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Fire and Ashes is a fairly miserable experience, even despite the constant bombardment of technical issues. Animations are painfully bad, with enemy AI that only knows to move toward you, regardless if they are even facing you. With a story that doesn't appear until the game's final moments, and the developer's use of Generative AI, Fire and Ashes is an experience I'll forget by the time this is published.
Ultimately, Planet Zoo 2 is a good sequel to what I already considered one of the best games in the genre, even if it doesn't quite improve upon everything I would have liked it to. The addition of aquatic animals, flying birds and the expanded conservation systems are all welcome, and the sheer level of creativity and depth on offer remains incredibly impressive.
Valor Mortis feels like a promising first attempt at something different. One More Level has demonstrated that a first-person Soulslike can work, even if the execution isn't always as successful as the concept itself. With some additional polish and a little more variety, this could have been a genuinely excellent addition to the genre.
Final Fantasy Resonance is a title that could very well reshape the series going forward, if enough people get behind it. The turn-based combat is fantastic, and while the Vision system could use a bit of a refresh, it celebrates the legacy of this storied franchise in remarkable ways. Rain's adventure is one that is typical of the series, but the attention given to every single character here does elevate that typical story to new heights.
Stupid Never Dies should be fun, but it rarely gets the opportunity to be anything more than its premise. The rogue-lite structure hurts the concept of this game, as it simply doesn't have the variety to remain engaging. Combat, level variety, and progression are certainly present here, in some form, but are disappointingly shallow and repetitive, even for a rogue-lite. While the Grasshopper influence is felt across most of the game, it lacks the soul of those titles, and is a largely forgettable experience on its own.
Frosthaven has been a fun time to play, with no bugs to speak of. The visuals are clean from the simple map you see on the over world, to the isometric battle fields you fight on. You can tell the devs put a lot of time into making the world feel as real as possible. And the sounds are crisp, not to mention that the narration for the events and fights are beautiful.
Boltgun 2 doesn't have anything in the way of a compelling story, or even anything to define its aesthetically pleasing protagonists. However, smart quality of life choices and those lifted from later versions of the original Boltgun do make for a more directed and refined sequel. With strong enemy variety and far more engaging environments, Boltgun is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the Warhammer 40K universe. I just wish I cared about the characters, even a little bit.
NASCAR 26 may not be the definitive NASCAR experience just yet, but it proves that iRacing Studios is building toward something special. Its rewarding handling, smarter racing, and greater strategic depth capture the tension of stock-car competition better than any console NASCAR game in years.
It's hard to imagine a better game built in the Hellraiser world than what Saber Interactive has created here. From its violence, sex, and aesthetic, the experience here is unequivocally Hellraiser, both in body and soul. Few license games nail the source material as good as what Saber has done here, and fans of both the films and survival horror are in for the treat, just make sure to play this with the curtains down.
Jonathan Blow has always had a talent for making puzzle games that are much more complicated than they first appear. Order of the Sinking Star very much continues that trend, and in many ways feels like the biggest example of it yet.
Forever Ago tells a deeply human story about grief, love and the memories we carry with us, without becoming overly sentimental or constantly reminding you what emotions you are supposed to feel. At a particularly stressful point in my own life, it gave me something unexpectedly comforting, and that is an experience I am unlikely to forget anytime soon.
Ultimately, Star Wars: Galactic Racer surprised me. I expected an enjoyable Star Wars racing game, but what I got was something with far more depth, progression, and staying power than I anticipated. The roguelike campaign structure occasionally gets in the way of its surprisingly ambitious story, the similarities between tracks on individual planets can become noticeable, and some of the walking sections feel unnecessary from a gameplay perspective. None of those issues change the fact that the actual racing is exceptional.
Dragonwilds is a slow and steady grind that while can be rewarding, still feels a bit rough around the edges, making me wonder if more time in Early Access could have refine certain parts of the whole experience. Still, if you've been itching for a survival game that isn't built around more realistic visuals, or you are fan of RuneScape, Dragonwilds does offer a compelling and fairly faithful conversion to the survival genre, just make sure you play with friends, and watch out for those blasted hunters.
Ace Combat 8 surprised me in almost every possible way. Its arcade-focused flying remains incredibly easy to pick up while providing enough depth to make mastering its aircraft and dogfights immensely satisfying.
Dawnwalker’s timer certainly wasn't something that initially sat well with me, but after seeing its execution, and the amount you can accomplish, when certain paths have been removed, I've turned around it, at least somewhat. Regardless, Rebel Wolves has crafted a stunning world to explore, with characters, lore, and a story worth caring about. While they have oddly shown their cards as to Coen's future adventures, I still find reasons to revisit and scour every nook and cranny this world provides. It's worth sinking your teeth into.
Honestly, Graveyard Keeper 2 has been a great experience with dark themes and humorous interactions with all the characters. I like how there is a crazy variety of things to do and easy to follow charts to keep track of what you can create and what you have yet to research. It also fits perfectly with the fast approach of spooky season and is the great continuation of Graveyard Keeper.
With impeccable platforming and engaging combat and mobility, Well Dweller is joyous to control. Few Metroidvania games feel this good, with a map so big that you're constantly finding new challenges, secrets, and wildly impressive boss battles.
FC 27 does enough to justify its existence and offers several encouraging ideas for the series' future. It is enjoyable, polished, and capable of producing some excellent matches, especially once its more manual approach begins to click. However, it remains an evolutionary annual release rather than the major transformation many football fans are waiting for.
Hot Wheels: Infinite Rush is damn fun, and fulfils those childhood moments of driving those metal cars through classic playmats and the abundance of play sets. The Switch 2 version is still enjoyable, but it's a noticeable drop in quality from the other console and PC versions. Still, with a ton of cars, races, and collectibles to track down, the vastness of each map makes this a Hot Wheels fan's dream come true.
Streets of Survival has a foundation for a great series, but the lack of some quality of life features in its combat, and a lack of co-op make this hard to recommend, given the genre has so many other options that are simply better games. The Walking Dead is perfect for videogames, but few games have really hit that high mark, and despite enemies having near perfect aim here, Streets of Survival can't quite say the same.