The culmination of the franchise and so much more. Capcom is still putting up the pressure one notch above, with new mechanics, a renewed gameplay, and a replayability that will make you start the game a second time without losing your smile. The story has matured and a good balance has been found with its three destinies that intersect over the course of the missions, until its apocalyptic final. Only big downside in a game that requires precision in its highest difficulty levels: the camera problems and the targeting system.

Ten years later, Xenoblade Chronicles confirms its status as an iconic Japanese RPG: a classic and an excellent reference for all those who would like to see how the genre has evolved since the 16/32-bit golden age. While the battles are quite messy and the visual redesign will probably have an aftertaste of "not enough" for the most demanding players, it's still the best way to discover this masterpiece by Tetsuya Takahashi and Monolith. If you're a first time player, enjoy: titles of this magnitude are far too rare to miss.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is a fantastic expansion for the most committed players. Almost all the flaws we found in the base game have been resolved, and the content available is now quite substantial. Even experts should find themselves putting a lot of extra hours into it. However, it is not a revolution — if you didn't like MHW, then Iceborne probably won't change your mind. If "harder, better, faster, stronger" fights were what you wanted, then this expansion is for you.

After spending a hundred hours at the side of Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu, the verdict is clear: Infinite Wealth is one of the most solid episodes in the saga that began some 18 years ago. Well-paced and better constructed than its predecessor, this new Like A Dragon engraves its turn-based gameplay in the marble of the series, thanks to some excellent ideas that allow it to assert its own identity against other JRPG greats. With its concrete narrative and gargantuan content, it manages to be interesting from start to finish, before stumbling at the end with a conclusion that is likely to be debated and a new game plus at $14.99.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a very generous title, maybe a bit too much: trying to make itself interesting, Monolith Soft's J-RPG ends up spreading itself by unfolding its story in a confusing and clumsy way. The same is true for the gameplay: flexible and addictive, it ends up showing its limits in the last third, due to an overabundance of enemies and soporific game situations. It remains a very good Japanese RPG, with an undeniable solidity that should keep you glued to your Switch for more than 50 hours.

Almost too easy! With this second release of the WiiU success, Nintendo will once again take over the free time of millions of players thanks to Mario. This episode is well worth the trip: game life, fun to play, crazy level design and multiplayer (local or online)... It has absolutely all the ingredients of a pure platform game, user-friendly and devilishly fun. Already a must-have, Super Mario 3D World added a 6-hour extension with a new world to explore in the company of Bowser Jr. with an original structure and full of new concepts.

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.

Phantom Liberty is a worthy expansion for Cyberpunk 2077. The new zone isn't huge, but there's still plenty to keep you busy, especially with its action-packed plot and new activities. The story is gripping, and it's hard to choose between its various branches, all of which deserve to be explored. There are a few missed opportunities, but we came away satisfied nonetheless. Allow 10 to 25 hours on average to discover all it has to offer.

No big surprise here, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is better on Playstation 5 now that the technical limitations are much less burdensome. While it's not going to compete with a Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart from a technical standpoint, it's better looking, smoother, faster, and the finishing touches have finally been done, even if they probably could have been done long ago. This makes it more than ever a great adventure that deserves to be discovered.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is an ambitious and charming game, but in many ways it is also terribly clumsy and unbalanced in its design. It may be pleasant to choose your class and students, interact with them, train them and go to battle, but this ends up becoming heavy and repetitive. When starting FE3H, one should note that it is not just the tactical side of gameplay that is important, but that the school management, dialogue, exploration and mini-games are all crucial to the overall experience.

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.

While Death Stranding 2 is overall a better-finished and more engaging game than its predecessor, it's also a less memorable experience. The grandiose environments presented with a beautiful soundtrack and the major improvements linked to progression fail to hide a Hideo Kojima who overdoes it and doesn't seem to know where he's going with this sequel. Despite all the pleasure we've taken in playing this second game, it's hard not to feel that it's undermining the legend of the first episode.

Let's not be afraid to say that It Takes Two is one of the best cooperative games available: the new Hazelight hits the nail on the head every time, with numerous, varied and always very inventive situations. The pace is so fast that not half an hour goes by without the title integrating a new mechanic or propelling you into a new environment, for a constantly renewed gameplay pleasure. Not to spoil anything, the sublime art direction and the endearing duo formed by Cody and May sweep away its few flaws, which are more of a quibble than anything else. A killer-app, that we warmly recommend to you.

By hiring Vicarious Visions studio (Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy) to remaster these monuments that are Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2, Activision made the right choice. The developers have managed to sublimate the games that we have known for and loved about twenty years now. 4K graphics, recreated levels, new playable characters, new soundtrack, tons of new challenges to complete: everything has been thought out so that players can spend more hours skating using an enjoyable arcade gameplay. Players, young and old will have a blast, and the arcade aspect will delight fans of tricks and huge scores. At an unbeatable price for both games, you won't find anything better.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is a game like no other. Although it's far from flawless, with its questionable balancing and notable lack of polish at the time of writing. It nevertheless manages to improve on the first title in many areas. The choices made in the direction are to be commended. It really does give the impression of being plunged into the Middle Ages, with all that is dirty, vulgar and repulsive, but also with all that is glorious. We discover all this with very human characters and a ton of bawdy humor that has been all too rare in recent years. To conclude in the spirit of KCD2: if you're not afraid of stepping in shit, this is the game for you.

More beautiful than ever, the adventure offered by the remake of The Last of Us Part 1 fully exploits the PS5's capabilities. But the lack of fresh content or significant innovations gives the unpleasant impression of paying a high price for a graphic patch. We therefore recommend it above all to the hardcore fans of the original, as well as to players who are new to the license and who absolutely want the best possible experience.

At last, a real VR RPG, rich in content, with neat and detailed graphics, and which has nothing to be ashamed of when compared to the best non-VR AAA RPGs. We are dazzled by this epic journey, albeit the long loading times and poor collision management. Although they end up being repetitive, the dynamic battles require a true gratifying effort without triggering motion sickness. Asgard's Wrath has become the new reference for VR-RPG, and it would be shame to miss it.

Monster Hunter Wilds is unquestionably the best game in the series for a new player. The gameplay is simpler to get to grips with, yet richer than ever. All the weapons have their charm, the new monsters are interesting and vast regions to explore await you. There's even a semblance of a story, clumsy though it may be. Unfortunately, we're left wanting more, as the current content is far from sufficient for players of previous titles. There's little doubt, however, that Capcom will remedy this situation with future updates.

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is a milestone in the genre. It offers complex, stunning and precise sword fights and duels that its predecessors lacked, and from which its successors will have to keep up with. You no longer simply learn by repeatedly and unfairly dying, but you refine your talents as a player. You seek unique methods to overcome each boss, rather than just rolling at the right time before spamming a few hits.

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.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is a game of contrasts, excelling in certain areas such as combat and exploration, while blatantly neglecting other aspects usually found in modern games, such as playability and narrative. It offers a grand adventure rich in epic confrontations, but in the old-fashioned, no-frills way, with all the satisfaction and frustration that can entail. It's definitely not for everyone, but that's probably just as well.

It is undeniable that Insomniac Games is a studio with talented developers and this Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart proves it to us all along. We can regret a slightly light lifespan and a rift system that is more timid than what was announced. Nevertheless, it's hard to deny that the final rendering is breathtaking and that the game wouldn't have the same flavor on PS4, which explains its exclusivity on PS5. This impression of playing a game with a quality worthy of a Pixar Studios animated film (or even better), with so much generosity in its gameplay and content, coupled with the addition of new rich and worked characters, propels the title to the level of must-have games on PlayStation 5 and as one of the pillars of the shooter-platformer genre.

The Ivalice Chronicles is a beautiful love letter to Final Fantasy Tactics, embellished in a more beautiful version, crafted with a polished interface and full voice acting that breathes new life into this nearly 30-year-old adventure. It's a satisfying experience and exactly what we expected, even if we were hoping for a little more given the game's price tag. Nevertheless, all fans of the original will be won over and will have a great time in this adventure that has aged surprisingly well, even if the gameplay may still be a bit slow for younger players who would have liked to discover the game in this new version, although the new features do a decent job of compensating for this slowness.

Horizon Forbidden West does what you'd expect from any blockbuster sequel worthy of the name: by taking the basics of the original episode and improving them as much as possible, Guerilla Games makes sure to hit the mark. There is still room for improvement for a hypothetical Horizon 3, but this is a solid title that hits hard for the beginning of the year of Playstation Studios productions.

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising is an excellent surprise. The game features an original combat system, has a cast rich enough for everyone to find something to their liking, and boasts an excellent online mode. Comparisons with the previous opus are inevitable, but the recycling seems to have been done intelligently: we keep what's good and improve the rest while adding things on top. The game is well worth the price for a new one, even if Versus players may be left a little hungry, with few additions to the single-player section (and not the best part either). In fact, it's this lack of single-player content that prevents us from considering it a must-have, unless you're a real fighting game enthusiast or a fan of the license.

With Metroid Dread, Mercury Steam brings a satisfying conclusion to 35 years of history. It's a particularly solid metroidvania, which will make you thrill at every revelation and sweat at every boss fight, while distilling a level-design mastered like never before. However, its main and only innovation, embodied by the E.M.M.I., prevents the title from reaching the pantheon of the genre, which is already full of quality titles: more frustrating than stressful, the mechanics and areas related to the robots of the galactic federation are far from convincing us.

If we were fearful of a 'Version 1.5' when the announcement of Super Mario Maker 2 was made, that is certainly not the case now. After a long time spent skimming its levels and creative tools, SMM2 has fully convinced us of its potential. Fun, filled with content, and always surprising, it's easy to get lost in the superlatives that describe this true 'social network' of 2D platform games. It's a new, instant hit for the Switch and close to perfection, which should appeal to budding level designers as much as lovers of the platform game genre.

Monster Hunter Rise takes the license to new heights with better-than-ever gameplay, accompanied by great graphics and art direction for the Switch. It's a blast to explore the map on a mount, perform aerial maneuvers, and hunt large monsters alone or in groups. This would be a near perfect game if the content followed, having to wait for updates to explore high level content will indeed not be to everyone's taste. So patience may be required.