Whatever team Asano's original statement of intent may have been in crafting The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, it will only have been partially honored. Beyond deploying the era-hopping mechanic as a design shortcut rather than a genuinely coherent narrative element, this latest HD-2D epic loses itself in outrageous repetitiveness, one that will have players retreading the same areas time and again; and the handful of sporadic, era-dependent variations won't be enough to fend off the overdose. There is, admittedly, a soul to it all the same, systems that work and a certain moreishness to the gameplay, yet the experience spreads out as so much scenery to be crossed again and again, all while waiting for the story to finally deign to begin. And it's very good, once it truly does. But in plenty of cases, by then it will already be too late. "Hope is eternal," one might draw as the game's moral. We'd mainly have preferred it to be in a little more of a hurry.

Despite a few dispensable sequences, Crushed in Time is an excellent point-and-click adventure that manages to bring a touch of freshness to a gameplay formula that has already been thoroughly tested for decades. Add to that a delightfully unhinged metafiction that brilliantly draws from every form of humor, along with more or less glorious tributes to video games and game creation as a whole, and you have a generous and memorable experience on your hands.

There are really only two ways about it. Either you connect with what Maseylia has to offer : an imperfect but heartfelt experience —or it leaves you indifferent. You may find plenty to enjoy in its exploration and its well-crafted art direction, while at the same time being put off by its frankly dispensable combat or certain aspects of its game design that can feel rather abrupt. Is it a deliberate choice, or simply the result of limited time and resources? That is the question raised by a project this ambitious, developed almost entirely by a single person. And having that lingering doubt while playing this thoroughly enjoyable little metroidvania is almost part of its magic.

It is truly gratifying to see that The Seven Mysteries of Honjo was neither a flash in the pan nor a stroke of luck, but rather the result of a alignment of talents who have shown the very same inspiration to deliver a successor that is just as thrilling and thought-provoking, all while successfully shifting to a completely different atmosphere and theme. A formidable and highly effective visual novel that keeps us awake and on edge until its thoroughly satisfying conclusion, The Mermaid's Curse only falters on a few rare occasions, when it gets a bit too carried away by its secondary role as a history and geography teacher. But as long as writer Takanari Ishiyama, illustrator Gen Kobayashi, and composer Hidenori Iwasaki display this much passion and inspiration for storytelling and keeping us so deeply engaged, it's safe to say we'll keep coming back for more.

Bubsy 4D is definitely an acquired taste. Growing accustomed to the control scheme's feel takes quite some time and effort (ironic, in a short game). Yet, once settled in, the discerning platform player will find lots of potential for speedrunning, parkour tricks and other advanced challenges.

Does Zero Parades occasionally feel like a "bootleg" version of Disco Elysium ? Yes. But one can easily argue that it's the entire point. An engrossing spy thriller in a brand-new universe, Zero Parades makes salient points about culture, its staunchest and most unsufferable guardians, or the industrial elites who seek to weaponize mass entertainment for their own nebulous, sometimes borderline-religious purposes. While the writing does falter in places, the new gameplay systems are strong enough to compensate, and the overall presentation remains astoundingly beautiful.

Mina The Hollower is a curious experience : despite the development team's obvious overall mastery in areas as significant as level design, game systems, and art direction, Yacht Club Games occasionally loses its way with a handful of design decisions that border on sadism, ultimately undermining the overall pacing of the experience. That said, this zealous streak of mischief hardly warrants too harsh a verdict, as the attempt radiates both the passion and the artistry of a team generous in sharing its craft. Mina, much like Shovel Knight before it, certainly has what it takes to push the boundaries of the genre it seeks to emulate or, at the very least, to deliver a remarkable twenty-or-so hours of fun, outbursts of frustration, and scattered moments of wonder.

With 007 First Light, IO Interactive won't exactly satisfy the hunger of Hitman fans, and even less so those of Uncharted, as its nods to these series ultimately turn out to be quite superficial. However, the studio brilliantly pulls off its double wager: delivering a blockbuster capable of making waves in 2026, and bringing James Bond back to the forefront of the gaming scene after an unprecedented hiatus, all while being self-published, mind you. While the alchemy of the formula might remain a tad too cautious and predictable, the way the Danish studio has seamlessly mastered every convention of the modern AAA title commands respect, and reminds us once again why the world will never grow tired of the James Bond mythos. We missed you, James.

Battlestar Galactica : Scattered Hopes makes no compromises on its gameplay to stay true to the TV series' core vision. It is a brutal fight for the survival of humanity that keeps us under constant pressure—both during combat and management phases—offering absolutely no respite in our flight. It is a wonderful achievement in capturing the essence of the original work and brilliantly translating it into a game, though it does require a specific mindset given how difficult and oppressive it is. The main regret lies in the user interface, which would have benefited from being sleeker to offer some relief from the impossible task of leading our small fleet.

A wonderful game and interactive toy in the same package, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is one of the best Nintendo exclusives in a long time. Good-Feel finally finds a real hook after a few serviceable (but ultimately one-note) platform games with its discovery-first formula, giving younger kids a wonderful playground to run around and older players a good dose of childlike wonder. It also helps that the soundtrack is filled with bangers.

This LEGO Batman : Legacy of the Dark Knight is a true love letter to DC’s massive franchise. If you’re a fan of the Caped Crusader, you’ll be delighted to find all these iconic references that have endured through the decades. And if you’re less of a Batman fan, then this LEGO game is a great way to discover Bruce Wayne’s story, LEGO-style, while having a great time...Unlike the older LEGO Batman titles, this one offers a larger world, a wider variety of enemies and bosses, even if the combat can sometimes feel repetitive, and above all, a story that almost completely retells everything from A to Z. In short, it’s a really enjoyable game to play, with, of course, plenty of side quests and collectibles to hunt down, just like any good LEGO-branded game.

Forza Horizon 6 is the absolute apex of the formula. If you’re already resistant to the Playground Games model, this entry won’t be the one to change your mind. But for everyone else—for anyone with even the slightest appetite for arcade racers, Japan, or open-world driving—it is an absolute must-have. It is, without question, the best game in the Forza saga. It buries the competition (which, let’s be honest, has been mediocre for years) through its sheer generosity, tramples over the corpse of monotony, and finally delivers the Japan of our dreams with insolent technical mastery. The king is back, and he’s got a mecha in his rearview mirror.

Above all, Tides of Tomorrow is an original narrative game concept—and on that front, it delivers. The premise is a success; it works well thanks to a high degree of transparency regarding the impact of our choices—as well as those of our predecessors—and a cohesive narrative integration. This truly serves as the game's central pillar, supporting a meticulously crafted universe; however, it also necessitates a certain simplicity in the design of the explorable locations, ultimately rendering them a bit too conventional. It is a necessary sacrifice for such an ambitious concept, yet one that is felt a little too keenly nonetheless.

After the beef-and-cheese skewer, Skybound Games and Quarter Up have invented the sashimi burger. Invincible VS ticks all the boxes of a true *kusoge*—a glorious trash game—featuring 3v3 matches, bizarre physics, broken mechanics, and a roster of characters that make absolutely no sense. Almost against your better judgment, you find yourself enjoying the experience—mashing your controller in every direction to take flight and obliterate your opponent's health bar through sheer chaotic button-mashing—all while sensing that even if you *did* master the mechanics in depth, the end result wouldn't be much more coherent. While I certainly wouldn't recommend pursuing an esports career in this title, it remains a solid choice if you’re a fan of *Invincible*, or if you simply enjoy chaotic, generous fighting games that deliver plenty of bang for just a few button presses.

More than a reductive slot machine, Vampire Crawlers is a true roguelike deckbuilder and requires wits, reflexes, game knowledge and a taste for taking calculated risks. Building the perfect deck to wipe out skeletons by the dozen in a single turn is an absolute delight. The endless onslaught of colors, garish visual effects, loud noises and unlockables has all the pros and cons of an all-you-can-eat buffet, leaving the player satisfied and ready to burst at the seams for a very sharp price, yet also slightly nauseous after long sessions. Won't keep you from coming back for seconds, though.

According to Aphelion, it all comes down to hope. If that were truly the case, Don’t Nod’s latest title would undoubtedly reach soaring heights. But much like its characters, the game must confront the harsh reality. It is not always an easy feat to reconcile narrative intensity with video game mechanics. On the narrative front, it delivers—despite a certain lack of originality. Yet, in many other respects, Aphelion lacks the precision that would have allowed the title to leave a lasting imprint on players' memories—and not just those of narrative game enthusiasts. It is thanks to its realism and its handling of emotions that it nonetheless succeeds in offering a rewarding journey through its own vision of space. It is an enjoyable space vacation, featuring a few particularly memorable moments—though the memory of it will surely eventually fade with time, much like the silhouette of a planet on the horizon.

Will Saros appeal to everyone? Probably not—and if you didn’t enjoy the gameplay of Returnal, this one won’t hook you any more, as it relies on the same core foundation. That said, Housemarque has done such a thorough job with difficulty tuning that one can only commend such a precise response to the criticisms previously aimed at the studio. In terms of gameplay, Saros holds up admirably despite its tiny flaws, and the whole experience feels perfectly cohesive—whether in its enemies, its biomes and their variations, or the many mechanics and weapons that keep enriching the experience throughout the adventure. Add to that a gripping story, with an allegory that is far less cryptic—and therefore far more engaging—and you’re looking at the very top tier of the PlayStation 5. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the console’s best exclusive, and it’s never leaving my system.

Does Sol Cesto frustrate me? A little bit—since despite all the tweaks one might make to the probabilities, the luck factor remains absolutely paramount, and—unluckily for me—I have none whatsoever. Does that make Sol Cesto a bad game, though? Absolutely not. The gameplay loop is still very cleverly designed to be addictive, and the art direction has a charm of its own, featuring a well-executed blend of the zany and the macabre. Moreover, the very fact that the game puts us through the wringer is precisely what makes it so captivating, compelling us to experiment and uncover its secrets.

Even reviewed under punishing conditions and burdened with a technical performance that H. P. Lovecraft would probably have described as “indescribable” at least a dozen times in the same chapter, something still compels us to focus on the strengths that emerge from Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. A diligent and conscientious student of an enduring literary mythos, the game by Big Bad Wolf skillfully lines up its references, but is unlikely to sweep connoisseurs off their feet with a narrative that—even when set in the future—lacks a bit of madness and surprise. It nonetheless remains an investigative game with a gripping atmosphere and rewarding mechanics, and deserves credit for the bold choice of placing its full trust in the player’s powers of deduction.

More "cinematic" than "platformer", Replaced is visually scrumptious but simply feels bad to control. Ultimately, it does feel like the gameplay was conceived backwards from the visuals. As mean as it sounds (and I don't like beating on indies), the experience might genuinely be best enjoyed on YouTube for less jank-tolerant folks.

Pragmata truly shines through its gameplay, and that is undoubtedly what matters most. Not only does its blend of TPS and puzzles work very well, but the game also features a finely tuned progression curve and constantly renews itself, keeping us engaged from start to finish without difficulty. Faced with such mastery, its few flaws—such as level design that can sometimes feel a bit conventional, or a very predictable story despite the touching relationship between Hugh and Diana—are entirely forgivable. Pragmata is, above all, a game from the school of gameplay, and it stands among the top of the class.

Life is Strange: Reunion manages to sidestep the fan service that Max and Chloe’s return could have leaned into, delivering a story that holds up well—and, above all, a rather satisfying conclusion for both heroines. Deck Nine still struggles to fix some pacing issues in its storytelling, and Max’s time-rewinding powers feel somewhat underused, but the overall experience remains a positive note on which to say goodbye to this universe. Let’s just hope no one gets the bad idea of giving it a sequel.

Super Meat Boy 3D has strong bones, but gets lost in the three-dimensional sauce. You will die 'n retry often, for sure, with a bunch of tight levels and clever secrets to conquer for true old-school masochists, but too many deaths - and so, too many retries - stem from perspective issues which create artificial difficulty. Sluggerfly's game feel shines when the studio actually focuses on delivering a clever 3D experience rather than translating 2D ideas into a game space with depth, which induces an excessive margin of error in every movement. Do try the demo version before buying.

Somewhat like a cuter Little Nightmares, Darwin's Paradox takes the player through a series of charming vignettes. But this adventure has teeth. Imperfect controls and pixel-perfect jumps sometimes create unnecessary friction. Still, the fluid animation style and diversity of dioramas make this title worth a try.

Make no mistake: Screamer is anything but an accessible game. Its unique, meaty gameplay demands a significant amount of time to master; its difficulty spikes—at times unfair, with visibility issues in certain overly cluttered stages—put players to the test; its progression mechanics are also rather shallow, and its stunning cinematics are few and far between. Nevertheless, it remains a racing title that dares to be different—one that frequently succeeds in hooking, thrilling, and intoxicating the player through the unique stylistic exercise it offers. It is a game of drifting and vehicular combat situated at the crossroads of a ruthless *Ridge Racer* and a brute-force *Burnout*—generous in both dialogue and tracks, and punctuated by an excellent soundtrack and art direction. Lacking any currency system or car upgrade mechanics, Screamer still falls short on structural depth to truly ascend to the ranks of the genre's greats; perhaps future updates will make the difference. In the meantime, Milestone’s offering is more than laudable, proving that the Italian studio can—and should—break free from the perpetual confines of pure simulation: flirting with arcade-style gameplay, science fiction, and Japanese animation really does pay off.

Crimson Desert is the absolute definition of a massive disappointment. It’s a Ferrari body with a lawnmower engine under the hood. Pearl Abyss tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing no one: Elden Ring fans will be driven mad by the clunky combat, Witcher fans will be bored to tears by the lack of depth, those looking for a world as organic as Breath of the Wild are in for a rude awakening, and the general public will struggle with the abysmal UI and unwarranted difficulty spikes. Riddled with technical issues unacceptable for a blockbuster of this scale, and weighed down by dated writing, Crimson Desert is on the verge of a total systemic failure. The hype train has well and truly derailed. See you in a year, after 150 patches and a mountain of DLC, which, of course, are already in the works.

Although 1348 Ex Voto appears to be the labor of love of enthusiasts seeking to toy with history, it proves to be as tedious as a lecture delivered in a monotone voice. Quite simply—and sadly—Sedleo’s title is nothing more than a bad game. Whether in terms of gameplay or narrative, it suffers from a relentless string of minor flaws, nasty bugs, and deeper structural issues. Unlike many indie games of this ilk—which can rely on a compelling story to make up for mediocre gameplay, or vice versa—*1348 Ex Voto* cannot lean on either of these crutches. The result is a spectacular failure; it may indeed go down in legend, but in the worst possible way.

Despite some great ideas and undeniable skill in creating a coherent and engaging world, Greedfall: The Dying World will struggle to be the saving grace for Spiders and Nacon. It never truly escapes its major structural shortcomings (which have only worsened since Greedfall). Its utterly forgettable combat (due in large part to its disconcerting simplicity) fails to generate any real enjoyment. The worst part is that it's hard not to see in this sequel (which isn't really one) the skeleton of a good game. There's soul there, at least. But because of its fragmented structure, outdated design choices, and overall flawed presentation, the title chosen for Spiders' latest release might very well end up being sadly prophetic.