The potential of The Adventures of Elliot is undeniable, but it’s never fully realized. Its highly repetitive world-building and gameplay, weighed down by a limited roster of enemies, end up overshadowing the few good ideas that Square Enix’s Zelda-inspired game brings to the table. Still, it’s a very solid adventure that will keep you entertained for 20 to 30 hours.

Even though it’s far from perfect, Gothic 1 Remake succeeds in significantly modernizing the original game while preserving everything that made it so charming. It’s still an old-school RPG, offering players a great deal of freedom and the chance to lose themselves in a world that’s both extremely harsh and distinctive, without ever holding their hand. But now, it’s much richer visually, and some of the gameplay flaws have been smoothed out a bit. This doesn’t erase all the clunkiness and flaws of the original game, while the improvements to combat and the interface clearly didn’t go far enough. The numerous bugs and performance issues are also real problems at this point. Even for Gothic fans and those seeking an old-school experience, it’s best to wait before diving in, for an optimal gaming experience.

Far from perfect, Mina the Hollower is still a particularly satisfying game, skillfully blending 2D Zelda, Souls-like elements, and original mechanics, all wrapped up in a Game Boy Color aesthetic that will melt the hearts of nostalgia-seekers. It does have a few collision issues and some odd game design choices, but nothing enough to detract from a solid experience from start to finish.

After all the doubts surrounding its development and direction, 007 First Light pleasantly surprised us. It skillfully blends varied gameplay segments while delivering a highly cinematic, “James Bond-esque” experience. The production values are solid, and the story is compelling enough for the genre—if you overlook the usual implausibilities. The franchise has made a successful video game reboot, and we’re curious to see what IO Interactive does with it next.

Despite its strong concept, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book failed to fully win us over. Of the game’s dozens of short levels, only a handful stuck with us, due to significant repetitiveness in the gameplay and underdeveloped ideas. That said, we must commend the originality and risk-taking behind this new title from Good-Feel, which should delight trophy hunters and completionists.

Ultimately, LEGO Batman: The Dark Knight’s Legacy is a must-have for anyone who loves LEGO games and the Batman universe. Its generosity and ingenuity in drawing on the best elements of the Arkham series elevate this installment to a higher level, making it far from “simplistic.” Its longevity is unquestionably among the best you’ll find in this genre, and the variety of gameplay options keeps things fresh enough to prevent boredom. Not to mention all the events involving Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight that we relive, along with the usual shenanigans of the LEGO series, which give this new game a very unique flavor and identity.

While the Forza Horizon series could be criticized for treading water, there’s no denying the effectiveness of Playground Games’ formula, which is at its peak in this sixth installment: the Japan of FH6 is stunning, rich, and a joy to explore. Without even trying, it has become the new gold standard for arcade racing games—a position previously held by Forza Horizon 5.

Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes is an excellent adaptation of the franchise as a whole, as well as a very good FTL-style game. It features all the standout elements of the TV series, combined with original and well-designed gameplay. The battles are intense, but so are the management phases, and there’s easily enough content to keep you busy for dozens of hours. Boredom does eventually set in, though, since the battle format and crises don’t change up enough. But for a fairly modest, low-priced game, it remains a genuine success, and you can’t help but relaunch a space adventure every now and then with great pleasure.

While more accessible than Returnal, Saros is still a real gameplay knockout. Its overly cryptic world will likely leave many players in the dust, and the replayability typical of roguelikes isn’t necessarily there, but it makes up for it with a string of memorable bosses and new ways to utilize Arjun’s abilities. As with Housemarque’s previous game, this is undoubtedly one of the best PS5 exclusives.

Aimed at players aged 7 to 77, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a quirky game with an original concept and undeniable charm. More engaging than its 3DS predecessor, this unique life simulation combines absurd situations with a high degree of customization. And even if boredom starts to set in quickly, you always end up coming back to see how your Miis are doing.

Pragmata is a prime example of Capcom’s undeniable expertise in action gaming. With its original concept executed to perfection, the Japanese publisher takes risk, and it suits them perfectly. The adventures of Hugh and Diana stand out thanks to combat that blends strategic thinking, fast-paced shooting, and tactical weapon selection. A must-have for seasoned gamers looking to break free from the usual constraints of third-person shooters.

Life Is Strange: Reunion is better than its predecessor, but it struggles to truly rekindle the spark that players felt when playing the first games in the series. The game clearly plays on players’ nostalgia by focusing its plot on Max and Chloe’s reunion, and the characters surrounding them are endearing and fairly well-written. However, that isn’t enough to make up for a storyline that’s sometimes unconvincing and some real technical shortcomings. We still had a good time, though, and it’s a nice conclusion to Max and Chloe’s story.

Crimson Desert’s best moments come when you think about the game it could have been, were it not for its overabundance of clunky mechanics and its painfully sluggish controls. Riddled with glitches and systems that don’t work, Pearl Abyss’s first single-player game can rely on its sublime open world, or its core management system borrowed from BDO, to occasionally lift us out of our frustration.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is an excellent game that manages to improve on almost everything its predecessor had to offer. It's more beautiful, with improved gameplay, whether in terms of interesting and visually impressive combat or the rich monster breeding system. It's surprisingly difficult at times, but in a good way, giving you a good reason to improve your team. We would have liked to see even more challenges at high levels, although there's already plenty to keep you busy. MSH3 also has its share of minor flaws, with an often clumsy storyline, a missing gene bank, and the removal of the multiplayer mode, which had potential.

By taking the best ideas from Dragon Quest Builders and adapting them to Pokémon, Pokopia offers a proven formula that works well. With its extensive Pokédex and numerous secrets, Koei Tecmo's game delivers the essentials, but ultimately becomes tiresome. After an exciting initial discovery phase, the excitement eventually fizzles out, and what could have been a must-have for the Switch 2 ends up being just a decent experience for fans of pocket monsters.

It's difficult to rate a remastered game like Tales of Berseria. The quality of the title released in 2017 is undeniable, and it ranks among the very best in the Tales of franchise, but we have to take into account what this new version actually brings to the table. It has to be said that, for $40, the graphical, technical, and content improvements leave something to be desired and do little to justify purchasing the game for those who already own the PS4 version. Nevertheless, the fact that this release on the current generation of consoles brings some improvements in terms of comfort and all the additional content released for the game may be a very good thing for players who have never had the chance to follow the story of Velvet Crowe. All in all, we recommend Tales of Remastered to JRPG fans who have never played the game before and to those who want to indulge in nostalgia; for everyone else, give it a miss.

Reigns: The Witcher is a solid addition that will appeal to fans of the franchise looking for a little game to play during their downtime. It's fun and surprisingly rich, with interesting combat that is optional depending on the gaming experience you're looking for. It's a pleasure to see the characters from The Witcher in a different context, with a wide variety of narratives to choose from. Apart from a few clumsy moments in terms of overall balance, the game's real flaws lie in its mobile-friendly interface and a lack of ambition in its execution.

Thirty years of Resident Evil are condensed into the fifteen hours or so of Requiem, which in itself is quite a feat for Capcom. Frightening with Grace, stressful with Leon, RE9 offers two diametrically opposed perspectives for an explosive cocktail that leaves a strong impression. It's a shame, however, that its final act feels “unfinished,” leaving a bitter aftertaste once the credits roll.

God of War Sons of Sparta isn't a bad game, but there's almost nothing that sets it apart from the competition. It's not very pretty, the combat isn't particularly unique, and there are clumsy moments throughout. Comparing it to Hollow Knight: Silksong or other independent Metroidvania games, which are cheaper, doesn't do it any favors. Its co-op mode could have made a difference if it weren't so poorly designed. We would recommend it more to die-hard fans of the God of War franchise than to experts of the Metroidvania genre.

Very stylish and with high-quality staging ideas, Romeo is a Dead Man is nevertheless a merely adequate game that we would find difficult to recommend wholeheartedly. Despite everything, beneath this thick layer of flaws, Grasshopper Manufacture manages to convey a kind of touching sincerity that makes it impossible to be completely angry with it. A video game B movie that is as frustrating as it is endearing.

Reanimal is a satisfying horror experience, especially in local co-op, plunging you into a waking nightmare from which you will clearly not emerge unscathed. But while it shines in terms of visuals and staging, it's difficult to be fully satisfied with the gameplay, with a game that strings together situations that are difficult to understand and a camera that sometimes struggles to position itself correctly.

It's beautiful, it's good, and it has perfectly decent content: ultimately, what more could you ask for? Perhaps less broken Fever Rackets, an Adventure mode worthy of the name, and ball physics with a little more bite. These are certainly notable flaws, but they don't detract from the undeniable effectiveness of this new Mario Tennis. Well done, Camelot !

Mewgenics is a total success, an addictive and unforgiving roguelite that will keep you glued to your screen for hundreds of hours. And while there are a few rough edges in the meta-progression management, there's nothing deal-breaking that couldn't be fixed with an update or two. This title comes highly recommended and will undoubtedly leave its mark on 2026.

In their eagerness to streamline the original experience, Square Enix and Hexadrive have gone too far with this new version of the cult classic Dragon Quest VII, stripping away some of its charm. Its concept and effective gameplay remain intact, but it's hard not to grimace when you realise that the game has removed all form of challenge and the need for exploration. A remake that is a little too effective, then, but one that will at least allow as many people as possible to discover this monument of Japanese RPGs with a big heart.

Nioh 3 adds its own contribution to the series, with gameplay that is richer and more demanding than ever, and formidable bosses that require players to make good use of all the mechanics available to them. The more open and free structure of the world also allows players to explore and progress at their own pace, mitigating the difficulty. It's a shame that the level design tends to suffer as a result, while the clunkiness of previous titles tends to get worse, with an unsuitable interface and equipment management that is far too time-consuming in our opinion. This sequel should appeal to fans, but it may struggle to win over a new audience, especially with its increased price tag.

Octopath Traveler 0 offers a different structure from its predecessors, with gameplay that sometimes stands out significantly, usually in a good way. Even though there are many clichés of the genre and no real freedom is offered, the story manages to be touching when it needs to be. It doesn't shy away from tackling difficult themes that you wouldn't expect given its artistic direction. It's another successful addition to the series, although it's a shame that various overlooked aspects detract from the overall result, such as the lack of French localization and slightly inferior graphics.

After all these years of waiting, it's hard not to consider Metroid Prime 4 a bit of a disappointment. While the core gameplay is still as good as ever and there are still some flashes of brilliance in the level design, it's impossible to ignore the scars of what we can only guess was a tortuous development process. Sumptuous on Nintendo Switch 2, Retro Studios' latest title is perfectly acceptable, but it fails to make a lasting mark on the history of the famous franchise.

Where Winds Meet is a surprising game in many ways, and if you manage to get through its unbearable first few hours, you may well find yourself drawn into its open world with its thousand promises. Completely free, once you get past the skin system, Everstone's title combines the combat of Sekiro with the exploration of Genshin Impact, incorporating MMO components that suit it perfectly. However, it's far from perfect: poor translation, the usual F2P retention mechanics, a lack of overall polish... The experience is good, certainly, but definitely not for everyone.