The First Berserker: Khazan may be the best non-FromSoftware soulslike yet. Its anime-inspired visuals, soaring orchestration, and frenetic combat make for an unforgettable experience. With a brutal, personal story and rich world-building, every battle carries weight. The skill floor and price may be steep for newbies, but greatness comes at a cost—and this one’s worth every blood drop and penny.
Assassin's Creed Shadows isn't awful, but it’s not the game fans deserve. Clunky combat, awkward animations, and a departure from the series' standard make it a mixed bag. Still, its expansive world, production value, and new mechanics might justify giving it a try when it's on sale, if you aren't an AC purist, that is.
Blood Typers is a wildly creative idea executed with impressive finesse—though not without a few stumbles. Its bonkers premise and unique gameplay make it worth checking out, even if sparse save points and stubborn bugs cause frustration. Still, the aesthetics and sound design nail the vibe, and at just ten bucks, it’s a steal. Not bad for a game where you type random words to cave in skulls.
Reality Break is a game of extremes. The combat is fantastic, the loot system is top-tier, and the in-run mechanics are engaging across the board (except, perhaps, the story). On the other hand, the metagame progression and accessibility options are about as barebones as they can get. For all its sci-fi pedigree, Reality Break comes with an equal share of issues that need fixing.
As much as I’d love to give it a perfect 100, Civilization VII isn’t quite the full evolution of the Civ formula it was hyped up to be. Don’t get me wrong—it’s still a fantastic game, just not as refined or complete as it ought to have been, with some oddly incomplete systems and uneven pacing. But if you can look past that? Then, sure—this might just be the perfect 4X experience you’ve been waiting for.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap feels like the result of expanding in every direction except forward. While it throws plenty of new elements into the mix, none of them stand out as true innovations over Orcs Must Die! 3. That said, it does have its strengths: a few great ideas, an enjoyable soundtrack, wide-open maps, a skill tree, and even and genuinely engaging gameplay. Just don’t even think about playing solo—you’ll end up suffering twice as much for the effort.
As the late Wayne June would attest, overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer. If Redhook had stumbled even slightly in reintroducing one of Darkest Dungeon’s most beloved characters, they’d have been six feet under by day one. But they didn’t — they knew exactly what fans wanted from the Abomination, and even threw in a new area and game mode for free, to much applause. Sure, the Catacombs could’ve used more development, but the Abomination is perfect as is. And if the worst thing you can say about a game is that you want more of it, that’s a testament to its quality.
It’s no surprise this game has been eagerly awaited for its full release. After years as a standout early-access title, it has matured into an RTS experience worth celebrating. With its polished mechanics, diverse playstyles, challenging yet fair difficulty, and a generous dose of stellar art direction and production value, it’s everything an early-access game aspires to become. If you’re ready to rise to the challenge, this game promises one unforgettable ride from start to finish.
Tetris Forever is less a coin flip and more a litmus test: are you a Tetris fan? If yes, you’ll likely find plenty to appreciate; if not, this collection is unlikely to change your mind or stimulate it. The extra features and historical overview add some flair, but they ultimately don’t elevate the experience beyond a niche appeal. For longtime fans, it’s a loving tribute—but for anyone else, it’s just a bunch of old games and a museum exhibit.
Songs of Silence is a Fabergé egg of a game: exquisitely crafted, lavishly detailed, and undeniably beautiful, yet ultimately decorative. Its true value lies in its visual splendor and evocative soundscape, gracing a gameplay core that’s serviceable but lacks the innovation or excitement that would make it truly memorable. If you buy this game, it’s purely for the artistry—for its aesthetic appeal, not for a deep or groundbreaking gameplay experience. For some, that might be worth the price; it was for me. But for others, it may not be worth the gilded exterior.
ZEPHON’s post-apocalyptic world delivers on its promises, offering a solid and enjoyable experience with strong mechanics, striking visuals, and engaging themes. The audio is serviceable, if unremarkable, but overall, there's no faulting this game for being above-average. While it doesn’t revolutionize the 4X genre, ZEPHON remains a worthy addition, standing resilient in the shadow of more iconic titles without casting its own. It may be set in the aftermath of an apocalypse, but ZEPHON certainly isn’t the end of Civilization.
Unknown 9: Awakening suffers from a clear disconnect between its mechanics, genre, story, and ambition as a AA to AAA title. On one hand, it hints at being a semi-decent action-adventure game with its visuals and okay world-building—forgettable, but at least functional. On the other hand, the combat feels flat, the stealth is clunky, the experience is rife with bugs, and the story is hard to follow, making it difficult to appreciate from any angle. Altogether, this results in a subpar experience that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone anytime soon.
Europa is a game that’s fun enough to play but hard to miss, and not for the lack of trying. It’s clear that this game had some pedigree behind its creative team, as evidenced by its great visuals and equally stunning audio. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, a game has to be engaging, and Europa simply could not deliver on that front, at least not in a way that makes it worth remembering.
Until Dawn is just as fun, interactive, and narratively gripping as its 2015 predecessor—and in some ways, it even surpasses it. Now remade in Unreal Engine 5, the game has reached new heights, with impressive polish across nearly every front. It plays smoothly, offers more content than the original, and delivers the same captivating experience, now enhanced for a second time. This is what happens when a narrative-driven game is helmed by excellent writers and brought to life by talented actors. It kept me playing long past dawn—I’m sure it’ll do the same for you.
At first glance, comparisons to Sid Meier’s Civilization might seem inevitable, but they miss the mark when you dig deeper into what Ara: History Untold truly offers. While the surface similarities are there, the game’s innovative mechanics and fresh approach set it apart. Its stunning visual and auditory presentation further bolster its appeal, even if there are a few minor stumbles in execution. It’s got all the right ingredients to stand tall among other 4X games—just don’t expect it to dethrone Civilization anytime soon despite its uniqueness. #GiftedbyXbox
Calling Frostpunk 2 a textbook sequel doesn’t do it justice—this game goes far beyond the standard follow-up. It’s a masterfully crafted continuation of an already outstanding title, one that builds on the original’s strengths, addresses its shortcomings, and adds stunning new stylistic choices. As an experience, it’s bleak, grueling, and profoundly depressing (as it should be); but as a game, it’s one I’d willingly endure any eternal winter to play. New London hasn’t just survived—it’s thriving under new management, with all the challenges and triumphs that come with it.
The Plucky Squire leans heavily on the charm of its narration and the novelty of its 2D-to-3D transitions, but these strengths don’t quite carry it all the way to the finish line. Beyond the clever dimension-switching mechanic, the game lacks any truly groundbreaking ideas and simplifies many of its other gameplay elements. That said, it still offers a high-quality experience. It’s certainly engaging and fun, but as for being a genre-defining title that will be remembered for years, it doesn’t quite reach that mark—though that may ultimately come down to personal taste. I can still see this game hitting it big with the adventure puzzle-platformer aficionados down the line.
To call Satisfactory simply "satisfactory" would be the understatement of the century. After six years in development, the game has used every moment to craft the ultimate automation experience—one that is unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon and will keep us engaged until that day comes. With its intuitive design, dense content, remarkable sandbox automation, compelling world-building, and stunning visuals, Satisfactory has undoubtedly earned its place at the top of the genre. I’ve been here from the very beginning, eagerly awaiting the day when the game’s final piece would fall into place. It’s truly an honor to witness the crowning of a new king in the automation genre, and Satisfactory has just ascended to its rightful throne, accolades and all.
Like the roots and branches of the World Tree that stretch across the Nine Realms, Roots of Yggdrasil boldly branches out, blending elements from various genres to create something not only new but great. As with any ambitious fusion, there are a few missteps—the fragmented story, imbalanced cards, and average audio being the most noticeable. Yet the game earns high marks for its daring approach, venturing into uncharted territory. Much like the survivors of Ragnarok, the potential for greatness is undeniable, and with continued development, it could grow even further.
Sumerian Six is perfect for short bursts of play, but it’s not a game you'll likely want to binge. It boasts solid visuals, a great soundtrack, and a meticulously designed gameplay loop centered on synergy and strategy. However, with so much to tackle in each mission, you might find yourself fatigued long before reaching the end of its somewhat meandering story—assuming you don’t get soft-locked along the way.