This new spin-off centered on battles delivers on what it promises, but it still needs a little more polish to become a fully satisfying experience. That said, its strong visual presentation and streamlined team-building system give newcomers a real chance to compete, while also sparing experienced players from spending hours hunting for the perfect creature.

Konami’s ability to make us grow attached to an octopus while mixing stealth and puzzle-solving brings back memories of when the company was willing to take risks. Darwin feels comfortable from the start, easy to understand and, above all, fun, with a fresh idea that feels straight out of the sea. The music and art enhance every moment, and in its most tense sequences the game uses them to deliver a more-than-entertaining wordless story across its nearly six-hour runtime.

Life is Strange Reunion could be the franchise’s definitive reunion with its fans. Playing as Max and Chloe, with their distinct personalities and clearly differentiated gameplay styles, is a lot of fun. The story is intriguing; however, it also feels somewhat exclusionary: you can play and enjoy it without having played the previous titles, but you will undoubtedly miss a lot. On top of that, we feel the game never fully takes off on a graphical or technical level.

While the series continues to improve year after year, 2K still fails to elevate the character models or deliver the kind of story the island setting could truly offer. This entry introduces a welcome twist with its faction system and the addition of AAA to the mix, but it still falls short of becoming a truly great wrestling game. In the absence of a strong story mode, MyGM and MyFaction help make up for it, both feeling more refined this time around.

The Sims 4: Dynasties and Lineages offers a world rich in storytelling and an innovative noble career path, but loses momentum due to reused content, bugs in the scandal system, and a Build/Buy mode that does not justify its status as a full expansion.

An ambitious yet uneven open-world action RPG. Crimson Desert stands out for its polished visuals and an exploration system built around discovery and learning. Even so, its slow pacing, steep learning curve, and generic protagonist hold it back. It won’t be for everyone, but it still knows how to reward patience.

The arrival of these two classics in today’s market could be a big plus for players who are just getting into the Pokémon world and want something different from the Let’s Go games. It’s also clearly aimed at those who already completed them back in the day and want to relive those memories—but without a double-speed option to make things move a bit “faster,” it might also bring back some not-so-great memories, thanks to how long the animations take and the lack of the quality-of-life features present in modern entries.

The arrival of these two classics in today’s market could be a big plus for players who are just getting into the Pokémon world and want something different from the Let’s Go games. It’s also clearly aimed at those who already completed them back in the day and want to relive those memories—but without a double-speed option to make things move a bit “faster,” it might also bring back some not-so-great memories, thanks to how long the animations take and the lack of the quality-of-life features present in modern entries.

This compilation is like being patted by a worn-down piece of sandpaper for fans: it might feel gentle in a few spots, but it’s still going to scrape. Without the franchise’s original signature music and with quality-of-life tweaks like rewinding after a mistake, it comes with clear pros and cons. The standout addition is that new rewind feature, which is going to make it possible to actually finish the 120+ extra levels created by fans and the original creators.

Mario Tennis Fever is undeniably a fun game—if you know how and when to play it. If you’re looking for something to play solo, on the go, and as a serious sports-style challenge, we can tell you right away: this one isn’t for you. But if what you want is a game that delivers good times (and just enough friendly competition) with friends at home during a get-together, Fever doesn’t let you down. That said, it’s up to you whether it’s worth your money and your time, because it doesn’t bring many truly new ideas to the table if you’ve already been playing—or you already own—other tennis games.

High On Life 2 goes for more action and snappier movement while keeping its absurd humor and irreverent identity, even if it doesn’t fully recapture the original’s fresh impact. The addition of skating and new abilities brings real depth to both combat and exploration, while its straightforward, continuing story does the job without taking many risks. Fun and true to its core, though it can feel a bit repetitive.

Code Vein II is competent and checks all the right boxes, but it never quite finds a way to stand out. Things that felt genuinely fresh in 2019—like the idea of an anime Soulslike built around two-person combat—don’t land with the same impact today, and all that flexibility ends up making most playstyles feel too similar. If the aesthetic works for you, you won’t find much to complain about, but if you’ve played a lot of games in the genre, you may come away feeling like it could use a little more bite—more blood in its veins.

Animal Crossing: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition doesn’t reinvent anything, but it does something more interesting: it smooths out the experience enough to make you want to come back. And once it clicks, it’ll steal hours and hours of your life. With the 3.0 update, Mouse Mode takes center stage, the expanded online features are a real plus for community players, and the technical upgrades are there… just not the kind that make you lose your mind.

Tingus Goose is an idle game that blends classic mechanics with a deliberately grotesque, absurd aesthetic. The player watches and manages the progression of a goose whose growth, reproduction, and mutations generate resources that can be reinvested. It’s a passive, observation-driven experience, and its weird sense of humor and slow pace make it a niche pick—best suited for players who enjoy experimental takes on the idle genre.

With 40 years in the industry, the bubble-blowing dragon twins have been through countless adventures, and this one feels like just another run-of-the-mill entry. With repetitive gameplay and poor optimization for Nintendo’s handheld hardware, the game comes across as rushed and uninspired. Visually, it’s among the best the series has done in a 3D setting, but there’s a noticeable lack of regard for the player experience. Here’s hoping Bub and Bob get a brighter future down the line.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond does not seek to innovate. It is a remarkable entry on a technical, visual, and audio level, but it has some rough edges in terms of difficulty, puzzles, and the very backtracking that defines the Metroidvania genre. At times it holds the player’s hand and tries to connect its world through a somewhat sparse and linear desert, even if it delivers solid technical performance. It may not be a complete package within the genre, but it will still manage to move and excite fans of the saga.

With everything to gain and little to lose, Tribute Games’ latest entry leaves you satisfied thanks to the obvious love and care the studio has for the beat ’em up genre. In this case, the story, visual design, replay value and references all feel on point, but the game comes up short in length and some players may be left wanting more. That could easily be addressed with updates that add more missions, more characters and, if possible, a versus mode between characters.

The franchise knows how to revolutionize the genre, but this new installment doesn’t reach the spectacle of previous entries. The system is more polished than ever and visually impressive, yet it falls into the comfort zone and tries to steer into unfamiliar waters, turning into something that doesn’t quite feel like Call of Duty. The weapons and the new movement system are fun, but they’re not enough to fill the gaps of a dull story that almost pushes this military shooter into an entirely different subgenre, bordering on the fantastical.

Square Enix remains the king of retro remakes, once again proving its mastery with this beautifully stylized version brimming with charm and nostalgia. The original creator of console RPGs may no longer be as groundbreaking as before, but this is still a gem for fans of the genre—even if it offers little to those watching from the sidelines.

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 arrives to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Both games add notable features, including an assisted mode that makes play more accessible, improved Joy-Con support, a wonderful soundtrack with over 100 musical tracks, and even new chapters that expand both main stories. Even so, tighter attention to small details, less finicky camera shifts, or a more active co-op mode would have truly completed the experience.

Persona 3 Reload arrives on the Nintendo Switch 2 with a visually optimized—but technically limited—edition. This revisit of the acclaimed 2024 JRPG successfully adapts its interfaces and resolutions for both handheld and docked modes, offering a polished visual experience overall. However, it struggles to maintain consistent performance during exploration and combat sequences. As expected for a port arriving nearly two years after its original release, this version does not include any of the previously released DLC.

It's a gem for those who love party games or creative titles like Super Mario Maker. Its mix of action, clever puzzles, and an easy-to-use level editor guarantees hours of fun, whether playing with friends or designing traps to torture them. The animations, dry humor, and near-infinite replayability make it one of the most fun party games of the year.

Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots returns with all its quirky charm, colorful characters, and anime-style antics. It offers a solid multiplayer focus but is held back by technical shortcomings, slow progression, and a rather simple visual presentation. It’s ideal for longtime fans of the series or players looking for a laid-back golf arcade experience—just don’t expect too much depth.

Midnight Murder Club is a game with a simple premise that aims to connect with players through cat-and-mouse mechanics. It can be called clever, as it relies on darkness and proximity chat as its core sources of fun. Still, while it could shine brighter, it ultimately shows little ambition when it comes to offering more diverse game modes.

Mafia: The Old Country isn’t a bad game, and it shines in its artistic and graphical aspects. At times, it reaches photorealism and captivates with its cinematic approach—its lighting, camera work, landscapes, music, and historical setting are all top-notch. However, on the narrative and gameplay front, it shows inconsistencies that prevent it from fully taking off. Even so, if you’re a fan of mafia stories, this is definitely something you’ll want to play.

The third installment in the franchise feels good, but as if something’s missing. The eight maps and six playable classes make it feel more like an early access title than a full release. If Tripwire can pull off what they achieved with the previous game, we could be looking at the best entry in the series. Until then, it’s still a little short of fully satisfying—and the kitchen’s already closed.

Although the Metroidvania genre has evolved over the years—with many titles attempting to break the status quo—Shadow Labyrinth plays it safe, merely checking off the boxes expected of the genre. As a transmedia product, it works to a degree, but it never truly completes the circle. Much like its main character, it feels like a pizza missing a slice.

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot DLC Daima Part 1 continues CyberConnect2 and Bandai’s mission to capture the essence of the anime in this new adventure. With enhanced visuals, the DLC lays the groundwork for what will become the adaptation of the series’ final arc — and with it, the most anticipated battles and transformations.