Baby Steps can be considered as Bennett Foddy and company’s best work to date. With the use of physics-based platforming and gameplay mechanics combined with unhinged adult humor, the game is a weird fever dream built on overcoming failure one tiny step at a time.
Dying Light: The Beast feels like the proper sequel fans have been waiting for all this time. While the new additions aren't amazing, the established facets of the game have been improved, making it a return to form.
Borderlands 4 seeks to right the wrongs by simply upgrading everything the previous installment offered. However, the performance issues and bugs affect the overall experience, preventing the game from being the best version of itself.
NBA 2K26 is a direct improvement compared to its previous release, with its better shooting mechanics, handling, and other quality of life improvements. However, its monetization practices still make it hard to compete.
Hell is Us is a unique take on bringing back classic RPG mechanics in a modern fashion. While it has clear flaws in its narrative and gameplay aspects, it’s a new experience with an inspired setting and a heavy atmosphere to boot.
Finally coming out of early access after a year, The Rogue Prince of Persia arrives just in time to show off its vastly improved visuals, catchy music, and fluid gameplay. Oozing with style, this is a roguelite that has improved in almost all of its aspects.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater joins the ranks of the select few that exemplify how a remake should be done. It captures the essence of what made the original a critically acclaimed experience while updating its decades-old mechanics and visuals to meet modern standards. While the frame rate occasionally dips during heavier scenes, this remake has undoubtedly established itself as the definitive way to experience what many consider to be the best game in the franchise.
Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant is a DLC made for fans of the game, especially for those who enjoyed the gameplay. It mostly expands on certain characters’ backstories and builds on top of its existing gameplay systems, which is what the game is known for. That being said, the DLC feels like it's a few years too late, as it solves issues that exist within the base game. The additions are welcome, but most of them don’t feel as impactful or as massive as initially advertised. Also, don’t expect any resolutions to many of the story’s plot holes here, as it mainly serves to support the worldbuilding and add context rather than answer many of the questions.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a spinoff that revitalizes the series and the genre with its callback to its original side-scrolling gameplay. With well-crafted levels, dynamically engaging combat, and gorgeous pixel art, it uses the simplicity of the side-scrolling gameplay to its maximum potential. It has a few flaws here and there, like its short runtime and balance near the end, but is otherwise a great way to keep the hype for the series’ upcoming title.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a bona fide Soulslike that has deep combat mechanics and unique progression systems that synergize perfectly to create one of the more satisfying gameplay loops in the genre. This is further reinforced by giving the player the power to freely experiment with builds and create their own unique way to play. There are some nitpicks here and there, as well as the difficulty spiking in certain areas, but all that is moot with how well packaged everything is.
Long-time fans of HUNTER x HUNTER have waited for a video game adaptation that does the franchise justice. Sadly, it seems they’ll have to wait a little longer, as this one is plagued by numerous modern fighting game pitfalls and its unjustifiable price.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is nostalgic fever dream that is an upgrade in more ways than one, despite it not being completely faithful to the original games.
REMATCH is the ultimate arcade soccer game out there when it works. With network issues and game-breaking bugs, Sloclap has to resolve these issues before they can score the golden goal.
Dragon is Dead combines the enjoyment of collecting loot and creating your perfect build in a side scrolling action roguelike fashion. It has its flaws with a lot of aspects, but is undeniably fun with the seemingly limitless builds that you can make.
Mindseye was supposed to be an ambitious entry from IO Interactive. What was delivered is a bug-filled, unoptimized, and less-than-desirable mess instead. Almost to no one’s surprise, MindsEye needed a lot more time to polish its core aspects and mechanics.
While dark fantasy open-world RPGs are nothing new, Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is an ambitious open-world RPG that backs up its comparisons to the greats and is a worthy newcomer in a saturated market.
Blades of Fire is a fun action-adventure game that boasts its unique features well but unintentionally shows off its many flaws.
Capcom is back at it again by re-releasing eight classic arcade fighting games to current-gen systems along with huge quality-of-life improvements and online matchmaking functionality.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree struggles to find its identity with its lackluster combination of both Soulslike and Metroidvania influences.
Once again, SNK has consistently shown their improvement in audiovisual presentation while creating an amazing and engaging sequel that was highly anticipated for more than two decades.