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Village in the Shade delivers a far more in-depth and engaging narrative than most would expect from a farming simulator. While not overly scary, it delivers plenty of horror inspired by Japanese folklore and a set of characters who are worth getting to know. Backed up by an entertaining farming gameplay loop, this is a memorable combination of the cozy days and the eerie nights that will keep you hooked for a long time. Just make sure to check out our selection of guides on Village in the Shade. It’s a game with a lot to discover, and even some of the more important discoveries aren’t the most obvious.
The journey at the center of Forever Ago is a heartfelt exploration of how we face change and loss, told and crafted with loving care, and thus is a journey well worth taking.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is a game so committed to a specific vision that I don’t think it will be for everyone. It’s utterly ambitious in scale and complexity, but this is definitely done in a way that more heavily warps Fire Emblem’s “isms” compared to other games in the series. While I think Fortune’s Weave is a better game than the previous Fire Emblem Engage, the latter title was actually easier to like at first thanks to its leaner and more focused game design. However, between the camp of “love” and “loathe,” I eventually found myself firmly in the former camp. Let it sink its teeth into you, and you won’t be let go for a long time. Considering the success of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, it would have been easy to make a sequel to it that was just a basic iteration of its formula, but Fortune’s Weave takes a much bolder approach in both design and writing. It not only emboldens what that game was, but it actively interrogates it to inform what I feel were very successful experimentations in writing and design. Given the enormity and length of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, I don’t anticipate that I’ll play it again for a long time, but my time in Dagda will not soon be forgotten.
Stupid Never Dies reminds me strongly of a late-PS2 era AA title or mid-360 era titles like Neverdead or Splatterhouse. It has a strong heart, but it is just missing a few things, making this an experience that isn’t going to hit for everyone. Even if it does land for you, it will likely still feel like it has some rough, jagged edges. It’s a very strong visual package and will no doubt garner something of a cult following in its wake. With a strong development team of ex-Capcom staff, it may feel slightly disappointing that the combat isn’t as smooth as it needs to be given the high standards of their previous action game experience. If you can come to grips with that, you’ll be treated to a fun dungeon-crawling experience with a punk-rock attitude.
Silver Pines is an excellent addition to the horror genre and a great choice for Halloween 2026. It’s quirky, immersive, terrifying, and thought-provoking. It succeeds where many games with larger budgets fail, earning its place among the best recent survival horror titles. The only horrifying aspect of the game is that it doesn’t have a more distinct identity and chooses to lean a little too strongly on its inspirations. The upside, however, is that it serves as a fantastic gateway drug into the surreal world of David Lynch’s brand of horror. The owls may not be what they seem, but Silver Pines absolutely is: it could be the next great horror game in your collection.
Siren’s Call: Second Wind is an outstanding sequel to Siren’s Call: Escape Velocity that offers more balance between mystery and character drama while maintaining the mature writing and compelling characters that infuse both games with thoughtful ideas and emotional impact.
Outside of the above-mentioned tweaks to the games, the emulation really hasn’t been touched that much, meaning the games all have differing levels of “rough” to them visually. Minimal options to tweak this and a lack of online matchmaking do hold this package back in the end. Fortunately, the museum area of the game is exceptional, and if you happen to vibe with the gameplay loop of the series, you’ve got four incredibly solid (albeit basic by today's standards) titles, plus two curious FPS games that are best considered extras. I enjoy Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection as a package. There is a lot of fun to be had here, and it’s worth the asking price for putting these classic titles into a much easier format to play. This isn’t going to be for people who aren’t as into retro games that feel of their time to some degree, as the gameplay is firmly stuck in their original era, so your enjoyment of arcade titles like Gauntlet and Smash TV are really going to gauge how well you take to this celebratory title. With some great additions and a few baffling omissions, I can ultimately recommend Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection for retro enthusiasts. For more casual modern gamers, it might be worth waiting for a sale.
Control Resonant is an exceptional reminder that Remedy are the masters of their craft. After the misstep that was FBC: Firebreak, there were some legitimate concerns about how “Control 2” would play out. From the second you step into the shoes of Dylan Faden until the end of your third or fourth playthrough, Control Resonant will offer you a truly immersive, fun, and unique experience that you can only get from the developers at Remedy and their ever-expanding “Remedyverse.” 2026 has been a solid year for game releases, and honestly, I was apprehensive when it came to Control Resonant. I didn’t initially click with the original, and the missteps of FBC: Firebreak as well as Resonant’s change in genre felt like warning signs. Thankfully, I chose to bet it all on black with this game, and it paid off with what is my strongest candidate for Game of the Year yet, and another solid entry to the wall of absolute bangers Remedy produces. The sign of a truly great experience is how much I want to discuss it with like-minded fans afterward, and I can see myself having a lot to say about Control Resonant for a long time to come.
There are enjoyable aspects to Study § Steady with its cute art style and likeable enough heroines. Whatever substance that might be here felt like it took a backseat to the adult content after a while, content which is arguably overabundant and overfocused in the back half of each route, depending on what you look for in this type of visual novel. The use of the E-Mote system for animated character portraits seems somewhat novel for a visual novel in 2019, but it felt like it hurt the experience more than it helped. It’s also hurt a fair bit by other technical issues. The plot is fairly thin here, and the humor can be a bit overly repetitive, so this visual novel is more for those who prefer a larger amount of smut than conversation in their eroge, while still having at least a little something to get attached to first.
Triple Pairing doesn’t really lean into its love triangle theme as much as you might expect from the premise, but it’s still a good time, with plenty of amusing moments and heroines that I enjoyed spending time with. The moments where the group is together are where it’s at its best, which makes it more of a pity when the other heroines mostly disappear after entering a route.
From the moment I started Birdcage, I knew there was something special about it. It just has all the style and substance you could want from a shmup, to the point that you’d never guess such a small team made it. It comes so close to matching genre classics that I was genuinely surprised that more shmup fans aren't talking about it. For a really reasonable asking price, you’re getting what I would suggest is an ideal shmup for any skill level. It’s an ideal title for those new to the genre to dip their feet in or for genre veterans to enjoy. It’s stylish, rewarding, and will keep clawing you back long after you’ve taken on the true last boss, whispering at you to keep your place on the scoreboard and prove that you are the leader of the Birdcage.
I’ve always had a deep love of the SiN franchise, while still being very aware of its shortcomings. With SiN Reloaded, there are far fewer of them, and plenty more here to love. The tweaks across the difficulty, level pacing, and weapon changes really help shine up this diamond in the rough and give the game the best chance to win over a whole new audience of Boom Shoot enthusiasts. If you’re a long-time follower of SiNTEK or just a curious bystander caught up in the war on drugs and corporate conspiracy, SiN Reloaded is the best way to experience this underdog collection and see why it, despite being overshadowed at the time, has maintained a strong cult following among classic first-person shooter genre fans. It would be a complete SiN to miss out!
Like 1st Chapter, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is a remake made by a team that clearly shows love and reverence for the original game, and genuinely enjoyed making it. The second arc of Estelle’s journey is still an experience with noticeably higher highs and lower lows than its first, but those highs are truly incredible. While I do have a modest amount more complaints, both with the remake and Sky’s second chapter in general, they end up feeling more like nitpicks overall in the grand scheme of things, and I had a blast revisiting it in full 3D. It delivers on a lot of what 1st Chapter set up, with some of the most emotionally compelling character arcs in any RPG I’ve ever seen. While I am still somewhat partial to the tighter and more reserved way the original Sky SC was handled, this is still a great way to experience this game and story that are very near and dear to my heart.
Mystery Dungeon has moved onto greener pastures since its first outing, but much of that success was owed to a surprisingly solid first outing. Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD- is an alright look at its humble beginnings. While the overall quality of the port is in need of some elbow grease (particularly in the audiovisual department), a good English localization and generally fun gameplay make it a worthwhile endeavor for any Mystery Dungeon aficionados. The focus on collecting money and rare items is genuinely still a unique factor even when taking the broader franchise into consideration, and although this doesn’t smooth over its relatively thin novelty, a short runtime at least means that it won’t risk becoming too stale. I would not say that this is essential for anyone other than diehards, but I definitely had fun experiencing the ups and downs, the trials and errors, and the great sense of victory that comes with Mystery Dungeon.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a home run for Capcom. It’s an amazing way of bringing the series back into the forefront of gamers' minds. The series has always had a bit of a struggle with its identity, often just resembling a samurai version of Resident Evil or even, confusingly, a Smash Bros clone at one point. I think Capcom drawing influence from the soulslike style of game couldn’t have worked better; it has all the cinematic flair you would come to expect from the developer while not doing the obvious thing of just copying and leaning on a certain Dante-led series. Much like a rose, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a beauty with a few barbs. The difficulty is going to be mixed for some, and the fluff of the open world can really do a number on the pacing. But all in all, Capcom has once again put the gaming world on notice with a very strong contender for Game of the Year 2026 and has done an amazing job of resurrecting another long-forgotten franchise. I can only hope that one day I can see them bring back another of their dormant series as spectacularly as they have with this one.
Cocoro the robot girl is plenty lovable, but I found the COCORO the visual novel unambitious and overly sentimental. It doesn’t do anything interesting with its science fiction setting and characters, nor does it really earn the emotional climaxes it aspires to. That said, if you enjoyed Konno Asta’s previous works like ATRI and GINKA or just want to indulge in a cute robot girl, you’ll probably find something to like in COCORO.
HimaNatsu: Of Churches, Sunflowers, and Long Summers is a nakige that makes use of summer imagery to tell a story about the inevitability of change as a part of our lives. Clamoring for one more unforgettable summer, they end up rediscovering themselves in each other as they face both their shared pasts and what prevents them from moving forward. But just like how summer ends and flowers wilt, their tribulations come and go. Will they wait for a better time, or will they have to move now? There’s no one answer for their respective journeys, but they can at least pray for each other’s happiness. Despite the overall cohesiveness of its themes, there are some nitpicks that feel a bit off-putting given its typing as a nakige. Missed opportunities for story momentum, oddly placed adult content, and rushed pacing are only some of these, but they’re mostly minor grievances. At the end of the day, while there are feelings of inconsistency between parts of the game due to its collaborative nature, it boasts consistent messaging that’s sure to thaw even frozen hearts. With great visuals, an impressive musical track list, and a relaxing atmosphere, HimaNatsu is a feel-good romance story you should definitely give a try. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to rediscover yourself through them this summer as well.
When Apidya’ Special landed on my desk, I had no idea who this package would be for. After playing it for a handful of hours, I can wholeheartedly say that it’s a game for me! It’s a loving remake of a cult Amiga classic with enough tweakable options to make the game enjoyable for gamers of all skill levels. It looks fantastic in both its original and enhanced modes, and those visuals and quirky stage design help separate it from the other Shmups on the block. I don’t think it’s going to attract much of a new crowd given how niche a title it is, but for you retro enthusiasts out there, Apidya’ Special is absolutely worth it. It’s a loving remaster of a unique title from yesteryear, when games didn’t really need a reason; they just took an idea and ran with it. Or, in this case, turned into a wasp and flew with it!
The Sinking City 2 is a solid survival horror and a great way to lead into the spooky season of gaming. What it lacks in identity it makes up for in providing a genuinely tense and challenging game, lovingly wrapped in the blanket of H.P. Lovecraft. It provides a tight narrative and gameplay experience, but loses some of the stronger investigative mechanics from the original game in exchange.
I want to like Angeline Era substantially more than I actually do. There’s plenty of love put into the game, with lots of appreciation for both the early 2D and 3D eras of action games, and its presentation largely nails what it’s going for. There’s definitely an audience for the game here if they can get past some of its design faults. The gameplay loop just left a lot to be desired, as its simplicity ends up being exposed by its areas of weaker or questionable design. The story has a couple of moments, but left very little meaningful impression on me. It’s a game that drags its simple concept on for too long and left me feeling fatigued well before the finish line, despite not being an especially long game. Even as someone who has been a bit of a defender of bump combat in action games, I find Angeline Era doesn’t really serve as a kind of shining example that does that system as well as I would like.