For less titles like Jump Force and more like Guilty Gear Stive and Scarlet Nexus, with interesting stories that lock you to the screen alongside unique mechanics that fuse the best various genres. It lacks scenery and setting variety, but that goes to a secondary stage with the sheer will of all the other presente elements. An interactive Manga/Anime with bright colors, with dynamic combat that never becomes boring with a daunting and complex tale that is both overwhelming as well as captivating.

I’ll admit I was hesitant at first, but I ended up liking Metroid Prime 4: Beyond more than I expected. It carries a density and maturity that the series deserves and that’s increasingly rare to find, especially within its genre. It’s a deliberate continuation, built with care and respect for its own legacy, a design that favors subtlety over forced innovation, and a story about returns, about the weight of waiting, and about how the past, when properly unearthed, can still cast light on the future.

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.

After several Home Runs and Strike Outs, I can say that I am as big of a baseball fan as I ever was, having even looked up some games during the weekend - which is probably the biggest compliment I can give to MLB The Show 22. It walks that fine line between pleasing veterans with deep, hardcore gameplay and leaving space for newcomers to understand the basic mechanics of the game and the sport itself. Despite little differences to last year's version, it still offers a solid experiences for baseball and sports fans alike - who knows, other sports simulator may even get some tips from what PlayStation Studios are doing.

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.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fine addition to the Nintendo Switch catalog, the second port of the main series after Tropical Freeze. It's true that it includes very few new features apart from the resolution to justify replaying it if you've played some of the previous versions, but it's also a great experience if you like the genre and are looking for a different, more raw challenge within the platform universe. It has another merit, probably the most important, which is that it reminds Nintendo, especially as we approach a new era, that the world deserves a new Donkey Kong.

Humankind doesn't reinvent the fire nor the wheel, but it brings freshness, new ideas and visual beauty to a niche genre, with systems deep enough to win over 4X fans and a visual interface that open the door to new ones. Although the artificial intelligence leaves a little to be desired and some systems need tweaking, the cultural evolution mechanic allows for very interesting flexibility and dynamics.

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.

Riders Republic comes with a lot to give, and one might argue that it may give too much. The Ranking and Item Unlocking systems distract from an experience that, at its core, gives us the best radical sports game since the SSX franchise. Ubisoft presented us with one of the most earnestly fun titles of the year, despite some unfortunately typical choice from the company. The biome diversity and the sheer amount of events, with Mass Races being the standout, culminate in one of the most pleasant gameplays in this genre.

Amnesia: The Bunker is the best horror experience in the entire franchise. Frictional Games has fixed some issues with previous games, and wanted to leave the "free horror" label behind. The Bunker has the ability to blend the real terror experienced throughout WW1, and adds the fantasy of the monstrous creature that we used to in Amnesia storylines. The Bunker will, from now on, be the model to be followed by all those who base the terror gameplay experience in “walking simulators”, showing that there are more survival resources than just the legs to run.

Crimson Desert is an ambitious game that tries to be (almost) everything at once, only to ultimately buckle under the weight of its own complexity. Although its story is disjointed and uninteresting, the game is ultimately saved by a complex and almost always entertaining combat system, which rewards us as we master it better. Added to this is an overwhelming and visually stunning world, which only needed a bit more narrative coherence to become memorable.

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.

If memory can be an anchor and the future an unknown, then Season: A Letter to the Future asks us to be mindful of the present as we explore the beautiful world it has created. Armed with a camera, a recorder and diary, riding a bicycle trough gorgeous sceneries, we dive in a story about memories and new eras to unravel. To say it's not for everyone is to belittle both the game and those who play it, so it's really best to recommend it to everyone. Change is scary, but maybe Season will help us find some answers.

Any way you look at it, Bravely Default 2 is a fantastic launch for fans of classic JRPGs, a genre that hasn't had it easy, even in the portable model. There's still a lot for me to find out, especially in terms of the systems and the interconnection of the abilities in the Jobs that are unlocked as you play. I'm more susceptible to the extrinsic values associated with the progression and micromanagement of games like this, which invariably ends up pushing the story into the background. I'm certainly going to keep on playing it; it will continue to deserve commitment and a place between the cat and me, and that's perhaps the highest praise I can give it.

The latest entry in the historic Mario Tennis series features an adventure mode with varied challenges, a key online mode to test your persistence, and 30 fever rackets with different effects.

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.

Grid Legends could have been left behind, having launched at same time as another fairly big name of virtual motorsports. However, Codemasters gave us one of the best simcade experiences ever. With an impressive Story Mode, the usual variety in events and classes, and an acessible Race Editor, Grid Legends honors its TOCA origins and places itself right back on the main... grid.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a return to the past in more ways than one. More focused and cohesive than its recent predecessors, it leaves the chaff aside to focus on what's really fun. The reduced size suits it perfectly and anyone who missed the classic Assassin's Creed action will feel right at home in the city of Baghdad, which is possibly one of Ubisoft's most captivating recreations.

Simple, fun and recommended above all for younger players or those with little contact with the Super Mario franchise. Unfortunately, some of its most notable flaws are still present, such as unchallenging levels, again running the risk of putting off the more experienced players. To compensate, and perhaps unintentionally, the remake has a lure for these players: the addition of a robust co-operative mode that makes Mario vs. Donkey Kong more fun and even challenging when played with a friend, making us forget about its imperfections.

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.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a return to form for BioWare. Assuming itself to be more of an action game, some RPG elements have been pushed into the background as a result. The history of the world of Thedas mixes with the history of Solas and our companions, in a plot that seems unappealing at first, but blossoms in the middle of the game. With breathtaking scenery and a very competent combat system, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is yet another fantastic RPG in a big year for fans of the genre.

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.