Cat Quest 3 has just about everything I want out of an indie RPG. Gorgeously vibrant visuals and a whimsical atmosphere to lose myself in? Check. A unique premise and satisfying progression? Check. Meaningful exploration that encourages me to complete as much as I possibly can? Check, check, and double-check.

The icing on this bright and colorful pirate-themed cake is its relentless and unwavering commitment to the feline species. With seven years of catspertise under their belt, The Gentlebros have created a brilliant pirate-themed setting that serves as a brilliant set dressing for a world inhabited by cat heroes and rat foes. The tone is as bright and whimsical as its gorgeous visuals. If you’re as enthralled by cats as I am, you’ll be easily won over by Cat Quest 3. If not, there’s still an incredibly rewarding action RPG to get stuck into.

SteamWorld Heist II on Xbox Series X

A perfect sequel not only retains the strength of its predecessor but builds on its very foundation. In this respect, SteamWorld Heist II is an example of what can be done when the source has such potential.

It’s been nearly ten years since the original SteamWorld Heist was released, and its team has been through a lot. They’ve taken the series into the genres of deck-building, management sim, and Metroidvanias. Image and Form – the original creators of the series – have also since joined forces with neighboring studio Zoink! Games to form Thunderful.

Thrasher on Meta Quest 3

Most of the time, single-player games on VR platforms can feel quite structurally restrictive. If you’re going down the narrative-based route, you’re pretty much limited to a first-person viewpoint, pigeonholed into either action or exploration. Finding a way to actually stand out in an inherently niche part of gaming is no easy feat.

Thrasher, the latest game from Thumper developer Puddle, manages to wildly subvert standard VR game expectations. Its gameplay is fluid and challenging, with a visual design quite unlike anything else I’ve played before. If your VR library is lacking something a bit whimsical and singular, look no further than Thrasher.

F1 Manager 24 Review on PC

For a long time, the best game motorsport management fans could get their hands on was, well, Motorsport Manager. Now, that isn’t the case anymore, as F1 Manager 24 has managed to overtake it both in the number of features and how well all of them are implemented.

First, let’s talk about Create-a-Team. This is one of the few things that MM had, and last year’s edition, F1 Manager 23, didn’t. That might be because people at Frontier were at that point most concerned with delivering the most accurate, raw, undiluted F1 managerial experience out there, and they did.

The Operator on PC

The Operator is an interactive puzzle-solving game that juggles visual novel-esque storytelling with immersive gameplay to make a memorable experience.

I completed The Operator in a single sitting, which speaks to how gripping the narrative and mystery of this game can get. At just four hours, the length isn’t a bad thing, as the game will get you hooked and you won’t even notice by the time it’s over. There was no time or moment when I wanted to put it down.

EA Sports College Football 25 on Xbox Series X

It’s been over a decade since Electronic Arts last entered the college football arena, and EA Sports College Football 25 is their widely-promoted return to campus. The pageantry and speed of gameplay make for a stellar experience. Unfortunately, hangovers from EA’s other sports titles keep the title from achieving greatness.

EA’s former college football franchise, NCAA Football, quickly became a sporting staple. They were then unceremoniously forced to cease production of the series in 2013. Due to an inability to compensate college athletes for their likeness, the series was shelved – that is, until now.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is part dungeon-crawler and part life-simulator, sprinkled with the indie spirit of the Life is Strange games. More importantly, it feels like an offspring of Zelda and the Persona games, but one that is more relaxed and less outgoing. 

I was pleasantly surprised by how unabashedly Dungeons of Hinterberg wears its many notable inspirations and how well it interweaves them into its varying gameplay systems.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn on PC

For the most part, Flintlock The Siege of Dawn is an excellent game. However, there are a few setbacks that hamper the experience and its ability to reach the heights I’m sure it could.

To start off, I would describe this game as Remnant-esque, with more focus on the melee combat rather than just firearms. The combat plays quite similarly and your close-range mobility options and dodging options also feel similar. I’d say that the bosses feel the same as well, but there are some key differences I’ll get into later. The point is, if you loved the Remnant games and want more of that, Flintlock The Siege of Dawn delivers a very solid and similar experience.

It was pretty exciting to hear Nintendo was bringing the World Championship series to Switch. As a bonafide 90s kid, the memories of the 1990 Nintendo competition exist in my mind in a rosy glow of nostalgia.

Every NES gamer wished they could be a part of the first-ever Nintendo World Championship. It was a huge deal. So this new game should satisfy every 90s kid who never had the chance to sign up for the original championship, right? well, not totally… but we will get into that. First let’s explore what Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition has to offer.

While the genre of MMORPGs is already a very tight-knit club of only a few stronghold titles, Final Fantasy XIV has stood out for years now as its most unique success story. After getting the proverbial phoenix down from impassioned director Naoki (“Yoshi-P”) Yoshida just over a decade ago, the game not only made an outstanding comeback but has since grown into one of the most beloved RPGs in recent memory, thanks in large part to its spectacular storytelling, a devoted community that’s now over 50 million strong, and an ongoing experience that pays the utmost respect to the entire Final Fantasy universe.

The previous Endwalker expansion, which dropped right in the middle of the global pandemic, orchestrated an emotional conclusion to the longtime conflict between the Ascians and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, which culminated in an epic showdown with both Hydaelyn and Zodiark that took our Warrior of Light to the furthest reaches of the universe. The era that started it all came to a heartfelt close, and players around the world grew excited and anxious to see what the new era would entail.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak on PS5

The Trails series is something of a marvel at this point, as this release marks the 11th release of the mainline series that began in 2004. Yet, 20 years later, it is still innovating and taking the series to new heights. That’s not to say this is a game only for series fans. As with all arc introduction games, this is a possible starting point for new players. However, it’s not quite a highly recommended one. As amazing an entry as this is, it is still a piece of a much grander puzzle that deserves to be experienced from an earlier point.

Trails Through Daybreak presents a new piece of the Zemurian puzzle and takes players into the Calvard Republic for the first time. While there are plenty of returning faces, the main focus is on Van Arkride, who runs a business (called Arkride Solutions) for those needing some grey-area help. Van is referred to throughout the game as a ‘Spriggan,’ which means someone who will take on any job, regardless of legality. For this reason, he is at odds with the Bracer guild and Calvardian police.

Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition on PlayStation 5

Sometimes, it’s easy to forget just how far games have come in such a short time. It feels like we’ve been spoiled by modern gaming to the point where what came before often feels unimpressive by comparison. As such, it can be hard to judge older games or remasters on their own merits.

Even going back to revisit some of the classics, it’s amazing how clunky and unrefined they feel by comparison. Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition takes one of the PS2’s hidden gems and brings it to the current generation of gaming. However, it doesn’t quite modernize the game as much as I was hoping. It feels like a PS2 game. While it’s a great PS2 game, it doesn’t feel quite as fluid as modern titles, which is somewhat to be expected.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD on Nintendo Switch

Released over a decade ago, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon became a best-seller for the Nintendo 3DS. Now, Nintendo hopes to repeat that success by releasing a remastering of the title on the Nintendo Switch with better-than-ever graphics so fans can enjoy it in all its glory on a larger screen.

If you have never had the chance to play Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Luigi’s Mansion 2 outside of the U.S.) then this is a fine opportunity to try it. The game still holds its own despite being based on a decade-old title.

#BLUD on PC

A young freshman girl moves to a small town where, together with her classmates, she’ll discover her true calling: killing vampires. Indeed, if that sounds familiar or if it reminded you of a 90s TV series, then you are on the right track to what #BLUD is trying to evoke. But is this cartoony action RPG worth your time, or is that neck better saved for another bite?

Becky Brewster is a tiny but brave kid, living alone with her father, she still never leaves her mom’s grimoire behind. While it might look like an everyday recipe book, the book is actually all about the killing of things that go bump in the night. Along with, well, some recipes as well. It won’t be long before that grimoire will get some use, as Becky will discover that a vampire apocalypse is about to hit the town and no one but her can get those bloodsuckers to go back where they came from.

Still Wakes the Deep on PlayStation 5

Horror thrives on isolation. There’s a reason so many horror protagonists are cut off from civilization. If the police can turn up at any time, or escaping the alien menace is as simple as calling for help, it robs what’s going on of what makes it scary. A horror story has to have people facing near-impossible odds. Whether or not they survive depends on how generous the writer is.

So as soon as I loaded into the Beroa, a poorly-maintained oil rig in the North Sea, I was waiting for things to go very, very wrong.

Taskmaster VR Review for Meta Quest 3

Taskmaster is easily one of the most watchable shows on TV. Each 40-minute episode melts by like candy floss on your tongue, a dizzying succession of one wacky task after another. For a lazy Sunday spent sitting on the sofa or a breezy laugh after a long day, nothing does it quite like Taskmaster.

Incredibly, Taskmaster VR manages to perfectly capture that improvisational magic and fully immerse you in it. Even the most hardened skeptics will be left feeling like they’re part of the show thanks to its wacky tasks, hugely engaging gameplay, and unfalteringly faithful recreation of the show’s locales. It’s a staggering feat and the best VR game I’ve played.

Released in 2021, Shin Megami Tensei V, designed by SMT IV director Kazuyuki Yamai, featured the return of several gameplay features and a storyline all about the clash between angels and demons. Being originally announced as a Switch exclusive in 2017, it suffered quite a few development problems, coming out only four years later. Now SMT V is back, with a re-release bringing a brand-new storyline, a few QoL features, and, of course, a PC/console release. But is it worth your time or is this only for hardcore fans? Let’s head to the Netherworld and find out.

Shin Megami Tensei V brings the classic JRPG vibe that you might be familiar with if you’ve ever played a Persona title. Explore a huge location, solve quests, get into fights, and level up your character and his party. While the story begins in the same way as the original, with an ordinary Japanese student being transported into the Netherworld and fused with a god to form a new being called the Nahobino, after a few hours the game will start bringing in the new storyline.

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Review for PC

Destiny 2 The Final Shape is, in a word, triumphant. For many, time and change mean the Bungie that built its name two decades ago has passed on from its legendary golden years. But it’s special moments like this that remind us – even in the face of such change – there is always new potential. With the conclusion to the Light and Darkness saga, Bungie has raised the bar, showing that its capacity to realize video gaming as an art form is far from lost. Without a doubt, I would call The Final Shape one of the studio’s greatest accomplishments this decade, and, unbelievably, a sign that Destiny 2’s future might be far brighter than we’d anticipated.

There’s nowhere else I could think to begin but with the narrative. For ten years, Bungie has slowly built up the universe of Destiny, the story of our Guardians, and humanity’s fight against the odds. It’s paid off here. From side characters like Caitl and Mithraxx, we gain purposeful insight into their convictions, their fears, and their hopes. From new characters like Luzaku, we gain new questions and possibilities. And from the main cast, we gain nothing short of a spectacle. Zavala has been on something of a character arc since the Witch Queen as his faith in The Traveler falters; it comes to a head here. Crow has been unsure of himself since the moment he was first risen, and he finds a new purpose here. Ikora at least gets some meaningful dialogue – something that’s been a rarity since the Curse of Osiris days. And of course, Cayde-6, voiced by the wonderful Nathan Fillion, steals the show, both as renewed comedic relief and the focus of some of the story’s most sincere, emotional moments.

Asymmetrical horror games are one of gaming’s biggest modern trends. If you can think of a renowned horror IP, there’s a good chance it’s got a video game adaption. In the past two years alone we’ve seen games based on Evil Dead, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Ghostbusters, all within the asymmetrical multiplayer subgenre.

Next on that conveyor belt is Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game. Developed by IllFonic, it takes the cult 80s horror movie and spins it into its own multiplayer experience. Does it have what it takes to distinguish itself in a reasonably bloated subgenre, or will it go the way of Friday the 13th and Evil Dead by taking an early closure?

F1 24 Review on PC

Game series with annual releases like NBA, MLB The Show, and FIFA (EA FC now) sometimes don’t get huge updates. So, I, as an average player, often wonder whether getting the new release is really worth it. Am I really going to pay full price only to get new kits, transfers, and animations? I think F1 24 falls into that category, with the upgrades on last year’s game being minimal at best.

Throughout the years, Codemasters’ F1 as a franchise has grown immensely, and there are more features now than ever. Time trials, co-op career, ranked multiplayer, my team, you name it. Every mode that you can possibly think of has made it to the game.