Kaya's Prophecy has an intriguing mix of ideas. I like the idea of using combinations of cards to create a thriving village and build the tools required for villagers to then fight enemies and earn special rewards. All the game’s ideas are easy to understand and even gamers who aren’t familiar with card-driven experiences will quickly feel at home. Unfortunately, the combat system is limited and repetitive. And the village development suffers because actions take long, even on the highest speed setting, and the booster pack randomness can be frustrating. Kaya's Prophecy struggles to find ways to make its two core systems interact in cool ways.

Oceanhorn: Master of Uncharted Seas is a pretty enjoyable action adventure experience. Yes, it's a Zelda clone, but it pulls it off very well and, while some aspects, like the sea fairing mechanic, weigh it down, it's still quite a treat to play.

Tango Fiesta is a blast to play, both solo as well as with friends. The tongue-in-cheek tone, plus the slick mechanics make for an enjoyable time, while the procedurally-generated level layouts ensure that coming back to it is never dull. It does take a while to get used to its twin-stick shooting, as well as its enemies that get quite aggressive as you progress through the movies.

Limerick: Cadence Mansion is a good game for spooky season because it has plenty of familiar mechanics while creating an interesting universe. It’s not horror by any means but there are some effective scary moments. The game creates constant tension between the drive to discover more and the need to run to a Panic room to avoid death and recover. The puzzles aren’t too difficult but contribute variety. Limerick: Cadence Mansion should have leaned harder into its theme but it still offers an interesting take on action horror for players to engage with during the spooky season.

Evil West manages to do a great job entertaining players and that’s what all games should do. Despite some mediocre writing and lack of memorable characters, Evil West delivers on its promise to provide players with an exhilarating gameplay experience.

We feel like the decision to substitute player freedom with scripted scenes is questionable, even if it was done to maintain the pressure throughout the game. Overall, Resident Evil 3 Remake feels solid, being worth of the time both of the newcomers and old fans alike.

Considered on its own, with no space for nostalgia or positive past experiences, Crow Country isn’t a great game. The presentation is limited, and the gameplay never tries to do anything new. The puzzle design is good and the story, while starting off slowly, does have some great moments and one big strong twist. This sounds like a game that dedicated survival horror fans would like but not love. Fortunately, there are plenty of gamers who idealize the first few installments of Resident Evil or Silent Hill. Crow Country is designed to make them smile and give them a cool new narrative with classic mechanics that they will enjoy every second of.

DOG WITCH has a unique dice-rolling combat system that is both challenging and varied. Players need to play quite a bit to see all the more than 100 magical artifacts they can work with and discover how they can mix and match their abilities, if lucky, to abuse the mechanics and make their canine wizard unstoppable. The title’s gameplay successfully generates the “one more run” feeling. But players will have to deal with the lack of narrative elements and the limited visual appeal. DOG WITCH is best enjoyed in sessions of two or three runs, which allow the game to show off its tactical appeal without becoming repetitive.

Human Extinction Simulator is a good game from a gameplay standpoint, with great scenarios, carefully crafted units and a lot of replayability. Its biggest problem is that it is a little too difficult for its own good and there are moments when it seems entirely impossible to win certain fights.

Severed Steel will be a massive video game for a narrow group of gamers. If you love perfecting a plan and then spending as much time as needed to both car3efully and quickly execute it, you will love this experience. Running on a wall, diving through a window, all the time dodging enemy attacks, only to then slide and kill two enemies before finding a safe space is a fun time. But the game can also frustrate and annoy. The levels could be a little bigger and more varied. I like the restrictions on weapon use, but some players will hate it. But the development team at Greylock knows that the first-person shooter needs to evolve to be interesting and they have some good ideas about whether the genre should go. Even if you don’t love Severed Steel keep an eye out for what they work on next.

Without a Dawn is all about offering us a chilling, psychological title in the form of a visual novel. I think it works extremely well, it manages to showcase the depth of human philosophy, while also showing us how easy it is for people to manipulate their own mind. At the same time, Without a Dawn shows us how troublesome depression and anxiety can be, if we just live with them and don’t tackle the core issues behind them. For me, Without a Dawn was a great game, despite being on the short side. Its visuals are incredible, I rarely see ASCII art used in games, let alone at this level. They have great atmospheric music, eerie visuals and the fact you get horror elements without cheap jump scares is a major plus for me. It’s an excellent, albeit short game, but it delves deeply into the human psyche, and you truly feel for the character and her journey. It even makes you question your sanity at times, and that’s definitely the sign of a good game.

Edna and Harvey: The Breakout Anniversary Edition is an ode to the classic games signed by Lucas Arts, which manages to feel fresh and up to date. The control scheme takes time to get used to, but it works. All in all, it is a successful remaster of a nonconformist game.

Flint: Treasure of Oblivion has some interesting ideas when it comes to gameplay mechanics but struggles to fully explain them quickly and efficiently. After some experimentation, tactical battles, especially when they involve a lot of pirates and enemies, become intricate and tense. Just one piece of equipment or a well-played card can change an outcome. The narrative isn’t innovative enough to capture the attention, even with its solid use of comic book interludes. But fans of a classic pirate tale with an interest in complex tactical engagements will have fun with Flint: Treasure of Oblivion if they are willing to give it the time to fully reveal its core concepts.

In the end, the mixture of combat and storytelling is what makes Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf different from other games.

Sultan's Game has an engaging world and a ton of narrative variety but can struggle to make its actual mechanics interesting. I like the setting and how it’s inspired by One Thousand and One Nights but puts a unique twist on it. The game constantly asks players to consider what they value and how far their avatar will go to stay alive. The presentation helps with immersion. Placing cards into situations is an easy-to-understand gameplay that’s stretched to cover a wide variety of challenges. It becomes repetitive and can be unwieldy. Sultan's Game will reward gamers who are willing to experiment, like moral dilemmas, and don’t mind reading a lot.

LEGO The Incredibles is satisfying, although I can’t say that it’s as good as some of the other games that came from the same developers. In any case, the price difference might be small enough to be subjective. If you love the Incredibles and Lego, then getting this game is a no-brainer.

Overall, Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a pleasant surprise and it was a pleasure to finish it for the third time. It is a nice fan service and the best way to experience an excellent game by those who missed it or were too young to try it when it was first released. Nonetheless, it is a remake that will scratch the itch while waiting for the second instalment, but it will also make the wait that much harder. It is a game that is worth trying for the first, second or third time since it aged very well and is still an enjoyable experience to this day.

The Great War: Western Front is a good strategy game that tackles a historical period most titles in the genre overlook. Both the strategic and the tactical sides feature interesting mechanics and plenty of choices that affect the course of the war. The computer mostly puts up a good enough fight while the multiplayer side has plenty of options to create varied situations. But the game sits at a weird crossroads in terms of abstraction. It has plenty of realist elements but also allows corps to instantly move across the map. It rewards deep preparation but some battles can be won by simply carefully avoiding some enemy defenses. The Great War: Western Front captures the frustration and tension of World War I trench warfare well but struggles to make it a great video game experience.

Until Dawn is a video game that should jump to the "to-play" pile for those gamers who love classic horror and want to see the high-quality that the PlayStation 4 can deliver when it comes to faces and character interactions.

Legends of Eisenwald will certainly offer tens if not hundreds of hours of fun for those who are willing to understand its world and mechanics, and it will be interesting to see how the team at Aterdux expands the formula of the game in the future.

Kingdom Hearts III may be a hack and slash, with a few RPG elements sprinkled in, but at its heart, it’s a weird adventure like nothing that you’ve ever played. It makes no sense, but once you’re in the groove things start to get into focus. When the game is over, you’re left with a strange feeling of completions and melancholy, and that should be proof enough that you’ve experienced something worthwhile.

Vultures - Scavengers of Death is a throwback, a game that’s does not shy from telling players that both its universe and its gameplay are inspired by Resident Evil. The shift to a turn-based combat system adds to the complexity, while limited ammo and health create a solid challenge level. The narrative and world-building are forgettable. The presentation plays on nostalgia, but the PlayStation 1 era graphics made it harder for me to enjoy combat. Vultures - Scavengers of Death will deliver great fun for a very specific audience and will struggle to appeal to a wider set of players.

I’ve had a lot of fun with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and the game certainly has a lot of charm. It revises the Fatal Fury series, brings back a lot of cool characters, and you can also improve your fighting skills quite a bit. There’s also plenty of variety when it comes to the game modes, with the story mode being my favorite. It can take a little bit to master a character, and sometimes the game doesn’t always explain how to perform all the moves. But in a game like Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, it always comes down to discovering stuff for yourself and trying things out. All in all, this is an excellent way to revive Fatal Fury and breathe new life into the series, while introducing it to modern audiences. If you have the itch for a good fighting game, I am sure you’ll find a lot to like in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, I surely did!

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny does a great job at updating a rather old game with an outdated gameplay. They don’t mess up the things that made this game amazing at launch, instead they focus on modernizing and enhancing it as much as possible. And it shows, the developers used a lot of care and attention to update the game for new audiences, while also keeping the original intact, so even old school fans will enjoy it.

Steel Seed is not a flashy game, it does have some generic moments, but it’s a lot of fun to play. The game world is very well made, the main character and her drone sidekick are great as well. And in the end, the journey that Steel Seed takes us on is amazing, very exciting and it also has its surprises.

As a prequel to the upcoming Eiyuden Chronicle – Hundred Heroes, Rising does a really good job at introducing players to the universe. Its simple, tight combat mechanics and smart level design elevate it from other side-scrolling action-adventure games. Although exploration is quite limited and combat is very basic (at least in the beginning), Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising stands on its own despite the fact that it was released as a prequel to one of the most anticipated JRPGs of 2023. I strongly recommend playing this if you’re into side-scrolling action-adventure games, even if you don’t plan to pick up Rabbit & Bear Studios’ Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes next year.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a traditionalist game in a genre that has been getting a lot of modern takes recently. A lot of players might feel like there’s not enough here, in terms of both variety and innovation. But there’s value in giving modern players a game that understands the classics and offers both a universe and a set of mechanics that recall the best that they had to offer.

You’ll laugh, cry and want to know as much as possible about the various characters that join your city, and you may feel an inner sense of satisfaction when you increase your friendship level with certain NPCs. The story will capture you and you’ll be loving, crying, hating or rooting for pretty much everyone at one point or another. But in the end, if all you’re interested in is the crafting system and making in-game profit, those aspects are so well-developed that even the most avid fans of the city-builder genre will feel satisfied.

Tokyo Underground Killer benefits from the cyberpunk setting and its visceral combat, but it’s also really interesting to play and you are bound to find it very enjoyable. Yes, it can take a bit to get used to the blood powers and combat, but once it gets the ball rolling, you don’t want to stop playing. Yes, it’s quite short, but then again, this is a very intense and rather fun experience. You can focus on completing the story, getting the most creative kills or the highest scores, that’s totally up to you. Tokyo Underground Killer brings lots of ways to play, and it always feels very satisfying and fun.

The attention to detail and the graphics of the game make it a solid entry in the genre, but the title also suffers from some issues when it comes to the control players have over their shots and the way the PC port works.

Venom is not the best table they have introduced to Zen Pinball this year, but it remains close to the way the character is presented in the comics and allows players to relive the most interesting moments associated with him.

KAKU: Ancient Seal is a decent representative of the third-person action genre that doesn’t find ways to innovate in interesting ways. The core mechanics are decent, and the world is at times impressive. There’s plenty of depth to combat. But the narrative stalls after a few hours and fighting will become repetitive despite the wealth of new moves players can learn. Fans of the open-world action structure will enjoy the four continents and the unique content associated with each. But the entire experience would have benefited from being more focused, with a smaller number of mechanics and more innovation. KAKU: Ancient Seal is a solid game that fails to find a unique hook.

PositronX has a good set of first-person shooter mechanics, equal to anything that the classics have to offer. Finding a good combination of weapons and powers to clear levels is a great experience. But, despite the procedural generation, once the game progresses, runs become too similar to one another for long-term engagement. The game also lacks much in terms of story to keep one interested. The fact that PositronX also lacks multiplayer, or the suggestion that it might be added in the future, also means that a game with instant appeal cannot convert its strong opening into long-term loyalty.

Herdling is a great experience for any players who enjoyed the two Far titles created by Okomotive. When the Calicorns stampede across a lush meadow, plowing through flowers, with the mountains close, as the music enhances immersion, the game manages to create some unique and emotional moments. Guiding the herd around through puzzles is also pretty fun. But I never cared about the Calicorns, even as I made sure that they were healthy, and the title’s limited narrative means it’s hard to engage with its mechanics. Herdling has a solid core idea and creates impressive moments, but struggles to make the moment-to-moment gameplay engaging.

Way of Life is a good piece of content for those who love another side of Crusader Kings II: the weird and sometimes entirely ahistorical results that can create strange, engaging stories.

A good game but it might not exactly delight all of its players. Yes, it's a pity that players can't import their characters and classes but the new ones are quite varied, even if they can only reach level 30. For such a low price, Neocore's RPG is a great investment.

Project Songbird will divide gamers, but it’s worth playing. The story premise is well-worn, but it works, and Dakota is a cool character to work with. The narrative goes some weird places, even if the final third doesn’t deliver on the initial promise. The atmosphere is great, especially when players get to run through Dakota's record collection as she delivers her critical evaluation. I wish the experience leaned more on these elements, including the nature sound recording and the photos. The nighttime puzzle sequences and the creature avoidance fail to be as engaging. These sequences, apart from a few jump scares, also don’t deliver on the promise of some solid horror. Project Songbird is worth playing for the story and the vinyl records, as long as players are willing to overlook some clunky gameplay elements.

Guns, Gore and Cannoli is quite an entertaining side-scrolling shooter platformer. The 1920s mob theme, the undead, and the simple yet solid mechanics make it quite enjoyable and you'll have a blast going through the story either alone or with friends locally.

Pure Pool Pro is a good pool game, and maybe one of the better releases in the genre for the past few years. It’s not trying to be the be-all, end-all of pool, and it does lack some pool types like one-pocket, bank pool, blackball, bumper pool and so on. However, it sticks with the most popular pool types, and it succeeds in offering a realistic, challenging, yet fun depiction of pool for those who want to play at home. It has great visuals, the gameplay is very engaging with a great dose of realism, and there are also plenty of people to play against in the online world. But even if you like to play on your own, there’s a hefty campaign mode where you can grind stars in each level and unlock cues or balls. The lack of key pool types forced open mic and AI that feels overwhelming at times will cause some issues. But once you get past that, you’ll have a wonderful pool game with plenty of content.

As a complete package, Lumo 2 is quite interesting, and one of the few games these days that tries to innovate. The fact that it adds certain rooms/elements featuring side scrolling, even some FPS inspiration and other similar things, that sets it apart from many modern games. And the cool thing is that it’s actually a part of the experience, and it fits the overall narrative. But in the end, you will find yourself enjoying Lumo 2 for what it is, and the great things that it provides. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, as it will take you roughly 10 hours to complete, even way less if you like speedrunning things. I enjoyed taking my time to play the game, scouring the world, searching every nook and cranny, and guess what, it was rewarding to do that. Yes, it definitely has its shortcomings. But in the end, Lumo 2 is a great game, and if you’re willing to take your time and go on this ride, it will pay off and be rather rewarding.

World Splitter has a killer core mechanic. The dimensional rift introduces a wide array of possibilities even in a relatively simple level. I spend a lot of time moving it around, seeing how it affects enemies and the environment, trying to see the best way it can help me get from left to right. The game also knows when and how to introduce new elements and twists to keep the gameplay fresh through the six big worlds. The problem is that discovery and experimentation are directly linked to failure and frustration. My rabbit dies repeatedly and sometimes I don’t exactly understand why, so I kill him some more to test out theories. After some time I understand what and how to do and finish a level with a decent result (the targets the game sets are for much better players). I only wished the development team offered more ways to cut down frustration to make more gamers enjoy World Splitter for longer periods.

Memory Lost has an interesting core mechanic, and it creates complex combat puzzles around it. Playing on Normal, the game requires players to move fast and aim well but also to constantly plan when to swift into another body and consider which is best suited for the tactical situation. When everything clicks, battles are exciting and fluid. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t give gamers much to keep them engaged if frustration with gameplay kicks in. And the game’s presentation is decent but not spectacular. Memory Lost will please players who have a fondness for action and can tolerate some issues but might struggle to find a wider audience.

The Cub fits in well with the rest of the games developed by Demagog to showcase the Great Climate Catastrophe story arc. Once again it is a game that carries a deep message, while not failing to entertain as a videogame. The shift in perspective between Golf Club: Nostalgia and The Cub is a fascinating way to present the same story but as two sides of the same coin. The challenge is not trivial, yet not painstaking either, the game being entertaining for newcomers and veterans alike.

Beyond the Long Night is a fun, focused experience that makes good use of both the time loop and the associated rogue-lite structure. Combat might not seem hard but it’s very easy to lose a heart focusing on enemies rather than their actual attacks. The universe is filled with discovery potential but some players might struggle to invest in that. My biggest issue is the time limit, which feels too tight to allow gamers to become fully engaged with a successful run. There were moments when I hit on a good superpower and the rooms were manageable when it comes to combat and then, suddenly, the red force was chasing me. Beyond the Long Night mixes twin-stick action and time loop mechanics well but it needs a few more gameplay hooks to be among the best in its genre.

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.

Retrace the Light is a beautiful game, with a rich story and a clever combat system. The thing that shines the most here is certainly the retrace system, but also the fact that you can easily customize your play style with the use of modules. It leaves a lot of room for experimenting and testing things out, while also bringing you a great world to explore. A lot of care and attention went into creating the game, and you can easily see that. Delving into the AI world and showing what AI could do to our society and how it could be either good or bad, that’s also quite interesting. Yet, at the same time, the game continues to bring us great lessons in regard to friendship, betrayal and valuing yourself. All in all, it’s a wonderful 2.5D indie title with some cool mechanics that make it a standout for the genre.

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.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name might be the shortest game in the series, a playthrough clocking in around 18 hours. But it does deliver on every promise of the series with a story full of twists, plenty of combat, countless side activities and as a bonus, a lot of familiar faces recognizable by the fans. It is a great game, but does not manage to stand out, and it feels like a great effort to have a proper send-off to the old formula before reconcentrating on the main games and the next Lost Judgement. It is the weakest episode of a very strong series, making it a good game.

Stargate: Timekeepers delivers a decent core gameplay loop. Working with a variety of characters to move stealthily and eliminate enemies can be fun, especially when players are dealing with the more complex enemy setups. The constant visual reminder about quick saving is a good idea. But the narrative fails to make interesting use of the complex Stargate universe and none of the characters will keep players engaged. There’s little in the game that actually involves the Stargate system itself. Timekeepers is fun for fans of the stealth tactics space who are looking for new challenges and for die-hard fans of Stargate who are looking for another story set in that universe.

Possessor(s) is a bit of a departure from the developer’s signature style, but the gameplay is great and the entire experience is very polished. It’s not overstaying its welcome, and the story they share here is quite interesting, albeit short in my opinion. I wish we spent even more time in this world, but in the end, this is a very polished, high-quality game that everyone will enjoy checking out, especially if you are a fan of metroidvania titles. Not every moment in Possessor(s) is intense, there are sometimes when you unwind and relax, and also explore the world rather than engage in constant battles. Additionally, there were a few bugs at launch, but those were solved by a few, subsequent patches. At the time of this writing, the game runs great, and I didn’t experience any crash. I wish the map was easier to manage and you had more guidance, but overall, it’s an interesting platformer with nice twists, and it stays creative without burdening players with a complex story. Instead, it seamlessly blends good story with fast-paced action, making it a solid experience even if you don’t really play this genre.

Phantom Fury is a good first-person shooter for anyone who loved the genre during its classic period and wants the same combination of speed and violence, with a few modern concepts sprinkled on top. Shelly is a decent heroine, the B movie writing mostly works, and most combat arenas are well-balanced on Normal. The development team needs to make opponents a little smarter in patches and I really don’t understand why Bombshell can interact with so many objects in the world that aren’t useful in any way. Phantom Fury is a boomer shooter with solid mechanics that struggles to communicate a clear identity.

Ancestors is not a perfect game, and I think it could have benefited from another six months in development. But the overall scope and reach of the game make playing it worthwhile. I hope the developers will let people know more about some of the mechanics used, like the weird mini-map, because players will want to know. Weirdly, I feel ready, somehow, to be left alone in a jungle.

Road Not Taken might not have too much in common with the Frost-written poem with which it shares a name, but it does manage to deliver a meditation on the value of choices and the importance of making the right ones, while also offering the player a complex layer of actual game mechanics to explore.

Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo is a game about mud, traction, frustration, snow, barriers, time warping and frustration, the kind of racing experience that a lot of players will decide is much too hard to master to be fun at any point.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 is a big step forward for the series and manages to show the complexity and the beauty of football while also emphasizing the hard work that's required from a team looking to put together a string of victories.

The combat becomes a little repetitive, the driving and flying feel incomplete, and the story has almost no hooks for the player but the feelings of freedom and empowerment that the title offers are great, especially for gamers who have an active imagination and find new ways to exploit the offered world.

Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is great remake in terms of quality, remastering the original experience in a fantastic way. The original story still holds up, and while the gameplay may be a bit too hard for some newcomers, it's still rewarding, despite a few not-so-great aspects, like the sound effects.

The game as a whole looks great, it is funny, it is frustrating to lose at it (figures) and it is an overall great experience that any player, young or old, should try.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is the best way to get acquainted with the Saiyan saga and the series in general. It's strange that the most advertised mechanics of the game, the RPG and open-world aspects, are also the least developed. It's the story and the bombastic fights where Kakarot really shines, so if you're approaching the game from these perspectives, you're in for a thrilling ride. To put it bluntly, stay away from exploring and don't expect any deep, meaningful RPG elements, and you'll have a pleasant time in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

Tennis Manager 2023 is a good if slightly uneven sports management experience. There’s a lot of depth to be found in the athlete-focused mechanics, with plenty of available choices when it comes to training and match strategy. Managing the academy itself adds another layer of decisions. I also like playing out matches, trying to evaluate the situation to find the best way to tweak tactics and improve player performance. The problem is that simulated matches often deliver weird results, something that the developers need to tackle. For the more die-hard tennis fans, the lack of real names for players will be the biggest barrier to entry. But Tennis Manager 2023 has a good strong core and shows how well the sports management formula can work for sports other than football.

Rough Justice ‘84 has a very good core idea and impresses in terms of atmosphere. The music, the character portraits, and the design of the cases, all work together to immerse players and keep their interest level up. I would love to see a TV series that uses some of the featured agents. Unfortunately, the gameplay mechanics let the rest of the experience down. The elements that are centered on dice, clever use of energy, and good choice of items can be fun, even if they become repetitive. The mini-games are the big problem. Rough Justice ‘84 is worth trying out as long as you love the boardgame-inspired action and the setting but I hope incoming updates improve gameplay.

I’m not sure that the narrative element of the game works as well as the presentation and the focus on choices. But Trolley Problem, Inc. is a quick, enthusiastic, and very different experience, compared to what the medium mostly delivers, and I encourage players to take a few hours out of a week to see what it has to offer.

Sure, art of rally is about the fun of rallying, but if it does put the focus on car handling and other sim-inspired elements, it should further refine the corner-cutting system too. It’s not cheating, it’s just a way to improve your racing times. Other than that, there’s no doubt, the PS5 version of art of rally only makes the game more enjoyable. There’s not much you’ll be getting in terms of graphics, especially since the low-poly system that it uses, but the aforementioned mix makes it an enjoyable way to get a taste of historical racing.

Shardpunk: Verminfall feels like an indie gem crafted for those who love turn-based combat, resource management and steampunk settings. The survivors are varied enough to offer players multiple choices when creating their crews, although many of the characters can only be unlocked by using team-based skill points. This means that you won’t be able to unlock them all in one playthrough, which is an ingenious way to increase replayability. Although I wasn’t particularly in love with the stress mechanic, at least the developer added many ways to remove it during or after a mission, so few of my characters ended up with negative perks. All in all, I think Shardpunk: Verminfall is a well-crafted tactical turn-based game with a charming, pixelated art style and a pretty decent soundtrack that makes fights a bit more exhilarating.

The Deadly Tower of Monsters is an interactive love letter to MST3K but also to those who love the old sci-fi movies that were featured on the show. You’ll have a blast not only playing the title but also listening to the commentary or trying to spot from where all the different elements originate.

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.

Knuckle Sandwich is clearly a love letter to classic 8-bit role-playing games but with a twist. Bright City has some interesting characters and interactions (I particularly love the washing machine save points). The story goes places. And the core mechanics are easy to learn and varied. The biggest issue is how difficult and repetitive combat can be, even with the many mini games thrown in. I genuinely think players should activate the Skip option as soon as they hit a roadblock and then use it liberally. Knuckle Sandwich is weird enough to be worth experiencing, even if its battle sequences aren’t always worth playing through.

Flame Keeper does not innovate much but its execution is solid. Combat is fast and fluid, even if the idea of adding shielding to increase difficulty can become a little annoying. It would have been cool for the game to do more with the idea of linking Ignis’ health to the fire camp and its lamps. And the final defense sequence for each level feels underwhelming. This is a good experience for players who are new to the action genre. Aim to complete one level during a session and carefully evaluate the best use for gathered seeds. Flame Keeper is a bit too grindy for its own good but it is easy to pick up and enjoy.

Soul Tolerance: Prologue manages to come close to the classic immersive sim idea of creating a city block filled with characters and mysteries. Sapporo is a good location for this kind of science-fiction story and the premise, built around the meaning of consciousness, is intriguing. Some of the robot characters are interesting, although their backstories need more depth. My biggest issue with the game was the shallow take on the massive problem of consciousness and the difference between inner life and behavior. Soul Tolerance: Prologue has some cool ideas but its future installments need to offer more depth for both narrative and mechanics.

Clue: Murder By Death will disappoint those looking for a direct adaptation of the very popular boardgame. It will also fail to deliver the level of humor and kitsch of the movie. But, with its simple mechanics and extensive storytelling, it does deliver a pretty cool murder mystery that starts off pretty slow and then delivers plenty of surprises. The presentation will be the biggest obstacle for detective game aficionados. Put on a crime-focused podcast and take breaks when the simple graphics start to grate. Clue: Murder By Death’s more than 100 rooms don’t all pack surprises, but they create a fictional universe with a ton of storytelling potential.

Dicefolk puts an interesting twist on classic ideas. Controlling both dice sets in combat creates cool challenges and gives players options to deal with powerful enemies. There’s also plenty of variety, powered by tokens and items, to create personalized strategies and find novel ways of engaging with bosses. While the chimera idea is interesting, the game failed to draw me into its universe. Dicefolk knows the genre it's working in and has the innovation required to draw in veterans looking for new ideas but it might struggle to keep them interesting in the long run.

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.

Despite the optimization issues, the network problems with the Shift servers that cause momentarily framerate drops, the fact that there are some unexplainable crashes and various bugs, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a truly wonderful experience for all Borderlands fans. It is different enough, so veterans won’t see it just a reskin, and familiar enough to get lost in the game world. The voice acting is the best up to date, with a tremendous performance from actors like Will Arnett. Tina’s voice is Ashly Burch, who gives a very different performance here compared to Horizon’s Alloy. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has plenty of issues and there is room for improvement, but it is a good game with plenty to keep you entertained.

The core achievement of the game, that it offers a map of the United States that gamers can explore and exploit however they see fit, remains impressive and racing game lovers should try the core package before seeing whether they are interested in what Wild Run has to offer.

Children of Silentown applies the same formula to the traditional point & click adventure genre but augments it with some interesting elements like a unique art style and some really interesting puzzles. Although it does manage to be intriguing and keep you engaged till the end, it fails to deliver the conclusion of an otherwise enjoyable journey. Ultimately, there’s enough content to keep you entertained for 8-10 hours and fans of the genre will find the journey a fulfilling one. The characters, soundtrack, story and clever puzzles make Children of Silentown a compelling adventure well worth the time.

Inkbound is mechanically impressive. Despite its depth and the complexity of its engagements, the game is snappy and rarely feels stuffy. The featured classes play very differently and there’s a ton of variety, making it easy for players to test out strategies and find one that fully fits their approach. The rogue elements are familiar, and the fantasy world offers plenty of lore but lacks a strong hook. But the turn-based combat is good enough that I can see myself spending tens of hours with one class, trying out ideas to find the build that suits me best. Inkbound’s mix of tactical puzzles and power and upgrade variety makes it a worthy successor to Monster Train.

s.p.l.i.t has a lot of things going for it. Not only does it bring a wonderful narrative intrigue, but you get to feel a sense of progression as you ramp up towards the end. You can unlock clues and tools gradually, which helps because you don’t feel overwhelmed with option. It’s not a game that you rush through, though. Sure, it’s short, but it requires your full attention and persistence if you want to reach the end. The game deals with important topics like self-harm, and it covers that in a rather direct manner. Despite all of that, it’s well worth checking out, especially for its great story.

Tavern Talk delivers on the coziness front, with a relaxed attitude and plenty of interesting stories to engage with. All the characters have something unique, and the game does a good job of blending fantasy elements with classic themes. Actually, creating the potions isn’t very hard and I like how they influence the outcomes of quests. Anyone who loves stories and does not care too much about gameplay will have a good time, especially if they only play one or two in-game days at a time. But the title will struggle to attract players who might want more control over their potions and their effects. Tavern Talk isn’t interested in changing the narrative-driven coffee-making experience but understands what makes it tick.

The Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is an excellent package featuring 7 fun games that will eat up many hours of your time. Capcom is very respectful to the source material, and the updates they made, like better visuals and remixed soundtrack are tasteful. Plus, you can always revert to the original versions, if you want. The games have a fun story overall, but there are some pacing moments and weaker villains at times. However, they do a great job with the combat, which is very compelling and you will find it extremely enjoyable. The addition of multiplayer is also exciting, because playing against other people helps you improve your skills, while also learning from mistakes. Even for someone new to the Star Force series, this collection was a lot of fun to play, and it has that hook which keeps you playing for hours. I am confident that fans of the originals will have a blast with this game as well.

BlazeRush is a really fun isometric arcade racing experience that manages to deliver explosive action, imaginative weapons, and balanced speed boosts to create an addictive flow.

FATE: Reawakened tests your skills, while also rewarding or penalizing those of us that enjoy taking risks. Those that already played the original and expansions will take some time to get accustomed with all these changes. However, if you never played the FATE series, this is the definitive edition you should go for.

The Pegasus Expedition is a competent strategy game with some unique ideas and a narrative turn that not many in its genre attempt. I especially like how it asks players to carefully invest significant resources at the start and then settle into a more classic rhythm for a strategy game. The limited control of space battles means the action always moves at a rapid pace, and tough choices happen almost every turn. The problem here is that none of the innovative elements fully come together. The moral dilemmas in the story aren’t as engaging because the characters have limited appeal. There’s not enough strategy variety to keep ship engagements interesting. The Pegasus Expedition deserves to get a sequel that takes its core ideas and focuses on pushing them forward to truly revolutionize the strategy genre.

It's not running for the game of the year, but it's fun to play and will bring you back to the golden times of gaming.

The combat feels rather clunky and slow at times, while some of the puzzles are completely unintuitive letting you needlessly wonder the maps in search of your next main objective. Despite its shortcomings, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night stays true to the traditional Metroidvania genre, not altering the original recipe, but not improving it either. If you're a Metroidvania fan, this is definitely a 10/10 title, but newcomers to the series will probably not find the same joy in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.

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.

Heist Kitty: Multiplayer Cat Simulator can become a solid, chaotic multiplayer action game for a group of friends who appreciates silly conflict more than real combat for their open-world adventures. The game’s mechanics don’t break any new group for the genre but mostly work well, with one unique idea in the way cats can actually control how humans move. The experience is less interesting in single-player, mostly because the missions aren’t very engaging, and the city can soon start feeling small. It also feels like the cats do not cause nearly enough mayhem, especially in enclosed spaces full of breakable objects. Heist Kitty: Multiplayer Cat Simulator is a strong foundation on which the developers at LetMeowt can create a bigger, weirder experience with extra interactions.

Strategic Command: American Civil War is a video game for fans of turn-based wargames who also have a love for the conflict that defined the XIX century for the United States of America. It requires patience, careful analysis, and knowledge of history. The core mechanics are familiar but solid and can deliver pretty interesting results both if trying to replicate history or change it. But getting to the point where everything clicks requires time, patience, and reading. The title offers a bigger map, more detailed mechanics, and increased control. But it never attempts anything truly revolutionary. Strategic Command: American Civil War might not attract new fans to the genre but it will deliver a lot of hours of engagements for those already immersed in it.

Labyrinth of Zangetsu is a complex and tough game designed to appeal to players who know and love classic dungeon-crawling experiences from the past. The presentation is an asset and the narrative is decent. But the real draw is the well-designed combat and the many challenging encounters.

Few games manage to capture the feeling of claustrophobia, the fear of the dark, of the open waters or of death better than Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition, and you'll be up surprised at how a seemingly unimpressive 2D game can send chills down your spine. While the horror may not come in the form of gore or jump scares, sometimes the ever-present feeling of dread and fear of the unknown can be the thing to keep you on the edge of your seat the most. If that doesn't impress you, then the fear of losing a few hours' worth of progress will surely do.

Dustwind: Resistance is a mechanically solid video game that understands everything that made classics in its genre engaging. Battles are tough, even on normal, and the developers really want players to both specialize their characters and find the right combination of weapons and tactics to quickly deal with different threats. The difficulty spikes that pop up regularly, especially in defensive missions, represent the title's biggest issue. The game also struggles to deliver an engaging narrative, and the protagonists sometimes feel more like a collection of abilities and weapons than humans dealing with incredibly traumatic events. Dustwind: Resistance will be a fun tactical experience for anyone who likes the core concepts but there are moments when playing it can be frustrating.

Tinytopia is a good entry point into the city management genre. Its ideas are sound, and the mechanics are simple yet engrossing, especially for the player who wants to see the highest tier for all the buildings he can use. The levels, both real-world and gimmick-based, are also good and varied. The biggest issue I have with the experience is that it does not evolve too much once the core concepts are established. My Pharaoh and Caesar-dominated childhood probably makes me want more complexity in city-building and bigger projects to work on. But the development team at MeNic clearly understands that there’s space in the genre for an entry-level title with clever twists and delivers on this premise well.

Mahokenshi is very different from games like Slay the Spire. Its replayability is limited because you’ll be replaying the same missions with the same enemies and challenges all over again. Once you’re done with the main story, you’re probably not going to return to it just to run the same missions with a different class. That being said, I did like the gameplay loop and those who love games like Across the Obelisk will find Mahokenshi mildly interesting. I say “mildly” because Mahokenshi lacks the complexity of other deckbuilding card games. I definitely recommend it to anyone enjoying these types of games, especially since it brings some new to the table.

Coridden has a great core idea. I like how the combat system requires players to constantly shift between human and monster forms to deal with increasingly challenging enemy groups and capable bosses. The entire concept is even better if players manage to bring at least a friend into the game for cooperative action. The world of Heera mixes science-fiction and fantasy elements pretty well but the story and characters fail to stand out. Coridden is worth checking out for the shapeshifting alone and I hope the team at Aftnareld gets a chance to expand on it in a sequel.

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.

Atomic Heart has all the premises for a great game. That is why so frustrating that Mundifsh dropped the ball by trying to do too much, and botching up some gameplay mechanics, and also by releasing a game that desperately would have needed more time for fixing the bugs that poison the experience. And while the latter can be solved through patches, some peculiar game design choices and compromises take away from the overall value. The vibes of the game are great, but when you look beyond the atmosphere you will find flaws that are much more than simple nuisances. Still, despite the disappointment, Atomic Heart is worth playing and hopefully marks the start of a new franchise, that will give the developers the chance to produce a sequel that rises to the level of expectations.

Disney Epic Mickey Rebrushed is a pleasant surprise and just as much a love letter to Warren’s Spector game as that creation was to the Disney Universe itself. The ability to change the surrounding world and see the consequences of your actions still feels fresh and engaging. The new addition might not be groundbreaking, but they help leave behind the shackles of the Wii and turn the game into an experience without frustrations caused by certain limitations. And even better news is that in the future we might see a remake of the sequel, making the story whole.

GreedFall fails to achieve greatness, but it's the start of something great. With enough time and money, a sequel would be much better since all the downsides of the original are easy to address.

Sands of Salzaar is a big game that will provide hundreds of hours of entertainment to those who fall in love with it. And there’s a lot to like in this package, from the variety of skills and tactical approaches to the many activities that can bring treasure and fame. It does take time to understand all the core mechanics but once that’s done everything is mostly solid. The developer also has long-term plans to support it with patches and new content. Unfortunately, I need more time to fall in love with this experience. And not because it is lacking in anything but because there’s so much to see. I worry that there’s something I am missing, that I am not using all the available systems. I like that the game believes I will start over, with Legacy points and extra personal experience. That involves a major time investment in Sands of Salzaar that I’m not ready to make yet.