Look Outside is one of the most interesting projects I've played in 2025 so far, and I believe it will find a legion of fans over time. With the surprise release, a good portion of the public will still have a way to go to get to the game, but the project is so solid, different, creative, and thought-provoking that I doubt word of mouth won't have its effect. I really had a scary, impactful, and fun time playing this title, and I hope it won't be long before we see more from Francis Coulombe, a name to keep an eye on in the coming years.

The standard established by the franchise once again proves strong and healthy in MLB The Show 25. The changes to the game modes were essential to revitalize precisely what was needed, despite Franchise and March to October starting to fall a little behind. As for gameplay, once again we have a title that embraces both newcomers and veterans, offering accessible levels of challenge that reward those who dedicate themselves.

Kemono Heroes walks a tightrope by delivering a campaign that is as fun as it is short. It's the arcade action experience in its immediate simplicity, made to get people together and go out and beat up creatures from Japanese folklore in beautiful pixelated visuals. The amount of content offered, however, is more appropriate for retro experiences and may be unsatisfying for those expecting modern versatility that deepens things.

The First Berserker: Khazan is a competent soulslike, featuring a unique universe full of personality. It hits the nail on the head with the core mechanics of a game of this genre, featuring brutal and dynamic battles that manage to maintain that much desired fine line between sharp difficulty and fun. Although a little more innovation and variety could elevate the title to unmissable status, it is undeniable that we have here a great action RPG, especially for fans of the genre.

Your House is an interactive text adventure that manages to mix intelligent puzzles to a narrative that stays engaging from start to finish. Even with a relatively short duration — approximately 10 hours (or even less if you don't get stuck in some puzzles like I did) —, there's plenty for those who like an excellent mystery story in which nothing is what it seems — not even your own house, that is, if it really is yours.

Rogue Loops stands out with a creative approach and well-structured mechanics. The cycle system with improvements accompanied by curses adds an interesting strategic touch, and the agile combat keeps the experience engaging. However, repetition ends up being a problem in the long run, since the structure of the challenges changes little between attempts. Even so, Rogue Loops delivers a fun and challenging game, which has the potential to become even better with future updates.

KinnikuNeko: SUPER MUSCLE CAT managed to have a glow up, turning itself into an interesting platformer for those looking for something far from seriousness, with jokes and an artstyle that manages to hook the player, besides a mild dose of challenge.

A Game About Digging a Hole is exactly what it promises: a simple, silly and unpretentious experience, but one that delivers honest fun for those looking for something different and without commitment. Its basic gameplay loop — digging, finding items, selling and improving equipment — may seem repetitive at first, but becomes more engaging as the player progresses. The game doesn't worry about guiding the player or teaching them how things in this little world work, which reinforces its casual and straightforward proposal.

Cataclismo is an RTS that combines resource management and tower defense elements very competently. The meticulous construction of walls and the need for constant planning make the game quite fun and addictive, in addition to providing the player with a good amount of freedom for customization. Although it has some caveats, it is a very welcome addition to the genre.

Wanderstop is a game that is simply worth it. May you be a lover of tranquility or someone who wants to die whenever you see all those "farm games" in a Nintendo Direct or some such, Alta's and Boro's teahouse is a must-play stop. Who knows if maybe you, just like the protagonist, end up learning something about yourself?

Destino Indomable is a visual novel with an incredible idea of exploring the Latin telenovela context. Unfortunately, the execution leaves a lot to be desired, with a shallow and poorly directed story and the shame to embrace the silliness of the genre in a non-ironic way. Along with subpar technical aspects, the result is a work that, while it may please some readers, doesn't manage to actually show the beauty of a good telenovela.

In the end, Assassin’s Creed Shadows consolidates itself as an engaging experience that competently balances the best aspects of the saga — and this, let's face it, is a success amid an almost constant identity crisis.

Reignbreaker presents an exciting premise with its fast-paced combat and an intriguing world, but it fails to develop its ideas in a solid way. For those who like fast-paced action and challenges, it can be fun for a while, but if you are looking for something deeper and with more content, the game may not deliver enough.

In addition to having its own identity built by inspiration from the Korean imaginary of the afterlife and the peculiar aesthetics of few colors, 8Doors: Arum’s Afterlife Adventure manages to be a traditional metroidvania that doesn’t fall below the average of the genre, but neither does it manage to surpass it. In several aspects, the execution doesn’t reach its true potential, but, overall, it is worth it as a sufficiently cohesive, fun and well-presented experience.

For lovers of virtual walks, The Lies We Tell Ourselves is an interesting experience. It may not be the best of its kind or have revolutionized anything, but it will be a game that you will remember at the end of the year, when you look back and think about everything you played.

Alter Age is a competent RPG and it manages to entertain with a functional combat system and an age change mechanic that adds a touch of originality to the gameplay. Beyond that, though the plot isn't so interesting, the interactions of the three main characters are fun and end up balancing this weak point.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is another engaging entry in the franchise, featuring active combat that is a sensational evolution for the franchise and a vast world full of incentives for exploration. However, the less intuitive detail system and some quality of life details that deserve more end up hurting the experience in an unexpected way compared to the Ryza trilogy.

Rise of the Ronin is, from many perspectives, Koei Tecmo's most ambitious adventure and its arrival on PC should be celebrated for providing even more enthusiasts of the theme and fans of the studio with access to it.However, between mistakes and successes in the adaptation, here we have yet another proof that PC ports require a lot of attention during their creation.

Expelled! stands out as an engaging and challenging experience for fans of narrative and investigation games. With its looping mechanics, the game tests the player's patience and cunning, requiring attention to detail and strategic planning.

Century of Anticipation is another one of those simple projects that few will talk about, but that many will love within the context of Brazilian games. This one is not full of explosions or grand cathartic moments, and it is precisely in the absence of these that the free poetic creativity, which is so lacking in many forms of art today, flourishes.

Ninja Five-O does an unexpected and much-needed rescue of an excellent title from the early days of the Game Boy Advance, which ended up being overshadowed by other big names released around the same time. Fans of Joe Musashi and Ryu Hayabusa who give Joe Osugi a chance will definitely not be disappointed.

Lilac 0 is an intense and challenging experience, tailor-made for bullet hell fans who enjoy mastering attack patterns and chasing ever-increasing scores. With its stylized retro aesthetic and streamlined mechanics, the game delivers frenetic action and moments of pure tension, demanding precision and perseverance. However, its structural simplicity and limited content can make it repetitive in the long run, especially for those who don't engage with the ranking-focused replayability dynamics. Still, for those seeking a true test of reflexes and endurance, Lilac 0 is a great option.

With its vampire story focused more on relationships than horror, Cabernet achieves its goal of being an engaging narrative RPG. Both in its well-written plot and in its choice mechanics, the unlife of a doctor who has just become a creature of the night is competent in addressing several human themes and allowing us, if we so wish, to face them with optimism and empathy, always so necessary for humanity.

Beyond the Ice Castle 2 brings back a simple game from the 1980's in a new edition with much more substance. For better or worse, it goes back to the old elements of Castlevania with linear stages, a great dark fantasy atmosphere, slow and heavy movement, and high difficulty that's reinforced by the not so generous healing system and the long distances in between the save points. This makes death a stage repetition that can be frustrating and repel the public that isn't keen to facing this kind of retro punishing experience.

MainFrames stands out for its creativity in transforming a digital environment into a charismatic platform and puzzle adventure. The mechanics of manipulating windows and icons are well explored, bringing varied challenges and keeping the experience dynamic. On the other hand, the irregular difficulty and moments of trial and error can make progression frustrating, especially in the more advanced stages. Still, for those looking for an enjoyable experience and willing to overcome some barriers, MainFrames delivers an original concept with very creative moments.

Care Bears: To The Rescue is a great platformer with enough charisma to please kids and adults. The veterans on the controller may feel the challenge is too mild, but it still delivers a good dose of adventure and magic for those who want to show the genre to younger players or even enjoy a sincere dose of nostalgia.

Even though the quality of life features could have gone further, Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars brings two classic RPGs in great style. For those who haven't played yet and want to check out the two, it's a great opportunity to dive into the universe conceived by the late Yoshitaka Murayama.

Under Defeat brings together all versions of the game and even includes a new one, even if with few differences in fact, creating an aura of a full-bodied version of a title that can be considered a modern classic of the genre. If you are a fan and enthusiast of shoot 'em ups, you definitely need to add this one to your library.