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WILL: Follow the Light tells a simple story of a man trying to look for his son after a massive storm, and along the way, has to confront the mysteries of his own life. The intimate nature of the core premise is compelling enough to carry this walking simulator throughout its entire runtime.
Forza Horizon 6 doesn't shake up the series' formula too much. Nonetheless, it builds on its predecessors' greatest strengths in a spectacularly crafted open-world recreation of Japan, resulting in an unforgettable racing experience.
Motorslice takes a clear cue from classic games like The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Shadow of the Colossus, but its unique setting, charm, and impressive sense of scale make it an intriguing, if familiar experience, though it's plagued by technical issues and some inconsistent platforming.
Mixtape nails its presentation and story, making it a music-focused adventure that takes you back to simpler times.
Directive 8020 imbues every interaction in trust and paranoia, delivering emotional turbulence and atmospheric dread that's only overshadowed by inconsistent mechanics.
Coming off the underwhelming Tower of Fantasy, NTE: Neverness to Everness won't set the free-to-play world on fire, but it's still a surprisingly strong debut effort with a solid foundation.
Industria 2 has a great premise and fun gameplay, but it's in dire need of better optimization.
Aphelion is a solid experience that delivers on its promise, with its world and excellent performance backing it up. This one's a memorable title if you're looking for a great story, but might disappoint you if you want a challenge.
Invincible VS will be immediately satisfying for the casual crowd, but it also brings genuine competitive potential through its hidden mechanical complexity.
As far as premises go, Kiln follows the standard Double Fine formula by being completely unlike anything else out there. It's just a shame that it doesn't lead to a compelling pseudo-MOBA, party brawler or anything else in between.
Returning characters may find some appreciation from long-time fans, but Lord of Hatred is just another tired, safe addition to Diablo 4 that fails to really excite.
MotoGP 26 doesn't meaningfully upgrade much of its catalog, but its large amount of content and wide range of accessibility options allow it to remain the definitive experience for MotoGP fans of all skill levels.
DarkSwitch represents a new, fresh take on a genre that largely focuses on a flat 2-dimensional axis. Fans of the city-building genre, as well as newcomers, will find plenty to enjoy here.
Crimson Desert is now a game that works with you instead of against you, and with more updates still on the way, there's plenty more to look forward to across Pywel's biomes, towns, cities, and ruins. If you're looking for something that can completely take over your life, this is absolutely worth your time, and the kind of game that can leave you with countless memories even if you never make it all the way to the credits.
Saros is an incredible step up over Returnal in every way imaginable. The rogue-lite progression and quality-of-life improvements are great, but it's the more complex bullet-hell system, bolstered by a compelling world and some masterful level design, that truly elevates it.
You'll want to take in Replaced's retrofuturistic version of dystopian USA as much as possible, but the phenomenal visuals can only do so much to make up for the above-average combat and puzzle-platforming.
Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss wraps an intricate puzzle game in the shell of a beautifully designed, if familiar, Lovecraftian atmospheric horror experience that strikes a delicate balance between allowing you to solve problems on your own and consistently propelling you forward.
Cliches and homages abound in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, and it gleefully embraces them while offering a compelling detective mystery wrought with over-the-top violence and a cast that's having the time of their lives.
The Occultist gets enough of its world right to be an interesting game but it drops the ball on its gameplay.
Pragmata combines a host of immaculately executed well-worn ideas with a handful of unique and fascinating ones of its own to deliver a thrilling, high-octane sci-fi shooter experience.