Games both new and old, judged by the only question that matters:
Do they deserve a place on the shelf?
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Dave the Diver – Too Much Sushi on the Plate
Dave the Diver combines underwater exploration with sushi restaurant management—and then keeps adding more. Its core loop is satisfying, charming, and dangerously addictive, but a seemingly endless parade of characters, mechanics, and minigames eventually leaves the experience feeling overstuffed.
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2XKO: The World’s Least Surprising Eulogy
Riot is ending active development on 2XKO, bringing one of gaming’s least surprising train wrecks to its inevitable conclusion. The servers will live on—but what exactly is left?
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Astro Bot – PlayStation’s New Platforming Legend
What looked like a PlayStation tech demo became one of the biggest surprises of the generation. Astro Bot is a joyful collectathon packed with creativity, nostalgia, and some of the best platforming in years.
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Grounded – Big Problems in a Small Yard
Grounded starts as another survival grind before spiders, teamwork, and one terrible hole turn the backyard into something worth keeping on the shelf.
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Mouse PI for Hire – The Case of the Missing Gameplay
Mouse PI for Hire has one of the most striking visual styles in recent memory, pairing rubber hose animation with a classic first-person shooter. Unfortunately, once the novelty fades, the gameplay struggles to keep pace with its incredible presentation.
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EVO 2026 – Watching From the Outside Looking In
EVO 2026 delivered another incredible weekend of fighting games, from Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 to newcomers like 2XKO and Invincible VS. Here are my spoiler-free thoughts on the event, the games, and why EVO remains one of the best weekends in gaming.
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MLB The Show 26 – Seventh Inning Stench
MLB The Show 26 still delivers excellent baseball and an addictive Diamond Dynasty mode, but slower progression and a lack of meaningful innovation prevent this year’s entry from hitting a home run.
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WOTS State of Play 2026 – Two Weeks Late and Right on Time
State of Play 2026 delivered nostalgia, superheroes, horror, and more than a few reasons for cautious optimism. From Dynasty Warriors 3 Remastered to Marvel’s Wolverine, here’s what stuck with me after the showcase ended.
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Viewfinder – A Different Perspective
Viewfinder delivers one of the coolest puzzle mechanics in recent memory, bending photos into physical spaces and turning perspective into progress. It is clever, beautiful, and occasionally brilliant, even if it runs out of steam before reaching true Top Shelf status.
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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II Review – Spectacle Without Evolution
A massive, chaotic horde shooter with satisfying combat and impressive scale, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II delivers spectacle but struggles to stand out in a crowded genre.
