I would highly recommend Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, just on PC. I’ve no idea how the other console versions perform but sadly the Switch 2 version takes what is an amazing game, charges full whack for it, doesn’t include any of the DLC (because of course why would they?!), and then riddles it full of poor performance and crashing issues.
Outlaws + Handful of Missions Remaster is yet again another fine Nightdive re-release with all the bells and whistles you would come to expect from them, another diamond in the rough put out for fans of the boomiest and shootiest to get to grips with and this is why we love them. The game wasn’t really on my radar up until release and I can honestly say I fell in love almost instantly with it.
If Terminator 2D: No Fate’s prime objective was to release into the world a game worthy of the legendary Terminator 2: Judgement Day in the style of the games out at the time the film was popular, then the mission was an absolute success. Terminator 2D: No Fate joins Terminator Resistance as games worthy of the first two films in the franchise. While it’s lacking a little too much Arnie and may not have the runtime some would want, I couldn’t have been happier with the title. Despite having finished it at least half a dozen times now, I still find myself being sent back in time and trying to stop Skynet over and over again
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond feels like a representation of where the franchise is in a way, stuck with one foot in the past and one in the present, without a clear direction of where it wants to go. It certainly has some great moments, is enjoyable overall, and is worthy of the franchise name, but several aspects of the game come off shallow. Waiting eight years since the initial announcement hasn't helped establish this title as the definitive next step for Samus either. While not a complete misstep, it isn’t the strongest action-adventure game or what I personally have come to expect from the same series that put out titles like Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime Remastered. It’s nice to have Samus back, but if there’s a follow-up, next time I’d like a little more Metroid in my Prime.
Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle is a fun though somewhat dated title that, above all else, serves more as a reminder or a history lesson regarding a small niche in the fighting game genre. It’s a fun title with decent quality of life enchancements, but when compared to its kin (be it more modern or from the same era), it feels more like a curiosity than your next fireball-throwing obsession.
It could just be a personal preference thing but I would have enjoyed the game a lot more if it was more of an arena shooter in the vein of Serious Sam rather than a Survivors-like style game, don’t get me wrong it is fun in small doses but lacks a serious bite to keep you invested for longer sessions, visuals and audio hit hard and the low asking price is enough to entice gamers in, you just need to know what you’re getting in to.
R-Type Delta: HD Boosted to me feels like a game laser-focused toward existing fans of the R-Type franchise who may have missed out on it when it first came out. While certainly enjoyable, it isn’t the title I would say would most appeal to newcomers; rather, the value comes from wanting the next challenge in an incredibly challenging series. With a slightly done-up lick of paint, a new soundtrack, and the chance to play this title on newer systems, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is going to be one for the Shmup masochists to sink their teeth into and for fans of retro to gush over while repeatedly hitting the walls of the stages. It’s good to know going in that this game will kick your teeth in and that progress is going to take time; once you do, you’ll find yourself with a rewarding and infuriating retro shmup that finally has its chance to shine outside of its original PlayStation prison.
It’s a tough title with lineage just oozing out of every pour, but as tough as it is, it feels rewarding every time you play it. You’ll discover new techniques and your preferred route through the game, and if all else fails, just hit up Pacifist Mode and learn to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge!
As a collection of iconic titles through the early years of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is a great package. It has some curious omissions such as Mortal Kombat Gold or Digital Eclipse’s own Gameboy Color port of Mortal Kombat 4, but all in all, there is enough here for any fan or curious fighter to get stuck into and find their new or old favorite death match. As an online competitive fighter, it’s an unacceptable release. The lack of basic features such as lobbies and crossplay really hampers what could have been the definitive way to play these titles. As it stands, it may be the only way to play most of these online with other people, but it’s a far cry from what fans of the franchise wanted. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection as a Kollection is great, well worth the asking price and time for any fans of the legendary tournament. With patches in the horizon, I can only hope this game ends up a true champion, but if you don’t have much of an interest in the history or preservation of the series, it comes off as a chump.
Double Dragon Revive will not be the return to form that it should have been for some. Others may look beyond the iffy art direction and new-yet-dated graphics and find a very competent and, dare I say, fun brawler with a healthy dose of combat. You’ll find me in the camp of the latter. It’s always welcome to see the Lee Brothers, and while it’s not quite as addictive or fun as Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons, it offers plenty for fans of the genre and the franchise. It’s one I’ll return to time and time again, and I would love to see a sequel to see how the developers would tackle a remake of Double Dragon II in this style.
I was incredibly curious to see if Bloober Team could make it 2-for-2 since 2024, especially considering that up until the Silent Hill 2 remake, they hadn’t dealt with combat before. I’m glad to say not only is Cronos: The New Dawn a success with its combat, but they also managed to really nail the tension of working with low resources and making key choices in the way you can only get from a survival horror. Cronos: the New Dawn offers a gripping tale, plenty of jump scares, more tension than the bottom of the ocean, and a world you'll just want to explore. It did a fantastic job of reminding me exactly what I love about the genre, and wasn’t afraid to humble me when I got too cocky. This is an essential title for horror fanatics and people looking for a unique way to spend their Halloween.
Mamorukun ReCurse! has so much in common with G.Rev’s other title Under Defeat HD+ in that initially it had enough to interest me but didn’t quite grip me. Switching to the twin stick controls sold the game to me more, and I found myself losing hours to just trying to get further up that scoreboard, engrossed by its visuals, unique aspects, the soundtrack. The game won’t be for everyone, it’s very much unabashed as a cute ‘em up and the timed nature of the arcade mode will put off some of the purists. But for those that can adapt or are happy enough to lean into the goofiness of the title, you’ve got a fantastic package full of content, and in my eyes, the definitive way to play the game. This is absolutely recommended for score chasers needing their next fix.
OFF is a quirky cult title, with this version giving non-PC gamers and new PC gamers the chance to play it for the first time. The enhancements might not quite be enough to bring back returning PC players to the new Steam version, but there is stuff here for super fans, and it comes at a modest price point to boot. This is one of the more conventional “not for everyone” indie RPG legends, but I think it has the capacity to bring in a whole new legion of fans to the niche subgenre. All in all, it was fantastic to re-experience the game again with a different soundtrack and some nifty new bonuses.
Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact felt like an experiment in a few ways. For me personally, it was a chance to just play a fighting game based on an anime I had no history with, going in just on the basis that it was in-part an Eighting jam. Unfortunately, I had a miserable time with this game. It’s an awkward to play, bland offering with poor netcode and a bare bones single-player experience. On the other side, it seems like the developers experimented to see if a low-budget fighting game could succeed using a popular IP and the growing popularity of tag fighters. In the end though, I feel like this game is liable to be almost instantly forgotten by both the fighting game community and Hunter x Hunter fans. Bushiroad Games have sadly added another stinker to Eighting’s inconsistent past, and certainly made this brawler think twice before I give the benefit of the doubt.
Ready or Not has quickly breached its way into one of my most played games of the year. I can see myself going back to it time and time again, trying to beat my scores and playing on higher difficulties. The range of options and the seemingly random generation on levels make each run a fresh and terrifying experience in equal amounts. Run-and-gun fans need not apply. But if you think you've got what it takes to command the situation and make the toughest decisions, I have but one thing to ask you: are you Ready or Not?
Sometimes it feels like I am banging the same drum when it comes to these Nightdive remasters. They almost always take great titles and make them even better. Seeing Nightdive take on System Shock 2 as a remaster after the fantastic remake of 1 might feel like a step back, but they have done enough to make a great experience a phenomenal one. And isn't quality why we are drawn to this kind of work? If you love immersion, horror, and sci-fi, System Shock 2 is still one of the greatest to ever do it, and System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is a great way to experience it nowadays. Now it's much more palatable by modern standards, and playable with a controller. Or in my experience, on the Switch 2 with the convenience of portability. Grab yourself a headset, turn the lights off, and step out of your cryopod, because the Von Braun and The Many await.
I really enjoyed the excuse to load up Lies of P again and consider it my favorite non-Fromsoft title of the genre. The new areas in the Overture DLC are fantastic and the boss fights are easily on par with the best ones from the base game with a fantastically emotional final boss fight. Admittedly, the playtime vs cost might not be for everyone in this post-Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree world, but for someone who loves the world of Krat, Pinocchio, and the Stalkers, I found it to be well worth the wait and the price.
Is Deltarune worth purchasing? Yes, 100% yes. It’s such a unique and quirky title with so much to discover in its more than 20 hours of gameplay across the two routes currently. In addition, that purchase is your down payment on another 3 chapters of the game, a game that is getting bigger and quirkier with every chapter to the point I wouldn't even be able to hazard a guess at where the game will end up. While the world is still lavishing praise for several recent releases being a return to form for the JRPG genre, why not take a walk on the wild side and join the fun squad with the anti-RPG, rebellious teenager who has an obsession with anime, monsters, and bullet hell? Deltarune is one helluva drug.
Doom: The Dark Ages was a personally divisive title, and I can imagine some people will not stick with it long enough for it to experience the best of it. It feels completely different from the previous games in both good and bad ways. The game was already released under a dark cloud, but looking back after the credits hit, I had a lot of fun with the game. It just took far too long to show me how fun it could be. You’ll rip and tear until it’s done, you’ll plod along at some places, and go face-meltingly fast through some combat encounters, but at the end of the day you’ll still be playing one of the best modern boomer shooters to date. It seems every third Doom is born to be controversial but Doom: The Dark Ages just grabs the devil by the horns and kicks all kinds of ass…eventually.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is yet another fantastic collection of Capcom fighting games. The selection is a little more mixed in terms of overall quality, but I feel this collection especially has more of “something for everybody” than the previous two. This is an absolute must-buy for fans of classic fighting games. It may be slightly lacking in the stronger single-player content, especially compared to newer fighting games, but between the charm of titles like Power Stone and Project Justice and the intense action of Capcom vs SNK 1 and 2, you’ll lose just as many hours as you would credits in the arcade.