Every so often, you come across a game that feels like the vision of a single person – a personal memoir digitally translated into an interactive medium with a desire to express and entertain. Playing through Skate Story reminded me why I wanted to write about games in the first place and what this medium is capable of compared to film, music, and literature.

If it isn’t obvious by my rambly intro on the artistic merits of video games, Skate Story managed to impress, inspire, and entertain me in ways that only video games with a clear creative voice can achieve. Here are my thoughts on this unforgettable journey of a Skater made of glass, traveling through the Underworld and shattering over and over to eat moons.

2025 has been a great year for 2D action games with plenty of variety across sub-genres. After the wonderful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Tribute Games and Dotemu are back with another beat ’em up, this time with Marvel characters at the forefront.

With a massive roster of iconic characters, some gorgeous pixel art, and another catchy soundtrack by Tee Lopes, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is another fun beat ’em up from the talented studio. Here is what I thought of it after spending around 15 hours punching Annihilus bugs.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is the eighth installment in the historic Anno franchise, which has been around for nearly three decades, following the success of its predecessor, Anno 1800.

Expectations are high, as we take a monumental turn to the Roman Empire this time. Will Anno 117: Pax Romana capture the magic of the Roman Times with its foundational system? Here’s a 60-hour playtime review of the game.

The concept for Rue Valley sounds interesting. You’re caught in a time loop, your choices matter, and you’re surrounded by individuals with complex and painful pasts just waiting to be uncovered, all in an effort to unravel the mystery surrounding the time loop.

And so, I tucked myself in for almost 15 hours to get to the bottom of things, and even then, there’s still loads to discover. So here’s what you can expect from Rue Valley, a narrative adventure game brought to us by newcomers Emotion Spark Studio and seasoned publishers Owlcat Games Ltd.

ARC Raiders is one of the most anticipated games of 2025, largely due to its extraction shooter genre and development and publication by the well-loved, rising studio, Embark Studios.

The game garnered high expectations from its widely successful betas and server slams, especially since the masses were craving for a good extraction shooter game. After playing for over 70 hours and reaching the endgame, here are my thoughts on ARC Raiders.

The original PowerWash Simulator was one of my favorite releases of 2022, and it offered an experience so approachable, accessible, and endlessly calming that I had no hesitation putting nearly 50 hours into it. If the developers simply released more of the same with the sequel, I would’ve happily paid for it, but turns out they did a bit more than that. 

PowerWash Simulator 2 is the follow-up to the cleansing experience, with plenty of familiar systems and some new tricks up its sleeves. Here’s what I think. 

When I first heard about Ball x Pit, I wasn’t really interested in the concept. A roguelite brickbreaker doesn’t sound like my type of game. So when it landed in my inbox and I decided to give it a go, my expectations were fairly low.

I was stunned to discover what is easily one of the most fun games released in 2025. I’m already approaching 30 hours, and I can see myself easily doubling that in the weeks to come. So, let’s dig into this obscure little indie title – what makes it so good and, more importantly, is it something you should pick up for yourself?

I’m going to say it: 2025 is easily one of the best years for 2D action games. First, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound floored me with its tight, fast-paced action, one-hit kills, and challenging platforming. Then, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance delivered a combo-heavy, beautifully realized metroidvania-lite experience. To close out 2025, Guard Crush Games decided to drop the main feast with a highly replayable, endlessly fun, and gorgeous beat ’em up rogue-lite that I can’t put down.

Four Heroes Walk Into a Beat ’Em Up

Absolum features a cast of four Wizards who have stood up against the big bad Sun King, Azra. “Wizard” is more of a title tied to their access to different Arcana, as most of them focus on fast-paced, hard-hitting, and combo-driven combat. Each character shares the same defensive abilities and general moveset, but their attacks and approach to combat differ.

As someone who has never played a single Digimon game ever, I finally caved in and tried my first one – Digimon Story: Time Stranger. While I am completely aware of Digimon’s long and rich history, especially its toys, anime, and game titles, I never got around to trying a game, making me completely clueless about its core gameplay mechanics that have been around for decades.

As for the game, Digimon Story: Time Stranger, it is the seventh title in the “Digimon Story” subseries, following the successful release of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth eight years ago. However, it is completely standalone, making it a possible entry for new fans.

Endless Legends 2, a highly anticipated sequel from Amplitude Studios, is a fantasy turn-based 4X strategy game that reinvents the genre by fueling more fun and creative elements to tweak, offering surprising depth.

As someone who has only played a few 4X games like Stellaris and Sid Meier’s Civilization (Civilization V being my personal favorite), here are my thoughts on Endless Legends 2. Does it hold up as one of the best 4X games in this generation? Are you going to enjoy it as a new player in the genre?