Scarlet Nexus is a big hit when it comes to the action. With its nervous and supercharged fights, you quickly become powerful controller in hand, especially when you can borrow the power of your allies on the fly. This action is helped by framerate which does not falter on next-gen consoles despite the deluge of effects on the screen which can cause readability concerns. If the proposed universe is visually attractive, we regret not being able to enjoy it anymore because of a cruel lack of additional content. Ditto for the story which is certainly interesting but which is served by a more than minimalist staging. A good first draft which, we hope, will serve as a solid basis for a more ambitious sequel in the years to come.

If we would have liked for the last dance of the KT Racing-WRC collaboration real novelties on the Career mode and a little more fantasy on the classic game modes or the dressing, WRC Generations does the job. First in the modeling of his specials, then in handling his cars according to the surfaces and the conditions. In line with a successful anniversary episode, the ultimate title succeeds, without drastically upsetting its formula, in being a lasting opus and with the best lifespan of the saga. More than 150 stages in 22 countries, more than 80 racing cars with the addition of hybrid engines for the WRC, daily and weekly multi-league and club modes, the objective has been achieved by Kylotonn Racing: the title is immortal.

The work of Michel Ziegler smacks of passion for a region dear to his heart so strongly that we would like to love this title more than we should. Unfortunately, on a strictly fun side, the horror adventure game turns out to be quite poor. The irrelevant clashes as well as the technique of another time inevitably moderate our enthusiasm, despite an original artistic direction. If for you the most important thing in a video game is its atmosphere, then we can only advise you to take a ticket to the dark heights of Mundaun in order to have a look.

The Epic Dreams of our friends the Smurfs does not turn into a nightmare thanks to its attractive visuals, its adapted handling and its game phases that take so little risk that they cannot mechanically sink. Nevertheless, with only four real distinct universes to visit and repetitive challenges that multiply like mushrooms, the Microids title is like its little poisoned heroes: numb. It is a 3D platformer intended for the youngest, all in all correct, which, like many dreams, is forgotten as soon as you reach its end.

A family adventure that exudes good humor and which will undoubtedly warm your heart, Tchia delivers a story as touching as it is effective and gratifies us with absolutely brilliant music and highly warm characters. It's also an exploration game that is teeming with beautiful little ideas, making the ride devilishly pleasant. We only regret that the open world is not attractive enough in terms of content to keep us long in its scope once the story is over.

If Riders Republic may disappoint Steep fans (the title goes against the spirit of the game of 2016), this new production remains a must for all thrill seekers. With its many playable sports disciplines, starting with the bike which offers exhilarating sensations, its exotic world and its many modes available both solo and online, the latest production from Ubisoft Annecy will undoubtedly keep you busy for the long haul.

Tango Gameworks' video game proposal will be a milestone. Without ever reaching perfection, Ghostwire Tokyo marks the spirits. The 1:1 scale reconstruction of the Japanese capital, the exploration of a supernatural and urban open world as well as the ethereal combat system alone are worth the detour. Admittedly, the story is sometimes set back and a certain feeling of repetition appears at the end of the course, but these few flaws are compensated for by the very singularity of the work imagined by Shinji Mikami and his teams. Ghostwire Tokyo is indeed that long-awaited memorable trip.

The Ants is much more than just a feast for the eyes. Tower Five studio has succeeded in bringing this kind of game to console. It offers players a new way to approach real-time strategy thanks to accessible and easy-to-use gameplay. However, we regret the brutal comparison with the book in terms of narration since the title lacks memorable moments and leaves the player little involved, at least for the story. Otherwise, it has never been so enjoyable to play as an ant and it would be stupid not to give it a chance when it is released.

Without losing all of its qualities, FIFA is once again struggling to correct its gameplay flaws and will have to wait at least for a substantial update, or more likely a new opus to hope to convince us on this point.

For its ambitious prequel, Frogwares relied on an open world that enjoys a rather generous scope for a wide range of surveys. These also give the game a very solid lifespan. On the other hand, the proposal proves difficult to measure up on a technical level, with slowdowns, rigid animations and clipping in support. More engaging in its second part, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One offers progressive dynamism and a commendable conclusion. The heart of the adventure lies in its clues to be connected and the accusations to be made, which follow a pattern of investigation which, however, runs out of steam too quickly.

Intoxicating and addictive, this Mount & Blade II concocted by TaleWorlds magnifies a concept that has already proven itself. More beautiful, more exciting, more ambitious, this app is a must-have for all action-RPG lovers looking for intense adventures. [Early Access Score = 85]

Pleasant to play, but still endowed with the same technical defects (camera bugs, aging 3D engine), Chimera Squad remains a good episode, both for lovers of the saga, but also for newcomers, who will discover a deep, but very affordable tactical game.

Seeing the same level pattern repeat from start to finish of the title quickly makes the gaming experience monotonous and loses much of its flavor.

It is impossible to fault Crimson Desert for the sheer generosity it displays. Yet, by pushing this dial too far, Pearl Abyss finds itself ensnared by its own ambitions. The result is a stark disconnect between the technical and immersive qualities of its world and the actual content within it. The storyline leaves one feeling almost entirely indifferent; quests follow one another, largely indistinguishable in their structure; and boss battles—at times approachable, at others absurdly difficult—often force us to repeat the same routine ad nauseam. Fortunately, the gameplay—despite its minor flaws—constantly evolves, infusing the adventure with a cathartic, stress-relieving energy—something absolutely essential to help digest the puzzles devised by the development team. Inconsistent—much like the rest of the game—these puzzles nevertheless have the merit of bringing players together and fostering a genuine sense of community engagement. Add to this an astronomical amount of content—enough to make any completionist’s eyes light up—and you end up with a title that will keep your mind occupied for hundreds of hours. Yes, the journey is enjoyable, exotic, and even stimulating from time to time; yet, Crimson Desert ultimately lacked the structural fortitude to support the lofty pedestal upon which it was placed.

A pleasant and complete experience, capable of satisfying fans of old-fashioned puzzle games, perhaps at the risk of leaving others by the wayside.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a good, fun and solid cooperative TPS game but gives off a persistent feeling of "déjà vu".

Despite a very engaging first part, Avowed disappoints and will never completely satisfy RPG fans or action-adventure fans. For a title that lasts between 30 and 40 hours, the writing is not provided enough and the action and exploration phases struggle to renew themselves. It's frankly a shame, because in the first hours, we feel that Obsidian was on to something. The adventure is still worth the detour for certain plot twists, the pleasure of seeing one's curiosity rewarded and the adversaries fly away with ragoll, and the artistic direction, capable of beautiful flashes of brilliance.

Fans may not forgive some of the cuts made to the basic story, while newbies will enjoy an epic that is worth a look. Asymmetrical multiplayer mode struggles to convince.

Ten after its initial release, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is still a really good game, and the few improvements Stellar Entertainment has brought to refresh it a bit. Nervous, easy to learn and rather dense thanks to the addition of DLC, the title fits without much difficulty in a market where purely arcade racing games are rare, despite an aging general structure.

Disappointing ! Milestone was off to a good start with its pretty MotoGP 20, full of promise with finally a career mode worthy of the name. But instead of polishing it, the Italian studio has put the diamond in the next-gen's garage this season. MotoGP 21 is stagnating in the gameplay, the fault of the sets and animations still unchanged and quite dull, an AI that falls back into its faults causing too many accidents and the absence of a split screen mode. Worse, the title regresses in content, puts the historical mode to oblivion and brings no notable novelty to the career. Even the shimmering visual identity of MGP20 has given way to a dreary ersatz menu, enough to assure us of one thing: the next installment in the series will be expected around the corner.

If it doesn’t differ much from its predecessors, NHL 20 refines its tuning and sets its « World of Chel » as the main mode of the game, the one any ice-hockey fan will play forever.

Darksiders Genesis perfectly mixes Action-RPG and puzzle platformer mechanics, delivering an experience closer to Darksiders 1 than Diablo, and doubles the fun featuring a local/online coop mode.

Cronos: The New Dawn isn't the masterpiece it was hoped for, but it's a crucial milestone in Bloober Team's evolution. At times frenzied, often distressing, it embodies the sincere desire of a studio determined to overcome its mistakes and forge a true identity, even if its homages remain too obvious. A demanding, slow, and heavy survival horror, it doesn't seek to seduce but to oppress. An experience that is especially striking for its mastery of the codes of a genre that its creators now know like the back of their hand.

id Software delivers a memorable conclusion to the Doom Slayer epic. By erasing the flaws of the previous expansion, Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part II offers the most complete games of the series. The new enemies are integrated very well and create new well thought out challenges. Apart from its lifespan, which can be explained by its release model, this new content has nothing to envy to the base game and closes the saga of the Doom Slayer with panache.

After Banana Blitz HD deemed too simple by the majority of players, the Super Monkey Ball saga decides to go back to its beginnings to offer early fans what they expect: a level of difficulty. Unfortunately, even if the challenge is indeed present, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania disappoints. The 4K / 60fps combo available on next-gen is not enough to hide the many flaws of this remaster, starting with the camera which lacks flexibility and the general level-design which plays too much with chance. However, if you hang on to the formula, note that you get what you pay for. The content is more than generous, the replayability is strong and the store is a pleasant surprise that adds extra interest.

We immediately like Nobody Wants to Die for its controlled and simply sublime cyberpunk film noir atmosphere. We come back for the fabulous choices of staging, the animated universe and the gargantuan settings in which we could get lost for hours. The game nevertheless suffers from a handful of flaws in its narrative, its frustrating gray areas and the absence of a journal in which we could have kept track of convoluted affairs. The walking sim remains pleasant to navigate as a whole but its few mechanics are also regrettably too interventionist.

South of Midnight proves to be a marvelous auditory spectacle driven by exceptional artistic direction. The captivating world of the Gothic South, enhanced by stop-motion aesthetics and a masterful soundtrack, immerses us in a fantastic and touching story. But the offering is hampered by a cruelly generic gameplay loop that undermines a memorable adventure for its artistic purpose, and one that deserves to be discovered despite its few pitfalls.

To prepare an excellent Visual Novel cocktail, we particularly need a very good writing quality, varied narrative paths and the ability to transport ourselves to a world with a unique atmosphere. On these points VA-11 Hall-A is very convincing. But where the recipe turns sour, it is in the inability of the game to renew its gameplay and its sequences.