Dragon Takers boasts a charming retro aesthetic, but sadly, that’s where the appeal ends. If the atrocious UI doesn’t drive you away, the relentless grinding likely will.

Recall suffers from some mediocre dialogue but remains captivating, thanks to its Twin Peaks aesthetic and well-presented subject matter.

Avowed is not the juggernaut RPG some may have expected, as certain crucial aspects fail to rise above mediocrity, such as the writing in many side quests and the rather derivative character design. Be that as it may, Obsidian's talent in the genre still shines through in its rich world-building, clever level design, and fun combat system, though against large groups of foes, it can feel a bit too chaotic for our tastes.

The developers of Tails of Iron 2 certainly played it safe with the sequel. The additions, such as the hook, feel underdeveloped, and overall, it could simply be described as ‘more of the same.’ Nevertheless, anyone who enjoyed battling the frogs will likely have a good time fighting the army of bats, as the game still offers tight combat and a well-balanced challenge.

The Inheritance of Crimson Manor may be brief, but it still offers enough clever puzzles and a great atmosphere to make it worthwhile.

Keep Driving thrives in both its simplicity and eccentricity. It’s a road trip game where your car takes center stage, yet there’s no actual driving gameplay, while also, it features a JRPG-lite turn-based combat system for overcoming various obstacles. It certainly works, successfully capturing the essence of a legendary road trip where the journey is worth so much more than the destination.

Sniper Elite: Resistance doesn’t bring much innovation to the long-running series. While the solid level design and excellent sniping mechanics keep it fun, the familiar formula is starting to feel stale after so many entries.

Civilization VII is a triumphant return to form, refining what worked while innovating where needed. It reaffirms its place as a top contender in the strategy genre, offering countless ways to plan, build, and conquer. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer, you'll find yourself hooked for hours.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins marks a strong return for this historic series, with battles more epic than ever and a noticeably more concise narrative. If only the protagonist had more depth to truly carry his personal story.

With improved visuals, an excellent selection of levels, and demanding yet addictive gameplay, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD remains one of the best platforming experiences. However, the lack of new content only heightens our long-overdue craving for a new Donkey Kong title.

The significance of the two Soul Reaver titles in this remaster cannot be overstated. However, they were games that showed their age. Thankfully, this remaster enhances the visuals and audio, making them more accessible to a newer audience while also they provide an opportunity for longtime fans to revisit these classic titles.

Machine Games has truly captured the essence of the first three films, delivering an authentic Indiana Jones experience. Troy Baker is fantastic as the titular hero, and the adventure is well-paced. However, as enjoyable as it is (and it really is), the problematic A.I. and some tedious exploration are hard to ignore.

Alien: Rogue Incursion is a VR experience worthy of the franchise’s legacy. While it has a few rough patches, they don’t take away from the excellent atmosphere and story.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a highly refined sequel that showcases a studio brimming with hard-earned confidence. Its slow-burn progression is enriched by an authentic medieval setting, featuring some of the most stunning and natural forests we've ever seen, along with detailed A.I. behaviors. One can easily lose themselves for tens of hours roaming Bohemia, solving the myriad of well-written issues faced by its villagers.

The only real positive that can be said about The Spirit of the Samurai is its beautiful, stop-motion-inspired visuals. By the time the game ends, one can’t help but feel the studio might be better suited developing an animation rather than a video game, as the experience is marred by one-note combat and frustrating platforming segments.

Fairy Tail 2 is a highly derivative game that even fans of the anime will struggle to enjoy. The first signs of its lackluster quality appear in the mediocre character models, which are further compounded by a dull and uninspired combat system that lacks any real excitement.

There isn’t much left to say about God of War Ragnarök that hasn’t already been said with its console release. The PC version is an excellent port with impressive optimization, allowing this masterpiece to be enjoyed by an even larger audience.

With a brief runtime of no more than three hours, minimal gameplay, and problematic voice-overs, Once Alive is difficult to recommend. However, the art direction and visual quality are commendable achievements, especially considering it was made from a solo developer.

Sorry We're Closed could be described as the Signalis of 2024, offering a standout indie survival horror experience. With a unique take on love stories and well-crafted visuals reminiscent of the first PlayStation era, it draws inspiration from games like Killer7, Silent Hill, and Shadows of the Damned. The result is a memorable, atmospheric game that stands out with its own distinctive personality.

This remake of Until Dawn feels more like a remaster than a true remake, despite its notable enhancements. For those who played the original, justifying the purchase of this version may be difficult, although it could be considered the definitive edition for new players.

The Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake beautifully reimagines the original with great visuals. While its traditional gameplay mechanics might deter newer players, fans of classic JRPGs, particularly those with nostalgia for Dragon Quest, will thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Carpathian Night is a heartfelt homage to the original Castlevania games, offering a nostalgic 8-bit experience. While Bela Lugosi's inclusion feels more like a marketing gimmick than a meaningful addition, the game is well-crafted and sure to delight fans of retro platformers, particularly those who hold fond memories of Castlevania on the NES.

While Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings technical improvements, its visuals feel somewhat derivative. The writing remains impactful, and the characters are well-developed, but the story struggles to match the emotional depth and resonance of the original game.

As far as movie adaptations go, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a decent effort. It captures the atmosphere of the films, and translates the necessity of silence effectively. However, the main gameplay mechanics feel one-note and even with its short runtime, it struggles to avoid repetitiveness, particularly in its final hours.

Romancing SaGa 2 continues the trend of excellent remakes of classic games. It modernizes the classic JRPG in many ways, making it approachable for newcomers while offering fans of the series a fantastic opportunity to enjoy it anew.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard offers a well-written adventure with rich content and high-quality level design that honors the legacy of Dragon Age while expanding upon it. After a series of mishaps Bioware seems to be returning to form, reigniting expectations not only for the future of the Dragon Age franchise but also that of Mass Effect.

Lego Horizon Adventures is another entertaining addition to the long list of Lego video games. It captures the essence of the Horizon series with the humour and creativity we've come to expect from these adaptations. However, its short length and uninspired boss fights are drawbacks that impact an otherwise enjoyable experience.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is packed with well-written humour, clever puzzles, and excellent level design. Though it's not without issues, such as limited enemy variety and long loading times, its charm and fun factor are undeniable.

The newest iteration of the original Clock Tower offers some welcome improvements, such as a rewind feature and the ability to save at any time. However, it remains a game of its era, which will probably feel dated to newer gamers.

Black Ops 6 is more than a complete Call of Duty experience marking a definite positive step for the series, making up for the bad taste left by Modern Warfare III. The gunplay is sharper than ever, the new Omni Movement system refreshes the gameplay, and the return of Zombies Mode brings a tense and enjoyable experience.

The newest Dragon Ball game may not be the strongest title of the series. Nevertheless, the amount of work put into it is evident, thanks to the huge character roster and the excellent addition of Sparking episodes. However, for players seeking a more story-driven Dragon Ball experience, Kakarot still stands as the high point of the series.

Once again, Nixxes delivers an excellent remaster, with updated visuals that brings Zero Dawn on par with Forbidden West. The Dualsense support along with improved animations and character models makes this the definitive edition for both new and returning gamers.

Voidwrought doesn't aspire to be more than a typical metroidvania, heavily borrowing from Hollow Knight, especially in its visuals. There's a fine line between drawing inspiration and outright imitation. Unfortunately, in this case Voidrwrought crosses the line without hesitation.

More of an audiobook than video game, Dagon: Complete Edition is a fitting tribute to Lovecraft's work. The experience is elevated by excellent narration and quality prose, immersing players in an atmospheric journey.

This new addition to the Mario Party franchise is definitely the richer one yet, with a great variety of modes and boards. Its extensive selection of minigames guarantees hours of fun, especially with friends, though the A.I. is solid enough to make solo play enjoyable too.

Neva's strengths, similarly with the case of Gris, lie in its touching story, exploring themes of parenthood and coming of age. We feel that a bit more challenge could enhance the experience, nevertheless, few games manage to evoke such strong feelings, especially without a single word spoken.

Frostpunk 2 aims to deepen its gameplay elements but this proves to be a double-edged sword. While the world is larger and the gameplay loop more intricate, these additions don't prevent it from feeling repetitive. The expanded world may sound intriguing, but it ultimately creates a more impersonal experience. Fans of the original will find plenty to enjoy, though they may feel this entry is more of a sidestep than a step forward.

Wild Bastards may have a few shortcomings but overall it delivers a fun roguelike experience with enough twist to set itself apart from others in the genre.

Pneumata is one of those games where the only notable positive is that it was developed by a sole creator. Beyond that, every aspect of the game falls short, from the derivative gameplay to the poor level design and nonexistent A.I.

The remastered version of Epic MIckey: Rebrushed offers a welcome return to a well-crafted and charming platformer, updated with a much improved camera. While the forgettable boss fights and 2D levels remain, they ultimately don't detract from the overall fun experience.

A phenomenal reforging of the original Broken Sword, it recreates the game in the way only our rose tinted nostalgia glasses could have hoped for and elevates it into a stunning 4K masterpiece.

Bloober Team has surpassed expectations with their remake of Silent Hill 2, arguably one of the most iconic titles of the gaming history. Not only does it bring the game masterfully in the modern era, but it also improves and enriches the original experience. This new iteration of Silent Hill 2 is nothing short of a must-play for genre fans, retaining its status as one of the best -if not the best- survival horror games.

It's quite difficult to find even the smallest positive aspect in The Smurfs: Village Party. The game suffers from poor design across the board, from its dated visuals to the boring mini-games and the uninspired fetch-type quests.

The new Test Drive game is, unfortunately, marred by several issues, giving the impression of a title in (very) early access. Its always online restriction is especially problematic, causing many of the game's major frustratios. Additionally, the car list is quite limited compared to the competition, and the handling model is derivative.

FC25 is, once again, more of an update rather than a full-fledged sequel. Nevertheless, there's a reason it remains the king of the sport, thanks to some welcome quality-of-life improvements in Ultimate Team and the well-executed addition of Rush Mode.

While Beyond Galaxyland may not deliver the grandiose space opera it initially promises, its beautiful pixel-art, memorable soundtrack, and undeniable passion of its solo developer are sure to capture the interest of sci-fi fans.

Following in the footsteps of genre giants, Ara: History Untold tells the story of building an empire that stands the test of time. With impressive visuals that allow players to connect deeply with the map, and mechanics that aim to transform the aspects of growth and construction, the game offers a refreshing experience. However, it's hindered by flawed AI, poor diplomacy, and issues in upgrading units. Ara: History Untold holds great potential, but will probably need some more time before it can fully realize it.

Evotiction came out of nowhere to deliver a pure stealth experience, a genre that has almost faded. While it may be a bit on the shorter side, its well-designed gameplay mechanics make it stand out.

Enotria is one of the few soulslike AA games that successfully establishes its own identity. Its world stands out in the genre, thanks to its bright environments drawing inspired by the Italian Renaissance architecture and the beautiful scenery of the Amalfi Coast. Hopefully, in their next game, Jyamma Games will further showcase their great talent by creating more memorable boss fights and increasing enemy variety.

Caravan SandWitch could be described as a pocket-sized, peaceful open-world that offers a zen-like experience with enjoyable exploration. However, it could benefit from stronger relationships building to really capture some emotionally charged scenes towards its finale.

Dead Rising belongs to a different era, characterized by abundant experimentation. This is a game that thrives on intricacies, like its highly punishing time limits for completing even the main missions. It remains a unique zombie game with the potential to offer an unforgettable experience.

Echoes of Wisdom offers a variety of clever puzzles that go hand in hand with its excellent gameplay and charming story, which looks and feels like it came straight out of a cozy fairytale. It's nothing short of a highly memorable and fulfilling experience.

Crypt Custodian goes a slightly different way from the typical indie metroidvania by offering an isometric perspective, which it fully leverages with enjoyable platforming and a charming world to explore.

Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics is nothing short of excellent. With seven amazing fighting games bundled together, it offers a huge variety of characters and well-designed bonuses, making it a must-have for fans of the genre.

Warhammer 40,000 is without a doubt an enjoyable game. The epic scale of the universe is greatly captured offering moments of fun as you try to survive the enemy onslaught. However, the one-note combat system and the limited enemy variety can't help but lead to a sense of repetition halfway the campaign.

OVRDARK delivers a functional horror experience that can scare players, while also adequately drawing inspiration from Resident Evil 7. However, its weak voice acting, subpar sound design, and short length detract from the overall experience.

Both games of the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection have their strengths and weaknesses. However, at the end of the day, fans of the series will definitely enjoy them, thanks to the signature humour and the depth of their stories.

NBA 2K25 is definitely a step up from its predecessor, with richer, more natural animations and an impressive amount of content that feels nearly endless.

Hollowbody tries hard to reach the heights of the Silent Hill series but several issues holds it back. Its eccentric camera use only often leads to frustration, the visuals are lackluster and the combat system is highly derivative. While a few scenes effectively capture the game's horror aesthetic, they are not enough to create a memorable experience.

Visions of Mana is a welcome return to the legendary JRPG series, featuring a well-written story, beautiful visuals, and cleverly designed dungeons. While it may start off slowly in the introductory chapters and the battle system could benefit from some refinements, overall, fans of the series will be pleased with this new chapter.

Tiebreak has the potential to become an enticing game for tennis fans, thanks to its large roster of players, official tournaments and events as well as the well-designed Djokovic Challenges mode. However, its lackluster career mode, mediocre A.I. and overall uninspired presentation keeps it from truly shine.

Team Asobi's talent shines brightly in Astro Bot, a rich platformer with great humor, extremely satisfying gameplay, and excellent level design. Beyond that, it serves as a beautiful love letter to PlayStation's 30 year legacy.

Despite some shortcomings in its menu design and the investigation mechanics, this new Famicom Detective Club chapter will more than satisfy fans of the series and of the visual novel genre alike, thanks to its mature writing and quality audio design.

Tactical Breach Wizards masterfully blends the use of magic abilities with the tactics of a modern SWAT team. The gameplay is brilliantly clever, easy to pick up yet with a lot of depth. As an added bonus, the story and characters are highly engrossing, with well-written humour and an interesting plot.

Fans of the Star Wars universe will find plenty to enjoy in Star Wars Outlaws, though it comes with a few caveats, most notably the tolerance threshold for derivative stealth gameplay. While the story is engaging and the game is quite beautiful visually and acoustically, it could benefit from a few more months of development time.

Deathbound's unique gameplay inclusion of controlling multiple characters certainly helps it to stand out in the overcrowded soulslike genre. However, despite the well-thought implementation of this mechanic, the game is held back by baffling gameplay decisions, unremarkable level design and forgetable boss encounters, preventing it from rising above mediocrity.

Conscript may not be in the same league with Singalis, nevertheless, it's a great survival horror experience with well-executed retro vibes. Kudos to its solo developer for excluding any paranormal events or monsters, relying entirely on the actual WW1 horror derived from surviving in the trenches.

Despite a few technical shortcoming, due to its indie nature, Dungeons of Hinterberg is a great adventure game, with clever puzzles and a unique theme. It replaces ski-resort tourism with exploring-dungeons-full-of-goblins tourism. It simple works, offering a relaxing experience with highly enjoyable gameplay and beautiful cel-shaded environments.

The Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition can be enjoyed by everyone but its ultimate value will be most appreciated by a select few. Its focus on attaining high scores by repeatedly playing the same levels could become tiresome, and the Joy-Cons may not be the best choise of gamepads for the required accuracy.

Gestalt is finally released, but unfortunately, it only meets the bare minimum to be considered a metroidvania. Platforming is very basic and both the combat and enemy behavior feels dated and perfunctory.

This new edition of Ubisoft's -highly- underrated platformer includes some welcoming quality-of-life improvements and enhanced visual, bringing it up to par with modern games.

Retropolis 2 may be a bit on the short side and lacking in voiceovers' quality, but its appealing neo-noir aesthetic, fitting jazz soundtrack and interesting story more than make up for these shortcomings.

Still Wakes the Deep is somewhat dragged down by repetitive gameplay and a lack of challenge in the stealth sections. However, the developers really knew how to create a great horror atmosphere and the oil rig proved to be the perfect setting for the experience.

Older gamers will have a reason to revisit Luigi's Mansion 2, thanks to a greater variety of ghosts and added locations. Nevertheless, it could benefit from a higher level of challenge and less backtracking.

Skald proved to be a great trip down memory lane, thanks to its visuals that are authentic to the Commodore 64 era. On top of that, it offers a well made cRPG experience that even though it doesn't offer anything new it will please fans of the genre.

Still Wakes the Deep may clock in just around 5-6 hours, but it could still benefit from cutting some of its length. The second half treads into repetitiveness due to its simplistic platforming and predictable stealth sequences. Nevertheless, it handles the horror aspect very well, and its realistic and believable dialogue overcomes its shortcomings.

Sushi Ben is slightly on the short side, but it nevertheless offers an enjoyable and relaxing experience with a fun story and pleasant manga art aesthetic.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is nothing short of a triumph for the puzzle games genre. Its excellent and challenging puzzle design is perfectly complemented by a beautifully minimalistic aesthetic, creating a total package that fans of the genre simply should not miss for any reason.

F1 from Codemasters remains a quality product, although it increasingly shows the shortcomings typical of annual releases. It's essentially F1 23 with some refinements, meaning that newcomers will have an excellent experience of their favorite motorsport, but veterans of the series will hardly find something to convince them of the sequel's necessity.

The PC version of the excellent Ghost of Tsushima is the complete package, thanks to the inclusion of the Iki Island expansion and the multiplayer mode. This makes the already beautiful journey to the feudal Japan an even greater treat for PC users, showcasing one of the best open-world games from Sony's Studios.

Nine Sols offers a metroidvania experience that may not be entirely unique, but it remains an excellent choice for fans of the genre. Kudos to the developers for successfully differentiating it from other metroidvanias through its combat system, employing challenging but fair use of parries, not unlike Sekiro.

Horizon: Forbidden West is excellently ported to PC by Nixxes, providing a larger audience the opportunity to experience Aloy's much improved new adventures.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door offers older gamers a fantastic opportunity to relive one of Mario's best classics. Meanwhile, younger gamers should not miss out on experiencing this timeless gem.

Mullet Madjack may be the most frenetic FPS we've played, literally asking us to not have even a second to spare, with a level design that complements perfectly the non-stop approach. However, despite its fun and fast-paced nature, the game is held back by its very short longevity and almost nonexistent depth.

Anglerfish excels in its dark aesthetic and humour, delivering a challenging yet fair experience. While it may be a bit on the short side, the game offers a memorable and twisted roguelike adventure within those few hours.

Unfortunately Ereban: Shadow Legacy is quite weak in its stealth mechanics, arguably the most important aspect of a stealth game. The protagonist feels overpowered from beginning to end, requiring little to no tactical approach to stealthily dispatch enemies. Although there are some interesting platforming ideas, the game fails to expand on them, leading to an underwhelming overall experience.

Unfortunately, Sand Land seems like a game that only fans of Akira Toriyama could enjoy. Fans that would overlook the shallow combat system, lack of enemy variety, and the non-existent challenge.

Crow Country gives the impression of a long lost PS1 survival horror game. The small indie team really captures the essence of those classics in every aspect, from the charming low-polygon visuals and environmental puzzles to the exaggerated story, all while adding some clever parody touches.

Madison VR is quite reminiscent of P.T. in its approach to horror and definitely not for the faint of heart. Additionally, the story is engaging the visuals are impressive.

Hellblade 2 delivers exactly what fans of the first game should expect. A compelling continuation of Senua's arduous journey, with some of the best visuals we've seen, exceptional storytelling, and amazing audio design. It's a cinematic experience at its best.

The Gap proved to be a quite well made narrative experience, even if it's not bringing anything considerably new to the genre.

INDIKA is a truly unique narrative game that delivers an excellently written, thought-provoking story about faith, a subject we very rarely see in the medium. Moreover, the almost surreal environmental design and action greatly enhance the whole experience.

Loretta is a fine visual novel with well-written dialogues, multiple impactful choices, and a dark plot. Unfortunately, the derivative and overly simplistic puzzles, along with the almost non-existent gameplay, drag down the experience.

Apart from a few issues, Rauniot is a very commendable game from a solo developer that greatly captures the spirit of old adventure games. From the detailed handmade animations to the well-thought-out puzzles, this is a rough diamond at its best.

Tales from Candleforth is a, quite good, throwback to Myst, with charming visuals and well constructed puzzles, offering high challenge. However, it could benefit from a more concise story.

Turbo Kid is a fun metroidvania game and a welcome continuation of the cult film. It ticks all the right boxes of metroidvania design and incorporates the bike in a clever way. Alas, the behaviour of the enemies are extremely derivative and its pixel art is not the best we've seen.

Unfortunately, South Park: Snow Day! is a very shallow multiplayer game, with overly simplistic story and gameplay. The familiar and welcoming vulgar humour of the animation may be here but it can't help to hide a truly mediocre game.

The famous tennis series certainly took its time to come back but the wait was well worth it. Top Spin 2K25 may well be the best tennis game of the past few years, thanks to deep and improved gameplay, and excellent animations.