A Plague Tale Innocence offers a very good solo narrative adventure set in a realistic medieval setting. In spite of a weak AI from the soldiers and a lot of infiltration, the game has plenty of appeal, from its awesome visuals to its jaw-dropping OST.

Like last year's bundle, Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD ReMix is a pretty neat game that brings two new episodes on the PS3. With a huge content and a clean technical aspect, this is another hit for Square Enix that could even make players forget about their endless wait for Kingdom Hearts 3.

It's hard to make a judgment on Battlefield 4 because of the large gap of quality between the campaign and the multiplayer mode. Both are absolutely beautiful, but the former has nothing else... Fortunately, a Battlefield game is made to play with some other players. Maps are huge and well-balanced, the "Levolution" feature is kind of cool and vehicles make the experience really enjoyable. If you play alone, forget Battlefield 4. If not, go for it.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is a well-made remaster which offers the unalterated fun from the genuine game but with improved graphics, reduced load times and all the content that got out. A solid product.

Torment : Tides of Numenera brings us back to the time of the first Fallout, Baldur's Gate and Planetscape Torment with a very rich background that will require players to read a lot in order to immerse into the story. A better UI and more complex fighting mechanics would allow more players to have fun with it.

Call of the Sea isn't as groundbreaking as what the sales pitch would make you think. It's a very classic puzzle game which doesn't stand out from the rest. Thankfully, le visuals are great, the narrative is a good surprise as it has multiple endings.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice offers an unparalleled ambiance that is impacted by the character's mental illness. With a few imperfections, this games is one to play because you will ultimately remember it, unlike most AAA games.

Kirby Planet Robobot tries to bring some new features, and that deserves to be said. Nothing crazy of course, but it gives this new entry an identity for itself. The game is still very easy, is still quite short but it remains a very nice moment of gaming and nobody will ask for his money back.

28 years has been necessary for Live a Live to finally be released in Europe. Fortunately, our patience is rewarded by the quality of this successful remake. If you were looking for a good little old-school RPG to keep you busy for twenty hours this summer, you've found it.

Fourteen years after it's original release, Mario & Luigi : Superstar Saga is still a great game that we can enjoy thanks to the updated graphics, and the clever touch interface. A very good turn-based RPG overall.

After spending 150 hours on it, finishing the main story of Yasuke and Naoe, and exploring every nook and cranny of the open world, we can tell you without any shame, we enjoyed the adventure offered in this feudal Japan of the 1500s. Everything is obviously not perfect, because the game still carries the stigmata of a license that has difficulty renewing itself, but there are positive things to be learned from it. By choosing to offer two radically different protagonists, the Ubisoft Quebec studio manages to bring together under the same banner the purists who swear by infiltration and the others who appreciate the action-RPG aspect taken since AC Origins in 2017.

Looking simple, Splatoon is actually a quite hard game to master with all its small things to know before you can actually do some damage. But the very limited content and the need of 7 other players to really have fun shaves some appeal away from Nintendo's latest TPS.

Football Manager 2016 lacks of ambition to be one of the main episodes of the Sports Interactive series. It's the most complete FM we have though, and it's consequently the best till next year.

If you missed the release of Tearaway on PS Vita, you must definitely taste this magical platformer, full of fresh ideas, on PS4. It's the most endearing and the most original game this fall, by far.

TrackMania Turbo regroups all the previous modes of the game with an impressive array of tracks, and countless options for the editor which allows for unlimited content. Our only doubts are about the multiplayer modes which won't get the players hooked.

GTA 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X, you might think it's a remastered version or a complete remake, but Rockstar Games has bet on the upgrade with performance of the new consoles. Native 4K, 60fps, Ray-Tracing, these tweaks make this version of GTA V the best looking and the best as well.

Alien Isolation is the best game adapted from the Ridley Scott masterpiece so far. The Creative Assembly have chosen the right way to use this IP in making it a tremendous survival, with both great artistic direction and atmosphere. The game takes the gamble to transform the player from hunter to prey, but it pays off as this setting gives birth to fear and stress. Exactly what you need to enjoy the terrific AI of the Alien which will be a real challenge for every experienced gamer.

Ghostrunner is an excellent die&retry game with high intensity, a perfect gameplay, and a sublime OST made by Daniel Deluxe. If you like fast-paced games with a cyberpunk atmosphere, you have to give this one a go.

Skylanders SuperChargers seems to have fully understood the problems of Skylanders Trap Team. Everything is not fine yet, but the changes in terms of rhythm, difficulty, graphics make this game better than the previous one. And the vehicles offer players something new to taste.

Captain Toad : Treasure Tracker is a cute and simple way to bring in the New Year. Although they won't keep you busy too long, Toad's adventures are well-finished, colorful and efficient enough to be worth a try.

Finally we get our hands onto Fire Emblem Gaiden in Europe. With Fire Emblem Echoes : Shadows of Valentia Nintendo brings back to life what's only a spin-off in Japan. While not the newest of games it still offers a very good game to the tactical-RPG fan.

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is what it has been made for. A very accomplished story and a huge number of new puzzles make of this episode a safe bet for the fans. There is therefore a dearth of new features. But this final episode will satisfy newcomers and old fans.

A DLC that's strictly made for the hardcore fans of the series. With a single campaign, 3 companies and a fourth one sold as a DLC, it all comes pretty expensive for not much content. Grab it if you're fond of the IP, wait for a Steam discount otherwise.

Sunset Overdrive is a very nervous game with colorful graphics, which offers a mix between Jet Set radio and Crackdown. In spite of very repetitive sequences, the length of the game makes it quite a good investment.

If you like hardcore versus fighting or if you're a SNK fan, Samurai Shodown is a no-brainer. The gameplay is the best you can have on the market, and the OST brings us directly to feodal Japan.

Take the aesthetics of Double Dragon and Streets of Rage, add some combos from a Tekken or a Street Fighter game, and then you have a good idea of what awaits you in Okinawa Rush. The splendid pixel art, the detailed animations, the variety of the gameplay are in favor of the game of the Miller brothers, whose love for the ancients beat'em up is felt on many points.

As enjoyable as always, Life Is Strange is back with this second opus that brings new characters and renew the IP that can more easily welcome new players. Life Is Strange 2 still has some flaws but let's not forget this is only the first chapter of many.

Gran Turismo 6 is a true success even if the game still tows some flaws like the lack of damages or the dull AI, the work done by Yamauchi-san and his team on the car behavior and the tire grip is just staggering. The grip is more accurate than ever and the slightest mistake sends you to the side. The time variations are brilliant as they introduce night driving, making the knowledge of your track a crucial point. The last big hit on the PS3, Polyphony Digital gives us a very good Gran Turismo which should seduce players with its massive content and its serious gameplay, more than a game it's a love letter to cars.

Since our first hands-on last June, we already knew that Dragon Ball Sparking Zero was going to pulverize everything in its path, but we were far from suspecting that Spike Chunsoft was going to refine its combat system to this point. Indeed, the Japanese studio has not only offered us the best video game adaptation of an anime, but it has also deepened the gameplay, much more technical than it seems when you see the explosiveness of the fights on the screen. There are dozens and dozens of manipulations to learn by heart to reach Ultra Instinct in our turn, and thus know how to read through what the layman will take for an incomprehensible visual mess, when it is not. Enjoyable to get to grips with, with a nice progression curve as well, the gameplay of Sparking Zero has never so well transcribed what we expect from a Dragon Ball game. It is exceptional. Visually, it is also well mastered and it has been several months now that the public has been able to see to what extent Jun Furutani's team masters its subject. Each fight, each attack, each burst of energy thrown makes the screen vibrate but also the heart of any Dragon Ball fan. It is so well-built, so well-staged that we systematically come out of it galvanized. But in addition to having respected the work of Akira Toriyama like never before, Spike Chunsoft also offers players a game of great generosity, full of game modes, things to unlock, stories to tell (even if the What If is ultimately less interesting than expected), bonuses to consult, in short, you get it, we too, we were seriously respected. No need to procrastinate any longer, Sparking Zero is by far the greatest Dragon Ball game ever created.

A real homage to kung-fu movies, and especially those from Hong Kong, Sifu is a stylized, hard-hitting beat'em all with gameplay that borrows from rogue-likes. If you like the challenge, don't hesitate any longer, it's a really good game, made by fans of the genre.

SnowRunner is a nice improvement from MudRunner, with more ground variety, and the introduction of snow. It still is for a specific audience though.

It would have been very surprising if Final Fantasy XV were a wonderful game, when everybody knows what it came through. And each of its positives seems to have a counterpart that prevent this new entry from being a masterpiece.

Far Cry 3: blood Dragon is a huge trip in the 80's that the developers have allowed themselves by modding the awesome Far Cry 3. Only sold online through Steam, the PSN and Xbox Live for 15 miserable euros, this game is a true acid trip that finally puts the humor as the central point in the storyline hence a game which is incredibly fun to play. Combining the strength of Far Cry 3 in its original form with a creative surge from a game designers with balls, Blood Dragon delivers what we were expect if since long ago: some pure unadulterated fun and that was clearly the objective of Sgt Rex Power Colt whose presence is enough to make this game one of the best investments of the year.

Bravely Second's subtitle is End Layer. Hard to tell Silicon Studio they're wrong ont this point. Even with its new storyline, the game is far too close to the previous one to attract players who already played Default. The others will really enjoy it though, as it's totally playable and understandable, even if you didn't try the first one.

Civilization: Beyond Earth is a rightful heir to the IP, with everything in it to make it a great Civ Game with the added touch of an SF context. Don't expect to have found the legacy of Alpha Centauri because this is not it.

Assassin's Creed Origins is simply the best AC we've played since Assassin's Creed II with Ezio. Thanks to the 4K resolution, Egyptian landscapes are absolutely stunning. The Combat system has been revamped as well in addition with new stealth mechanics. A game you must buy.

Halo: Reach is clearly a must-buy for any FPS fan as it doesn't feel nor look like a 9 years old game thanks to 4K 60fps, and for 10 bucks, why linger?

Yes the picture is sharper, yes the game is smoother (60fps), yes there have been some improvements to make the adventure more enjoyable, but damn the gameplay has taken a hell of a beating in the back of the head. It was already painful in 2011, it is even more 10 years later, and it is not the tinkering in classic controls that will sublimate the gameplay of this Zelda : Skyward Sword HD.

We could almost declare that Wasteland 2 is the real Fallout 3. Anyway, it's an incredible RPG we've got here, completely able to attract the old and the new generation of players. The former ones will enjoy something they've known and loved, the others will discover the depth of a role game handmade with passion.

Anno 1800 is a great opus in the series, and clearly follows up the very good Anno 1701 and Anno 1404 episodes. The only complaint we have is about the weird combat and the few remaining bugs.

With its minimalist aesthetics, Minit is much deeper than its looks may make you think. Challenging and offering true freedom to the player, this game additionally offers plenty of replay-value.

Moonlighter is an incredibly enjoyable jaunt through some interesting ideas and some fun fights. While the combat gets a little easy as you progress, the fun of watching money pour in as you play is immensely satisfying. It would be nice if there was more reason to play after completion as is normally the case with roguelites, but equally having an actual conclusion is a breath of fresh air for the genre. It is a lot of fun and one that will keep you entertained for a fair while if you want to sink your time into it.

Planet Zoo is a nice heir to Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon with colorful visuals and a rich gameplay. Still, the game lacks any kind of birds or sealife, but i guess that's what DLC's are for.

As fun, solid and diversified as a Far Cry can be, but not as exotic or surprising as the other episodes of the saga, Far Cry 5 enhances the standard Ubisoft recipe but does not really create a revolutionary experience for the players. A great game, but not a turning point for the franchise.

Fast RMX isn't the biggest of gambles for Shin'en but the race is an honest one with a decent price tag. Not as good as F-Zero or Wipeout, the game will still appeal to the fans of futuristic racing on Nintendo Switch.

Making Age of Empires IV a modern RTS without betraying the franchise's origins hasn't been an easy task for Relic Entertainment. While some players may blame the lack of risk taking, it must be recognized that disrupting the original gameplay could also have been taken badly. We are therefore dealing with an "Age of" classic in substance, but renewed in form.

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is a very good throwback to the early 90's when Street Fighter II was taking the world by storm. This version doesn't really improve the recipe, but this title remains a cornerstone for videogames.

We were hoping for some really big new things in this new DanganRonpa after the disaster of the former episode. Nope. The game mechanics haven't changed a bit. The story and the deliberation phases are quite interesting but it's still the sleep-inducing game we've known since last year.

Without taking any risks, Battlefield 5 is a nice follow-up that vastly improves on BF1's recipe with more open solo War Stories, and a rejuvenated gameplay that puts the emphasis on team play through the brand new squad system.

With The World Before, the Syberia saga returns to its best and makes us forget the disappointing Syberia 3. This time, the few technical shortcomings are no longer disabling and no longer spoil the pleasure of the game. We can therefore serenely enjoy the universe created by Benoît Sokal, the uchronic scenario, the superb artistic direction, voices fully dubbed in French, automatons, trams, European architecture and a whole host of other positive points of the game.

Marketed as a remake with its new graphics engine, Like a Dragon Ishin is actually just a remaster to which its cutscenes have been boosted. After the improved cutscenes, the game reveals its technical problems (rigid animations), bugs and imbalance. With a game released almost 10 years ago, it was inevitable. But the strength of Yakuza games is also its immersion, its many activities and its history which succeed in transporting the player to an exotic feudal Japan.

Perfect mix between Bayonetta, Nier Automata and Sekiro, this Stellar Blade immediately stands out as a serious candidate to be among the best action games on the PS5 in 2024. Yes, the Shift Up studio has chosen a female character very sexualized appearance, but be assured, Stellar Blade is above all a game where the gameplay is solid and elaborate. And you just have to see how advanced the mechanics are, that the combos are satisfying and that the interest is focused on timing management to understand that the game will not be there just to look pretty. It's just the exploration part and the platform sequences that are not optimal, but the universe and its many references are a real positive point.

There's no doubt about it, F1 2012 wants to reach perfection as well as proposing a game that could fit players that were not born with a wheel in their hands. Even if it's difficult to talk about innovations, some small modifications are enough to boost the IP. Again, Codemasters proves it knows how to develop a great F1 racing game.

Call of Duty Black Ops 3 marks the comeback of Treyarch into the CIA's dirty programs with an amazingly large solo game. With so much content, we can only regret that the devs haven't spent more time on rejuvenating the multiplayer.

Like Genshin Impact a year ago, Lost Ark comes to taunt the big paid games by offering quality content in a free-to-play economic model. The graphics are very strong, and the sensations provided by the fights are excellent. It's a very great achievement on the part of Smilegate and Amazon Games.

Like most other remasters, God of War 3 Remastered offers a tremendous experience from a game that has undergone a complete aesthetic overhaul. The updated tech candy along with the gloriously genuine story makes for a great game. On the other hand, if you already played it, don't bother with this one.

We expected something grandiose with Black Myth Wukong and we got it ! Whether in terms of its production or its gameplay, Game Science's title is a small miracle. Graphically, the game is splendid, to the point where it will become a reference for future games of this caliber. The Chinese studio proves that not only does it master the Unreal Engine 5, but that it also knows how to deliver an immersive and superbly told universe. On PC the game is magnificent, but on PS5 too, the result is sublime. There are a few failures here and there, but nothing too dramatic considering all the work done. But it's not just the setting that is fantastic, the gameplay too. Fluid, nervous and particularly enjoyable, the gameplay of Black Myth Wukong allows you to enjoy the Monkey King's abilities, from his legendary agility to his multiple transformations, without forgetting the mastery of his magic staff. Sure, we could complain about the lack of a map to find our way around, that the invisible walls could have been better hidden and that some secrets are really too cryptic to find, but that's nothing compared to the generosity that the game shows. Because let's not forget that the Black Myth Wukong project is not only the very first game from a young independent studio, and which started with a team of 13 developers for a year (to end up with more than a hundred at the end), and that, and it's respectful.

Dragon Quest 7 is a sixteen-year-old game, and you can feel it every time you play it. Those who love the J-RPG genre will find a beautiful adventure, that will hold them more than a hundred of hours, with an addictive job system. The others will probably find it too long, too slow, too cute. Too old, to make it short.

To fully appreciate the experience offered by Hellblade 2, you obviously have to agree with the proposal from the English at Ninja Theory, because yes, the game is divisive. With its minimalist, not to say basic, gameplay, its straight line crossing that can be done in 8 hours in the first run, the purists of the classic and basic video game may indeed frown on these precise aspects, and it would be difficult to tell them blame. But it is also fashionable to remember that video games are vast and the experiences different, and this is exactly what the developers of Ninja Theory are offering us, namely an invitation to a journey from which we do not emerge unscathed.

Gears tactics is a pleasant surprise with its nicely tailored gameplay that reminds us of the XCOM series, and it's lore that's without a doubt from the Gears of War IP.

Aware of the shortcomings of the original Garden Warfare, PopCap Games now offers quite some content with Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 including a real campaign mode albeit a repetitive one.

Disgaea 5 : Alliance of Vengeance is still a very good tactical-RPG. But maybe one day, Nippon Ichi Software will realize they need to bring something really new to each of their entries to make the IP moving forward. To be honest, this fifth installment is not that far from the very first, and it's not something to be proud of.

Gods & Kings finally brings back the concept of religion into the IP that the previous title had dropped. It also offers new interesting features such as espionage, some modifications regarding its combat system, and introduces new civilizations and three specific scenarios. A new content that doesn't change anything in terms of gameplay, only proposing features that could have been in the original game. If it doesn't bother you, then it will be easy for you to play Civilization for hours!

Watch Dogs has had a lot of adverts revolving around the promise for some crazy unseen next gen’ graphics. But if Ubisoft’s title is not the eye-watering masterpiece we were sold for the last two years, it easily makes up for that with gameplay that cleverly mixes action, stealth and hacking. Actually the whole structure of the game was built around this balance and the result is a success. As a matter of fact we would have enjoyed a more intriguing plot, a more charismatic hero and a bit more depth in the story. But open-world game fans will find some satisfaction in the huge amount of content and a well-integrated multiplayer mode. Some game design choices can be weird (no jump, impossible to shoot while driving, or disappointing close combat animations), but for a first try, Ubisoft Montreal’s team has done it well. Overall, among the GTA competitors, Watch Dogs is the most serious one.

Endless Space 2 is one of the very best 4X games money can buy, specially if you like space related stuff. The only drawback is the lack of accessibility for newbie players who might find it hard to get aboard.

If you don't have a decent PC that can run the game, and if you instead own a Switch, this version of ABZÛ is for you. Even if the visuals are a step down, the whole game feels as fresh, and lets you enjoy the wonders of portability.

Aiming at the old school hardcore RPG gamer, Tyranny offers a great universe and a very catching storyline. Like it's heir, Tyranny demands quite an investment from the player in order to get aboard, but is immensely rewarding.

Football Manager 2017 will be a disappointment for the fans ; so few new features, so few improvements. It still is the best game in its own category, but it's now two disappointing entries in a row. The next one will release under some pressure, for sure.

NBA 2K18 keeps dominating the basketball game genre with perfect gameplay and better graphics each year. The career mode on the other hand is less than convincing with its pointless RPG style. The best basketball game on the market nevertheless.

If you're done with Zelda Breath of the Wild, we suggest you go for Snipperclips as it's a good concept to demo the Switch's abilities along with some nice puzzles to resolve. The paper cutting aspect is clever and the game is sold for way less than the boring 1-2 Switch.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars has much to offer, mainly with it's great quality figure, but also on the software side of things. Well rounded, the game suffers from an excessive difficulty as it's intended for children, but adult supervision is highly recommended.

Yakuza Kiwami is a very good remake of the first opus of the series that offers vastly improved graphics and an overhauled gameplay allowing more freedom during fights. A rejuvenated PS2 classic.

Keeping a winning formula is one thing, making it grow is another, and that's the undeniable strength of Sports Interactive with Football Manager. Yes indeed, this 2023 iteration does not reinvent the wheel, but in the other hand, it improves on certain aspects of the franchise, with an even greater immersion with the integration of the Champions League and other UEFA European Cups.

Blood & Truth is without a doubt the best shooter available on the PS VR, with a Hollywood action movie feel to it. The only let-downs are the weak storyline and the limited content.

If there are no big changes in the way Traveller's Tales develop their games, LEGO The Lord of the Rings remains a great adventure game that offers enough innovations such as its new cinematographic approach or a new open-world, the Middle-Earth, that proposes lots of side quests, to entertain players for hours. Hopefully, the use of unofficial voices, less humor and the repetitiveness of some action sequences won't weaken the game experience.

Outlast is the pleasant surprise of fall 2013, a true survival-horror game with old-school gameplay and a very scary atmosphere. Fear is what it's all about and that's what you're going to find inside Mount Massive Asylum, and it already makes the game a success. With a very well-made storyline in spite of a touchy ending, Outlast is definitely a reference title rivaling Amnesia or Forbidden SIREN. In spite of some problems which are largely due to the tight development budget, hence the small retail price of 20€, the game will provide gamers with a deep dive into the most dark horrors, which will make you forget the ultimately minor faults that Red Barrels let slip pass. A title that will scare future PS4 owners for sure.

Pokémon Sword / Pokémon Shield hasn't brought much to the series in spite of sky high expectations. It's still an enjoyable ride along, in spite of the heavy clipping and the lack of challenge.

Yet another port with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe which is a straight port from the Wii u to the Switch with a resolution going from 720p to 1080p and a bit more content like the Luigi spin off and the addition of Peachette and Nabbit. As usual with re-releases, check it if you haven't yet.

As expected, Trials Fusion is a real success. Ubisoft is now leading the game, and it's enhanced technically as well as in a gameplay matter. The track editor, challenges and extra content weren't even needed. It's kind of strange but the multiplayer modes is the only bad argument against this title, that deserved much more on this side.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare offers a believable campaign that's aimed towards a mature audience, and delivers a very good experience, while the multiplayer is as strong as always. The only let down is the Ground War mode which feels relatively rushed.

While being full of good features and clever ideas, Elite Dangerous feels like its release has been rushed in order to get ahead of Star Citizen. The games lack player interactions and the happenings have very little impact on the gameplay, maybe the humongous 400 billion systems map should have been scaled to the numbers of players. A game that shows great potential, but has yet to achieve it.

God of War Ascension is a controversial subject. If fans will be disappointed because the game is less spectacular than God of War 3, newcomers will be seduced by Kratos who has always been close to perfection. SCEA Santa Monica Studio masters the main aspects of the game: graphics are beautiful, the final boss fight is huge and the voice acting is efficient. In fact, the problem is all people remember God of War 3 and were expecting the same show. This is not the case and we think that the game should be seen as a transitional period which allows a second team to develop God of War 4. We hope that.

Mega Man X Legacy 1 & 2 is a good bundle for newcomers to the IP thanks to its beginner mode, even if the first collection has a better finish than the second one. Mega Man is still a classic that every gamer must have in his or her library.

LEGO Dimensions could have been a really good challenger for Skylanders. Plenty of IP's at disposal, some good and new ideas about using NFC figures differently... But the game is far too hard to read from time to time, its difficulty level is too random and, last but not least, the LEGO Dimensions Packs are way too expensive.

Gathering Storm is a very good expansion that highly enriches the endgame by adding the global warming issue, and asking the player to deal with it.

The Sly Cooper HD Trilogy do the job while we're waiting for some true exclusive titles on PS Vita. Compared to the PS3 version, this port has nothing to be ashamed of, as gameplay and visuals are still excellent. The only regrets we have are about the lack of interaction with the touchscreen and the necessity to download the third episode.

If Pokemon Black & White 2 are only sequels, it would be a shame not to play two of the most complete titles of the IP. With a good production, yet recycled, and gameplay mechanics that remain addictive, Pokemon Black & White 2 will held players spellbound for hours, offering an exotic adventure thanks to a well-balanced progression. But maybe it's time for Game Freak to move on and to develop the next episode on 3DS.

Pokémon Sword / Pokémon Shield hasn't brought much to the series in spite of sky high expectations. It's still an enjoyable ride along, in spite of the heavy clipping and the lack of challenge.

Above all, Puppeteer is a game which brings something new: its outstanding art direction (as it often is with Sony Japan), its inspired universe and its very cool features. Its purpose is to be played by daddys and sons together, but Puppeteer should make indy game fans very happy as they will be hanging on till the end of Kutaro's story.

After two game spent in the tunnels of the Metro, Metro Exodus brings us to the semi-open world of mainland Russia and does away with the traditional linearity, at the expense of a drop in the overall rhythm. And don't worry, the game is still a graphics benchmark.

In the absence of a new episode of Skyrim, or even an opportunistic remaster, Avowed immediately positioned itself as a perfect replacement candidate. It must be said that for years, the Obsidian Entertainment studio has shown its appetite for old-school RPGs, with a strongly assumed Bethesda-style coating and formula. But from Skyrim, Avowed doesn't borrow much, except for its old school, so 2011 side, which could be likened to a comforting feeling for the most nostalgic players. Because despite appearances and an intriguing first part of the adventure, Avowed subsequently reveals its true face, that of being an RPG for dummies, or a chatty and more complex than average action-adventure game. It is somewhere between the two and a bit nowhere, since it tries to hit both categories at once. The result is a game that displays some pretty blatant game design inconsistencies, with on one hand more flexibility in its class and progression systems, and on the other a completely frozen world where interactions have been reduced to next to nothing and NPCs reduced to inert and uninteresting green plants. We still manage to have fun with its more open combat system, but we have to get past the ultra-rigid animations that take us back to another time. The lack of staging and the slightly too rainbow artistic direction also contributed to spoiling the party and it's a shame because Avowed had a great story to tell us. An adventure that will find a nostalgic or unobservant audience, but a game that will not go down in history, that's for sure.

DOOM Eternal still feels great on the go in its Switch version, but of course, you'll have to be ready to make do with sub-par visuals. Thankfully, Panic Button defined the 30 fps framerate as a top priority, which guarantees a playable game at all times, even if the resolution has to dip very low at some times to keep the frames coming. It's blurry, but it's fast.

Ace Combat 7 has intensive action whose solo campaign can intelligently address all the subtleties. Complete, solid and even offering an interesting story despite its summary narration, Ace Combat 7 is a great experience.

Even if it's undoubtedly on of the best strategy games of the year, Company of Heroes 2 lacks a bit of dare before we can call it genius. Well done and quite consistent, Relic Entertainment's title fails by greediness (26 DLC's for over 50 euros on day one, seriously??), a tendency to require a very powerful PC and some AI problems. Happily, the game mechanics inherited from the first episode are still enjoyable, and the influence of winter time on the gameplay is an appreciated novelty.

Clearly inspired by Fumito Ueda's games, RiME manages to get it's own feel thanks to a splendid artistic work and a beautiful music. A masterpiece that's only let down by the short playtime it offers.

Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is a nice comeback to the roots from the Frozenbyte team with gorgeous visuals, and a nice gameplay, but suffers from those awful combats.

Crash has aged well in Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy as it is one of the best remasters we got to review this year. Even if the content of the three games included is the same, the graphics overhaul and new animations are worth your cash.

What shines through the most, despite the game’s flaws, is its narrative, which is equally as ambitious as the game’s systems. It focuses on relationships and the different ways they manifest in a person’s life. There’s also Thirsty Suitors’ delightful sprinkling of political commentary.