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Out of the Park Baseball 26, from developer Out of the Park Developments, is top-tier when it comes to sports simulators. Managing a baseball team and working with the organization is detailed so well on a micro level that you’ll find so many different approaches on how best to prep your MLB team. All of it is wrapped with a well-planned and implemented bit of information architecture, which makes it super simple to navigate through. In the end, this is a new bar for sports simulators.
Steel Seed from developer Storm in a Teacup is a gorgeous and stunning stealth-action game that does a lot of things right, but also stumbles at times with difficulty.
Fatal Fury: City of Wolves from SNK Corporation is a long-overdue fighting experience that does its best to throw variety and meaningful content into the mix. Most of what it tries to do is on point, though the experience, especially on the campaign side of the tracks (Episodes of South Town) could have been a bit longer.
Amerzone from developer Microids Studio Paris is a Myst-like experience that features a heavy narrative, great characters, and incredibly challenging puzzles. It may not be for everyone, but those who want this type of gaming experience will certainly be thrilled with the delivery.
FragPunk from developer Bad Guitar Studio has a lot going on, most of which is positive. The game is easy to jump into, there are a variety of modes to play to keep the gameplay fresh, and the game just looks and feels cool. Not all of it is gold, but it’s certainly close.
Kemono Heroes from developer Mad Gear Games and publisher JanduSoft is a fun action beat ‘em up that keeps the gameplay simple, delivers creative enemies and levels, and throws some good boss fights into the experience. While the upgrades are a bit restrictive with their progression, the game offers far more fun than not.
Once Upon a Puppet excels in its ability to build a fantastical world cobbled together from the dilapidated remains of opulence. As a 2.5D platformer, the game’s attempts to use the genre’s foundations are often mixed. Clever puzzles and bursts of action go hand-in-hand with movement that can often not feel fluid and satisfying enough. But players open to the game’s charm should be able to ignore the blemishes and enjoy the moments that truly shine.
Rusty Rabbit from developer Nitro Plus is a fun, deep adventure led by fun characters, a good story, easy mechanics, and a strong RPG backbone. Repetitiveness does drag the experience down a bit, but this 2D platformer stands strong with its positives.
Draknek and Friends' The Electrifying Incident: A Monster Mini-Expedition lives up to its name as a bite-sized thinky game. While it strikes the sweet spot of puzzle solving without giving too much away, it may be seen as too difficult. Don't give up, though – it's worth it for the hour-or-so it'll take to reach the end.
SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered is another invaluable entry in Square Enix's increasing catalog of updated games. But this particular PlayStation 1 gem is distinct for its varying risks, impeccable style, and tendency to be different.
I, Robot from developer Llamasoft and publisher Atari reignites a forgotten Atari arcade classic from the 80s. While the visuals have been refined a little, the core gameplay from the original arcade title is still intact, which includes its chaotic style and psychedelic personality. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a fun, nostalgia-driven arcade adventure nonetheless.
Bionic Bay from developer Psychoflow Studio is an outstanding atmospheric platformer that will keep players locked-in with its simplistic mechanics and complicated gameplay mixed within an intriguing story.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die from developer Stormteller Games is a wonderful game on the Nintendo Switch 2, if you can get used to the Switch 2’s controls that come with it. Beyond that minor hiccup, the game still brings the same addictive gameplay experience and presentation as the bigger consoles. Having the game on the go is a huge plus as well.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle from developer MachineGames and publisher Bethesda Softworks brings the Indiana Jones world to life with a great story and fantastically designed game.
Capcom's decision to delay Street Fighter 6 to the Nintendo Switch 2 should be celebrated, as they succeeded in packing a big punch despite the Switch 2's small package. It runs like a dream and lacks the graphical compromises that many Switch owners may be accustomed to seeing from AAA games. If you've been patiently waiting for a next-gen fighting title to take on the go, Street Fighter 6 is the breakout fighting game for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch.
INAYAH – Life After Gods from developer Exogenesis Studios is a fun and flawed metroidvania adventure. Its narrative is quite good and purposeful, the art is out of this world visually amazing, and the backend design is complicated, as it is motivating. The repetitiveness of enemies and level design drag the gameplay down a bit but for the most part the game still delivers a worthy adventure.
Blue Prince from developer Dogubomb and publisher Raw Fury is everything it is cracked up to be. It’s easy to pick up and play, thick with strategy and play-driven decisions, and simple to come back to repeatedly in the face of failure thanks to some amazing gameplay elements that were methodically built for its design.
Crashlands 2 has been worth the wait, especially for those who want a simple crafting and farming game that can be played on an iPhone or PC. Its tongue-in-cheek charm, dubstep silliness, and approachability make it worth playing for hours on end…so long as you get past its initial learning sluggishness.
The remastered game represents the old one nicely without going too far or destroying any of the original game’s essence. While some of the 90s gameplay concepts in Croc – Legend of the Gobbos Remastered are still stuck in the 90s, some elements are improved. This may not hit with new gamers but it’s undoubtedly going to please those raised during that 90s video game era.
Anyway, in its current form, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a fantastic PC release. Tragedy and trauma wait for you on PC.