The Outer Worlds 2, despite any criticism I can give it, is a more improved sequel that excels in every area except for its bland group of companions, who rarely bring anything exciting to the experience, save Aza, who is a treasure and I would die for her. The Bethesda-era formula is starting to show its age and needs some freshening up, should a third entry be in the works. Still, I rather enjoyed the main story and the vast array of choices, paths, and builds you can muster, making this a game that few will follow in the same footsteps, allowing for one truly personalized tale of space-faring hijinks.
Fast and Furious Arcade is a wild ride that brings the best qualities of Cruis'n Blast to a vehicle-centric film franchise. While more could have been done to honor the films, or even properly represent them, as well as adding new levels or more cars, Fast and Furious Arcade is still incredibly engaging and feels great to play. I just wish there were more here to keep my interest beyond a few days.
With four-player co-op, a competent track builder, and a great feel to its gameplay, Hot Wheels Let's Race Ultimate Speed is a solid racer with a “Kart Racer” feel. Fans of the show, or the genre in general, will find a lot to like here. That said, one question still remains: who gave these kids their driver's license?
Painkiller is an odd example of reimaging a series, given it isn’t connected to the original game or featuring any of the characters or structure of the original. This is a co-op roguelite shooter that lacks true replayability and a desire to stick with it. Co-op is a blast, even with rando’s, but much of that satisfaction comes from our love of other games. Despite some incredible gunplay, level design, and a stunning soundtrack, Painkiller has a lot of work ahead to be part of the conversation down the road. It can certainly provide a great time, but it’s a brief spark that can’t keep the flame lit.
Bye Sweet Carole has all the hallmarks of classic adventure games and the countless point and click games of the past. It handles horror in such a unique way due to its Disney-like presentation, and frankly, the whole experience feels like a truly interactive animated film. While the gameplay can be a bit uneven at times, Bye Sweet Carole is nonetheless a fascinating experience that looks incredible, sounds incredible, and has a truly memorable, yet tragic story, about an era where women were vastly under appreciated.
Ball x Pit is without question the surprise hit of the year, a title that came so far out of left field and is so wacky that of course Devolver Digital is its publisher. Their golden touch yet again has found a game so fun, so addictive, that it is easily a contender for my personal Game of the Year. When a game is on your mind every hour of day, even when you are focused on an entirely different game, then you've certainly done something right.
I still appreciate that Just Dance is still around, but the year after year installments do little to excite when you really are just updating the game rather than buying something shiny and new. Just Dance is in dire need of a complete reinvention, from a ground-level UI upgrade to its deeper catalog finally being added. Just Dance 2026 is fine, but it’s barely Just Enough.
Battlefield 6 had a lot to prove, especially as it’s been the only franchise to really go toe to toe with Call of Duty. The initial sales of Battlefield 6 certainly show promise, and with a Battle Royale mode to drop at some point in the future, there is a lot to be hopeful for here. With a fairly decent campaign and a stellar multiplayer suite, Battlefield 6 is the best it’s been in nearly a decade, and as a fan of the franchise, I’m excited to finally like a Battlefield game again.
Absolum, regardless of its somewhat bland world and story, has everything else extremely locked down, including a fantastic soundtrack that features the likes of Mick Gordon and many other talented folk. Still, the title's incredibly strong gameplay and eye-catching visuals, along with its co-op nature, make this an absolute easy recommendation on those things alone. Whether local or online, Absolum is a visually stunning Beat’em Up that almost lands that perfect punch.
Yooka-Replaylee is a solid platformer, even if it does feel like some of its original vision has been dissected away in favor of improving the overall feel of the game. With the conveniences of a map, fast travel, and better controls, some of the original’s flaws can creep up, but honestly, they rarely got in the way. While it is certainly not looking to compete with the platformers of today, I still love that Playtonic spent the time to improve a game they were so deeply passionate about.
Supermassive Games may have nailed what made the first two games so beloved, but it feels like a safe road they’ve traveled here as opposed to taking some risks to mark their own stamp on the game. Still, fans of the original games may certainly find a solid time here, as some puzzles and encounters are quite nicely handled here, despite few changes to the formula to really justify the need for a new entry.
Trails in the Sky is truly fantastic, paving the way to the moments I adore across the series. This remake is easily one of the best in years, as while it brings new mechanics and systems to help modernize a now 20-year-old game, it maintains its essence almost perfectly. If you were holding out on the series due to the history and baggage that is found in the later games, this is hands down the way to do it. With a teaser trailer of its next entry to view once the credits roll, I am beyond pumped to continue this adventure with Estelle and Joshua, and everyone else I adore.
I wish I could say that the general combat and experience here is sound, but with how the levels are constructed, and the reuse of almost entire environments to fill out four levels per location, it’s hard to really see much value here in what the studio has put together. I like the cutscenes and the teaming up of these characters, even hinting they have joined forces before, but are not sure where, but the gameplay around all of this is the same ten minutes over and over again to make up a roughly six-hour adventure. With a lack of variety to shake things up and a fairly disappointing roster of characters, it simply rolls low and takes the damage.
Borderlands 4 nails everything that a Borderlands sequel should. The story is excellent with a lot to look forward to via DLC, and the cast of characters, including your Vault Hunter, contribute to much of that story, in really engaging ways. With some great writing, solid humor, without going overboard, it causes the rest of the package to really shine. Combat is constantly engaging, the unique biomes offer a ton to explore, and with the endgame systems in place, there is a good amount to tackle while additional content is rolled out.
While this is a whole entry in the series, it is very much self-contained, as Rias and Slade are new to the series. While this is a good jumping-on point, I still recommend the other games, especially the Ryza titles, as those are just vastly better experiences with more interesting characters, better visuals, and a far more engaging story. As it is, this title is a poor attempt at pushing the series forward and a hard game to recommend.
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree does a lot of things right with its story, character moments, and the time hijinks of the village itself. While the roguelite systems are what we’ve come to expect, with the studio rarely coloring outside the lines, the combat can often feel underbaked and a chaotic mess of trying to find your character in the chaos, especially in co-op, where a tether can result in some unfortunate hits. I don’t think Towa is a bad experience, but it needs some refinement to be something I want to keep coming back to.
Deep Rock Galactic has a great, simplistic look, and it carries over here in spades. The game is full of fun enemy designs, and a ton of color and variety in its biomes to really push past much of the game’s repetitive nature. It offers some truly engaging progression, while not really pushing past the boundaries of what the genre offers.
Bloober Team found their confidence in the Silent Hill 2 remake, and this has shown a side of the studio that could be a force to be reckoned with. Cronos: The New Dawn is easily their best work, and I say that as someone who found the Silent Hill 2 remake to be absolutely jaw-dropping. There is potential for a sequel here, and with some smart choices on improving the aspect around combat, there could be a contender here to the genre that we really haven’t seen since Dead Space.
Sword of Sea, like previous Giant Squid releases, is more of an experience than a game, and for the reasons that allow the studio to flex its creative muscle. With some gorgeous spectacles that are punctuated by a flawless score by Austin Wintory, Sword of the Sea is a wild ride that, while brief, is a sight to behold.
With some solid golfing mechanics and a content-rich offering, Hot Shots is a great addition to the Everybody’s Golf series, despite the grindy nature of how to unlock its cast and its courses. Regardless, there is a ton to do here, both in single player and with friends, both on the couch or around the world. With Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots breaking free of the PlayStation exclusivity, it allows this game to finally go head to head with Mario Golf and hopefully drive innovation to the hole, hopefully under par.