GranBlue Fantasy Versus Rising is a major expansion that significantly changes the gameplay. The new mechanics open up longer combos and more active defense options while making simplified inputs the standard. The story mode is engaging but short; offline-loving players may find it lacking. However, the new characters are well-designed and fun to play, and the improved netcode is a welcome addition for online players.

An addictive game that successfully replicates the F-Zero formula. With bare-bones mechanics and production values, it still is one of the most enjoyable Wii U game available on the eShop.

The definitive Borderlands: bigger, bolder, and badder than ever, it revamps the franchise, making it more modern, dynamic, and playful. It's a shame about the optimization.

A title that tests one's ability to focus on a goal without giving up. At any cost. Even if it were necessary to leave the computer paused for hours, to not lose the progress made in that level. Nothing new, neither as gameplay nor as atmosphere, but overall, it is pleasant... if you’ve got the patience of the dolphin Jones.

A valuable collection to return to the early 2000s and (re)discover timeless classics.

Excellent graphics and a very good combat system are stained by a story component that is subpar. A shame, because Everspace 2 could have otherwise aspired to the heights of Freelancer.

Single Player Cooperative Platforming Action is the name of the game! Fun, smart and quite challenging, Kalimba is a bit short but quite hard to master.

F1 22 is amazing on track, delivering great fun and thrilling action to all F1 fans. Physics and the new driving model, even if through the usual simcade lens, stage unpredictable and intense races. On the other hand, F1 Life and Supercar are shallow addition, very far from Codemasters standards in terms of quality and attention to the details. Overall, the New Era of F1 is brilliant of track, while not-so-new in terms of experience outside the paddock.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Ultimate Edition has not aged at all in the last three years and the graphic update is solid and well made, despite a little disappointment for textures and animated cut-scenes.

The Cat Lady offers a unique and deviated world and a setting full of horror and despair, although the keyboard controls and an excessive backtracking remain flaws to be reckoned with.

A good sequel of the first Overcooked, with more contents and more fun, thanks to the online mode.

This year's addendum to Skylanders' franchise is convincing: vehicles were introduced and could widen the gameplay with no overturn on the mechanics that made the game shine in the past years. Skylanders SuperChargers is still the usual, enjoyable action-platform... with a roaring twist.

Hunt Showdown is a good alternative for fans of competitive and hardcore online fps. It's engaging, intense and immersive to the point of nervous exhaustion. Its eccentric personality doesn't make it a game suitable for everyone, but for the same reason those who appreciate it will do it viscerally.

From here there is no going back: Atelier Ryza 3 takes Gust's RPG series into the future.

Toad finally became the star of its own game. Captain Tracker is a joyful, smart and witty puzzle game that is really hard to put down.

A one-of-a-kind 4X, Distant Worlds blends epic scale and macromanagement. The Universe release doesn't bring a lot of new content, but is a nice wrap-up nonetheless.

A game which is both old and new. And that's why it works so well even after all these years.

Ghostrunner 2 is exactly what you'd expect. It amplifies the strengths of its predecessor with a more intricate ability system and manages a better variety of situations, yet it retains virtually all the flaws in Ghostrunner's flow. Nevertheless, it creates an always entertaining and challenging gameplay experience that you'll appreciate if you're already a fan of the original. It's not for everyone, and it will make you curse a lot as the death counter keeps rising, but its punishing nature is part of the price.

Mario & Luigi Bros. Dream Team is a true masterpiece, the best of the four role-playing games developed by AlphaDream for DS. It's the most psychedelic, chock full of things to do and boss fight at every turn, it's filled with dry humor and the standard gameplay is originally supplemented with a 2D world.

Some - those that love a bit of pain in their games, to make the reward even sweeter - might be truly bewitched by this charming game, especially if they play it with the right company. All the others will find in Helldivers a fun and refreshing experience, one that's capable of adding something unique to a well known formula crowded with glorious precursors. It might not be fully on par with the best ever in its genre, but don't hesitate to give it a chance if you dig this kind of shooter.

An excellent second episode that builds incredibly well on the themes from episode one and proposes some new situations and characters with enormous potential.

Finding Paradise is simply a narrative masterpiece that knows how to discuss important topics like the search of happiness. A significant maturity growth in Kan Gao's writing.

Style and emotions remain deliciously unchanged, yet this re-release on current generation consoles isn't exactly a luxurious one (and it's even pricier than before...).

Ironically, Sunset Overdrive resembles a lot the weird energy drink the game revolves around: refreshing, crazy-cool and full of bubbles (yet with a not fully convincing aftertaste). In the end, it's a solid and pleasing exclusive, but far from a killer application.

Life is Strange: True Colors is a lovely tale about empathy, self-acceptance and humanity. Probability it's not the most original or neither the neatest one, but it's something that we probably need these days.

Stormland lacks a little in variety, but virtual reality is exploited to the full and the persistent nature of the game is intriguing to say the least. After Asgard's Wrath, another great VR game.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV doesn't have the same narrative depth as its predecessor, but it remains a solid, long-lived JRPG with a significant amount of characters and things to do.

Maybe it won't change the rules of the genre, but Defense Grid 2 is a total package. It plays fine, it's addictive and has a lot of features. You won't be bored and you'll enjoy every drip of it. If you liked its predecessor, you won't be disappointed.

More puzzle than shooter, Children of the Sun is the violent demonstration that good ideas and talent are a winning combination.

Samurai Shodown makes a fine comeback after a decade: refreshing and still exciting to play, it's the long-awaited title we hoped for.

The Invisible Hours is not a game for everyone and is not even one of the most immersive VR titles recently seen, but as a narrative experience it’s worth a lot.

A colorful, bizarre, uchronic stealth game where combining the formidable skills of the Enigma Squad in real time is more satisfying than operating from the shadows.

A masterful entry in the horror RPG genre. The extremely high difficulty is a challenge worth of any gamer's time. An over reliance on random details and a story a bit too nebulous are the only real problems.

Spirit of Justice has every quality and every flaw of the Ace Attorney series. On the western edge of far East you'll find a great story, amazing characters and that sense of humor we all learned to love. But you'll also find a linear game with very few changes. A solid visual novel overall.

Gran Turismo 6 is a big and expensive DLC for Gran Turismo 5, a game strictly true to itself, firm in its silly idiosyncrasies, with some technical issues and yet full of passion for beauty and extraordinary magnificence. As usual , this is not the The Real Driving Simulator, but a game with substantially effective DNA which is further refined here. Great to drive.

Castle of Illusion is a good platform game, but fails to deliver an organic experience. Some levels are gorgeous, but some other lacks in level design or inspiration, and it's definitely too short for a premium priced game.

Sifu is an uncompromising and merciless fighting game, but for this very reason it manages to give great satisfaction.

A highly recommended game for Fate fans, despite some flaws and excessive verbosity.

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is a solid sequel which doesn't change its formula and still works out at the very best.

Catherine: Full Body is a glorification of the original game, unmissable.

SnowRunner is a brilliant off-road truck simulator with a keen eye to entertainment and fun. Deep but accessible, frustrating but rewarding, it's a compelling experience where impossible adventures become possible.

The usual cool gameplay, crisp graphics, solid frame rate... a very good port.

This isn't probably the Final Fantasy you were expecting, nevertheless it's one worth your time. it is far from being a perfect game, mainly because of a terrible second half, but it succeeds where other Final Fantasy have failed: bringing the saga into the modern era.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners ensures a very physical and anxiety-provoking VR experience, as well as long-lasting and demanding one. There's not much motion sickness, but inventory management will give you many headaches.

A thoroughly great action RPG. On PC it has near perfect fluidity and all the epic feel of the Xbox 360/PS3 edition. A valid alternative to The Witcher 3 or Dark Souls, if one can withstand graphics that are not really on par with today's standards.

Genshin Impact is a pleasant and unexpected surprise. With a perfectly sustainable business model the title of miHoYo is able to offer a complete and fun single player experience, all for free. Of course, the risk of getting caught up in compulsive buying mechanisms does exist, and I'm not cynical when I say that most of the game's revenue comes from this "type" of users. However, you can advance in the main campaign without spending a penny, since the world is set up in an organic way and always full of activities to do. Genshin Impact is therefore a more than discreet title, although its totally free nature could invest it with a higher "perceived value" than it really is.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is the not so trivial encounter between two iconic puzzle game legends: a crossover full of options and possibilities that works well played alone, but becomes an absolute blast when played with friends (and therefore a perfect match for Nintendo Switch).

Hitman GO is a great puzzle game, with a unique visual style and a lot of brilliant contents. It manages to capture the essence of Agent 47, giving a fresh new touch to the series.

Enjoyable in some respects, but very disappointing in others, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV does not fail to live up to the series’ legacy. Still, it's a little step back compared to the third installment.

Skulls of the Shogun is a well developed and very fun strategy videogame. Too bad it lacks of a higher degree of challenge and contains some tedious missions, yet it compensates with a slick and elegant gameplay, nice humor and an interesting multiplayer offering.

Too similar to the first chapter, Bravely Second: End Layer has a bland story and a cast of characters that is not exactly charismatic. It convinces only thanks to the proven combat system and the ability skill management. You could expect a lot more.

Beyond Earth is Civilization V with a new souls. It delivers a bright, perhaps too optimistic view of the future, but its great design will set the goalpost for 4X in the years to come.

The third chapter of this beloved series is very near the level of quality that one expects from the heir of Jagged Alliance 2. A shame that "very near" does not mean "on par", so some details and some unrealistic aspects of the game could ruin the experience.

Deus Ex Go begins to show some wrinkles in Go series settings, but nevertheless it remains a good mix of puzzles, challenging strategy and elegant cyber atmosphere.

Deep, fun and engaging, Terraria is a little/big game. Or, better, a little/huge game, considering the amount of time you'll need to fully explore it. The PC-to-console conversion is successful and even if the price on Xbox LIVE Arcade may appear a bit expensive, the game repays you with an original and exciting experience.

A new beginning for Assassin's Creed, with a lot of new elements. Not a perfect game, but a good open world with marvelous locations.

Like every tilt-controlled game on smartphone it’s not always easy to control it perfectly, but it’s a different approach to Pac-Man Saga, and it’s a fun one. Moreover its free to play nature is well balanced and there’s no need to spending money on in app purchases.

Ryu Hayabusa returns with a good remaster operation, maintaining the intense and brutal combat system of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. The difficulty is more accessible and the new graphics made in Unreale Engine 5 are great, but there are still historical issues like the camera and some content missing compared to Sigma 2.

A nice turn-based game, quite similar to XCOM but not a clone: a good use of the Warhammer license.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a competent port of one of the most peculiar episodes in the series, remarkable for its world design and for its control scheme.

A demanding and incredibly deep game that lives up to the expectations. If you're into old school RPGs, you cannot miss it.

Anno 1800 may be about the industrial revolution, but its design is quite conservative. A boon for the fans of the series, who will find themselves at home with this new iteration of the economic simulator they know and love.

Shadow Blade is a fun and fast-paced game, with ninjas in it. It has a good control scheme too, but its lack of personality and longevity prevent it to become something memorable.

A 2D action roguelite that offers plenty of fun combat encounters and also boasts a truly beautiful and inspired art direction that makes every moment spent in a game a joy to watch (and play). It's not without flaws, though, especially when it comes to its pacing and progression, and while combat is generally quite fun, many of the special abilities and spells are not really well balanced, which can sometimes make you feel like you rely a bit too much on the RNG factor to have a good run.

A love letter to horror that was perhaps not suitable for anyone but, precisely for this reason, to be devoured in one go if you like the genre.

Call of Duty: Mobile follows the essence of the original series, bringing the famous shooter to mobile devices.

Galactic Civilizations III is a solid entry to a beloved strategic saga. It's just a bit disappointing that the calls for bolder innovations were not heard.

A real "new" 90s run & gun with very nice graphics, excellent soundtrack and compelling 4-players co-op.

Keeper is an experience that goes beyond the traditional concept of a video game. It is an inner journey disguised as an adventure, a silent story that speaks through gestures, light, and the breath of the environments. Double Fine, once again, proves itself to be a studio capable of bending the language of video games to a rare authorial sensibility.

A fresh new take in the Shovel Knight adventures which successfully embraces the roguelike trend and wraps it in wonderful pixelart.

Penko Park offers great entertainment in its wildlife park populated by bizarre and weird creatures.

Goodbye Volcano High is a story of growth, friendship and love and how all these things, already great when taken individually, become giants when mixed together. Thanks to intelligent game mechanics, the story progresses forcefully by affirming the identity of its protagonists while allowing the player to make crucial choices, while the soundtrack (which ended up straight among my favorites on loop) is much more of an accompaniment: it’s a co-protagonist, who embodies the anxieties, fears and dreams of this ramshackle gang of friends, dealing with nothing less than an apocalypse.

Far Cry 5, following in the steps of the previous episodes, offers a very large map to explore and plenty of things to do, with a good first person shooter experience and interesting action/stealth possibilities. The game is not perfect in all of its aspects, but it's often very funny and always enjoyable, with a fascinating and unique antagonist.

This is one of those games that you can’t fully understand because it should be too dumb and absurd to be fun. Nevertheless Soccer Physics is a real blast, and one of the most funny multiplayer experience on your device.

It's not particularly groundbreaking, but it's a nice graphic adventure, with a strong atmosphere and good puzzles.

FIFA 14 is a really good game, despite the limitations of the control scheme. Free to play model is well implemented, and Ultimate Team mode offers a home console like experience that can not be avoided by all true soccer fans.

Quotation forthcoming.

Fast RMX is... well, fast! With more tracks and ships and local multiplayer with up to 4 players at 60fps is a good choice for your brand new Nintendo Switch.

A surprisingly deep gameplay and occasionally brutal difficulty make Gunbrella an enticing game worthy of attention if someone is in search of something unique and retro.

Overcooked is a fresh title with a curious concept, but the lack of multiplayer modes is a heavy burden on the overall experience.

Age of Empires IV won't shake the videogame world as much as its famed predecessors once did, but it's still a quality production from Relic Entertainment and a worthy addition to a legendary series of strategy games.

Spike Chunsoft's tropical murder mystery is able to keep the tension and suspense high till the ending credits by using the player's intuition against him, while providing an entertaining and crazy cast of characters and an inspired art direction.

An adorable little strategy game that's deeper than it appears and has a wonderful soundtrack by Steam Powered Giraffe. Absolutely a gem.

Zero Time Dilemma is a small masterpiece of storytelling and a strong warning about human nature. A truly unmissable game.

A touching homage to Benoît Sokal, Syberia: The World Before leaves the problems of the previous game behind and manages to bring us once again in the wonderful world designed by the Belgian author. It's not perfect in every part, but the whole experience is emotional and surprising: a worthy chapter in Kate Walker's saga.

Put in a blender Matrix, Max Payne, kung fu movies, Shoot'em up, rag doll animations... and a lot of bananas. Then, freeze in a run & gun stencil. Serve chilled. It's not the perfect mix, but it tastes so good.

Despite some technical issues, Necrobarista is a fresh take on visual novels world, and its style captivates the player: interesting direction and gorgeus art manage to create a mix in which the plot can arise with all its delicate topics. How difficult is to "go further" when you're already dead? Necrobarista tries to answer at that, and it's a very good answer.

Complex and demanding, Cities: Skylines is a solid and engaging city-builder ported quite well to Xbox One.

Beside the “gore-galore” there's a solid beat'em up, charming and fun. If you're a Mortal Kombat addicted you'll get tons of fun, but beware: searching for online players can be painful and the net-code is ugly. Stick to the traditional head to head and everything will be fine.

A solid extended version of a very good shooter in which you can complete levels manipulating time.

A very good expansion that betters the original game in every aspect. It's great when developers listen to their fans and give them what they want.

It is undeniable that Immortals: Fenyx Rising owes much to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but it is equally undeniable that the Ubisoft game manages to find its way and to propose its own vision. Those who do not appreciate open-worlds very much, where the fulcrum is the collection of treasures and the completion of challenges, could perceive more than others a sense of repetitiveness, which never becomes boring and which takes advantage of a clean technical realization. I enjoyed every minute spent on the Golden Island and at the end I was sad to say goodbye.

A very convincing return for one of Relic's more iconic series that keeps the best features of the previous games while also bringing fresh new ideas that change the way players can play and enjoy Company of Heroes. Will it be the best strategy game of 2023? Only time will tell.

As a remake, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is nothing special, but fortunately the game, despite its spin-off nature and a few wrinkles here and there, has little to envy the other chapters in the series.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a step forward from the original Atelier. A more investigative tone, combined with new interactions, enhances the overall experience and makes the game fascinating.

Stellar Blade is a good game, plain and simple. It feels like so much love and passion has been poured into it, and even if the story doesn't quite reach the heights of Nier Automata and the like, Eve's tale kept me interested until the credits rolled, and made me eager for more. There are some minor issues, and I would have loved to see a little more environment variety, but snappy combat, terrific music and visuals, and a world almost as enchanting as her protagonist make Stellar Blade very easy to recommend.

On PS4 Pro RedOut is a great, rich and frantic racing game. On the other hand, on a standard PS4 or on Xbox One there are some annoying frame rate issues.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is a good third chapter for the Black Ops series and features a long story mode that could have been just a little better in details. The game offers a lot of content, but suffers from the balancing of weapons, abilities and specialists across all the game modes.