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Halo: Campaign Evolved is a remarkable celebration of one of gaming’s greatest first-person shooters, successfully modernizing a beloved classic while preserving everything that made the original so special. From its stunning visuals, timeless campaign, and exceptional gunplay to the welcome addition of Operation: Meteorite and the endless replayability offered by Campaign Remix and its 42 Skulls, this is the definitive way to experience Master Chief’s original adventure. Aside from one brief moment of minor lag during a cutscene and not being able to fully evaluate the co-op experience, I encountered virtually no issues throughout my playthrough. Whether you’re a longtime Halo fan or experiencing the journey for the first time, Halo: Campaign Evolved is an easy recommendation and one of the best games I’ve played this year.
The Alters is a game I would strongly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good, heartfelt single-player story. If you’re looking for challenging gameplay, combat, or complex mechanics, this game isn’t going to scratch that itch. But this cast of characters and their stories, both shared and individual, are absolutely worth experiencing. And the gameplay is fun and engaging enough to never make the journey feel like a chore. Especially with a price tag under $40 in today’s market, it’s a no-brainer.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced stands as a shining example of a remake done right. The beloved original has been respected in all the ways that matter, and overhauls to the visuals, combat and traversal have ensured that even the most nostalgic gamers will be hard pressed not to admit this is the definitive way to play their favourite pirate game. While the likes of Skull and Bones and Sea of Thieves have done their best to make sure that fans of pirate games have been catered for, there can be no doubt that Assassin's Creed Black Flag remains the gold standard in pirate-themed video games, and Resynced as appeared firmly on the horizon to reclaim its crown. Developer Ubisoft has scored a huge hit here at a time when it perhaps needed one the most.
Saros is a beautifully executed game. It is not just better than their previous game; it’s one of 2026’s best games so far. It looks gorgeous, it plays wonderfully, and its progression system is simple. The bosses, enemies, and gameplay design all work together so well. It is a game that you owe yourself to play. Housemarque delivered on something genuinely unique, and I will remember this game for years to come.
This is as close to a perfect 1:1 remake as you could ask for. Star Fox feels and looks exactly how my brain remembered the game back in 1997. Every detail has been touched up to make for a modern experience while leaving the core gameplay loop intact. I would prefer if we had more shiny new toys to play with but when they refreshed the old toy this good, it’s hard to complain. The new cutscenes and dialogue bring the characters to life like never before. The orchestral arrangements of the legendary soundtrack are chef’s kiss. This is also a surprise graphical showcase for the Nintendo Switch 2. Velan Studios did an amazing job, and I hope to see them stick with the franchise the way Grezzo has with Zelda and MercurySteam with Metroid. Star Fox is back. Next time, let’s take him to new heights.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a great nostalgic-themed action-adventure game from Square Enix. The HD-2D style shines in its action-adventure debut. It is not without some problems, but it ultimately delivers 20+ hours of fun and a wonderful story to experience. The combat is simple, the world is layered and very rich in a variety of locales. Not to mention the music being just as good as every HD-2D thus far. This game is absolutely worth every second you play in it. I could not recommend it enough, as it offers just a simple, warm, and fun adventure.
Once the credits rolled, I could confidently look back on my time with Super Meat Boy 3D and say that I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Its fast-paced gameplay and challenging platforming kept me engaged from start to finish. While the difficulty curve felt inconsistent at times, it never detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game. The engaging boss fights served as excellent finales for each world, providing memorable challenges that tested the skills learned throughout each stage. Beyond the main path, every world offered plenty of secrets and optional content to discover, adding an extra layer of depth and replayability for players seeking an even greater challenge. I do wish the accessibility options were more robust and that the soundtrack left a stronger impression. However, these shortcomings are outweighed by the game’s satisfying gameplay, clever level design, and rewarding sense of progression. If you’re a fan of challenging platformers that demand precision and perseverance, Super Meat Boy 3D is an easy recommendation.
007 First Light is a potent cocktail of stealth, immersive sim, high-octane action, and brutal hand-to-hand combat, with a splash of high-speed driving thrown in a mix that's best served shaken, not stirred. The first Bond game in over a decade attempts to walk the line between multiple genres, and while the game is not without its issues, for the most part it does this successfully. A lack of consistent pacing, with fast-paced action segments stunted by extended walking sequences, does not do much to diminish the overall experience. Patrick Gibson's performance as the famous British spy perfectly captures the cocky, confident essence that fans would expect from the character in his early days, and fans of James Bond who have been starved of a new movie for several years will find themselves well satiated by IOI Interactive's ambitious offering.
Art can be messy and complicated, testing creatives in ways other professions do not. But the tale of Constance is one of perseverance in the face of strife and moving ahead despite future challenges. The narrative hits hard for those wanting to make art, and through challenging boss encounters, engaging combat, and fun platforming, it succeeds in expressing those powerful themes. This is one painting worth buying in a sea of amazing Metroidvanias on the market.
Revisiting this colorful blast from the 2010’s, I loved my time with Sonic Colors Ultimate. It may be a brisk jog instead of the high-speed blitz of Sonic Unleashed. But Sonic Colors is still a fantastic, speedy venture all the same, even though the remastering effort is somewhat lackluster.
Music has a power, pulling its listeners back in time or to a moment one can never let go of. Listening to a great Alice in Chains or Metallica song will always pull me back to positive memories of my late mother, for example. So Stacy’s musical journey in Mixtape hit me harder than I expected. While I wish its gameplay mechanics were more involved, the strong presentation, amazing soundtrack, and engaging narrative keep you glued to the controller until the credits roll. It’s a wonderful adventure full of heart. I can recommend it to any music lover out there.
While I grew up mainly enjoying Sonic’s 3D adventures, I have an immense amount of respect for Sonic’s origins. These tried-and-true classic games are iconic, beloved, and hold up to the test of time. Sonic Mania not only highlights that, but adds new, welcomed elements to the formula. In many respects, Sonic Mania represents the franchise finally reflecting on its roots and proudly showing the world Classic Sonic has a place in the modern era.
Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch comes down to missed potential. The game shows flashes of what it could be, but never sustains it. The combat can feel satisfying, especially once you build momentum and access its full set of tools. The concept fits perfectly for short sessions. But the structure works against all of it. Poor checkpointing, unclear systems, and repetitive progression turn what should be a quick, fun experience into something frustrating. That consistency across platforms makes the issues stand out even more. Its co-op limitations, inconsistent combat, and visual issues all point to the same problem: the game never fully supports its best ideas. When everything lines up, it briefly becomes what it should have been all along. There is a better version of this game. This just is not it.
It’s hard not to compare Bubsy 4D to Demon Tides because the foundations are so similar, and I think I would’ve walked away more positive if Bubsy had launched first. That’s not to say Bubsy 4D falls short—it’s a solid 3D platformer that is mechanically deeper and feels better than most in the genre. It’s just not a game that shoots for the stars the way Fabraz proved they could before. Still, this is the best rags to riches revival I’ve seen in gaming, turning a laughing stock of the industry into a franchise that can sit alongside Mario’s biggest rivals. The bobcat is back by no demand—and he’s actually a lot of fun this time.
It’s difficult to top an already stellar game. Forza Horizon 6 does everything right while finally answering a long-time fan’s dream of setting the game in the land of the rising sun. Setting a new bar for open-world racing, content progression, and onboarding, user-generated content, and cultural representation, Forza Horizon 6 is a triumphant testament to the iterative progress in the long-running franchise.
Video games are an art form and can tell powerful stories that touch the soul. But they are also interactive experiences that challenge players to engage with deep systems and mechanics. Impressively, Pragmata combines both of these approaches to game design masterfully. Hugh and Diana’s bot-blasting and gravity-hopping adventure combined the best elements from past and present Capcom. In many ways, Pragmata is one of the publisher’s greatest video games, showing that melding a heartfelt narrative and deep gameplay can create generation-defining experiences.
I wanted to love Sonic Forces more. It's a game with grand ambition, a big story, and tries to appeal to every fan with its three playable heroes, while also returning to the attitude of the Sonic Adventure days. But due to lackluster level design, lack of strong replay value, and a disappointing narrative, Sonic Forces is one of the franchise's weaker experiences.
Dark Light: Survivor's early access debut is the most mechanically ambitious Bullet Heaven I've played. The instantly swappable camera system, twin-stick and third-person combat layered onto the genre's classic auto-attack, the Hades-style Deity power-ups, and the reactive enemy design all combine into a chaotic, deeply engaging package. Mirari&Co. clearly understand what makes the genre tick and have the courage to push it in new directions. The forgettable soundtrack, finicky auto-attack, and stingy meta progression keep it from sitting at the top of the genre right now, but every issue feels fixable through early access updates rather than baked into the foundation. Mirari&Co. has a true champion in the making with Dark Light: Survivor and I hope and expect that it will be heralded as the pinnacle of the genre by the time it reaches 1.0.
From top to bottom, Directive 8020, even with the minor technical issues I experienced, is SuperMassive's best game yet. The story is solid, and through the use of flashbacks, the player is kept wondering when the results of the actions they took earlier in the game will come to the forefront. This is a well-crafted addition to the Dark Pictures line of games. Speaking of, if you miss the presence of an old friend, make sure you gather all the secrets the Cassiopiea has hidden within her.
Invincible VS gets the hard part right. Quarter Up delivered a fighting game that opens its arms to newcomers without hollowing out the experience for vets, and the combat is the most fun tag fighter I’ve touched since Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The visuals pop, the gore sells the Invincible identity, and crossplay at launch is exactly what the genre needs. Where it stumbles is around the edges. Animations could use polish, the story mode ends on a cliffhanger that should’ve been a complete arc, and the absence of a trial mode hurts long-term skill development. Even with those misses, this is a confident debut and an easy recommendation for Invincible fans and tag-fighter diehards alike.