Fairy Tail 2 is a title that struggles to convey the genuine fun typical of the adventures born from Hiro Mashima's pen. Behind a combat system that is overall decent and enjoyable—particularly in small doses and during boss fights—lies a formulaic and at times fragile JRPG that fails to rise above mere mediocrity. A major disappointment, it is recommended only for die-hard Fairy Tail fans who might still be able to overlook its obvious shortcomings.

Infinity Nikki is the ultimate evolution of the (incredibly) successful series that preceded it. It stands as the quintessential free-to-play dress-up game. While it is packed with currencies and gacha pulls typical of its mobile gaming roots, everything works toward building a massive, stunning wardrobe that’s truly worth exploring. The game features some of the most detailed outfits I’ve ever seen in a video game. Though unlocking them may require considerable time—and sometimes, at your discretion, real money—it simply means spending more time joyfully exploring its rich open world. There’s always something new to discover, and even after dozens of hours, secrets still await. Overall, it’s a wonderfully relaxing and welcoming game that keeps you engaged in a serene and enjoyable way.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is one of the best adventures in the series, capable of recreating the great atmosphere of the early days and offering players a story that fits well into the timeline. However, the first person perspective makes it lose much of the dynamism we would expect from an Indiana Jones game.

Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer tries to surpass the ambitions of its predecessors, but with a mix of new features that aren't always coherent with the spirit of the product itself.

Fantasian Neo Dimension is a perfectly fine old-school JRPG, fit for both veterans and newcomers of the genre. It's just that we expected a little more from Sakaguchi-san, whose masterpieces we grew up with on both Nintendo and Sony machines.

Alaloth is an old school experience that, in a world dominated by increasingly accessible games, manages to preserve the allure of the purest fantasy, made of true challenges and worlds to explore with patience and dedication.

Not a sudden war nor fifteen years in development stopped the people at GSC Game World from showing their potential once again: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl delivers on almost all fronts, giving us a cruel and immersive world in which we can all get lost. We already know we won't have to wait too long for multiplayer and mod support, but let's also hope we won't have to wait another fifteen years for another game like this.

We wholeheartedly recommend S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Legends of the Zone Trilogy for both its gameplay mix of action, stealth and roleplaying and for the very convenient price of the package, which will cost you less than a new release on Nintendo Switch. The quality of the port is great too, so we don't see a single reason not to give these games a go.

The idea of bringing the universe of the classic Metro series into a virtual reality adaptation is truly intriguing, and Metro Awakening successfully recreates its signature atmosphere of dread and fear of the unknown. This is particularly well-executed thanks to an intuitive control system and user interface that fully immerse players in the game’s post-apocalyptic world. However, a major drawback lies in the repetitiveness of scenarios and environments, which is further exacerbated by the overly long duration of the experience. The final sections, in particular, could have benefited from being more streamlined. That said, despite its various flaws, the game remains an enjoyable experience, especially if you’re a fan of the franchise and eager to dust off your VR headset (especially the PS VR2) after it has likely been sitting unused for a while.

Planet Coaster 2 offers potentially endless gameplay. Frontier’s title is more than just a management simulator; it’s a dynamic, living diorama where players can invest countless hours purely to satisfy their aesthetic vision and showcase their creations to the community. For the detail-oriented, scrutinizing every corner of the game may reveal a few notable gaps, but fortunately, the development team is already aware of these and plans to address them in the near future.

This HD-2D Remake does justice to the grandaddy of the JRPG genre, a seminal game that is equally simple and charming in execution. New content, shiny new graphics and all that worked in the original title are included in this remake, and so it comes recommended for both old-time fans and newcomers.

LEGO Horizon Adventures is an adventure that knows how to entertain, managing the difficult task of pleasing both fans of Aloy and enthusiasts of brick-based games.

Metal Slug Tactics is a very fast and very nostalgic take on the turn-based tactics subgenre, with the roguelike element to turn the tables when the going gets repetitive. It's a love letter to one of the most beloved SNK franchises, but as a tactical game is just above average.

Let's not beat around the bush: we didn't like the new direction Electronic Arts and Bioware have given to the Dragon Age franchise. The original idea must have been to expand the public for this third entry, but the result is a game that won't probably appeal to anyone, especially long-time fans. Just give us a Dragon Age Origins remaster at this point, please.

Death of the Reprobate is a whirlwind of madness, showcasing a parade of characters with no logic and questionable morality. The humor is, let’s say, quite unique, but it perfectly complements the distinctive graphic style typical of all Joe Richardson’s works. Perhaps the author is a bit too imaginative in designing his puzzles, but we’re happy to overlook that if it means getting one of the most entertaining and original titles of the year.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 may not represent the pinnacle of the series or the start of a new era, but it firmly halts the franchise's steady decline, delivering a quality entry—arguably the best in the past decade. The campaign is surprisingly engaging and varied, though not quite on par with the series' top classics, and the same holds true for the zombie mode. With more focus on innovation and map quality in multiplayer, the game could have reached even higher scores, but there's room for improvement with post-launch updates. Overall, it’s an unexpected return to form.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a delightful return for the beloved series, with deep gameplay and vibrant worlds that make it a must-have on Nintendo Switch, despite a few minor design shortcomings.

Slitterhead is a graphically and structurally rather old game that fails in any way to approach either modern productions or the other glorious works of the Keiichiro Toyama. The only good cues come in the form of the ability to control different characters through possession, which make the traversal and combat dynamics varied, but the dilution and repetitiveness of certain quests tend to dull enthusiasm soon.

This Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is likely among the best titles dedicated to the series released in recent years, though it’s fair to say the bar was set quite low. Die-hard fans of the series will love the opportunity to experience a story that brings together all the main characters and to control a substantial number of them—twenty-one in total. However, the game also has several flaws, with repetitive missions featuring basic objectives and a combat system that settles for mere adequacy. Despite these issues, the multiplayer mode is enjoyable, especially thanks to boss fights that can be tackled by up to 20 players, turning the experience into a vibrant display of explosions and colors. Unfortunately, once the single-player campaign is completed and players delve into the game’s online component, the content runs out too quickly, leaving an endgame that feels sparse and underdeveloped. It’s a real shame for a game that had strong potential on the multiplayer side.

Nothing was done in this Hella Remastered to help Shadows of the Damned in the aspects in which the game underperformed at launch, thirteen years ago. Hence, the game has today the same qualities and the same problems of yesterday, but the latter weigh down the experience much more than before.

There’s no doubt that Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is the version newcomers to the saga should aim for to fully experience Aloy’s debut journey. This “refresh,” however—despite the question of whether a 2017 game truly needed it—focuses purely on technical enhancements, echoing the current video game industry’s fixation on lighting effects and photorealism, often at the expense of gameplay depth. The result is a visually stunning work, borrowing the technical assets from Horizon Forbidden West, yet turning a blind eye to the gameplay improvements introduced by its sequel. It retains certain gameplay choices and a clunky verticality that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had rendered outdated upon Zero Dawn’s release in 2017, making these aspects feel particularly aged. This is, after all, just a remaster, so perhaps it’s acceptable as it stands. However, by dressing Zero Dawn in Forbidden West’s refined graphics, the game ends up serving as more of a reminder of the advancements its sequel brought to the series than as a true celebration of Zero Dawn itself. It’s a remaster with a fresh look, yet proudly—and stubbornly—remains the same at its core.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is both a faithful transposition and a valid first-person horror. The few variations on the theme throughout the adventure force the player into an extremely compassed pace and a really high dose of patience, so it would have served the game better to have been able to have many more contrivances within it than have been seen in the films.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure starts as a compelling mystery and grows into a poignant story about social bonds and trauma, but its awful ending weakens the series' identity, casting doubt on Deck Nine's choices.

Xeen and Square Enix, in stark contrast with what the original development team did 31 years ago, played it very safe, with a remake that changes nothing in terms of gameplay, even where some corrections where badly needed. Therefore, this is nothing more than a modernized version of a good JRPG

Nikoderiko: The Magical World is everything that nostalgic fans of old platformers need to dive back into the memories of yesteryear. It may not be among the most original games of the past decade, given the many similarities to Crash Bandicoot and Donkey Kong, but the care with which the work was created allows it to stand at more than decent levels of harmonious enjoyment.

Europa is an adventure game set in stunning, Studio Ghibli-inspired landscapes, with a heartfelt narrative and a soundtrack that enhances every moment of discovery. The gameplay is designed to be relaxing, centered around the Zephyr—a unique jetpack that lets players gracefully glide through the air, soaring ever higher. In just three to four hours, Europa weaves a poignant story, guiding players on a journey to uncover a long-lost past.

All in all, Sonic x Shadow Generations has definitely exceeded our expectations. The second adventure dedicated to Shadow, which initially seemed like just a DLC, turns out to be something much more substantial, both in terms of length and concept, combining the best of the boost era with ideas taken from Sonic's new direction. While the game lacks the surprise factor it had in 2011, we're still talking about a new 3D Sonic chapter that's incredibly fun to play. Which is no small feat, as the history of this character has shown us.

The concept of a transmedia project, with Unknown 9: Awakening serving as an ideal entry point for new users, was intriguing. However, the video game ultimately falls short due to numerous issues. While the story provides a foundation for understanding the broader world of Unknown 9, its lack of creative flair and uninteresting characters do little to entice players to explore the rest of the narrative universe. Additionally, the gameplay structure is overly basic, plagued by various technical problems, and features a stealth component that feels all too familiar. The combat system also shows multiple flaws, saved only slightly by the enjoyable use of powers, especially in the later stages—though these powers end up breaking the game, making it too easy. Overall, the launch of this new multimedia project is off to a less than stellar start.