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.