Legends of Kingdom Rush retains the easy-going gameplay aspect of all of the Ironhide games, as well as the always pleasant cartoony aesthetic. Alas, the number of levels is way low, giving us the feeling that this was a side-project that didn’t receive the attention it deserved compared to the main Kingdom Rush series.

BlueTwelve definitely managed through its first title to implement in an excellent way the vision that was behind the main reason for the creation of the studio: To develop a game in which -although it suffers in terms of limited gameplay and easy riddles and puzzles- the player will feel like a cat.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series certainly is the best way for the series to celebrate its 25th anniversary, as with the great improvements it has received, the series is back in the spotlight. The only thing that remains to be seen is what the future holds for the franchise.

A near perfect collection of the first four Sonic games, which can be played in remastered or classic mode. It also includes a lot of other modes like missions, boss rush and mirror modes.

The well-made shooting part of Esse Proxy could have led to a memorable top-down shooter, in the vein of Hotline Miami, if it had better level design, if the story made any sense at all and if its overall design had anything memorable at all. These are a lot of "ifs" though to let this game stand out.

Codemasters is taking something that was already great and trying to bring it into line with the modern reality of F1. Technically the title moves to incredible levels of quality, but unfortunately the impression is created that FIA's changes in the real life environment have not been translated so successfully to the corresponding digital one.

Phobia: St. Dinfna Hotel is an indie horror game that draws its inspiration from previous, successful horror titles of the past while also having some good ideas. Definitely not for everyone, but fans of horror games (see Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Outlast etc.) will appreciate it.

Ruggnar brought us back to the era of Amiga and Amstrad, with a game that would sit nicely alongside Rick Dangerous, albeit providing a much easier experience. Be that as it may it seems as if it’s a shareware version of a full version game which, alas, doesn’t exist.

Milky Way Prince: The Vampire Star portrays the problems of a relationship with strong visuals and excellent musical features. However, it ignores what really makes a visual novel stand out.

Card Shark is an indie triumph. A game so original and unique as an idea, and at the same time, so well orchestrated in all the small parts that make a good game, great.

This is basically the true sequel of SNES’ Turtles in Time, one of the best beat ‘em ups of that console. As such, this is definitely a nostalgia trip, albeit a completely safe at that. We are more than happy with the large selection of stages, but the time travelling aspect of the old game was definitely more imaginative compared with the city based levels of the new one.

Among the many Warriors games, this is one of the good ones. Rich story with three distinct paths, many elements straight from the Fire Emblem games and the well known Warriors action gameplay make it a good choice for fans of both franchises.

What Mario Strikers: Battle League Football does extremely well, and differentiates from the rest of the Mario sports games, is build on its predecessors’ gameplay and provide a traditional, yet refreshingly deep experience, enough to entertain and challenge the players. However, the lack of available characters, the cosmetic-only use of fields and the unnecessary need to grind for coins takes back much of the enjoyment and deprives the title of the opportunity to have been a stellar sports title for the Nintendo Switch.

Sniper Elite 5 offers a very specific treat to choose from. Everything it does, does it adequately and consistently. There are problems such as the poor AI, the low variety in the gameplay and rough graphics, but the whole package is decent.

With such a generic title we would have never expected Souldiers to be one of the best metroidvania games we played and yet it truly is one of the best experiences the genre has to offer. Its world is enormous, the variety of the enemies more than satisfying and the three diverse classes offer plenty of replayability. On top of that its pixel-art is just beautiful.

Vampire: The Masquerade -Swansong is a narrative-driven RPG that is faithful to the original “World of Darkness” cosmos. It is very engaging, with some brilliant ideas, especially in the dialog challenges, but fails, somehow short, due to its half-baked role-playing system that “punishes” the player’s character build decisions.

Touken Ranbu Warriors is a rather bland and boring game, something that is reflected in its automated, shallow combat and the overall low production values.

Dolmen’s saving grace comes from its well-crafted gameplay, with some interesting ideas, that provides a decent combat experience. Be that as it may the utterly generic sci-fi design in all its aspects ultimately drags down the experience.

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is basically XCOM in a fantasy setting with a melee-based combat system. Fans of this TBS subgenre will definitely have a good time. It doesn’t elevate the XCOM formula, but in the end, it doesn’t need to.

Eiyunden Chronicle: Rising is a carefree, beautiful and full of colorful action-JRPG characters, where with its ten-hour duration and low challenge, it can effortlessly offer fun to the unsuspecting who just downloaded it through Game Pass out of curiosity and finally ended up devouring it.

Despite its design shortcomings (like the absence of a mapping system or the consumable-based criteria for online multiplayer), Salt & Sacrifice comes along as a great sequel. The “soulslike” character progression and combat blends in with the “metroidvania” level design, and the added Monster Hunter nuance presented in the Mage hunting keeps the game going, feeling both familiar and fresh at the same time.

The looks of Trek to Yomi certainly offer a nice homage to the 50s Japanese cinema. Alas, its gameplay is disappointingly simplistic from the non-existent platforming to the utterly repetitive action.

The perfect sequel! With Moss: Book II Polyarc created a longer, refined, richer and certainly more enjoyable experience. The world of Moss is beautiful and majestic that shines through the VR technology. A must-have for PSVR owners.

Lila's sky Ark is an interesting alternative amongst the indie genre. It thrives in its retrospective references and its intriguing universe, that's for sure, although that does not make up for its serious lack of key gameplay elements and design. Nonetheless it worth a try for some nostalgic trips.

Α worthy sequel to the series. The controls are super responsive and intuitive and multiplayer fun is guaranteed. If only there were more available sports.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a love letter to the franchise and a game Lego and Star Wars fans have been waiting for since the Lego franchise’s first visit to George Lucas’ universe. It could have been a rather ideal experience, had it not been for the lack of memorable gameplay innovations and for lack of features that should have been part of the experience from the onset.

Weird West gives the impression of a concept that would work excellently under Arkane’s talented team, but as it stands it’s mainly a diamond in the rough. For every clever idea in creating a living Wild West with fantastical elements there is an equal amount of issues that shows a lack of resources to truly make the game stand out.

Itorah may be a good-looking game, with hand-crafted visuals, but under the nice exterior there is only a dull combat system and a level design that’s extremely derivative.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a fun Borderlands fantasy spin-off that manages to create its own identity. The great gunplay and the series trademark humor, combined with the fantasy setting, create a game that is a joy to play and a must-buy for Borderlands fans.

Rune Factory 5 is, without a doubt, a game that succeeds in destroying the positive vibes and the status the previous games in the series have managed to establish. It is a title that is only good at importing the gameplay mechanisms from its predecessors, yet delivers them in a way that feels rushed, mediocre and deserving of a mobile rather than a console release.

A beautiful, “zen” 2D sea journey with clever puzzles and a captivating atmosphere. This is what indie and video games in general should be like.

GTA V is a milestone in gaming -there's no doubt about that. If you are one of the few who haven't played it yet this is the best edition you could possibly get, but for everyone else there's really nothing here to justify even the low price point Rockstar is asking for.

ANNO: Mutationem definitely has its charm in its niche aesthetic. The amalgamation of 3D environments with the 2D sprites works quite well with the cyberpunk setting, evoking a pleasant PS One feeling. It’s a shame then that the story is derivative and nonsensical in many ways. It doesn’t help that the action is borderline generic albeit there is a commendable effort for an expansive bestiary of regular mobs and bosses.

Team Ninja created a hardcore action-RPG with an interesting combat system, but some missteps -like the awful dialogue, the mediocre level design and the bland story- keep it from achieving greatness.

Ghostwire Tokyo has some weaknesses, but with its fun to play combat and the beautiful presentation of Shibuya and its “visitors”, it will definitely pique your interest.

By creating an immersive and interesting world and story -with different endings- Triangle Strategy manages to captivate the player even though the battle system and the overall mechanics are nothing to write home about.

An artistic approach to the famous book with gorgeous graphics that resemble oil paintings, beautiful music, good narrative with multiple endings, but very simple and limited gameplay.

Assetto Corsa Competizione will not win you over with its content, but with the unique way it manages to fit the real felling of driving a racing car to the limit inside the narrow frame of a videogame.

Dawn of Ragnarök’s purpose regarding AC: Valhalla is what its name entails; the beginning of the end for the game. The most recent expansion tends to bombard the players with a bland cast of characters, a mostly uninteresting tale and gameplay choices that tend to be mostly confusing, irrelevant and have nothing to do with the advancements we saw in the previous DLCs.

Α solid conclusion to a refreshing franchise that will show its full potentional after all the correcting patches and the DLCs become available.

Elex II, as with all PB games, bites more that it can chew. Frustrating AI, clunky-janky gameplay and an engine that’s now a bit too old for wear are definite issues here, and the last 1/3 of the game feels like an afterthought. For fans of PB and western RPGs though, there is still a lot to love and enjoy in the second part of Jax’s story and in the wonderful world of Magalan.

Not only a relaxing and enjoyable game to mindlessly spend your time, but also a highly addictive, outrageously difficult and demanding platform of competition, all wrapped up in a beautiful visual field.

Martha Is Dead is definitely an improvement over LKA’s previous game. Giulia’s fragile character provides an interesting protagonist and the story gripped us from the first minutes. Unfortunately, the last part of the game isn’t as strong and culminates in a somewhat predictable way.

The people at HAL Laboratory have finally outdone themselves by delivering the first, fully-3D core game of the series, in an adventure that has much to offer players of all ages and experiences. Regardless of whether players choose to go single or co-op, Kirby and the Forgotten Land manages to make huge leaps towards being a great Kirby experience.

Chocobo GP is a real blast from the past. Somehow, however, it seems to ignore the modern standards, resulting in a game that feels -and possibly is- incomplete. Don’t really be discouraged; it can be perfect for families with young children, who are looking for a child-friendly experience, and it can provide enough amusement to justify a purchase.

KOF XV is an excellent game for fans of the series as it offers great visuals and a deeper fighting system. However, it will hardly win the hearts of newcomers because of its steep learning curve.

Dying Light 2 is improving the first game in almost every aspect. Be that as it may some of the improvements, such as in the combat system, are not enough to truly make them excel. On the other hand, it needs to be said that its parkour system creates new standards for the first-person genre as well as the design of the city creates an organic playfield for this method of traversal.

A decent game that offers a pleasant combat system and satisfying duration.

If you ever wanted to feel like the main character in a martial arts movie then look no further than Sifu. Sloclap deserves kudos for such a finely crafted combat system that hosts a diverse selection of defensive and offensive moves while being simple and straightforward in their executions.

For the Dark Souls fan this is a dream come true. For an open-world game this is a strong statement in a stale, oversaturated and by the book field of games. For a videogame, Elden Ring is a triumph right there with every iconic game that came before it. With unparalleled game design and a captivating sense of adventure, this is the best game FromSoftware ever made.

By going back to its roots and the design of the first games of the series, and being packed with tons of content, Gran Turismo 7 is the best, most complete and satisfying game of Polyphony Digital's franchise and probably the best "sim racer" out there.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is rightfully one of the best Pokémon adventures to pass down in history. Introducing a more fluid battle system, it sets new standards in the franchise, which will be hopefully established in future games.

A well written noir adventure, with a nicely built choice driven gameplay and jazzpunk aesthetics.

Although the idea behind In My Shadow is an intriguing one and the messages that it tries to convey to the players are important, it lacks in the delivery of said messages as well as in its overall technical and aesthetic departments.

It may not come with the best aspects game-wise, and the term “Enchanted” sounds like an overstatement for this edition, but none the less it delivers what it’s promising: a ticket to the magical world of Disney.

Aloy’s journey to the Forbidden West is an impressive one on all levels and a showcase of PlayStation 5's capabilities. Better and more refined, Horizon Forbidden West keeps the best parts of its predecessor, improves upon them and adds new gameplay elements. A must buy for PlayStation 5 owners.

Unfortunately, Nobody Saves the World is inferior to the studio’s Guacamelee! games. Using the different forms seems to be a bit derivative and the whole experience depends in completing myriads of small tasks, which at some point resembles a shopping list. It’s still a fun experience, thanks to its humour and lively visuals but this feeling is constantly intertwined with that of a chore.

Uncharted 4 remains to this day one of the best (if not the best) cinematic action-adventure games of all time and The Lost Legacy -though not as great- is a decent adventure. Both games aged remarkably well and look as beautiful today as the day of their initial launch. On top of that we have some major upgrades on the resolution and the frame rate that make them a must-have collection especially for those you haven't played them before.

While it is a fair bit simpler in animation, story and puzzles that we would have liked, the interesting flip and the new take on a heaven dystopia (after the hellish one of the first game) and the yet again gorgeous art from Dave Gibbons, make Beyond a Steel Sky a game that does have to offer something fresh and interesting to new and returning gamers alike.

Heaven Dust 2 is an ode to the first Resident Evil through an isometric perspective, nothing more, nothing less. And that’s all the charm it needs to have to be an absolutely fun 6-8 hours ride.

A Lovecraft-inspired visual novel with a few rogue-lite and heavy resource management elements that have a detrimental effect on the narrative and the general atmosphere.

With the Endwalker expansion Final Fantasy XIV becomes an even more "Final Fantasy"game with its world building, super writing and great characters. At the same time it expands its foundation as an MMO thus becoming a superb game that probably has no equal at this moment in time.

God of War, which was originally a PlayStation exclusive, now graces PCs with its exceptional battle system, a captivating story and an adventure that spans myths and dimensions, offering a unique experience to PC gamers. With a variety of technical improvements and additions, God of War for PCs is a game that is set to make its mark on a new audience and should definitely not be missed.

With its accessible gameplay and the official use of characters from the TV series, this is the ideal racing game for very young gamers.

A decent but flawed experience that nevertheless shows the potential that the indie team behind it has for future projects.

Aeterna Noctis is the closer metroidvania to Hollow Knight you could get, delivering an experience that is clearly inspired by the best game of the genre. Its enormous world map and myriad of secrets will keep you entertained for tens of hours, but you should beware that its high difficulty means that it aims at players who really want to test their reflexes and lightning-fast combination of special powers.

Probably the best Brain Training game with well made and addictive exercises and a very fun multiplayer mode.

While the puzzle design is quite basic, the freaky atmosphere and the well known and indescribable art direction of Amanita Design are always good reasons to have a good, thorough look at any game they produce.

The Legend of Tianding gives the impression that it’s inspired by a Taiwanese comic, even none exists. This is a testament to the developer’s ability in crafting an especially believable comic aesthetic. In addition, its arcadey beat ‘m up-centric gameplay provides an entertaining short action-game even though it doesn’t try in the least to provide any unique gameplay element or depth to its formula.

In an adventure that narrates an interesting story, supported by a brilliant and well-developed cast of characters, players will eventually bring peace upon the universe, but only after overcoming a series of serious bugs and some inconsistencies that push back a rather formidable title. Still, a must-see for aspiring space fighters and genre fans.

A competent 2D brawler with excellent graphics straight out of the comic books and satisfactory action and gameplay.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl is a trip down memory lane – just as the developers intended. Admittedly, players can have a good time in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl, however, this good time feels more like a deja-vu rather than a refreshing experience that previous Pokémon titles remakes used to provide.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl is a trip down memory lane – just as the developers intended. Admittedly, players can have a good time in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl, however, this good time feels more like a deja-vu rather than a refreshing experience that previous Pokémon titles remakes used to provide.

Created mostly for young gamers who are keen on the Netflix series, Fast & Furious: Spy Racers - Rise of Sh1ft3r is a fun, arcade racing game that will appeal to everyone who enjoyed games like Mario Kart and Blur.

Plagued with many problems and a lot of questionable design choices, Battlefield 2042 is not what fans of the franchise are used to get by DICE. We look forward to many changes and optimizations so that the game will truly deliver what was initially promised.

Halo Infinite is a true return to form for the series with simple aesthetics, a stoic character and a lonely quiet story reminiscence of the original Halo game. With the exceptional addition of the grappleshot refreshing the classic Halo formula, this is a very bold new step for the Halo universe.

Disciples: Liberation is a vast turn-based/ RPG/ city management hybrid that would have been great if some aspects of the game were trimmed down. The core ideas behind the gameplay are implemented well. Skills, units, battle mechanics, dialog choices are classy. On the other hand, the writing is juvenile and the low level of challenge can make the game feel tedious.

Shin Megami Tensei V is an overall decent game that retains all the familiar characteristics of the series (i.e. high challenge, great demons to fuse with and grinding). However, this new entry is a missed opportunity that lacks impact due to its performance issues and the repeatable areas of exploration.

Three legendary games that are part of the all-time gaming pantheon. Too bad that in their definitive editions they didn't get the respect and care they truly deserved.

PJ Masks: Heroes of the Night is the ideal choice for very small ages and kids that play for their first time. Despite the simplicity that helps this ages though, you can’t ignore that it is extremely repeatable from start to finish.

With its simplicity, cuteness and overall well crafted gameplay The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf reminded us some of the best 3D platformers of the past that have become so rare these days. If you are in a search for a game that you can play with your child, you should definitely check this out.

Even if you feel extremely tired from the oversaturation of card-based games you should give Inscryption a change. Its fresh take on the genre offers an especially clever satire of the card-based motif and an overall experience that in the end feels like a well-crafted story-based game disguised as a roguelike. Its full story comes to an end at around 8 hours, but not before it provides a wealth of unexpected twists and turns in both its gameplay and presentation.

Call of Duty: Vanguard brings some interesting improvements to the multiplayer mode and the gameplay is quick and deadly -a departure from last year’s Black Ops: Cold War. On the downside it makes you feel that you are playing a modern shooter and not a WWII one. The campaign looks great, although it doesn’t contain any memorable moments. Zombies mode is even more accessible to new players, but is in dire need of content.

They Always Run gives the impression of a proof of concept that didn’t have the time or resources to fully materialize in a complete and finalized game. As it stands the combat is very static and devoid of energy, with just glimpses of a more exciting choreography, the story comes extremely abruptly to a (non) finale, and the audio is entirely lackluster.

Riders Republic has all the annoying elements of a modern game that wants to keep the player constantly in their game, so they can spend more money. At least, it’s doing it with a very good gameplay, improved in all the aspects that went wrong with Steep.

The people over at Playground Games proved -yet again- that they are capable of delivering the very best arcade racing experience. Forza Horizon 5 is truly a superb game in a league of its own.

Mario Party Superstars comes to fill in the shoes of its mediocre predecessor by relying on successful mini-games throughout the series and gameplay mechanics that are tailored to suit players out and about. A beautiful recreation of classic game boards and a vast collection of classic mini-games, up to Mario Party 10, succeed in reminding us why the series has been a regular in Nintendo’s home consoles.

A rather familiar anime fighting game that even though it does not excel in any way, it truly shows CyberConnect2's expertise on the genre.

Eidos Montreal has set new standards for the gaming industry when it comes to the design and script of companions in video games. While the gameplay is “simply ok”, the love and care that was given in the creation of this world, its wonderful soundtrack, its intricate accessibility settings, its lovely storyline and its simply amazing companions and their constant banter, make Guardians of the Galaxy an absolute must play for any gamer.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is full of content and a joyful multiplayer to compete with your friends, but its beauty seems to be matched only by its insane difficulty.

Age of Empires IV is a dream-come-true for all the fans of the franchise. It has everything we wanted, most of the things we hoped for, it is accessible to newcomers and challenging to the veterans. It is built with great attention to detail and obvious passion. If we sift the game through the finest sieve, we will find some issues here and there, mostly in graphical elements and in the slight hesitation of the devs to be innovative. We will do so, though, since we always ask for the best we can have and Relic is the one who can make it happen.

House of Ashes is the most ambitious episode in Supermassive Games' The Dark Pictures Anthology yet. But having a well crafted story and great characters is not enough when many elements of the game -like the new, free camera or the many technical issues- are problematic thus keeping it from achieving greatness.

Having the same gameplay core as its spiritual parents (Left for Dead), Back 4 Blood implements some new tricks to keep the player hooked. Light RPG elements, through weapon customization and deck building, enrich the basic formula of the game, providing a much needed modern approach.

Being made by a solo developer The Alien Cube shows remarkable talent from Alessandro Guzzo in his ability to deliver high quality sceneries, accompanied with a well-thought sound design. It may only be three hours long, but at the same time provides a complete story that could very well be a part of an anthology of Lovecraftian stories.

While the similarities with Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments are clear in every aspect of the game, Hercule Poirot’s newest outing simply cannot reach the same standards as that game. There are interesting things here, but once more the Agatha Christie series stays on the same average levels as it has been since 2005, hampered further by a distinct step back on the graphics.

A tidy and firm package of three of the most consistent and solid first person shooters in the history of gaming. The “Warhead” chapter is absent, but overall the creativity, the technical achievements and the vision behind the games is omnipresent and omnipotent.

An over-the-top but average roguelike game with an interesting card-upgrade system, crazy and colorful setting and flamboyant, eccentric aesthetics. It is certainly worth a try, but there's nothing... “magical” about it.

Industria creates the impression of a concept game, or a prologue, that wouldn’t be far fetched if it was given as a demo for a granter game. Though it is commendable that a two-person team mainly developed the game, this does not erase the fact that this dystopian world is derivative and highly underdeveloped.