Guardians of Azuma successfully reinvents the series with ambitious village-building mechanics and gorgeous Japanese aesthetics. Even though some systems start simplified, the fun story and the Switch 2 version's smooth performance and engaging gameplay loop make this a worthwhile entry that respects the series' roots while pushing in bold new directions.
The Alters is a masterfully crafted experience that elevates survival gaming into something genuinely meaningful and emotionally resonant. While the relentless stress and complexity won't appeal to everyone, those who embrace its philosophical depth will find one of the most thought-provoking games in years. It's 11 Bit Studios firing on all cylinders, creating a rare game that makes you question your own life choices while desperately trying to survive.
RoadCraft trades SnowRunner's survival mechanics for pure construction chaos, letting you rebuild disaster zones with 40+ heavy machines. It's a slow-burn puzzle game disguised as a truck sim, where patience pays off but technical issues can break the zen. Perfect for heavy machinery enthusiasts who don't mind getting their virtual hands dirty.
The Midnight Walk is an innovative VR experience that prioritizes artistic vision and emotional storytelling over traditional gameplay. While the simple mechanics and short runtime may disappoint some, the unique claymation visuals and creative use of eye-tracking make it a standout PSVR2 exclusive. This is interactive art that will stick with you long after the credits roll.
Tempest Rising is an authentic homage to what many would consider the peak period of RTS gaming. Fans of the genre looking for a solid campaign will be happy with what Tempest Rising has to offer, but don't expect it to fix the long-standing issues in the genre in regards to multiplayer.
Monolith Soft went the extra mile and added meaningful new content and quality-of-life features that actually improved on what was already a masterpiece experience. The Definitive Edition treatment makes Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition one of the best JRPGs on the Switch, and a must-play for fans of the genre.
I’m glad Firaxis is still finding ways to improve a genre it has mastered over the years, and as a result, Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 has the series in its best shape yet.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 gives you that lively and immersive world full of choices and then implores you to make the wrong ones, and it’s a hell of an experience because of it.
For me, this is the best Dynasty Warriors yet, and I’m excited to see what’s next.
Tales of Graces f Remastered is everything a remaster should be: graphical upgrades that make an old game look better on modern platforms, a trove of quality-of-life additions that make the game better while staying true to the original version, and inclusion of all the DLC for the complete package.
Even over a decade later, Freedom Wars Remastered is an extremely satisfying endeavor with the constant reward of seeing your million-year sentence drop lower and lower as you progress, a feeling that’s been a bit absent in this 10-year window since the original.
Even in its current state, Path of Exile 2 has set a new bar for the ARPG genre. I’m ready to pour thousands of hours into it over the years to come, and I’m confident that GGG will only make it magnitudes better over the next year as they continue to grow the game towards its full release. See you on the shores, exile.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an incredibly authentic Indiana Jones experience, and MachineGames really makes you feel like you are Indiana Jones. If you’re looking for an epic journey of exploration with a fun and mysterious story, that’s exactly what you’ll get with The Great Circle, and with a high level of polish to boot.
There's something special about Fantasian Neo Dimension that melds the old with the new to create an enthralling and nostalgic journey in a unique high-fantasy world that's simply a ton of fun to play.
I quickly found the entire experience very repetitive and not a true representation of what makes Horizon special. Look, I'm a Lego fan. But this time around, I feel it really doesn't do the source material justice.
The combat is fluid and satisfying, and the world of Thedas is well-designed and fun to explore. The story has its drawbacks, but overall it's still better than most. Whether it will live up to the prestigious storytelling of the previous Dragon Age games will very much depend on the RPG's curtain call.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred has Diablo 4 in its best form yet.
If you’ve been looking for something that puts the MMO back into MMORPG, this is could be just what you’re looking for.
If you enjoy the Ubisoft structure of games but have been overwhelmed by them lately, thankfully Outlaws avoids most of the pitfalls. I feel safe in recommending Star Wars Outlaws to anyone who is a Star Wars fan who is looking for a solid story in the beloved universe, with stealth-focused gameplay that allows you to truly live the life of a scoundrel on the Outer Rim.
I think that’s the biggest point here, is that even though my expectations were high, Shadow of the Erdtree still managed to exceed them. From Software probably could have just added more Elden Ring and that would have been solid enough, but instead, Shadow of the Erdtree is yet another innovative iteration of the genre.