Continuing the Stories RPG spin-off franchise, Monster Hunter Stories 3 introduces better, deeper gameplay systems befitting of a JRPG giant.
Planet of Lana 2 won’t tickle the dopamine centers of your gamer brain, but there’s a very strong chance it will pull on your heartstrings. More than this, it will engage your imagination like few other games can, presenting its one-of-a-kind world with the utmost confidence and panache. And with best-in-class art direction and arresting musical composition to boot, Lana 2 is more than deserving of a spot on the narrative-platformer Mount Rushmore, right alongside the likes of Inside and Gris.
Although its flaws are rather obvious, Romeo Is a Dead Man is an unforgettable and ultimately successful sci-fi romp through spacetime.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion soars with stunning visuals, slick beat-em-up gameplay, and an inventive lineup of diverse comic book characters.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 picks up where its predecessor left off, but does it live up to the legacy of the cult classic?
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a terrific, if not exactly revolutionary, remaster of one of the PS1's best TRPGs.
Indie action-adventure game The Knightling soars with its traversal and vibes, but sinks with its combat and narrative design.
Lacking the charisma and novelty of its predecessors, Mafia: The Old Country struggles to escape a sense of constant mediocrity.
Hell Clock is a compelling, ever-expanding, surprisingly emotional ARPG roguelike that's well worth anyone's time, despite a few weak points.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a fantastic revamping of the 2006 classic, putting it in conversation with contemporary ARPGs.
FBC: Firebreak is a big swing for Remedy Entertainment that's definitely worthy of a few cheers.
The Alters is a cerebral, thought-provoking, and beefy story-driven survival game, and undoubtedly 11 Bit Studios' magnum opus.
Creature Keeper is a decent excursion for old-school RPG fans, but players seeking a more robust gaming experience may be left disappointed.
Fatal Fury is back with a vengeance with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, a thoroughly entertaining, if slightly lightweight, return to form.
Mother Machine is a cute co-op game with some fun ideas that fails to realize the overwhelming majority of its potential.
Centum is a haunting, esoteric, and opaque game that begs constant examination, though its strengths as a video game are debatable.
Knights in Tight Spaces is a rewarding and flashy follow-up to Fights in Tight Spaces, making it a strong, if familiar, strategy roguelike.
Blemished and imperfect though it may be, Afterlove EP is a moving, heartfelt story that has a lot to say about grief, love, and moving on.
Keep Driving is equal parts charming, compelling, inventive, and emotionally evocative, making it one of 2025's early masterpieces.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap has a few screws that could be tightened, but is overall a strong continuation of the series' action-strategy gameplay.