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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Replaced is a beautiful retro cyberpunk adventure, with visuals that suit it down to the ground and world-building that pleasantly surprises. Despite a few flaws, the combat and platforming sections are competent and satisfying, even if they fail to lend a more consistent pace to the narrative, which drags in its slower moments. Even so, Replaced isn’t long enough to irreversibly tarnish what is a highly recommended experience.

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.

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.