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

King Arthur: Legion IX basically retains the same formula of its predecessor and still offers plenty of good tactical combat, but overall the reduced complexity of its systems and the lack of meaningful innovation make it a less appealing product than Knight's Tale.

A refined edition not to be missed, which however could have done better in terms of plot and level-up balance.

A disappointing third entry that somehow manages to still be relatively fun. An abysmal story married to a fun roguelike gameplay mode makes for a still acceptable game that could, and should, have been much better.

A fascinating two-faced videogame, a bit puzzler and a bit platformer, based on excellent level design, enchanting sound design and lovely pixelart.

Lorelai and the Laser Eyes has the charm of its title: it is a mysterious and polymorphous object, concrete and elusive simultaneously. It relies on the conventions of the genre but it's not afraid to defy them to narrate an intense and melancholic journey along the uncertain trails of memory.

F1 24 is a good starting point for those approaching the world of Formula 1 games for the first time, but if you are looking for substantial new features and mechanics compared to previous games, you will probably be disappointed.

One of the best adventure survival ARPGs out there and one of the best vampire games ever: do you need anything else?

XDefiant is an online shooter with balance problems but still fun, solid in some aspects, and (far too) generic in others.

A competent remake of a 1981 dungeon crawler which most probably remained way too much faithful to the original game.

While graphically Senua's Saga: Hellblade II offers memorable glimpses and moments, anything beyond the visual impact and the dark and fierce atmosphere is disappointing, especially for a sequel announced five years ago on which Microsoft bet big.

Songs of Conquest is a respectful and heartfelt tribute to Heroes of Might and Magic, but it shouldn't be considered a simple copy and paste. In fact, Lavapotion has masterfully added some personal touches to that solid turn-based gameplay which, together with the splendid contemporary pixel art, make it modern and nostalgic, romantic and exciting. We eagerly await further content: could this be the beginning of a new legend?

I loved Indika, even if I have the impression that some practical limitations held back the creative ambitions of its developers. Nonetheless, it is a game rich in ideas, drawing on Russian art and literature while reworking some of their recurring themes from a modern perspective that works especially well in a video game.

An astoundingly deep real time strategy game that offers a unique experience in world war 2 simulation. Some frustrating details keep it from being considered among the best.

Open Roads is a first-person adventure game that focuses on the mother-daughter relationship and uses dialogue as its primary narrative tool, in addition to the classic environmental exploration typical of the genre. Overall, it is a very intimate and enjoyable experience that actually feels like a family road trip, but it ends up being too ephemeral to make an impression, due to a somewhat abrupt unraveling of the mystery that serves as the narrative pretext for the adventure, and a series of stylistic choices that take some of the power away from the story's emotional impact.

An excellent mix between an action-RPG and a shooter, wonderfully developed into one of this year's best indie games.

With a little more attention, Endless Ocean Luminous could have been an interesting video game. However, as it is, it is merely a wasted opportunity: interaction with environments and sea creatures is stripped to the bone, while the direction is not exactly outstanding. It remains a relaxing experience, but it is not enough.

A nice and short first person puzzle game which provides nice puzzles and inspiring visuals while not managing to fulfill the excellent premise of its setting.

Sand Land is an enjoyable game for those who love Toriyama's works, but it fails to fully stand out for its narrative quality or all the mechanics underlying its gameplay.

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.

While Suikoden II and IV remain on another level, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes takes the formula of these classics to some extent and repurposes it in a JRPG that is certainly interesting but perhaps not as beautiful and accomplished as we would have hoped.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a video game with so much heart... enclosed in an imperfect container. Moving within the various regions of Kenzera is a pleasure, but for a good part of the game the combat remains more of a burden than a pleasure. When things finally start to get more complicated the adventure finally seems to take off, but unfortunately this happens far too late.

An unexpectedly deep strategy game hidden under a simpler appearance. An enjoyable deep dive in humanity's greatest conflict.

Broken Roads has an engaging post-apocalyptic setting that, while a bit familiar, manages to still retain its own identity thanks to its Australian flair, it also has some interesting gameplay ideas and some engaging choices that allow you to impact the world around you. The game is not without flaws though: combat is clunky and unbalanced, the early phases are far too linear and, perhaps more importantly for a game focused on narrative, its characters often fail to leave a strong impression and its narrative never quite reaches the incredible heights of games like Disco Elysium or Pentiment.

Probably one of the best Vanillaware games, featuring an exceptional artistic style, a well-written story and captivating gameplay.

Being the heir to the original Outcast is having a very big pair of shoes to fill. A New Beginning falls short, but is in no way a bad game. It could have been so much more, however.

Funny, colourful, hard enough, full of things to do and with an inspired level design. Bears in Space is no ordinary FPS, and if you enjoyed High on Life's approach to the genre, this first effort from Broadside Games will leave you with a perpetual smile on your face.

Peach makes a comeback with a fun and artistically inspired video game perfect for kids, a little less so for hardcore gamers.