A great reimagining of the series, delivering a fun experience to shooter fans, while bringing a good story and some solid mechanics that feel fresh but still know the roots of the franchise.

Tails of Iron is a good game, although it cannot actually fit into one certain genre. It is not very deep or complex, as developers rather focused on implementing well a few elements. Thankfully, the exploration and combat system work like a charm and turn this rat tale into one worth experiencing. Its 2D world is truly engaging, while the challenging combat offers plenty of satisfaction once it is mastered. Tails of Iron might not be an overly ambitious game, but it is entertaining and rewarding.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare offers a much more innovative take on the first-person shooter series than previous installments, but it's still shackled to the core recipe of forcing players to follow allies through set piece moments in the story campaign. The multiplayer offers a higher degree of innovation and it should certainly entertain quite a lot of fans who are open to trying the new mechanics.

Diablo II: Resurrected is a mixed bag of treats. On one hand it has the sweet allure of nostalgia, on the other hand it often feels outdated, with mechanics that evolved quite a lot in the last 21 years. The multiplayer is tremendous fun and will cause a lot of discord over splitting the loot and stealing the gold dropped by the dead players. If you feel nostalgic for Diablo II: Resurrected is the best way to scratch that itch. If you felt that it was overhyped back then, the new release will do nothing to change your mind. And if you are new to videogames, you better start with Diablo III, since you will not miss anything story wise, and the experience will be much more satisfying.

Being an EA game, albeit developed by Respawn Entertainment, I had some doubts, but they were quickly dispelled. It stands as proof that single-player games can stand on their own. The only problem is that if you rush through it, you could finish Fallen Order in about 12 hours, but that excludes finding the secrets and unlocking all the cool stuff. Lastly, I have to mention the name, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. To me, it sounds like Star Wars Jedi could be a new line of games, with Fallen Order being just the first one. We can only dream.

It’s laden with tense moments and it’s a gorgeous visual journey, with a pretty good narrative and a lot of pleasant surprises for fans of the Alien franchise.

Unruly Heroes is not a long game (8 hours), but it's tense and quite entertaining. It challenges both your reflexes and your brain, but it will also amaze you with its graphics, music and animations. If you're a fan of the genre, Unruly Heroes is a title you don't want to miss.

The only downside is that Nuclear Blaze ends very fast. It’s like a very short SCP novel that you read while commuting. It took me less than two hours to finish it, but I had a lot of fun. Get this if you’re looking for a good platformer.

I enjoyed my time with Clawpunk, because it’s the type of game where you shut your brain off and just start shooting. It’s fast-paced, it has amazing boss battles, and it does a great job at bringing those classic 90’s titles like Metal Slug back to life. Yes, it might not be perfect, nor does it have to be. Instead, it’s meant to offer us a healthy dose of nostalgia, while also testing our skills over and over. I like a lot of ideas that they added here. The great characters they included and the ability to switch between them as you need to, that came in handy more times than I realized. And not only that but slashing through dozens of enemies felt very satisfying. As you go into boss battles, things become even more hectic, and just as fulfilling. Clawpunk might seem like a weird game at first glance, but it’s one of those indie games that you need to experience for yourself to see how fun it can be.

Even though it lacks the presentation of a high-budget game, Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones is one enjoyable nightmare that I can't recommend enough to cRPG fans. Bristling with mythos creatures, beautifully-drawn environments, and great Lovecraftian inspiration, Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones is a fantastic RPG that no fan of the cosmic horror should skip.

All in all, Nocturnal remains a good indie platformer that offers enough innovations to make it worth a playthrough. Despite some uninspired mechanics, the overall gameplay experience is enjoyable and in no way frustrating.

Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga is surprising and a little underwhelming at first. But, if one gives it time to reveal its systems, it offers plenty of tactical depth and a solid narrative. The fact that there’s no direct control over combat makes it more important to think about force composition and careful squad deployment. I never became fully invested in the story, but the tactical puzzles were always fun to work through. Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga is best enjoyed in bite-sized chunks. Clear a map, prepare for another, watch the conversations between characters, see what a new area has to offer, then save the actual combat for another session. This keeps the gameplay fresh and the narrative interesting.

As someone who played all Borderlands games, and even the Tiny Tina spin-off, I can definitely say that Borderlands 4 is my favorite one so far. Not only does it have very satisfying gameplay and a great story, but the open world of Kairos is amazing and full of quests, side content, collectibles and so on.

FAR: Changing Tides even when it's at its best feels like the game world itself: empty. It feels a bit that the game aspect was less important than the experience part. I believe FAR: Lone Sails offers a much more dynamic experience than the sequel. Yet, despite its shortcomings, FAR: Changing Tides is just as recommendable, especially if you liked the first game in the series. It has a kind of magic that is worth experiencing at least once, even if the replay value is quite thin. Is it for everyone? Definitely not! But those who look for their games off the beaten path, FAR: Changing Tides won't disappoint.

Suzerain is a good experience that sometimes feels like it needs a little more game. Following the career path of President Rayne and facing the many challenges can be both thrilling and boring, with a side of frustrating at times. The developers clearly have a lot of talent for world-building and dialogue writing, which makes the game a treat for anyone willing to learn about the world and play with its possibilities. Come to Suzerain first for the feeling of power and the scheming, stay longer to discover the characters and the way choices are interlocked in an interesting way.

You can expect Bloodroots to be frustrating, but also very satisfying. It may remind you of the movies made by Tarantino or of Hotline Miami, but it stands on its own, being an immersive experience. Although the story is short, you will feel pleasantly compelled to revisit the levels and try to improve your scores. Bloodroots is very stylish, very fast, very fun and extremely bloody mayhem.

Company of Heroes 2 – Ardennes Assault is a good standalone package and the campaign that Relic has created manages to capture the tension associated with the Battle of the Bulge, although there are some moments when the company deviates from historical reality in order to increase the dramatic element.

Episode 3: Catch a Ride manages to continue the great showing of the adventure series made by Telltale. It's fun, intense, and manages to really develop not only its original characters but also some of the stablished Vault Hunters from previous games.

The biggest potential issue with the game is that it offers too much freedom and too little structure. It might drive players away if they feel that their progress is too gated. But I love the feeling of freedom that Boomerang X offers when it is at its best and the huge adrenaline spike that a good fight against seven waves can deliver, regardless of the result.

Sunset Overdrive is a great open world action adventure game that manages to impress through its rich environments, vibrant colors, and tongue-in-cheek attitude. While the missions are somewhat generic and the enemies are a bit cheap in their attacks, it's still an awesome investment for any Xbox One owner.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a very interesting beat’em’up that’s short, but sweet. It has a wonderful story, one that seems to be taken right out of the comic books. But it’s something new, refreshing, and it allows us to control iconic Marvel characters, along with lesser-known ones. As a complete package, MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is a delightful return to the golden era of beat’em’ups. It feels great to play, the combat is very intuitive, and the character selection is outstanding. The game’s visuals and soundtrack are also up to par with expectations, with some levels being very impressive. Whether you are a child of the 90s, or a child today, the game is a delight to play, and it’s certainly going to push you towards reading more comics.

True Colors is a worthy continuation of the franchise. Releasing all the episodes at the same time was a good call, since you can go through the story in one sitting, offering around 8 hours’ worth of emotional journey. It is not perfect, and it would have deserved a more elaborate ending. It cannot be as emotional as Before the Storm or as important as the first game, but it keeps the best parts of its predecessors and adds some new elements that fit seamlessly in the mix. It is mandatory for all the fans of the series and a must try for those who think video games should be about much more than just shooting and explosions.

Defense Grid 2 is a stellar tower defense game that manages to bring back the great recipe of its predecessor, while adding plenty of elements to make it more complex.

Children of the Sun is a great video game, designed for players who want a hyper-violent revenge story that remixes puzzle and slow-motion mechanics in a unique way. The narrative is familiar but gripping, delivered in small chunks and with a distinctive style. The entire presentation communicates dread and determination. The Girl’s ability to fire just one bullet and then control it to kill multiple targets is unique. It allows the developer to create impressive puzzles while also giving gamers freedom to explore and craft plans. Children of the Sun is immersive, dark, accessible, challenging, and fun.

Firewatch shows the way video games, without creating major conflicts or over-the-top conspiracies, can elicit strong emotional responses from their audience, and it should be applauded for that even by gamers who do not appreciate the first-person adventure mechanics.

Silicon Dreams has a good main concept and careful, expressive writing. Each scenario offers a dilemma to deal with. The situations are very emotional and the decisions are always challenging. Even after playing through a situation, I found something new to think about or to explore when the game made me return to it. Every fan of “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” or works influenced by it will find something to love in the tight experience that Clockwork Bird has designed. There is also plenty of space for them to expand both the story and the mechanics in meaningful ways in future titles set in the same universe.

Overboard! is a great game for anyone who has played a previous inkle title and liked it. The characters are fun, the lines of dialogue are well-written, the possibilities are all interesting. Veronica manages to be sympathetic despite being all too capable of murder. The replay value of the experience is higher than for any of their previous titles. This means that even for newcomers to the genre this is a great title to take a chance on.

The sound design is the most interesting part of the title’s presentation. All weapons sound weighty and the chorus of multiple types firing at once makes every encounter feel deadly. The soundtrack is also very good, keeping the tension up and pushing players to move fast and kill efficiently.

Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099 is an excellent blend of ideas and watching the various cage narrative is thrilling. There’s enough of them and they are randomized at the start of a new run, to encourage replayability. The game makes mass surveillance immersive and engaging, which is icky on a conceptual level but makes playing the game very fun. The survival and interference mechanics also mesh well with the dystopian future world. I wanted more future wikis to explore, with even weirder concepts and incidents. Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099 is weird and compelling, with cool ideas for both the cage stories and the meta-narrative.

Rather than offering answers, the game poses difficult, open-ended questions. What does it mean to understand someone from another world? Can we truly listen without threatening our own sense of self? And is it possible to embrace change without perceiving it as loss? These are not the questions most video games dare to ask, let alone explore meaningfully. In the end, Two Falls is more a storybook than a game, one that takes your hand and guides youthfully through a conversation between cultures with deliberate but slow steps. It may not win over those seeking adrenaline or challenge, but for players open to introspection and narrative depth, it delivers something rare: a story that respects intelligence, honors emotion, and celebrates the uneasy beauty of meeting someone halfway.

Back to the Dawn is a deceptively deep game. It draws you in with its quirky animal characters and holds you tight with its complex mechanics, branching narratives, and brutal sense of fairness. There’s no hand-holding here, just a dense sandbox where your choices, relationships, and instincts shape the story. It's not always easy, and sometimes the game feels downright punishing. But that’s the point. You’ll fail. You’ll restart. And you’ll come back smarter, more prepared, and even more determined to crack the system or break free from it. For fans of RPGs, survival sims, and story-rich adventures, this is one prison worth checking into. Just don’t expect it to be a walk in the yard.

Darkest Dungeon II is everything I expected and more. An evolution of the series that introduces so many new mechanics that I can hardly believe that this is a sequel to the original Darkest Dungeon. Less punishing and frustrating than the first game, Darkest Dungeon II offers fans of the series a myriad of options when it comes to creating the perfect party. The thing that didn’t change from the first game is the pain you feel when your most powerful hero fails a “death’s door” check because you thought it would survive one more hit. Darkest Dungeon II is a near-perfect roguelite that’s hard to surpass.

Sifu is a memorable game. It is also a hard game that rewards patience and the willingness to perfect yourself. It is not perfect, but it is fair. One of the few negative aspects we encountered is the camera control that in some scenes it is not just a pain in the ass, but it can cost you an entire run. Another thing we would have oved to see is a more detailed character building, where the story is not just a frame for the action. But all these are just minor inconveniences when we look art Sifu as a whole. It does not feel like an indie game, but still, it is not for everyone. You need patience and you need the ability to get over the countless moments when the game frustrates you to the limit of exasperation. It is all part of becoming a kung fu master, a path reserved only for a few.

The extremely stupid humor, top-notch combat and wide range of weaponry make Borderlands 3 one of the best shooters of all-time. Although it's an old formula, Borderlands 3 offers one of the best shlooter experiences you can get.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for the PC delivers a compelling RPG experience with great combat mechanics and a varied world to explore. It can be quite tough if you’re trying to speed through the main quest, but patient players who complete side quests and gear up their character, as well as their Pawns, will find plenty of things to enjoy in Capcom’s RPG.

Beyond Earth is just as innovative when it comes to the mechanics of the turn-based strategy series as Civilization V was before it and gamers will need a bit of time to become accustomed to the increased customization, the tech web and the powerful challenge posed by the alien life.

Fans of real-world sport will probably pick F1 Manager 2024 because it gives them the option to create their custom team and then take on the established powers of the sport. It’s fun to pick one of the origins and then strive to use every small competitive advantage to get at least a few wins against the likes of Ferrari or Red Bull. The morale system is a good addition, although it does need a little balancing, and mechanical issues add another level of excitement and dread to the races. The race simulation still creates some weird moments, but it generally feels solid. F1 Manager 2024 is a step forward for the racing series and a solid way to experience Formula 1 in video game form.

One of the biggest surprises of this year, Jagged Alliance 3 breathes new life into a series that was mediocre at best. There are a lot of reasons to play the new Jagged Alliance game, but the most important one is the overall gameplay experience that’s incredibly addictive if you’re fond of turn-based tactical games. Despite some minor issues with the camera and weapon variation, Jagged Alliance 3 is by far the best game in the series. It’s challenging, fun, and extremely addictive, so there’s absolutely no reason not to give it a try.

Vietnam '65 is an interesting video game, but it is unlikely that it will manage to gain a huge audience in its current form, because it is working with a setting that's not particularly attractive and because it makes logistics more important than actual combat.

Assassin's Creed: Origins is far from being a bad game, but fails to achieve greatness as well. If Ubisoft would have cut half of the low-quality content, I think we would have gotten a much better game. While there's definitely room for improvement, I strongly believe that the Assassin's Creed franchise took a turn in the right direction.

For all the missed opportunities, Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition perfectly catches the spirit of the series. Its biggest achievement is that it puts a great cast of characters front and center without compromising the JRPG-centric narrative style. Although it does little to refine the Tales formula, Vesperia is clearly a must-play for any JRPG fan, if not for the rather uninspired and predictable story, but for the characterization, great voice acting and more often than not hilarious conversations.

The Legend of Tianding shows how indie developers can mix solid mechanics and cool history-based protagonists to deliver a fresh take on the classic side-scrolling brawler experience. The game is tough but fair, asking players to master a series of moves and constantly finding new ways to test their skills. I would have liked less backtracking and, maybe, more meaningful side quests but simply engaging with the core missions is very fun. The Taiwan historical setting mixes very well with the presentation. More developers should try to use universes that have not been previously explored to add another dimension to their titles. And all fans of the genre should play The Legend of Tianding to enjoy its many good ideas and great execution.

Overall, the folks at Complex Games have done a great job adapting one of the most popular tabletop games in the world and turning it into a video game. Ironically, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters feels like the natural evolution of the XCOM franchise.

Wasteland 2 is a game which appeals to a rather narrowly-defined set of gamers, but seems to deliver all the features and concepts that role-playing post-apocalyptic fans are interested in, which means that it can provide them with hundreds of hours of enjoyment.

I can’t recommend Anno 1800 enough. I was legitimately worried that Ubisoft might try to bring the entire franchise into the present, but I’m happy to say that my fears were unfounded. The game is a love letter to the old city-building games, while still managing to innovate and surprise even veteran players.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is worthy of the name, and that was no easy task for Infinity Ward. We also have to mention that Infinity Ward is only present in name, as the team that made the original 2007 iteration has long since departed Activision. I played the game on PC, and I have to have to say that it looks stunning. From the looks of it, each new edition of Call of Duty somehow manages to enhance the graphics without impacting the hardware. The only problem I found was the time it took to preload the shaders, a process that was supposed to take place only once. But it was triggered again after the update.

Have a Nice Death is a good combination of action and rogue-lite, with a good balance between the difficulty of the combat, especially the boss fights, and the pace of the unlocks. It pays to focus on one weapon and really learn how to use it and when to complement it with a spell or secondary attack. Boss engagements are all about patience and pattern recognition. The game’s presentation complements the mechanics and themes well, although some more variety when it comes to the procedurally generated floors is needed. Have a Nice Death knows what fans of its genre want and offers an interesting universe to explore and great mechanics.

The two new tables do not deliver any new narrative elements, but they manage to create a new level of excitement around the adventures of Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, and the rest of the cast by delivering interactivity, even if it is somewhat limited by the pinball mechanics.

There aren't too many things that Wings of Ruin doesn't do right for a turn-based game set in the Monster Hunter universe. Too many loading times and the rather ugly visuals (in the first part of the game) might detract from the game's appeal, but the addictive Pokemon-like monster hatching mechanic and the deep combat are more than enough to keep players invested throughout an entire playthrough. Despite the cliché story scenario, the game does have its surprising moments that can get you emotional rather quickly. At the end of the day, I believe Wings of Ruin's lighthearted narrative is perfectly suited for a Monster Hunter game that's all about hatching monsters to help you hunt the same monsters.

Ultimately, if you liked the first game, you will most certainly enjoy the sequel. It offers a much more solid RPG experience with lots of options for almost any type of playthrough. The writing is superior, the character progression system makes a lot more sense, and the level design is top notch too, along with voice acting.

Galactic Civilizations III is a great game, containing a mix of familiar mechanics and new ideas that can keep both fans and newcomers occupied for a frighteningly long period of time...The best thing about the new Stardock-created turn-based experience is that it is so customizable, and the experience of playing in the resulting galaxies creates stories that are consistently fun and filled with surprises.

Ultros major issue is that it isn’t as weird and hallucinatory as it wants to be. Sure, this space burial site that overflows with life offers an interesting setting with some impressive visual touches. The narrative is somewhat obscure, and occult tinged. But neither is enough to keep players engaged in the long run if they don’t already like this mix of exploration, combat, and platforming. And the game offers limited details about many of its systems, with the constant loops adding to the confusion. Ultros requires patience and a significant time investment but it offers an immersive world and good core mechanics.

Gunbrella delivers a great combination of platforming and combat, punctuated by challenging boss fights and plenty of character interactions. The game introduces new ideas and challenges at a good pace and boredom never sets in. The narrative could have used some extra weirdness, but the universe is engaging and offers some cool moments. The game could have used more variety when it comes to battle scenarios and maybe a little less backtracking. Gunbrella implements the core ideas of action platforming well and adds plenty of fun new ideas that will appeal both to newcomers and genre veterans.

Desktop Dungeons: Rewind’s idea of mixing exploration with health and mana regeneration is great, as are how players can use it. It’s very fun to explore the levels, discover enemies, decide the best way to tackle them, and then, finally, gather enough resources to kill the boss and take the trophy. The rest of the experience, including the kingdom development and the puzzles, is competent but not as impressive. Upgrades should probably cost a little less. But the core gameplay root is so good that Desktop Dungeons: Rewind is the rare game I plan to return to frequently, if only for one or two runs.

When I started playing Constance, I had no idea what to expect. Releasing a metroidvania so close to Silksong was a gamble, but I think it paid off. Constance might not be the 30+ hour juggernaut that game is, but it has a heartwarming story and its platforming is excellent. The narrative is amazing, and the unique painting mechanic adds risk, but also rewards strategic thinking, too. You’re also rewarded if you explore, which is important for this type of game. Constance has its caveats, like limited fast travel or the main character not speaking at all during the game. However, those things are by design, and they tie into the game’s approach towards stress and mental health. This is a type of game that can help you rethink some of your choices in life, while also giving you 4-5 hours of intense platforming goodness, and it’s a breath of fresh air for the genre.

Kingdom Eighties will satisfy any players who picked up one of the previous installments in the series and appreciates its indirect strategy concept. The four main characters are pretty cool, the rest of the kids do great work chopping down trees and battling demons, and the presentation is impressive in how well it evokes the ‘80s. The action is sometimes a little slow, and relying on others to act can lead to some frustration. Still, the universe of Kingdom Eighties is so nice, and the nostalgia vibes are so strong that it’s worth investing time to experience both its mechanics and narrative.

Company of Heroes 3 is too conservative in terms of gameplay and fails to make its big new mode work as expected. Battles, from skirmishes to bespoke missions in the Italian campaign, are great fun and offer cool tactical puzzles to solve. The strategy map does add another dimension to the experience but patches are needed to realize its full potential. The multiplayer offers variety and will satisfy those who loved the first two installments. What disappoints me the most is the lack of innovation. Everything that’s entirely new is either marginal or doesn’t work as it should. Company of Heroes 3 does have great real-time strategy battles but the rest of the mechanics fail to deliver on their potential.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Like a Dragon: Ishin!, but I have to say it is a very well put together game that offers plenty of fun. Even on harder difficulty settings you feel like you have a fighting chance, but the farming of materials will take some time, so it will eventually start feeling repetitive. There is plenty of content to keep you entertained, and the game diversifies and adds new gameplay elements up to the end. It might not be the most memorable of the series, but it is a game that is worthy both of the Yakuza and Like a Dragon series.

Atelier Ryza 2 brings new, interesting gameplay features into the series, but it doesn't revolutionize the Atelier franchise. The alchemy system hasn't been simplified, but it's much easier to pick up if you're a newcomer to the series. There are new biomes to explore thanks to the introduction of the swimming and mount abilities, but the balance between combat, alchemy, and exploration is what makes Atelier Ryza 2 an enjoyable experience. There's no doubt about it, Ryza 2 is the most refined experience you can get playing an Atelier game as long as you're not expecting a top-notch story. Aside from the lighthearted tone, nothing stands out when it comes to Atelier Ryza 2's story; it's as generic as it can be and there's nothing wrong with that.

The new Ant-Man table for Zen Pinball shows that the development team at Zen Studios can deliver great work when it is dealing with the intellectual property of other companies and Marvel seems to have made a particularly good partner.

Pine Hearts is a very cute experience that tells an emotional story. I like the exploration and the way Tyke gradually gets new abilities that open up new paths and options. The memory systems deliver some big emotional moments. Characters might not talk but the world is inviting and colorful. The adventure is pretty short but some of the gameplay elements still have time to become repetitive. Pine Hearts mixes light gameplay and fun conversations with an exploration of loss while giving players a beautiful world to explore.

It’s hard to imagine what else they could have done to make this a great multiplayer game, but that’s not in dispute. Treyarch still knows how to make things happen. As for the single-player experience, I doubt that many people will remember it by the time the next game is released.

The mix of comic-book aesthetics, exhilarating soundtrack, and solid shooter gameplay make Void Bastards an absolute delight. Sprinkle that with a bucketload of dark humor and bizarrely mutated enemies and you get an incredibly addictive game, which forces you to go through the same gameplay loop over and over again.

I did not expect to like Tiny Bookshop as much as I did. It’s an excellent game for book lovers, but also for people who want to unwind, relax and play a simple management game. The fact that Tiny Bookshop doesn’t have very high stakes means you can easily play it as you do other activities. Yet at the same time, it’s very addictive, and it only gets better and better as you play. I still play Tiny Bookshop every week and will continue to do so for a while. The seasons mechanic is great, I enjoy seeing the world evolving around me, and finding the right book for other people is always exciting. The fact that you can also find some new books you never knew about is the icing on the cake, in my opinion. As it stands, Tiny Bookshop comes as highly recommended for cozy game fans and book lovers, but also for anyone who wants a relaxing time after playing all those new shooters and RPGs.

Young Souls is a solid beat-em up that intelligently adds role-playing ideas to enhance its core gameplay. The bosses are well-designed and mostly fun to fight, especially if the player wisely diversified what the pair can do. The narrative is not groundbreaking but gives players plenty of interesting moments and cool banter (again, with plenty of swearing that can be filtered out). Players should not be afraid of dropping the difficulty level if they feel the game is too hard. And experimentation, when it comes to both equipment and tactics, can solve plenty of combat puzzles. Young Souls is fast, engaging, deep enough, a good example of how a classic genre can be updated for modern sensibilities.

It's got good puzzles, some of which may be a bit too obtuse, and a very lighthearted overall tone, as well as a ton of wit and some loving pop culture references to enjoy, as well as an interesting storyline to follow.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a fun experience that excels both in terms of mechanics and presentation and manages to showcase the kind of innovation that indie teams can deliver in a genre that has long been ignored.

Cursed to Golf is not a sports sim but it will deliver many more thrills than any careful reconstruction of real-world golf can. Getting the ball into the hole using my last shot by carefully using an Ace card and plenty of spin made me scream with joy. I almost cried when two successive shots somehow landed in the water. But players also need to be prepared for a fast escalation of the difficulty level that can lead to frustration. Practice and good planning are always more important than wild swings. Cursed to Golf is a solid puzzle experience with good presentation and some big thrilling moments.

Newcomers to the genre or the series should pick up the core Company of Heroes 2 at first, to get themselves familiarized with the series and its ideas, and then make the jump to The Western Front Armies in order to experience more varied matches.

Newcomers to the series will find Fire Emblem Engage a great game, but they won’t truly know what a Fire Emblem game means until they play a previous title. Despite the few negatives, Fire Emblem Engage is a must for fans of the series, as well as newcomers who love turn-based strategy games.

If you ever wished you could play a necromancer, battle dragons and date a Khajiit, or, why not, all three, Elsweyr delivers on that and then some. Just don't give up because of the flavorless storyline.

Watch Dogs is a fun open world experience. However, the repetitive chases and the formulaic gameplay tend to get tedious and boring after a while. As such, you might want to enjoy the different multiplayer experiences and take frequent breaks to just roam around the city.

Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked brings a great D&D theme to the already popular Demeo experience, and it shines in coop. The 2 campaigns available at launch are great, fun to play, but also frustrating at times due to overpowered enemies you encounter along the way. It does become very chaotic in multiplayer, while playing single-player offers a more tactical experience. For me, Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked was a great way to delve back into D&D and it felt great to play. The battles are very fast-paced for a turn-based title, you still get to focus on tactics and strategy, while also enjoying great quests and very good voice-overs. If you want to make the most out of it, going the VR or co-op route is the best idea. But regardless, it’s a good entry in the Demeo universe, especially if you’re new to tactics and turn based games.

Crusader Kings II is the most complex title that Paradox Interactive, a company known for the depth of its releases, has ever created and the already impressive mods released for it, the best of which is the one based on A Song of Ice and Fire, will certainly find new ways to expand it in the future.

Ground Zeroes is the perfect opening for a much richer experience that Phantom Pain promises to offer. Ground Zeroes is intense, philosophical, dark, brutal, but full of hope at the same time.

All in all, Soulcalibur VI is fun, despite all of its problems, and I think it’s all that matters in a fighting game. If we also take into account the developer’s propensity to bring in characters from other games, such as The Witcher or Sonic, it moves the game to another meta-level. And that’s definitely something that players will want.

Tempest Rising is the game we’ve always been waiting for, ever since EA stopped working on mainline C&C games. It has great factions, a really interesting story and there weren’t any major performance issues for me, either. The game runs great, the music is extremely good, and the visuals are up to par with what you would expect from this type of game. Should you try Tempest Rising? If you want a fast-paced strategy with a bunch of tactical options, it’s certainly a great option to consider. I enjoyed my time with Tempest Rising and low-key hope they will do an expansion soon. This type of game is not as common these days, but it’s definitely a breath of fresh air amongst all battle royales and free to play, battle pass-dependent titles.

Volume has a carefully considered set of mechanics and it will certainly appeal to those who love stealth action and are interested in completing each of the levels as quickly as possible, moving smoothly and without having to get saved by the checkpoints.

DREDGE is both atmospheric and mechanically engaging. The story threads are very personal and, at times, heartbreaking. Even though I didn’t catch all the species featured in the encyclopedia, I had plenty of fun moving around the world, trying to identify the best spots for certain species and mastering mini-games. Narrative progression can sometimes feel slow, especially if players only approach fishing as a means to an end. Catching some fish feels needlessly complicated. But these are minor issues with a game that has a big dark heart and makes exploration and fishing very fun. DREDGE is a great experience that mixes genres and ideas while keeping the experience accessible to everyone.

When I started playing Reanimal, I was unsure where this experience would go. However, I found the game to be very surprising, not only when it comes to its story, but also the overall presentation and great sense of immersion. It retains Tarsier’s signature style, while adding some clever, new elements into the mix. Reanimal doesn’t rely on jumpscares, instead its focus is on psychological horror and a sense of uneasiness that follows you from beginning until the end. It's also nice to see that the game’s performance is outstanding, and the co-op aspect is one of the highlights. Yes, it’s not a very long game, but it tells a very refreshing story that we can easily connect with challenging moments in our lives. Plus, mechanics like scuba diving or driving break the mold, while offering yet another way to experience this troublesome, yet beautiful world they created.

Card Shark has an interesting idea and the historical background could make for a fascinating exploration of a period rarely featured in non-strategy titles. It also has a unique presentation, that manages to comment on the era without aiming for accuracy. I wanted to learn more about the context Saint-Germain was operating in and why and how card tricks were created and deployed. Unfortunately, the mechanical side of the experience does not quite deliver on its promise. Learning the first few tricks suggests fun gameplay, focused on parting fools from their money. As the depth increases the level of actual fun drops. Card Shark needs to tweak its mechanics to make them more accessible while showing players why these virtual tricks are worth mastering.

Football Manager 2023 is as solid from the mechanics' point of view as any of its predecessors. Working out tactical problems is as engaging as ever. Winning championships, or even avoiding relegation as the right team, is thrilling. I will probably play at least a few hundred hours before spring, trying to improve some of my favorite teams, and maybe pick up a Premier League title and the Champions League in the process. But, while the game is engaging and has depth, it might be time for the series to take a break. Sports Interactive could release databases or other tweaks for a small price next year. And, for 2024, they can work on bigger innovations. Football Manager 2023 is game enough to keep fans engaged until then.

Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp is a worthy successor to the impressive first title in the series. The setting might be less engaging but the characters and the interactions are on par if not better. The team has refined its writing and style in interesting ways. The game also makes it hard to wait and see what they can deliver with the rest of the titles in the series.

I had a great time playing The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow, so I’m compelled to recommend this to anyone who loves point & click adventure games. The outstanding voice-acting, stellar soundtrack and well-written story are easily among the best things this game has to offer. Hail, Abraxas Rex!

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a good superhero game. It may not be the best out there, but it is in the top 5. If you are a true Marvel fan familiar with the Guardians of the Galaxy universe it hits the perfect notes in almost perfect order. It tried to balance the videogames gameplay with a cinematic experience, focusing on delivering a quality single player experience. It does not miss the multiplayer or co-op experience at all, and you can feel that it was made with care. Guardians of the Galaxy makes us forget about the grindy gameplay of Avengers and proves that Square Enix can deliver an engaging experience.

Wadjet Eye Games is known for delivering exceptional, fun and very creative point-and-click games. Old Skies is certainly one of the best, although I still feel that Unavowed was better, at least for me. With that in mind, the gameplay, the amazing timelines we visit, but also the overall stories/quests they added into the game feel very special, and they are a blast to go through. Sure, Old Skies doesn’t have flashy graphics, they went with rather old school visuals, but for me, those stand out and make the game world very immersive. The voice overs are on point, and the dialog is very creative, although it can drag at times. All in all, Old Skies is interesting, exciting, and a breath of fresh air for the genre, especially with its time travel shenanigans.

At the end of the day, if you’re a big fan of ACC and want to get the best the game has to offer, this new-gen release is exactly what it’s supposed to be. It’s one of the best racing sims ever created, and the new-gen improvements are exactly what ACC needed in the first place.

I had a great time playing Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and I strongly recommend the game to anyone who loves games like Nioh. It’s a lot easier and has some interesting new mechanics that are definitely worth exploring.

We’ve seen a lot of horror remakes recently, for Silent Hill or Resident Evil, and it was expected that Fatal Frame will see its remakes at some point. I am very glad that they chose Fatal Frame II, and while I was not accustomed to the series and its gameplay, it certainly managed to grow on me as I played. It’s also nice that the remake is more of a reimagining of the original and not just a remaster. Plus, the great thing is that Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake performs very well, there were no crashes or major bugs. It’s a great release, and the fact that new horror fans get to experience this classic with all these bells and whistles is exciting. The best part is that they added some much-needed quality of life features and new story content, so even veterans will be compelled to try it. Sure, it will take a bit to get used to combat and lore, but it’s a journey worth embarking on.

The Entropy Centre is a satisfying puzzle game with a unique idea at its center. Rewinding time to solve problems and move through spaces is a good concept and the execution is mostly solid. I appreciate how the game forces players to engage with the puzzles from ever-changing perspectives as they search for a solution. The title’s presentation is good, even if the rooms are largely interchangeable. Aria and ASTRA work as protagonists, even if their banter is not stellar. The Entropy Centre is the kind of puzzle experience that will attract both long-term fans of the genre and newcomers with its unique time-rewinding idea. But it stays a little too close to its inspirations, underlining how hard it is to improve on the classics.

Civilization VI: Gathering Storm is the only game in existence that can keep me awake all night. I’ve been playing games for more than two decades, and very few games managed to rob me of my sleep. Civilization is definitely one of them. While I do love the game and I enjoyed the expansion, I also must be fair and critique the fact that Civilization VI now feels more cluttered than ever. The religion aspect is way out of proportion, barbarians spawning tanks are annoying, and some of the environmental disasters seem out of place or triggered randomly. Civilization VI: Gathering Storm is not perfect, but it made Civilization VI better overall, and that’s pretty much what people want from an expansion.

Expeditions: Rome knows how to make history exciting and engaging. The tactical engagements offer variety and challenge. Controlling a legion is makes the player feel powerful. Interacting with the likes of Mithridates through dialogue will appeal to history lovers but you don’t have to know the period to enjoy the narrative. I spend 40 hours with the game and plan on going back to try other ideas and other tactical setups. I would have liked to see a little more innovation in the tactical combat and, maybe, more mechanics for the legion side of the game. Expeditions: Rome needs a few hours to get going but once that’s done it has a lot of fun and cool historical moments for its fans.

Even if it’s a very short game, Neon Inferno is memorable and it brings one of the best side-scrolling shooting experiences in recent times. Zenovia Interactive has improved on the already good Steel Assault core gameplay. Their new game, Neon Inferno, feels more polished, and despite its shorter length, it brings a great story and wonderful moment-to-moment gameplay. Neon Inferno is an ode to the games of a golden era, and an excellent introduction to arcade shooters for those that never played one. It’s a must-have for any fan of action shooters, and a great way to take a break from demanding, challenging games.

Wildfrost takes the core ideas of the very popular card-driven genre and makes enough changes to add freshness to it. It does take some time to unlock all the town buildings and the three tribes that can provide leaders and cards. But once that happens, the game offers a wide range of tactical options and it’s fun to discover how various combinations will perform against the capable bosses. The game’s presentation also stands out, with a good level of detail and a strong connection to the theme. Wildfrost features some tough challenges but also offers a constant sense of progression. Playing a few runs every day is a great way to sharpen tactical thinking.

Remnant II brings so many improvements over the first game that I’m tempted to ask Gunslinger to remake Remnant: From the Ashes with all the systems they’ve put into the sequel. I’ve rarely been pleasantly surprised by a game like Remnant II. The feeling after managing to kill a boss, discovering a secret area or solving a puzzle and getting rewarded for it, is indescribable. It’s how all the games should be, or at least strive to be. Thanks to solid gunplay and progression systems, as well as amazing boss fights and tons of secrets and puzzles to discover, Remnant II is very close to being a masterpiece. This is one game that you don’t want to skip, regardless of whether or not you like shooters.

Overall Superliminal is a great puzzle experience, and you feel throughout it that the developers had fun putting it together. This is a dream therapy that actually works, being funny and creative at the same time.

Is Wrath of the Righteous a natural 20? Almost. Knowing the care that the developers invested in the previous game, I am pretty sure that the new Pathfinder will shed its initial issues and will be filed down until there are no more annoying edges, just a smooth experience. It is a dream come true for any classical RPG fans that want to be lost in an epic world, going through heroic adventures, while also exploring fulfilling side quests with quirky, yet charming companions. It has a high replay value, and you need at least two playthroughs to experience most of the content. It is a modern take on classical roleplaying that does not disappoint and manages to be newbie friendly as well.

Monorail Stories is a small game with one big narrative idea. I finished my first run in a little more than one hour and there’s enough mystery left that I might try another one, simply to learn more about the setting and about the elements that influence the protagonists' fates. But the actual mechanics are limited enough that many players might not feel the need to return to simply walk the cars again and talk with the many characters. Monorail Stories will be a great experience for anyone who likes slice-of-life experiences and is not too concerned with the gameplay.