All things considered, Crisol: Theater of Idols is a pretty competent horror game. Its AA budget means it can't escape a certain lack of polish (or "jank" in more endearing terms), but that doesn't stop it from demonstrating enormous ambition and a very distinct identity. The gloomy atmosphere of Tormentosa Island is very appealing and interesting, the combat is satisfying, and the game's story is enough to grab us, making it a fantastic proposition for fans of the genre, especially since it has an incredibly competitive price that is rarely seen nowadays: €17.49.

Digimon Time Stranger has, at its core, almost everything a Digimon fan could want. A huge range of over 400 Digimon with the best 3D models ever, gameplay mechanics that celebrate the franchise's history, depth in the digivolution system, and even the possibility of improving the relationship we have with our Digimon. I don't believe, therefore, that the uninspired story, generic characters, and lack of real challenge will deter hungry Digimon fans from Time Stranger, which remains one of the best and most promising entries in the franchise.

Kirby Air Riders immediately earns the merit of standing on its own, putting to rest the fears of those who thought it might try to compete with Mario Kart World. It’s not a technical triumph, but rather a creative manifesto from a designer who continues to challenge conventions within a company known for playing it safe. Not everyone will have the patience for its disorder, but those who let themselves be carried away will find a genuinely free-spirited game, more interested in provoking smiles than in ensuring stability.

An exciting new game engine and a wider range of tactical options are not enough to hide an ineffective and, in most cases, dysfunctional interface, as well as numerous features that have disappeared since the last edition. The fans waited two years for this game, but Sports Interactive is telling us that we'll need to wait a bit more until it grows on us. We're then left waiting, and wanting.

EA FC 26 presents remarkable improvements in terms of gameplay. Once again, it doesn't revolutionise football, but smarter goalkeepers, fluid movements, better ball control and more precise passing - all these small improvements help establish one of the best on the pitch gameplay of the series. However, with one exception or another, the changes to the other modes are conservative and don't change much, although it is clear that monetisation is becoming more aggressive.

Drag x Drive has Nintendo's innovative ‘feel’, it works beautifully as a use case for the mouse functionality of Nintendo's new console, but despite being very well polished, it relies on a naturally stuck gameplay, a victim of its apparent simplicity, which adds a difficult entry level and makes it limited on a tactical and strategic level. It's hard not to imagine what it would be like with “normal” controls, it certainly deserved more aesthetic diversity and options; but It's a good option to have at home if you like to embrace new experiences with friends and, by the way, it would fit in beautifully as a permanent Nintendo Switch Online offering.

Elden Ring: Nightreign swaps the expansive and striking world of Lands Between for a shorter, more intense experience designed with multiplayer in mind. While the combat remains as incredible as you'd expect, the roguelike nature upsets the balance of Elden Ring, not always in the best way, thanks to an underwhelming meta progression. Some performance problems affect the PC version, but when you're in the company of friends, it's hard to resist the Limveld's appeal, even when you taste defeat.

South of Midnight is a game with a very strong identity of its own, which prioritizes its artistic and narrative vision above all else. Its moderate length (around 10-12 hours) prevents the repetitive elements of combat from becoming tiresome. Although the narrative doesn't reach the emotional depths that its themes suggest, it makes up for it with a stunning world, a magnificent soundtrack and enjoyable movement mechanics. It's like an illustrated storybook: maybe the story isn't revolutionary, but the pages are visual delights and a window into a fascinating world. For fans of adventure games with a strong narrative and visual component, South of Midnight offers an enchanting experience through a journey full of magic. Its distinct and coherent identity makes it a good addition to any gamer's library.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is a visual spectacle that captures the essence of feudal Japan, but fails to realise its potential. Despite stunning art direction and historical detail, the game is held back by its own ambition to appeal to different types of players. The duality of protagonists, which promised innovation, ends up creating more obstacles than opportunities, with stealth and combat mechanics that don't evolve significantly from previous titles. While the open world invites exploration due to its beauty, it quickly reveals the repetitiveness of its missions. For fans of the series, there are rewarding moments, but Shadows leaves the feeling that it doesn't intend to change the Assassin's Creed formula, remaining hostage to a design that shows signs of fatigue.

Avowed presents itself as a deliberately traditional RPG that, although it doesn't risk innovating, offers a well-executed experience. Its strengths - engaging characters, satisfying exploration and accessible mechanics - make up for its lack of originality and technical limitations. It's the kind of game that, without pretending to be more than it is, manages to provide dozens of hours of fun for fans of the genre looking for something familiar and comfortable.

The introduction of a roguelike element in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap results in a somewhat contradictory fusion. Setting up a defence with traps and tearing apart entire columns of Orcs remains highly entertaining, especially with friends, with constant pressure forcing you to adjust your strategy, wave by wave, map by map. However, progression through the levels is inconsistent and outside of combat it's simply uninteresting. Even so, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap offers many good moments of gameplay, if its slow progression doesn't bore you.

Made up of highs and lows, great moments and dull ones, Eternal Strands is a real rollercoaster. Still, even its less successful moments aren't enough to drown out the tremendous fun of taking down giant foes, armed with a pocket full of spells and a whole lot of creativity. The pace of the narrative isn't always constant and enjoyable, but the amazing work of the voice cast gives it a lot of vivacity, and fortunately, Eternal Strands doesn't stretch too far to the point of losing its magic.

As far as LEGO's forays into the world of video games are concerned, LEGO Horizon Adventures is a clear positive evolution of the gameplay model and the collaboration between two universes dear to popular culture. PlayStation enriches one of its main brands and introduces it to new audiences, while LEGO evolves the formula of its video games, while studying a few more possible Horizon sets. I wish it was longer, without quickly becoming repetitive for the most demanding players, but it's well worth the hours of cooperative fun. All in all, it's certainly a remarkable representation of the world of Horizon in the plastic format we all love so much.

In short, it was a pleasure to get to know and revisit the different islands of Concordia, but I wasn't enamoured with its inhabitants, too many plug heads and not enough memorable creatures. In terms of new characters, the highlight goes to Concordia's special forces, but the truth is that Mario & Luigi: Brothership shines most brightly when it uses a few powders from the mushroom kingdom. I'm not sure I could do without them, at least not until the combat starts to get really challenging and the interesting choices multiply, a good ten hours into the adventure.

Slitterhead demonstrates admirable creative courage, and functions less as a final product and more as a creative manifesto - a glimpse of future possibilities. However, the forced cyclicality raises questions about how such a promising concept - a time loop of supernatural horror - can be simultaneously so expansive in its ambitions and so claustrophobic in its execution. For an independent studio on its first flight, there is something courageously poetic about creating a game about a formless entity that seeks to define itself through others. Perhaps, in the end, that's Slitterhead's real victory: not so much what it achieves technically, but what it tries to suggest.

EA FC 25 is a fickle title. For every two steps forward, EA takes one step back and one step sideways. Although it's still an improvement on last year's release, it's not a significant enough evolution to dispel the idea that it's the same game every year. That's what you get when you play to manage the score.

Emio - The Smiling Man struggles to remain as interesting as its premise, a battle it loses over the course of the more than 10 hours of gameplay it has to offer. The simplicity of the narrative adds nothing to the linear and predetermined gameplay, diminishing the initial interest I had in seeing an answer to the interesting mysteries presented at the start of the game. On the other hand, this safe, simple and even quite competent path could serve as a gateway for those interested in taking their first steps in a thriller visual novel with a subdued horror narrative.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is above all a nostalgic journey through the challenges of the 8-bit era, offering players the chance to put their speedrunning skills, acquired through a lot of trial and error, to the test online or locally. For the more casual players, or even new players, although it's a way of getting to know 13 NES classics, it could be short-lived given the limited and repetitive range of challenges on offer. Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition seems to me to be an excellent idea that will quickly become a title only appreciated by the niche of speedrunners and more competitive party gamers.

Exophobia is a short but focused and conscious experience. Complexity gives way to simple, intense action, where exploration is the main course, with plenty of secrets to discover, without neglecting the shooting moments. All this is accompanied by a phenomenal soundtrack, which takes Exophobia far beyond the precepts of a typical Boomer shooter.

Although it has some flaws, Stellar Blade is nonetheless a remarkable effort by Shift Up, which has had its biggest challenge to date here. Fundamentally, Stellar Blade is well realised in its core elements, with the only flaw being its inconsistent execution, which translates into boring open-world areas and an uninteresting story. The studio promises that Eve's story won't end here and I personally look forward to seeing what she can achieve in the future.

Princess Peach Showtime isn't Peach's solo debut, nor will it be the game she'll be remembered for in the future, but it feels like the ultimate start to a new and promising career for this cherished character from the Super Mario universe. For older players who have grown up with Nintendo and Super Mario, the novelty of Princess Peach Showtime wears off quickly, feeling repetitive and lacking in challenge. All in all, it's still not Yoshi's Crafted World or Luigi's Mansion, but judging by this release, the character and this new world have the potential for more and better.

In an attempt to expand its player base, Team Ninja ends up diluting the formula it spent so many years refining. Rise of The Ronin stands out for its incredible and precise combat experience, combined with an enticing level design that stands out in an open world stuck in an overly familiar and beaten structure, without any major surprises in store. The story has its ups and downs, caused above all by an inconsistent pace, with characters constantly entering and exiting the stage. The game's performance also leaves something to be desired, especially considering that it's a PlayStation 5 exclusive released in 2024.

After a long voyage on a rough sea, Skull and Bones has reached a safe harbour. It's not the disaster many were expecting, but it doesn't offer an outstanding experience either. There are positive and genuinely enjoyable aspects, such as the combat or the artistic direction, but these are swallowed up by the swamp of live-service elements and the time it demands from players.

WarioWare: Move It! has a vast and diverse range of mini-games to be enjoyed solo, with friends or family, ensuring many hours of chaotic fun. Although there are more than two hundred games and a humorous narrative to support them, the very short duration of 3 seconds per mini-game wears you down quickly, leaving you feeling like you're spending more time waiting for the mini-game than actually playing. The mini-games are easy to master, significantly reducing the challenge and replayability. Despite its poor longevity, WarioWare: Move It! oozes creativity, shining in the competitive modes, but above all in the cooperative ones, proving to be a fun team party game.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare III is the ultimate proof that the franchise's annual release schedule is breaking down. The campaign feels uninteresting and rushed, the multiplayer mode appeals to the nostalgia of the community and isn't fundamentally different from its predecessor, while the zombies mode comes across as a PvE version of DMZ, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. All in all, Modern Warfare III struggles to justify its price and each of these elements would have benefited from a modular release rather than the hastily put together package we have on our hands.

Lord of The Rings: Return to Moria doesn't mess with the formula we already know from survival games. The focus on Tolkien's narrative offers good moments, but still leads to a relatively linear progression, lightly sprinkled with references to the journey of the Fellowship of the Ring. The bugs and the overly basic combat bury too much of the fun that the game can offer, yet fans of the genre and The Lord of the Rings willing to sift through these problems may find some golden nuggets.

With Devolver Digital's seal of quality, Wizard With a Gun cleverly combines the gunplay of Twin-Stick Shooters with the mechanics of survival games. The result is a fun isometric adventure with a double-edged sword in its simplicity - although addictive, it ends up being too easy, which shortens its duration and limits the challenge. Even so, it has enough creative possibilities for a few brave forays to save the world, five minutes at a time.

Song of Nunu continues the "A League of Legends Story" series, proving once again the incredible experiences that the rich and deep world created by Riot Games can provide. It's hard not to get the feeling that the game could have been more, especially considering the quality delivered in Convergence and The Mageseeker, two titles that survive on their own merits, without needing League of Legends to exist. Despite some of its flaws, as well as serving as a cute adventure game for the younger set, Nunu and Willump's heart-warming adventure is even capable of melting the icy hearts of League of Legends players.

Detective Pikachu Returns arrives on Nintendo Switch with the promise of concluding the narrative than was born in 2016. The story is indeed told to the end, but at the cost of one of the great qualities that defined its predecessor: puzzles as a visual representation of reasoning. Gameplay has become an automated, unnecessarily simplified process, capable of insulting even the youngest players. If you're expecting Detective Pikachu Returns to be a step forward in this line of Pokémon spinoffs, through a narrative evolution and a deepening of the detective mechanics, you'll be disappointed. It's just another Pokémon game that validates the feeling Nintendo has left us with: the comfort of the franchise's success and popularity allows it to produce titles without soul or effort.

In a year of change, EA Sports FC 24 doesn't revolutionize the series. Even with the goal at its mercy, EA has decided to bet on the game's new image, tidying up the wrapping paper and maintaining the same experience that all fans already know so well. Graphically it has never looked better, but there are few new features in terms of gameplay. New jersey aside, the gameplay of FC 24 is very similar to that of FIFA 23, for better or for worse.

The Crew: Motorfest is a solid and capable title, but it can easily be labeled as a clone of its competitors, such as those in the Forza franchise. Despite this, it still offers a mature arcade experience with plenty of customization and attention to detail. It has taken a few steps backwards, but all the ones it has taken forwards have been in the right places.

There really is very little of interest The Teal Mask. Throughout the four hours of gameplay - which left me sleepy - I felt like I was playing an uninteresting filler, or some kind of visual novel with no content. The bulk of the DLC is dialog where you spend your time pressing "A". All of the story and characters introduced are nothing more than an excuse to sell Pokémon and cosmetic items to players, sneakily masking a completely insignificant story and additional adventure. Despite its flaws, and as I said at the beginning, here's hoping that part 2, The Indigo Disk, will be better and deliver an interesting Pokémon experience.

All in all, Immortals of Aveum is an interesting proposition, with an intense and fun combat system, even if it doesn't revolutionize the FPS genre. The world is interesting enough, the light show mesmerizing, but the plot leaves a lot to be desired, with characters and clichés we've seen hundreds of times in other games and films.

Making Gylt cross-platform was a wise choice from Tequila Works. The game that was exclusive to Stadia now has the opportunity to reach more players, and raise awareness for bullying. Despite the stealth and combat mechanics being very basic, the story that sustains the action is interesting enough to hold us until the end, making the experience extremely satisfying.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code promises to satiate those hungry for more Danganronpa through gameplay that is as familiar as it is distinctive. It is able to effortlessly blend adventure, visual novel, mystery, detective and exploration elements with bold mechanics that surprise us at every turn. Given the experience of the developers, I expected Master Detective Archives: Rain Code to be a more robust product, with fewer technical glitches, better graphics, faster loading, better dialogues and a more rewarding gameplay cycle. Still, none of this completely spoils the overall experience, nor does it erase my desire to play the next title Too Kyo Games cooks up.

AEW: Fight Forever successfully fulfills the founding principle it set for itself: providing an experience that brings back simple, frenetic, fun gameplay that gives wrestling games back the arcade vibe that has been lost over time. At its best moments, AEW is all of that, but it still fails to be much more. The scarcity of game modes, a roster with gaps, the somewhat persistent bugs, and a Road to Elite far from the quality of the predecessors it draws inspiration from are damaging to the experience and don't give us many reasons to come back. Nevertheless, with promises of constant development and regular updates from the studio, we have reason to believe that there is room to fix these shortcomings and offer a more complete wrestling experience. It just isn't it at the moment.

Despite some mistakes, Layers of Fear is a horror game that will remain in the memory of players as one of the most appreciated of this year. Bloober Team delivered exactly what the franchise needed. With some changes in the narrative and the introduction of new details, Layers of Fear solidifies the story, not only with new plot points and mechanics, but also with new animations, collectibles and puzzles . Combining the three games into a single title is an ingenious strategy, with the studio coming out on top of this challenge.

Miasma Chronicles is another solid release from Bearded Ladies, who are quite comfortable with their fusion of turn-based tactics with a narrative element. The studio has already become an expert at playing defense, and has a case for venturing further on offense. Miasma Chronicles is a good starting step for newcomers and an interesting offering for veterans, even if it doesn't innovate, but it doesn't try either.

Minecraft Legends is a solid attempt to adapt the world of Minecraft into a new genre. In the process, it clings too tightly to simplicity and leaves behind the creativity that defined it so well. The result is a game that manages to be enjoyable, but often ends up becoming repetitive and shallow, as it seems to have been made with multiplayer modes in mind.

Terra Nil has no ambitions to be the next big city-builder game, nor to set off a revolution in the genre, but it is concise and focused enough in its mission to be considered successful. Above all, and contrary to what is usual, it does not want to lock players in an endless cycle of expansion and construction, but rather to show how easy and necessary it is to let go of our creations and let nature take its course.

Tchia is the living proof that it's possible to make a good game without complex plots or challenging gameplay features. The simple story of the people from New Caledonia is beautiful enough to contemplate and contrasts with our daily life, which is so busy and destructive. Tchia teaches us to stop and smell the flowers, admiring what we really need and valuing the things we take for granted.

Dedicated to fans of the original World, Next Order takes the original game and builds upon it with an impressive array of content. The sluggish and basic grinding, mediocre combat, and an "open world" with no fast means of travel hurts the experience overall. Still, it grabs the Digimon fan's heart, keeping us stuck in the Digital World despite its flaws, something that gains new strength by settling better on handheld consoles.

Atomic Heart stands out for its remarkable art direction and unique theme, in a retro-futuristic world dominated by the Soviet Union. It suffers from repetitive fetch quests, which intensely slow down the game's pace, becoming a barrier to the enjoyment of this virtual world. The story has to be approached with a touch of irony and sarcasm, but that doesn't always excuse some dubious voice-acting. Mundfish's debut has a few rough edges, but a lot of promise for the future.

Horizon: Call of the Mountain is the best looking VR game to date, benefiting from the beautiful world previously created by Guerrila Games. The climbing sections provide a beautiful scenery, but lose their lustre through repetition, and leave you wishing for more combat sections, which despite being on-rails, manage to have good tactical depth. All in all, it seems to be more of a tech demo than a AAA title, but it is a very good experience for those who want to return to this universe and take their first steps in Virtual Reality.

Wild Hearts updates the hunting videogame catalog and proves that it is possible to create new franchises inspired by existing IPs. The only thing that separates success is the ability to create something with its own identity, and that's what Koei Tecmo did by delivering this new franchise to fans of the subgenre. Wild Hearts opts for a spiritualist theme that, properly contextualized, enriches the game world and gives a different purpose to the monsters, as well as to the playable character who has the trivial mission of saving the world. Despite the graphical and performance issues, it is always possible to contemplate the grandeur of everything, like weapons, creatures, buildings or even sights.

Wanted: Dead falls short of the reputation of Ninja Gaiden's developers. Not only it doesn't bring anything new, but it also demeans everything that already exists, adding elements that detract from what is essential in a video game, regardless of genre. The characters are hollow, the story is superficial, and the combat, which should be the strong point, is a complete mess. In the middle of 2023 and with a resume of weight, it was expected a different result from Soleil.

One Piece Odyssey has some pacing issues, and doesn't do anything tremendously innovative in the JRPG genre, but it will be indispensable for any fan of One Piece and gaming in general. It allows players to visit four previous arcs of the anime, relive iconic battles, and even reunite with some long-lost characters, all while keeping each character's personality traits very much alive. There are several hours of exploration and nostalgia waiting for Luffy and company.

For every well done aspect of Need for Speed Unbound, there are two or three that leave something to be desired. The narrative doesn't have to be the main focus, but it's lazily done, via offscreen dialogue that takes place while you're in the menu. The new Takeover events don't deliver the fun they promise, and the police chases leave much to be desired, but the core gameplay, along with the soundtrack and vehicle customisation, is so good that there are moments when you forget all about it. At 300km/h, it all gets a bit blurry, doesn't it?

Evil West fulfills its purpose with dignity and offers us a world full of hideous creatures, the kind that any fan of games like God of War or Devil May Cry will love. Although Flying Wild Hog has left room for improvement in the future of the game, it already has the formula for success: a good narrative and well-structured gameplay. Despite its simplicity, the producer's good taste is reflected in the artistic direction, design and gameplay structure that offers a pure and challenging combat system, as well as cinematics that make us follow another story about saving the world, in 2022.

The latest game in Supermassive Games' horror series does not live up to the evolutionary line that the studio has drawn over time. After House of Ashes, this new experience was expected to follow the same formula. Unfortunately, The Devil in Me is a step backwards, where the characters don't arouse our interest, even though the scenario are meticulously thought out. This could have been an excellent game but ended up having an extremely negative impact due to narrative and performance problems.

Gotham Knights is no Arkham, not by a long shot. Competent enough, it takes us into a fantastic recreation of Gotham City, unfortunately marred by activities that become recurring after a while. The combat starts off interesting, but becomes a repetitive waltz, stuck in a shallow crafting and loot system. Helped by a solid storyline, Gotham Knights is fun in short doses and can be an enjoyable experience in multiplayer.

FIFA 23 tries new things and doesn't quite get them all right. It's not a bad game, but it's also not the best we've ever seen, not even close. It brings slower gameplay, a more patient passing game, but patches will surely change this over the coming months. Career Mode threatens to score a banger, but gets lost with repetitive cutscenes and some bizarre bugs in the Artificial Intelligence's behaviour. Ultimately, EA Sports and FIFA won't be saying goodbye with grand ceremonies, but rather with a timid exit from the pitch.

NBA 2K23 suffers from an identity crisis. On one hand, it respects basketball fans like no other game ever has in the franchise; on the other, it continues to disrespect NBA 2K players. For every triple, there's a foul; for every fantastic detail in recreating the old NBA eras, there's a microtransaction barrier. A title that does so much right on the court manages to become practically intolerable when trying to play online. Our advice? Cherish the offline.

Sunday Gold is raw gold. Guided by a delightful art direction, Sunday Gold competently fuses the elements of RPG combat with a point-and-click adventure. While somewhat short and shallow in some aspects, it's quite fun and interesting enough to leave me yearning for more action with Frank, Sally and Gavin.

Circus Eletrique may not win a standing ovation with its juggling show, but it manages to respectably keep the various elements that it brings to tent flying in the air. The art direction of the game is phenomenal and the combat is quite deep and fun. The management may not please everyone, especially as the narrative unfolds, but it is nonetheless a very fun and accomplished experience.

eFootball 2023 does so much right on the field that it becomes tough to look beyond it. However, the lack of optimization for a closs-platform title, as well as the continued scarcity of offline modes, stop this game from completing its great comeback. The turnaround has begun, but Konami's is still trailing.

Saints Row could be something special. It really could, but Volition still doesn't know how to treat this franchise, placing it somewhere between Grand Theft Auto and Just Cause, never managing to leave its own fingerprints on the open worlds it creates. The Saints Row reboot is so similar to the original franchise in tone, gameplay and content that it leaves you wondering why it was even necessary to hit the reset button. There is fun to be had, but it's hidden behind bugs, repetitive missions and a detached story that doesn't know whether it wants to be a caricature of other plots or a candid tale about a group of friends involved in the criminal world.

The Quarry joins Until Dawn on the shelf of must-have terror/horror games. If you are a fan of the genre, this is the one you have to play at least once, since repeating it can become extremely boring, given that the story is told slowly and the interaction with the characters reveals little about the relationship between them. Even with some bugs, The Quarry offers a strong horror experience that can surprise even the strongest stomachs.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun game, with the fluidity and magical animations you'd expect from the plumber-turned-sportsman, and a remarkable depth despite its apparent simplicity. The Next Level Games project makes a strong commitment to the online world, where the main game mode lives, but on the other hand, it is too scarce in single-player content, an exchange that we didn't ask for. If we had to choose, we'd probably stick with the couch co-op, anyways.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin will continue splitting opinions. If anything, all this division is a testament to the passion that this series has cultivated since 1987. Ate the end of the day, we have a mechanically sane, yet narratively inconsistent game, with meme culture contributing to the heavy criticism for a plot that is, in truth, very confusing.

Rune Factory 5 is an ambitious hybrid between farming simulator and action RPG, converging in an experience that is both therapeutic and frenetic. Its execution wasn’t able to fully take advantage of the hardware of a home console, but its qualities overcome any and all technical problems that appear throughout the hundreds of ultra-detailed and enticing content that it makes available to us.

Monster Energy Supercross 5 is a truly emotional experience, of pain, suffering, learning, and then more pain and suffering. The unforgivable mechanics, along with an erratic AI and an irregular physics system will make our helmet quickly acquainted with the dirt. However, the advancements in Career Mode and the inclusion of the new Track Editor make this the most competent entry in the franchise's history.

Dying Light 2 gives us a fantastic world to explore and it's a delight to run around Villedor's rooftops and terraces. The game's plot is not able to keep up with the speed and quality of its acrobatic action, which, even marred by countless bugs, is still an incredibly fun and addictive experience.

Rainbow Six Extraction aims to breach the co-op shooter genre without much fanfarre. Supported by the excellent gunplay of Rainbow Six Siege and its range of characters, it has some interesting mechanics, but they are not enough to make it stand out above its peers. Although somewhat repetitive, it is a solid game that guarantees a good amount of hours of fun among friends.

Despite all its technical limitations, there is something undeniably satisfactory in Farming Simulator 22. The stress of managing crops, inconsistent workers and visual glitches is mitigated by the pleasant pauses to watch the sunset, as we gazer upon a 2 hectar terrain that we sowed and are ready to harvest.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is a surprisingly solid platform game, with fun and varied mechanics, which always avoid being repetitive. Brainy, Chef, Smurfette and Hefty's adventure are sure to captivate a lot of kids, and please the adults that grew up watching the little blue beings. The true Gargamel of this title is its bad optimization for PS4 and the clear temporal (perhaps financial) limitations.

Battlefield 2042 is the result of an attempted offensive on multiple fronts. All-out War is the major victim of this strategy with several questionable design issues that detract from the experience. Hazard Zone is a solid mode that plays it safe, without risking the formula established by other games, while Portal shines by bringing back the best moments of the old Battlefield games. Made with longevity in mind, Dice has an uphill battle with Battlefield 2042.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a brave and accomplished charge from Activision into World War II. The intelligent way the campaign was assembled escaping from documented events but honoring the different archetypes of the piece combatants, made us sorry that we are not standing in front of a game with a heavier single player component. The core of CoD really is the multiplayer experience which seems faster and with various experiences but with the same good old feel, albeit with an MP40 in hand.

Mario Party Superstars reworks much of the content that helped shape the series, which has more than 15 iterations, introducing features long requested by fans, such as online mode and the ability to play in portable mode. These decisions formulate a game with countless details to enjoy, but which limits it by trying to appeal to everyone. Still this is an essential title for all those looking for a Party Game for family and friends gatherings, compiling some of the best and funniest minigames ever in the series.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes has come to revolutionize the series with the gifts their predecessors gave them. Not only does it fill in the imperative requirements for a good horror game, it spreads the implicit message that it's only in reach of the bravest to conquer fear, in authentic tests of pressure and choices. In a scenario completely obscure, where you can see nothing but feel everything, the decisions must be made and the course of history changed... forever. House of Ashes is, without a doubt, the best game of the series so far.

As it was 14 years ago, Crysis remains a technical marvel – although at times PlayStation 4 can't handle the titanic task of 'running Crysis'.

Back4Blood is the perfect game to play with friends, if we have enough party members to make it so our team isn't filled with Bots. This title promise complex experiences, that defy the laws of physics and communication, where hope is always the last to die. In a scenario where resources are low, and the hordes are endless, the path is long until the next safe zone. In contrast, it shows some bugs that although aren't game breaking, turn the attention from which should be a gameplay focused exclusively on the mission, without any visual distraction. Still, Back 4 Blood has potential to be one of the best zombie multiplayer games of our time.

Lost Judgment is more of the same, which isn't a particularly bad thing. Although it presents improvements compared to the previous game, it remains too faithful to a formula with a solid base and a lot of room for improvement, especially in the investigative department. Even so, it’s still a fun experience, especially for fans of the first game.

FIFA 22 is a fundamentally better experience than the one we've had in the past four years, but it is still a fundamentally flawed experience. The HyperMotion system isn't always competent, but the new ball physics, as well as a slower gameplay, make this entry much worthier of the "simulation" label.

Sonic Colors Ultimate is a worthy remaster of one of the blue hedgehog's best games in the last decade. It improves the impressive visual spectacle of the original, but adds little features that significantly enhance the experience. It was difficult to make a bad game out of Sonic Colors, but Sega has the merit of bringing this title to the newer generations in a competent manner, giving the fans of the series a good game starring the blue speedster - something very rare in the last few years, unfortunately.

RiMS Racing is a truly unique simulator. And, for that reason, it may rub a casual player the wrong way. In fact, even the most passionate tarmac lover may have some difficulties, due to the steep learning curve, the need to manage individual components in Career Mode, etc. But, beyond that aspect, there is a truly pleasant experience, that RaceWard can improve if it develops the AI, as well as the Online modes and Career Mode. Outsite of the MotoGP titles, this seems to be the motocycling simulation with the biggest potential in the market.

The weak AI and the poor adherence from other players to Aliens: Fireteam Elite impede that the whole central idea from the game, a co-op shooter from the Aliens franchise, becomes real with its true potential. Even so, and for now, there’s a satisfactory gameplay that stands on the central mechanics of the game, which are enough to keep us interested. Until when we still don’t know.

Spelunker HD does everything a remaster should do, improving the gameplay and challenge of the 1983 original. But its biggest downfall is being a remaster for Spelunker, a platformer with very archaic mechanics, made for a specific type of audience. There is magic between the hours of suffering, but there are several titles in this genre that provide this type of challenge in a more competent manner.

It's impossible not to be impressed by The Ascent's graphics and presentation: Veles has a remarkable vividness, while it manages to be simultaneously crushing and suffocating. The RPG side of the game falters for being superfluous, which unfortunately removes some potential from the game's action elements. Still, it offers a good two dozen hours of fun, especially if in co-op mode.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game gives you interesting, perhaps memorable, moments, but the lack of cohesion, the short duration of each event and the shallow gameplay make the game look more like an arcade compilation than an accurate portrayal of the Olympic Games. The fun is undeniable, but the ephemerality of this title is its biggest downfall.

Minute of Island sis a game focused on transmitting strong and realistic emoticons. It allows you to feel what in reality you already experience in real life like the pain of losing someone dear, the sadness of wasted years, the urgency of fixing something instead of preventing it and the anxiety of wanting something to happen, and it failing to do so. It is really easy to play with Mo, through a controller, than to play yourself in real life. It’s almost comforting to play through Minute of Islans because of that. Having this said, we believe that the game is very well made and achieves the purposed it was designed for, in a society in which we are all prisoners of a virus and the will to regain normality is always looking around the corner.

The PC version of Days Gone manages to be a superior experience. More polished and better performing than the original on PS4. It doesn't escape its sins however – a story with an uneven pace associated with repetitive and sometimes unnecessary mechanics. The game would benefit if some mechanics were simplified, but it is still a very solid option for those who like open worlds, motorcycles and zombies.

Pecaminosa – A Pixel Noir Game is a bizarre RPG noir adventure, with elements taken straight from the classic 40’s and 50’s detective movies, but also with a pinch of demons, skeletons, zombies and other occult creatures thrown in. All this in a pixel-art style accompanied by a wonderful jazz soundtrack. A drastic shift in tone, repetitive boss battles and frustrating backtracking keep the game from being a masterpiece, but it's a promising starting point for the Portuguese developer, Cereal Games.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends brings together good ideas in a very interesting setting, it is fun if we have a team of three friends, but it does not disguise the notorious lack of content and a schematic doomed to fail into a routine of fights, which goes against the intention the of game’s design. The game would benefit from a story mode and a richer progression system with better visual feedback. It is certain that there is newer content on the horizon, which will promote other synergies and greater unpredictability. However the game runs the risk of not deserving the attention it boasts nowadays.

MotoGP 21 ends up disappointing on different verticals, even though it attempts to replicate everything that made it's predecessor the best game in the saga. The lack of novelty features is overwhelming, the career mode is a replica true to it's name, having only the new brake system and the arrival of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve escaping the copying process. It is still a good game, but not on it's own merit. But for everything that MotoGP 20 was.

If the original games were part of your childhood, then Oddworld: Soulstorm deserves your visit, especially if you have a PlayStation 5, as it is one of the PS Plus offers. The journey is long and hard, loaded with moments of frustration caused by forces that exceed our expertise. But if you are willing to overcome these countless barriers you will find a title filled with good puzzles and excellent cutscenes, led by a strangely relatable protagonist.

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville is a shooter for all ages, from the most seasoned in titles like Battlefield, Call of Duty, or Overwatch, to the newcomers who see their great opportunity to take on a shooter like their parents or older siblings. This Complete Edition brings new content to the game which makes it highly rewarding having it's place in the market taken back to where it belongs. Although the port is not 100% up to par in the visual field, it guarantees infinite hours of gameplay filled with pure joy and competition. It becomes more than clear: plants and zombies are lifelong enemies.

Gods Will Fall tries to formulate a dungeon crawler based on the principles of Roguelikes and Soulslike. Although the idea is good, both narrative and gameplay, some fundamental elements of the genre don't quite hit the mark, leaving Clever Beans a few notches lower than what it could be. Many of the problems can be resolved with some patches and by adding new content, which would certainly improve the experience. We'll be waiting, but for now, you can't help getting the feeling of an opportunity missed.

Imagine a future where Volvo found a way to make car crashes absolutely harmless to humans and, consequently, built gigantic arenas where 16 cars were pitted against each other, looking for the most aggressive and skillful driver. Destruction AllStars is the latest trend on PS5, not because of the representation of this fantasy, but rather because it's accessible and fun. I don't know how long it will last without increasing the cooperative options or if it will be able to survive outside Plus offers. What I do know is that it needs a lot more to become entrenched in the habits of Sony players. When that happens, yes, they'll be able to dream of living and prospering from cosmetic microtransactions.