Oakenfold is a clever game that makes great use of the TimeScrubber and the ability to play around with time and try out ideas. The story is not original, and the core concepts are not entirely new. But the gameplay is solid and the tactical puzzles are engaging. There’s a part of a gamer’s brain that will seek to optimize and the developers know how to activate it. The issue with a competent implementation of familiar ideas is that there’s little push for innovation. I like the three aspects of Aisha and the Timebank but the rest is derivative. Oakenfold will scratch the Into the Breach itch for fans but it needs to do more to attract new fans to its genre.

Honey, I Joined a Cult is an enjoyable game, as long as players know what to expect from this kind of management experience. The mechanics work well, there’s a constant sense of forward momentum, and the player is constantly busy contemplating how to increase experience and get the most out of his cult members. The game needs a higher top speed, as well as extra variety in the mission department. But the game does not deliver on any of the innovation and new ideas that the cult concept can support. The experience is well suited for newcomers to the genre but makes little effort to tweak its core ideas. Honey, I Joined a Cult makes it clear that Sole Survivor Games are good at creating a competent management title, but I really want to see them try to add a twist to the formula in coming projects.

Overall, The Chant is definitely not a bad game. It has something of the charm and the shortcomings of the old VHS releases. The story is not new or unpredictable, but it does its job, the puzzles are not very hard, and the combat is basic. It is the kind of experience that engulfs you for a weekend day, being entertaining without expecting too much from its players. The limited level and game design are balanced out by the eerie atmosphere of the island. The Chant remains a breezy action-adventure with some horror elements, not that great, not terrible either.

Sonic Frontiers tries too hard to please everyone and this is its biggest downfall. It can be completed in around 10-15 hours if you skip all the dialogues that feel like filler anyway. The rhythm is all over the place as is the difficulty level, but somehow the game manages to be fun. It is an open world game that has flaws and strengths equally but is fun, nonetheless. What's even more painful is Sonic Frontiers is far even from an AA game, even though it pretends to be much more than this. Despite all the fun, I can't help but feel that Sonic would deserve more, just like his fans. That's not to say that some won't enjoy Sonic Frontiers, it's just that the franchise doesn't seem like it's going into the right direction.

WRC Generations is unfortunately a game that leaves a lot to be desired, and in many ways, this will disappoint quite a lot of fans of the franchise out there. While it does come with intriguing improvements, such as the addition of hybrid cars, it fails to impress in the areas that you’d expect it to shine, such as the graphics. The DualSense integration feels nice, but this should no longer be something to praise a game for given it’s already 2022 and the PlayStation 5 has been around for a while. Should you buy WRC Generations? This depends on your expectations. If you’re a WRC fan like I am, you’ll probably end up having some fun with it, but otherwise, you’ll notice every little shortcoming from the moment you fire it up the first time.

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.

The Last Hero of Nostalgaia will be a solid experience for any gamer who has a passion for the souls-like genre. The core mechanics as very close to From Software’s finest and there are plenty of challenging boss fights to go around. Fans might also appreciate the newly introduced concepts, even if they don’t revolutionize the genre. But the entire experience stays so close to its inspirations that it leaves limited room for newcomers. The story is not interesting enough or ironic enough to draw players in. The presentation only works fully for fans who accept the premise and like the mechanics. The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is a good game designed for a limited group of players.

Still the new art direction will not be to everyone’s liking, and it remains one of the compromises made by the developers to ensure that Return to Monkey Island is relevant for 2022. And they managed to accomplish so much more, by developing a great game. It works both as a fan service for the point & click aficionados and also as a modern-day adventure game for newcomers. It has some minor shortcomings, but overall, it is once more a shiny standard of how good adventures should play and feel.

A Little to the Left is one of the most comfortable video games I have played in a while. The puzzles are good to excellent, some with multiple solutions, all with attached easy-to-use hints, complete with the options to simply move on to the next. But the game shines because it nails the presentation and connects it so deeply to its puzzles.

I didn’t have high expectations from Lost Eidolons, which is why I’m pleasantly surprised and can’t wait to see what’s coming next from Ocean Drive Studio. Despite the fact that it starts very slow, there’s a lot of enjoyable content hidden under the guise of a standard turn-based strategy game. If you love the Fire Emblem series or just looking for an XCOM-style strategy game, Lost Eidolons is well worth your time. With a little additional polish when it comes to presentation and more weapons/armor variety, I think this could have been close to a masterpiece.

Paper Cut Mansion makes a great first impression, with its original environments and characters. The adventure game mechanics, mostly linked to the NeoCortex, are also well-implemented, although a little more clarity in room layout would have helped. The ideas for the other two dimensions are less interesting but add important variety. The entire experience starts off a little slow but there’s plenty of intrigue to keep players engaged after a few hours. The game’s momentum is limited by its rogue elements. It needs to open up more options faster to keep players interested or to simply make it easier to progress without dying. Paper Cut Mansion has a good mix of ideas with some issues around implementation, delivering a good experience for adventure game fans who want a few twists on the familiar concepts of the genre.

Outshine is a difficult and unique experience that mixes arcade-style elements with typing-powered combat. The game wants to make the player as comfortable or as challenged as he wants to be. For the player who brushes up on his typing skills and wants to feel the adrenaline of a high-score chase, this is a great title. It also offers a good way for people trying to learn one of the supported languages to improve their skills, especially when played with some of the aids turned on. The sometimes over-cluttered visual space can be frustrating, as is the fact that it’s often hard to make progress without dropping the difficulty. Outshine gets bonus points for its innovative mixing of ideas and will certainly make any player much better at typing after some sustained sessions.

Modern Warfare II is almost a perfect game. But the almost part is more significant than you’d be tempted to believe, and unfortunately, it sometimes makes the game a work-in-progress. If you’re buying the game specifically to play the campaign, there is both good news and bad news here. The campaign is insanely awesome, and you’ll have a lot of fun playing it, but on the other hand, it feels way too short. Each mission feels like a different game, and it can be completed in a different way every time. On the other hand, the multiplayer side of Modern Warfare II is what seems to disappoint most of the fans. The bugs, the crashes, the lack of multiplayer options, and the behavior of some players ruin the experience. In case you’re wondering if the new anti-cheating system works, it looks like it does, though you may still occasionally come across players that kill you with a single shot in the very first second they spot you.

Nitro Kid doesn’t deliver anything entirely original, in terms of ideas or implementation, but the final experience is more than the sum of its parts. The battles are solid and require good planning to get through with minimal HP loss. The rogue layer is decent but could use a little more variety. Discovering floor layouts and boss designs is exciting, as is working solutions to overcome them. Make sure to play a run or two at a time, enough to allow the soundtrack to wash over you and make a little progress. Nitro Kid is quick, fun, and varied, a great experience for players who love card-driven titles that focus on close-quarters engagements. Saving kids from an evil corporation never felt better.

In New Tales from Borderlands the freedom of choice is just an illusion, but unlike in case of other representatives of the genre, here I actually enjoyed being fooled by that illusion. That is until I wanted to see the different endings. The developers trying to extend artificially the time we spend with their game is downright annoying. It is like they did their best to distract us from something they felt they needed to hide. And it is a shame really, since the game, leaving aside all the unnecessary distractions, is not bad at all. It is worth exactly one playthrough, more risking to be a waste of time.

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.

Victoria 3 is a video game that existed as a hope and a meme for so long that it’s hard for any real-world product to satisfy every fan. But the game as it stands on launch, with its focus on pops, its economic model, and its diplomatic plays concept, should satisfy most newcomers and long-term fans. Some mechanics feel a little undercooked but will surely be built upon via expansions. I really want to see more depth for internal politics and diplomacy. The launch version of Victoria 3 still delivers a great grand strategy experience that allows players to engage with an exciting historical period, as long as they invest time and energy.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is the perfect Switch exclusive. The game marvelously captures the playful spirit of the Mario universe, while offering some serious tactical strategy options for those looking for fix for their XCOM addiction. All aspects of the game have been improved over the predecessor, including visuals, combat mechanics, exploration, and soundtrack. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is double the fun, thrice the charm!

Bricktales finally delivers the ability to piece together Lego bricks in order to build various things, but also shows why the videogames have shied away from this mechanic. Although it sounds good in theory, controlling the bricks in digital space does not really feel natural or comfortable. The camera, although functional, does not actually help with the endeavor of figuring out 3D builds in a 2D representation. We also have to mention that the game is fairly short, even if you aim to collect all the items. In barely 5 hours you have done everything you could have. It is far from a flawless experience, but it can be a fun activity for the family.

At the end of the day, Dakar Desert Rally is a mix of good things and bad things, but on quite a lot of occasions, I feel like the game is still a work in progress. Sure, it’s hard to hit all the right spots from the very beginning, but aside from an enjoyable Dakar racing experience, the game needs refinements in many key areas. There still are a few performance glitches here and there, and the AI is ridiculously stupid every now and then, as it has absolutely no problem pushing you out of the track if it can’t get past you. The game system also requires more polishing. If there’s something you can truly enjoy, it’s the pure off-road experience on dunes, in water, and so on. The scenery is beautiful, so if you’re not playing the game to win races, you could have an absolute blast with this game. Otherwise, you may end up disappointed.

In many ways, Gotham Knights is a game that does everything differently from the previous Arkham games, and maybe this is the reason why so many people seem disappointed. An open-world Gotham City, four members of the Batman family to defend civilians, lots of puzzles to solve, and so on, all are part of a package that takes time to discover and which kind of grows on you the more time you give it. Sure, it’s hard to ignore the clunky controls, the performance glitches, and the graphics that need more polishing, but otherwise, there’s a good chance you’ll have a lot of fun playing Gotham Knights.

Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef is a great action game, designed from the group up for chaos and surprising moments. The mechanics and the presentation are well integrated, and the combat mechanics are top notch. I would have liked a chance to kill members of all the races of the science fiction Warhammer universe in the game. And I hope that the team at Rogueside takes the design of Shootas, Blood & Teef and expands them to give me and other players that experience.

The Valiant has a good set of mechanics, although less innovative than they seem initially, and a decent story, hitting all the notes that you expect from the premise and setting. The single-player campaign delivers enjoyable tactical puzzles. Players who love the mechanics have the option to engage in players-versus-player and players-versus-environment matches. But the game never tries to push its idea forward. There’s nothing here that has not been done in other contexts or with slight variations. The Valiant is a good squad-focused strategy title but KITE Games should try to introduce more innovation to their next project.

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.

The Case of the Golden Idol is a tight adventure with good mechanics, excellent design for all the scenes, and great presentation. Players should try to play a sequence at a time, savor the clues and avoid relying on the hint system as much as possible. Playing with a group of people will probably make the entire experience, with or without hints, even more enjoyable. The Case of the Golden Idol shows what Color Gray Games can do with a solid premise and carefully designed scenarios and I would love to see their set of skills applied to other settings.

At the end of the day, FIFA 23 is a release that’ll probably keep many players on board next year when EA Sports FC will be thrown into the battle for the very first time. It’s a major release in pretty much every regard, and while some things are missing, such as VAR and the support for only three substitutions, this is by far the best FIFA. Ever.

At the end of the day, Session: Skate Sim is either a brilliant release or a frustrating game to try. It all depends on where you are when it comes to a realistic skateboarding experience and your expectations towards a digital version of it. If you’re not a professional skater and just want to try out a new game, there’s absolutely no doubt Session: Skate Sim isn’t for you.

SuperPower 3 is a massive game that will require time and patience from anyone who wants to understand all the mechanics and try out all the scenarios. But there are no grand strategy games set during modern times that allow a player to choose Brazil and try to become a nuclear-powered Southern Hemisphere hegemon and other outlandish ideas. The experience does need to do more to explain its concepts to new players and to make info clearer. The developers at GolemLabs have emphasized the potential for modding and plan for post-launch support. SuperPower 3 is a good choice if you want to see how much better than a real-world leader you can steer the destiny of a modern nation.