With Pragmata, Capcom comes in with a pretty bold idea, a dual gameplay system where shooting and hacking happen at the same time, and honestly, it works really well. The whole dynamic between Hugh and Diana is easily the highlight, and once the hacking clicks, the fights feel fast, tense, and really fun. The game is at its best when everything flows together, Hugh feels great to control, super mobile, and Diana’s hacking system becomes pretty natural after a while. That contrast between the two is really what makes the game stand out. But yeah, it’s not perfect. The progression gets repetitive, the game is pretty easy overall, and the bosses, while cool-looking, don’t really push you that much. Story-wise, it’s also pretty standard. There are a few nice moments between Hugh and Diana, but overall it’s a bit predictable, and sometimes a little cheesy. Still, for the gameplay alone, Pragmata is worth checking out, just don’t expect it to last more than about 10 hours.

Pokémon Pokopia is a bold spin-off that flips the usual Pokémon formula on its head. No battles, no duels, just a world to rebuild, habitats to create, and Pokémon to hang out with. The game really shines in its creative freedom: you can terraform, build, decorate, and even use Pokémon abilities to shape the world however you like. It’s cozy, easy-going, and instantly fun, especially if you’re creative or younger, and the first few hours are a real blast. The downside? It gets repetitive pretty quickly. The same mechanics repeat from island to island, quests and habitats feel predictable, and there’s not much challenge to keep things exciting. On paper, it’s a refreshing change of pace, but the slow rhythm and repeated tasks can bore players who like a bit more action or progression. For us, the first 10-12 hours were fun, but after that, the next 15 hours started to feel a bit samey.

Let’s be real: Screamer 2026 is a great surprise. This isn’t some lazy nostalgia reboot, Milestone actually took risks, and that’s something you have to respect.In a genre where Gran Turismo and Forza Horizon dominate the sim side, and arcade racers like Burnout or Need for Speed have kind of faded away, Screamer brings something fresh. The Echo System, inspired by fighting games, turns races into real mind games, managing meters, timing your moves, anticipating your opponent. And honestly, it works. The dual-stick drifting takes some getting used to, but once it clicks, it feels great, really precise, really satisfying. Visually, the game stands out too, with strong Akira vibes and a cool 2D/3D style. It’s not perfect though: the story drags a bit, and the first hours can feel repetitive. It’s not a “pick up and play” racer, it asks for patience. But if you stick with it, you’ll find a game that actually tries to do something different.

After spending over 110 hours in Pywel, there’s really no debate: Crimson Desert absolutely delivers on its promise of a massive open world. Pearl Abyss has built something huge and alive, with a real sense of freedom. You’re not constantly being guided, you have to observe, experiment, get lost and that’s honestly where the game shines. Content-wise, it’s massive. You’re looking at around 120 to 140 hours just for the main story, and easily up to 400 if you want to see everything. The combat system is also a big highlight, it’s deep, fast-paced, and pretty demanding, with tons of options. Every fight requires focus, but that’s exactly what makes it so satisfying. Visually, the game looks incredible, with a world that feels immersive and believable. That said, it’s not perfect: the difficulty can be pretty unforgiving, it takes time to really get comfortable with the controls, and the story doesn’t always hit as hard as it should. In the end, Crimson Desert is a huge game. Ambitious, sometimes tough, definitely not for everyone, but if you’re willing to fully invest yourself in it, it’s a pretty amazing experience.

After nearly a decade off the courts, the Mario Tennis series returns on the Nintendo Switch 2 with a different approach and it's disapointing. Unlike previous entries, which balanced solid tennis gameplay with fun, arcade-style elements, Mario Tennis Fever isn’t really about precision or timing anymore. It’s immediate, flashy, and chaotic, with frenzied rackets and over-the-top effects designed to get laughs (or frustration) rather than reward skill.The downside is that this focus on spectacle comes at the expense of balance. Some powers feel overpowered, defense is limited, and the depth that made Mario Tennis Aces satisfying is largely gone. Online matches can quickly feel repetitive, even frustrating. The Adventure mode doesn’t help: short, overly wordy, and heavy on tutorials, it feels more like a drawn-out lesson than a proper solo campaign.Fortunately, the game’s overall content softens the blow. A generous roster, dozens of rackets, mini-games, and multiple modes keep the experience lively—but after eight years of waiting, it still feels a little light.

With Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom isn’t trying to tear everything down and start from scratch. This isn’t a radical reinvention, but rather a highly self-aware synthesis of everything the series has experimented with over the past thirty years. It’s an anniversary entry that clearly looks back, embraces its fan service, yet still tries to move forward. In short, it feels like a best-of, but a thoughtful one, not a lazy collage. For years, the series has swung between two extremes: pure, suffocating horror and explosive, over-the-top action. Here, instead of awkwardly blending both into a single gameplay style, the game makes a much smarter choice: it separates these two energies into two complementary characters. On one side, Grace Ashcroft embodies vulnerability, fear, and constant tension. On the other, Leon S. Kennedy represents control, power, and that charismatic, unstoppable force pushing forward without hesitation. On paper, this could have created imbalance,even a rupture in the game’s rhythm. But in practice? It works surprisingly well.

With Nioh 3, Team NINJA delivers its most ambitious entry to date, and easily its most divisive. In an effort to modernize the formula and appeal to a wider audience, the studio shifts toward open areas inspired by games like Elden Ring. The downside is that this evolution comes at the cost of the series’ core identity. At its best, Nioh 3 is still a combat juggernaut. The fighting system is incredibly deep, the Samurai/Ninja duality is a smart and satisfying addition, and the sheer variety of builds, weapons, and playstyles is impressive. Few games in the genre reward skill, experimentation, and long-term commitment quite like it does. Unfortunately, the open-field structure never truly comes together. Exploration feels flat, enemy and asset reuse is hard to ignore, the story lacks impact, and the overall presentation feels dated, especially by 2026 standards. In the end, Nioh 3 is a great fit for hardcore fans who come for the combat and the challenge, but it’s unlikely to win over players looking for a striking open world, a memorable story, or a strong visual showcase.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond feels torn between old and new. After nearly twenty years of waiting, you’d expect a bold comeback, but the game never fully commits to its ideas. It tries to modernize (more action, more dialogue, a wider world), yet keeps clinging to old habits, resulting in something unsure of itself. The empty desert hub, the awkward motorbike, and the constant over-explaining don’t help. There are good moments, and you can see the potential, but they get buried under technical compromises and repetitive design. In the end, it’s not a bad game, just a disappointing one ; fine for newcomers, but far from the glorious return fans hoped for.

It’s not the first time Link and Zelda step into Musou territory, but it’s the first time the whole thing actually feels good to play. The Switch 2 finally gives the genre the power it needed: big battles, smooth framerate, and that guilty pleasure of slicing through hordes of enemies without the game falling apart. Add a story that fills in gaps between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and the experience is surprisingly engaging. The downside is that the game sticks a bit too tightly to the Musou formula. Missions repeat themselves, objectives feel predictable, and the RPG layer barely adds anything. A few fun ideas (team attacks, character swapping, shoot’em-up moments) don’t fully break the routine. And visually, it’s uneven: the game runs great, but flat textures, aliasing, and blurry 720p cutscenes make it look more like a late Switch 1 title than a true Switch 2 showcase. In the end, Hyrule Warriors: Chronicles of the Sceal is a solid, enjoyable Musou with plenty of Zelda lore, but it’s still a conservative entry. Fun as a stress-reliever and nice for fans, just not essential.

Call of Duty Black Ops 7 sadly highlights the limits of a franchise that once defined multiplayer FPS excellence but now feels exhausted by its relentless annual cycle. Rushed production is obvious: the single-player campaign, once the series’ emotional core, is chaotic, blending robots, zombies, mutant plants, and hallucinogenic gas, with no checkpoints, no pause, and mandatory online connection. It’s less a true solo campaign than a co-op multiplayer dressed up with a few cutscenes...The endgame is equally disappointing: flat maps, weak enemy AI, and powers that quickly lose appeal make it feel shallow compared to ARC Raiders or Battlefield 6. Multiplayer is uneven, innovations like wall-jumping and omni-movement can be fun, but cramped maps, frantic action, and unbalanced mechanics drag the experience down. Some modes, like Surcharge, bring strategy, and removing SBMM helps, but they can’t mask the lack of real evolution...Zombies mode expands combat and maps but remains forgettable, while Dead Ops Arcade 4 is just a fleeting diversion. Black Ops 7 isn’t unplayable, but it’s rushed and uninspired. Die-hard fans may enjoy a few sessions with friends, but most players will likely turn to more polished competitors like Battlefield 6 or ARC Raiders.

Pokémon Legends Z-A is a game that tries to shake up the franchise with some interesting ambitions, but unfortunately, the technical and artistic resources don’t keep up. Between a fresh urban setting that is poorly utilized, a struggling graphics engine, and archaic level design, the open-world experience is disappointing and fails to convince. The streets are empty, the buildings are rudimentarily cloned, flat textures and constant clipping make the city of Illumis feel like a cardboard movie set.Yet, not everything is bad. The real highlight of this episode is the real-time combat. Abandoning the classic turn-based system is a risky move, but here the gameplay gains pace and tension. Positioning, timing, and strategy take center stage, while the variety of attacks and the reintroduction of Mega Evolutions add tactical depth.On the other hand, all other aspects of the game fall short: the story is somewhat flat, side quests are repetitive and uninspired, and the overall art direction suffers from a glaring lack of personality. In the end, the game feels like an ambitious prototype, limited by an outdated graphics engine and insufficient resources. Younger players and long-time fans of the franchise will find enjoyment here, but for adult or more demanding players, the experience remains frustrating. It’s clear the franchise has potential to evolve, but Game Freak needs to seriously invest in its tools and design to deliver a truly modern Pokémon open-world game.

So, what can we take away from this Nintendo Switch 2 re-release of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2? First and foremost: these games remain absolute masterpieces of 3D platforming. Eighteen years after the first installment, their level design is still a model of clarity and creativity. Every galaxy, every mechanic, every jump is perfectly calibrated to delight without frustrating the player. The magic still works, and the emotion remains intact. However, when it comes to the port itself, the disappointment is hard to ignore. This is essentially just a 4K/60fps polish, a cosmetic texture cleanup, and compatibility with both the Switch and Switch 2, nothing more. No 3D model overhauls, no new lighting effects, no significant additional content. Rosalina’s Storybook and the assist mode are nice touches, but they feel anecdotal compared to what you’d expect for a 40th-anniversary celebration. And the price, €70, is particularly steep for a duo that doesn’t include any real expansions or “next-gen” remastering. There’s a slight feeling of incompleteness, or even deliberate laziness, which the most demanding fans will notice immediately. If you’ve never played these two galaxies before, dive in, they’re pure joy. But if you already know them, it might be wiser to wait for a sale rather than support Nintendo’s new pricing approach.

After a Battlefield 2042 that left many players disappointed, Electronic Arts did what was needed to make amends. The result is a Battlefield 6 of remarkable quality, whether in its single-player campaign or its multiplayer experience. EA’s military FPS finally regains its identity, with the return of the saga’s iconic classes, massive battles, partially destructible environments that are downright satisfying and strategically meaningful, and that constant sense of intense warfare. Sure, the single-player campaign may be less scripted and explosive than a Call of Duty in terms of narrative, but Battlefield 6 excels in pure gameplay, freedom, and the feeling of total war. The Frostbite engine delivers a visual punch, maps are cleverly designed, gunplay is satisfying, and the in-hand feel of the controls is incredible. Of course, it’s not perfect: the French voice-over is uneven and mandatory (as there’s no original English option unless you change your console’s language), and some script, collision, and animation bugs still linger here and there. But compared to a Call of Duty that has started to feel a bit repetitive, Battlefield returns stronger, more intense, and more coherent than ever. You can feel the passion and dedication behind Battlefield 6, along with a genuine desire to win back the hearts of disappointed fans. As for us, we came away completely convinced.

Expectations were sky-high for Silent Hill f, a true new entry in a series that’s been dormant far too long. Konami trusted Taiwanese studio Neobards Entertainment, and the result is stunning visually and technically, with bold choices like 1960s Japan and more action. The writing is subtle and sharp, making the game feel unique and ambitious. But the gameplay lets it down. It’s clunky, slow, and frustrating, with too many tedious fights, a poorly designed stamina system, and puzzles that feel overcomplicated. The potential is huge, yet the execution keeps you from fully enjoying it. In the end, it’s a polarizing game: impressive and daring in style, but clumsy to play. One step forward, two steps back. Silent Hill deserves better than a beautiful shell hiding rusty mechanics.

After more than 60 hours spent on the lands of Hokkaido, juggling main missions, side quests, and endless exploration, the answer isn’t simple. Sucker Punch plays on two fronts: technical conservatism and artistic boldness. Of course, the game isn’t perfect: some mechanics feel recycled, climbing remains archaic, stealth can be frustrating, and technically, you can tell the engine has its limits. But Ghost of Yotei more than makes up for these flaws with its world, storytelling, atmosphere, and that rare feeling of truly losing yourself in a dreamed-up, poetic, and simultaneously violent version of feudal Japan. In short, Ghost of Yotei isn’t a revolution, nor a breathtaking technical leap. It’s a respectful sequel, sometimes conservative, yet one that manages to elevate the original experience through its artistic direction, immersion, and narrative. It’s a game to be savored as much as played, one that delights, moves, and, above all, reminds us why we love virtual feudal Japan: for its landscapes, its mood, and those unforgettable moments when you truly feel like a part of the story.

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds isn’t just another entry in the franchise, it’s a full-on evolution of the karting formula that finally outshines Mario Kart World. Faster, more demanding, and packed with depth thanks to its gadget system, CrossWorlds mechanic, and unprecedented vehicle and character customization, SEGA has delivered a game that rewards skill, strategy, and risk-taking. Yes, hoverboards feel awkward and the UI could use some love, but on the track, the action is relentless, the races unpredictable, and the fun absolutely infectious. There’s no contest : Mario Kart World has finally met its master, and it’s called Sonic Racing CrossWorlds.

Cronos The New Dawn is Bloober Team’s most ambitious project, heavily inspired by survival horror classics. Its post-apocalyptic Polish setting, retro-futuristic art style, and oppressive atmosphere are impressive highlights, showing the studio’s talent for building immersive, unsettling worlds. Yet the game struggles with rigid, outdated gameplay, clunky combat, and puzzles that feel too simplistic. Its reliance on Dead Space, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill leaves little room for true innovation, preventing it from becoming a genre-defining title. While not the breakthrough it aims to be, Cronos marks an important step for Bloober Team. It’s a respectful homage that will please fans of old-school survival horror, but may leave others hoping for something bolder.

Now that we’ve finished Lost Soul Aside, it’s clear that the game is far from the disaster many claimed on social media. After more than twenty hours of play, it’s obvious that Yang Bing’s project (started as a student hobby and later turned into an industrial-scale production with Sony’s support) retains all its passion and identity in its gameplay, even if some peripheral aspects aren’t as polished. At the heart of the game lies its dynamic combat system, rich in possibilities. The four weapons (longsword, greatsword, double spear, and scythe) each offer distinct approaches, which can be combined into fluid, spectacular combos, made accessible through mechanics like perfect parries and the assist system that activates after multiple deaths. The draconic companion Arena adds another strategic and visually impressive dimension, turning battles into true aerial ballets. Yet, the game is not without flaws. The graphics, while generally basic, feel like a previous-generation title, suffering from an uneven and sometimes questionable art direction, as well as occasionally repetitive environments. The storytelling and character charisma are limited, and platforming sections can be frustrating due to the hero’s slightly floaty physics. The English voice acting is also disappointing, making it strongly recommended to stick to the Chinese original or the Japanese voices, which are much better executed. Despite these shortcomings, Lost Soul Aside succeeds where many modern action games fail: it delivers immediate, pure fun, with a gratifying combat system and combos that grow richer as you progress. For fans of fast-paced hack-and-slash, it’s an experience not to be underestimated. Perhaps not worth €70, but definitely closer to €40, let’s be honest.

Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater isn’t the bold reimagining some fans might have hoped for. Instead, it’s a visually stunning update that preserves the 2004 classic almost to the letter : story, voice acting, cinematics, and gameplay included, with all their dated quirks. Unreal Engine 5 delivers impressive character models, environments, and lighting, but the clunky mechanics, outdated AI, and stiff animations remind you of the game’s age. For newcomers, it’s still a fantastic gateway into Snake’s world of stealth and espionage. For veterans, it’s a nostalgic return, faithful, polished, but not revolutionary.

Shinobi Art of Vengeance is an absolute banger, both a heartfelt tribute to a legendary franchise and a smart modernization for a new generation of players who never experienced Joe Musashi in the era of 8-16-bit consoles and arcade halls. The French studio Lizardcube clearly understood how to strike the perfect balance between tradition and innovation, drawing on the fundamentals of the early games while enriching the gameplay with modern mechanics designed for fluidity, depth, and combat variety.

With Cobra Space Adventure, Microids adds yet another stain to an already troubled track record. One might have hoped that passion and love for Buichi Terasawa’s work could transcend a shoestring budget, but the reality is brutally clear: Cobra marks a botched comeback, bland and lifeless. Outdated graphics, shameful animations, clunky gameplay, nonexistent staging… nothing manages to lift the game out of mediocrity, aside from a handful of decent ideas tied to the Psychogun. What makes it all the more depressing is that Cobra deserved so much better. Its rich, timeless universe had the potential for a bold adaptation, one that could have captivated both nostalgic fans of the ’80s and a brand-new audience. Instead, what we get is a soulless production that honors neither its source material nor the player. In 2025, it’s unacceptable to charge $40 for a game that looks and plays like a free mobile title you’d stumble upon on the AppStore or Google Play.

Mafia The Old Country was meant to revive the franchise after the failure of Mafia 3. Its strengths lie in a gripping story, charismatic characters, and a beautifully realized Sicilian setting. The cinematic presentation and soundtrack add real flair. But the gameplay falls flat: gunfights lack punch, stealth feels dated, knife duels repeat themselves, and stiff animations break immersion. The game also over-assists the player, undermining its own realism. In the end, it’s a visually stunning but mechanically outdated entry, worth it for the story but disappointing for anyone seeking engaging gameplay.

Nobody saw it coming, but Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has ended up being one of 2025’s biggest surprises. When we tried it out at Summer Game Fest back in June, we knew it had potential as a solid Souls-like, but we didn’t expect it to be this good. he Chinese studio Leenzee didn’t just try to copy the Souls formula, they really took the time to understand what makes the genre tick, and then built something that feels deeply rooted in Chinese culture. That unique identity is one of its biggest strengths, and it brings a refreshing brightness and atmosphere you don’t usually see in these kinds of games. Technically, Wuchang Fallen Feathers also delivers, it’s stable, smooth, and well put together. Thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the game looks stunning, with beautiful panoramas and a nice variety of environments. Now, sure, it’s not perfect. Some parts can get a bit frustrating, the enemy variety isn’t always amazing (though the boss fights are seriously cool), and there are a few difficulty spikes that feel a bit off. But honestly, those flaws don’t take away from the overall experience.

With Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo brings back its iconic gorilla in a bold, fresh take on the 3D platformer. On paper, it has all the right ingredients for a hit: a core mechanic built around full-on destruction, fully destructible environments that encourage exploration, a fun set of transformations, a dash of RPG systems, and a colorful, modern visual style. At first, it works. The game makes a strong first impression, smashing everything in sight is instantly satisfying, and there’s real freedom in how you approach levels. But after a few hours, the cracks start to show. The level design, which is so important in a 3D platformer, runs out of steam pretty fast. The early zones feel fresh, but later areas tend to blur together, with lots of rocky, cave-like environments that feel repetitive. Honestly, it feels like you spend 80% of the game underground.Pacing is also a bit off. The game throws a ton of stuff at you (objectives, collectibles, side systems), but rarely takes the time to give them real meaning. You start to feel overwhelmed, and after a while, the gameplay loop gets a bit too repetitive. There's so much going on that it ends up feeling cluttered, and the experience loses some of its clarity. Still, don’t get us wrong, we had a good time. But after our preview, we were kind of expecting a masterpiece, maybe even a game-changer for 3D platformers. So yeah,we came back down to earth a bit.

You could say Death Stranding 2 is to the first game what Metal Gear Solid 4 was to MGS3: a louder, flashier sequel that tries to impress, but ends up being less moving, less inspired, and less on point. It feels like Hideo Kojima gave in to the urge for self-references, fan service, and over-the-top moments—at the cost of narrative coherence and depth.And that’s really the biggest letdown: it’s not just that the game has flaws, it’s that it gives up on being unique. In the end, Death Stranding 2 isn’t a bad game by any means (it’s actually super solid on a technical and artistic level) but it still feels kind of flat, occasionally lazy, and almost pointless. It loses part of what made the original so special: that weird, uncompromising experience that didn’t look or feel like anything else out there.Where the first one was bold enough to throw you off balance, this one plays it safe. What used to feel like a total gaming oddity now feels like a hybrid product, stuck between big creative ideas and the need to please a wider audience. Kojima probably wanted to take us on another journey, but by refusing to really go somewhere new, it mostly just feels like we’re going in circles.

Mario Kart World marks a bold reinvention of the series, introducing an open world and new mechanics like dynamic weather, aerial stunts, and grinding. While the Free Roam mode feels underused and the Battle mode lacks depth, the game shines with varied, exciting tracks and a thrilling new Survival mode. Despite a few omissions, like the 200cc mode, it’s a strong, modern entry that refreshes the formula while laying solid foundations for future updates.

Despite its promising concept, Blades of Fire is ultimately just a shot in the dark. We would have liked the opportunity to test the forge system, to push the center of gravity management of our spear to its limits to tackle a specific problem. But MercurySteam lacks radicality in its proposal and we quickly tire of the overly quirky castles, the overly redundant enemies, and the overly simple weapons. Enough to give up due to disinterest after a few hours.

Twenty-six years after its initial release, L’Amerzone returns in a modernized, ambitious, and respectful version of Benoît Sokal’s original work. Microids Studio Paris delivers a remake that, despite technical limitations and dated gameplay, manages to preserve the soul of the original game. This 2025 version is primarily aimed at nostalgic players and fans of contemplative adventure, but it may leave those seeking modernity or a faster pace feeling unmoved. The respect for the source material, the quality of the art direction, and the unique atmosphere of the world make The Explorer’s Testament a valuable, almost museum-like offering—one whose strength lies in its fidelity and melancholic tone. It’s unfortunate, however, that the gameplay didn’t receive a proper overhaul to match the visual ambitions, and that the illusion of freedom promised by the trailers is shattered within the game’s opening moments. Still, L’Amerzone remains a beautiful journey to experience—provided you’re willing to slow down, observe, and immerse yourself.