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For veterans of the series, this remake offers a faithful return to one of the most beloved entries in gaming history. For newcomers, it’s an opportunity to experience Kojima’s Cold War masterpiece in a form that balances nostalgia with modern expectations. Whether or not that balance works for you will depend on how much you value preserving the past or reinventing it.
Sword of the Sea is a title you shouldn’t overlook. Its simplicity, polish, and attention to detail make it one of the year’s standout releases. For me, it has been one of the biggest surprises in a year already packed with new genres and experiments outside my comfort zone.
Like the Calicorns, Herdling is a bit slow to start, but it gathers momentum throughout until the game reaches its top speed in its final chapters, delivering a satisfying ending that neatly punctuates Herdling’s themes of reconnecting with history, culture, and the world around us.
Is This Seat Taken? is truly a little hidden gem of a game that was an absolute pleasure to dip my toes (and ultimately whole self) into. The aesthetics, the comical exchanges between characters, and the truly rewarding feeling and getting 100% of the thumbs up from the little shapes in your seating arrangement. All were great!
Discounty had the recipe for a very fun, very addictive gameplay loop that is reminiscent of typical cozy games. Fans of the genre will have expectations and the lack of polish in performance severely hindering gameplay and fun, some seemingly incomplete gameplay features, and a world that felt like it wasn’t fully realized kept this game from being truly great. So much so that I’m left wondering if the game is finished. While many of these negatives can easily be adapted through and look past, they are numerous enough to impact overall enjoyment.
Overall, I found OFF, while being a very unique game, not something that I would ever return to. There is an absolute GLUT of turn-based RPGs out there – many of which I would recommend before OFF. That being said, if you are really looking for something that does break the mold of your standard RPG, then OFF might be the exact game that you’re looking for.
Although the gameplay isn’t going to win any awards, Mafia: The Old Country still delivers what people love about the franchise. It’s a great crime story featuring a new protagonist that holds up with the others in the series and is a nice story-driven experience overall.
Short length aside, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is one of the most enjoyable games of the year. It’s a great retro revival with two protagonists I hope return and if Ninja Gaiden 4 is anywhere near this good, the franchise may be firing on all cylinders again.
With Öoo, Nama Takahashi has made another charming and creative puzzle game that I found immensely enjoyable, with just the right amount of challenge from start to finish. It is another great example of his design ethos on mechanics and their implementation, where the joy and satisfaction of successfully applying the knowledge you have learned is your reward.
MakeRoom puts focus on creativity and design, and very minimal in structure beyond learning mechanics. For some this comes off less game and more sandbox, but that definitely isn’t a bad thing. Instead it gives players the tools to design without pressure or parameters. An open space to explore their own imagination.
1000 Deaths is an enjoyable indie that takes a lot of inspiration from TV pop-culture and infuses it with classic platforming gameplay, then garnishes with its creative gravity-bending mechanic. The story and all the paths we can take are interesting, even if a little confusing at times.
9 Years of Shadows is a beautiful game with interesting mechanics. It’s filled with great intentions and ideas that were never fully realized. However, even with its glitches, confusingly long load time, and input lag, it was an enjoyable experience, albeit a sometimes frustrating one.
Donkey Kong Bananza is the reason to own a Switch 2. It is not only the most fun I’ve had with a Nintendo game in decades, it’s quite possibly one of Nintendo’s best games ever. Layer upon layer, everything has been built with care and detail. It is fun, silly, joyous, jaw-dropping, and heartfelt. You simply must play this game.
In summation, Sorry, We’re Closed provides a unique retro-feel of survival horror while plumbing the deeper nature of love and the worlds of angels and demons. While not a genre that I historically, or even currently, gravitate towards, I was pleasantly surprised with the depth of the game and how much I enjoyed what I experienced!
Catto’s Post Office is the cat’s meow. Delivering a low pressure, cozy experience curled up into a nice cat shaped ball. With its heartfelt story, adorable characters and soft gameplay it’s the perfect way to unwind. Like a cat in the sun, Catto’s Post Office leaves a lasting warmth even after you’ve finished the game.
The King Is Watching strikes a smart balance between kingdom-builder and roguelite, offering a run-based experience that’s both strategic and refreshingly unpredictable. Its layered meta progression and clever prophecy system give each attempt a sense of momentum, encouraging experimentation and long-term planning.
As much an experience as a video game, Time Flies will stick with me for some time. In the handful of hours I had completing everything the game has to offer, the games message that life is incredibly short left its mark on me. If only we were able to rewind clock hands in real life to give us more time with loved ones, or give them more time with us.
While A Dream About Parking Lots is short on runtime and light on visual flair, it carves out a unique space in the gaming landscape. Wandering through parking lots might sound dull on paper, but the ongoing conversations with your therapist adds a layer of introspection that elevates the experience. It might even have you Googling, why do I keep dreaming about parking lots?
Compared to Killing Floor 2, Killing Floor 3 is a step up. The amount of customization at your disposal will make you want to see what every gun is truly capable of. The new skills characters have are so fun and make the player feel powerful, no matter the class you choose. Blasting Zeds while listening to metal has never been better.
Despite its brevity – the game should take no more than one to two hours to complete – s.p.l.i.t offers a tightly woven narrative that instills a strong sense of dread and inevitability. You enter a world where victory feels almost impossible from the outset. The only real downside is the desire for more content.