Marvel Fighting Collection is the package that all fans of the saga have been waiting for for many years. Each chapter of the series is re-proposed with a modern netcode, interesting interventions in the quality of life field and a Museum mode full of surprises and goodies. However, the cumbersome presence of Marvel vs Capcom 2 risks overshadowing almost all of the other products in the collection, characterized by a certain physiological redundancy but capable of effectively representing the evolution of one of the most iconic franchises in the history of video games. Too bad for the absence of crossplay and combo challenges for the various characters.

Episode Aigis is a necessary product to complete this remake of one of the cornerstones of JRPG history. Die-hard fans of the title will certainly be thrilled to return to the shoes of the SEES, but the repetitive dungeons and the limited number of activities offered risk quickly giving way to monotony. Fans of the turn-based gameplay of Persona 3 will however be happy to be able to enjoy a gaming experience without interruptions, strong in an accelerated progression and in the name of dungeon crawling.

Squirrel with a Gun tries its best to be as fun and lighthearted as Goat Simulator and the like, but perhaps that's why it fails. For a short time after the first start, it's interesting to try to understand what we can do with our character, how destructive he can be, and how vast his arsenal is. However, this initial charge soon runs out due to unresponsive controls, the repetitiveness of the proposed situations, and some obvious gameplay limitations, such as the small size of the magazines. In short, with or without weapons, goats remain the undisputed masters of video game nonsense, once again.

On one hand we have a team that has always sacrificed interactivity in the name of a cinematic experience, on the other hand there is an online video game that has never made an effort to tell a real story: the meeting between these two extreme visions of the medium has given life to a strange hybrid with a fully Supermassive gameplay structure, chock-full of references to Behaviour's work but narratively lean and devoid of the fun thrills that we would have expected from the team of Until Dawn and The Quarry. Completely devoted to exploring the lore of Dead by Daylight, The Casting of Frank Stone forgets to lay out a plot that can intrigue its audience, bringing on stage a narration castrated by serious problems of pacing and a horror factor that is slow to arrive, despite the short duration of the experience.

Astro Bot never stops, it plays with the player and is played continuously. It alternates commitment and simplicity, nostalgia and joy, with even a touch of unexpected epicness at the end. It is a videogame amusement park where a smiling treasure hunt has been organized. What treasure? The videogame itself.

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is certainly not a perfect game, but it is a product that knows how to conquer the audience of fans of the Games Workshop brand. With a story characterized by epic moments and a successful gameplay especially regarding melee combat, the Saber Interactive game is a simply essential purchase for fans of the Ultramarines, also given the richness of the package, which also includes a series of post-launch contents that will arrive completely free.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection allows us to relive two interesting spin-offs that, without distorting anything of the typical setting of the series, can provide healthy entertainment for several dozen hours, each thanks to intriguing stories, well-characterized characters, investigations and exciting verbal confrontations. The massive presence of dialogues risks weighing down the pace of progress in some moments but fans of the genre would do well to consider the idea of ​​​​taking on the prosecutor's shoes.

All things considered, Monster Jam Showdown is a simple and straightforward game that does what it promises: it delivers a series of detailed and well-modeled Monster Trucks, placing them in (a few) circuits and stadiums on which to test their capabilities. Immediate controls and high maneuverability make them suitable for many different players, especially those who do not like more complicated simulation driving systems. However, the arcade and carefree soul of the title is not enough to completely mitigate the limitations of the management of physics or the collision system, to which we must add a content offering that has not always satisfied us.

Age of Mythology Retold is the dream of all fans of the old title by Ensemble Studios: it allows you to play what is basically a remake with a visibly improved technical department and many small new features on the gameplay front. It is therefore an opportunity to discover or rediscover this real-time strategy, perhaps taking advantage of its presence in the Game Pass console and PC catalog.

Despite presenting the same structural conformation of the episodes published 30 years ago and without trying to correct the slight congenital distortions, Emio, the Smiling Man, offers a story robust and flowing enough to keep players glued for its entire duration, provided that you compromise with an old gameplay concept in which the player's agency is reduced to the minimum terms, and which often results in a banal cycle of trial and error. In any case, this new chapter has once again proven Sakamoto's talent in the narrative field, so if you are passionate about the genre and do not disdain a classic-style visual novel, this is a horror story that you absolutely cannot miss. Who knows, it might even give you an eternal smile.

Although the new class system has undoubtedly helped to rejuvenate the product formula a little, Square Enix's new "vision" continues to be too anchored to the traditions of the long-running Japanese saga, which this year celebrated its thirty-third anniversary. It is above all on the narrative level that Visions of Mana struggles to convince, as the title only gets into gear in the very advanced stages of the adventure and which we fear may only reach the most nostalgic fans of the series. Finally, everything is aggravated by a series of technical imperfections that we hope will be filed down through specific patches.

Star Wars Outlaws is a production that pays homage to the source material in the best possible way. Despite a few imperfections, the gameplay mix between action and stealth works, and the credit for this is also to be found in the beauty of the settings that form the backdrop to the high-risk missions faced by Kay and Nix. The reputation system is interesting and well-crafted, and gives the idea of ​​being a scoundrel trying to survive in a world of unscrupulous criminals. A less empty open world that offered more satisfying activities would have made Outlaws shine even more, but in any case we are talking about a game that fans of the saga should not miss out on. In the seedy slums, where the help of the Jedi is absent and the law of the smartest prevails, with a sharp tongue and a "quick-legged" friend you can carve out a place for yourself in the great Star Wars universe.

Concord is a hero shooter with effective graphics and really fun gunplay, features that fail to stand out due to the presence of significant issues, both in terms of roster balance and the characterization of individual fighters. The functioning of the round mode needs to be reviewed and the progression system seemed to us to lack bite, due to rewards that are not worthy of attention. In short, the situation of the title by Firewalk Studios is not rosy at all at the moment.

Black Myth Wukong is an original and satisfying experience. Game Science's product is a title that makes the splendid setting and a functional and convincing combat system its strong points, breaking away from comparisons with other illustrious exponents of the "hardcore" genre and carving out a space of its own with personality and competence. Some doubts remain about the balance of some encounters and the not always accurate registration of hits, but if - as it seems - Wukong will only be the first piece in the mosaic of the Black Myth saga, we can't wait to see what wonders this team will have in store for us in the future.

Dustborn may not be one of the most memorable releases of the year, yet there is some good in the work done by Red Thread Games. The on-the-road story does not always travel on the right tracks and some characters are out of focus, contributing to weakening a title with undoubted potential. That said, it remains without a doubt a title to keep an eye on, and who knows that that journey from West to East may not be to your liking, despite the critical issues.

CYGNI All Guns Blazing is not your typical "shmup" but, despite a convincing visual system and some successful gameplay ideas, it is a product that is unlikely to become the new point of reference for purists of the genre and will struggle to engage that segment of the public not accustomed to vertical scrolling shooters, due to intricate menus and a poorly calibrated and poorly customizable difficulty level. In any case, the news of the game's arrival as a free download on the Epic Games Store for a limited period of time came like a bolt from the blue, allowing curious people to add it to their collection and give it a chance regardless.

The conversion for Nintendo Switch does not do full justice to ONE PIECE ODYSSEY, which won over audiences and critics last year (albeit with some reservations). Bandai Namco Entertainment's decision to directly market the Deluxe Edition of the product, which at this time therefore includes all the DLC previously sold separately, does not at all compensate for the serious technical compromises that the ILCA team had to make in order to run the title on the hybrid car from the Kyoto company. Between interminable loading times and a very poor visual performance, not even the possibility of using it on portability could push you to prefer this version to the previous ones. Get it on Switch only if you are unable to play it elsewhere.

Once Human is certainly not a highly original production and has a forgettable story. Luckily it's also a really enjoyable survival game, which can be played completely free of charge. Unlike many other free to play productions, the NetEase one has no in-app purchases that speed up progression or make it easier for the user, putting everyone on the same level. This factor, the accessibility of the experience and the absence of elements capable of generating frustration, make it one of the most interesting exponents of the genre seen in recent times. It will now be up to the developers to work hard to fix the problems and support Once Human with new content, even despite some questionable choices.

Critical Hit Games' debut title is a graphic adventure capable of building a fascinating setting, certainly indebted to the imagery linked to the cornerstones of the genre, but with a unique personality thanks to the aesthetic and musical references to the United States of the 1990s 40. Nobody Wants to Die reduces the possibilities of its gameplay to the bare minimum, forcing the player to simply reach for the different indicators on the screen, to focus everything on a story that unfortunately does not develop in an orderly manner. A verbose exposition tends to dampen interest in a setting that would have worked better by leaving something to the imagination, while the plot finds complete meaning only through one of the four available endings, while the other three fail to fill several gaps in a slightly confusing script.

F1 Manager is a brand that moves with reasoned steps. After having laid the foundations in 2022 with the debut chapter, it seems that Frontier wants to continue working on the foundations, without making real changes to the formula, but adding one piece at a time, following a slow development plan. In our opinion, a little more courage wouldn't have gone amiss, but let's be clear: the graphics have been improved, the "Create a team" mode was clamored for by fans, there are several refinements to the gaming experience and everything this will delight those who have spent dozens of hours on F1 Manager 2023.

Nintendo Championships NES Edition presents itself to the fans as an authentic love letter to the history of the Japanese giant, with an eye on the phenomenon of speedrunning which on the iconic 8-bit home console has its most archaic roots. It is a title capable of challenging even the most experienced players but at the same time incredibly accessible thanks to a control system that is rather simple to master and a user interface that is always clear and legible. It is certainly a product designed for multiplayer use which perhaps loses some of its undeniable charm if played solo but we are sure that it will delight anyone who wants to give it a chance.

A fresh setting and effective dialogue writing combine with the mechanics of a fast, physical action RPG, with numerous offensive possibilities. The combat system based on blades, magic and projectiles is immediate and fun, above all because the challenge level forces you to face each battle carefully without reaching the heights of difficulty of a classic soulslike, while it is pleasant to explore this large but not dispersive with the aerial maneuvers of its protagonist. If one-on-one battles allow us to admire real dances of death, we do not find the same good sensations in battles against multiple enemies. The sense of progression remains satisfying until the end of the campaign despite the limited variety of weapons, armor and rivals to defeat, while the few boss fights do not differ much from the conflicts with the classic enemies of the open world. However, the currency system based on a multiplier is absolutely promoted: this is the real idea that makes the game enjoyable until the end credits, minus its rough edges.

Net of a less than impeccable artistic direction and a menu structure that absolutely needs to be reviewed, Honor of Kings is among the best MOBAs available on mobile devices today. With its impeccable control system and an incredible amount of content, it is certainly capable of making those who appreciate this type of experience happy.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, as we were saying, is a nice breath of fresh air for its ability to create a mix between different genres which, in a very simple and linear way, puts us in the shoes of a warrior called to defeat hordes of demons. The union between tower defense and action is rewarded when it seems like you are living two experiences in the same context, with the troops called to follow your orders and you intent on performing a real dance of combat, almost wanting to emulate the movements of Sekiro. In a typically Japanese setting, among demonic creatures that have the aftertaste of Nioh, Capcom manages to create a Mount Kafuku steeped in Japanese tradition, in which all fans of a world that fascinates and continues to surprise will get lost. With greater attention to the narrative component and a greater variety of the environments created we would have truly had a pearl in our hands ready to shine.

Zenless Zone Zero is an immediate and fun game, which manages to capture the user with a perfect aesthetic profile and its fights full of spectacularity. Of course, some will not appreciate the presence of puzzles or the absence of a component linked to the exploration of more open maps, but in any case we are talking about a solid production, perfect to pair with free to play games which require much more perseverance and commitment like Genshin Impact.

You are almost fascinated by the pounding rhythm of Anger Foot, a shooter that looks to the past without disdaining the present. It's a shame that Free Lives has decided to implement poorly structured boss fights, which are completely out of place in the general context of the game. Having said that, fans of the genre will certainly find what they want. And for their feet.

Dawntrail marks the beginning of a major new story arc for the Warrior of Light and his band of heroes. An often didactic story with a sometimes staid rhythm is accompanied by some of the best gameplay innovations introduced in the saga. The two new classes are fun and perform at the right point, but the older jobs have not yet been balanced at their best. In any case, we look forward to hearing about the future evolution of this exciting new epic.

Despite a forgettable story and a mixed artistic direction, The First Descendant is a solid and fun looter shooter, whose contents are accessible to everyone, even those who don't intend to spend a single penny. The current version of the Nexon game therefore represents an excellent starting point, on which the development team will have to work to make this live service an experience capable of competing with the big names from which it draws inspiration.