Square Enix made a good job in listening at fans requests and bringing us a better game than FF XIII, even though the combat system is still too similar to the previous one; the involving story, a greater focus on exploration and the many things to do make it an advised buy for every fan.

Vast and gorgeous environments full of highly varied missions together with an involving plot, brilliant characters and a deep and satisfying combat system make Dragon Age: Inquisition one of the best RPGs to date. Unmissable.

With Cronos: The New Dawn, Bloober Team delivers its most accomplished work yet: a gripping survival horror with a masterful artistic vision, shaped by both past experiences and genre classics. Set in 1980s Kraków under Russian occupation, the game shifts into a nightmarish, oppressive reality. Its demanding mechanics and outstanding art direction make it one of the most intense horror experiences in recent years - unmissable.

Diablo IV is the perfect evolution of the series. The many new features make for a truly modern title, giving us an experience capable of keeping us glued to the controller for many hours, without neglecting the historical and most beloved features of the series. If we add to this a technical aspect of the highest quality, a very accessible multiplayer structure, and a huge end-game, we obtain a majestic title that stands as the best exponent of the action-RPG genre and is capable of bringing us plenty of emotions.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has been a real surprise with superb visuals, great gameplay and a very high longevity.

FIFA 14 confirms itself as the best football sim around. A great and improved gameplay and many play modes make it a worthwhile buy on Xbox 360 even with the next-gen version looming.

A real revolution in its genre, thanks to the new guitar and the video streaming GH TV service capable of keeping us glued to the controller song after song after song. We've got a very different experience from the past here, but it's fresh, highly satisfying and varied.

A highly adrenalinic love letter to classical racers like WipeOut and F-Zero, yet maintaining an original, challenging and very satisfying gameplay style with gorgeous visuals.

Simply the best basketball game to date. 2K Sports achieved an unparalleled simulation level, giving us many play modes for a great longevity.

From Software mixes well-proven and new gameplay elements to deliver an incredibly challenging and satisfying game, within a captivating Asian environment. It could have been bett-optimized and it's a pity it can't reach 60 fps on Xbox One X, but this undoubtedly is a must-have for all lovers of skill-demanding action games.

NBA 2K23 has once again hit the jackpot. The very rich offering in terms of modes, a more refined gameplay, an increasingly realistic AI and a top-notch graphical appearance make it an unmissable title, despite some minor imperfections.

Ninja Gaiden 4 masterfully revives the series’ legacy, blending Team Ninja’s spirit with PlatinumGames’ flair. Yakumo’s journey delivers thrilling combat, massive boss fights, and a deep progression system that rewards skill and dedication. Despite camera flaws, repetitive environments, and Ryu Hayabusa’s limited role, it remains a brutal, stylish, and essential action game for fans and newcomers alike.

Even if not revolutionizing its formula, FIFA 18 introduces many new features improving playability, variety, online options and graphics. It's definitely the highest point reached by the series so far, even if still not perfect.

Madden NFL 25 continues the path of growth and evolution that began with Edition 24, presenting itself as the best Madden ever. Thanks to Boom Tech physics simulation the action on the field is the best you've ever seen in an American football game, but enriched playbooks, new animations, lighting system and even improved UI also contribute.

One of the most interesting games of the year, bringing a breath of fresh air in the Arena Shooter genre with an inspired design and highly accessible, yet satisfying, gameplay. Its main downside is the limited set of modes, something we hope Blizzard will keep expanding month after month.

2K keeps in improving its NBA game, adding more depth and strategy to its gameplay and greatly boosting its career mode. Invasive microtransactions and the lack of online play for the WNBA teams just keep it from reaching higher grounds.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle effectively succeeds in bringing the magic of Spielberg's films to our screens, delivering a vast and fascinating world with a great focus on storytelling and freedom of exploration. The story is always engaging, the puzzles challenging, and the action adrenaline-pumping, making up for a few slips on stealth AI and animations. All in all, a title passed with high marks, hopefully just the first in a series of new Indy games by Bethesda and MachineGames.

Definitely the best hockey simulation around, thanks to a great AI and an excellent technical production. Highly suggested for every NHL fan.

A Live Arcade must have: an addictive unlimited 2D sandbox, capable of entertaining the most creative players for many, many hours.

Hades is a masterpiece with its extremely high level of sound, gameplay, everything is exceptional. A title you absolutely must have, an incredible piece of work. Unmissable.

Sonic Mania Plus is the best recent evolution of SEGA's franchise, with great new features, a rock-solid gameplay and a very attractive retail version. The best Sonic is undoubtedly the classic one.

NHL 20 keeps on improving its formula both in terms of modes variety and gameplay, with an high authenticity and fluidity which makes us almost feel like we're there on the ice swapping blows with our opponents.

If it wasn't for the poor online experience, Mortal Kombat would have been this gen's king of fighting games. The sheer quantity and quality of contents is staggering, greatly above genre standards, and the return to the series' proven 2D gameplay make this game a must buy for every fighting games lover.

A great space simulation and strategy game, the more surprising as it's perfectly playable on console. A game no lover of this genre should miss.

A visually awesome game, with a demanding but highly satisfying gameplay. If you aren't afraid of an unforgiving and old school flavored experience, it's a strongly recommended buy.

Eidos Montreal chose to improve rather than innovate over Human Revolution, and this approach paid. With high freedom in missions execution, a compelling story and great levels/environments design, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a must have for any cyberpunk stories lover.

The perfect evolution of Slightly Mad's series, delivering an extremely satisfying racing experience both for expert gamers and newbies, finally capable of competing with the top titles in the genre.

Kojima managed to create the perfect open-world stealth game, giving the player an incredible freedom coupled with great depth and variety. MGS fans will probably dislike its sparse and somewhat unsatisfying storytelling, but it undoubtedly is a masterwork of game design.

Even if it suffers from ups and downs and we feel the lack of some features from the past (including a real end-game that takes us into the future era), Sid Meier's Civilization VII fully succeeds in modernising and improving the historic saga, thanks to the introduction of game systems that make the whole experience smoother, more satisfying and engaging. Highly recommended for both veterans of the series and newcomers.

A great porting, with a brilliant gameplay and great challenge level and replayability. Console gamers had to wait over one year, but they got the best version at last.

A great FPS with a very solid engine, astounding sound design and great care for details. Its major flaw is the small number of multiplayer maps available, but as they're very big they'll guarantee plenty of online entertainment.

Portal 2 builds upon the great gameplay of the first game, adding a compelling and humorous story and a great co-op campaign. If you played the first Portal, this game won't feel as fresh and innovative to you and the developers lowered the difficulty bar too; nonetheless, this is a very recommended game that every lover of logic puzzles should buy.

Vicarious Visions managed to do justice to the first two iconic Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games, adding new content and refreshing the gameplay mechanics. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a remastering masterwork and a game everyone should try.

Warner Montréal proved to be fully capable of following in Rocksteady's footsteps, delivering a very entertaining game. If you were expecting a revolution in gameplay or setting you'll probably be disappointed, but despite that Batman: Arkham Origins is great fun and deserves to be played by any fan of the series.

SF III: Third Strike Online Edition manages to offer the same awesome feelings of the original game, together with a rich set of extras and solid online gameplay.

One of the best Kinect launch titles, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved is a perfect experience for everyone looking for some home fitness.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is a true love letter to Konami's own TMNT titles, and one of the best collections of this kind seen to date, with a huge amount of content and extra features such as online play and a very complete Ninja Turtles encyclopedia. A must buy for every lover of the classic TMNT games.

Halo Infinite is 100% classic Halo, even with innovations like the grappling hook and the open-world structure that, in fact, leverage the very elements that made the series a great video game classic. 343 Industries has nailed game structure, gameplay, gunplay, AI, graphics and music, but stumbled with inexcusable flaws - especially after such a long wait - in variety and replayability. The game will still keep you glued to the controller though, so there's little doubt: Master Chief is back and he's in great shape.

Respawn delivers us one of the best new IPs for competitive online multiplayer lovers, with one of the most dynamic and entertaining games of the past few years. It’s not a perfect result primarily due to an unsatisfying technical performance and a shoddy campaign, but it’s undoubtedly a must buy if you’re into multiplayer gaming.

One of the best games of the year and a very long and compelling experience. Too bad for some nasty bugs, that we hope will be fixed soon.

Silent Hill 2 remains one of the most powerful narrative experiences ever created. Replaying it over 20 years later with remade visuals and gameplay is invaluable, especially for newcomers to Silent Hill’s haunting world. Some mechanics feel dated and the push for constant scares can be heavy-handed, but its atmosphere and storytelling still make it essential for fans of survival horror and narrative-driven games.

Mafia II is a great game, crafted with incredible care by its developers. If you're looking for a game with a strong story and a great shooter component, don't think twice about buying it. Just don't expect a myriad of side missions typical of other free roaming activities: this is a very story-driven and linear experience.

Modern Warfare 3 is a great FPS and a satisfying ending to Infinity's trilogy. With an adrenalinic and spectacular campaign and very entertaining multiplayer modes, fans of the series won't be disappointed – though we would have liked if the developers pushed it more on the technical side.

PES 2017 greatly improves gameplay, tactics and match simulation and variety resulting in an unrivaled on the field play experience. It's still got to get rid of some old habits mainly in the licenses and player behaviour reproduction, but it's undoubtedly shining anew.

A little masterwork, something that will please all the lovers of 2D fighters.

A highly authentic South Park experience, soaked in Parker and Stone's desecrating comedy and with very satisfying turn-based combat. A must-buy for any lover of the series.

One of the most genuine Live Arcade titles around, Limbo has to be bought just for the great experience it offers, even if of short duration. If you appreciate originality and artistic freshness in a game, you have to try it.

Control carries on Remedy's legacy of great story-driven adventures, adding greater freedom to the player and highly dynamic and spectacular fights coupled with a great artistic design. Definitely a game to have for lovers of supernatural plots and third person shooter-adventures.

Codemasters keeps on perfecting its F1 sim, adding even more gameplay choices and making its Campaign yet more engaging and interesting. Visually, moreover, it's almost like watching the real thing on TV, especially at 4K. A must buy for every Formula One lover.

A great porting of a beautiful game, and a great deal for its price too: if you never played it before, it's a must buy. And even if you already apreciated it seven years ago, you'll really enjoy going back to Hillys in its revamped look.

The best game in the series so far, with lots of modes and a revamped and captivating Career mode. EA made a great job both on the graphics side, with a great rendition of all the players, and the gameplay, improving all the systems and making it more accessible to newbies too.

UFC 2009: Undisputed hits the mark, giving us a very good fight sim. All the different fight techniques are well explained, and it will attract even gamers new to this extreme sport. One of the best fighting games seen this gen, a must have for every fan of the genre.

Darksiders is revealed to be a very good game and an authentic surprise, showing the true passion of the developers for many classical gameplay mechanics, managing to avoid any "clone effect". The game is only lacking that magic and pathos that could have guaranteed it a place in the games pantheon. It is however an unmissable title for every action-rpg lover.

Great gameplay, very good graphics and a flawless online side make of NHL 10 a great hockey simulation, recommend to every fan of this sport. Little problems with the defense line management and somewhat clumsy goalkeepers keep it from obtaining an even higher vote.

A great game, capable of keeping you entertained for many hours also thanks to the involving Quick Match mode and the deep editor; we would have liked a more fleshed out story and a special mode like the Tower of Lost Souls in SC4, but it stays, however, a recommended buy.

An evolutionary step in Codemasters' series, with great improvements in almost every area. Unmissable by every Formula One lover.

FIFA 21 keeps evolving the franchise's formula, with meaningful improvements in the Career mode and in FUT and VOLTA modes multiplayer, and refined gameplay. It needs a presentation and technical refresh, though, which we hope will come with the next-gen edition of the game.

Monolith's last game was a real surprise: solid and entertaining, it manages on incorporating other games mechanics in a very effective way, while introducing a real innovation with the Nemesis System. Its only flaw lies in a too short main plot, but it deserves the attention of every LotR and action/RPGs lover.

An evocative work, telling us an old Iñupiaq tale through a dynamic and touching story and an all-beautiful adventure rich of symbolism and significance, with two outstandingly characterized main characters. It will win your love.

A great racing game with brilliant simulation and stunning graphics, capable of adapting to any kind of player from the rookie to the highly experienced. Its limited car fleet and some minor technical issues keep it from being a real must buy, but every racing game lover shouldn't miss on it.

Thanks to a solid and well-tested gameplay coupled with a brilliant portal/character management, the physical assembly of all the pieces and the presence of great franchises like Doctor Who, Portal and Return to the Future, LEGO Dimensions manages to grab the crown of best toys-to-life game around.

An incredibly tense horror game, with adult themes and great graphics. Sometimes it can be a bit too frustrating, but you'll be rewarded by a memorable ending. One of the best horror experiences ever.

RIDE 6 returns in strong form, building on its predecessor with more bikes, distinct riding styles, and a deeper, less restrictive Career mode featuring legendary racers. Enhanced visuals, dynamic weather, and robust content ensure lasting appeal, while Pro and Arcade options welcome all skill levels. Minor AI issues and limited track innovation hold it back, but it stands as the series’ finest entry yet.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a heartfelt tribute to the series, a remake that captures the essence of two timeless classics. Iron Galaxy modernizes gameplay and levels with style, delivering depth, adrenaline, and rich content. While technical hiccups and a divisive take on THPS 4's career mode hold it back slightly, this is still a vibrant slice of gaming history, reborn.

A fascinating, involving and surprising adventure, with huge artistic values and a fresh, strongly European new take on the classic J-RPG formula.

DIRT 5 refreshes the arcade rally series with a challenging and very engaging racer. An high variety of modes and tracks coupled with a dynamic weather system make it the game to play for all lovers of off-road racing.

Dishonored 2 delivers a great sequel to Arkane's franchise, with great freedom for the player and high longevity, even if a bit too much on the conservative side. We would have liked to see more outstanding missions like the Clockwork Mansion and the Timepiece ones.

Diablo II: Resurrected makes us forget the 20 years passed since the release of the original game, delivering the same incredible experience but with graphics capable of leaving us speechless. A pure, challenging and satisfying action-RPG, capable of providing endless satisfaction and countless hours of play.

A brilliant and visionary action-RPG with a great plot, awesome music and rock-solid gameplay. It's still got some technical problems, but it definitely remains a must buy.

The best Codemasters F1 game so far. The F1 Classics section adds a little touch of magic and emotions to the package, while the core games delivers a great reproduction - if not simulation - of the F1 racing experience.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West shines thanks to a very variegated and balanced gameplay and a very compelling and moving story.

Street Fighter X Tekken proved to be a great fighting game under every aspect, introducing fresh gameplay elements to Capcom's formula and dissipating any doubt about it being a mere marketing move to attract fans from both franchises.

Splitgate comes very close to plagiarizing Halo, and its presentation is not without flaws; nevertheless, the excellent gameplay execution and the addition of portals, introducing an additional layer of tacticality, work great resulting in a damn fun game. Its current popularity is definitely deserved, and we are eager to see how the title will evolve in the future.

Assassin's Creed: Syndicate brings some freshness to the series thanks to the protagonists duality and the sped-up movement given by chariots and the new grappling hook, while Victorian era London is a really charming location. We didn't like the shoddy present time story line, though: if Ubisoft can't bring it back to the Desmond days greatness, maybe it's time to definitively let it go.

A great rally racer, true to the roots of Codemasters' series with a no frills approach to the core of the rally experience and brilliant visuals. Challenging and satisfying, it a definite must buy for any rally lover.

A very good shooter with great visuals and some interesting RPG contaminations. But the dull story and lack of real innovation in the FPS missions keep it from being the great id Software comeback we were expecting.

forma.8 combines an awesome art style with a very satisfying and varied level design to give life to a charming slow-paced metroidvania adventure, highly suggested to any lover of the genre.

F1 Manager 2023 is a stark improvement over the previous game, keeping it depth and complexity but managing to make everything easier to control and keeping us constantly challenged and involved. If you love Formula One and want to play the role of a Team Principal, this is a must buy.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a solid, vast and ambitious sequel capable of satisfying both action-RPG lovers and Star Wars fans. The many new features introduced on the exploration and combat fronts allow for the gameplay to take a considerable leap forward, without abandoning the much-appreciated metroidvania and souls-like dynamics. The game lends itself to criticism in the plot and in fight balancing, especially with bosses, but despite this, it stays fun and engaging until the end.

An awesome sim game, definitely the best one on consoles with great controls and gameplay depth. It suffers a bit on the technical side and we would have liked more contents from PC DLCs, but it's surely a must buy.

Left 4 Dead 2 is strongly suggested to everyone who prefers to play cooperatively with friends, sharing an adventure of horror and fear rather than fighting in the usual multiplayer FPS's: to complete the five different campaigns you'll have to act tactically and in strict collaboration with the other players.

A must buy for every fighting games fan: violent, contents-rich and with a very good - even if a bit on the short side - story. Its only real flaw is the weak netcode, yet better than the one in the previous game.

Codemasters keeps on improving an already great franchise, adding more variety and tactical depth to all races. A must buy for any F1 lover.

Kinect proves yet again to be the perfect environment for fitness games: EA Sports Active 2 offers us a complete and customizable training program, with the useful heart rate meter to monitor our efforts in real time.

The Alters is a deep, emotionally resonant experience that blends engaging gameplay with sharp writing and rich character work. Despite some rough edges and repetition, it stands out as one of this year's most compelling and successful releases. Its ability to challenge the player’s conscience outweighs its flaws, proving that emotional impact can matter more than mechanical perfection.

Activision did it again: the new Skylanders game feels fresh thanks to the new Trap mechanic and is still great fun both for children and their parents. Our wallets are doomed.

Brilliant graphics, one of the best locations in the series and a renewed focus on the game's main gameplay pillars make Assassin's Creed: Unity a worthy entry in Ubisoft's franchise. It's however far from a perfect experience, due to a bit too many glitches and bugs, especially during co-op matches.

A poetic and emotional journey, capable of charming even non-gamers thanks to its realistic approach to visuals and puzzles. Definitely an experience worth doing.

Resident Evil Village is an incredible piece of work, capable of keeping us glued to the screen for the entire story. Although there are some flaws that make it closer to an excellent game rather than a masterpiece, we recommend everyone to play it as it's a good product in almost all aspects, which could also make you approach the saga for the first time.

An essential but highly addicting platformer, made for super hard-core gamers who want to push their abilities to the maximum.

An unique game, capable of capturing the player's attention for many, many hours. The lack of a more guided and objective-based structure could alienate the less creative and patient players, though.

Excessive, vulgar, absurd, ultra-violent, embarassing: Saints Row: The Third's charme resides in its uniquely ironic and ill-mannered style, but supported by strong structure and gameplay.

A very enjoyable game, despite some blind spots in the graphics and sound areas: the social aspects and the many, many things to do in Ibiza and Oahu will keep your interest high for a long time.

Except for some slowdowns during gameplay, and some online connection problems, NBA 2K10 has been made with astounding care: very deep modes, great graphics and an improved gameplay guarantee an excellent experience for every fan of this sport.

With FIFA 20 EA plays it safe, fine-tuning what good was already done and introducing some news like the entertaining VOLTA Football mode. Some early bugs keep it from being fully satisfying, but we're confident they'll be quickly fixed.

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO hits straight at the heart of longtime fans while setting a new standard for Dragon Ball fighting games, offering us a fast-paced, fun, and visually spectacular experience that strikes the right balance between immediacy for newbies and a good degree of depth for those seeking a more competitive challenge. Highly recommended for fans of Goku and Co.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio succeeds in the challenging task of renewing a historical series, creating an ideal starting point for newcomers but at the same time fully satisfying old-time fans too. It won't please anyone and the new turn-based combat system can use some improvements, but this is definitely a game to not overlook.

Sleeping Dogs combines successful gameplay mechanics and a great story creating a well balanced – even if not innovative – and entertaining mix. A very good game, dragged down only by a somewhat short story and little lack of polish. And a good starting point for a successful series for Square Enix.