with it or not. But ultimately this year’s Call of Duty just feels like a big bag of melted candy, sure it will taste good but is the mess you got to work through to enjoy it worth it in the end?

Neon Inferno stands out amongst the sea of other pixel-art 2D shooters. It leans into what makes these kinds of games good and doesn’t rely on nostalgia. It brings unique mechanics and a great presentation to round out the package. If you are like me and roll your eyes when another “one of those” is announced, this deserves your attention. The developers have done a great job of mixing the right amount of nostalgia with a core experience worth diving into.

Despite tripping over the finish line with a somewhat rushed ending, Dispatch still feels like a good adaptation of the Telltale format, winning me over with its genuinely fantastic voice acting and lovable cast of characters. It’s undeniable that the game relies on quite a bit of padding to hit its 8-hour runtime, but what is there is extremely engaging and well-made, scratching the itch for episodic gaming much better than Deck Nine or Supermassive could, although players used to the standard Telltale formula will most likely be disappointed by the infrequency of dialogue options, as well as the lack of more bombastic choices. Regardless, I firmly believe that the developers at AdHoc are pretty much only competing with their past work at Telltale, as bigger studios like Quantic Dream still fail to match their writing quality despite having ten times the budget. I’m quite excited to see what a season 2 for the game will look like, alongside any other titles AdHoc creates in the future, hopefully suffering from fewer growing pains and with a much higher budget considering how well Dispatch has been received.

The Anima games are unique in almost every aspect, and in a world where everything seems to want to be the same thing, it is a breath of fresh air. I loved these games when they came out originally, and I loved revisiting them for this review. If you never got a chance to check these out, I cannot recommend them enough. Sure, they have hard edges, but once you get past those, both games are some of the most interesting and unique action RPGs I have played. Definitely worth checking out.

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian features a fun combat engine and many fanservice cameos that long term fans of the series will surely appreciate. However, as a direct sequel to a now defunct mobile game, it can’t quite shake the feeling like it was created just to try and salvage some money from the failed predecessor by reusing models, music and boring randomly generated dungeons. For those die-hard fans of the series like myself, there is definitely fun to be had here but for everyone else, perhaps I could recommend another title in the series instead.

When it’s firing on all cylinders, Silly Polly Beast can be a blast. The combat feels good, the world is fascinating enough, and the overall tone sticks with you. It’s the kind of game that rewards curiosity the type that you keep pushing forward just to see what bizarre thing it throws at you next. That being said though the experience feels uneven. A few segments drag, while others frustrate, and a few just feel unfinished. Even with those hiccups, I can’t deny I had fun. Not consistent fun, but enough of it to make me glad I gave it a shot.

Forestrike’s ability to turn mechanical knowledge into meta progression creates a very addictive and enjoyable gameplay loop, allowing you to slowly get better at solving each encounter with grace rather than through brute force. While it does unfortunately fail to provide much when it comes to randomization, the combat system does a great job at carrying the experience, even if the game is overly punishing at points. There are still a couple of rough spots that need to be polished, like the hitstop being way too long, something that can completely throw off your timing when parrying, as well as the RNG for techniques being rough, but Forestrike is bound to please those interested in brutally difficult titles.

Fast and Furious: Arcade Edition is fun for a little while but wears out its welcome far too soon. You can unlock everything there is to see in an hour, and the unfair AI makes replaying it not all that much fun. I loved the romp, but at $30 this is a hard one to recommend. It just lacks content, and the brutal AI kills any replayability. Combine that with no online mode and this title falls short of a must-have.

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is a good time, just not a great remake. It captures the heart of the original perfectly, but doesn’t do enough to justify itself as the “ultimate edition.” If you’ve never played Plants vs. Zombies before, this is absolutely worth jumping into. For returning players, though, it’s more of a comfortable rerun than a revitalized revival.

Double Dragon Revive is a love letter to the franchise, but one that occasionally forgets to stamp it properly. It’s not bad game per say, there are flashes of brilliance where it all comes together, and for those moments, it feels like the return I hoped for. But just as often, it reminds you that sometimes, bringing back the past isn’t enough. If you grew up with the Lee brothers and just want to relive the glory days with a friend, you’ll probably have fun as long as they can come over your house. If you’re new to the series, though, this isn’t going to make you a believer.

It’s a throwback to when shooters were about reflexes, not morality meters. It doesn’t care about narrative twists or prestige storytelling it just wants to entertain you for a few hours, and in that sense, it mostly succeeds. If you’ve got friends to play with, this is a good weekend pick. You’ll have a blast tearing through demons, laughing at the ridiculous story, and remembering why simple, over-the-top shooters still have a place in 2025. If you’re playing solo, though… your mileage may vary.