Dragonkin: The Banished is a refreshing indie ARPG that succeeds by prioritizing systemic depth over visual spectacle. While many AA titles struggle against giants like Diablo, Eko Software focuses on mechanical innovation and unique design. The Ancestral Grid is the standout feature, transforming skill customization into a logic puzzle. By requiring precise management of "Keywords" and spatial placement, it offers a level of build-crafting depth usually reserved for complex PC titles. This is complemented by Montescail, a shared city-building hub that gives dragon hunts a tangible sense of progression and purpose. Technically, the game runs smoothly on Xbox Series X via Unreal Engine 5. However, the "Grim Dark" aesthetic feels somewhat derivative, and the linear level design—largely combat corridors—might disappoint those seeking exploration. Fortunately, the robust endgame of customizable Chaos Hunts and Draconic armor farming ensures significant longevity for dedicated players. For those valuing innovation and character optimization over AAA polish, this is a rewarding, methodical experience. It proves that in the world of Action RPGs, solid architecture is often more impactful than a massive budget.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a good turn-based JRPG that, in terms of content, feels like a true encyclopedia of our favorite digital monsters. With a bit more polish, it could have been a top-quality title, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that—especially if you’re a fan of the brand—you can still enjoy a pleasant adventure, perhaps overlooking some technical issues and a lack of variety in the dungeons. Featuring an impressive amount of content and an engaging gameplay system (though not without its flaws), Digimon Story: Time Stranger is highly recommended for those who hold Digimon close to their hearts, while it may lose appeal for other gamers—not so much because of its tie to a specific franchise, but rather due to some undeniable shortcomings that, while not ruining the experience, do clip its wings. A decent role-playing game that relies more on quantity than quality.

Dune: Awakening is not for everyone, and that’s a strength. It demands patience, attention, and a willingness to embrace some rough edges. But for those who connect with its rhythm, it delivers a deeply atmospheric and mechanically sound experience. There’s room for improvement, sure, but the game already offers a distinctive take on survival MMO design — one that respects the source material and dares to slow things down, even when most others are rushing ahead.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond may not reinvent the formula or challenge the legacy of the original and Echoes, but it delivers an excellent adventure that every Switch and Switch 2 owner should experience. Retro Studios proves the series still has plenty to offer in 2025, with refined gameplay, strong atmosphere, and smart evolution of the classic Prime structure. Some narrative shortcomings and a few rough edges hold it back from absolute greatness, but they never undermine a first-rate journey that’s engaging from start to finish. Here’s hoping we won’t have to wait another era for the next chapter.

If you loved the first installment and don’t mind roguelikes, Lost in Random: The Eternal Die offers a fresh perspective on this intriguing game universe, perhaps less inspired, but still full of charm and plenty of content to explore. Others might struggle with its approach, which is quite a departure from the original, and there are certainly better alternatives within the genre. However, don’t overlook it if you’re looking for a solid action-RPG that’s not overly long but packed with character.

Paradoxically, this Remastered version of Days Gone seems more aimed at die-hard fans of the original than at newcomers. Bend Studio’s work once again falls into the same mistakes of the past, placing greater emphasis and polish on what are essentially secondary aspects of a game that almost seems to hide its best qualities beneath an imposing, yet fragile, exterior. There are technical improvements—lighting above all—but some are barely noticeable or simply not enough to truly capture the attention of more discerning players.

EA SPORTS FC 26 takes several steps forward, resulting in an enhanced gameplay experience. The two gameplay styles, Realistic and Competitive, manage to offer players a choice that can meet the needs of different audiences. However, it would have been interesting to allow all Realistic gameplay fans to play in competitive online modes, facing (naturally) only those who use the same gameplay style. That said, the improvements are clear and noticeable—goalkeepers above all—but in general progress has been made in almost every aspect, even if some rebounds during tackles leave something to be desired, and the overwhelming technical superiority of certain players still persists, with the risk of facing opponents who secure victories by endlessly spamming tricks. Aside from that, EA SPORTS FC 26 is a title with a simply boundless amount of content, and it surely has something to offer every football enthusiast—whether it’s for those who can’t resist the temptation of opening packs, those who are satisfied with a quick match every now and then, or those who dream of building their own career as a player or manager. Yes, we are certain that as the months go by, some issues will inevitably arise, but expecting everything to run smoothly in such a vast and ever-evolving title is far from realistic. For now, we step onto the pitch and enjoy EA SPORTS FC 26, thanks to the growth path the development team is taking more and more seriously, year after year.

As precise as a flying lap from Marc Marquez, MotoGP 25 hits the track right on schedule, ready to excite motorcycle racing enthusiasts and faithfully recreate the world championship experience. While the foundation remains familiar, noticeable improvements have been made, particularly in the handling of Moto3 and Moto2 bikes, along with a refined visual presentation thanks to Unreal Engine 5 and a series of minor new features.The AI performs reliably, and the management of race penalties is accurate and timely, with MotoGP 25 taking another step forward without disrupting the strong groundwork laid by its predecessors.Some flaws persist, however: replays remain limited, now allowing viewers to watch only about ten laps, an even greater restriction compared to last year. Additionally, the inability to customize the use of rewinds remains an issue, and on PlayStation 5, the use of adaptive triggers feels less immersive than before.It remains to be seen whether future patches might address these shortcomings and rebalance rider performance to further enhance the experience — potentially raising the overall score by half a point. Nonetheless, MotoGP 25 confirms itself as a consistently engaging and high-quality title.

Radiolight, although it doesn't present any technical problems, places us in a scenario that is perhaps a little lacking in detail, where the presence of more points of interest, such as buildings or other shelters, might have been more functional. However, it must be considered that the adventure takes place in a National Park, so one couldn't expect any real miracles in this respect.

People of Note presents itself to the public within a genre that, lately, has been receiving a lot of positive attention. The work published by Annapurna is truly ingenious: a musical RPG that places music at the center in all its forms—from rap to country to pop—while still delivering a combat system that turns out to be stronger than expected. Of course, there are some limitations in this production, mainly due to the lack of side activities that could expand the brilliant world of Note, not to mention the rather limited variety of enemies across the different areas. For everything else, the time spent in the company of Cadence and her friends was enjoyable, featuring a cast of iconic characters and a story that is well told in its simplicity. If you enjoy turn-based role-playing games, then People of Note might be a title worth seriously considering—especially with its rather appealing launch price (€23.99 on PC and consoles). Ready for your best musical performance?

Tomodachi Life does offer a dreamlike life, but for now it will mainly appeal to those who enjoy meticulously customizing every detail of their characters and have someone nearby to share their creations with. The base package is hilarious, yet somewhat lacking, and it runs out of steam fairly quickly. As a result, it’s hard to wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone, although there are plenty of interesting possibilities should future updates expand the experience. Still, if cozy vibes and pure nonsense are your thing, the Mii will welcome you to their island with open arms. In their own peculiar way.

Despite its isometric perspective and slower pace, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream stands out thanks to a strong narrative foundation, excellent voice acting, and clever stealth mechanics rooted in environmental design. While some visual segments feel less polished than others, the overall artistic consistency and smart level construction keep the experience engaging. It's a thoughtful, well-crafted stealth adventure that avoids overpromising, offering a grounded and emotionally resonant story through a carefully paced journey. Not perfect, but definitely one of the most intriguing indie titles in its genre.

Tormented Souls 2 is a solid evolution of classic survival horror, and of the first game. It successfully refines the formula with genius puzzle design, creating a demanding and atmospheric experience that fans of the original Resident Evil and Silent Hill will cherish.

Staying fresh and relevant is no easy feat—even for a giant like Civilization. The seventh entry in the legendary series, born from the visionary mind of Sid Meier, reshuffles the deck of its historic gameplay, presenting itself as a well-crafted, engaging title, albeit in a more streamlined form. Some hallmark features of past Civ games disappear, new ones emerge, and others are reimagined. Yet, Civilization VII remains a high-quality strategy experience, highly recommended for fans of the genre—though certain elements could have been refined further. It may not be an undisputed masterpiece, but it is undoubtedly a deep and rewarding game, challenging players across a journey as vast as human history itself. The question may be: is Civilization VIII better or worse than its predecessors?The question is irrelevant, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII is simply different and offers a fresh take on one of gaming’s most beloved franchises.

Project Songbird is a title that collapses under the weight of its own ambitions. While it bravely tackles mature themes like creative block and depression, the narrative is ultimately derailed by intrusive authorial narcissism. The gameplay fares no better, suffering from a disjointed mix of superfluous combat, poorly executed stealth mechanics, and frustrating inventory bugs. Despite an excellent soundtrack and stellar voice acting that perfectly capture the protagonist's musical soul, these technical merits aren't enough to save an overall derivative experience. It is a bitter disappointment for a game with such sadly wasted potential.

WWE 2K26 is an impressive game that captures the magic of WWE. It's three games in one, maybe even four, each with remarkable depth and each enriched with a host of new features in this edition. There's always room for improvement, but this is one of the highest peaks in the series.

Where Arceus dared, Z-A retreats, offering an experience that neither innovates, excites, nor engages. The return of Mega Evolutions, while interesting, isn’t enough to save a game that feels built with minimal effort for maximum commercial gain. The “Legends” series thus loses its original meaning, and Z-A stands as a symbol of a creative crisis that Game Freak doesn’t yet seem ready to confront. For those curious about the new battle system and the thrill of catching Pokémon — which still manages to inspire some excitement — there’s something here for you too.

A quarter of a century may have passed, but Age of Empires II remains as sharp as ever. The Definitive Edition, in particular, offers a staggering wealth of content, capable of engaging players for countless hours across both single-player and multiplayer modes. Its successful debut on Xbox had already demonstrated the quality of the console adaptation and the surprisingly intuitive controller support—an experience that is now seamlessly replicated on PlayStation 5. From a technical perspective, the passage of time is still evident despite the graphical overhaul, with minor issues in menu navigation and pathfinding. Yet, the game continues to stand as a deep, challenging, and richly layered RTS, one that defies the years and still has the power to turn players into fearless, shrewd commanders.

Elden Ring: Nightreign proves to be an excellent expansion that further enriches the already vast and deep universe created by FromSoftware. With dark and evocative settings, challenging new trials, and consistently inspired design, it keeps tension and wonder high throughout the entire adventure. A few technical hiccups and an occasionally punishing difficulty level do little to detract from an overall extraordinary experience. A must for every Tarnished in search of glory (and pain).

Kena: Bridge of Spirits on Switch 2 positions itself halfway between the PS4 edition and the PS5, PC, and Xbox versions, once again proving to be one of the most successful “AA” titles of recent years. Refined in many of its elements, Kena: Bridge of Spirits arrives on Nintendo’s hybrid console complete with DLC and performs well both on TV and in handheld mode, taking full advantage of the system’s new hardware. Atmosphere, art direction, and well-crafted (though not perfect) gameplay remain the strong points of a title that deserves to be played—or replayed—while waiting for Kena: Scars of Kosmora, the next chapter in the saga. For those who have always owned Nintendo consoles, this is a great opportunity to experience a solid action game with a narrative tone reminiscent of Pixar, which, even in this new version, can offer plenty of satisfaction.

Starfield arrives on PlayStation in the most massive way possible. It’s not without (initial) issues, but you can already enjoy over a hundred hours of adventure. The original formula was already rich; now you can experience all the journeys across the galaxy, keeping in mind that Bethesda will surely serve up more particularly tasty additions for all the space pirates who want to embark on an epic voyage.

Visually stunning and emotionally resonant in places, largely due to its superb sound design, The Midnight Walk ultimately falters with overly simplistic and permissive mechanics. This makes the gameplay feel disconnected from the depicted world's inherent brutality.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is exactly what we were expecting: a perfect port of the original Nintendo Wii game, now enhanced with levels from the 3DS version and improved graphics.Of course, there could have been additional worlds and something more could have done with the graphics, but Nintendo decided to not make the extra effort.If you’ve never played it before, this is a fantastic opportunity to experience an iconic platformer that continues to stand the test of time.

Higher resolution, 60fps, and significantly reduced loading times are strong incentives to purchase this Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. The cheap upgrade price will surely appeal to fans of Monolith Soft’s JRPG, as it remains one of the few Nintendo productions that truly leans on presentation. However, keep in mind that neither the upscaling nor the performance feels truly “definitive,” as one might expect from a title originally released 11 years ago on the Wii U. Xenoblade Chronicles X is still a gem, and seeing it pushed beyond its original technical limits is priceless, save for the cost of admission, which in turn compels us to demand proper standards. While waiting for potential updates, it’s an easy recommendation for docked play; otherwise, a bit more consideration is advised.

The Necromancer’s Tale is a rare narrative RPG that trades power fantasies for vulnerability and consequence. It’s a haunting, cerebral experience that rewards introspection over optimization, where character growth is shaped by pain, memory, and unspoken choices. If you’re drawn to the gothic melancholy of Disco Elysium, the occult undercurrents of The Pale Blue Eye, or the narrative tension of Sunless Sea, this might just cast the right spell on you.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is the kind of action game that surprises you, even after an already impressive first chapter. The storytelling is beautiful, albeit simple, and the combat system is effective for an indie title that has already captured the hearts of many.

New Super Lucky's Tale arrives on PlayStation 5 in the best form ever seen on the console: a graphical and performance upgrade only, without adding anything new to the formula or additional content such as levels or mini-games. The game now reaches 4K resolution and 120 fps, as well as implementing the DualSense haptic feedback, though it isn't always used to its full potential. As for the gameplay, we're faced with a platformer with a decent amount of variety, alternating between 3D levels and 2D scrolling ones, not to mention that little bit of exploration that never hurts. The difficulty isn't particularly high, but perhaps in this case that could be a good thing: New Super Lucky's Tale focuses on fun and the desire to rediscover a genre for all ages. After all, who said a video game should only be a challenge against yourself?

Hell Is Us is a brave gaming experience that chooses to speak through silence, symbols and pain rather than dialogues or conventions. It’s not a game for everyone, but it’s a title that dares to be different, and in a landscape saturated with repetitive formulas, this is already a victory. The absence of on-screen indicators, the disturbing aesthetics, and the blend of emotional combat with environmental storytelling make it a disturbing, alienating journey, yet deeply captivating. Those looking for a classic action game might feel disoriented. But for those willing to lose themselves in a world that reflects the cracks of humanity, Hell Is Us is a hell worth crossing.