NBA The Run had all the makings of a title that could fill a void in a sports niche that once enjoyed great appeal, and perhaps even serve as a successor of sorts. However, an excessive focus on online matches — even resorting to bots to fill teams — ultimately squandered the opportunity to create something fun and truly impressive.

Dark Scrolls presents an intriguing concept by blending platforming, shoot ’em up, and roguelite elements within a charming retro-inspired aesthetic. Its diverse cast of characters, enjoyable co-op gameplay, excellent pixel art, and fast-paced action stand out as key strengths. However, the execution falls short of its potential, with imprecise controls, frustratingly unfair moments, uninspired level design, and repetition setting in too early. While there is some fun to be found, these shortcomings ultimately prevent the game from maintaining its appeal from start to finish.

In spite of its own efforts, Solarpunk winds up smaller than the sum of its parts. A little bit more TLC in the construction of this beautiful world would’ve made it an excellent addition to the genre; in its current state, however, it’s a game only worth it to those seeking an experience that’s (almost) totally devoid of friction.

Psyvariar 3 is a good title that continues another franchise that remained confined to the Eastern world for quite some time. However, the variety of games in the same niche makes it somewhat overshadowed, even with its unique aspects. The cluttered HUD also contributes to this, as there are several titles that offer the same chaos, but in a cleaner and more understandable way. Perhaps, in a new, bolder and less nostalgic opportunity, the series will manage to position itself among the classics of the genre.

Map Map - A Game About Maps is an honest proposition that finds its niche by focusing on something few games explore: teaching something real in an organic way, without sacrificing entertainment. It's not a game that will surprise you with its scale or complexity. Its strength lies precisely in the opposite: the simplicity with which it presents genuine mechanics, the lightness of the progression, and the welcoming atmosphere that transforms each island into a small invitation to exploration.

Crashout Crew: Stack, Don't Freak Out competently fulfills its purpose: to deliver a chaotic, fun, and absurd cooperative experience that transforms a simple warehouse into a logistical battlefield. The absence of public matchmaking or open lobbies is a gap that limits the experience's reach and excludes those who don't have friends available for an impromptu session. In solo mode, the game is still fun, but clearly operates below its potential.

Alruna: End of History takes some steps forward compared to its predecessor and others backward. There are points where it truly shines, especially in its dense, non-linear level design and the versatility of its traversal. However, it repeats many visual elements from the previous game and still offers disappointing boss fights. Furthermore, the shift to a religious theme feels disconnected from the world's context, failing to capitalize on the symbolic depth this new subject carries. In the end, it's just a good game that doesn't develop the clear potential it had to be much more.

Company of Heroes 3: Dare & Destroy works very well for multiplayer mode, delivering new ways to approach combat. Mechanically, the additions are fun and varied, but the DLC fails to justify its price for the casual player, and shows that Relic still has a lot of work ahead to achieve the ideal balance of units.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin delivers an experience that will please existing fans of the anime and has the potential to create new ones. Thanks to its intuitive and versatile gameplay, with plenty of build possibilities, and its vibrant, cartoonish open world with various activities available, some of these tasks can become quite repetitive. However, some of these activities can be quite repetitive.

FZ: Formation Z captures the essence of the original title very well, but this may only appeal to older players who experienced that era. Compared to more recent titles, the lack of options and game modes, coupled with the increased difficulty, ultimately affects the overall experience and alienates younger audiences from a game that, in addition to having a great legacy, has excellent elements for the genre.

The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time is more intriguing on paper than as a practical experience, even if its brilliance lies in the fact that it is, in essence, a puzzle. There's a genuine fondness for classic RPGs and all the mythology surrounding them, but, like in Tenacious D's music, the game tries hard to discuss them, but it's just a tribute, one that gets lost in its own idea to the point of becoming just another example of what it mocks.

Ultimately, Will: Follow the Light has good ideas and great puzzles, but suffers from pacing issues, unrewarding exploration, and a structure that makes much of the experience more tedious than engaging.

Prime Monster delivers a different and challenging experience, underpinned by good ideas and a charismatic theme. Although some balancing and accessibility adjustments would be welcome, the game manages to offer engaging matches for those willing to face its complex nature and learn to survive in this chaotic monstrous parliament.

Unambitious, but complete in what it sets out to do, Grumpy Jack is a minivania with good pacing and content appropriate to its short duration. Although it doesn't take full advantage of its sword and magical shots combat, it's fun, humorous, and encourages us to explore every corner of its map, ideal for a couple of light gaming session over a weekend.

Bubsy 3D is finally a good game worthy of the bobcat, offering a fun adventure with varied movement options and accessible yet satisfying 3D platforming. While the visuals lack personality and some stages feel repetitive, especially the tube-rolling sections, it still manages to revive the classic mascot with a genuinely enjoyable experience.

Despite its excellent sound and visuals, Atomic Owl needs some gameplay fixes and polishing. The game mode that partially removes roguelite elements might be good for those who don't have the patience to accumulate skill points to make their hero stronger, but it lacks something to make the challenge more substantial, either in the traditional or simplified way.

Alien Strike: Blasting the Intruders didn't reinvent the genre and clearly doesn't intend to. It's a game that knows its limits and, within them, fulfills its function competently. Some occasional bugs, execution flaws in some control actions, and the absence of content beyond the campaign are gaps that prevent the game from being above average. The lack of an online mode also considerably narrows the audience that will be able to enjoy the game in its most complete form.

The Caribou Trail is great as a historical document, but a mediocre game overall.

There are many RPG titles hitting the market, making it important that new releases bring interesting new features. Starbites is a competent game, with charismatic visuals and fun gameplay mechanics. The story is a bit convoluted, but delivers an adventure interesting enough to be explored to the end, especially in terms of the characters. The combat is quite good, with mostly traditional and well-implemented options. The Driver's High feature works in a limited way, serving more as an extra mechanic than a major innovation. It illustrates the game as a whole: good ideas and competent basic implementation (sometimes a bit slow), but without anything particularly noteworthy. In the end, it's a good choice, especially for RPG fans.

Directive 8020 flirts with greatness by blending Alien and The Thing into a choice-driven horror that will certainly appeal to sci-fi and Supermassive Games fans alike. While the atmospheric space setting is immersive, the title is hindered by trivial stealth mechanics and a cast that lacks charisma. It’s a safe season premiere that, unfortunately, sacrifices its greatest potential — paranoia — in favor of narrative conveniences.

Despite laying some solid groundwork, inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories. occupies itself far too much with the platonic, disconcerting conception Nagai Industries has of the Japanese convenience store as some sort of social hub, while at the same time treating the backdrop of the country as mere aesthetics at best and a nuisance to Western audiences at worst. It’s conclusive proof that fascination doesn’t necessarily equal respect.

World Heroes Perfect’s re-release may be considered the most niche title in the Neo Geo Premium Selection, but it gives players the opportunity to give the game another chance. Although it is technically dated by modern standards, the gameplay remains fun, and the mechanical features introduced here place it ahead of its predecessors. It is also the weakest entry in the line, especially due to its lack of content.

Bus Bound's premise is to make the city evolve with the routes we take, and while this is an interesting way to give purpose to this type of game, it ends up becoming highly repetitive in its progression. At least the varied garage and dynamic weather create some interesting variations each time we enter a route.

Outlive 25 is a technically competent and historically relevant remaster, but its appeal is fundamentally limited. It fulfills its purpose well: to preserve a national classic with care and fidelity. However, it doesn't transcend this objective nor does it offer sufficient reasons to recommend it to those outside the circle of RTS fans or those interested in games with some historical context, especially in this case, involving the Brazilian film industry. There is real value in the product, but it is conditioned by the profile of the player.

Sol Cesto presents a creative concept, with a probability-based system that generates tense decisions and interesting moments. Its dark atmosphere, striking visuals, and distinctive mechanics help build a unique identity, even if the execution doesn’t fully explore the potential of these ideas. In the end, the experience is more likely to appeal to those who enjoy taking risks and don’t mind repetition or the strong influence of chance. On the other hand, those looking for something more elaborate, with greater strategic control and consistent variety, may find reasons to be disappointed.

Despite some pacing issues and excessive repetition, YunYun Syndrome: Rhythm Psychosis is an incredibly fun experience with a full self-awareness of the slightly deeper layers of the otaku sphere it both represents and engages with.

Ariana and the Elder Codex stands out through its art direction and a deep magic system, featuring boss battles that truly test a player's strategy. However, the title requires patience to deal with occasionally stiff movement, an excess of dialogue, and an exploration structure that becomes repetitive. For those seeking an action game with a unique visual style and solid customization mechanics, the overall experience is positive, provided you are willing to endure moments of repetition and monotony.

Considering the concept of a cozy game, any limitation that hinders the natural flow of the game ends up contradicting the ideal of comfort inherent in the genre. High Above fails to live up to this premise. It's a production with a clear idea, but it seems unable to develop it with the completeness that a release outside of early access should.