Nathaniel Stevens
Invincible VS from developer Quarter Up is an impressive fighting game that plays it safe in some areas, but exceeds expectations in others. The mix of story content that launches into 3v3 battles is seamless as it is entertaining. The game isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s more impressive than it is not.
Motorslice from developer Regular Studio is a huge game that has a thick layer of good world-building that will hook and engage players throughout the experience. It also has tricky parkour that is hindered by loose controls at times, and a shallow sense of direction once the player gets going.
Everything is Crab: The Animal Evolution Roguelite from developer Odd Dreams Digital is a marvel to behold. It’s fun, enormous in the number of directions the player can take the gameplay, and it’s easily replayable. It’s one of my top 10 games of 2026 so far.
Diablo IV – Lord of Hatred is by far one of the more impactful and thoughtful expansions to hit the series. The narrative is absolutely well-done, the backend improvements to the gameplay are well-executed, and the gameplay experience as a whole is fun from beginning to end. There’s not much to hate with this one.
Bandit Trap from developer PICOMY is a fun multiplayer game that creates a unique, two-sided challenge between home invaders and homeowners. The 3v1 gameplay is simple and fun, though it is still going through some growing pains.
The Player Who Can’t Level Up, from developer Tripearl Games, is a promising action roguelike adventure that is fun, mindless in a good way, and a solid experience for players looking for a challenge. Keep an eye on this one, folks. This could be something special by the end of its development.
The Day I Became a Bird, from developer Hyper Luminal Games Ltd., is a fun, adorable visual novel adventure that features a fair amount of well-placed gameplay and a good dose of creative and nostalgic flavor to it. It’s a short journey, though, clocking in at 1.5 hours.
OPUS Prism Peak from developer SIGONO, INC. brings one solid narrative to the gaming table. It features humor, drama, compelling characters, and a worthy journey for the player to take on. All of this is wrapped in simple gameplay elements that don’t take the adventure too far away from the story.
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Last Man Sitting from developer DoubleMoose Games and publisher Raw Fury is a fun and simple shooter with a ridiculous theme, as well as a bevy of customization and upgrade options. The gameplay is short and repetitive, but the price point helps justify it.
DAMON and Baby from developer Arc System Works contains a bevy of fun gameplay elements across different genres that work more than they don’t. The action can get a bit frustrating at times, but big multi-tiered maps, interesting weapons, and a cooking system help to push past that frustration. It’s a good game that has a lot to offer players.
MLB The Show 26 from developer San Diego Studio and publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment is a solid improvement from last year’s game, with more data inclusion, smoother career decision-making, and better backend gameplay refinements. While not a huge leap from the previous year, it’s still a good release with enough reason to consider it, especially if you’re a new player who doesn’t have last year’s game.
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Under the Island, from developer Slime King Games, gives a firm tip-of-the-hat with its design and execution to games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Under the Island contains good action, sometimes difficult puzzles, and a hefty amount of exploration to keep one’s attention firmly locked into the gameplay. The difficulty of some of the puzzles might feel a bit unbalanced and heavy, in comparison to the action, but the payoff feels worth that trouble.
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