Metal Eden doesn’t try to be everything. It isn’t a sprawling open world, and it isn’t a 40-hour epic. What it is, though, is a concentrated shot of kinetic energy. If Doom is the power fantasy and Titanfall is the movement masterclass, Metal Eden is the scrappy cousin that blends the two into something that’s lean, stylish, and just plain fun but repetitive.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an impressive first effort by Sega to re-ignite their classic franchises. The year of the ninja has delivered, and if the rest of their lineup is this good, we are in for a treat. The campaign is short enough to digest, long enough to keep players coming back, and overall is just a blast to play. Even if you don’t have nostalgia for the original games, this is worth checking out. Now bring back Eternal Champions cowards!

Helldivers 2 on Xbox is more than just a port; it’s a chance for new players to experience one of the wildest, most unpredictable co-op shooters out there. It’s not perfect: UI issues, glitchy dropships and mission objectives, and the live-service trappings might not sit well with everyone. But in the right conditions, with the right squad, it’s one of the most fun experiences you can have on the console.

Shuten Order is a game of great ambition, unfortunately lacking in execution and polish to properly shoulder the weight of said ambition. While there is a good story to experience and some great moments sprinkled throughout the adventure, the issues with its storytelling and half-baked gameplay elements makes it come far short of its lofty ambitions.

Titanic Scion is a step forward for the series in some areas but still weighed down by the same problems that kept the original from reaching greatness. If you loved the first game, you’ll find more of what you enjoy here, and the mech customization remains a highlight. For everyone else, it’s a stylish but middling action game that struggles to stand out for long stretches. The original game had a lot of post-game support and with any luck Titanic Scion will as well, because currently it sits firmly in the ‘meh’ category; just another fun, forgettable game.

At the end of the day, Space Cobra Adventure: The Awakening isn’t a bad game, but it’s not the triumphant return fans might have hoped for. It sits squarely in that “middling” territory: fun enough for fans of the character, but lacking the mechanical and narrative polish to recommend widely. For every moment that feels like a love letter to the source material, there’s another that reminds you of its rough edges. If you’re already invested in Cobra’s universe as I am, you’ll find things to enjoy here. If you’re not, this probably isn’t the game that’s going to win you over.

Discounty isn’t trying to be a sprawling life simulator, and that’s exactly why it works. It focuses on shopkeeping and small-town charm, and in those areas it succeeds. The store management loop is fun, the characters are memorable, and the atmosphere is cozy in a way that few games pull off. It does stumble with clunky controls, slow pacing, and a lack of meaningful downtime activities, but those issues don’t outweigh the charm at its core. In the end Discounty is a refreshing spin on cozy sims that makes running a supermarket surprisingly engaging.

So, the big question is whether this is worth revisiting with the HD collection with the original already existing. For me it is a mixed bag. I loved revisiting this absolute classic. The new visuals really do look amazing, and the minor quality of life improvements make it easier to just enjoy the game. Still, I would have loved to see so much more included or updated.

While Iwakura Aria isn’t Mages Inc’s best work, the mystery of the Iwakura family was one well worth uncovering, featuring a great sense of suspense and foreboding dread that kept me reading well past my bedtime.

The most frustrating thing about Sengoku Dynasty is that you can see the potential hiding under all the rough edges. The visuals sell the fantasy, the survival loop has moments of satisfaction, and building up a village from nothing is conceptually strong. But the execution drags everything down. It feels like a foundation for a great game that never got the time to mature into one. Sengoku Dynasty is a game I wanted to love. I see the pieces of something truly unique, but those pieces never come together. The constant grind, poor villager AI, empty world, and clunky systems overshadow the good ideas. It’s not unplayable; it just isn’t enjoyable for long stretches.

Fantasy Finds is exactly the kind of DLC Two Point fans have come to expect: not earth-shattering, but smart, funny, and designed to deepen the systems you already love. It doesn’t reinvent Two Point Museum, but it enriches it with new mechanics, new aesthetics, and plenty of silly surprises. For players who already own the base game, this is a no-brainer. It’s an excuse to dive back into your old saves, hire some fantasy misfits, and watch as your polished exhibits are visited by goblins and chicken-ified tourists alike.

The Toaplan Arcade Collection is an interesting piece of history. There are some deep cuts here, and I enjoyed discovering the games I had never played. Of course, revisiting classics such as Truxton, Hellfire, and of course Zero Wing on my Xbox in 2025 was a trip. I love the renaissance that shooters are in. Bring them all back! Being able to just sit down at my modern console and do a run of Tiger Heli is really cool.

The Toaplan Arcade Collection is an interesting piece of history. There are some deep cuts here, and I enjoyed discovering the games I had never played. Of course, revisiting classics such as Truxton, Hellfire, and of course Zero Wing on my Xbox in 2025 was a trip. I love the renaissance that shooters are in. Bring them all back! Being able to just sit down at my modern console and do a run of Tiger Heli is really cool.

Gradius Origins is a phenomenal package that has just about everything you could want from one of these. The games included are incredible, they created a new entry just for the collection, and the additions and inclusions are simply amazing. I had a great time just digging through all the stuff, the only way it could be better is having a documentary built in, sort of like what Digital Eclipse does with their Gold series. This is as close to that standard as far as these collections go. Now I want Konami to do Contra and Castlevania like this one. Definitely recommended if you have any affinity for the series or genre.

Ra Ra Boom has style and ambition, but style alone can’t make up for undercooked gameplay that never fully clicks. Combat is rough around the edges, the lane system just feels ‘there’ and the story lacks any real staying power. Ra Ra Boom feels like the type of game that presents well in motion and in screenshots but the fun starts to waiver the more time you spend with it.

Donkey Kong Bananza should have launched with the Switch 2. This is the first game that has made me super excited to own the console. This is the next great platformer from Nintendo and gives me even more excitement for the next proper Mario game. DK holds his own though and I cannot recommend this enough. If you have a Switch 2, this game should be in your library.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound doesn’t try to be everything, unlike many games nowadays; no, it just tries to be damn good at what it is. And that’s exactly why it works. This is the most focused, confident entry the series has seen in years. No bloated cutscenes, no watered-down combat, no unnecessary frills. Just you, your blade, and a demon army to cut through. It’s not perfect though, the short runtime and limited build variety may leave some wanting more but what’s here is tight, polished, and relentlessly fun. For fans of Black, Sigma, or even the NES originals, this is the closest we’ve gotten to the true spirit of Ninja Gaiden in over a decade.

Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is a game that looks good on paper and screenshots but falls short in several aspects. The biggest issue is the AI and handling, which are key components of a racing game. I get their vision, I want to love the game, but I just can’t. It feels like a few more months in the oven and this could be a good title to return to if the developers clean it up, but as it is, it is hard to recommend.

Ruffy and the Riverside is one of the most creative games I’ve played all year. It’s a puzzle-platformer that puts puzzles first, throws platforming in for flavor, and somehow wraps it all in a technicolor cartoon aesthetic that shouldn’t work but totally does. Zockrates Laboratories didn’t just make a game; they made a vibe. It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. But if you like your games clever, your worlds weird, and your protagonists one jazz hand away from a nervous breakdown, Ruffy is your guy.

IREM and ININ continue to deliver classic arcade games to modern consoles, and I am here for it. While this collection doesn’t have a marquee title to boast, the games included here are definitely fun. I enjoyed revisiting these as well as playing something I had missed when it came out. I love these old collections and hope we continue to see more of them. Bring on Volume 4 and let’s get even weirder with it.

Shadow Labyrinth is a hard game to nail down. It does some cool things here and there but is bogged down by poor level design and tedious Metroidvania game play. I wanted to love it, but came away just slightly entertained. The price helps, only clocking in at $29.99 makes it easier to swallow. I wish it was better, but at worst, it is a decent “one of those” that fails to capture the magic of the genre.

Killing Floor 3 is a weird one. It looks better. It’s technically deeper. The gore and co-op moments still slap. But it’s also slower, clunkier, and more controlled than the chaos we used to love.

Wuchang has some neat ideas, but the inconsistent difficulty and confusing story really made it hard to enjoy a lot of times. Still, I love the world, and combat feels great and responsive. This is a solid effort from a first-time studio, and I think people who really enjoy the genre have yet another one they can get into. The campaign is long, clocking in at just under 50 hours with plenty more once credits roll. Fans will love it, but for those like me, this one doesn’t do enough to overcome my issues with the genre.

Golden Tee Arcade Classics is a decent package with some awkward controls. These games have a place in history, and it is great to finally see them come to modern consoles, but the controls are going to throw off a whole new generation of players. I was excited to dig in until the game humbled my skills with its controls. I still love having these available to play whenever I want, but unless you have deep-seated nostalgia for the series, there are better golf games to check out.

Even though it is much shorter and less ambitious than the other titles in the series, “No Sleep for Kaname Date” is a good time, albeit with the stipulation that it should not be the introduction to the series for anyone and strictly for the fans of special agent Date and his misadventures.

Robocop: Unfinished Business doesn’t reinvent the wheel; it just straps some spikes on it and rolls it through a burning tower full of mercs. If you loved Rogue City, this is more of what made that game so surprisingly compelling: big guns, bigger satire, and a chrome-plated hero who never forgets his humanity. It’s a shame the polish wasn’t quite there, but if you can overlook the rough edges, there’s plenty of meat on this cyborg bone.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is another outstanding package of classic games that reignites my love for the series. I wonder if THUG will even be in consideration, and honestly, I don’t have nearly as much nostalgia for those games, I kind of fell off at that point. I still played them all, but my memories are from those first four games. I would love it if this sparked the return of the series for a new game, as I feel like the remakes have run their course.

Wizard of Legend 2 is a smart sequel. It grows the formula, expands the world, and doubles down on build variety without losing the core “magic” that made the original stand out. Yes, the combat feeling has changed, and no, it’s not quite as tight. But the added depth, visual upgrade, and co-op potential more than make up for it, if the technical side keeps improving.