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Stupid Never Dies is an aptly named game about a zombie who falls in love with a corpse. Across different dungeons, Davy musters up the punk-rock courage to save the girl he loves by battling an assortment of monsters. The setup is perfect for a roguelike, as Davy’s ability to bite monster cores lets him grow stronger, more vicious, and more capable.
Tales of Eternia Remastered brings us back to the beginning of the series. With a great localization and quality-of-life updates, you can’t skip this underappreciated gem.
There are lots of Metroidvania games out there these days, but it's hard to find one that nails Silver Pines' dark, moody vibes. The puzzles are never too difficult, the characters and story beats are well thought out, and the game's survival aspect never feels overly punishing. If you're looking for a creepy story and setting, with minimalist but sharp gameplay, Silver Pines could be your go-to title right now.
Toy Story: Retro Roundup and Toy Story 3 Complete are both great. Retro Roundup is the hardest to recommend, but it has some interesting behind-the-scenes content I enjoyed. The updated visuals and resolution are a nice bonus, but the ability to rewind and play at your own pace makes it easy to digest. Toy Story 3 Complete is the clear standout, and if you play only one game from the collection, make it this one, thanks to its excellent, creative Toy Box Mode that makes you feel like a kid again.
With a storied past, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse sets up the franchise for a bright (but also dark) future. Rose is a fantastic heroine with a deep, compelling story, and she wields some of the genre's most enjoyable combat mechanics. Add a few key accessibility options to make the game less punishing, and I think you have a standout title heading into the final months of 2026. Belmont's Curse is one of the best ways Konami and Evil Empire could have pushed the franchise and the genre forward.
Valor Mortis offers a unique setting with some excellent performances, and it’s clear the studio has the skill to deliver a memorable Soulslike experience. You get an exciting adventure with a welcoming challenge. It’s a unique Soulslike idea that mostly pays off, but it has its issues. Thankfully, nothing that’s going to detract from the gameplay experience enough to push people away, but ultimately, when the core systems come together, you’re getting an experience that’s rarely been done before.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival has such sights to show you. Its graphically intense, fantastic gameplay makes the experience a spectacle for horror survival fans. If you can stomach it, of course.
Truckful has a surprisingly deep, dark story with a lot of enjoyable, entertaining characters. This carried me through the game more than I expected, and I’m glad I got to experience what it had to offer. The physics are hit-or-miss depending on your driving, but the core mechanics and handling are fun. The game excels in story, world-building, mystery, and, more often than not, the main gameplay loop.
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen serves up a new land with a surprising amount of content. The move to the chilled north adds hours for returning players and sands off many of the rough edges of the base game. The downside, though, is that much of the friction is gone, and as much as I like streamlined experiences, I never once thought Dragon's Dogma needed it. The campaign is a surprising blast, with Norgan offering an excellent new land, a new loot system, and challenges to overcome.
While I'm glad that The Kingdom Hearts Collection [1〜3] exists, it has some caveats existing owners must consider, like the lack of save transfers (outside of the cloud versions), which is frustrating. There's no easier way to play the series to completion now, and frankly, it's about time current gen had its moment with these ports. There are hundreds of hours of games and cinematics to experience, with some of Square Enix'smost ambitious work from the early aughts on display.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a thrilling ride. Filled with exciting challenges and a roguelike structure, this game has more depth and content than I expected. I went in expecting a pretty standard racing game, but there are enough twists that every race feels like a thrill all the way to the finish line. Wins and losses are emotional, and hitting max speed and needling the final-lap obstacles while watching the Ram Jet's redline is unlike anything I've played, and it pairs so well with the Star Wars series.
The new content in Ghost of Yōtei: Complete Edition is unabashedly great stuff. After completing the platinum last year, I was excited to finally get new content, and it delivers: strong story paired with an addictive roguelike element. Between the new story expansion, Most Wanted, and Legends mode, there is no better time to dive into this tale of family and revenge. I just wish it came sooner.
Gears of War: E-Day feels like the first true Coalition Gears of War game. It's a shift away from Gears 4 and Gears 5, and it feels like the game the studio genuinely wanted to make, capturing what made the original trilogy special while finally pushing the series forward in its own way. They've taken the horror, brutality, brotherhood, and incredible gunplay that defined those games and used them as the foundation for something more modern. Expanded movement gives combat more freedom, while perks and modifications add another layer of experimentation, and the larger environments make Emergence Day feel like a genuine catastrophe happening around you. Gears of War: E-Day is incredible. Despite a handful of frustrations keeping it from perfection, it's one of the best games I've played this year.
End of Abyss is an adventure that is both difficult and satisfying, combining stunning graphics with some rather unpleasant visuals and offering a carefully designed exploration facility.
Toem 2 is a stellar game. You can clear it in a weekend, and you'll come out the other end feeling great about your time. It's a bigger sequel, yes, but it also keeps the simplicity that made the first Toem such a must-play. Something We Made knows they've crafted a winning formula, and the result is a pair of games that I believe everybody must play.
Ace Combat 8: Wing of Theves is an immensely satisfying entry in the long-running series. Between the tense air battles and great plane roster, there's something so satisfying about picking a fighter jet and rocketing into the skies. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Bandai Namco's latest entry in the series delivers a best of entry with incredible single-player, thrilling multiplayer, and thrill of taking to the the skies wrapped into one game.
Another Eden Begins is a great step in the right direction for the series, but once you become strong enough, the challenge falls to the side. The cast you meet is great, and the game shows some strong elements, from the environments to the music. I had a blast exploring the places I visited and grew an earworm from the music. But that isn’t enough in today’s industry, and I wish they’d do something to bring a worthwhile challenge to the forefront.
Helix: Descent N Ascent is another quiet, engaging game. It won't hold your hand, but for most of the story, that's a feature, not a bug. I don't think the game's approach to tutorializing and storytelling will work for everyone, but I do think the clever puzzle design and the excellently designed world are something we rarely witness in games nowadays. That alone makes this a title worth checking out.
Silent Hill: Townfall mostly succeeds at emulating what makes the series so beloved. It captures the tension-filled town, dense fog, puzzles, and sense of dread; Townfall excels. While Simon's abrupt appearance in St. Amelia is jarring at first, the slow burn that follows builds the tension well. The atmosphere feels like the older games and skews closer to them than Silent Hill f, with so many classic elements returning. Screen Burn knows what makes these games tick, but it also struggles to find the right balance.
Well Dweller is a complete package of creativity, rewarding exploration, and an emotionally charged story filled with dozens of fantastic characters. It is an all-time great in the Metroidvania genre.