Invincible VS is a visceral, mechanically intriguing 3v3 tag fighter that rewards creative problem-solving over rote memorization. While it lacks the ultimate strategic depth and frame-data nuance of the genre's titans, its sandbox approach, satisfying hit feedback, and rock-solid rollback netcode make it a standout entry and a genuine recommendation for both fans and FGC enthusiasts willing to experiment.

The plot of Altered Echoes is a fever dream, and I mean that in a good way. Even after the credits roll, I still don’t quite understand what just happened, but that’s pretty much how it has to be in a Little Nightmares game. It expands on the lore, picks up on creepy nightmare motifs, and presents an unreal world where you can never be sure what’s coming next. That’s exactly what I expect from a game in this universe, which is why I’m very satisfied with the experience despite the lack of a coherent narrative. It’s just a shame that the technical shortcomings noticeably dampen the fun.

Saros is a fiercely focused hybrid of bullet-hell, roguelite, platformer, and horror sci-fi whose demanding but fair combat and aggressive risk-reward loop easily outweigh its flat supporting cast and static hub.

An asynchronous multiplayer experiment with a great atmosphere, but some weaknesses in the core gameplay.

Technically shaky, lacking in gameplay and atmosphere. Recommended only for particularly nostalgic gothic veterans with an unconditional longing for more Ruhr Valley fantasy—and with enough patience to make it work, provided you approach it with enough goodwill and sympathy for the small team. Everyone else should be advised against visiting this shaft: the charm of the mine doesn’t bridge every chasm.

While the great cartoon aesthetics are the obvious shining star, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is also a great first person shooter with impeccable level design. While the combat is solid and shows some good ideas, most fights are brought down by poor weapon balancing.

Replaced is much more than it initially appears to be: namely, a pixel-art spectacle with an incomparably rich atmosphere. It quickly becomes clear that the passionately told story and the varied gameplay contribute just as much to the overall experience as the stunning graphics. Yes, not every one of these elements is perfect, and every now and then there’s a bit too much text and repetitive gameplay. Nevertheless, Replaced is already one of the indie highlights of the year.

Capcom once again proving why they are the masters of the action genre. Pragmata enhances great fundamentals with fresh ideas and even manages to create a heartwarming friendship between its heroes.

In its current early-access state, Morbid Metal looks very promising to me: a stylish, uncompromisingly combat-focused roguelite that treats its shape-shifting system not as a gimmick but as a genuine core design element, and manages to translate the elegance of a character-action game into the loop of a run-based game. The Japanese-inspired sci-fi robots, the powerful soundtrack and the precise hit feedback ensure that every battle feels like a little metallic dance, into which you slip deeper with every run. At the same time, there’s still work to be done: the numerous gameplay systems seem hard to grasp at first, the story remains more of an atmospheric backdrop, and the technical aspects still need optimising. But that’s exactly what Early Access is for – and for me, Morbid Metal is one of those rare cases where the foundation is already so compelling that I’m genuinely looking forward to this collaborative community fine-tuning with every subsequent patch. [Early Access Score = 70]

Super Meat Boy 3D is a faithful translation of the indie classic into the third dimension while infusion it with great ideas from other platformers

Darwin's Paradox is a wacky platformer-stealth adventure packed with details and featuring a protagonist whose eight arms you just can't help but love.

Screamer is a mechanically brilliant arcade racer that successfully blends 90s nostalgia with a deep, technical twin-stick control scheme and a striking 80s anime aesthetic. While the ambitious 70-chapter story campaign suffers from uneven pacing and melodramatic writing, the actual racing feels incredibly visceral and rewarding, delivering one of the most intense and addictive driving experiences in recent years.

Crimson Desert is an entertaining open-world action RPG that offers a unique gameplay experience and, thanks to its vast scale, keeps you occupied for a long time, but fails to truly impress in almost every respect. In this case, less would have been more.

John Carpenter's Toxic Commando delivers a loud, chaotic co-op bloodbath with a healthy dose of 80s kitsch. While other multiplayer competitors strive for polished, strategic gameplay, the trash team crashes the party here, roaring and behaving like complete hooligans. More splatter, monsters and non-stop action could hardly fit into a multiplayer shooter, and this is achieved here in a technically impressive way. Oh, and pigs like to roll around in the mud. That fits, because the Mudrunner influences and the poison slick monsters are on top of that. Nevertheless, the game suffers from a very tough progression system and a pacing that can hardly be improved upon after the furious start. Nevertheless, if you're in the mood for technically impressive mass battles with an immensely high enemy density and whimsical off-road excursions with three friends, you'll find a unique shooter package here that will make fans of World War Z particularly happy.

As a fan of the first two games, Monster Hunter Stories 3 immediately grabbed me. This isn't just a small, "nice to have" spin-off, but a lavish and richly complex RPG that doesn't need to hide behind the beloved main series. On the contrary: Twisted Reflection once again successfully translates the strengths of Monster Hunter into the turn-based RPG genre, surpassing its predecessors in both presentation and game design. The latter, however, requires a willingness to persevere through an overloaded tutorial and a whole host of question marks until everything clicks and the pieces fall into place. Then there's not much standing in the way of a great RPG experience.

If you're looking for a cleverly balanced puzzle platformer with a great atmosphere and memorable characters, Planet of Lana II is the perfect choice. The rather subtle depiction of violence also makes the game interesting for families. However, Planet of Lana II doesn't offer any real challenges for hardcore puzzlers.

Esoteric Ebb is a charming and clever role-playing game that combines D&D virtues with a strong focus on story and contemporary themes. Even though the graphics and fantasy setting speak a different language, it almost feels like Disco Elysium 2.

Resident Evil Requiem delivers one of the series’ best survival‑horror campaigns with Grace Ashcroft and a brutal, visually impressive action romp with Leon in ruined Raccoon City. However, its generous resources economy, the action-focus in the second half and split identity keep this ambitious anniversary entry just shy of true masterpiece status.

Reanimal is a captivating horror adventure with an intense creepy atmosphere and a cinematic look. It provides variety in terms of gameplay, but leaves a lot of narrative potential untapped.

Great visual concepts and wacky characters don't make up for the underlying issues of its repetitive encounters and tedious level design.

In the roughly 60 hours I spent with Nioh 3, I often only reluctantly put the controller down for breaks. The enhanced gameplay structure and clever, new elements reliably prevent you from getting frustrated and losing your temper on a boss, without sacrificing the series' signature edge. Nioh 3's more open approach reliably motivates you to keep at it and consistently creates an exemplary, captivating flow. If you've only ever tentatively eyed the Nioh games from afar, this latest installment offers the best opportunity yet to jump into the series.

Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined is a much tighter experience compared to the original, even though it over-corrects in some places.

It's a little strange: although I have very little connection to real climbing, Cairn immediately captivated me. Over time, I have developed something like “para-expertise,” which would be of limited use in real climbing, but opens up undreamt-of possibilities in Cairn. “What, we're supposed to climb this smooth, hundred-meter-high rock face?” you ask yourself at first – only to later scan the rock with an expert eye and figure out a possible route. The game may become a bit too challenging in places from the medium difficulty level onwards – but if you have patience and frustration tolerance, you will be rewarded all the more by your sense of achievement. Even for those unfamiliar with mountaineering, Cairn offers an unforgettable adventure that combines flow and natural beauty with well-paced drama. The mountain is calling, definitely.

Code Vein II fundamentally fails to understand that true Souls-like difficulty comes from skill testing, not stat gating. There are also minor but noticeable flaws, such as the sometimes poor readability of attacks, which could be remedied with better visual highlighting and reduced effect chaos. Overall, Code Vein II moves further away from its Souls-like roots, which I find bold and independent. This gives the game a new identity of its own, which in its flow and combat rhythm is more reminiscent of dungeon crawlers and action JRPGs than Dark Souls and the like. The only annoying thing is that many aspects seem to have not been thought through to the end. This results in the aforementioned lack of appeal of the open world, the incoherence between story and gameplay, and the unpolished technical execution. Nevertheless, there is a good game in here somewhere. If Bandai Namco makes adjustments with patches, you can still have fun despite these criticisms.

A strong Metroidvania in both audiovisual and gameplay aspects, featuring appealing level design, a dense atmosphere, convincing scope, a tactically interesting upgrade system, nerve-wracking boss battles, and clever features to balance the challenging difficulty level.

Two years after its release, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora still offers one of the most beautifully breath-taking worlds we have ever experienced in a video game. The gameplay mix of stealth, shooting, hunting, gathering and crafting is entertaining in short bursts. However, it feels a little too shallow and repetitive for lengthy trips to Pandora. The story presentation is weak, NPCs are walking tropes and the plot offers zero nuance or grey area. The DLC From the Ashes offers better pacing and fast-paced action, whilst also delivering noticeably better cutscenes and story moments. The DLC feels better and more entertaining than the base game, however, it's also a lot shorter than Frontiers of Pandora.

Terminator 2D: No Fate plays like some of the best, most beaufitul 16 bit run 'n gun titles of days gone by. Its varied gameplay, amazing pixel art and insanely good soundtrack make for roughly 40 minutes of brilliant fun - and then you're done. You can now do it all over again on higher difficulty levels or in the no continues arcade mode, a boss rush mode or an infinite survival mode, or even unlock some dubious alternative story moments. If and how much you enjoy this depends on whether or not you have the time and motivation to master this game to perfection. Otherwise, you'll be getting a very entertaining, albeit also very short gameplay experience for your money.

All in all, Thief VR is a game that emphasizes curiosity and experimentation. Some characters remain relatively bland in terms of narrative, but Thief VR thrives in other directions. The replay value is high, and it's incredibly tempting to try a mission again with a completely different playing style. Certain gameplay elements (lockpicking, hoarding treasures, knocking out guards, etc.) become a bit monotonous over time. But the limitation to a fixed set of tools ensures that you become increasingly skilled at using precisely these tools – instead of being overwhelmed and distracted by ever new possibilities.