So Many Games
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As a teen I absolutely loved the video game adaptation of Toy Story 3, not because of the incredible gameplay or the platforming adventure, but simply because I could wander around, build a town and play some minigames. Sadly, the last 16 years have not been kind to this game, with performance issues sitting as the cherry on top of a game that simply hasn’t aged well. Under normal circumstances I would rate the game lower, but preserving the lost content of the original video game, alongside my own nostalgia, means I owe Toy Story 3 a little bit of extra grace.
The Curse of Resthaven has the vibes of Dredge but the looping structure of Slay the Princes or Expelled! Most of my first playthrough was utterly engrossing, but diminishing returns led me to abandon my second playthrough prior to its conclusion. Sadly, Resthaven fails to solve the curse of the narrative roguelite and could have benefitted from some design tips from Inkle.
Virtue & A Sledgehammer opens with this quote: “You are about to witness a lot of pain…and a lot of love too.” Whether or not you find your experience colored by one of those feelings more than the other depends on how you choose to reconcile these interlocking forces throughout the game. The result is both a polemical essay and a touching love letter. It is a conversation shouted between strangers on the mountaintops as well as whispered between close family in the den. Most of all, it conveys a beautiful, immutable truth that remains when all else is rubble.
For anyone looking for their next feel-like cool guy simulator, look no further than I Am Your Beast. Your replay mileage will vary based on how much you enjoy shaving seconds off of your times, but the production value and storytelling will be enough to keep the average player engaged throughout its runtime. A copious amount of varied challenge levels round out a great arcade-y package that demands your attention (and a group of friends to share your best times with).
Penguin Colony is recommended to anyone who is willing to spend three hours on life-changing art and can deal with some “jank” in the platforming. Take in the sights of the Antarctic landscape, the terrifying eldritch horrors rising from the deep giving vile men their due justice, and best of all, the adorable baby penguins. I went into this game with a critical eye, and I fear that diminished my enjoyment of it. As long as you go into it understanding that you’re about to embark on a wild ride, then you can just dive in and enjoy that ride.
Toy Story: Retro Roundup! is more about nostalgia and preservation than gaming. Toy Story 2 and the racing game are still good fun, and the extras are worth a look, but too many of the games haven’t aged particularly well. It’s a decent collection for fans interested in gaming history, but as a collection of games to actually play, it’s a mixed bag.
While the soundtrack and “Go Nuts Mode” may be enough for some to turn off their brain and button-mash their way through run after run, I simply can’t recommend Stupid Never Dies. The generic, dated story may offer some silly moments but is held back by weak characters and motivations. Add in a plethora of half-baked systems and a below-par combat system, Stupid Never Dies fails to make the overall experience enjoyable.
Jackbox Party Pack 12 features five fabulous, varied minigames that will keep you, your friends, and your family entertained into the early hours. With Jackbox’s usual flavor of fun, varied visuals and tongue-in-cheek humor, it’s a game that will create many happy memories at your next party!
The Witch’s Bakery, while a very hopeful game, isn’t afraid to show us that sometimes, in order to feel the good things in life, we have to allow the bad things in too. While its incredibly optimistic, main characters could have been written as examples of toxic positivity; instead, they accept that we need to embrace all of our emotions to allow us our capacity to dream. Is this always a realistic thing to achieve? Maybe not, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to do it anyway. It’s about the journey and all that jazz. And when such a valuable lesson comes packaged in such a beautiful, well-written package, who am I to disagree?
This otherworldly cinematic adventure pulled me deep into its haunting orbit and has stayed with me ever since. It’s a game one does not soon forget. The writing and characterisation are as good as anything I’ve ever experienced in the medium. And while some of the point-and-click puzzles are a little tricky, this in no way detracts from the compelling sense of narrative rhythm generated between them and the remarkable cinematic cut scenes. If you love video game narrative art, this is a fictional world you should enter as soon as you can.
Echo Weaver is a platformer and hidden knowledge puzzle game with a tight time loop. It has a beautiful color palette and style, despite some stiff animation, and it has a fascinating story, despite some sparse character development. The gameplay loop is built on the best asset a game can boast: the principle of discovery. I couldn’t put it down.
I can’t say enough good things about this game. The rhythm battles are incredibly fun and engaging with outstanding music of many genres. The characters are well-rounded, and the chapters of the story are beautifully told. I’m obsessed with everything about Nocturme, from the pixel art to the extensive music to the philosophical explorations to the flexible difficulty. This one will stay with me a long time, and I will surely replay it when I have time. I know the year isn’t over yet, but this is easily in my top five games of the year for 2026, and I will recommend it to anyone who loves a good story. Please enjoy playing Nocturne!
Lawn Mowing Simulator 2 has the foundations of an enjoyable game, but it needs greater reliability, more engaging progression and a stronger sense of identity to reach its potential. For now, the grass may be getting cut, but it’s still greener on the other side.
Over the Hill is a balancing act between meditative puttering through winding valleys and white-knuckled climbs towards fierce mountain peaks. Some superfluous ideas may subtract more than add, but overall the game provides a hard-earned peace for nature lovers in its smartly designed maps.
Rolla utilizes an old-school, arcade-style game to make for explosive short runs as you, the unexplained mass of flesh, rampage throughout iconically 80s locations around the world. Fans of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and the first Grand Theft Auto will find the pulp action immensely enjoyable, while modern players may bristle at the lack of contemporary quality of life measures.
Deckbuilders often fall into the trap of wanting to become forever games in the way Slay the Spire, Monster Train, or even Balatro are endlessly replayable. But they don’t all need to be that, and Burn With Me proves that emphatically, by offering a tight narrative backed up by a really impressive gameplay hook. The art is great, the music suits the vibe perfectly, and the card play would actually be suited to a forever game, yet I’m happy this is not that, as the story is worth telling, and it will surprise you with its twists and turns.
Forever Ago does such a wonderful job in telling its tale in a touching, personal and tasteful way. It’s light on gameplay, but it doesn’t matter, especially when a game contains such a well-written and powerful narrative as this. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry, but you’ll walk away happy that you had the chance to experience Alfred and Audrey’s life.
Colorbound was one of my most anticipated games this season, and it exceeded expectations in just about every domain. Panpipe Studio managed to plumb surprising depth out of its colouring-based platforming. They created a game that is both challenging for serious puzzle fans, but also approachable for gamers who pick this up for its aesthetics or story. Its accessibility features mean that most gamers will be able to reunite the band.
Game-breaking bugs prevented Ratatan on Switch 2 from reaching its highest notes for me, which is a shame when the core gameplay is as addictive and charming as it is. If playing on a different platform is viable to you. I’d still highly recommend checking it out elsewhere or waiting for a patch on Switch 2. A game as special as Ratatan deserves to be experienced with no asterisks.
Despite some shaky pre-patch performance and a slightly repetitive gameplay loop, Truck-kun is a charming romp that never takes itself seriously, delivering a fun story alongside a tightly made driving (or more accurately crashing) simulator; if you want something to help you decompress, let this slice of sanctioned road rage be the game that does it.