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I Hate This Place is a game with a lot of heart and a killer art style, but it’s dragged down by rough execution. The visual flair and the sound-based stealth are great – especially since they help embrace comic book origin of the experience perfectly – but the awkward combat, confusing navigation, and unbalanced survival systems make it harder to love than it should be. It’s a decent time for die-hard fans of the genre or the comic, but it definitely feels a little too rough around the edges to make it an easy recommendation for everyone else.
Fighting Force Collection is a love letter to a specific slice of gaming history, and while the gameplay is undeniably dated and might struggle to win over a modern audience without those rose-tinted glasses, the nostalgia factor here is certainly strong. If you grew up smashing up these blocky environments, this collection is definitely a fun trip down memory lane.
Cassette Boy is a smart, inventive, and entertaining adventure that takes a high-concept mechanic and makes it clever, creative, and, most importantly, a TON of fun. It might stumble a bit when it tries to be an action game, sure, but as a puzzle game, it’s a unique and rewarding experience from start to end. Just remember: if an enemy is giving you trouble, just rotate the camera until they disappear... out of sight, out of mind, right?
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is a big RPG – sometimes a little TOO big, especially with its dialogue – but ultimately, it makes for a brilliant experience. It does take its time getting to the point, but between the brilliant characters, the perfectly refined combat, and the polished visuals, this really does feel like the series at its highest point. If you’ve stuck with the series for this long, you already know you’re going to play it, and trust me, you’ll love it… just expect a bit of a long ride.
MIO: Memories in Orbit starts with confusion and punishment (and it will test your patience), but if you stick with it, it rewards you with a deep sense of mastery across its platforming and combat and a rich sense of discovery across its stunning world and storytelling. The lack of hand-holding, which annoyed me at the start, eventually instilled a genuine sense of wonder as I uncovered the world on my own terms, and when things click (and they will), it’s hard to put the controller down. It’s just a real blast to play, and whilst it’s a little bit on the long side, MIO: Memories in Orbit NEVER gets boring.
BrokenLore: Unfollow is a title that has a lot of ambition, with it packing in some cool ideas, effective jump scares, and a narrative that’s easy to get hooked into. However, as the chapters roll on and the experience shifts from grounded psychological terror to surreal, trope-heavy chaos, it loses some of its strengths, especially when paired with some fiddly puzzling and chase sequences that often feel a little frustrating. It’s almost poetic that in telling the story of a woman suffering from a fractured sense of self, the game ends up suffering from its own identity crisis. But hey, it’s worth a play for the story alone and it definitely has some bright moments, even if it doesn’t always deliver on its own ambition.
Big Hops is the kind of game that leaves you with a big, massive smile on your face when playing. Sure, it might stumble occasionally with a finicky camera and it’s not too tough, but it more than makes up for it with its charming world, sublime platforming, and creative ideas that’ll keep you hooked in front start to end. It really does feel like a thoughtfully crafted love letter to the genre, with Big Hops easily standing stand on its own two (webbed) feet amongst some of the greats of the genre. If you’re a platforming fan, you won’t want to skip this one.
Cozy Caravan is a heartwarming and satisfying escape that focuses on the joy of the journey in plenty of delightful ways. It introduces a loop of commerce, exploration, and kindness that feels rewarding in its own unique way, and while the deliberate pacing requires a bit of patience (and might feel a tad too slow for younger players looking for instant gratification) the trade-off is a rich, reactive world that feels wonderful to inhabit. The genre is rich with these kinds of cosy and charming experiences, but Cozy Caravan offers a journey that’s well worth taking.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - From the Ashes gives players a fantastic reason to return to Pandora, and by streamlining the mechanics and shifting to a third-person perspective, it helps create an experience that feels more cinematic and distinct than before. While the world is a little less vibrant than before and the third-person view does have some quirks, the refinements to gameplay and compelling storytelling and world help make this a must-play for fans of James Cameron’s bedazzling Avatar universe.
Ultimately, Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is a product of its time – it’s full of heart, weirdness, and ambition, but it also looks and feels a little dated in design. It doesn’t hold your hand and it controls a bit like a bar of soap, but the core loop of exploring this colourful, silly world remains satisfying. And whilst it is a little limited on extras, this port provides an accessible way to play a cult classic on modern hardware – and thanks to the recent patch, it’s in a state worth recommending to those with a soft spot for the PlayStation era.
Arken Age shatters the Quest port stereotype, delivering a visually stunning and mechanically deep adventure that feels NOTHING like a compromised port. With its vibrant art direction, addictive weapon modding, and vicious combat mechanics, it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the platform’s heavyweights. And sure, there can be some repetition and the loading times might test your patience, but the sheer quality on display makes it completely worth the wait.
Marvel’s Deadpool VR is a gloriously violent, ridiculous, comical, thrilling, and, perhaps most importantly, entertaining ride through the Marvel universe as seen through Deadpool’s blood-covered mask. The combat does have some imperfections that are commonly associated with virtual reality, but the humour, style, voice acting, and sheer insanity of the set pieces ensure that this is another superhero thrill ride that Meta Quest owners simply won’t want to miss out on.
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow has the heart and soul of the series, and when its systems click, it delivers moments that genuinely feel fantastic. But for all of the atmospheric world design, clever virtual reality mechanics, and flashes of brilliance, it’s let down by unstable AI and technical hiccups that too often break immersion and momentum. There’s a solid foundation here (and one that could undoubtedly shine with future fixes) but as it stands, it wavers between thrilling stealth and unavoidable frustration. Fans hungry for a return to the series that is strengthened by virtual reality will certainly find reasons to enjoy it, but anyone hoping for a polished revival may want to temper their expectations for now.
Skate Story dazzles with a style and confidence that set it apart from ANYTHING else in the skateboarding genre. Sure, the controls can take getting used to and there are a few little missteps, but these are small blemishes on an experience that’s consistently thrilling, gorgeous, and packed to the brim with skateboarding goodness. With its surreal world, hypnotic presentation, and thrilling sense of skateboarding style, Skate Story manages to feel really, really special. And hey, what a year 2025 has been for skateboarding fans… it’s wonderful.
UNBEATABLE isn’t perfect, but its wonderful sense of style, absolutely banging soundtrack, and energetically unique rhythm-based gameplay make it a stand out as a worthwhile experience. The story pacing stumbles and the technical issues can definitely interrupt the momentum, yet the game’s personality and creativity still manage to shine through. If you’re a rhythm game fan looking for something stylish and unique, you’ll find plenty to enjoy with UNBEATABLE. Oh, and when some patches fix some of the game’s issues? You could add an extra point to our score.
Routine isn’t trying to be a loud, cinematic horror game, but slow, cerebral, and far more interested in tension than spectacle. It definitely has some rough patches – its stealth sections can be repetitive and the game sometimes hides important clues a little too well – but these issues don’t outweigh what it gets right: atmospheric environments, clever puzzling, and a palpable sense of tension that’ll constantly keep you on the edge of your seat. If you’re into more thoughtful horror games that rely more on atmosphere than constant jump-scares, Routine is well worth checking out – I just wish that I wasn’t in a constant game of cat-and-mouse with easily outsmarted enemies when trying to solve puzzles.
Sleep Awake isn’t a traditional horror game built around big scares or survival-based gameplay mechanics, but instead a haunting, unsettling, and memorable jaunt through a dark and disturbing world. It leans confidently into its strengths, offering a surreal and unsettling journey that consistently surprises with its striking visuals and eerie storytelling, and whilst the gameplay is a little bit bare-boned, the commitment to the haunting atmosphere makes it easy to get completely hooked into its strange, sleepless world. Sleep Awake stands out for how boldly it embraces the weird and how effectively it leaves a lasting impression, and for horror fans who value tone and immersion over action, it’s a must play.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a joyful and energetic celebration of what makes beat ’em ups so great, with the thrilling gameplay boosted by the presence of Marvel’s heroes, villains, and worlds. The varied roster, tag-team mechanics, fun combat, and ever-changing stages keep fights fresh and exciting, while the stunning pixel art and excellent soundtrack make it easy to get swept up in the action. It can be messy at times, sure, and a few difficulty spikes may frustrate, but these issues never stop Marvel Cosmic Invasion from being another brilliant beat ‘em up experience.
Demonschool is a real joy to play, with its clever combat, likeable story, and striking visual style helping it stand out in the tactical RPG genre. Combat is nuanced and has plenty of neat ideas on show, the characters and setting give the narrative a playful energy, and the game looks gorgeous, with it certainly ticking all of the right boxes to keep me hooked in. The only downside? The sheer amount of battles can make the experience feel drawn out, and the repetition does creep in over a long playthrough. Still, there’s a lot more good than bad in Demonschool, and whilst it does have some repetitive moments, the fun and creativity showcased across the adventure ensures that it always feels special to play.
A.I.L.A might take a few missteps in the delivery of its ambitious ideas, but it has enough personality and creativity to leave a strong impression for horror fans. Its uneven combat and occasional pacing dips hold it back from being something truly special, yet the wonderful variety of scenarios, great atmosphere, and intriguing concept still make it an easy recommendation for horror fans looking for something different. It’s flawed but memorable, and for a genre that’s constantly recycling the same ideas, A.I.L.A feels refreshingly unique – even IF it leans into a lot of those ideas itself.