In essence, Extraction lacks excitement. More often than not it is a glorified zombie mod that would feel more at home in Siege. On the other hand, it seems somewhat of an odd experiment whose existence is difficult to justify. The result is an experience lacking in content which to newcomers might still end up feeling hostile while at the same time alienating veterans of the franchise.

Although it doesn't deliver a full-fledged "next-gen" experience, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl brings back the familiar charm and quality of a survival looter-shooter, taking a long victory lap to the delight of franchise and genre fans alike.

Three legendary Crysis games for the price of one! With a little tweaking and some new effects, most of the games in this collection are still very playable today.

NHL 26 doesn’t reinvent the formula, but for longtime fans of hockey or the franchise, it’s more than satisfying. Just be warned - if you’re new to this world, the game won’t be very welcoming at first, and the real fun only begins once you fully get the hang of it.

Double Exposure brings a nostalgic return to the world of Life is Strange, but lacks the depth and emotional connection that made the original so special.

Ilusion Island brings some unconvincing and lukewarm modern mix of indie platformer and Metroidvania where things are often so simple that you get the impression that the very existence of this title is forced. Mickey and friends had much better platformer adventures 30 years ago.

Set aboard a familiar alien-infested spaceship setting, this solid branching adventure from Supermassive Games captures the atmosphere and tension of the very best moments from the cult horror classic Alien.

Worldslayer is such an integral part of Outriders that its almost unthinkable to play this game without it. The endgame content that has been overhauled is complex and rich enough to keep most of the players invested for a long time.

The management simulation of a laundromat that is slowly turning into an arcade center is a great homage to some earlier times that, like a dream, mix and match two different decades and several generations of arcades and even consoles into one trippy mix.

When everything is considered, we have a very nice mix of ideas of roguelite and tower defense genres, with beautiful graphics and atmosphere, but with a rather mediocre realization.

A great tribute to the legendary Nintendo competitions, showing us that classic NES games are still very playable and fun, even in the format of short speedrun challenges. With a large number of games and various offline and online modes, this edition offers more fun than you might expect.

Choose your favorite slayer, pick up the closest bat, and start making aesthetic beautification of zombies that awaits you in HELL-A. The fun of killing zombies just got resurrected with Dead Island 2.

Another Code: Recollection is a light adventure with a fantastic atmosphere and an interesting story that will immerse you into its world much better than the original games. Very easy puzzles make the challenge almost non-existent here, but due to the overall quality of the story and experience, it's hard to say much negative about this unique title.

Sonic Superstars does a lot of things right, the speed is there, the momentum and physics from the classic 2D games are recreated almost flawlessly, but uneven overall quality and a couple of unclear solutions prevent this title from being much more than another half done nostalgia fest.

For fans, this will be a good pastime while waiting for the new chapter of the manga or if they haven't recently thrown a steamroller at their opponent while shouting WRYYYYYYY.

Although Mario's return to the soccer field does not reinvent the wheel... or should we say soccer ball, there are no auto-goals this time, so we have another fantastic Switch title in the row.

Mafia escapades in Sicily feel fresh and entertaining, yet they serve as a reminder that a linear film and an interactive game are two very different experiences. The strong narrative focus and the deliberate choice to avoid open-world trends are commendable, but sadly, the limited freedom and lack of side content hold it back from reaching true greatness.

I can imagine countless real-life situations where the skills acquired in this game would really help or at least make your life easier. Your brain is at stake here - you carry it everywhere you go (I guess) and use it every day! In the end, I can only applaud Nintendo again for managing to make something creative and fun from the simplest ideas, and in this case, actually useful.

So turn on your Polaroid camera, prepare your gray matter for tones of multi layer puzzles and embark on this amazing horror adventure in which our Luca tries to find out is he really possessed by some demonic forces or is this all just a bad dream.

Although it has good ideas, Dragon Quest Treasures is an average game. When you take out the generic combat and stale treasure hunting, you're left with just the beloved Dragon Quest universe.

Even if you're not a fan of the retro film series, RoboCop: Rogue City is still worth your time due to its excellent gameplay and compelling plot, despite its lesser production qualities.

In a sea of big sharks, Rematch is a small but stubborn fighter - impressive enough for some players to appreciate its strengths, while others may feel its shortcomings were avoidable. It brings a fresh contender to the multiplayer arena, just not one powerful enough to trigger any real tectonic shifts.

Nintendo Switch Sports is trying to take us back to the Wii era of simple fun with motion controls and it does that surprisingly well, the only problem is that the new version lacks content and innovation so it seems like the potential of this return is not fully realised, at least for now.

Toxic Commando delivers chaotic co-op fun and explosive action, but shallow progression and a repetitive structure hold it back. A solid shooter for short sessions with friends, though not one that will leave a lasting impression.

With a good combat model and outdated visuals, Stranger of Paradise is a mixed bag of a title that has a lot of fun gameplay. If you want to see what the predecessor of NIOH would look like - this game is definitely for you.

Romeo is a Deadman is chaotic, unpredictable, pure creative madness that won’t appeal to everyone, but those willing to embrace it will find one of the most original gaming experiences of the year, despite its technical flaws.

A delightful retro compilation featuring beloved 2D racers from the 16-bit era, retaining their timeless charm and providing surprisingly enjoyable gameplay even in their largely unaltered forms.

Robocop Rogue City: Unfinished Business is an almost ideal shooter, where our beloved powerhouse Robocop dishes out justice across a crime-ridden tower it won’t take the smile off your face for a single moment.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet bring a lot of innovation to the mega-popular series of collecting and battling lovable pocket monsters, but all those great new ideas are undone by the game's criminally poor performance and bugs.

Apart from the truly beautiful graphics and phenomenally designed environment that is a real feast for the eyes, Frontiers of Pandora has little to offer that has not already been seen in many other Ubisoft releases, unless you are particularly fond of the world of "Avatar".

The Smurfs: Dreams isn’t horrible but it’s not brilliant either. From start to finish this was an OK experience that we breezed through and are forgetting about even as we write this. As much as we love the Smurfs, they are definitely more fun when they’re awake.

Rebirth of Souls is a solid step in the right direction for bringing Bleach back into the world of anime games. While it features some repetitive elements and introduces slightly different mechanics, it still manages to deliver hours of fun that fans are sure to enjoy.

If you enjoy FMV games and miss the PC period when only such releases were around, this is the game for you.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet bring a lot of innovation to the mega-popular series of collecting and battling lovable pocket monsters, but all those great new ideas are undone by the game's criminally poor performance and bugs.

Sand Land successfully conveys Toriyama's vision in an interactive format, offering players a unique adventure full of action, strategy, and personalization. If you're a fan of oversized vehicles and RPG systems with occasional platforming elements, this game will be a great fun for the upcoming hot summer days.

Reunion finally gives fans what they’ve been asking for - a return of Max and Chloe in a form that captures the very essence of the series. It’s rare for a final chapter to correct past missteps and deliver a satisfying conclusion to a story we’ve followed for over a decade, which makes Reunion essential for all fans, even those turned away by Double Exposure. It may not be perfect, but it’s effective and emotional enough to remind us why we fell in love with Life is Strange in the first place.

Super Meatboy 3D is a game that truly deserves to be the follow-up to the legendary original. With its new 3D approach, it delivers plenty of fresh challenges while retaining the familiar, frustrating difficulty that will keep drawing you back.

Ravenswatch is a visually impressive roguelike with an interesting concept, but it suffers from balance and repetitiveness issues. If you plan to play alone, expect a tougher challenge and possible frustration. On the other hand, in the co-op mode, the game comes to the fore and provides real enjoyment.

Another Assassin's Creed quality fix for insatiable fans of Ubisoft's content-bloated games, but this time with additional magical powers. It is indeed the best expansion for Valhalla so far, but basically still one big deja vu.

Little Nightmares 3 is a hauntingly beautiful adventure that pulls you deep into a world shaped by fear. The co-op mode is a true masterpiece and an absolute joy to play. While the core formula could use a bit more innovation, we’re confident the next installment will take that final step forward.

Blades of Fire brings a fresh combat system and addictive weapon crafting, but its unconvincing story and poorly designed levels with excessive backtracking wear players down. At 60 hours, it's far too long for what it offers, with technical issues adding to the frustration—but its colorful visual style and engaging combat might still appeal to Action RPG fans.

NHL 24, like most sports games in recent years, continues to stagnate without any significant improvement. While attempting to introduce minimal changes and simultaneously ignoring what players actually want is the main reason why it fails once again to fulfill its potential.

Actraiser Renaissance remains true to the cult original with plenty of novelties that do not disturb the essence of this strange title from the very beginning of a completely crazy story called Quintet studio.

Lords of the Fallen may not be a game that will reinvent the wheel, but it is definitely a great Soulslike title that any fan of the genre will appreciate. Aside from minor flaws related to poor mapping and other easily fixable blemishes, this game still gets a high rating and our warm recommendation.

Sonic Frontiers is a strange experiment that somehow worked, the mix of open world game mechanics with 3D Sonic gameplay worked out unexpectedly well, with just a little more polish on this idea SEGA could possibly have something really special here.

LEGO Horizon Adventures offers a fresh take with a visually impressive world built from LEGO bricks and a fun parody of the Horizon story, though it leaves you wishing for more meaningful content and a stronger connection to the original games.

When the legendary authors of the classic arcade games completely ignore reality for the sake of crazy, over the top entertainment, we get something really extraordinary.

Martha is Dead is primarily a game for slow burner horror / thriller fans, as well as for people who have the will and strength to take a deeper look from a psychological perspective, while ignoring boring and tedious moments which can occur quite frequently.

Start your mowers, start aggressively into the battle with the overgrown grass (but not too aggressively in order as not to damage the engine) and show the world that you have mastered another absurd game.

Beautiful scenery and solid combat, but a ‘meh’ story - Claws of Awaji is a decent expansion that feels more like a gap-filler than a lasting impression.

Fitness Boxing 3 is a solid improvement over its predecessor, perfect for those seeking a fun and accessible way to stay active at home while maybe learning a bit about boxing. Just don’t challenge real boxers to a match.

Scorn is an esoteric journey / roller coaster. While its raising the atmosphere with great artistic direction and amazing sound, it slows down to a halt with clunky shooting mechanics and repetitive puzzles. Still – great job Ebb Software.

Code Vein 2 isn’t a bad game — and that’s exactly its biggest problem. It’s average where it could have been good, and disappointing where it needed to surpass its predecessor. It fails to meaningfully improve its core systems, doesn’t strengthen the series’ identity, and in some areas even takes clear steps backward.

Fans definitely expected more from these remasters, while someone who hasn’t gone through these stories before will probably still be able to see what’s great about them - despite the changes the remasters have brought. Without a doubt, the original season of Life is Strange and even Before the Storm prequel, are great adventures, but should be experienced in their original form that is still available.

Atomic Heart is a terrific game with minor shortcomings thanks to its strong narrative components, quick gunplay, and special abilities. It is not a Bioshock clone; it has its own pace, characters, and stunning artistic design, and it deserves all of the attention it can receive.

In video games, there are two kinds of sequels: those that play it safe, and those that go completely off the rails. High on Life 2 firmly belongs to the latter. As the follow-up to one of the strangest FPS titles in recent years, it feels like a deliberately chaotic shooter that makes you wonder what kind of substances were in play during the writing process.

Beneath the new engine and slightly enhanced graphics lies the same game from 2015, with all its strengths and weaknesses remaining largely unchanged. As a horror slasher, Until Dawn is solidly average, and as an interactive cinematic adventure, it still offers a decent experience—but nothing more than that.

As the debut title from a new studio and the long-awaited revival of boxing in the sports gaming genre, Undisputed exceeds expectations. With solid gameplay and a strong selection of modes, it’s sure to please boxing fans, especially given the limited options available in this generation.

Company of Heroes 3: Console Edition brings the glory of the real-time strategy genre to the consoles in a spectacular way. Featuring two different campaigns and a freshened-up design, it will give you hours of good fun sitting in front of your big screen.

Terminator 2D: No Fate is a modern retro title that truly understands the essence of classic 2D action games, delivering pure, fast, and addictive fun without any unnecessary padding.

The final title in the first season of this anthology is a mediocre experience worth trying, but one you'll probably only feel the need to go through once.

Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a wonderful treat for fans of the Star Ocean series and JRPGs in general. Players will enjoyably spend tens to hundreds of hours exploring everything this game has to offer.

When taken as a whole, Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is a true revival of the legendary space pirate—sure to captivate fans of this old-school anime - yet it also serves as a reminder that we need a few more games to fully experience the world of Cobra.

Even if this game is at first glance a Dead Space clone, Callisto Protocol manages to differentiate from its predecessor gracefully. Unfortunately some annoying design choices, repetitiveness and technical difficulties are preventing it from taking the throne of the genre.

When we consider what it means to be a good Metroidvania, Somber Echoes definitely fits the bill, but doesn’t do anything to really stand out. Even though the game doesn’t do anything bad, it also doesn’t do anything good that we haven’t already seen in other games. At the end of the day, this is just another decent Metroidvania, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Solid competitor to Nintendo's title but unlike the game from the japanese publisher Rabbids has a story that's fun enough to hold your attention. Unfortunately an experience that will be quickly forgotten.

All in all, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Remastered remains the same beloved platformer - it won’t redefine the genre, but it’s a delightful retro return for longtime fans and a charming piece of gaming history for newcomers.

The Occultist delivers a great atmosphere, a strong sense of mystery, and an excellent premise, but repetitive design and dull enemies keep it from becoming a true horror classic.

The emotional premise and nostalgic aesthetic aren’t enough to make up for the weak narrative resolution, poor optimization, and virtually nonexistent gameplay progression.

What Gearbox did well, it now does even better, but it's more than obvious that they still don't feel at home within the "Telltale" framework.

Good basketball and paywalls don't mix well but overall this game is a better experience than last year's edition.

Football Manager 26 attempts to combine the series’ classic philosophy with new ideas and features, but it still carries over old issues while introducing new ones. It remains an enjoyable management game, though far from the masterpieces of some previous entries in the series.

We recommend Killing Floor 3 to those who want a quick dose of bloody chaos with friends, but not to those who expect deep and lasting content.

Though it may look and feel like an amateur project in terms of visuals and content, Rally Arcade Classics manages to strike the perfect balance between simulation and arcade fun - something only true genre veterans will fully appreciate.

A remaster of a nostalgic special game from the old GameCube days, it brings nothing special to the table other than the chance to play this classic on modern systems with limited upgrades and a slew of issues that ruin the retro experience.

Shadow Labyrinth is a dark metroidvania where Pac-Man eats your enemies and your nerves, but for some reason, you cannot stop playing.

We’ve had a lot of great JRPGs this year, but this isn’t one of them. Unless you’re a fan of Fairy Tail, there are very few reasons why you’d want to play this game. The battles are generic, the game expects you to know the plot and it often seems like the game just wants you to be done with it and move on.

Exoprimal is a game that had unprecedented potential to be multiplayer entertainment for millions of mecha and dinosaur fans, and yet we got a pale unoriginal copy of typical competitive shooters.

For a remastered game which doesn't offer anything authentic by today's standards, ridden with bugs, framerate drops and repetitive missions, potentially you will have couple of hours of fun with Reprobed, until you find some other ways of entertainment.

We can only recommend the game to extreme fans of the Batman/Gotham universe as well as people who have this as their first PlayStation 5 game because once you start any other game and see 60fps with good controls, Gotham Knights will be instantly forgotten.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a horror masterpiece that contains the original recipe of this genre - tension, creepy atmosphere and excellent stealth mechanics. If you've ever wondered what it's like to live in the world that fell silent from the movie series of the same name, this game will give you an excellent impression of the eerie everyday life of survival.

Crash Team Rumble is a refreshing team-based platforming adventure that will give you hours of casual fun, especially if you play it with friends.

NBA Bounce tries to bring a fresh rhythm to the world of basketball, but it struggles to maintain the pace and quickly ends up tripping over its own steps. Colorful, fast, and charming - it will easily win over younger players, but it will feel too shallow for anyone seeking a more serious challenge and deeper content.

Realms of Ruin is a basic RTS with a great dose of refreshing visuals. This game has deserved more attention from the developers and it desperately needs more tactical options in its core mechanics. Setting is great, music too but somehow it feels lacking in every other aspect.

NHL 25 is yet another addition to the series that feels familiar. While it serves as a relatively complete simulation of the popular sport of ice hockey, this title fails to introduce anything new or address the longstanding issues that have plagued the franchise for quite some time.

All things considered, Yasha is an anime roguelite that doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the table with each new playthrough. What you're left with is a one-time burst of fun that might at least give your fingers a workout as you try to make every battle look as flashy and cool as possible.

If co-op is your comfort zone and you’ve got a well-oiled crew beside you, this year’s campaign will fit you like a glove. But if you’re going in solo, expect a few too many roadblocks - which is a real shame, because these 11 levels are bursting with creativity and some downright wild moments, even by Black Ops standards.

Detective Pikachu brings an intriguing story that will appeal to the fans of detective games, but also a considerably simpler gameplay than its predecessor so that younger players and possibly Pokemon diehards will get the most fun out of it.

New smurfing in video game form brings quite a solid platform action ideal for younger players who will not be bothered by repetitiveness and a slightly shorter duration of the main story.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions changes the traditional Quidditch rules so they make more sense, but doesn’t have enough content to survive as a live service game. Just like how the Harry Potter books and movies have forgotten about this senseless wizard sport, we think you will too.

Syberia Remastered is like a beautiful but empty frame — polished on the outside, yet lacking any real substance within to justify the time or money. It remains a game frozen in the era of its original release, never adapting to modern standards. This remaster was the perfect opportunity to fix that, but unfortunately, it’s an opportunity that was completely wasted.

Madden NFL 24 is an excellent product of the evolution of American football, which is celebrating its second decade. If you are a fan of this sport and only watched it on television, now is the perfect moment to try your hand at the game.

Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is a game that is primarily for anime series fans who don't mind many flaws getting in the way of them enjoying another adventure with their favorite characters, while new players will be in quite a pickle trying to balance between a story that won't make any sense to them and some good fight mechanics.

With a solid but simple combat system but all other aspects of the game in trouble, the new Valkyrie only barely manages to rise above the mediocre.

Kao the Kangaroo would not be the best 3D platformer even if it came out 15 years ago, but as a nostalgic return of the average and somewhat forgotten franchise, it brings more than we expected.

Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions is one of those simple but fun arcade games that can entertain you for a while, but neither Rocky Balboa personally nor all the music from the movies are enough to cover up the lack of more meaningful systems and content.

Akimbot may not be the alternative Ratchet & Clank game we were hoping for, but it’s still pretty solid. Despite the underwhelming story and characters, this humble indie game does a lot of things right.

Farming Simulator 25 is a unique experience of managing a farm, with frequent bugs, bad AI and unoptimized graphics, which should not happen to games nowadays. This title certainly has potential, but in this state, it's definitely not for everyone.