Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth does justice to its Xbox version, bringing everything we've loved about it since its original release while remaining a strong performer to boot. Minor flaws do not detract from the value you're going to derive from this game, and we recommend it without hesitation, perhaps even pushing it as a must-play title if RPGs are your jam.
Riven thrives on nostalgia and intrigue in equal measure, and it could prove highly addictive for anyone who enjoys puzzle-heavy experiences. However, if you're expecting more from it beyond that core appeal, you may come away disappointed. Even so, it remains a timeless classic, and its latest version is well worth considering if you can pick it up at a good price.
Myst gives a familiar experience a fresh coat of paint, one that has managed to retain its unique appeal across many years and multiple iterations. However, it is still likely to resonate most strongly with a niche audience that will fully embrace what it offers. Others may admire its legacy, but might not feel compelled to see it through the way it was intended.
Mixtape nails its presentation and story, making it a music-focused adventure that takes you back to simpler times.
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.
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.
The Occultist gets enough of its world right to be an interesting game but it drops the ball on its gameplay.
GRIME 2 nails down its presentation and mechanics very well, and makes them work together to present an experience that's purely entertaining, and melancholically charming.
Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a faithful and feature-complete revival of the original games, but its appeal leans heavily on nostalgia. The quality-of-life additions are welcome, yet they do little to elevate a gameplay loop that now feels overly simple and repetitive.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake does a lot of things right in its effort to modernize a classic for a new generation of gamers. Its story is a highlight, while the revamped visuals and sound design really help sell the experience. It's a pity, then, that the revamped combat system feels so wildly imbalanced that it makes a crucial chunk of the game feel tedious rather than engaging. We'd recommend waiting for a few patches before taking this one on.
Tales of Berseria Remastered makes this harrowing adventure much easier to experience, but it still doesn't do enough to fix the issues that plagued the original release.
Styx: Blades of Greed has its quirks, yes, but it's all presented so well that the experience comes together in ways that make you feel like a blade in the dark that can pull off even the most complex infiltrations without your enemies being able to catch you. All you need to do is brave out the initial batch of missions that are rather stingy with upgrades. It takes a while for this one to truly show off its improvements but when it does, it's an absolute treat.
Nioh 3 doesn't settle for iterative improvements. Instead, it pulls together Team Ninja's best mechanics from past entries, folds in welcome touches from its other games, and backs it all up with genuinely strong new additions that feel mechanically sound and consistently engaging.
Code Vein II is a fantastic game and a clear improvement on much of what made the first one great. That said, it also brings back a few lingering frustrations from its predecessor, issues that really should have been addressed and are hard to ignore. Even so, it's a strong addition to this year's lineup of action titles, and one that can keep you entertained for a long time.
Brokenlore: Unfollow is a solid horror title that's quite easy to recommend but hard to process. It doesn't pull any punches and that's a good thing. It's enough to make you ignore its minor quirks and is sure to have you wondering about what's coming at you next as you progress through the adventure.
Code Violet is not worth recommending to survival horror fans. None of its elements work to make it stand out in a crowded space, and this one is going to be forgotten quite easily. You'd be wise to save your cash for another of 2026's offerings.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road does so many things right it's easy to ignore its flaws, but they are there and could be deal breakers if you only have a passing interest in either football or the anime that inspired this game. However, give it a try and you're going to see why the IP is so popular. It's a chilled-out, if rather expensive, option for football fans looking for something different to play.
Sleep Awake is a solid game whose story, visuals, and audio design are excellent. The experience is going to have you invested in it from start to finish but isn't likely to have you returning back to it once you're done. That's because of a relatively simple gameplay loop that focuses on traversal and puzzle solving over outright horror, making this an examination of a complex premise that doesn't push its boundaries far enough to stand out.
Red Dead Redemption's current-gen debut does a lot to improve on the original experience, but it isn't enough to make this one worthy of the systems it's running on. Although it is the definitive way to play the game, this is a title that deserved a full-fledged remake.
Total Chaos brings enough to the table to be worth trying, despite minor issues that may affect your enjoyment depending on how much they matter to you. For the most part, though, it's a challenging survival horror experience that's well-designed and consistently focused on building fear and tension.