The Green Light is a short journey that can be finished in an hour, and, beneath the horror, it tackles some genuinely relatable themes. I appreciated what it was trying to say, and there’s a more interesting story about anxiety and feeling trapped hiding underneath the surface.
Echoes of Aincrad is a good game with an interesting narrative, a beautiful world, and simple but effective combat. Despite some strange design choices and repetitive elements, there’s a lot to like here for both Sword Art Online fans and newcomers alike. It’s easily the best Sword Art Online game yet.
Viking Frontiers introduces some promising ideas. While it succeeds in certain areas, it falls short in others. Building and expanding your village is genuinely satisfying, but sluggish controls, a sparse world, and several noticeable bugs too often get in the way of what could have been a much more enjoyable survival experience.
Overall, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a great action RPG with satisfying boss fights and a world to explore. Some confusing systems hold it back from being the perfect experience, but it shouldn’t be passed up. If you like the classic Zelda games, this one should be right up your alley.
Nitro Gen Omega is a stylish tactical RPG with a beautiful art design, a slick UI and amazing animations. However, I can see some players being turned away by having to learn the many combat systems it throws at you, even if it’s fun once you get used to it. Overall, I still think this game is worth your time.
Overall, Captured 2 does what it sets out to, which is to offer a scary observational horror experience. A solid variety of anomalies and entities keeps you on your toes, while the realistic graphics add to that uncanny feeling throughout. However, some clunky controls do slightly hurt the experience.
Overall, The Shore is carried over the line by its beautifully oppressive atmosphere and striking art direction. However, its tacked-on combat and the many unanswered questions left by its narrative hold it back from feeling like a truly complete experience. It’s a game with strong ideas and memorable moments, but one that doesn’t quite realise its full potential.
Overall, Pragmata is a massive win. Innovative puzzle-based combat, great art direction and a touching story that is carried by the father/daughter-like relationship of Hugh & Diana. It continues to prove that between Resident Evil: Requiem and Pragmata, Capcom continues to fire on all cylinders in 2026.
Overall, 2nd Eve is a miss. Slow combat, a bland story and potential use of AI assets really take away from any enjoyment that may be had within these pretty backdrops. The game being in early access hopefully means a lot can be learned and fixed to make this a worthwhile experience.
Monster Train 2: Destiny of the Railforged is a great way to get a new experience out of what is already a fantastic roguelike. It’s tough, but fantastic new systems and the brilliant new Railforged clan make it so fun to experiment with. I can’t wait to see what else they can do.
Overall, UFOPHILIA has some fun ideas and genuinely strong sound design, but it feels mislabelled as a horror game. As scary as staring at a screen trying to figure out which alien you’re hunting can be, the aliens themselves simply aren’t scary enough to support that label.
Overall, Code Vein II improves on the first game with more in-depth combat, better voice acting, and fun characters. However, a world that feels a little empty and some minor bugs hold it back from being the perfect sequel. Still, this is a fun way to start 2026 and should be on your radar if you’re a fan of the soulslike genre.
Overall, Labyrinthine isn’t aiming to be the next massive horror-defining game, falling short in multiple areas; however, if you would like to get lost in a maze, mess around with your friends while escaping a nice variety of monsters, there is some occasional fun to be found here.
Overall, Baby Steps is another excellent entry in the “Foddian” genre. One that is intentionally infuriating, hilarious, yet endlessly compelling thanks to Nate’s charm. It’s the kind of game I know I’ll keep coming back to in hopes of conquering it. It’s a game not afraid to take risks and is yet another big win for Australian indie developers.
Set on a desolate ship drifting through space, you awaken in a pod as a faceless suit, accompanied by a floating voice that urges you onward. Death is inevitable, as you’ll no doubt learn. When it happens, a mind transfer courtesy of the system resets you to try again, such is the nature of a roguelike. I won’t spoil too much, but before long, you’ll realise many creatures, including a mysterious busty figure, are hunting you. Trust me, this will make a lot of sense if you play.
Overall, Lost Soul Aside is packed with fantastic ideas, though not all of them land. Its bombastic boss fights, beautiful character designs, and exhilarating combat make it well worth experiencing. Still, a forgettable narrative and some repetitive design keep it from fully reaching the heights it aspires to.
In conclusion, Heretic + Hexen are games I missed the first time around. However, three decades later, thanks to Nightdive Studios thoughtful quality-of-life improvements and impressive new expansions, I can still enjoy titles that have held up remarkably well. With dark fantasy charm, fast-paced combat, and seriously excellent level design, this collection is a must-play.
At the end of the day, if you enjoy simulator games, you’ll find something to like here. The unique Wild West setting gives it some much-needed character. That being said, there’s no escaping the fact that underneath the surface, it’s essentially a copy-and-paste experience that won’t surprise seasoned players.
In conclusion, the best parts of the game can feel like a product of a bygone era, almost akin to an old Game Boy title. Unfortunately, it also comes off as a cheap attempt at a Metroidvania with some occasional fun moments. And while I can appreciate the effort to do something different with Pac-Man, I think it’s better off sticking to the arcade.
Soma still stands as a perfect example of what great horror can be, a decade later. Its story is heavy, both emotionally and thematically, ironically mirroring the crushing isolation of being trapped beneath the ocean, while the monster encounters can be hit or miss, the ones that land are truly terrifying, and that’s more than enough for me. If you’ve ever been on the fence about playing it, there’s no better time than now.