Directive 8020 attempts to channel the claustrophobic paranoia of The Thing into deep space, but ultimately crashes under the weight of poor writing. Supermassive Games delivers a weak narrative lacking proper foundational context, populated by an unlikable and inconsistently written cast that makes it nearly impossible to care about their survival. The game's trademark branching choices are frustratingly executed, often resulting in illogical, delayed consequences without adequate narrative support. Coupled with an overreliance on tedious stealth sequences and surprisingly tame body horror, this sci-fi nightmare is a thoroughly missed opportunity.

Unbalanced and a bit rough, yet hypnotic and long‑lasting: Vampire Crawlers is an imperfect sequel that successfully carries over the gameplay and atmosphere of Vampire Survivors into a card game.

MotoGP 26 is like that rider who nails three perfect turns and then runs wide on the fourth, looks at you, and says, “Don’t worry, we’ll fix it in the next patch."

Invincible VS is a faithful and enjoyable tag‑fighter with a simple but surprisingly deep combat system. Despite rough animations and some repetitive moves, it’s a solid debut that both newcomers and fans can enjoy.

Pokémon Champions is a Pokémon battle simulator; it does just that, and that's fine. It was developed with that specific purpose, and it wouldn't be fair to dismiss it as a flaw. As it stands, the game is a bit lacking in content, completely missing the possibility to battle against the CPU, and more could have been done to teach newcomers the basics of high-level competitive play. On the plus side, the experience is completely free to play, with a non-predatory, and indeed very fair, monetization system. Pokémon Champions is therefore a good foundation to build on, a live service built to last. If the game wants to be the home of competitive Pokémon in the long term, however, it must prove it with continuous improvements over time.

A worthwhile sci-fi story that is marred by questionable gameplay. One would expect more from Don't Nod.

Saros takes everything that made Returnal hard to love and smartly refines it. The result is one of the best shooters in recent years, on PS5 and beyond.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a Lovecraftian game to the core, but it is also an investigative adventure with an overly slow pace and less frightening than expected.

Inglese: Wild, chaotic, and entertaining, Tomodachi Life: A Dream Life isn’t a game for everyone, and it probably never will be. But those willing to embrace its rhythm and appreciate its quirks will be rewarded with a surprisingly engaging experience.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a highly successful experiment that masterfully blends 1930s rubber hose animation with the gritty, disillusioned tropes of hard-boiled noir. While hindered by a rigid level structure that lacks backtracking and some minor repetitiveness in its old-school FPS encounters, the game is tremendously fun. Its chaotic and visceral gunplay is elevated by brilliant writing, caustic humor, and stellar voice acting led by Troy Baker. A lethal and captivating investigation that stands as one of the most stylistically inspired shooters in recent memory.

A sci-fi indie game with enjoyable gameplay and truly excellent direction: it’s a shame about the side quests, which aren’t quite up to par, and the lack of originality in the narrative.

Pragmata is an old-school, linear yet intriguing sci-fi adventure that shines through its dual combat system and, above all, the relationship between Hugh and Diana, which forms the emotional core of the experience. Its combat stands out as one of the game's strongest elements, thanks to the seamless integration of shooting and real-time hacking, keeping tension high and encounters both dynamic and strategic throughout. The artistic direction and presentation are equally convincing, particularly in the first half, but it is the gradual development of Hugh and Diana's bond that truly drives the narrative and gives it emotional weight, even as the story begins to lose coherence later on. Despite some limitations that become more noticeable over time, especially in level design, narrative progression, and a slightly underwhelming overall length, the game remains a solid and enjoyable experience: easy to recommend to fans of linear, character-driven adventures.

Life is Strange: Reunion constantly straddles two identities: the desire to recapture the intimate atmospheres and human relationships that made the original Life is Strange special, and the burden of a broader, more convoluted narrative direction inherited from the more recent Life is Strange: Double Exposure. The result is uneven - often stumbling over inconsistencies and simplifications - but it finds its strength in quieter moments, particularly through the renewed focus on Max and Chloe's relationship. Its contained structure, recycled environments, and gameplay that evolves little from past entries prevent the game from taking a true step forward. Yet, when it centers on character and emotion, Reunion leaves an impression, showing that the heart of the series is still beating. It may not be the sequel the franchise needed, but it slightly improves on Double Exposure, and could be a satisfying chapter for those attached to these characters and their world.

Stunning but "dated": World Series-caliber gameplay in a graphics engine that feels outdated. That’s the paradox: it drives you wild… and then, in the blink of an eye, it reminds you why you just can’t put it down.

I already had good expectations for this narrative RPG but somehow it has managed to exceed them by far. Yes, it draws heavily from Disco Elysium (and from other sources such as the legendary Planescape: Torment), but it's not just a shallow copy of the original, instead it's a game with a strong identity of its own, one that can stand proudly alongside some of the best RPGs of the last decade.

Marathon gets better the more you play, but in today’s gaming landscape, it’s fair to ask how many players are willing to invest many hours before the real fun begins. The foundations are solid: the artistic vision is striking, and the gunplay is satisfying. Yet, many of Bungie’s new shooter’s mechanics seem almost designed to push players away rather than draw them in. A confusing interface, overly convoluted weapon and item design, a low TTK paired with punishing PvE, and progression systems that only balance out after unlocking most skill trees create significant early hurdles. And even when everything finally starts falling into place, some design choices remain puzzling, including the mandatory quarterly wipe, which currently raises more questions than answers. When it all comes together, Marathon is undeniably fun, but at this stage, the game still needs quite a few key tweaks to fully realize its potential.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a heartfelt and massive tribute to the 20th anniversary of Geo Stelar's journey. While the newly added voice acting, the rich virtual museum, and the modern QoL features are fantastic additions, the surgical preservation of the original code brings along severely outdated design choices. The tedious backtracking, unskippable animations, and a clunky one-at-a-time quest system hold the experience back from true greatness. Still, beneath the anachronistic flaws lies a deeply emotional story and a genuinely addictive combat system. A solid, if slightly flawed, return to the Wave World.

Streamer ventures into a territory many games haven't explored in a while—the realm of arcade racing—through an experience that uses its solid storyline as a Trojan horse to deliver an engaging and surprisingly deep driving system, accompanied by attack and defense mechanics that may not be immediately intuitive but are a lot of fun.

An ambitious adventure set in a visually stunning world that tries to do a bit too much, ultimately feeling underdeveloped in some respects.

Ys X: Proud Nordics is the definitive way to experience Adol and Karja's maritime adventure. The massive quality-of-life improvements to ship navigation and the rock-solid performance on current hardware elevate the already excellent Cross Action System to new heights. While a slow opening and a somewhat grind-heavy rune progression system keep it from sheer perfection, the thrilling combat, phenomenal soundtrack, and stellar character dynamics make it a must-play action RPG. A truly epic voyage that respects the legacy of the franchise.

Despite its fascinating 14th-century Italian setting and a combat system inspired by real historical martial arts, 1348 Ex Voto collapses under the weight of its own ambition. The rushed narrative, clunky and repetitive gameplay loop, jarringly empty environments, and a severe lack of technical polish overshadow the undeniable passion of the small development team. It's a game with great potential that sadly bites off much more than it can chew, leaving players with a frustratingly unrefined and buggy experience.

An ambitious roleplaying game marred by unsatisfying combat and too many graphical glitches.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando doesn’t reinvent much within the cooperative shooter genre, but it’s fun to play and the addition of vehicles proves to be a winning feature.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake successfully resurrects the absolute masterpiece of the franchise. The visual overhaul, the suffocating sound design, and the new side stories deepen an already tragic and unforgettable narrative. While the updated combat system is mostly a step forward, questionable additions like 'enraged' spirits and a slightly unbalanced upgrade economy can artificially slow down the pacing, especially during the first playthrough. Still, these flaws cannot overshadow what remains a phenomenal, chilling, and emotionally devastating J-Horror experience that every genre fan should play.

Cairn is a brave, tactile, and often mesmerizing climbing experience that tries to capture the raw friction of mountaineering. However, its brilliant "independent limb" system is frequently undermined by invasive survival mechanics that break the immersion and a frustrating camera that struggles in tight spaces. It’s a game of high peaks and deep valleys: when it works, it’s a visceral triumph; when it doesn’t, it’s a fight against the interface rather than the mountain.

Simply one of the best monster collectors ever made: Capcom's title features an excellent and challenging combat system, and an addictive Monstie capture system.

WWE 2K26 is loud, excessive, and delightfully crazy. Visual Concepts has chosen chaos as its mantra—certified by the presence of CM Punk—and the result is a game packed with content and new features. The problem is that beneath all this spectacle, the engine creaks, and some gameplay systems feel very old.

Reanimal is a disturbing and visually meticulous déjà-vu, where gameplay lacks courage and co-op isn't fully exploited. Still, better to play it in two than alone.