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The real question I set out to answer for myself was a simple one. Is Athena Crisis a true successor to the Advance Wars and Wargroove formula? Or does it feel more like a cheap knockoff, trying to get a quick buck from an unsuspecting gamer? I think seeing all the units that are available to play with speaks enough for itself to show that this isn't the Advance Wars you grew up with. While the dialogue does feel a bit Saturday morning cartoon, the amount of choices you have when crafting an army are massive. Add a campaign editor, and a few other customization options and you have a title that is worthy of the games it wants to emulate. Not only that, but sets the bar for the next title in this genre to rise up to.
While there may have the smallest step taken toward improving the gameplay, Madden 25 falls completely flat because the proper simulation modes still feel the same and haven't changed much. The UI may look different, but the same options for relocation/renovation, the same team management options, and soulless superstar options drag this game down back to where the franchise has been for the past several years. It's disappointing in every sense of the word.
The Hunt: Showdown 1896 might be the best extraction shooter out there right now. It marries weapons and traits into a meaningful character loadouts with solid gameplay mechanics set against a gritty, horrific world. But this won't be news to Hunt veterans, to whom this latest update and upgrade will ultimately be best enjoyed. The onboarding experience seems a bit of a bridge too far to really welcome in new blood to mire of the bayou or chill of the mountains. However, if you have some friends to jump in together, and if you're willing to stick it out to really level up in this game, you will surely be rewarded for your sweat and tears.
While it is almost miraculous that many of the properties in this game are represented in video game form, Funko Fusion is missing a sense of fun or satisfaction. With very little explanation of the game's mechanics, the player is left to wander from world to world, shooting endless waves of enemies, fiddling around with obtuse puzzles, pondering the universe and the point of it all.
Caravan SandWitch is a gorgeous, cozy exploration game with a story that falls flat. It won't hold a spell over you for long, but a weekend is all it needs.
While the on-court gameplay improvements from last year are incremental and subtle, NBA 2K25 is still the high-water mark for sports games. A more newcomer-friendly MyCAREER, and the addition of worthwhile game modes to MyTEAM make this one of the best entries in the series, even despite it constantly trying to reach deeper into your pocket.
Yars: Rising is an ambitious spiritual sequel to Yars' Revenge, and will give you a challenge; Wayforward and Atari worked their magic all through this one. Not so much in enemy variation, but Emi keeps the combat exciting and fun, and the hacks are that old Atari 2600 difficulty. Samus and Megaman would be proud. You will be too.
Team ASOBI came out swinging for the fences, expanding on the existing games in the series in every direction. Astro Bot is a delight in every sense of the word. A magnificent tour through Sony PlayStation's history, the franchise – and the Astro Bot character – has enough charm and chops to now launch forward as PlayStation's premier mascot-driven series. Stellar platforming, a mountain of secrets, and a never-ending sense of discovery and adventure, Astro Bot is a new classic. So. Much. Fun.
There's nothing crazy about Peglin. The game is straightforward but still offers plenty of twists the further into your game session you manage to get. This is one of those no two rounds are the same games, a staple in roguelight titles I have come to enjoy. The better you become at playing Peglin the longer those sessions tend to become. I don't daydream about Peglin, which is to say the worst thing I can think about Peglin; it's there, it's fun, but I don't feel much of a sense of accomplishment once I move onto something else.
A roguelike for fans of city-builders, Roots of Yggdrasil deftly extends its branches to those who typically shy away from the live-die-repeat nature of the genre. It's not perfect, but speaking the city-builder language makes this an inviting roguelike experience that will challenge but not frustrate you.
For fans of Dead by Daylight, The Casting of Frank Stone is an incredible experience that expands the lore of the game in ways we have wanted to see for so long. For everyone else this will play as a great Supermassive movie based game. I do think that non DBD fans are gonna be missing out because lot of the big moments, reveals, lore and references are just gonna go over their heads, but if you are a fan of Dead by Daylight this is an experience you won't want to miss.
Some RTS remasters have been terrible, chock full of issues. Age of Mythology: Retold is not one of them. Some bumps, like the terrible, lifeless voice acting are hard to get over. I love the idea of being able to play with a controller, and the support is there, it still doesn't feel right. The campaign is great once you get into it, and there is plenty to keep a single player happy for some time. This one is hard not to recommend to fans of the RTS genre who like to relive a bit of their younger days, but might be a bit to much to chew off for the casual fan.
Concord may not be worth $40 to some, but that doesn't mean there isn't $40 worth of game here. With PlayStation levels of production value, and exceptional gameplay, fans of hero or team-based shooters should find Concord appealing – if they give it a chance.
Star Wars Outlaws is a good time, once you come to terms with it's stealth gameplay. While the visuals feel rough around the edges, the story and writing are fun and the gameplay can be surprisingly engaging. Things do wear thin after doing the same stealth missions over and over again, but this is still a trip to the outer rim well worth taking.
Cat Quest III serves as a fantastic introduction to this charming franchise. With surprisingly deep combat, intriguing exploration, and wild story turns, the game kept me up far later than I intended for several nights in a row. Appropriate for the kids, but good enough that Dad soon booted the kids off the controller and took over. If you can stand the endless puns, this is a great, breezy action RPG that will entertain the entire family for hours.
I've never been as emotionally affected by a video game as I was by Farewell North. It's a gorgeous bit of storytelling, flanked by music and art that is just as beautiful. You can see its emotional gut-punch coming, but good luck avoiding it.
Eleven years is a long time in between games, and the developers at EA Orlando largely did a good job. There's a lot of fun gameplay but there are some issues that will need fixing for the next version. Dynasty mode is the star of the show here with so much depth you might get overwhelmed. Here's hoping EA Orlando builds upon the success of this game and does even better next year.
Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate is not the roguelike that breaks the mold for those trying to get into the genre, and I can't say that roguelike veterans would find its gameplay loop compelling either. It's wide range of weaponry and abilities does create bursts of fun, but unfortunately it wears thin relatively quickly.
Sword of Convallaria: For this World of Peace is not a game made for me, a person who enjoys a good, story-rich tactical RPG. Not much story there, and I found it confusing, to say the least. There are a lot of moving parts to this one, some of them feel like old-school TRPG traits that I love, and some feel like it's wearing the mask of a TRPG. If this is not made for someone who, by all accounts should enjoy this, then I am unsure who this is made for. Have fun, but be cautious.
DROS is a fun game but it can be a bit too easy at times. That combined with there not being much reason outside of in-game lore to get all of the optional goals might turn some people off. However, the stages aren't incredibly long and the game is one that can be enjoyed in spurts, plus it can be a challenge to collect everything there is to find, allowing for some fair replay value.