Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is a bit like an old vinyl record reissued in digital: the charm remains, but the crackle of time can't be completely erased.

After hospitals and university campuses, the citizens of Two Point County now have museums where they can admire fossilized floppy disks, demonic mannequins, and the remains of Atlantis. The management sim created by Two Point Studios is far from a revolution and shares many similarities with its predecessors, including its unique sense of humor and numerous gameplay elements. Fortunately, the few new additions are also the most successful aspects—sending explorers to the far corners of the world to retrieve strange artifacts is both fun and rewarding, as is displaying and showcasing all the unearthed relics.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a vast and majestic game, much like the monsters that inhabit it. The new approach to exploration and the complexity of the various biomes evolve the classic formula of the series, enriching it immensely. Combat takes significant strides forward thanks to the wound system, the Seikret, and the revamped weapons—further enhanced by monsters with more complex behaviors and a greater overall environmental interaction. Some hunts will stay with you forever. The story is also a pleasant surprise—we didn’t expect it to be told so well, aided by a cast of well-developed characters. If we had to point out a flaw, we would have liked more from the endgame phases and the roster of monsters, but we are well aware that with future updates and the almost certain introduction of Master Rank, these issues will likely be addressed. Capcom completes yet another hunt—and does so in truly grand style.

Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the exact image of its protagonist: funny, out of its mind and light on serious content and story beats. Long-time fans of the franchise will remember this as a Majima extravaganza, while newcomers as the perfect entry point in this long-running series.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Stairward Vector represents a step forward from the previous game and once again adheres to the canons of classic tabletop RPGs. While this will please purists, others may have some impatience with the static nature of the action, which despite the additions offers little dynamism and a really significant amount of text.

Avowed has a lot of strenghts, from its worldbuilding to its RPG systems, and it entertains for at least forty plus hours thanks to them. Obsidian didn't reinvent the RPG wheel, but considering how cold is Bethesda's first-person RPG throne, and how far still a new The Elder Scrolls game might be, this is a very solid effort that any RPG fan should try.

Being a second part of a new story arc, The Legend of Heroes Trails through Daybreak II hits all the right marks, but in doing so the core system of the game, its challenging and deep turn-based combat system, somehow degenerates into a by the book real-time affair, that will surely please newcomers but probably alienate long-time fans. Still, another solid JRPG by Falcom.

Synduality: Echo of Ada is a title that has potential but fails to fully express it. It’s a shooter with solid gunplay, but nothing more. The missions are repetitive, the equipment lacks variety, and the map feels underwhelming. The gameplay also becomes monotonous too quickly, in addition to being overly punitive. Items earned— even those tied to the deluxe edition or purchased (!)—are easily lost. A particularly bad choice was implementing microtransactions for in-game items that turn the game into a pay-to-win experience. We appreciate the option to launch cooperative missions, but it’s frustrating that you can only do so with random players; a simple matchmaking system with friends would have added extra value. Another downside is the storytelling, which is completely overshadowed by the gameplay, making the experience feel uninvolving. The game ultimately seems to cater only to those who enjoy jumping in occasionally for some virtual carnage rather than engaging with a deeper narrative or immersive world.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist totally forgoes evolving the original concept, merely repeating the same formula and gameplay situations, with improvements so bland as to be almost irrelevant. This sequel is still very strong and appealing, but chooses to live off its laurels.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an experience tailored for those who appreciate the slow passage of time, uncompromising realism, and the profound impact of every decision. It plunges you into a gritty, unforgiving Middle Ages—harsh, unfiltered, and devoid of shortcuts or concessions.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII had a truly difficult task. The previous installment is still one of the best—if not the best—4X games available and often ranks among the most-played titles on Steam. At the same time, even though no competitor has quite reached its standards, rival games have attempted to innovate the genre by introducing new gameplay mechanics and adopting interesting variations on design principles established decades ago. Additionally, the success of the console versions forced the development team to adapt their new work for a broader, more diverse, and heterogeneous audience. These were three significant challenges, and we can confidently say that Civilization VII has overcome them. This seventh iteration does not rest on its laurels and is unafraid to propel the series into the future, even at the risk of betraying its roots. The game is noticeably sleeker, faster, and more intuitive to play, diplomacy finally has the importance it deserves, and longevity has significantly improved thanks to the separation between leaders and civilizations, which rotate throughout the matches. Civilization VII is an excellent strategy game, but that does not mean everything is perfect. After several hours of gameplay, we still struggle to get used to the new UI, the removal of certain units makes some actions feel overly abstract, and only future expansions will make the game truly complete. There’s no way around it: the biggest point of contention is the inclusion of only three historical eras—a radical design choice implemented by Firaxis to eliminate the chronic late-game fatigue. Despite the good intentions, this decision risks disappointing traditionalists, creates gaps that feel too pronounced within a match, and even within these eras, some phases feel lacking, with crises and objectives that don’t always hit the mark.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black it’s a breathless challenge, a true test for anyone who dares to call themselves an old-school gamer. There are no compromises here: every victory is hard-earned, every defeat a lesson, every battle a trial of reflexes and strategy. In an era of increasingly accessible games, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a monument to pure skill, a fierce and unforgettable experience. And that’s exactly how it should be.

Sniper Elite Resistance keeps all the qualities and, unfortunately, all of the flaws of the previous numbered entry, of which is more a stand-alone downloadable content than a sequel. The problem is that the price is that of a full-blown game, and if you value it as such, it's much harder to overlook the massive reuse of mechanics, assets and maps. Still a solid buy for the long-time fans of Karl Fairburne, but not the overhaul the series desperately need.

Ravenswatch masterfully blends dark-fantasy storytelling with engaging roguelike mechanics. The unique characters, each with distinct abilities and rich backstories, elevate both the narrative and gameplay. While the secondary missions can feel repetitive, the cooperative dynamics and high replay value make it a standout title for fans of the genre.

Even in its PC version, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to the saga in the last 18 years. With this new look, and with a level of detail that is truly enviable for those who can afford the highest settings, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the new glimmer of hope for all those fans who felt betrayed by the most discussed and controversial chapters of this beloved saga.

Dynasty Warriors Origins embodies everything fans of the musou genre have always dreamed of for their favorite series. This installment raises the bar in terms of quality and, in many ways, sets a new standard for the genre, appealing not only to longtime fans but also to newcomers, while laying a solid foundation for the future of the entire franchise. From its storytelling to the revamped combat mechanics, nearly every piece falls perfectly into place. Despite a few hiccups and some rough edges that still need polishing, it’s impossible not to appreciate the fantastic work done by the team at Omega Force.

Tales of Graces F Remastered is a game that might leave you somewhat indifferent if you look only and exclusively at the graphics. However, the numerous internal improvements, the novel options and the smoothing out of the edges typical of jrpg's of the old era, may bring a new audience to the saga or attract all those who for some reason skipped over this good and perhaps under-celebrated chapter.

The quality of its level design, the two-player coop and a wealth of stages, including the 3DS ones, are enough to recommend a purchase, but Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is sort of lazy if compared to other remastered versions of Nintendo old classics. If you have already played it before elsewhere, there is really no reason for a second playthrough.

Ys Memoire The Oath in Felghana is a love letter from Falcom to both one of their longest-running franchise and its fans worldwide, who grew up with the adventures of Adol Christin and its companions. We're talking about a fast paced action-rpg that doesn't outstays its welcome and will please anyone who's looking for no-brainer action and a stylish soundtrack.

Flint Treasure of Oblivion is a SRPG lite that puts the story and characters at the front, but leaves much to be desired in the gameplay and quantity of content departments. If you really love pirates and strategy RPGs can still be a decent choice, but the price is very high at launch and the game is very rough on a technical point of view.

The Thaumaturge doesn’t bring anything groundbreaking to the table and doesn’t quite measure up to its more illustrious predecessors. Yet, it tells a compelling and intriguing story, enriched by a setting deeply shaped by its social and political context.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is a charming nostalgic beat-‘em-up that successfully captures the essence of the original show. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge or Streets of Rage 4—currently the benchmarks in the classic side-scrolling beat-’em-up genre—it offers a good variety of levels and a simple yet enjoyable gameplay experience. The diverse range of enemies adds to the fun, especially when playing with friends. However, the lack of move variety between the different characters and certain less polished sections—like the shooter-style stages—bring down the overall quality somewhat. That said, anyone looking for a solid beat-’em-up to enjoy with friends, particularly fans of the series, will likely have a great time. It’s a delightful throwback that might just transport you back to afternoons spent shouting “Go Go Power Rangers!” at the TV, much to the bemusement of your parents.

The Spirit of the Samurai has a great and evocative imagery and a delightful stop-motion style. The merits end there, because the game developed by Digital Mind Games has problematic hitboxes and lacks of precision in attacks and jumps, ending up frustrating the players.

Among Ashes is one of those indie titles that should be celebrated for its great ability to break out of the box through brilliant narrative and game design solutions. However, it has to curb its ambitions because of so many technical problems due to its low budget.

G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is an enjoyable side-scrolling beat-‘em-up, especially for fans of the genre and the animated series, but it doesn’t go beyond being a classic, straightforward effort. The game features a solid combat system—simple yet with a touch of depth in its mechanics—and a great cast of playable characters. There are also some extra modes and secret characters to unlock, although you’ll need to grind the same levels quite a bit to unlock everything. On the Switch, the game suffers from frequent slowdowns and a few annoying bugs, which we hope can be resolved soon.

The beloved 1994 game Little Big Adventure: Twinsen's Quest has been reimagined by [2.21] and Microids with a charming new graphic style that keeps the game's distinctive feel while making it more appealing for today's players. The same can't be said for the gameplay, which, despite some minor improvements, still feels too outdated and uneasy to be enjoyable for younger players.

UFL is a title still far from reaching its true potential—a work in progress that requires time to meet the high expectations of virtual football enthusiasts (or even just to deliver on the promises made at its announcement). Its more dynamic style, which places less emphasis on realism, does work, but there are still many limitations, both in terms of content and the overall quality of the gameplay experience. In short, the path ahead is steep, and it’s far from being an easy goal into an empty net.

In a generation dominated by often superficial games, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered reminds us how video games were capable of telling profound and engaging stories even over twenty years ago.