Those empty weapon pedestals got me thinking we'll see more down the line. I think a hammer or a Castlevania-like whip would be awesome.

Though there are much worse places to end up, I really don't think I'd like living in the world of Minecraft. Sure, it'd be nice to settle down in a quiet village and make a few animal friends, but everything could change the second the sun sets. I also don't think I'd react well if I came across an Enderman.

I'm terrible as an Impostor, can't tell a lie to save my life under pressure, but the Fungle map, with those clouded mushrooms, have saved my Impostor-ness more than once.

It's uncomplicated. You just dive in, hit monsters with your weapon alongside 32 other players, and try to survive. I need more games like this in my life. Any recs?

Dismas is an absolute must-have for my party. Always. I take him everywhere.

It's got everything that made Lethal Company great and more — a healthy variety of unique monsters, proximity chat, physics-based interactions, and a lot of stuff to play with, like weapons, tools, and even character upgrades. REPO is tons of fun with friends, and just like Lethal Company, it deserves all the love it's getting.

The much-beloved Blueprint is a Joker with a simple yet very powerful effect: It will have the same effect as any compatible Joker placed right next to it on the right. There are all kinds of score-rocketing ways to use this, but my favorite so far has been matching it with Ancient Joker and playing into its suit-matching mechanic. I obtained my first 1,000,000+ chip hand that way.

I always look at Supergiant Games as the argument for staying indie and still being successful, but it definitely limits the scope of their projects.

On a Minecraft server with some friends, I managed to build the house I grew up in. There wasn't anything particularly complex about the build, but it took me quite a while to get everything right.

I always create a custom sandbox so I can keep the zombie population as low as possible without actually playing a game where there are no zombies. I love the concept of this game, but I'm terrible at combat. 

For me, I've never been able to resist Ancient Joker. Of course, there's the inherent unpredictability of its random switch each blind, but no matter. I'm a huge fan of an autopilot flush approach, and matching suits and watching that multiplier shoot upwards is deeply satisfying. It can be a very simple yet effective strategy too.

I can't believe it has taken us this long to get something like Tales of the Shire on the horizon (even though it's been delayed again, last I heard). Now I need a Redwall cozy game.

Whenever I’m having a tough day, I turn to Stardew Valley to help me unwind. There’s something about tending to crops, fishing by the river, or helping out the villagers that just instantly calms me down. It’s low-stakes, peaceful, and it feels like I’m giving myself permission to slow down and relax. Plus, I can always count on my little farm to provide some good vibes—whether I’m making a profit off some tomatoes or just petting my cows. It’s the perfect escape to let go of stress and reset my mind. Plus, the music is so soothing—it feels like a cozy hug for my brain!

I absolutely despised Mordin when he first showed up, and when I found out the role he played in the creation of the Genophage, it only worsened things. However, as you play the game, you warm up to him, as his humor and charismatic singing are just delightful. Eventually, he truly redeems himself and becomes one of the best characters in the trilogy.

The first indie game I really fell in love with was Hotline Miami, and though I first played it more than a decade ago, I still listen to the soundtrack on a nearly daily basis. Levels in Hotline Miami 1 and 2 are driven by these hyper-synth electronic independent tracks by many different artists, essentially turning the game from a top-down strategy shooter into an interactive darkwave album. I used songs from both games in aCyberpunk: RED campaign I ran last year and they suited the cyberpunk vibeperfectly. In general I like the tracks in Hotline Miami 2 more, but the more condensed OST of Hotline Miami 1 is a bit more digestible in one sitting. 

The first video game I ever played was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for the PlayStation. I remember absolutely loving it, but I had no idea that you needed a memory card in order to save your progress. I must have spent an entire week trying to finish it, but my bedtime always beat me to it.

While I enjoyed most of the crewmembers, I'd say Flint was my favorite, even though he's picked up pretty late in the game. Having another Sleeper in the story made for some great interactions and self-reflection on the part of the protagonist.

As a huge fan of the original game, I appreciated the way that the new weapons were implemented, each having their own puzzle-solving utility in the world. When it comes to combat, though, there was only one choice for me as a main. As a life-long heavy weapon user in games, Veredicto's slow, damaging swing and potential for bonus fire damage immediately appealed to me.

The winners have been contacted, so check your inboxes to see if you were one of them! To celebrate the release of ULTROS on Nintendo Switch and Xbox, Game Rant is excited to bring you this giveaway featuring a limited edition ULTROS soundtrack and digital game keys! - One grand prize winner will get the ULTROS soundtrack vinyl and a digital game code for their platform of choice. - Six runner-up winners will get a digital game code for the platform of their choice.  To enter, simply tell us in 10 words or more what your favorite entry in the Metroidvania genre is and why! Game Rant will randomly select the winners from those submissions. Giveaway Rules: No purchase necessary to enter or win. Contest begins on February 19, 2025 at 9:00am ET and ends on February 28, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. There are a total of seven (7) prizes available to be won as follows: one (1) grand prize consisting of (a) a vinyl record with the soundtrack for the game Ultros having an approximate retail value (

Give other players some suggestions on what to play for Valentine's Day! I think for a solo-Valentine's Day, Boyfriend Dungeon is the way to go.