The new Resident Evil 4 is just one of the best game remakes so far. Capcom finds a fantastic way between modernizing the game and implementing new (and more comfortable) features on the one hand and staying true to the classic and various elements that Resi fans have fallen in love with. If you're a fan of the original or just like action-based survival-horror games, you need to play it.

Anno 1800: Console Edition brings the successful city builder to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X. Ubisoft did a great job, adapting gameplay and controls to this new environment. "Anno 1800" works surprisingly well with a gamepad.

As a more or less classical rail shooter, Dark Pictures Switchback VR is no complexity monster – and it's short concerning a single playthrough. But the simple and good working gameplay mechanics are nothing less than a perfect match for VR. The shooting trip also benefits from its scary atmosphere while particular connoisseurs of the core series will enjoy the similarities.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a nice prequel that mixes storybook with elements of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and suggestively parallels the Metroidvania genre, including a high focus on combat, by being much more linear than this. But there are many things providing the game to be a must-have. The main reason for that is the low aspiration for being at least half-way tough, especially in terms of fighting.

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos unlocks a universe in which there is a lot to discover - be it the ever-changing monster variants or the bizarrely beautiful landscapes. The cel-shaded look of the game is a feast for the eyes, the soundtrack skillfully emphasizes the sometimes threatening, sometimes almost idyllic atmosphere. However, iIt takes a bit of getting used to the fact that the world can't be explored completely freely, but rather guides us through circled areas.

Like the first game, Figment 2: Creed Valley packs serious topics into a cute look with decent riddle- and adventure gameplay. The boss fights in particular are a real highlight and help to overlook small technical glitches and the like.

While it differs in tone from other games of the developer, it does have the same high quality we expect from Amanita Design when it comes to adventure gameplay and captivating atmosphere.

If you are into racing games and haven't yet given Riptide in its previous iteration a try, you should definitely check it out now if you are an Apple Arcade subscriber. The fun gameplay, various modes, multiplayer support and upgrade mechanics are sure to keep you entertained for a while.

If Super Stickman Golf and Hotline Miami had a baby, it would probably be this game. The dark tone, the fast-paced gameplay and the well-executed game mechanics make Madness/Endless a game well-worth experiencing.

Nearly as fast as Sekiro dye, but still with a lot of tactical options in its duel-based fights, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty delivers a unique mix of different Soulslike attitudes. If the first boss wasn't a little too hard and the difficulty curve flattening more and more afterwards, Wo Long maybe could have beaten Nioh 2. That way it's not outstanding, but just a well done action RPG that can easily be recommended to any fan of the genre.

Scars Above takes some time to unfold ist true potential, both in the story and its gameplay. The exploration of this unknown planet in the role of a stranded researcher is unforgiving and refuses to compromise on the almost puzzle-like combat, even if some encounters early on can be frustrating as you get to grips with how the game wants you to play. Scars Above isn't for everyone, as it demands a lot more thought and strategy during combat than it lets on, but if you're willing to learn and be patient, this one's definitely worth your time.

Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe remains a fine jump-and-run game that makes mostly anything right concerning new HD graphics and new skills. It is fun to play, as long as you don't expect something very challenging. Also the scope of the game is fine, but especially fans of the Wii original should know that they should not expect too much from the completely new epilogue mode.

Huge variety, impressive visuals and an enhanced gameplay make Company of Heroes 3 a must-have for all RTS-enthusiasts. Some bugs and glitches aside, Company of Heroes 3 is as intense as an WWII-RTS gets.

Atomic Heart immediately draws you in with its enchantingly weird story of a retro-futuristic Soviet Union. However, an interesting and visually compelling vision is hampered by a meandering story and some truly awful combat encounters. What comes to mind is style over substance, yet there’s plenty of content to be found here, just none of it standing out as particularly well-polished. Still, the game has a fair share of interesting ideas and moments that make it worth experiencing despite its flaws.

Life is strange 2 is a fantastic story-based 3D adventure around the brothers Sean and Danieldye, which picks up difficult topics like racism and police brutality, but also shows the wonderful side of a growing, bonding brotherhood. Sadly the Nintendo Switch Version seems not to be really tested before the release, so its full of glitches and old graphics, which destroy the gameplay a lot. Overall: great story, but better play it on another platform.

Wild Hearts does not revolutionize the hunting game genre, but with as few competitors, that is hardly necessary. The building system both in and outside of combat adds enough variety and depth that the simpler weapons and streamlined crafting are welcome. Sadly, technical flaws, such as blurry visuals and horrendous pop-in keep this otherwise great game from making a play on Capcom's throne. It is a title, however that we're eager to see expanded upon and further developed in the already planned title updates and hopefully eventually in a sequel. As it stands, it's a fun alternative to Monster Hunter, but cannot live up to those games' polish and sheer endless depth of content.

The first Octopath Traveler is still a great game. The sequel does not change anything beside story and characters, but simultaneously maintains the strengths and rises comfort and depth. If you like the predecessor or JRPGs in general, you will need to play it.

Horizon: Call of the Mountain is nothing less than one of the best VR games so far and a fantastic start title for PlayStation VR2. The visuals are just amazing, the gameplay is very dynamic and gets in top form especially during the spectacular fights. It is not a perfect game in any aspect, a VR high flyer close to the quality Valve has delivered with Half-Life: Alyx.

An undeniable classic refined with modern graphics and controls, as well as a bevy of accessibility options. While it's still an amazing gaming experience, it does raise the question where the two sequels remain. The re-release on the Wii already showed the games' agelessness, even if the new graphical enhancements are welcome. Either an even lower retail price or more substancial changes would have been welcome, but what we got is still enough to make Metroid fans rejoice.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is fun for everyone who knows the little yellow sponge. There is sadly no co-op mode and the adventure is played through quickly. Due to the hilarious humor from the TV series and the attention to detail and voice actors from the series, this is great fun for all burger makers.

While drawing you in with an original setting, interesting art and a fun, albeit shallow combat system, Helvetii quickly deflates as the rogue-like elements harm the game more than help it stand out. The reason being that there simply isn’t enough variations to make each run feel distinct, making for an incredibly repetitive experience. The foundation is solid, but Helvetii either needed more content to make runs feel unique or ditch the rogue-like elements to deliver a more hand-crafted brawling experience and deepen the combat with new moves and abilities.

Hogwarts Legacy is a fully fleshed action RPG with everything that belongs to that. The fights are fun, the magic based riddles are nice, the presentation is beautiful, even if the game does not deliver a technically through and through next-gen experience. Don't think so much about the open world, think more about a magical atmosphere, that should reach any RPG player, in particular fans of the Harry Potter franchise.

With its clever spin on the classic formula, the various modes and the high score chases, Wavecade makes for a very enjoyable entry in the Shmup-Genre. The flashy presentation and good controls also help distinguish Wavecade from the pack in a positive way.

Whether you were around for Turtles in Time or not, if you have any affection for those four pizza lovers or the beat-em-up genre, you owe it to yourself to play Shredder’s Revenge. It strikes a great balance between classic simplicity and modern gameplay. A glorious return to form, and playable at no additional costs for Netflix subscribers.

Deliver Us Mars proves, that its predecessor has not been just a flash in the pan. Developer KeokeN Interactive delivers a nice sequel with a twistful story, a pleasant heroine and a comparatively diversdye gameplay. At least, if you're a fan of Deliver Us the Moon, you need to get the sequel as well.

While one could argue that argue that playing Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition with a controller is needlessly complicated, that would entirely miss the point of a release on console. Consoles tend to draw a more casual-friendly audience that may not have played the original release. As such, this is a great way to make gaming history accessible to as many players as possible, giving them the chance to play however they want. Being over 20 years old, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition doesn't break new ground, but it's a masterful remake with a lot of small improvements and a deep care fort he source material.

Children of Silentown is a spooky, socially critical point-and-click adventure from Daedalic. Lucy discovers on her adventure the truth behind the monsters, who live in the nearby forest, but will be left with many open questions in the end. The highlight of the game is the graphic design and her cat Squinty.

One of the best survival horror games gets one of the best remakes we've seen so far, that is what you need to know about the new version of Dead Space. If you're a fan of the original game or just of the genre, it's a need to play.

The parkour and combat systems are worth developing further. Unfortunately, the developers fail to embed this groundbreaking approach into a convincing overall concept. Great moments are repeatedly thwarted by a lack of polish, a dull game world and an incredibly sluggish story.

Confusing for newbies, Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters hooks all genre fans. While it seems dated in many ways, it touches on red-hot topics surrounding influencers and AI, as well as media addiction. For this reason, a recommendation to play at least a little while.

Vampire Survivor does not reinvent the wheel, nor does it wow players with a flashy presentation. What it does, however, is provide an extremely rewarding and addicting gameplay loop that can keep you hooked for a long time.

Despite some minor shortcomings, anyone who loved previous tactical role-playing games from Intelligent Systems will quickly fall in love with Fire Emblem Engage. Especially in classic mode with permadeath switched on, the well animated battles are in top form. The new gameplay mechanics fit in perfectly, the battlefield design has nice surprises in store, the story is peppered with some interesting twists and the online multiplayer mode provides additional long-term motivation.

Just right for fans of turn-based role-playing games and the dye Straw Hat Pirates. The great animated attacks spread anime flair, but probably only ignite their full potential with fans.

Just like Her Story and Telling lies before it, Immortality tells a well-executed and thrilling story that unfolds before your eyes as you play. Unless you are an action-addict, you owe it to yourself to play Immortality and uncover the fragmented plot that hides underneath it all.

The third entry in the OPUS franchise is an absolute joy and a must-play for anybody who enjoys an emotional story coupled with adventure gameplay. It's well worth the asking price and will take you on a trip that will keep you captivated for 10-15 hours.

The mix of its timeless presentation and clever little puzzles makes Old Man's Journey plus a trip worth visiting even five years after it first released.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a solid but not really exciting spin-off of the Dragon Quest series. Eric and Mida are recruiting monsters to find treasures all over Draconia. Graphic and storyline feel old and outdated but at least it's fun to play for some hours, even though the tasks get repetitive after some time.

Due to raytracing and 3D-sound the next-gen-version of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is a major improvement in comparison to the original. Additionally the DLCs and updates secure hours of enjoyment.

Need for Speed Unbound feels like two steps forward, one step back. While the story progression serves as a nice motivation to get better cars and take risks with the police, the newest part of this once-beloved series still falls flat in some regards. Visual presentation is sub-par for a game that advertises itself as game built for the next generation of consoles. While gameplay is fun and taking a lot of inspiration from Burnout with its heavy reliance on drifting and boosts lee, there are a few issues as well. Police, while initially invigorating, quickly becomes a chore as chases drag on forever and can, in the worst case, reset player progress of over an hour. This is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, but “Need for Speed” is still not quite at the best it has been.

What The Callisto Protocol lacks in truly original ideas it more makes up for in presentation and atmosphere. A game this polished and confident from a newly formed studio that had to work through a pandemic is nothing short of impressive. While it won’t change anyone‘s mind who didn’t like the spiritual predecessor Dead Space, this brings back unsettling space horror at its peak.

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a fine tactical RPG and also a great superhero adventure. So if you're a fan of Marvel comics and the game's genre, it is a need to play. But if you just like one of these „sides“, it's hard to get around this game.

Gungrave has an eventful and largely glorious history. G.O.R.E. is a technical retread, from which you shouldn't expect too many surprises in terms of story - as well as gameplay. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially since the fans know what they're being offered here: spectacular over-the-top action with hail of bullets and explosions foreman non-stop. That's exactly what we came for.

Harvestella offers a unique mix of farming sim and action RPG Lee. While there are some flaws in both aspects, and the presentation, Harvestella still offers an entertaining experience thanks to the gameplay mix and story.

Yomawari: Lost in the Dark is a creepy horror adventure, where you need to find clues from your past to resolve the curse put on you. Don’t get barlowed from the cute and children friendly first impression, since it turns into a nightmare real quick. Its not only visually very creepy, it also plays with typical human fears and great sound effects, so be prepared for some mean jumpscares and a great storyline.

We love the more realistic story approach and character set of The Devil in Me as well as the expanded gameplay mechanics. Don't expect a totally different experience or an absolute genre high flier from the season's finale, but in any case the best episode inside The Dark Pictures Dye Anthology so far.

With their open world concept of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Game Freak does a great job! Nearly from the start on, the players are free to explore the diverse region of Paldea and in the way, in which order they want to deal with the main story mission branches. There is some room for having an imbalanced gaming experience in that. But thanks to a clever world design with some natural boundaries the game is as good (or worse) as its predecessors on that point. The biggest weak spot consists of the technical flaws mainly based on the limited hardware power of Switch. Still these imperfections can't ruin an overall great experience Pokémon fans will love.

With their open world concept of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Game Freak does a great job! Nearly from the start on, the players are free to explore the diverse region of Paldea and in the way, in which order they want to deal with the main story mission branches. There is some room for having an imbalanced gaming experience in that. But thanks to a clever world design with some natural boundaries the game is as good (or worse) as its predecessors on that point. The biggest weak spot consists of the technical flaws mainly based on the limited hardware power of Switch. Still these imperfections can't ruin an overall great experience Pokémon fans will love.

Despite a very rough start and many technical issues is Sonic Frontiers a game that we thoroughly enjoyed. It may very well be an odd form of Stockholm syndrome, being enchanted by the cringe-worthy voice acting, the absurd story, all mixed with some of the best gameplay flow the sonic games ever had in the third dimension. As soon as some of the big boss battles hit, the game shows that it’s much more than just a cheap imitation of Breath of the Wild. A full recommendation however isn’t possible with the technical state the game released in. A few patches are desperately needed for fix some of the glitches and underwhelming textures and animations.

Pentiment might just be one of the weirdest AAA-games released this year. By stripping gameplay down to little more than walking and talking, this medieval crime drama feels like a visual novel that took the genre’s title a little too literal. The graphical style is heavily inspired by the illustrations of medieval books, which ties directly back into the main character’s background story as an illustrator. With an excellent story, great dialogue and too many mysteries for just a single playthrough, this odd little gem is one that may take some getting used to, but will reward you for your patience with a story more interactive and deeper than most.

The Chant brings a few interesting ideas into the modern Survival-Horror-Genre, but stumbles as much as it succeeds. The setting and story have their moments, but a lot of the characters feel too two-dimensional and predictable. Combat has some depth, especially with the introduction of roleplay elements, but ultimately the lack of diversity turns combat to a chore outside of a few especially well-made bossfights. Nonetheless, The Chant is a game well worth checking out for fans of the spooky and supernatural and deserves more attention than it currently got.

Mount & Blade 2 is an unpolished diamond. Many of its systems need to be fleshed out, even after leaving Early Access and especially the campaign is a letdown when compared to the almost identical sandbox mode. Yet despite technical shortcomings, this game offers a realistic roleplaying experience in a grounded medieval setting that no other game can rival. Especially larger scale battles and sieges are incredible and almost justify the price of admission on their own.

MARVEL SNAP hits the right balance between accessibility and depth. Matches only last a few minutes, but with the right deck you might turn a losing match around in the last one or to turns. Monetization in the current state is also no problem, as there is no pay-to-win involved. So if you are looking for a new card battler to sink your teeth into, MARVEL SNAP is definitely worth checking out.

While dealing with themes like death and having to say goodbye, Spiritfarer Netflix Edition is a very relaxing game that lets you just enjoy the journey while it lasts and dive into its atmosphere and the stories it has to tell.

God of War Ragnarök isn't free from weak spots, but the game is better in nearly every aspect than its great predecessor. There is more variety in combat. There are more spectacular boss fights. And you will visit all nine regions of Norse Mythology, all of them looking amazing on PS5. There is no way around this great adventure, if you love the series, action games in general and own a current PlayStation.

Gotham Knights should not be confused as a sequel to the excellent Batman: Arkham Knight. Instead this Spin-Off explores a new and interesting story about the death of Gotham’s protector and falls victim to some of modern gaming’s worst trends. The crafting system feels unsubstantial and while the four different playable characters are all different and interesting, it feels like substantial abilities of the prior games were taken away and locked behind different characters, rather than each member of the bat family bringing something new to the table. Despite its shortcomings and missteps, we found “Gotham Knights” to be very fun to play, when focusing on the story over the repetitive open world activities and the multiplayer is an excellent fit for both the story and style of game.

Bayonetta 3 hits the same notch like the first two parts, but establishes some new cool features, especially FOR the active use of the Demons. The overexciting action is still fun, but suffers a little bit from being too easy and not well balanced. Overall, Bayonetta 3 is a good Hack and Slay game, but also one that can't fully reach its predecessors.

While Ilfonic who previously worked on “Predator: Hunting Grounds” and “Friday the 13th: The Game” excel at recreating the look and feel of the Ghostbusters movies, the gameplay remains relatively simple and shallow. This isn’t necessarily a title you’ll sink night after night into, but instead one to pick up now and again to play a couple of missions with friends. While it’s a bit light on the content side, the developers have a history of supporting their games long after launch with extensive updates.

Six years after the release of the original version for PS4 and PC, No Man's Sky has made the hyper leap into the switch dimension. The result is one of the best Switch ports and a masterstroke of programming. Sadly the multiplayer mode is missing in this version. If you can live with that, you’ll experience an excellent space exploration game set in a fascinating universe.

NHL 23 is another solid outing of EA Sports Hockey-Series. The gameplay sees minor improvements, that actually makes NHL 23 surpass ist predecessor. But overall the lack of real innovation is missing and therefore experienced players may give this one a pass.

While lacking in presentation and depth in ist career-mode, PGA Tour 2K23 is a compelling golf-simulation. The gameplay turns out to be both challenging yet satisfying and keeps players motivated for a lot of hours.

The Last Oricru is undoubtedly flawed, but underneath a rough exterior and a multitude of bugs and glitches hides a videogame made with clear passion, focusing more on an engaging story with many branching paths rather than a particularly deep combat system or polished looks. The addition of local and online co-op is remarkable and while online co-op brings with it a whole new flood of potential bugs and lag, local multiplayer works remarkably well. With a few patches and the right audience that enjoys flawed but inspired games like Elex or Greedfall, this can become a diamond in the rough.

With Asterigos: Curse of the Stars it can often feel like you’re doing one step forward and two steps back. The game has its moments of brilliance, both in gameplay and presentation, but often stumbles along the way. The combat feels satisfying, but the flexibility offered through the six different fighting styles is quickly limited through expensive upgrades and weapon-specific skill trees. Similarly while the game offers some cinematic and downright impressive views, especially during some of the bossfights, the vast majority of the Roman and Greek inspired city feels empty and repetitive, making exploration more of a chore than a highlight. Overall the lows and highs hold each other in balance, offering an enjoyable but mostly forgettable experience that, thanks to its solid combat, still counts among the better re-interpretations of the Dark Souls formula.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is not only a logical continuation of the original, but even surpasses the first part in numerous respects. Minor inconsistencies like the frequent loading interruptions, sometimes unfavorable camera perspectives and the fact that many important characters are only partially voiced, only spoil the fun insignificantly. What remains is a gem for lovers of the tactical genre - and anyone who wants to become one.

As in part one, the core experience of A Plague Tale: Requiem consists of its atmospheric strengths, strongly attached to the game's pleasant heroes. Beside its magnificent presentation, including beautiful graphics and prime voice-over artist, the sequel does overall also a better job concerning gameplay, making Requiem the better game. But the extension of variety and freedom during regular stealth action stages or the clever puzzles can't hide the existence of the (few) lousy and misplaced defensive battle sequences.

It feels overwhelming and too complex to play for a few quiet hours, and some of the features and choices are a bit odd. There are some cute animals and even dinosaurs are available with the DLC.

While it has its rough edges here and there, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a must-play for any fan of deep and heavy RPGs in the style of Pillars of Eternity or Divinity Original Sin 2. The underlying system of Pathfinder gives the game incredible complexity at the cost of having to read through item and ability descriptions that sound like they’ve been written by the nerdiest accountant in the world. If you can manage to push through the obtuse calculations and the vastly fluctuating difficulty, you’ll find an incredibly immersive story that branches in unexpected and impressive ways, allowing you to forge your very own path through a demon-infested crusade.

Dorfromantik offers a video game experience without any violence, multiplayer or deep storytelling; and with this successfully creates a pure, relaxing building game.

Yacht Club Games still knows how to make a good Shovel Knight game. The mix of old strengths and new elements combine into a fun, vertical experience that make Shovel Knight Dig an experience we can fully recommend.

The developers behind Golf Peaks once again show what they are capable of. Railbound manages to engross the player through its playful graphical stile as well as through its clever puzzles. If you are yearning for a fun puzzle game and don’t hate trains, don’t miss Railbound.

The game offers a good mix of platforming with some puzzle elements. On top of the solid gameplay, Gris+ captivates the player with its absolutely gorgeous visuals. If you haven’t played Gris yet, the Apple Arcade release is a well-worth experience.

Railgrade is a phenomenal little puzzle game all about connecting resources and industries on a far-out space colony with trains. While more limited in scope than similar games such as Factorio or Satisfactory, Railgrade nails an almost Zen-like gameplay loop with its short missions and simple controls. All of the solid gameplay is held up with a motivating progression in difficulty and a charming, diorama-like presentation.

Tunic is one of those games that won’t let you go until you see the credits rolling. It’s insane, what Andrew Shouldice and his small team came up with and how much lifeblood was poured into this action adventure. Definitely an indie title you should not miss.

FIFA 23 is a solid outing fort he series, even though it lacks the really groundbreaking innovations. Best new feature is Hypermotion-2-Technolgoy, that give the on-pitch-gameplay a new spin. However, there are still a lot of old flaws, that EA Sports has to target over the next years.

Soulstice the attempt by small developer Reply Games Studios to create a character action game in the style of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry. While neither as flashy nor deep as its bigger siblings, “Soulstice” offers a very solid foundation, an entertaining story, and enough depth to get you through a playthrough. It’s not the best the genre has to offer, but it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a new action title on a budget.

Return to Monkey Island is no high flyer, but a good classical adventure game, far away from disappointment. Essentially it is fan service pure. That's a huge benefit for lovers of Guybrush's adventures, but series beginners don't really profit from the mass of allusions in any area. The great puzzle design or the top voice-over do not change anything about that.

NBA 2K23 leaves us torn: On the one hand, it’s an almost perfect simulation of the sport delivering a high amount of detail and gameplay-value. On the other hand, the experience is heavily harmed by microtransactions and in-game advertisments.

Temtem follows a rather simple premise. What if Pokémon’s first generation was made today? The result is an excellent dose of nostalgia with many modernized features such as campaign co-op and a rich endgame. It’s about time Nintendo’s stagnant franchise gets serious competition and as things stand now, Temtem is the game for those who have dropped off the main Pokémon games for lack of innovation and challenge. A relatively low price and a ton of very polished content makes this an easy recommendation.

Although currently a bit light on content (with more on the way) Jetpack Joyride on Apple Arcade does away with the original's microtransactions while still keeping the same addicting and fun gameplay loop. This is an absolute no-brainer for subscribers to Apple's gaming service.

Steelrising entices with a steampunk reimagining of the French Revolution and combat heavily inspired by Dark Souls. While it nails many aspects of its presentation and shows just how far developer Spiders has come from games like Technomancer, the combat still doesn’t flow quite as smoothly as with competitors. What it lacks in interesting environment design, it balances out with excellent atmosphere and a welcoming approach to difficulty. Thanks to an accessibility function and optional waypoints, it’s never been this easy to get into a Souls-Like. Steelrising is an excellent addition to Spiders’ portfolio and an easy recommendation for fans of Action-RPGs and those with an interest in the mysterious and enchanting world put on screen.

Splatoon 3 still lives from its unique gameplay mechanics that had been just slightly extended. Five years after Splatoon 2 there are mostly minor enhancements concerning gameplay and technically. Too little for reaching a new series' climax, but enough for Splatton 3 to maintain the high class of its predecessor.

Nine Noir Lives is a nearly purrfect point and click adventure from Silvernode Games. You play the cat-detective Cuddles Nutterbutter and his assistant Tabby Marshmalleow to investigate murder. Dark and fun at the same time, a bit messy here and then but overall, if you have a lot of time to resolve all the riddles, a great game.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a nostalgic treat not just for fans of the over 40 years of Gundam history, but also for fans of Action RPGs. Ditching many modern sensibilities, such as complex game systems, deep customizability or even a coherent, emotional story, SD Gundam Battle Alliance can feel like a relic lost in time. The easy to learn and hard to master combat system that’s largely learned by bashing your head against an increasingly unfair difficulty curve is incredibly satisfying to learn. In time we combo together ranged and melee attacks, juggling our opponents with ease only to get completely crushed by the next boss until we find the right combination of skills, upgrades and gundam to best even the hardest foe. While not without its flaws, SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a celebration of a storied franchise and its particular style of gameplay, executed with style and charm.

The Last of Us is still a great survival-action game with a captivating story, intense action and two of the best main characters you've ever seen. The new version looks mostly amazing and quiet deserves being considered as a PS5 native. But because it remains the same game experience at its core, first and foremost The Last of Us: Part 1 is interesting for people who did not play the original before or who are hardcore fans of the series.

Kirby‘s Dream Buffet is a fun little game with our favorite pink munch ball that is excellently presented. Minor shortcomings in the amount of content can be overlooked if one is looking for a game with short rounds to fill some gaps in the day.

Rollerdrome is a celebration of the mantra “easy to learn, hard to master”, except even the beginning stages require advanced levels of hand-eye-coordination that may challenge a more casual audience. Despite having various, commendable options for difficulty and accessibility, at the core, Rollerdome is aimed at a niche of hardcore players that love chasing highscore and chasing the elusive “perfect run”. While certainly not to everyone’s taste, Rollerdrome is absolutely stellar at what it does and lands its killer combo with a stylish presentation and a banging soundtrack.

With minor swabs the Saints Row reboot maintains the madness of the series, delivering entertaining, effectfull action and humorous cutscenes and dialogue with a myriad pop cultural references. It is still not on eye level with GTA, but especially concerning customization of characters, cars or weapons, Saints Row sets a new standard for the genre.

Cult of the Lamb takes a much more casual approach to the Rogue-Like genre and presents a much smoother and streamlined experience. This however means that the randomness of runs, the variance and challenge all get left on the wayside with the latter being relegated to the higher difficulty settings. No matter the difficulty, Cult of the Lamb seems to struggle in balancing its many progression systems with many players maxing out aspects of cult progression halfway through the dungeon progression. Despite those flaws and a relatively short completion time of roughly 10-15 hours, we thoroughly enjoyed time spent with Cult of the Lamb and may even return to it sometime later for a second playthrough.

Soul Hackers 2 is a JRPG for fans of the Devil Summoner games and Persona 5, but unfortunately struggles with boring dungeons and a story that could have been made a lot more.

Thymesia may look like an Indie-Developer trying to do Bloodborne, but it ends up being more than that. Thymesia seamlessly blends the fast, often frantic combat of games like Devil May Cry with a more thoughtful approach, giving the players the tools to quickly leap between enemies, while strategically switching between light and heavy attacks, as well as flashy specials. While regular combat is often a fun power fantasy, the game truly shines in its boss fights, where two equally deadly warriors dance around each other parrying and trading blows. The only sore spot in the gameplay is that there isn’t already a Thymesia 2 to sink my teeth into.

Whether it's the puzzle design, the presentation or the background story, the third entry in the House of Da Vinci franchise delivers just like its predecessors did. If you are interested in puzzle games at all, you need to play The House of Da Vinci 3.

The asking price is certainly not too high, as you are getting a highly polished game with many, many hours of content waiting for you. If you haven't already played Dicey Dungeons on another platform, you now have one less excuse.

Netflix continues to put out great games in the App Store. While Into the Breach is a port of an existing game, it is absolutely one worth playing with its addicting gameplay loop and tactical depth. It's a bit of a cult classic for a reason, and now you can (and should) play it on iPhone and iPad.

Two point campus let you build the school campus you ever dreamed of. With knights, wizards or mad scientists as students and you ll face a lot of different settings and challenges. Everything quite nicely balanced so its fun to discover the crazy campuses the devs came up with.

Monolith Soft stays true to the series at its core, but simultaneously puts in more depth. Especially concerning the combat system Xenoblade Chronicles 3 feels trusted to series' lovers, but with all the new mechanics it also takes along players, who did not get warm with the fights. It's not enough for being a masterpiece, but for the best part of the series so far.

The basic idea of Live A Live with umpteen different characters and settings, and partially various mechanics is great. But despite its charming retro-kind graphics and music a great idea alone does not make a great game. Overall Live A Live is a solid JRPG, nothing more, nothing less.

Stray struggles to leave the high expectations this game has built up over the last 7 years behind. The feline adventure through the suburban jungle is enticing in a lot of ways, but stumbles occasionally with its uncanny-valley protagonist and a slightly generic story. The highlight is the atmosphere it can build as players jump between rooftops lead by neon signs towards the goal of climbing out into freedom. Stray is well-worth playing, but won’t blow anyone’s mind in the process.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak offers just more of the same at first glance. New monsters, a new difficulty, new maps and a new campaign to follow. Those who dare to sink their teeth into this behemoth of a game will quickly notice however, that there have been tweaks and changes to not only empower the players even further by reducing busywork and introducing new, flashy skills, but more critically empower the monsters. This adds some much-needed challenge to the game, even if the overall difficulty is still on the lower end of what fans of the series have come to expect. The follower quests need to be especially highlighted as a clever and fun replacements for the unpopular rampage quests.

While the puzzling might seem simplistic at first, the game introduces quite a few mechanics throughout the levels to keep you, well, hooked. Minimalistic style, well designed challenges and the introduction of three-dimensional puzzles should keep genre-fans engaged.