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Star Fox is a fairly safe remaster, and for fans of the original there's a lot here to love, especially the incredible audio-visual upgrade. The central mode is showing its age mechanically, though, and without the power of nostalgia, I'm interested to see how people respond to its classic on-rails action. Meanwhile, the online mode is deserving of your and your friends' time, but you have to hope that some extra attention is poured into it post-launch.
Dark Scrolls is a game which I reckon will be a perfect salve for some people, being a neat call-back to the days of 8-bit gaming and old school shmups, but I just found it to be a bit too samey. It's fun, sure, but it works best in shorter half hour bursts for me. I expect a bit more from my roguelites, but if you approach this as an arcade game instead, you'll be in a better frame of mind.
Gothic 1 Remake is a superlative reinterpretation of an all-time classic game. Whilst the initial difficulty level and complete lack of handholding or quest markers etc. might be a hard sell to gamers used to more modern design choices, there is such a wealth of gaming experience to be enjoyed here. The obstacles set up mean that every small amount of progress feels hard earned and the sense of achievement is far greater than in many modern games. The sheer thrill of exploration and character choices make for an RPG that has been liberated from the technical limitations of its origin.
ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies is a triumphant spy thriller that may be slow to start, but ramps up into an unforgettable espionage adventure by the time the credits roll.
Copa City has potential and with regular updates it could become a really good tycoon management game surrounding football events. However, it needs issues to be addressed like performance and for things to be better explained so players are not overwhelmed with quests that introduce new things without a heads up.
If you're a fan of cycling and the Tour de France, Tour de France 2026 has a lot to offer, especially in how well it captures the racing action itself. However, it feels like it needs a real visual upgrade to take it from the back of the pack to a yellow jersey, and ultimately, it'll just make you want to get out on your bike.
Every once in a while there's a game where I put off completing my review because I'm busy trying to grab the Platinum trophy. The Adventures of Elliot is one of those games. I found entire evenings and weekends disappearing, and even when repetition threatened to set in, I found new ways to shake up the game. Look past the odd pacing foible and this is an excellent action adventure to sink into.
NBA The Run plays a fast and fun game of basketball, but there's not a great deal of depth to keep you coming back time and time again.
Crushed In Time is a delightful new style of point & click adventure, making the whole world elastic and taking you, Holmes and Watson on a journey through the travails of game development. There's definitely a game in Draw Me A Pixel's second title, but they'll need your help to finish it.
Psyvariar 3 is a technical challenge, and an ultra satisfying arcade shooter experience. It's lacking in some much-needed tutorials and introductions, but once you do figure out how to Buzz and Level Up, it opens up one of the most unique and rewarding shoot-em-up games you'll ever experience.
Realm of Ink is a very good roguelite that plays well and uses East Asian mythology as a great basis to tell its story. Being able to create some really powerful builds and demolish enemies, but it can also be considered a rather easy experience despite higher difficulty settings.
007 First Light is an incredibly well-executed action adventure blockbuster with a truly engrossing story, slick presentation, and layered gameplay systems. It marks a major evolution for IO Interactive, thrusting the studio into that coveted top tier of video game developers. It also has us excited for the team's future projects, whether that's more Bond or a return to Hitman at some point down the road.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth makes the transition to Switch 2 in great form. It generally looks excellent, the sound is spectacular and the world is as large and expansive as it ever was. There are cutbacks over the PS5 version, and whether you can live with them will be a personal choice, particularly with the shift to 30fps and the reduced level of detail, but if you want a massive, portable Final Fantasy adventure, Rebirth is ideal.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is an incredible celebration of the Caped Crusader, and if you've encountered any of his adventures across comics, film or gaming, you'll find joy in every reference and aside.
What should have been a confident stride forwards from the solid tactical action of the original instead feels like a nervous sidestep. The superb narrative of Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus 2, bolstered by strong voiceovers and rich fan service, gives players every reason to be invested in its grimdark world, but that investment is steadily undermined by overly linear gameplay and combat that rarely rises above the mundane.
A solid platformer with a clear focus on speedrunning, Bubsy 4D is an enjoyable enough experience. Sure, the levels might be bland and repetitive, but it is hard to dislike a game that is as genuinely funny as this. Also, it must be noted that Bubsy 4D doesn't outstay its welcome, landing distinctly in "short, but sweet". Although it knows its audience and they will come away pleased, this isn't going to sell many new folks to the bobcat. Bubsy is back, but their return is a mixed bag.
Mina the Hollower has the weight of expectation upon it, and it's a game that meets many of them. The retro aesthetic is lovely, the world is well made, the boss fights are varied, and there is a lot to find, but it also has its frustrations. Poor navigation is the main factor that sucked some of the enjoyment out, with the game really wanting a better map to aid you. Still, Yacht Club Games has made a good game overall with Mina the Hollower.
Rune Dice is a great idea with good execution. Combining dice like you're playing a game of billiards or hockey is excellent, allowing risky trick shots that offer substantial reward if you can make it. But the game doesn't go far enough, with each run ending in half an hour and limiting how much you can experiment with builds. There's the potential in here for an excellent game, but what we have is simply a good one.
The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time is a fabulous addition to the meta-game genre. I went in as a fan of old-school 16-bit JRPGs expecting a hit of nostalgia, but came away thoroughly impressed by the inception-like degree of layers within layers I unravelled in completing the game. It goes beyond the titular game to explore what makes developers tick, and challenging you to think outside the box for its puzzle, and if the sound of that appeals, then you should definitely give The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time a go. This is destined to be a classic and perhaps one day someone will remake it too…
Ghost Master Resurrection is a pretty good remaster of a classic, underappreciated game. It makes it looks a bit more modern, improves the controls, and even adds new content and upgrades. Maybe we are finally due for a breakout new genre about mastering ghosts? That'd be nice.