Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

The new chapter of the Atelier saga renews and enriches the formula, even if not in a perfect way.

Quotation forthcoming.

FragPunk is a tac-shooter that prioritizes fun above everything else and works great despite not having the most original heroes.

WWE 2K25 features a 2K Showcase mode that doesn't hold a candle to last year's edition, while The Island presents itself as a variation on the traditional career mode with occasional fantasy elements but is hindered by a very modest presentation. The storyline behind MyRise is interesting, while the changes made to other classic modes aren’t substantial enough to make them feel fresh for those who have already invested a lot of time in these contents. On the gameplay side, the experience suffers from stiffness and interaction issues that should have been addressed by now, while the visuals range from stunning to downright ugly and outdated: the full-price toll for a franchise that is increasingly struggling with its annual release cycle.

Wanderstop is a synaesthetic video game: all you have to do is prepare a cinnamon-scented tea to remember the evenings spent on the sofa, under the covers, sipping a hot drink with the person you love. It is a place of the soul, romantic and melancholic, where you can take a deep breath to escape the eternal performance of life. It is for Alta, our protagonist, and it is for Davey Wreden, the brilliant creator of The Stanley Parable, who this time directs a video game about the importance of finding a space for ourselves, just as we are, stripped of all expectations.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II came across as one of the weaker entries in the saga, due to a less-than-stellar narrative that stumbles awkwardly before finding its footing. Fortunately, the memorable cast and a noticeably improved combat system compared to the previous installment support a lengthy adventure in which Nihon Falcom may have tried to cram in a bit too much. For this reason, it's hard to recommend to casual players with little interest in The Legend of Heroes, who might struggle to appreciate even its charming yet undeniably outdated technical aspects. Fans of the series, on the other hand, can rest easy: despite its weaknesses, it still remains a must-buy.

Quotation forthcoming.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light returns on iOS and Android with a truly flawless conversion of an adventure that still manages to showcase its full potential on mobile. It offers a solid, challenging, and engaging experience that doesn't feel dated despite nearly fifteen years having passed since its original debut. The developers at Feral Interactive have once again done an excellent job.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is a collection that leverages nostalgia, but also features notable improvements.

Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a fantastic opportunity to own two of the best JRPGs in history in one package and with several additions that improve the player's quality of life. Both chapters of this legendary saga are still beautiful to play today, especially if you are willing to turn a blind eye to some of the rough edges typical of video games from thirty years ago. With a little effort you are rewarded with an enviable pace, a wonderful phase of recruitment and management of the castle which is a game within the game and with one of the most beautiful narrative plots ever. The remastering operation is rich and perceptible, even if we didn't find all the features we would have expected, we feel like saying that this is the right opportunity to rediscover (or to discover, lucky you) these two wonderful titles.

Split Fiction continues Hazelight Studios's tradition of making high-quality, fully cooperative video games. The merits are many: there is certainly a beautiful message of meeting between the two protagonists, but the fun comes above all from an always fast pace, from the ability to alternate mechanics, visual solutions, ideas and quotes with extreme taste. It probably doesn't succeed in the ambitious attempt to do better than its predecessor, It Takes Two, due to some not so perfect rhythms and, in general, a less strong aesthetic, but it still flies close to the sun, and is another step towards the perfect cooperative experience. Furthermore, it is impossible not to take your hat off to the Friend's Pass, made even more universal in this new iteration.

Quotation forthcoming.

Two Point Museum is another great game by Two Point Studios that you have to play.

Monster Hunter Wilds is, predictably, one of the strongest base chapters ever made in the series, if not perhaps the strongest because of its drive at innovation. Taking many of the best elements of World, Iceborne, Rise, and Sunbreak, without disdaining a wink to the past here and there, Capcom has created a perfectly structured game, capable of pleasing newcomers and veterans alike with its brilliant progression and the extraordinary quality of its gameplay. It is a pity that, once again, the zenith was only grazed, due to content that unravels a little too soon in the endgame and a technical element that is not as flawless as usual. These are, however, all features that will likely be smoothed out considerably in the coming months, and this is nonetheless an incredibly strong and successful game in its totality.

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is a remastering effort that builds on what was done with the first trilogy and helps deliver a complete package of Tomb Raider adventures in the traditional key. Sadly, however, this batch thrives on objectively worse material than its predecessor, with the fifth and sixth chapters weak on the narrative front, to which the remastering work did nothing more.

Ambitious, surprising, and full of brilliant solutions, Eternal Strands is clearly a title developed by a team brimming with passion and talent, pulling off an exhilarating and uniquely complex adventure. Unfortunately, however, the resources of an independent team are what they are, and Yellow Brick Games' work is held back by modest production values, a somewhat uninspired art direction, and a few too many technical hiccups. Yet, despite its flaws, this remains an undeniable gem, giving us hope for the team's future. We can only hope it gets the recognition it deserves and that these developers can continue on their path—because with a little more time and resources, they clearly have the potential to create something truly great.

Warriors Abyss is a not particularly ambitious roguelite, but still has interesting ideas. The graphics are bad, the story to be ignored and the arenas too banal. At the same time, however, it is always pleasant to wipe out hundreds of enemies and the power-up system is full of possibilities and combinations, really giving us the feeling of having turned our warrior into a hellish god capable of destroying entire armies. If you like musou but especially roguelites, you should give it a serious look while waiting for bigger names.

PGA Tour 2K25 is a solid golf game that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Its key strengths lie in the granularity of customization options, highly adjustable difficulty settings, robust simulation mechanics, and a course editor that could literally make the experience endless. However, its fairly standard gameplay, limited roster of golfers, unremarkable technical presentation, and a few too many bugs put a slight damper on what is otherwise a compelling experience for golf enthusiasts. While it may not dazzle with innovation, it remains a satisfying choice for fans of the sport.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage has a premise that's way more interesting than its execution. It draws heavily from the classics of the genre, and in particular from the novel IT by Stephen King, to tell us a story of friendship divided into two timelines: 1995 and 2022, with a great mystery in the background that separated the protagonists, keeping them away from Velvet Cove. The balance between the coming-of-age story and the horror part, however, is totally unbalanced in favor of the former, and the serial writing is not helped by the extended time of the screenplay, with a central part that is too lacking in impact. We will find out on April 15th if the mystery is hidden in the second episode, but for now we are saddened by the wasted potential of this story.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii could be a sensational misstep for SEGA's series or yet another great success following its unexpected RPG-style revolution. On one hand, the pirate theme is always very popular, Majima's character seems perfect for the role, and there's no doubt that the many activities the game offers - especially the side ones - could win over the audience. However, in terms of story, characters, and atmosphere, we are truly far from the standards that Ryu Ga Gotoku has accustomed us to.

Leaving behind its edutainment origins, Carmen Sandiego becomes a real video game in this new Netflix incarnation, which also pays homage to some chapters from the 1980s. The ‘retro’ investigative parts are interesting, while the more modern exploration phases seem decidedly limited and very much tied to the fluctuating quality of the puzzle-style mini-games. Still, it is a good complement to the animated series.

Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

Avowed is a marvelous role-playing game built on a wide range of choices and deeply impactful consequences, written with great care and surprising complexity. It leans towards an old-school style while being firmly rooted in a setting that is both captivating and richly detailed, featuring uniquely distinctive fantasy elements and, above all, an exceptional level design. Obsidian Entertainment's talent shines through in all the studio’s classic strengths, yet at the same time, it clashes with evident rough edges such as an inconsistent progression system, monotonous combat, various bugs, and a lack of attention to detail—ultimately weakening an adventure that could have stood among the finest in recent years. This is an experience that any fan of the genre should dive into without hesitation, yet it remains a rough diamond—one that, in our opinion, Xbox as a publisher should have supported with more resources and greater attention.

Rift of the Necrodancer dares to go where many other successful videogame series would never dare to set foot. Its fresh take on the Guitar Hero-like rhythm games makes it a valid option in an industry that lacks these kinds of games, lately. It's a shame, though, that visually and narratively speaking it could have pushed more, because the premises were all there.