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Ruffy and the Riverside is both an homage to classic platform games and an entirely new take on the genre. Its fantastic texture swapping mechanic lends itself to a stunning variety of environmental puzzles, many of which offer a high level of head-scratching satisfaction. Ruffy and the Riverside has sleeper hit written all over it.
Firebreak could be 2025's most underrated shooter - if it can hold players' attention long enough. But Remedy isn't punching above its weight anymore. It's pacing itself, for better or worse.
Hideo Kojima once again proves to be a singular creative force in the video game industry, crafting a sequel in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach that is not just essential for fans of the first game, but an essential experience for all gamers.
Starlight Legacy is a 16-bit JRPG that gives players a lot of options in terms of how to progress. From choosing which order to tackle the four main provinces, to customizing a character's weapon and item loadout and changing their elements, to even turning random encounters off and on or changing how much experience is rewarded after a fight, there are plenty of ways to either make the game easier for new players or make it more challenging for seasoned JRPG veterans. There are a few quirks that some players might have issues with, but Starlight Legacy is a fun classic-style RPG that's worth checking out.
There is a lot of jank to CarX Street, yet the game is miraculously still pretty lovable. Don't go into it expecting it to make much sense, and you'll likely have a good time. With design that is bordering on anti-player, the game forces you to pay to refill your gas tank while constantly ramming you off the road with cross-traffic. But somehow, someway, it's still pretty fun.
Deck of Haunts is a quick and fun deck-building roguelike. Building out the haunted house is the most fun part. Just know that this is also one of those games where you will be at the mercy of the RNG, where failing to get a specific card you need to save your run may lead to your demise.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma confidently advances the life sim genre while still keeping one foot comfortably in the past. With streamlined farming and town management mechanics, deeper yet-still-accessible combat, and the usual great writing and character work, Guardians delivers a consistent good time for new and old players alike. This beautifully animated game is a great way to break in that Switch 2.
Steel Seed doesn't do anything particularly new, but it does recreate tried and true gameplay and traversal elements and wraps it in a stunning presentation. I have trouble with the final act as I think it falls a bit short of the promise the first two acts build up to, but overall the complete package is a pretty good game marked by solid mechanics and progression. It settles into a core loop but encourages you to explore options to play that out, and for the most part offers a pretty cool narrative wrapping neat ideas into a gorgeous bit of world building.
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 completes the journey, and opens the door for new chapters. The interest alone in these games shows that Capcom still has a hadouken or two left. We are in fighting game heaven right now. Enjoy yourselves.
Palia offers a pleasant world to explore and a bunch of fun activities to keep you busy. But the purposely languid pacing and the lack of group features have me wondering if this would be better as a more streamlined single-player game. I must give credit where it is due for producing something new and different in the MMO space, with decidedly non-gross monetization. Though it might not be directly for me, many players will fall in love with Palia's friction-free gameplay and friendly characters.
This short, sweet detective game is exactly that-short and sweet. With the ability to allow hints or turn hints off, you can increase the difficulty if you're a super sleuth, or keep it easy if you're looking to veg out. The cast of characters is vibrant, and the jokes are plentiful. Follow Detective Eugene McQuackin and find some not-so-hidden clues to help quack the case.
Lynked: Banner of the Spark is a great game for fans of dungeon crawlers and roguelikes. The combat can be a little tricky to get the hang of as you'll have to learn how to time your attacks and dodge when necessary to avoid taking huge chunks of damage. The town building aspects provide a lot of ways to customize your home base between missions and show them off to your friends in co-op. If you're looking for a dungeon crawler where you can customize your town between missions, Lynked: Banner of the Spark is well worth the price.
RoadCraft is a must-play for fans of construction simulators. There is a coziness in the laborious nature of its gameplay that is hard to resist, and with a huge amount of content, you'll be busy cleaning up natural disasters for dozens of hours.
The Precinct effortlessly blends simulation, sandbox, and silliness. Imagine being a cop in one of the early top-down GTA games, but with modern game design and accoutrements. It's not perfect, but it nails the core gameplay loop that inspired it.
Doom: The Dark Ages is a fantastic addition to this rebooted Doom franchise. It borrows from and builds on most of the aspects that made Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal so great. It stays true to the roots and offers exciting and fluid combat mechanics, while diving into a backstory that stands alone as a narrative but can also let the sickos geek out on some of the details. What it does best is just capture the hyper cool feel of being the "only one they fear" and delivering soundly on sprinting from one story beat to the next at a breakneck, metal pace.
I stand here with 2006's Oblivion in one hand and 2025's in the other. My unapologetic recommendation: take the remaster and knock yourself out. This is the definitive way to play Oblivion now - as clunky as it is classic.
Madragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree provides the perfect blend of Souls-like and Metroidvania. An engaging story and satisfying combat will keep you coming back even though there are going to be things that annoy you and force you to step away from time to time. In the end, there is an excellent adventure to be found here and I look forward to more like it from this development team.
Kaya's Prophecy is a simple and short deck builder game, with fun tribal village theming that moves the story along. This game isn't for the intensive gamer, but rather for a quick and frivolous break from life. Uncomplicated and silly, Kaya's Prophecy would make a great introductory game for anyone who wants to learn more about this particular style of gaming.
The second Tape of Lost Records is a big step up from the first tape with a great conclusion to this coming of age story of a group of friends. Some technical issues still linger here and there, while a very confusing sequel bait ending leaves us with more questions than answers.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a thunderous debut from Sandfall Interactive. Its palette is brimming with cleverly engaging turn-based combat, impeccable art direction, and voice performances that rival feature films. The result is an incredible work of video game art. This game is worth more than the asking price, and I highly recommend it.