Despite some minor nitpicks, Civilization 7 is an outstanding addition to the series. It successfully streamlines certain mechanics while adding fresh layers of strategy, making it an excellent entry point for newcomers without alienating long-time fans. The new leader/civilization system, the variety of playstyles, and the dynamic nature of disasters and transitions between ages all help keep the experience engaging.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is an incredible RPG masterpiece. It offers so much freedom and the ability to make your own decisions and be left to deal with the consequences, good or bad. And that’s quite refreshing these days. It’s deep, immersive and driven by its characters and interactions.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is still a fantastic platformer. Its level design, tight controls, and fun boss fights make it one of the best 2D platformers featuring Donkey Kong. The addition of Modern Mode helps open the game up to a wider audience, and this Switch version is easily the best way to experience the game today.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana exceeded my expectations in nearly every way. It’s a game that feels both nostalgic and fresh, combining classic design principles with modern sensibilities. The challenging gameplay, memorable boss battles, and dynamic use of magic make it a joy to play, while the polished visuals and remastered soundtrack elevate the experience even further.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a triumph for both MachineGames and the Indiana Jones franchise. It’s clear that the developers approached this project with immense respect and love for the source material, crafting a game that feels like a true extension of the films. With its thrilling story, breathtaking environments, satisfying puzzles, and exhilarating action, this is an adventure worthy of the Indiana Jones name.
Fantasian Neo Dimension is a beautiful, ambitious JRPG that serves as a fitting tribute to Hironobu Sakaguchi’s legacy. Its handcrafted diorama environments, strategic combat, and sweeping soundtrack make it a standout title, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the classics it draws inspiration from.
The Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is everything I hoped it would be—a love letter to a timeless classic, updated with modern features. Its gorgeous visuals, refined combat, and thoughtful additions make it a joy to play, whether you’re a veteran fan or a newcomer.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a testament to BioWare’s resilience and creativity. Despite a troubled development cycle, the game emerges as a worthy successor to the series, combining breathtaking visuals, engaging combat, and a story that rewards both new players and longtime fans.
The Silent Hill 2 Remake is a labor of love, and it shows. Bloober Team has managed to honor the legacy of one of the greatest survival horror games of all time while introducing it to a new generation of players. Its stunning visuals, expanded story, and impeccable sound design make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a great new entry in the Zelda franchise and shows that the team still have a lot of interesting ideas and the ability to make a game that is just pure joy to play. I love that Zelda is a series that offers up quality entries that offer very different experiences, while still playing off each other and feeling like legitimate entries into the franchise and not just cash-in spin offs.
Until Dawn (2024) is a fantastic game, but one that struggles to justify its existence. It’s a faithful recreation that looks and plays better than ever, yet it feels unnecessary given how well the original has aged. For newcomers, this is a must-play—a visually stunning horror experience that still delivers genuine scares and gripping tension.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a great 3D arena fighter that honours the core Dragon Ball series and is also a celebration of the classic, and much loved Tenkaichi series.
Metaphor: Refantazio is a big new step for the Studio Zero team and I came away feeling like it was a massive success for the team. It delivered on everything I wanted from it back when I heard about it as Project Re Fantasy as all I really wanted was Persona in a fantasy setting.
Astro Bot delivers on what players have wanted more of since playing Playroom years ago when the PS5 launched. It’s a well designed platformer with a fun mascot character and makes amazing use of the PS5 and DualSense to create a really immersive experience that also looks incredible.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is an amazing offering from Nintendo and a welcome addition of something more mature for their catalogue. It offers a tight and engaging story that fans of mystery stories are really going to get invested in.
Visions of Mana offers a solid JRPG experience with an interesting cast of characters and a world that is fun to explore. I loved the multiple layers of customisation that the game offers to really tailor the experience and your party to exactly how you want to spec them out. I would have appreciated better pacing overall and side quests that were designed better than what we got but the main story mostly makes up for the issues.
The Casting of Frank Stone is a game that I have no issues recommending to fans of horror, and especially to people that like Supermassive’s game structure or the Dead by Daylight series. I loved that this game tried new things with its narrative and that it offered interesting twists and turns along the way that kept me guessing and speculating on what would happen next.
Star Wars: Outlaws delivers on the goal of giving the player the opportunity to live the life of a scoundrel in the Star Wars universe and shows that the story doesn’t need to have Jedis at the forefront to tell an interesting tale. It’s full of colourful and interesting characters, races and locales and the worlds are pact with things to stumble across to keep to busy for many hours.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak offers a fun and engaging JRPG experience and is a great jumping on point for people who may have been overwhelmed by starting the series and unsure of how to take the plunge. It’s packed full of interesting characters and great performances, and its unique combat system helps keep things interesting for the many hours it will take you to beat it.
It’s clear that a lot of effort has gone into the creation of this enhanced version of Shin Megami Tensei V. With a whole new side of the story to play, new endings to uncover and a ton of new demons to collect, it cements itself as the definitive way to now experience SMTV whether it’s your first time going in, or if you have the itch to re-experience it.