Although the awkward performance on PlayStation 5, Beyond a Steel Sky remains a decent third-person graphic adventure that doesn't make big mistakes but that doesn’t even reach particular peaks.

I grew up with Halo, so despite the bad presentation of 2020, I still had hopes that Halo Infinite would be a big comeback for the series, but in all fairness I can't say that it is. Let's be clear: it is a solid and fun game in its fundamental mechanics, also capable of inserting novelties that work (from the open world to the grappleshot) and that I would like to see carried out. At the same time it pays the price of a troubled development, probably a result of the uncertainty with which 343 Industries is handling the series from Halo 4 onwards. A well-defined gameplay, and embellished with some changes that refine the formula a little, is used to carry on a story with a few memorable moments and that still has everything to prove.

Chorus is a space-combat shooter with a good personality, where intense intergalactic dogfights represent the most successful part of the game that is supported by an appreciable artistic direction. It's not perfect but it offers valid reasons to be played, especially by those who love space-themed shooters.

MXGP 2021 is the game you expect it is. A fun, solid and compelling simcade about Motocross World Championship, which just does everything better than the last year edition, without making any meaningful qualitative leap, but with a lot of little tweaks.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a good workout for the mind, captivating enough to entertain; still, it would have deserved more content.

The new Prideful Sloth's game has the same philosophy as its predecessor: peace, relax and nature and wildlife-related activities accompany us for hours in a sandbox that makes micro-management its own core. In the shoes of the last alchemist who can save Alaria we will have to strengthen ourselves by casting out the Withering, cultivating new worlds and building districts, houses and squares to make the city become a place to live again. Despite the presence of interesting mechanics, such as the creation of new worlds and an exploratory component that tries to tie the activities of the game, so much repetition and too many simplifications make it lose some magic after the first dozen hours of gameplay, especially after finding out the multiples technical uncertainties. However, it will surely get sandbox lovers to spend many hours experiencing it.

A fast and addicting mix between a platform game and a brawler, with a very nice aesthetic that reminds me of the '90 computer action game.

A short and interesting interstellar trip that lacks the spark to become truly memorable.

By masterfully evolving a winning formula, adding the Riot touch to that of Madureira, Airship Syndicate proves once more that passion always makes the difference and that, sometimes, it helps to overcome some flaws.

The roguelite experiment is appreciable because it offers a demanding and satisfying challenge. Unfortunately, the lack of general variety and the poor in-depth narrative component are two significant burdens, and they are not the only ones.

The shift of the series to an open world formula is a bit of a missed opportunity, but as a detective adventure Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One works well both in terms of writing and gameplay.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is definitely ... a disappointment. The technical restyling on the three chapters of the saga was half successful but does not pay the right homage to the original trilogy, while the improvements to the gameplay are not enough to make us forget the many bugs and glitches of this unsuccessful collection.

All the story of Senna in a fast, colorful and powerful old school arcade.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a visually gorgeous game marred by a very bad case of micromanagement excess. Dinosaurs are great, there is a lot of content and the overall idea is very good, but there is just to much busywork being forced upon the player to enjoy the experience fully.

Quotation forthcoming.

Blue Reflection Second Light achieves what the past episode couldn't: telling an intriguing story with a cast of compelling characters. Its light RPG mechanics leave more space for character development, toning down fan service in favour of a plot that pushes forward reconnecting all the past entries, between videogames and animated series. A sugar coated coming of age story dedicated to anime girls and fans of the "majokko" narrative.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is certainly a good return to World War II by Sledgehammer, especially in terms of multiplayer modes: many maps, customizable weapons with numerous options and a progression system to applause. On the other hand, the single player campaign is just enough, far from being considered epic, while the Zombies mode needs to be expanded as soon as possible.

Voice of Cards makes its particular staging its main highlight. The game remains a good RPG, but if you're numb to its aesthetic appeal, you can safely move on.

Football Manager 2022 is a chapter of consolidation, which capitalizes on last year's revolution. Sports Interactive has worked hard to improve the game engine even more, with brilliant animations and a brand new AI, which has a strong impact on certain game situations, such as pressing and occupying half spaces. The introduction of the Data Hub and small changes to the interface makes Football Manager 2022 the umpteenth excellent chapter of the series, which for the occasion also lands on Xbox Game Pass.

Shin Megami Tensei V is a severe JRPG, at times even a bit 'heavy, but capable of standing out thanks to its flawless integralism in building an extraordinary gameplay.

Forza Horizon 5 is the "best of" all the series entries. Playground Games found the key to present the ginormous amount of content in a smooth way in one of the best open worlds ever made. Mexico is a magical, fascinating and adventurous place to drive in, and the glorious graphics of the game give us the real next gen experience we were looking for.

A nice 2022 iteration with few new features and a very good selection of songs.

A love letter to mecha fans. Unfortunately a complete lack of any semblance of challenge makes it very hard to recommend to anyone but the most die hard of giant robots fan.

Riders Republic is a high-octane ode to joy. An almost perfect extreme sports theme-park open world where having fun is the only thing that matters. Despite a confusing progression and some little hiccups camera and control-wise, Ubisoft Annecy brought in the best part of Steep, The Crew 2 and a bit of punk attitude to create a versatile and compelling experience, even if sometimes a bit too much overwhelming.

An adventure full of twists, with splendid dialogue and all the verve of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Perfect for supergroup fans and a good title to entertain everyone else.

A decent mix of tower defense and puzzle game with an interesting art style and not much originality in terms of gameplay.

Koei Tecmo with Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water, fixes the bare minimum to please the fans, giving us a game far too backward and slow to take root on a new audience.

Mario Party Superstars, with all its limitations, remains an unshakable institution. Revamping the pace of the boards a bit, however, is certainly Nintendo's next priority.