10. The 9th Charnel

There’s a sense that the development team behind this had grand plans. Multiple playable characters with different backstories, survival mechanics, stealth, “realistic graphics” (their words, not mine) – it seems intriguing enough, until you actually play it. Poor performance, terrible voice acting, awful controls – that it even runs feels like a miracle. Minimal expectations aside, there’s just a sheer lack of redeeming qualities that would make you hope for better. Which sounds like a good time to segue to…

9. Code Violet

On the one hand, what can one expect anything from Teamkill Media in this day and age? Quantum Error was awful, but at least there was some sense that the studio was trying. Failing, sure, but trying all the same to make…something. Son and Bone was a waste of time, and with Code Violet, it appears to have given up even attempting to make an entertaining game. Awful story, awful gameplay, bland characters – the only reason it isn’t higher up is because of the negative hype going in.

8. Bubsy 4D

I wasn’t much of a Bubsy fan back in the day, but I admit that he’s had a rough time of it over the years. So seeing a 3D comeback like this from developer Fabraz was a nice feeling, with some decent humor and an intriguing, if ultimately uninteresting premise. But as it wore on, it became evident that Bubsy, annoying as he could be, was the least of the game’s problems, whether it’s the barren levels, occasionally iffy platforming, or a janky camera. Knowing what the developer is capable of, Bubsy 4D couldn’t measure up, even under little pressure.

7. Aphelion

Aphelion struggles to make a strong impression. Its story may have moments that pull you in, but it never reaches the level of intrigue or emotional weight it seems to be aiming for. The bigger issue is the gameplay, which quickly becomes a drag, with poor controls making even basic interactions feel more frustrating than they should. No one was expecting a sci-fi masterpiece, but it is still surprising how flat and uninteresting Aphelion feels overall.

6. Atomic Heart: Blood on Crystal

Speaking of “uninteresting,” if this were the first DLC for P-3’s bizarre adventure, I could see the reasoning for not expecting much. But this is the finale, the one that sets up the future, never mind the conclusion to the conflict between P-3 and CHAR-les. Instead, we get repetitive combat, annoying and tiresome traversal, and the same awful dialogue that marred the base game. If anything, at least it’s over, and we can move on to better things, even if Blood on Crystal doesn’t inspire much hope for the future.

5. Kiln

Maybe this hits more personally than the others, because you can see the sheer charm and originality in Kiln’s universe. But there’s still no denying how much of a bad idea it was from the word go. I’m all for supporting a studio’s creativity, but a multiplayer arena brawler in this day and age, that too from a team renowned for its single-player efforts? Did Double Fine not see what happened with Ninja Theory and Bleeding Edge? As a whole, Kiln doesn’t even muster above interesting. It’s as insubstantial as they come and all the charm in the world can’t save it.

4. Romeo is a Dead Man

If there’s anything you should take away from its placement on this list, it’s that I very much wanted to like Grasshopper Manufacture’s latest. The style, the atmosphere calling back to Tokusatsu greats like Ultraman and Kamen Rider, and the trippy narrative, which went beyond your average intergalactic hunt for space-time fugitives into something more surreal, were all pretty strong. It’s just that the actual gameplay left so much to be desired, especially with repetitive combat, underwhelming level design, lackluster enemy variety and shoddy performance. While it’s not the worst game of all time, it definitely needed more polish to match its overwhelming sense of style, especially given what the studio has been capable of at its peak.

3. Dead or Alive 6: Last Round

Far be it from the base game to inspire much love, either from long-time fans or fighting game nerds, but you would think in 2026 that Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo would attempt a clean slate. Dead or Alive 7 has been announced, after all. Surely they could revitalize Dead or Alive 6 with revamped mechanics, balance changes, less awful monetization, rollback netcode and a Tag Team mode that fans have been craving for years and years.

Last Round doesn’t offer any of that. In fact, it demands you repurchase all those characters and their costumes at higher prices. And to rub even more salt in the wound, the 2019 version has been delisted, which means you’re paying for a buggier follow-up that’s also trying to fleece you. Is this the same Koei Tecmo that released Nioh 3 and Pokemon Pokopia, two of this year’s best games? While the controversy will likely die down when Dead or Alive 7 rolls around, it’s amazing how well the publisher has effectively killed interest in the series, making anyone who cared about it feel like an utter fool.

2. Starfield: Terran Armada

While it’s only $10 – a far cry from the awful Shattered Space that cost $30 – and Bethesda clearly wasn’t aiming very high, Terran Armada is still frustratingly disappointing. After a year of relative silence, it should have offered a worthwhile narrative to accompany Free Lanes’ many new systems and quality-of-life improvements. It should have been Bethesda overdelivering for the fans in terms of storytelling.

Instead, there’s a new faction, enemy robots, some new ships to battle and commandeer, and Incursions to partake in. Imagine if the menial tasks in Fallout 4 actually became main mission content, against the backdrop of an initially promising story that, once again, flops on the execution. And if you’re a new player, especially with the recent PS5 version, the sheer number of bugs for the DLC alone would make you swear off Bethesda games entirely. Terran Armada may not be Bethesda’s worst ever, but it should have been an opportunity to do better rather than phoning it in.

1. Highguard

Some games fail because of unreasonable expectations, which usually emerge from extensive hype. Which is what made Wildlight Entertainment’s raid hero shooter such a fascinating anomaly. Everyone audibly groaned when it closed out The Game Awards, but the sheer audacity of it all actually drove some manner of anticipation, even if it was to watch the game fail.

The lack of communication leading up to its January launch was equally interpreted as the studio avoiding backlash and perhaps cooking up something special. Then Highguard actually dropped, just as it promised, and it was…not great. A mishmash of wildly conflicting genres, coupled with mostly uninspired heroes, painfully long matches, horrendous optimization, and more, ultimately sullied some interesting environments and solid gunplay.

Less than two months and numerous layoffs later, it was dead. You would think expecting anything from yet another dry live-service title would be folly, but given the studio’s experience, the years in development, and its funding (which may or may not have come from Tencent), it wasn’t your average project in terms of scale. If it ended up enjoyable, who knows how many of those players who checked it out on day one, expecting a massive failure, would have stuck around?

So long, Highguard – we hardly knew ye, but at least you made everyone question that one last announcement at every Summer Game Fest, Game Awards and so on going forward.

With Atari once again owning the rights to the character, it’s roped in Fabraz of Demon Tides fame to deliver a new 3D platformer that should actually do the series proud. And in a damning with faint praise sense, it does, but it’s also riddled with significant flaws that prevent it from truly competing with the genre’s best (including the developer’s previous platforming efforts).

Story-wise, the alien Woollies are back at some point, kidnapping Earth’s sheep for their own nefarious purposes, and Bubsy can’t really be bothered. That is, until the spaceships return again and have seemingly been modified into sheep-like forms. Upon hijacking one, Bubsy and his unwitting family (alongside the ever crotchety Virgil Reality) discover that the Baabots are responsible—the sheep have seemingly usurped their captors.

"Of course, the main meat of the experience is platforming, and Bubsy 4D offers some extensive options. Beyond the jump, double-jump, pounce and glide combo, he can also convert into hairball form and roll around at the legally distinct speed of sound."

With the Golden Fleece in their possession and a “neener neener” demeanor towards the group, it’s up to Bubsy to bring the fight to them, unwillingly on most occasions and breaking the fourth wall on others.

I didn’t walk in expecting much of a story, and neither should you – not that this is an insult by any means. Bubsy 4D cuts right to the chase, to the point where I wondered if I had accidentally skipped a cutscene. There’s no explanation about who Oblivia is, how Bubsy has a niece and nephew (Terri and Terry), why they’re stuck with him (not that they’re really complaining), or why Virgil is the way he is (beyond being a nerd). And you honestly shouldn’t worry about it, because 3 out of the 4 were only ever touched upon in a Bubsy TV show that never went beyond its pilot episode, and personality-wise, are completely different here.

They can be fun to interact with between levels and after significant story beats. Seeing them chilling in certain sections—whether it’s the kids taking bets on a pit fight Bubsy is involved in, or Oblivia coming up with different ways to misspell Bubsy’s name—can be entertaining. Granted, the joke that no one cares about what Bubsy thinks can get tiring – we get it, he sucks – but there is some fine humor about EULAs, older titles, and even a nice little jab or two from Bubsy himself when you pause the game. I do wish Bubsy had more lines during gameplay, since hearing about why Golden Fleeces float in the air gets repetitive. But at least there’s (mercifully) an option to mute him.

Of course, the main meat of the experience is platforming, and Bubsy 4D offers some extensive options. Beyond the jump, double-jump, pounce and glide combo, he can also convert into hairball form and roll around at the legally distinct speed of sound. Discovering Blueprints leads to upgrades for things like teleporting between litter boxes, which serve as checkpoints in a level, or using hairball form to bounce between two adjacent buildings at a much faster pace than simple wall-jumping will allow. You can even uncover other moves like a triple jump or the ability to chain a single pounce into a series of follow-up leaps. Pouncing also helps Bubsy scamper up walls, though managing which abilities go on their internal cooldown during all this can take some getting used to. Pounce also feels like it can overshoot the mark at times, requiring some awkward finagling in mid-air.

"At least the boss fights can be enjoyable. Baarbee, the first of the Baabot “bosses” who makes contact with Bubsy and friends, can feel overtly straightforward…until each hit in a phase transitions to an outright chase through the surrounding level."

The biggest problem is that the levels in Bubsy 4D are initially intriguing but can end up feeling empty. There is a lore reason as to why they feel so artificial – the first planet comprising of wool, the second of arts and crafts, and so on – and you can encounter some interesting challenges that will put your precision to the test. The side stuff can also be occasionally compelling, even if it feels unnecessary to gather more blueprints beyond collection purposes after a point.

However, the overall look leaves something to be desired, lacking much by way of personality or ingenuity. Which isn’t to say that Fabraz doesn’t try to inject some, like meeting up with downtrodden Woollies who are less than thrilled about their current plight. If nothing else, they were intriguing to talk to in a depressing kind of way.

Despite those aforementioned challenges, you’ll spend a not-insignificant amount of time navigating half pipes in hairball form. It’s more than occasionally iffy – be prepared to make ample use of that brake button – but it’s all the more annoying when simply trying to enter regular pipes, since it can easily bypass them and slip off the edge into the abyss. Add some camera flubs on more than one occasion – wall-jumping from a side perspective is especially annoying – or how finicky the targeting on pounce could be against enemies, or the distance between checkpoints when first running through levels, and the act of actually navigating these levels frustrated me more than I would have liked.

That’s not to say it’s horrible all the time or completely unwieldy, but it definitely needs more fine-tuning and polish. At least the boss fights can be enjoyable. Baarbee, the first of the Baabot “bosses” who makes contact with Bubsy and friends, can feel overtly straightforward…until each hit in a phase transitions to an outright chase through the surrounding level. Meanwhile, Baartholomeo, her aniki, offers manic platforming on a fixed circular walkway as you dodge his many projectiles and lightning strikes.

"Regardless, if you feel weirdly compelled to embark on this adventure with a main character that’s treated as mostly a joke, then you could do far worse than Bubsy 4D. But you could also do a heck of a lot better."

Regardless of whether you like Bubsy 4D or not, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the longest experience. Once you’ve cleared all 15 levels, it’s possible to return to them and collect any remaining yarnballs or Blueprints. Yarnballs can be used to purchase cosmetics, including a horrendously tacky line-up of jackets, Bubsy’s classic look and even a 3D model which calls back to the bad ol’ days. The more competitive-minded have leaderboards and ghost data, and there’s even a hardcore mode called Nine Lives where you’re only allowed to take nine hits throughout an entire playthrough. Die, and you’ll have to start all over.

If you’re looking for the next big 3D platformer to deliver tons of memorable moments, excellent level design and tight gameplay throughout, then rest assured that Bubsy 4D probably isn’t it. It’s not the worst experience out there – and keep in mind that this franchise has seen its share of horrible experiences – but it’s also not something that I can wholeheartedly recommend for everyone. If anything, Demon Tides is a far better time investment and showcases what the developer is really capable of in terms of 3D platforming greatness.

Regardless, if you feel weirdly compelled to embark on this adventure with a main character that’s treated as mostly a joke, then you could do far worse than Bubsy 4D. But you could also do a heck of a lot better.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

Forza Horizon 6

Almost five years since we bade farewell to the Horizon Festival, but this time it returns in perhaps the most anticipated location in the series – Japan. Relaxing drives through avenues of Sakura trees in Spring, frenetic Touge battles down winding mountain roads, or just hanging out at Daikoku, showing off your vehicle to all and sundry – that’s only the start. Forza Horizon 6 offers two major avenues to cement your legacy – exploration, gradually defogging Japan and discovering Aftermarket Cars, or racing through the ranks to become a Horizon Legend. Beyond everything else, however, it’s your journey. Fill up the scrapbook with memories. Outfit your garage and build out a base. The choice is yours when it launches on May 19th for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Directive 8020

Say what you will about The Thing, but it reinforced a deep space fear that continues to resonate through gaming – that someone on your crew isn’t who you think they are. Cue Directive 8020 from Supermassive Games, which focuses on the colony ship Cassiopeia as it crashlands on Tau Ceti f. But things take a turn when a horrifying shapeshifting organism begins hunting the crew. Compared to previous Dark Pictures entries, there’s a bigger focus on stealth and combat, not to mention carefully discerning who’s who. Don’t worry if you choose wrong, though, since Turning Points offers a do-over. Directive 8020 launches on May 12th for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PS5, and after such a long wait, we’re ready to be terrified.

MOTORSLICE

Between monsters, robots, zombies and everything in between, who would have thought that construction equipment could be a threat? That’s the premise of MOTORSLICE, which is all about P and her chainsaw-wielding, parkouring self as she battles these massive threats in a post-apocalyptic world. But then there’s the megastructure – a winding, brutalist space that goes on forever. With its minimalistic art style and unorthodox premise, MOTORSLICE could serve up some hack-and-slash platforming goodness when it launches on May 5th.

WILL: Follow The Light

Unreal Engine 5 and adventure games go together about as well as…just about any other genre, honestly, but WILL: Follow the Light has a different aura about it. In a way, it reminds us of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter with its atmosphere, except you’re controlling a father who embarks on a journey to return home and find his son. It’s a tough task, especially when traversing by sea, crossing mountains and confronting the ghosts of the past. Maybe it could be a dark horse in gorgeous narrative adventures. Maybe not. Either way, we’ll find out on May 7th.

Luna Abyss

A game after my own bullet hell-loving heart, Kwalee Labs’ first-person shooter sees you banished to prison on Luna and tasked to venture into the Abyss for some “forgotten technology.” Enter the cosmic horrors, which aren’t known for being deep sleepers (or quiet dreamers), unfortunately, and you’ll have to slowly unravel the mystery of Greymont, clinging onto sanity the entire time. Having thoroughly enjoyed Saros and Metal Eden, I’m keen on diving into Luna Abyss and its crimson-tinged interiors when it launches on May 21st for PC.

Bubsy 4D

Bubsy is officially back, and no one is safe. Launching on May 22nd across every platform, Bubsy 4D sees the orange furball embarking on a new 3D adventure across 15 new levels. And it looks…not bad? Pretty sleek even, right down to the legally distinct “rolling around at the speed of sound” ability. While the prospect of the game as a metacommentary on Bubsy’s reputation is interesting enough, this looks like a genuinely compelling 3D platformer. Color us intrigued, if nothing else.

007 First Light

You only live twice, as a world-famous 00 agent once said, and thanks to IO Interactive, we’ll have the opportunity to look at death through the eyes of a younger, brasher, less cynical James Bond. First Light sees him enter MI6 to earn 00 status, but amid the charming arrogance is a desire to prove himself, and maybe surpass his limits. The building blocks of Hitman are all here – exquisite sandbox environments with numerous opportunities for stealth – but Bond goes beyond Agent 47’s capabilities in every way you’d expect. Parkour, sneaking, bluffing his way past guards and staff, clever usage of Q’s gadgets – and when “license to kill” is active, gunning down anyone that stands in his way with an array of weaponry and CQC tactics. And just straight up throwing empty guns at an enemy’s face. All’s fair in the world of super spies when 007 First Light launches on May 27th.

Thick as Thieves

A new stealth game from Warren Spector and Paul Neurath, whose credits include Deus Ex and Thief, respectively? Say less. Its alternate-history 1910s city and procedurally generated mission layout, which encourages quick thinking and improvisation, initially left us skeptical due to the PvEvP element. But that’s been changed to focus more on single-player and co-op, delivering an experience befitting the Thief legacy, as you hone your skills to become a legend in the business. Thick as Thieves is available on May 20th for PC.

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core

Have you ever seen all the Deep Rock Galactic praise, heard all the calls of “rock and stone,” but could still never really get into it? Maybe a roguelite spin-off will do the trick. Entering early access on May 20th, Rogue Core focuses on the Reclaimers squad, which the Company calls in when there are some serious threats. In every run, you’ll need to make use of any weapons along the way while battling the Core Spawn and improving your skills. With how much work has gone on since its October 2023 announcement, one can only hope that Rogue Core lives up to the original’s brilliance.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book

Nintendo hasn’t necessarily managed to recreate the magic of Yoshi’s Island, but the Mysterious Book could be a cosy, easy-breezy platformer, much like Yoshi’s Crafted World. The premise this time involves venturing through the pages of Mr E, where Yoshi meets different creatures. Harness their abilities on top of the usual gliding, egg-hurling, and sprinting that the series is known for, and voila (hopefully). Yoshi and the Mysterious Book launches on May 21st, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

Freshen up on your knowledge of the Dark Knight because Batman returns to the video game world on May 22nd. Granted, it’s in LEGO form, but Legacy of the Dark Knight is going out of its way to pull from every single piece of Batman media in existence, from multiple Batmobile types to the bizarre Batmite outfit. If that vast open-world of Gotham, coupled with the Arkham series’ Free Flow combat, wasn’t enough, there are seven other characters, including Catwoman, Nightwing, Robin and more to play as.

ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies

Yes, it’s not exactly all that appealing considering the whole ZA/UM business and how the original Disco Elysium creators were ousted. There’s really no getting around that particular detail. Still, if you’re in the mood for something in the same vein, albeit with an espionage bent and exerting yourself as operant Hershel Wilke, caught up in a conflict between three factions, Zero Parades may suffice when it launches on May 21st for PC.

Better Than Dead

Bodycam first-person shooters are no longer all that new as a concept, but embarking on a quest for vengeance in Hong Kong, hunting down targets while ensuring no one ends up like you? That immediately skyrockets Better Than Dead for us, and the obvious influence of old-school Hong Kong action films just adds that extra bit of hard-boiled grit. It enters early access for PC on May 12th.

Dark Light: Survivor

You’ve swapped between first and third person in Resident Evil Requiem, but how about top-down and third-person (or even between realistic and pixel-like visuals)? That’s one of the many quirks of Dark Light: Survivor, a roguelike survival where you venture on the Phantom Train, venturing through a terrifying multiverse, gathering resources to keep the engine running. Two maps are available when early access launches on May 15th alongside Artifacts, persistent upgrades, weapons, and more. It may be all about the destination, but right now, the journey of Dark Light: Survivor is shaping up into something intriguing.

Withering Realms

From the developer behind the unsettling Withering Rooms comes Withering Realms, where you control a creepy doll ferrying a ghost, as they venture through Penwyll – a town where surely nothing horrible resides. “Bloodborne” is obviously the first influence to come to mind, but the hack and slash action, perspective, and visuals lend an almost Nightmare Creatures vibe to it all. Withering Realms launches into early access in May, and, surprisingly, will be playable from start to finish with plans for 1.0 to launch later this year.