Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is an electrifyingly fun, stylish fighter that has earned its place as a highlight of the Marvel fighting game lineage. It succeeds both as a gorgeous love letter to Marvel Comics and the stories, characters, and worldbuilding that has made it such an enduring force in pop culture and as a deeply intricate fighter for newcomers and veterans to break down and enjoy. There are some unfortunate caveats, particularly with a few strange system mechanics, roster omissions, and, most importantly, the frustrating PC performance, that bring the experience down a bit across the board. Nonetheless, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has laid the console groundwork for a glorious reunion between Marvel and fighting games, and the result is marvelous.
Rubinite is a strikingly good Soulslike which slashes through the fluff and delivers a razor-sharp boss rush experience with a surprisingly potent emotional center. At its core, Rubinite’s Focus mechanic and the myriad of imposing boss fights deliver a uniquely fun and challenging take on the genre that's bolstered by the game’s beautiful 2D pixel-art style, lovable characters, and wonderful story. There are a few unfortunate issues, such as the overly cryptic narrative presentation and occasional janky hitboxes, which hold it back a bit. Still, every gemstone has a flaw or two, and Rubinite is no exception; it’s a pureblooded, crystallized gem that’s worth the adventure.
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is one of the best fighting games of the year so far. Its beautifully animated, hand-drawn 2D art style, diverse roster of characters across the Avatar series, and captivatingly in-depth system mechanics make it an absolute joy to learn and play, both with friends and online opponents as well as in the game’s singleplayer offerings. Its unbridled, uncompromised love for the source material, focus on element bending as a form of combat, and unique take on the lore also solidifies it as the best Avatar video game adaptation—a leap in quality so high you’d think an airbender was behind it. There are no tricks here, though; Avatar Legends is an exhilarating, deeply exciting fighter because it transparently radiates a love for the series and fighting games so potent that it effortlessly becomes a master of all its elements.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a polarizing, uneven, but ultimately unique and ambitious title that succeeds at executing its incredibly interesting core ideas a little too well. It ultimately delivers on its premise of reimagining Lovecraft effectively, but lacks the necessary concessions to make it a consistently enjoyable time. The worldbuilding is fascinating and the aesthetic direction is strong, but the clunkiness of the gameplay and combat drag the experience down quite a bit no matter how intentional. The Mound’s dedication to the accuracy and the surreal nature of the original novella is the source of the game’s highest peaks and lowest valleys, and the disparity between both is nothing short of cosmic.
Devil May Cry 5 is a potently infectious, high-octane action game masterclass that doubles down on its greatest strength, its ludicrously deep, stylish, and expressive combat mechanics, to great effect. The story, fanservice-y and ridiculous as it may be, is still a lot of fun. Despite the abundance of Qlipoth levels blurring the second half together, the world is still presented through Capcom’s revered RE Engine and the great soundtrack in a mostly beautiful way. Devil May Cry 5 cuts through the noise and focuses on the combat that made the series so legendary, oozing with smoking, sexy style the whole way through.
Moonlight Peaks is an impressively charming and unique take on the life-sim and farming genre, and it mediates the balance between the horror-style and intended cozy atmosphere wonderfully. The farming mechanics, while relatively simple, have a lot of character thanks to the integration of magic spells, while the nocturnal time cycle makes the moment-to-moment gameplay feel uniquely active and intentional. While the story feels arbitrarily paced, the humor of the dialogue and the distinctly memorable cast of characters make up for it and still keep the story mostly compelling. It’s quite easy to be engrossed in the world of Moonlight Peaks, and it’s a bewitchingly good time when it gets its fangs in you.
Mina the Hollower is a grand, exhilarating adventure that never lets up, springing out fully formed as an absolute "mouse-terpiece." The thrill of discovering new areas, levelling Mina up to become stronger, and conquering seemingly impossible boss fights only gets more rewarding as you utilize everything the game has to offer and become the strongest Hollower you can be. The worldbuilding presents a beautiful, colorful setting that you’ll want to root for, even if the story suggests a more complex, morally grey truth to it all. Yacht Club Games has conquered its sophomore slump and delivered a truly special experience, one that, on every level, sparks joy and wonder even amidst turmoil and strife.
Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, in its attempts to fit within the legendary 2004 series, manages to be a beautiful labor of love that still maintains its own distinct, robust identity. From the moment it recreates the iconic opening intro of its predecessor in its distinct art style, the game’s ethos is clear. It is a tightrope act in both homage and self-actualization, capturing the downbeat intensity of its parent series perfectly while translating it seamlessly to a challenging roguelite structure. Its harsh difficulty and endlessly hopeless atmosphere will prove a hurdle for newcomers, but the feeling of perfectly navigating dire crises and barely escaping subsequent Cylon attacks intact never ceases to be exhilarating.