Digital Chumps
HomepageDigital Chumps's Reviews
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy enshrines Asobo Studio's incredible ability to deliver emotional narratives wrought with tension and adventure. Sophia's sprawling journey is a harrowing spectacle that truly masters what makes an adventure game memorable.
Helix: Descent N Ascent from developer Badass Mongoose is an addictive, gorgeous puzzle game that features some well-placed Metroidvania elements. It can be confusing and sometimes frustrating, but it’s a hoot to play overall.
This year’s Madden NFL release is solid for the most part. I think it’s an improvement from last year’s game. Madden NFL 27 has on-field tweaks that improve gameplay, mostly solid modes, and better stability. A questionably unsteady kicking game and a required EA online connection with Superstar mode keep this from being great.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 2 from Konami brings back some solid games to add to an already budding Metal Gear Solid collection. Of course, the star of the collection, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is the real reason why players will want this, and it doesn’t disappoint with its story and perfect PS3 translation.
Mexican Ninja’s satisfying combat and art style are worth more than its low price of admission. Its standout thematic is a great start to hopefully something more from the Madbricks crew, even if some of its roguelike elements feel underdeveloped.
Mortal Shell II's eviscerating difficulty and grimdark world work to grind the player into a fine paste. But its build variety and satisfying loop often turn the tide, rewarding exploration and experimentation to brave enough players.
While Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls features a deeply complex tag system, Arc System Works incorporates enough newcomer-friendly elements that practically every player can enjoy the bombastic entertainment of a varied Marvel roster beating each other up.
HellSlave II: Judgment of the Archon, from developer Ars Goetia, is a fun turn-based RPG with a strong narrative, solid world-building, a deep backend system, and plenty of adventures throughout. It’s fun, impressive, and a lot more than I expected.
The Mermaid Mask from developer SFB Games is a point-and-click marvel that brings with it a good story, modern gameplay design, and a respectful tip-of-the-hat to an old genre.
Truxton Extreme is a celebration of all things I love about Truxton. From Masahiro Yuge’s involvement on the game’s incredible soundtrack to its modern spin on shmups, there’s much to love…assuming you’re up for a good ol’ fashioned shmup challenge.
Wreck Runners is a zany, malleable fest of cooperative goofing off with enough player freedom to make a game about collecting salvage with a gravity gun fun and satisfying. Though it does have its shortcomings, it's hard not to want to dive right back in.
Beast of Reincarnation from developer Game Freak is a good first step for what could be a fun action series. The story is great, the characters are interesting, and the action, when it gets going, is fast, fun, and furious. The bland and repetitive enemies and bosses, as well as a confusing skill tree, get in the way of making this game something special.
Lies of P: Complete Edition on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a standout port of an already beautifully-designed game. From its graphical options to its full collection of DLC, it’s a worthy contender. This is especially true if you’ve never played a soulslike before – this is one you shouldn’t skip.
Cultic from developer Jasozz Games is a fun game that is a tip-of-the-hat to old-school first-person shooters from the early 90s, while also sporting some modern gameplay amenities to make it feel familiar to most gamers who love the genre.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is the kind of RPG I want to play when I want a modern Fallout degree of character customization, Final Fantasy VI degree of in-game character development and relationship building, and Final Fantasy XVI degree of fast yet furious battles. Its questionable pricing and absence of upgrade paths aside, it’s a beautiful RPG that shimmers on the Switch 2. If you have yet to play Star Ocean: The Second Story R, it’s a worthy recommendation for those wanting a glimpse into a PS1 remake done quite well.
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game from developer Gameplay Group is an impressive fighting game that has been visually translated from the show in a 1:1 manner. The visuals are stunning enough, as are the easy-to-pick-up-and-go controls, to help mask the minor imbalances in the fighting game. It’s a fun game that will please fans of the IP.
Gurei, from developer Lobo Sagaz Studio, is an incredibly challenging and unforgiving boss-rush game that takes pride in its gameplay simplicity while also offering complex strategy and a hefty amount of difficulty. It will properly rage-bait players, but in the nicest of ways.
Echoes of Aincrad from Game Studio Inc. is a wonderful open-world setup that brings gorgeous graphics, good backend character building, easy-to-get-into controls, and a very solid story. What it lacks is enemy variety and action-adventure elements that keep the gameplay engaging long-term.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu has heart and true terrors for those brave enough to play. It does not coddle its players, but offers a challenging, bone-chilling experience with a sense of satisfaction waiting for you back at the boat, if you are lucky enough to return.
If you’re still on the fence about Denshattack!, I’ll leave you with this: Denshattack! is the type of game worth keeping installed on your hard drive. In short bursts, it has just the right amount of high-octane stylish platforming needed for winding down after a long day. In longer-form settings, it rewards those in it for the long haul with exhilarating tricks, multiple forms of mastery, and satisfying high-score chases. It’s a must-play of 2026, especially if you’ve been hankering for a Tony Hawk– or SSX Tricky-inspired locomotive fever dream with outstanding art design and soundtrack.