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The Talos Principle: Reawakened breathes new life into Croteam’s philosophical puzzler with thoughtful quality-of-life upgrades, stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5, and a demanding new expansion. While not all enhancements feel essential and motion sickness concerns persist, it remains a deeply rewarding experience for both returning fans and first-time players.
All in Abyss: Judge the Fake is a chaotic blend of anime visual novel, investigative gameplay, and Texas Hold 'Em card battles with a sinister death game twist. Though its storytelling can be uneven and some visuals divisive, it delivers a surprisingly addictive poker experience wrapped in eerie charm and high-stakes horror.
Must-Play Promise Mascot Agency not only delivers on its eccentric premise, but is surprisingly wholesome and heartfelt. Its characters are both relatable and immensely likable. Meanwhile, the gameplay may not be complicated, but its explorative driving offers up a surprisingly chilled out experience, that'll see hours flying by as you lose yourself in Kaso-Machi.
Blue Prince stands as a puzzle adventure that balances trust in the player’s intuition with just enough guidance to prevent total disarray. Every discovered shortcut, every triumphant puzzle solution, and every unexpected twist makes your journey through the mansion feel incredibly personal. Gliding through these rooms with a mixture of awe and trepidation is a testament to the developer’s confidence in both the design and the player’s curiosity. If you’re looking for a game that thrives on your imagination and resourcefulness, Blue Prince is bound to leave a lasting impression.
Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme delivers more than its fanservice exterior suggests, offering a surprisingly heartfelt blend of relationship-building, character-driven storytelling, and light simulation mechanics. While lacking in traditional gameplay variety, its emotional moments, polished visuals, and quirky charm make it a uniquely relaxing—if sometimes absurd—experience.
South of Midnight feels like a game that wanted to soar but never really left the ground. It’s undeniably gorgeous and hints at a level of creativity that, under better direction, could have led to an unforgettable adventure. However, between the undercooked combat, stilted platforming, and a meandering story that can’t decide on its central theme, it’s tough to recommend without a few asterisks. Hazel deserved more, and so did we. For now, South of Midnight remains a curiosity—worth a glance if you’re keen on its aesthetics or folk-infused premise, but ultimately lacking the cohesion it needs to shine.
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls is a surprisingly robust and faithful adaptation of the beloved anime, delivering an expansive story mode, deep character exploration, and a combat system that blends accessibility with strategic depth. Though it suffers from occasional animation hiccups and minor visual bugs, it stands tall as one of the best single-player anime fighting game experiences in recent memory—especially for longtime fans of the series.
The First Berserker: Khazan is a masterclass in action combat, delivering thrilling boss fights, diverse level design, and tight mechanics that rival the genre’s best. While the narrative and side characters falter in depth, the fluid progression, customizable skill trees, and satisfying difficulty curve make this a standout soul-like experience—even for players unfamiliar with the Dungeon Fighter Online universe.
Dark Deity 2 is a clear improvement over its predecessor, offering streamlined, satisfying tactical combat and strong customization. While the story and presentation fall short, the engaging gameplay and replayability make it a worthwhile experience for strategy RPG fans.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a breathtaking evolution of the open-world formula, blending masterful storytelling, refined stealth mechanics, and stunning visuals. With a gripping dual-protagonist narrative and meticulously crafted historical setting, Ubisoft delivers one of the most immersive Assassin’s Creed experiences to date.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land takes the beloved RPG series in a bold new direction, blending emotional storytelling with expansive open-world exploration. While its narrative depth and revamped synthesis system shine, underwhelming villains and uneven gameplay balance hold it back from greatness.
Angelic Chaos RE-BOOT delivers a delightful blend of romance, comedy, and soft fantasy in Yuzusoft’s latest visual novel. With an engaging cast of heroines, expressive animations, and high-quality voice acting, this moege excels in character-driven storytelling.
Wanderstop presents itself as a cozy tea shop sim, but beneath its colorful, Ghibli-esque charm lies a deeply emotional narrative about change, loss, and self-discovery. With an engaging tea-brewing system, lovable characters, and a stunningly vibrant art style, Wanderstop blends heartwarming moments with subtle, existential themes. While a few technical hiccups hold it back, its storytelling and atmosphere make it an unforgettable indie gem.
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster revives two beloved JRPG classics with enhanced visuals and quality-of-life improvements. While Suikoden I offers a solid, if rushed, introduction, Suikoden II stands out as a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and emotional depth. With strategic combat, 108 recruitable characters, and new difficulty options, this remaster reintroduces a long-lost gem to a modern audience—flaws and all.
Split Fiction is a wildly imaginative co-op adventure that thrives on unpredictability. Hazelight Studios masterfully blends platforming, puzzles, and genre shifts into a thrilling yet sometimes overwhelming experience. While its narrative structure can feel disjointed, the inventive gameplay and forced collaboration make it a must-play for co-op fans.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is a neat idea that goes a long way to preserve its fairly old titles, but on paper it's almost a novelty. There are a few games in the set that are worth digging into, but none of those feature online multiplayer at launch, and a lot of this collection is just going to be filler for most people.
The Strongest TOFU is a quirky and fast-paced platformer that delivers a surprisingly fun experience. With its simple yet effective mechanics, bite-sized levels, and hilarious tofu-themed presentation, it’s a short but memorable adventure. Add in wacky boss fights, random tofu facts, and even live-action cutscenes, and you have an indie gem that embraces its absurdity while offering solid gameplay.
Ninja Five-O makes a welcome return, reviving a cult-favorite GBA action platformer. With tight controls, satisfying ninja gameplay, and a retro aesthetic that holds up well, this re-release preserves the original’s charm while adding minor extras. However, the lack of significant visual enhancements and limited accessibility options may leave some players wanting more.
Shujinkou is a masterfully crafted JRPG that seamlessly blends dungeon crawling, turn-based combat, and an innovative Japanese language learning system. With deep gameplay mechanics, rich world-building, and a clever integration of language education, it’s a unique experience for both RPG lovers and language enthusiasts. Though some mechanics, like ailments and demon negotiation, feel underutilized, the game’s engaging story, stylish UI, and immersive soundtrack make it a must-play.
Monster Hunter Wilds proves that Capcom still owns the subgenre the series has created, by crafting a game that somehow massively improves on its already-incredible predecessor. It brings the franchise fully into the current generation with an expansive open world, gorgeous environments, and even more satisfying action combat.