[D]on't even think about condemning this star runner to the glue factory like most judgmental folks. This steed's a clear winner in the video game F2P pony show. Just make sure Lady Luck be kind to you; the RNG can get brutal at times.
You could do worse than with a game [like Ruffy and the Riverside] that actually tries hard to capture that bygone early 2000s era of cerebral-challenging platforming, even if all it has going for is its deft use of 2D artwork onto 3D landscapes. At the very least, this game deserves a sequel that will hopefully iron out its flaws and repetitive moments.
Raidou Remastered is a fine remake of an underrated PlayStation 2 action title involving the Shin Megami Tensei demon-summoning brand. New players will enjoy what's in store though they shouldn't expect a Persona game. Veterans will appreciate the many, many changes that make the combat challenging and fun, as well as the new look and voice acting. Consider this case solved and filed under "well-deserved", even if some of its fighting can get spotty in the latter half.
Lost In Random: The Eternal Die is a fun roguelite jaunt at most, with some polish and tweaks that are welcome in the genre. You'll make good progress with the game's story while also revelling in its intense action and temporary roguelite power-up system that's in tune with its analog gaming backdrop. It's not a royal flush, but it's a steady hand that's enough to sate your roguelite action-heavy tendencies.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a well-made and hard-hitting metroidvania that hits all the right notes and sticks the landing with its proverbial yoyo shenanigans.With lovely graphics & sound from legendary composer Yoko Shimomura (catchy tracks and all), a cute plot concerning gentrification of all topics in a landscape of anthropomorphic beings, and fun-yet-challenging metroidvania action using your yoyo and other related antics, file this title under the dark horse category of standout indie games of 2025.
With a unique aesthetic and familiar-yet-fun gameplay, SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is a fun food-filled romp that'll last you for a few hours if you prefer a food-serving party style-action game experience without the fuss of extra people to work with. It's a veritable Southeast Asian feast for the eyes & reflexes, one covered with love and a unique grub-centered coat of Ais Kacang ice shavings with the overload of syrup.
MercurySteam has a lot going for with Blades of Fire despite its drawn-out story and path that does wear out its welcome over time. While not exactly the most engrossing of all action RPGs with Dark Souls DNA, Blades of Fire is still worthy of your time due to its approach to weapons-crafting and nuances to its combat system.
It's always good to see indie developers like Sabotage continue making meaningful content for its magnum opus JRPG, and the Throes of the Watchmaker DLC adds more value to an already stellar title. The fact that it's free is also surprising, considering most of us would be fine paying a small sum for this addition. Still, one shouldn't look in the mouth of a gift horse and just roll with it like how a posse of insane clowns would deal with Faygo and fat chicks.
Shotgun Cop Man makes the fantasy of using your firearm recoil to fly all the more enjoyable and replayable, as these stages are meant to encourage you to get better scores & perfect playthroughs. Simply put, it's a blast.
Veterans will love the callbacks and tributes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 pays to its inspirations, and get a sublime experience out of it. Even if you're new to the genre, its narrative and unique world will draw you in, with its turn-based and combat mechanics spellbinding you like a world class French arthouse flick would to film critics. Très magnifique, une expérience merveilleuse, as they say.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is truly the full package for SNK fans and fighting game veterans looking for a new 1v1 fighter that can go toe-to-toe with this generation's Street Fighter 6. The 17-character roster (with 5 more coming) have a ton of variety and expanded moveset for all sorts of playstyles, the game's aesthetics are full of life and uniqueness, the fighting mechanics are a good balance between simple and complex with tons of nuances, and the extra single-player modes will keep you occupied. It is truly a sublime fighting game experience for both newcomers and veterans.
This Gal Guardians sequel hits all the right notes for a fun if cumbersome search action experience: lovely animation and aesthetics, great action and boss fights, and a nice map to uncover. However it does suffer a bit for some repeated boss moments (like the scarabs in Yohane the Parhelion), some not-so-intuitive backtracking options, and the fact that you have to grind for bones to get the top-shelf navigation powerups. Still, it's far from being abysmal and is at least worth your time if you fancy an anime-infused search action game featuring characters from Inti Creates' Gal Gun universe. And some jiggle and fanservice to go along with it. For chrissakes, there's an achievement for getting bathed in a big-boobied dragon girl's oil saliva; that pretty much gives you an idea of the title's demographic.
[...] Assassin's Creed Shadow is still a decently fun action adventure-slash-role-playing hybrid (stats, grinding, and all that jazz) if you really need a huge timesink with a ton of money backed onto it. It may not change your mind about the Ubisoft formula of open-world games. But through it all, formulas work because they're comfort food and deliver what is expected while looking darn good and polished doing so, without any fuss. And with a great soundtrack that mixes traditional with contemporary beats & melodies.
Beyond The Ice Palace 2 is a fun-if-very-challenging linear-style 2D action platformer that may be plodding and methodical for some, but still enthralling for many of us who need their Castlevania jollies sated. For the rest of the world, it's going to make you break your controllers, especially in the latter half where checkpoints are very sparse.
[E]xpect the wild and wacky with this nod to Earthbound and Guitar Hero, mashed up for one surreal 2D-and-3D mesh indie experience you won't forget anytime soon. Just don't expect a straight answer out of it.
I'm glad Two Points Studio isn't done with the isometric simulation genre, as they're the only ones carrying the torch to deliver quality goods under different guises and themes. They've learned a lot from making their past titles and now offer one of the more flexible and creative bits in sim history.
Obsidian's latest isn't as groundbreaking and profound as Fallout: New Vegas (a very high bar to be honest), but it isn't short on exploration and combat. I'd say take a plunge into this magical fantasy romp if possible. At the very least, Xbox Game Pass owners have yet another free and awesome RPG experience to deal with for weeks and months to come.
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii is a ball of a time if you want a free-form action-adventure pirate game featuring a likeable-if-eccentric main character and his colourful crewmates taking place in contemporary times. Granted, the second half of the 15+ hour (minimum at best) playthrough may require some context from past Like A Dragon/Yakuza games, but if you can shut your brain off from the deeper lore bits, this title won't leave you high and dry.
Afterlove EP is a quaint and charming adventure title solely focused on moving on, and does a great job conveying that with its scenario, characters, and music numbers. [S]core one more point for Indonesia's gaming scene for another banger of a title.
Strictly for the diehard shmup fans who just need another cheap-looking notch in their danmaku holster; nothing more.