Ball X Pit is further proof of the extraordinary creativity of the independent gaming scene. It's a title that knows its history well, drawing on classics such as Arkanoid, Tetris, and Breakout, and using them as a foundation to build a modern, brilliant, and surprisingly layered experience. The combination of RPG elements, management mechanics, roguelite components, and moments of pure bullet hell creates a unique game that is both frenetic and strategic. The gameplay loop is solid, satisfying, and capable of keeping the player in front of the screen for hours without noticing. The difficulty curve is well calibrated: challenging but never frustrating, always offering a stimulating and rewarding challenge. Artistically inspired by arcade atmospheres and accompanied by sophisticated sound design. A game that truly takes you into the abyss and manages to make that journey so enjoyable that you won't want to come back up.

Routine is a short but intense horror focused on mood over action. Not for everyone, but truly distinctive.

Horses is a minimalist first-person narrative adventure that moves with precision through the realm of the uncanny, drawing on the unsettling atmosphere of folk horror. Blending the language of video games with cinematic grammar and touches of grotesque and subtle horror, it delivers a bold and meaningful story about capitalist exploitation and class awareness. Despite its modest scale, Horses turns its limitations into style, offering a haunting, socially charged experience that feels as cinematic as it is interactive.

Project Motor Racing tries to pick up the Project CARS legacy by sitting on the more sim-focused side of simcade, with a decent variety of cars and tracks and a driving model that can be enjoyable, especially on a wheel with some assists enabled. Overall, however, it struggles to find a clear identity, with a dry, spreadsheet-like career, merely adequate visuals and sound, inconsistent AI and several missing features and rough edges. A project with interesting potential that, at launch, stays well below its own ambitions.

A side-scrolling beat 'em up with a classic structure, but which introduces interesting new gameplay features thanks to a combat system inspired by Marvel vs. Capcom, allowing you to use two characters at the same time. The action is fast-paced and fun, and there is a wide range of playable characters. The only drawback is the lack of available modes, which leaves you wanting a little more variety.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a fine addition for the series, unifying the narrative while expanding the tactical depth of its renowned combat system. It still has minor flaws here and there, but overall is as solid as the premises suggested.

Samus' return couldn't have been better. Those who loved the old chapters of the Metroid Prime saga will find everything they loved in the past, with interesting new features and stunning new graphics. It's a shame about the sections with the new bike, which are the least successful part of the game.

An ambitious, imperfect game, offering one of the richest free-to-play worlds for players who enjoy depth and experimentation.

Demonschool is a game with a strong personality and a distinctive aesthetic, blending PS1-style pixel art with references to classic ’90s JRPGs and an atmosphere reminiscent of Italian horror cinema. However, the game’s ambition often works against it: the story is predictable, the cast is underdeveloped, and the constant humor rarely lands as intended. The combat system, despite some interesting ideas, becomes repetitive as the game progresses and lacks a real sense of progression or reward. Demonschool ultimately leaves the impression of unfulfilled potential, making it an interesting but never memorable experience.

A deep, demanding and hypnotic puzzle game that blends music and gameplay into one seamless flow. Lumines Arise isn’t for everyone, but once it grabs you, it becomes impossible to let go.

Kirby Air Riders isn't just a solid, yet atypical, arcade racing game; it's also a Kirby-themed playground with a variety of modes to choose from, which are very different from one another. The game has an incredible amount of content, and in an era where releases are often incomplete, this is something to be underlined. But all that content would be pointless if the game wasn't fun, and Kirby Air Riders knows this all too well: whether it's for a quick race in Air Ride, a lap of the track in Top Ride, or a five-minute City Trial, it's impossible not to be swept away by the charm, the colorful atmosphere, and the playfulness of Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, and all their friends.

An episodically released adventure, both masterfully written and expertly performed, proving there is still ample space and potential for the genre's renaissance.

The biggest Black Ops ever: packed with content and fun, but with a weak campaign and a few aspects that need refinement.

A remake that improves every aspect of the original title, bringing it up to date with an excellent dual combat system and an engaging story. The perfect starting point for anyone who wants to get into The Legend of Heroes saga.

The Anno series looks to the past but aims to the future with a balanced, substantial chapter, with few flaws and a lot of heart divided between Latinum and Albion.

ARC Raiders could be a long-running game with the right support. For now, it's one of the most solid, engaging, and fun PvPvE extraction games out there.

Football Manager 26 marks a new beginning for Sports Interactive’s saga, but not without growing pains. The move to Unity and a revamped, albeit convoluted, interface bring ambitious depth and realism in football storytelling, yet also contradictions and rough edges that make this a fascinating but imperfect transition year.

Ultimately, we are faced with a solid, polished and ambitious musou, capable of speaking to both Zelda fans and fans of real-time strategy action.

An uninspired return, frantic and fun, but lacking the soul and depth that made the original Painkiller a cult game.

Enticing characters and a good narrative are both cast into the jaws of a collapsing gameplay that cannot bear the weight of incomprehensible choices.

I found the first game in the series to be a smooth and enjoyable adventure — only partly dated, with its rough edges softened by the new features introduced by the development team. As for Dragon Quest II, I was even more impressed by how modern many of its mechanics feel and by the variety of the overall experience, which also provides a solid level of challenge, especially on the “Draconian Mission” difficulty. Of course, these are still productions from the mid-1980s which, although updated, retain the charm of a bygone era — something that may not appeal to everyone — and this is particularly noticeable in the somewhat unexciting mission structure.

A tribute to the 2D classic, it successfully celebrates the sarcasm and magic of the original, offering a faithful and satisfying challenge to point-and-click veterans.

A sincere and visually fascinating ARPG that blends a mature narrative about connection and solitude with a simple, yet effective and well-balanced gameplay.

A deeper, more engaging sequel that enhances the original without losing its soul. Not perfect, but essential for every action-RPG fan.

A stilish roguelike which is fun in multiplayer but feels underdeveloped under several key aspects.

Unity truly makes strength, and the collaboration between Team Ninja and PlatinumGames hits the mark. Despite a few minor flaws, Ninja Gaiden 4 stays true to the spirit of the series, enriching it with new mechanics that clearly bear the signature of the Bayonetta team. The result is a spectacular, technical, and varied combat system that delivers immense satisfaction once fully mastered.

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 charming yet flawed comeback, Yooka-Replaylee refines the original without making it truly shine and the 30 fps on Switch 2 are an eyesore.