Undeniably, 007 First Light’s biggest accomplishment isn’t the fun gameplay, although that’s no slouch. It’s the creation of a new James Bond who wears the mantle with the same brash confidence of his movie counterparts. He slots right into the pantheon like he’s always been there.
Forza Horizon 6 does not strip the whole thing down and do a full rebuild. It just polishes the bodywork, does some tuning, a few choice upgrades here and there. It takes a great car and makes it better.
Call of the Elder Gods never quite recaptures the emotional magic that made Call of the Sea so memorable. Its story is broader, sillier, and ultimately less affecting, even if its globe-trotting cosmic nonsense remains consistently entertaining. Thankfully, Out of the Blue’s knack for clever puzzle design is as sharp as ever, resulting in a sequel that may not surpass its predecessor, but still offers a thoroughly enjoyable mystery for anyone eager to test their brain against the unknowable.
A crazy weapon modification system let’s you turn a rocket launcher into an entire army in Clockwork Ambrosia. But the rest of this Metroidvania is pretty standard, and there are a lot of rough edges that hold it back.
A brutal, authentic NES-style throwback, Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is an expertly crafted homage to a bygone era—but one that completely bounced off me. This is a great game… just not for me.
Seeing these titles preserved and served up to a new generation is something special.
As a God of War game, it lacks the scale, brutality and larger-than-life spectacle that define the series. And as a Metroidvania, it struggles to stand out in a genre that already boasts heavy hitters
If you loved Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game, then Scott Pilgrim EX is basically the sequel you’ve been waiting fifteen years for. I don’ think it quite stands at the top of the modern retro brawler renaissance, but it’s pretty damn close.
After nine years in the shadows, it’s undeniably good to have Styx back. Blades of Greed delivers solid stealth, satisfying verticality, and just enough mechanical evolution to keep things interesting. But it also plays things frustratingly safe. The story lacks bite, the structure leans heavily on uninspired repetition, and the presentation never quite escapes its rough edges.
Earth Must Die is a British-made sci-fi adventure about an alien emperor, an inconvenient human invasion, and a whole lot of bad decisions. It’s rude, sarcastic, and filled with smart puzzles — even if it never quite reaches genre-defining heights.
The best Paper Mario game since The Thousand Year Door just so happens to be missing the Paper Mario nametag. Escape From Ever After spins an entertaining fairy-tale yarn, backed by likeable characters, smartly designed combat, and a clear affection for the genre it’s riffing on.
Terminator 2D: No Fate is uncompromisingly retro, for better and for worse. It doesn’t just borrow the aesthetics of 90s action games — it fully commits to their structure, their difficulty, and their occasional rough edges. If that style clicks with you, there’s a lot to love here: tight level design, a genuine affection for T2, and enough challenge to keep repeat runs engaging. If it doesn’t, the stiffness and repetition will quickly wear thin.
Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion is a chaotic, colourful beat-’em-up where you tag between Marvel heroes mid-combo, smash cosmic bugs and cause delicious pixel mayhem. It’s fast, fun, gorgeous – and might just be Tribute Games’ best brawler yet.
Cute and quirky definitely describe Hoomanz!, but they also sum up its biggest limitation. I love the concept behind it all, but found myself losing interest in the gameplay after just a couple of levels. The developers wanted to keep it simple and casual so anyone can play, and it does nail that. But the best kinds of simple games also offer some hidden depth or clever hook to keep you playing — and that’s what Hoomanz! is missing. In a way, it’s a mercy that Hoomanz! is short — by the time its charm wears off, the credits are rolling.
While it is fantastic to see Simon return, his grand comeback isn’t an impressive display of point and click magic – it’s more like an amateur magician’s routine; kinda simple, but you can’t fault the heart and enthusiasm that went into it. It’s an absolutely solid adventure game that leaves me hopeful we might see more from Simon. If you love the genre, pick it up and give it a go.
Like its tiny hero lugging a giant shield, The Knightling carries a lot of promise. Its vibrant platforming and playful worldbuilding shine, but slow combat, pacing stumbles and a drab final act weigh it down. It never quite becomes the legend it wants to be, but it’s still an earnest, endearing adventure worth a look if you’re more into hopping and gliding than hammering foes.
Lizard Cube have done it again. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance doesn’t quite dethrone Streets of Rage 4 as their crown jewel, but it’s a damn fine challenger — a katana-sharp platformer that proves the old ninja still has plenty of fight left in him. Joe Wusashi might grunt his way through a story thinner than a shoji screen, but when the controls feel this good, the art looks this stunning, and the soundtrack slaps this hard, who cares? Welcome back, Joe. Accountant name or not, you’re a legend.
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a solid entry in a genre that’s fast becoming as crowded as its arenas, and it certainly dresses the part with its Norse gods and moody, almost triple-A presentation. But beneath the gleam lies a familiar, relatively safe loop that rarely strays from the beaten path carved by Vampire Survivors and its ilk. There’s fun to be had in the chaos — dodging through a blizzard of skeletons while Thor’s hammer spins off into the distance never gets old — but the repetition and lack of meaningful variety make this more of a hearty snack than a full feast worthy of Odin’s table.
Mafia: The Old Country fits in perfectly with the previous 3 games – all deeply flawed in their ways, while all being deeply memorable.three games – all deeply flawed in their own ways, yet
Your enjoyment of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is going to depend heavily upon how much you love Pro Skater 4. If the 4th entry in the series was a massive part of your childhood, and you were excited to see it remastered and playable on modern hardware, you’re probably going to be pissed off. This isn’t Pro Skater 4, it’s more like Pro Skater 3 with a Pro Skater 4 inspired level-pack attached to it.