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.

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.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.