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.