Pokémon Pokopia soars and excels by utilising the series’ 30-year legacy as its strength, harmoniously fusing the adorable, warm world and character design of Pokémon with the likes of other beloved life-sim titles. There’s excitement waiting around every corner as you unearth a new Pokémon at a habitat, find a weird bit of lore in the zany backstory, or show off your creative flair with a robust crafting and building system. There is never a dull moment to be found here, always offering new sights and things to do that make you feel giddy and like a kid all over again. Pokémon has got the magic juice again, and all it took was creating the most sensical fusion of games in history. I doubt this’ll be the end of the Pokopia name. It’s amazing, and a continuation would just print money. If a single spin-off can deliver such heights, I can’t help but feel hopeful that the tides are changing again for the beloved creature collector series. There’s a pulse here yet.
Timberborn has spent a long time in early access now, and all that time was clearly worth it because the game is incredibly well-crafted with only a few minor caveats. If you are looking for a city builder with a more naturalistic tone and some cute beavers to protect, this might be the one for you.
Crabmeat is a solid experience overall, nailing the feeling of isolation one might feel while stuck in the open ocean all alone. The unique point-and-click mechanic, while an interesting choice, does leave room for some difficulties navigating in stressful situations. Sound design is nailed in this short, two to three hour experience, and while I enjoyed it for what it was, I think a little more length and some deeper mysteries to uncover would have added a nice layer of depth. Fans of titles such as Iron Lung and Loan Shark will definitely find enjoyment out of Crabmeat.
Toxic Commando is ultimately fine, but there are many better co-operative shooters you could spend your time with. Perfectly competent shooting is brought down by repetitive missions and an absolutely threadbare campaign. If you absolutely must play a new zombie shooter, you might find some fun here, but if you’re looking for something more fulfilling than video game junk food, look elsewhere.
Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is a gorgeous-looking roguelike that presents some fun gameplay elements over different stunning backdrops and challenging platforming locations. Some of its elements, like the possession system, are fun, but the devs needed to put more time into making other gameplay elements work and flow throughout. It leaves Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse as a mixed bag, but it’s a fun experience if you don’t care too much about clunky basebuilding or rich environmental lore.
I ended up enjoying Greedfall: The Dying World quite a lot; however, I recognise that it won’t be for everyone. The Real Time with Pause combat was more manageable than I expected, but I still think I’d have preferred either a straightforward action combat system like the first game or a proper turn-based combat system if the developers wanted to go in a more tactical direction. The large and diverse cast of companions is deep and interesting, and it’s just as well, as the main plot isn’t quite as compelling. If you’re looking for a return to the highs of Real Time with Pause RPGs, like the old Dragon Age or Baldur’s Gate games, Greedfall: The Dying World doesn’t quite get there, but it comes damned close. There’s a fascinating world out there to explore, just be aware that the journey won’t be free of storms.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection expands the series’ horizons in some ways while remaining stubbornly traditional in others. Soaring across the sky on the back of my Rathalos felt amazing, and I’d love for Capcom to utilise more of the open world exploration elements in the main Monster Hunter series. While the more dramatic narrative and engaging cast of characters were appreciated, if you didn’t enjoy the largely luck-based combat in previous entries, then the fact that those elements have not been altered much won’t impress you. Capcom has delivered a compelling world to explore in Monster Hunter Stories 3, and if you can look past some of the combat system’s drawbacks, you’ll likely have a good time with it.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is a modern rendition of a certified classic survival horror game, and while I believe it should be praised for building a solid atmosphere with superb sound design, the game itself, as it is on console, is a tough task to recommend. In many ways, this remake is a distant departure from what made the original game so breathtakingly horrifying, sacrificing all the subtlety that made you feel at unease and replacing it with cheap tricks. But ultimately, it undermines the oppressiveness of its story with a repetitive gameplay loop filled with constant backtracking and a lack of challenge in either combat or puzzle solving.
WWE 2K26 is still the heavyweight champion of the scene; the series does not disappoint with loads of content across multiple varied modes of play. It features the largest roster of past and present Superstars of the series, despite a handful of those sitting behind a grind. Questionable micro-transactions still exist, but the gameplay is still solid and competitive, and there are several new features that help with immersion and presentation. It’s a worthy entry to the series, even if we are not exactly reinventing the wheel.
There are a number of neat ideas in Mirage 7, from its mysterious meta-narrative to its Resident Evil-style exploration and problem-solving. A rich lore and mythological backdrop help draw you into its vibrant desert world. However, it’s unfortunately held back by tedious combat and frustratingly inconsistent puzzle solutions, as well as a pretty unsatisfying narrative conclusion. Under a few layers of cumbersome design, there’s a unique adventure game here to be enjoyed – if only for a little while.
