A good episode with a spoonful of originality, The Penal Zone is probably the best start of TellTaleGames' history. Taking Max's control directly is so amazing and explosive that any other feature looks less important: adventure games have founded a old/new (crazy) house. On the other hand the game is really short and controls for PC users are not very comfortable.

Sunset Overdrive is a fun shooter with a couple of interesting mechanics and a strong style, but the lack of variety is a major issue for the latest game from Insomniac.

Life is Strange: True Colors is the third installment of the award-winning saga conceived by Dontnod but it is the first one developed by Deck Nine Games. Right from the start you will be highly captivated by the story of Alex Chen and Haven Springs. Too bad only for some problems related to the narrative rhythm that do not allow the game to make the definitive leap in quality that it deserves.

Stormland puts yourself in a fascinating sci-fi open-world, where you have to fight robots while collecting power-ups and upgrades literally ascending through the clouds, climbing and launching yourself in the air towards The Terminus. There is a huge sense of freedom and even if the story mode is a bit short, you can play each time a brand new adventure, eventually in co-op, thanks to cycling worlds.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is yet another Falcom production overflowing with good ideas, interesting characters and a very solid world-building, which clashes with the harsh truth of a limited budget that cripples the production quality and, overall, the variety of the experience.

A good union between FPS and RPG, Borderlands is both deep and entertaining, with a perfect multiplayer option. The RPG elements are well implemented in a classic FPS action, and everything works in a very good way. The huge world could be boring after 30 hours, and the character design is not the most balanced in the world, anyway Borderlands will be the game of the year for a huge number of gamers.

Although multiplayer-wise EA could have done something more, SSX is surely what fans were waiting for: an intense, adrenaline-fueled and fun gaming experience.

Defense Grid 2 doesn’t redefine the tower defense genre, but it’s well made and offers the most complete package of its kind.

Despite the technical comparison sets Crysis a step below the best PC version, the job done by Crytek must be praised because it's clear that the gameplay, the level design and the story of this game are still a solid value after four years. For 20 Euros, is not only a good bargain but also the perfect way to approach Crysis 2 if you haven't played it yet.

Solid FPS mechanics mixed with funny and entertaining combat-driving sections. Maybe RAGE won't stand out as a new id Software masterpiece, but certainly it's a very good piece of software.

Total War is a come back for the Total War series: after the uncertain step of Empire, we now are in front of a wonderful game, one with great gameplay. Walking in the shoes of Napoleon is a dream for every strategist and being able to do it in such a game is fantastic. Multiplayer is the icing on the cake.

The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a good deal, but the insane absence of Peace Walker spoils an otherwise good bundle. And the lack of the gameplay adjustments of the 3DS version of Snake Eater is another crazy issue. Both Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater are still great, anyway. If you can't play this package on PS3 or Xbox 360, the Vita Version is still worth of your money.

The Jax & Daxter Trilogy is a great way to live the growth of a gorgeous video game developer. A huge piece of Naughty Dog's history is packed into a single Blu-ray. Buy it, and you'll learn to know Naughty Dog better.

Another juicy chunk of action, with a new cast of iconic characters, lots of new missions and even more loot-zilla. Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty needs yor help: what're you waiting for, Vault Hunter?

Heart of Darkness takes Victoria II to the colonialism age, giving a deeper strategy vision and more engaging gameplay; the crisis system is a very good implementation and the feelings of grand strategy were never so good.

An eclectic and unconventional videogame, which combines a rather original game structure to a salacious and sarcastic self-mockery.

After 14 years, Starfox 64 is still a great videogame, and this 3DS version improves the original with new visuals and a new control system. Too bad that multiplayer doesn't support the online.

A rock-solid new addition to the series, with the usual funny cast of characters, entertaining gameplay and some minor script issues.

With Gran Turismo 6, Yamauchi adds some features without really listening to his fans. The new variable weather and daytime work in a great way and the brand new physics engine is more realistic than ever, but the lack of a good damage system and the infamous “bouncing effect” are still big holes in such a great franchise.

Although it might look like the result of despicable commercial strategy, GoldenEye 007 is actually an excellent game that deserves a place among the best products developed on a Nintendo platform during this year.

Considering the quality of the overall experience, its engaging co-op and its dark, fascinating visuals, The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile proves to be a worthy addition to the XBLA catalogue that few gamers should miss.

Quotation forthcoming.

Middle Earth Shadow of War is an impressive action game, with solid graphics and smooth gameplay. Nemesys System works very well, but it’s not capable randomizing the fortress and the world. Missions too are too similar, but Monolith has built a solid and fun experience.

Another solid entry in the Persona series, this dungeon crawling adventure will keep you entertained for hours and maybe will be the last great title that you will play on the Nintendo 3DS.

Quotation forthcoming.

Although it might seem a simple more of the same, Borderlands 3 is the maximum expression of what the brand represents: massacres, loot and pure mayhem. Some flaws in technic and storytelling prevent the game from getting a better score.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie for PlayStation Vita is easily the best version of the game available on any platform. Four Door Lemon and Hello Games delivered once again a perfect experience packed with tons of contents and a fun gameplay.

Rollerdrome is a candidate as one of the best surprises of the year, a frenetic game full of style and personality. Above all, it encourages us to play and improve ourselves. Rollerdrome Is a full-blown stylish-TPS with a truly endless potential.

Final Fantasy XV is an amazing JRPG. A great story, amazing gameplay mechanics, powerful graphics and more than 100 hours of pure fun. A couple of annoying bugs ruined our long run, but the overall result is still stunning.

Dragon’s Dogma on PC is the usual splendid combat-fest that used to be on console. Too bad that 4 years have passed and the game is technically still the same; which, by today standards, is definitely not a compliment.

In a dystopian and dark world we will question the meaning of life and existence. An atypical RPG with interesting mechanics and a powerful and exciting story.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is a fantastic puzzle game, a crossover between two of the best franchises of the genre, Tetris and Puyo Puyo. The Nintendo Switch version is the way to go, offering great versatility and allowing you to play on the go or in docked mode. Multiplayer is supported up to 4 players both local with one or more consoles linked via wireless or on the TV screen, and online. Single player mode is too weak though, but if you have some friends and two couple of Joy-Cons, you will have loads of fun.

The first expansion of Guild Wars 2 adds a lot of new content like Masteries, new zones and the Revenant, the brand new class with the powers of the Mists. Have fun to exploring the new area called Heart of Maguuma and try to find every secret.

Skulls of the Shogun is an unsuspected good turn-based tactical game, with an addictive cross-platform gameplay both in single and multiplayer, humorous characters and some cool ideas. With some more depth in customization and options, it could have been an instant classic.

Quotation forthcoming.

Birds of Prey is both a realistic flight simulator and an historical and deluxe edition of Ace Combat, leaving the fans of this genre of games extremely satisfied. Sturmovik is a well-finished and balanced product, that will nail you to your seats for more than 40 hours in single player and virtually forever in multiplayer. The best choice for all those willing to fly high in the sky.

Bravely Second is an amazing JRPG, but it lacks in innovations. Bravely Second was almost the perfect JRPG and Square Enix has done everything in order to keep the cocktail unchanged. Play it and you'll have a lot of fun, but you'll never get the same childish eyes you had enjoying Bravely Default.

Beyond Earth is more Civilization V than Alpha Centauri, and its gameplay is smooth and far less linear than the past. But it can't have the magic of Civilization that, with its artists, monuments and links with our story, has more appeal.

There are a few things that need to be optimized and the concept could be even better but Active is the best title available in its category actually.

While not living up to the standards set by Hitman Go and Lara Croft Go, Deus Ex Go is a valid puzzle-game with a top-notch presentation and a clever level design.

Even with console controls, Terraria is still perfectly playable and definitely one of the most enchanting indie games in recent history.

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is the remastered version in high resolution for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC of the original game, released 10 years ago. It adds two new playable characters and unpublished costumes in the West. It offers excellent cel shading graphics, anime-like cutscene sequences and a very dynamic real-time combat system.

Quotation forthcoming.

Visage is quite simply one of the best horror games to hit the market in recent times, an experience you won't easily forget. [Eurogamer Italy Recommended]

SoulCalibur V is a great fighting game with a completely new fighting system. The Project Soul team has done a great job changing the fighting mechanics, with few big mistakes around game modes and the character roster. This is a great new beginning for the saga.

The violent and oppressive far future of Warhammer 40k has been beautifully recreated in Chaos Gate Demonhunters. The XCOMesque style of game play, both for the missions gameplay and for the base management, fits perfectly with the theme and the lore of this franchise. Very detailed graphics and superb soundtrack close the deal.

The second chapter in the Scribblenauts series is not a proper sequel, but an incredible update of the original game that will give you everything you wished for after playing the first chapter.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is an excellent remake of the mistreated chapter that appeared on Nintendo Wii ten years ago. The new key-based control system could delight many even if it does not have the precision necessary to withstand the most intense battles but the story of the young Link and Princess Zelda is worth checking out by anyone.

F1 2022 unfortunately does not fully convince, limiting itself to few innovations and even fewer improvements. This saga looks tired, and this episode could not be appealing to fans waiting for a title worthy of the franchise.

Wasteland 2 may not be a looker or the most polished game around, but thanks to its rock-solid gameplay and good writing it is a great RPG and a tribute to all hardcore fans of the genre. Incidentally, it also shows to the industry what can be achieved with a budget of “just” $3 million, when that money is put to good use.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is a masterpiece manqué: Vanillaware focused too much on the technical side forgetting a little about the core gameplay, and the result is a game that's visually astonishing yet flawed. Some will love it the same, but many will regret its wasted potential.

Quotation forthcoming.

If you consider yourself an RPG addict, you'll surely find plenty of things to do in the world of Amalur. Intense storytelling, fast paced action and hundreds of quests will kill your free time like never before.

Quotation forthcoming.

Although it can't be defined as an absolute purchase for any Reach owner, this DLC will surely satisfy Halo: Reach's hardcore user base, providing them enough contents to keep them busy until the next, predictable add-on.

A new king is on the throne, yet one who shows the empire is old, formulaic and in dire need of evolution.

Far Cry 5 is well done in every respect: its narrative improves the pace of progression, the gameplay is solid and the content is on a high level.

Nelly Cootalot: the Fowl Fleet is a nice little game with great production values in writing and dubbing. Gameplay is basic and uninspired, but the narrative is a blast and you will have an hilarious time playing it.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Prince's Edition is a good porting of an excellent JRPG with a compelling storyline. A good return.

Quotation forthcoming.

Three of the best action games of the past generation in one, shiny package, with additional Trophies and 3D support... what else could you ask for?

The PS3 version of Child of Eden looks good, sounds great anche is really nice to play. The gameplay basics are also the same, but the general feeling is really different from the one we experienced playing using Kinect. The game is great, anyway. If you're looking for a unique videogame, don't miss this one!

Age of Empires IV marks the Year 0 of a new era for the saga. Relic and World's Edge used the second chapter as a founding stone to build a new iteration which is half nostalgic and half innovative, shuffling the cards but never too much, creating a game that is appealing for both hardcore fans and complete newcomers. It might have some flaws, but it's really hard to imagine a better fourth episode.

Style and a good narrative make this PS Vita game highly suggested to those loving graphic novels.

Faster, bigger and more addictive than its predecessor, TrackMania 2: Canyon is the ultimate arcade racing game. With tons of crazy tracks from Nadeo and its passionate community, online races up to 200 player, world ladders and the in-game social network called ManiaPlanet, the hardest thing to do in TrackMania 2: Canyon is to stop playing it.

The new episode of Smackdown vs. Raw is rich, entertaining and more polished than ever. The community element is well implemented and represents a nice touch for a game based on that huge live TV show known as wrestling.

Those expecting a racing version of Football Manager will be a little disappointed, but as a new franchise Motorsport Manager has a lot of potential.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter on PS4 has extremely linear gameplay and a slow pace story, but it deserves your attention if you're looking for a gorgeous-looking game with an intense atmosphere.

Syberia The World Before revives the fortunes of the series after the not-so-brilliant previous chapter. The song of the swan by Benoit Sokal manages to touch the heart of gamers for the duration of the game.

My Friend Pedro is a stylish, fun and silly (in the best way possible) shooter. This is a challenging and crazy shoot'em up created by a talented solo developer. Unfortunately it has to deal with some misstep gameplaywise and a plot extremely forgettable.

Necrobarista is a 3D visual novel. It is stylish, relaxing and mysterious. Direction and scenography are smart and evocative. The writing is overall good, but it lacks focus, with head hopping and a lot of filler sequences.

The lack of content, options and a solid frame-rate make this version of Cities Skylines just a minor product in comparison with the PC original title. Despite a good use of the joypad and user interface, the sluggish pace is basically a design mistake and it’s tough to stay entertained for long.

The PC porting of Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition has great graphics and offers the same good feelings of the 2 years old console versions, but a couple of technical issues and a bad net code ruin the final experience.

Sine Mora, the beautiful SHUMP from Grasshopper Manufacture, returns to PC and current-gen consoles in a remastered enhanced version called Sine Mora EX. There are a few add-ons that will bring back old players, above all the inclusion of local co-op multiplayer and some versus two player modes. This game is a must for shoot ‘em up 2D hardcore fans, but at the same time is enjoyable from everyone, and it finally comes also in retail version.

Immortals Fenyx Rising conquered us since its debut. Now that we have played it thoroughly, we can say that Ubisoft has given us a small masterpiece better than Watch Dogs Legion and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

An improved gameplay makes Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy a delightful experience full of legends, mysteries and friendship.

World of Warships is a wonderful, captivating and finely crafted tactical/action game about modern naval warfare. Fun and engaging right from the start, yet accessible and easy to understand for newcomers. Wargaming.net has produced his best game and it is indeed one of the best games of the year.

If you are part of the niche community that knows perfectly the meaning of terms like ATGM, SAM, APDS and all possible vehicles variants that can mount them, Wargame: European Escalation is definitely an RTS that will entertain you in the next months.

A card-based RPG with a steampunk twist, rewarding gameplay and the usual, delightful Steamworld style.

RedOut comes to console in a definitive package called Lighspeed edition, which includes three DLCs released for the PC, local multiplayer split-screen support and that comes in a retail box for the first time. The sense of speed is great and this game is a very capable contender of the kings of the genre like WipEout and F-Zero. A must buy for those who are searching for a great zero-G racing and a blazing fast experience, but beware that difficulty is a bit high.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is a well-crafted game, but we feel that it's missing something to entirely accomplish its goal.

Testo: Etrian Odyssey Nexus is the last installment of the series for Nintendo 3DS and the last one for the handheld. The game is a love letter to the fans and to old-school.

Despite some minor flaws, compared to the HTC Vive version, L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files is an enjoyable experience even on PlayStation VR

Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

God of War 3 Remastered is a plain upgrade of an already awesome game. The incredible work Santa Monica Studio did five years ago was still there, waiting for just a little bit of effort to shine again.

Telltale keeps the best for the end of this season: probably one of its best productions, The City That Dares Not Sleep gives us a brand new perspective on the whole season, offering an adventure where feelings are important. Thumbs up!

A good episode with a spoonful of originality, The Penal Zone is probably the best start of TellTaleGames' history. Taking Max's control directly is so amazing and explosive that any other feature looks less important: adventure games have founded a old/new (crazy) house. On the other hand the game is really short.

Dragon Quest VII Fragments of the Forgotten Past is an amazing remake of a great jRPG from the past. The new gameplay features grant a better and brand new experience for both old and new players.

Darksiders Warmastered Edition brings back Guerra into action on PC and current-gen consoles, along with a strong graphic upgrade. Unfortunately, no new contents or game modes have been added in the process, and even though some mechanics and environments could feel a bit dated nowadays, the core gameplay is still solid and fun to play. The budget price makes this remaster a good choice, even if you played the original game.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a majestic adventure in a world that blends life and death in a one-of-a-kind path of forgiveness and redemption. There are some imperfections due to inexperience but if this is the talent of the guys at Ember Lab, we can't wait to see what they can create in the future.

Unpacking is a puzzle game with fun and engaging narrative elements, exciting, capable of leaving much more than a videogame experience. A little surprise.

Quotation forthcoming.

A wonderfully crafted point and click adventure. Production values in texts, screenplay and voice acting are through the roof and playing the game guarantees hours of laughs and fun, but the gameplay is old nonetheless.

The original Catherine: Full Body experience arrives on Nintendo Switch with all of its extras and it's still entertaining.

One of the best single player campaigns ever seen in a shooter and a multiplayer renewed in all its components make Call of Duty: Modern Warfare a must have videogame.

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 adds some new characters to the previous roster, has a brand new balance between the fighters and corrects few major issues of Marvel vs Capcom 3. Capcom has done a good job with this update, but if you're not a fighting game addicted you should wait a price cut before buying it. 40 euros are definitely too many for a simple DLC.