Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon is not a bad game by any means, and those that skipped on Sun and Moon should definitely give it a try. However, it doesn’t have anything ultra surprising in store for its players.

Patrick’s Parabox shakes up the traditional formula of Sokoban (box pushing) puzzle games by implementing boxes within boxes. The moment you realize the box you are pushing is a stage in itself is something truly magical that adds new depth to the genre. The visuals, polish and difficulty balance make this one of the best games in the genre to date. A must-buy for any puzzle gamer.

From graphics to game design, music and general playfeel, everything in NeverAwake is of surprisingly high quality. It reminded us of why we love shmups. Nearing the end of the game, the difficulty spikes and can feel a bit unfair, but that can also be seen as a part of the game’s identity as a shmup.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins brings the series’ concept of beating up hordes of enemies to a new level due to more varied and better-paced gameplay. While the way characters interact with each other and the protagonist’s own story can feel a bit awkward, experiencing China’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms period as a nameless warrior is extremely satisfying.

As a successor of Her Story, Telling Lies succeeds in delivering a deep and varied story with what is essentially the same system. However, whether that story is full of surprises or not, depends hugely on the player’s reasoning powers.

Gris is a 2D adventure game that has the player travel through a beautiful world at a relaxing pace. There is an impactful scene waiting for you near the climax, but after that the experience loses its power and delicateness, making the ending feel like a wasted opportunity.

Super Mario RPG is a great remake that manages to keep what made the original so memorable intact while refining it as well. Not only are the visuals and sound greatly improved, but the tweaked battle system makes it genuinely more fun to play. That being said, this is still fundamentally the same game, and Super Mario RPG does show its age at times.

At launch, Black Ops 4 is a great package to go and have fun with, but it’s hard to say how it will play out in the long term. It might become a 7 or a 9, or maybe even something higher or lower than that.

While flaws such as repetitive side quests and an often-annoying navigation system can sometimes drag the experience down a little, epic sword fights, beautiful locations, amazing discoveries and a deep Bushido story make Ghost of Tsushima a unique open-world adventure.

This Taiwanese indie title is so much more than just another horror game. It takes on ambitious themes in a rich point and click adventure.The creepy artwork and soundtrack will feel divine and beautiful once you reach the end of the game.

Astro’s Playroom is an exciting 3D platformer full of surprise and wonder. While its task of introducing the PS5 controller’s new features can sometimes be a double-edged sword, full-fledged implementation of the DualSense’s haptic feedback creates a next-gen experience only possible on the PS5. The game design of adding new ideas for each level, iterating on them, and then switching them for something completely different is reminiscent of Nintendo’s design philosophy, and Astro does it just as well as Mario. At the same time, Astro’s adventure through the history of PlayStation is a journey only Sony can deliver.

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a blend between motor racing and gun action that feels somewhat similar to the Trials series. While the exploration elements don’t quite hit, shooting at enemies while riding a bike feels fresh and satisfying. Elements besides the gameplay, such as a melancholic soundtrack, are also well executed, and the story that depicts the relationship between Laika and her daughter feels novel in an action game like this.

Splatoon 3 is like a theme park of mainly multiplayer-focused content, which makes it an ideal videogame. From versus matches to co-op and even a card game, Splatoon 3 can be enjoyed endlessly. Its appeal is so broad that being in the world of Splatoon itself feels like a treat.

With an utterly simple control scheme, One Finger Death Punch 2 still manages to create a sense of player improvement. One Death Finger Punch was the king of two-button action games, and the sequel is here to inherit the throne. From better UI to new effects and tuned modes, One Finger Death Punch 2 is made just a little bit better on every single aspect. While it lacks new additions, it more than makes up for this by majorly polishing what was already there.

If anything, the amazing story of the original Nier has only become more valuable today than it already was back in the day. While many elements have received a significant update, some remain the same, but the story more than makes up for it.

Stray doesn’t just deliver on the promise of traversing a detailed cyberpunk city as a cat, it’s also an exciting and varied experience packed with memorable characters and rewarding exploration. While the story itself might not be super special, the city and its characters will stay with you for a long time.

For a story-driven game, there are just too many inconsistencies in its story. Yet despite this, Yakuza 6 comes with undeniable charm.

Octopath Traveler modernizes the golden formula of Square’s RPGs from the SNES era, and by doing so delivers a traditional yet fresh JRPG.

Triangle Strategy brings back a classical style of SRPG with modern HD-2D visuals and a refreshing branching story system. While not everything falls completely into place, a simple yet deep battle system, elaborate world building and serious character development add up to an epic tale that feels like the beginning of the comeback of a neglected genre.

Moonlighter is a game that has you experience the life of a hero and a shopkeeper at the same time. You fight enemies to obtain items at a dungeon, and go on to sell these at your shop, allowing you to buy better armor. The gorgeous graphics enhance the experience and the gameplay loop is great. The game could have offered more to do and the story is a bit simple, but it’s an enjoyable ride nonetheless.

With the addition of the Champions League license, FIFA 19 is able to realistically portray the European soccer experience. Introduction scenes and team anthems will satisfy soccer fans without a doubt. Alex Hunter’s story also gets a conclusion in The Journey’s third season, and while it may be a classic success story, the dilemmas you have to face as Alex allow you to feel like you’re living the life of an actual soccer player.

Orthodox yet sophisticated action, a wacky art style, a crazy score and events that make great use of these characteristics make Ape Out a thrilling experience throughout.

Katana Zero offers stunning visuals and striking effects, but both its gameplay and story feel incomplete. Including its atmosphere, Katana Zero has a lot to offer, which makes it feel all the more like a wasted opportunity in its current state.

Though its mechanics are not always well explained, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 offers a timeless tale of adventure and an incredibly deep battle system.

Just like Ginga Force and Eschatos, Natsuki Chronicles is a side-scrolling shmup true to the DNA of developer Qute. While it caters towards a wide audience ranging from newcomers to veterans of the genre, the balance between the story-heavy chronicle mode and the more traditional arcade mode isn’t great. There’s some great level design to enjoy here, but Natsuki Chronicles fails to exceed the developer’s previous titles.

As a new entry in the Pokémon series, Pokémon Legends Arceus might deserve a 9, but if you were to think of it as a new RPG, a 7 might sound more fair. Roaming around in a large world and catching Pokémon in real-time itself is a blast, but the battle system is a bit too old-school for its own good, and the story never reaches its full potential. That said, it cannot be denied that Game Freak has finally created a new type of experience for this long running series.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined reconstructs the original’s sprawling narrative with a far brisker, more accessible pace. That approach may well represent the optimal solution for guiding modern players through such an enormous adventure, yet it comes at a cost. In streamlining the experience, the game sacrifices some of the strategic depth expected of an RPG, as well as the literary weight of the original’s meditation on the limits of salvation. It is charming and eminently approachable, but the sharp edges that once lingered in the heart have been smoothed away—resulting in a remake that feels exemplary, yet somewhat too well-behaved for its own good.

The Forza series is famous for its engine sounds, which have reached new heights for Forza Motorsport. The graphics are outstandingly beautiful, especially in their rendering of the air. The racing is highly enjoyable, and the powerful assistance makes it more playable with a normal controller. When played with a racing wheel controller, the force feedback is more accurate than before, making Forza Motorsport a simulator that is also fun to play. There is not much to do beyond racing, and if you want to modify your car things can get a little bit grindy, but Forza Motorsport does offer you the chance to learn more about cars.

The Breaking Point narrative mode allows the player to join races while feeling like they’re the lead in a Hollywood movie. That being said, the mode’s story is linear and your racing efforts don’t necessarily have an effect on its scenario. While the career mode is as well made as always, if you’ve played the series before, there’s just not enough to make the experience feel fresh again.

While Lost Judgment’s many systems might not look like much separately, together they succeed in creating a varied experience like no other. With the new setting of a Japanese high school and a story about bullying, the game depicts modern Japanese society in an exaggerated way similar to the Yakuza series while feeling fresh at the same time. However, shallow yet frequent battles and a story that starts to drag in the second half exhaust the player way more than necessary.

The combination between deck-building and speedy real-time action make One Step From Eden a revolutionary title. While difficult and lacking in story, it’s definitely a game anyone should try.

While using a similar format as 2012’s Journey, developer Thatgamecompany manages to deliver an experience that feels genuinely new by implementing more communication mechanics and adding more diversity in its gameplay. At launch, the more complex package does make Sky feel less refined and not as pure as Journey, but we are excited to see how this online experience evolves from here.

Eastward’s action and puzzles play things a bit too much by the book, the plot and storytelling don’t really come together, and the dialogue lacks wit. But even with so many negative aspects, the top-notch pixel art is true craftsmanship. These wonderful graphics were enough for me to push through, and perhaps you will too.

Anyone can pick this up and be moved. Florence is universal art.

The Outer Worlds is an RPG with an incredible amount of choices to make, to the extent that it can sometimes feel more like an adventure game. While it becomes more linear near the end, there are few games that give the player this much freedom of choice.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is not a remaster that relies solely on nostalgia. With fully voiced storytelling and refreshed graphics, the sense of immersion has been deepened, and the Imperial Capital — where modernization and superstition, science and the occult intertwine — feels more alive. Battles have been refined into a polished action experience through a variety of new elements, while the distinctive resource management system feels innovative even today. The one shortcoming lies in the simplicity of ally demon AI, which at times clashes with the freedom of character development. Even so, this work has successfully transformed from an eccentric title into an epic that can truly reach a wide audience.

Cult of the Lamb is a cute yet dark and grotesque experience. The gameplay loop of managing a dark cult and exploring dungeons is quite addictive. However, in the latter half of the game conditions become more favorable for the player, to the extent that much of the game’s tension is lost.

Bad Japanese localization prevents the player from getting invested in the story, but both in gameplay and story Banner Saga 3 is a worthy conclusion to an epic trilogy.

From stage design to game systems, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a dream package for Castlevania fans, yet at the same time manages to be interesting for newcomers as well. While story-wise things can sometimes get a little bit too familiar, the new protagonist does add a fresh touch to the formula.

A fresh new gameplay experience with breathtaking photorealistic yet surreal visuals, Death Stranding provides an experience that goes beyond the usual boundaries of videogames. Future developers may draw influence from the game’s redefined concept of terrain and its traversal.

The mysterious atmosphere that Amanita Design is known for is present in Creaks, but it never reaches the heights of the developer’s previous works. In particular, the puzzle gameplay feels old and pulls the player out of the experience. The only part where it feels like Amanita Design reaches its true potential is not the main game, but the collectable paintings.

With eFootball in its title, this year’s PES comes with visual enhancements that make it even more realistic, while keeping the exhilarating soccer gameplay intact. The new finesse dribble mechanic allows the player to make slight adjustments with the right analog stick, which feels like you are directly in control. With legendary coaches and derby match scenarios, Master League is now more addictive than ever before.

NINJA GAIDEN 4 delivers an astonishing “high-risk, ultra-return” style of action. It goes far beyond simple parries or evasions — its system allows players to even toy with bosses by taking calculated risks, resulting in an incredibly satisfying gameplay experience. It truly opens up new possibilities for 3D action games and will undoubtedly stand as a significant milestone in the genre’s history. Whether everyone fully understands that right now, however, is another matter.

This may be an expansion for a game that is essentially a multiplayer experience, but the solo campaign is the real attraction in Octo Expansion. If you couldn’t get into the multiplayer, give this a try.

This 8-bit spin-off of Koji Igarashi’s Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is at the same time a nostalgic linear sidescroller and a modern game that manages to be accessible to new players.

Wargroove might not surprise, but it does a good job in reviving and refreshing a classic genre. If you’re curious about strategy games, this one has all the answers.

Sakuna’s deep rice-farming experience is truly unique. Making perfect rice is difficult at first, but you will become attached to the rice plants you have been cultivating over the in-game years. With intuitive controls, the side-scrolling action and dungeon exploration section is an enthralling experience as well. Sakuna is great at connecting these two different styles of gameplay, creating a well-balanced game with lots of variety all round.

If you look at Mega Man 11 as a standalone experience, it’s a fun game. The Double Gear system indeed feels fresh, but essentially, it’s still that same Mega Man you’ve already experienced in countless other iterations.

Yuppie Psycho is an adventure game that depicts an exploitive employer through both comedy and horror. It’s too bad that the actual survival gameplay lacks tension. During the latter part of the game, the concept of the employer loses its importance, and while that might make sense for the story, I found the game’s original concept far more appealing.

While the Nintendo Switch version of rhythm game Cytus could have had more additional content, it has been cleverly customized for the system. With many tracks from a wide arrange of artists, Cytus a is a game that is definitely worth its budget price.

While an interesting counter to what RPGs were like back in 1994, it’s hard to deny that today Live A Live feels like a dated experience. That being said, as a remake this is a very well crafted game.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ beautifully realized open world, engaging story and lively characters are some of its greatest strengths. On the other hand, its side activities are not of the scale we have come to expect from the series, while some of the game’s mechanics feel underdeveloped, making it a game with both strong and weak points.

Working together or trying to hinder each other in Overcooked! 2’s kitchen will bring out the kid in you for sure. Its busy co-op action reminds how fun it can be to fight over a video game.

While Paradise Killer seems like a detective adventure game, it’s not impossible to beat the game without solving the main mystery at all. The game’s climax plays out in a court session, which the player can engage in at any given point. But in order to unveil the true story, you will need to collect countless pieces of evidence and talk to many different characters. This means that you will need to work your way through an inconveniently designed open world, and I often found the game’s scenario hard to swallow. That being said, from quirky character design to Japan-inspired locales and a Vaporwave-like soundtrack and UI, the game’s surrealistic atmosphere is well worth a visit.

While bugs and issues can stand in the way of your enjoyment, F1 23 has a lot of content, and its VR mode in particular is sensational. The story mode’s scenario also felt deeper when compared to previous entries.

Ghostrunner is a masterful pure-parkour video game that has you athletically traverse through dangerous environments. The only downside is that you’ll be so busy maneuvering your way through that there’s no time to pay attention to the story.

Having the player advance through environments by rearranging rooms, The Pedestrian succeeds in creating a puzzle game with simple rules that is visually interesting at the same time. The difficulty is always well balanced, and the surprising climax makes great use of the game’s features. Yet, at the same time, The Pedestrian never manages to truly stand out of the crowd, resulting in a game that feels like a role-model student who lacks real personality.

Drainus is a classic shmup that allows newcomers to experience the best moments of the genre. Shooting away with your overpowered spaceship is an exhilarating experience indeed, and beautiful sprites as well as flashy effects make the journey worthwhile. Bosses and stages come with plenty of gimmicks, to the extent that newcomers may be overwhelmed by the richness of the experience. At the same time, the game is so easy that it doesn’t motivate the player enough. While a great title for players new to the genre, seasoned shmup fans will end up craving more.

Dungeon Encounters is a pared-back RPG focused purely on battles and exploration. By gaining knowledge and experience, the player needs to learn how to overcome traps and enemies, resulting in a satisfying experience. Although the game kind of loses momentum in the second half, it’s still well worth a look.

Marathon is an ambitious effort from veteran FPS developer Bungie, channeling its expertise into the extraction shooter genre. The act of firing its weapons feels undeniably satisfying, and the loop grows more addictive with each run. That said, the roughness of its UI and task design is hard to overlook. Still, the rapid rollout of quality-of-life patches within just two weeks of launch clearly shows Bungie’s commitment to seriously supporting and improving the game.

Playing Catherine: Full Body reminded me how amazing the original Catherine was. The exciting puzzles and unique adventure gameplay come with a stylish, mature tone and extremely well written dialogue. With a remixed music score and online multiplayer, Catherine: Full Body does somewhat enrich that original experience. However, the addition of a third heroine can easily be seen as a negative feature. Altogether, Catherine: Full Body is a great game because of the timeless classic it is based on, rather than because of the new features.

Rollerdrome is developer Roll7’s second success of 2022. By blending together skating and shooting gameplay, it manages to deliver an experience that we’ve all dreamed of but thought impossible. The game’s action becomes funner and cooler as you improve, which makes it hard to put down. A new classic in this genre for sure.

From its setting to world building and especially the battles with monsters, this is truly an RPG that stays true to what Monster Hunter is all about. While the story is definitely on the light side, exploring the beautiful world with your favorite Monsties is an experience packed with content that any Monster Hunter fan will love.

Signalis is a top-down action adventure game that was heavily inspired by classic survival horror titles. Although not for everyone, severe resource management makes every encounter with zombies frightening. Its science fiction and Lovecraft-inspired setting is well crafted, and the game’s puzzles fit in naturally. The story left me thinking, but for some players it might be frustrating that no real answers can be found in the game’s ending.

When at its best, My Friend Pedro’s smooth and stylish gameplay is a dream come true for any shooting action fan. However, its design forces the player to go through a lot of trial and error, which makes the gameplay feel less catchy, and the often clunky controls don’t help its case.

While the weak scenario and some other issues drag Necrobarista down, its 3D model animation and cleverly positioned text create a unique experience. In that sense, it’s no exaggeration to call this the beginning of a brand new era for the visual novel genre.

With beloved characters from throughout the series, the remake of Like a Dragon: Ishin is an all-star game that fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series will appreciate. It makes you feel like you are watching an epic drama series about the Meiji Ishin period with your favorite characters starring as historical figures. While this remake does bring new elements such as a change in its cast and special skills becoming available during normal battles, compared to the series’ other remakes it feels a bit lacking in novelty.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with Stellar Blade’s combat, which is exhilarating and also offers a sense of accomplishment. The unique visuals and soundtrack are of high quality as well. While its game design might not shine with originality, Stellar Blade is a well made videogame overall. That being said, while taking a story-focused approach, Stellar Blade’s scenario and world-building felt clichéd and left us disappointed. With some boss battles being reused and tedious side quests, the experience started to drag a bit during the latter half.

Breath of the Wild's latest DLC The Champions' Ballad has some problems that cannot be ignored, but its best parts exceed even those of the main game.

Black Myth: Wukong’s combat system doesn’t have anything that makes it truly unique. The variety in ways to tackle combat is often lacking, and it doesn’t feel all that good to play either. That said, the concept of creating openings for the enemy rather than exploiting them is interesting, and by rewarding players who take full advantage of the few chances the game gives you, it makes its boss encounters worthwhile despite its lacking combat system. Character customization and exploration is on the thin side too, and the story is hard to follow if you haven’t read Journey to the West. However, the impressive graphics make every moment of the game look like a painting. Experiencing this world based on classic Chinese literature through the game’s unique vision is still worth your time.

Dorfromantik is a relaxing game that welcomes the player to a rural landscape. At the same time, it is an experience that allows the player to enjoy the fun and challenge of aiming for a high score as well. That means that the game can be enjoyed both as a relaxing break and as a serious undertaking, but never as something in between.

Mutiazone is a point-and-click game set on an island that brings in “gardening” gameplay. The story is moved on by sorting fictional plants in order to create gardens for the game’s characters. This is much more a personal story than a heroic one, and it leaves a warm impression. But while the game makes you think that you are reconnecting the island’s community, it feels like the real issue is being avoided.

While keeping the series’ essence intact, the newly introduced Wild Area makes Pokémon Sword/Shield feel significantly different, switching up how battles and party formation work. Pokémon Sword/Shield is an enjoyable game, and even if it doesn’t include every single Pokémon ever made, its changes could very well mark a new start for the series.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake faithfully preserves the haunting charm of its story, where sadness, beauty, and eeriness coexist, while vividly reimagining the classic horror experience. Combat with the Camera Obscura can occasionally lack a sense of punch, which is a minor drawback, but the enhanced presentation gives the village an even more oppressive and unsettling atmosphere, and the gameplay now holds up well by modern standards. Though some aspects of its progression remain old-school, the game’s meticulous structure is still exceptional, making this remake in large part a welcome revival of a horror classic.

Boomerang X is a diamond of a 3D action game. While it might not offer beautiful cutscenes or clever dialogue, the action itself constantly manages to amaze. The stellar boomerang mechanics are in perfect harmony with the super fast action. For fans of the genre, Boomerang X is an absolute joy from start to finish.

The city of Neo San Francisco in 2064 feels like a future directly connected to the world we live in today. As always, there are plenty of social issues, yet of course, there is also always hope.

While keeping the series’ essence intact, the newly introduced Wild Area makes Pokémon Sword/Shield feel significantly different, switching up how battles and party formation work. Pokémon Sword/Shield is an enjoyable game, and even if it doesn’t include every single Pokémon ever made, its changes could very well mark a new start for the series.

Remnant II is a TPS that combines Souls-like hard boss fights with treasure hunting that allows the player to create new builds. The campaign's randomly generated stages and extraordinary amount of secrets greatly enhance the fun of the treasure hunting element.

A fantastic campaign mode, a VR mode so great that it should go down in history, and so many other aspects make Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown an incredible package. However, it helps to be familiar with the series in order to savor its greatness.

While keeping the series’ essence intact, the newly introduced Wild Area makes Pokémon Sword/Shield feel significantly different, switching up how battles and party formation work. Pokémon Sword/Shield is an enjoyable game, and even if it doesn’t include every single Pokémon ever made, its changes could very well mark a new start for the series.

Blending refreshing systems like aiming and the ability to stock enemy encounters to fight them all at once when you feel like it, Fantasian’s turn-based battles are simple yet revolutionary. By implementing real-life dioramas as the main visuals, the locations have a sense of place few games can match. From story to music, everything in this game has been crafted with love and attention to detail, resulting in a game of superb quality overall.

The Red Strings Club is a game with refined dialogue and sublimely implemented choices. It sets a new standard for story-driven adventure games that can be seen as literature.

Infinity Nikki is an ambitious title that combines dress-up elements with open world gameplay. While it succeeds in creating an open world that feels unique and fresh, it comes with flaws such as an underdeveloped combat system.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink does a great job of incorporating elements from the original game at a high standard of quality. The story could have been introduced better, unlockable characters would have benefited from a bit more care and the lack of a map or mini-map is baffling. That being said, Granblue Fantasy: Relink’s exhilarating action and gorgeous visuals more than make up for its shortcomings.

Scarlet Nexus’ stylish psychokinesis-based action is tons of fun. That being said, the player’s attacks tend to leave big openings for the opponent, and with many enemies that have a specific weakness you need to strike, it can become quite stressful. While I had some issues on the story side as well, the well realized characters and great pacing were enough to make me overlook its shortcomings.

After many missteps, Paper Mario Origami King is a return to form for the series. It fixes many of the issues that marred previous entries, and allows the player to casually enjoy puzzles together with a wide array of beautiful locations and quirky characters, while the wonderful sound alone is reason enough to play.

As the first single-player Star Wars action game to be released in a number of years, Jedi: Fallen Order provides a novel opportunity to visit a variety of planets and explore them in depth. However, it fails to build upon innovations from earlier Star Wars action games such as implementation of Force abilities and ease of navigation, with the result that part of its design feels stuck in a previous era.

When The Past Was Around feels heavily inspired by Florence. While it is easy to fall in love with its gorgeous artwork and music, its puzzles fail to support to the story’s narrative. There’s definitely a sense of accomplishment when solving the game’s harder puzzles, but they are often utilized as traditional videogame obstacles rather than meaningful tools that contribute to the story.

The reactions of Pokémon when items are used can be a little underwhelming, and the photography scoring system feels a bit off, but each of the Pokémon and the detailed world they inhabit are so well crafted that it all really comes to life. While the premise of replaying the same course over and over to take pictures may sound a bit too simple, the different Pokémon you encounter and the stories they provide prevent the experience from becoming tedious. New Pokémon Snap has us hoping that future installments in the Pokémon series will learn from its stellar world building.

TOEM is a cute little game made by a Swedish studio that feels like a paper-made terrarium. From its unique art style to fun photography mechanics, user-friendly controls and a clear and lilting sound design, everything in TOEM works and feels polished. This is the kind of game that players may have a lot of fun with regardless of their skill or preferences. The ending of the game’s cozy journey is quite touching as well.

Metal: Hellsinger is a heavy metal FPS that feels like a love child between Doom and a rhythm game. While the lack of variation in its maps and boss battles is a pity, killing hordes of demons while listening to one of 2022’s best soundtracks is an exhilarating experience for sure.

Goro Majima takes the lead in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. This is an action-adventure game with a unique setting in which fan favorite Majima becomes a pirate in modern-day Hawaii. Fans can finally use his iconic fighting style during battles, while an all new combat system that incorporates the game’s pirate theme is added as well. Although the main story doesn’t utilize the game’s spacious field to the max, the game packs in a lot of content to enjoy.

Gato Roboto is a metroidvania with lots of references to the games it was inspired by, but at times it also feels just as unfriendly and inconvenient as some of those classics do today. It’s also much more difficult than you would expect from a game that stars a cute cat in mech armor, but it’s well worth it if you’re up for the challenge.

With low-texture pixel art and an FM synth-rock soundtrack, Blazing Chrome is best described as a spiritual successor to Contra games from the 16-bit era. A 16:9 aspect ratio, devastating enemy attacks and upgradable weapons give Blazing Chrome a unique sense of thrill and exhilaration. Heavily inspired by older games yet original at the same time, Blazing Chrome’s refined level design will have you learn each time you die. Fighting your way through this classic run-and-gun game is like reliving an experience that never gets old.

Like Supermassive Games’ previous titles, The Quarry plays out like an interactive horror movie. While the improvement in playability is welcome, the game does not provide enough interesting events and twists throughout its voluminous playtime, which makes the story drag. The game’s unique Movie Mode felt like a wasted opportunity too.

Improved lighting makes PES look even more stunning than last year. Dribbling and shooting motions are more varied and feel more authentic, resulting in a more exhilarating soccer match.

With Resident Evil 3, Capcom again succeeds in delivering a game that, as a remake, is nearly flawless. The problem is that the original game it is based on was never so great in the first place. And while there’s some fun to be had with multiplayer component, it’s not clear what Capcom’s main focus was for the package as a whole.

With its new mechanics, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment offers more tactical and refined action than its predecessor, Age of Calamity. On the other hand, the slow pace of unlocking features and progressing through the story gives it an undeniably slow-starting feel. Because it centers on the theme of the Imprisoning War, it offers fewer elements that will excite fans of the original series, but the new episodes told through its original characters are compelling.