Digital Chumps
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Demons’ Night Fever is a bold step in changing up the SRPG genre, largely in part thanks to the peon acquisition and sacrificial mechanics. The designs are vibrant and stark enough to turn some heads, but some of the humor might be too on-the-nose to be fully appreciated. Either way, it’s a devilishly good time that will whet the appetite of an SRPG player wanting something new.
Tenebris Somnia's blend of eras makes for a remarkably effective fright fest. Its use of FMVs give tangible life to the otherworldly horrors of its pixel art, all worked into an esoteric point-and-click framework that should only isolate a few.
Tales of Eternia Remastered from developer TOSE is a fun game with a strong narrative that still maintains its RPG roots. The gameplay lacks its once-innovative variety and still feels like an early-2000s title at its core. Still, this old title has some good charm.
SiN: Reloaded, from developer Nightdive Studios and publisher Atari, is a solid return to an older FPS experience. It improves upon the genre’s evolved design without trying to push beyond its original release’s intentions.
STAR WARS: Galactic Racer nails the high-speed, high-stakes podracing DNA with flair. Its approach to innovation via roguelike progression broadens its appeal while doing away with some archaic practices found in longstanding racing games. Don’t worry if you’re not the biggest fan of STAR WARS, you’ll have a hell of a time and quench your thirst for an explosive racing title that features racing, combat, and more.
Ratatan exists to satiate players who crave the quirky charm of Patapon. Music and strategy meld with colorful, whimsical visuals and while its roguelike structure can often extend enjoyment, those fundamentals also beget repetition.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's campaign is a rollercoaster of brutality that attempts to wrap up the winding threads started back in 2019. Often feeling like a tonal Greatest Hits, players should lock in for a wealth of spectacle and a few lingering questions.
If Vampire Survivors is the king of the survivor-like genre, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is hungrily coming for that crown. Its time-based formula and weapon upgrade system offers thoughtful innovation in a space too heavily focused on infinite min-maxing.
I’m generally pleased with the end result of Castlevania: Curse of Belmont. It’s a metroidvania that manages to balance keeping the old-school Castlevania thematic alive and well while simultaneously refining platforming and combat mechanics that haven’t yet been possible. Knowing that Evil Empire, Motion Twin, and Konami are seeking to reimagine the now-40-year-old franchise for new players, it feels like they made a valiant effort to retain what longtime fans love most while giving new players just enough to enjoy a Castlevania title for the first time.
ACE Combat 8: Wings of the Theve from Bandai Namco Aces Inc. is a marvelous, beautiful dogfighting flight simulator.
Valor Mortis is an impactful blend of first-person combat that aspires to be One More Level's take on the Soulslike genre. But this Napoleonic tale evolves into so much more than mimicry with its unique setting and enticing powers fueling sword-based combat.
While the game offers great bonus content and countless hours of gameplay, it doesn’t dramatically improve on the original games.
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen acts as a massive expansion to the sequel's already impressive offering. An intimidating new frozen area is rife with opportunity for challenge and rewards, while other additions add benefit across the meaty base game.
NASCAR 26 from developer iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations is fun, with enough modes and detail to keep it engaging, and it seems welcoming to new racers through several modes. Graphically, it’s not the most gorgeous racing game I have seen, but it makes up for what it lacks in graphics with strong gameplay.
Order of the Sinking Star is a daunting, all-encompassing puzzle game--one naturally expected from Jonathan Blow. With it comes sparks of brilliance, frustration, and inspiration often in equal measure, constantly testing the brain's ability to overcome.
Monowave from Studio BBB Inc. is an incredibly creative, addictive, and fun puzzle platformer. It has amazing level and puzzle design, wrapped in a cute, simple narrative. The game ramps up the difficulty at times to offer a frustrating challenge, but nothing that goes against what the game is trying to achieve.
Silver Pines has all the makings of a Lynchian classic by way of a Metroidvania. Though it has a handful of shortcomings, this welcome and fresh take makes the most of its ambition and Americana horror.
Ghost of Yotei: The Complete Edition is worth your time and attention. Its expansion, Echoes of Sekigahara, adds a strong narrative to the overall body of work, while Most Wanted mode will remind players how much fun the gameplay can be. Combined with additional goodies and a great base game, it is truly a ‘complete’ edition of Atsu’s story.
RetroSpace makes the case for why immersive sims are so frequently enjoyable and captivating. The Wild Gentlemen prove that even on a smaller scale, providing players with freedom, opportunity, and a bit of silliness will always result in entertainment.
As a fan of JRPGs, OCTOPATH TRAVELER II shines as an excellent classic JRPG experience. But…it's 2026. I struggle to think of those who haven't yet played it on the original Switch. If you already own the earlier Switch version, you're better off sticking to that instead of opting to start back over from scratch. I'm unsure if the Switch 2 version's minute graphical improvements are worth the $60 price tag if you can get by with saving some change on the previous Switch gen's version.