Knock on the Coffin Lid aims to expand on the gameplay of the Slay the Spire-inspired games by adding an interesting story to follow thanks to charismatic characters, excellent speech, and a highly polished graphical style. Forget the forked progression until you get to the boss, here there is great freedom allowed for exploration thanks to very large maps full of interconnected points of interest. Fighting takes place in the typical style of this genre of video games, and although the many cards available do not introduce great innovation, we are in front of one of the best card battlers around.

Kring is a project that the author himself defines as intimately personal and, therefore, carried out out of pure hedonism. You buy it at your own risk with the knowledge that the game is the way it likes it, not the way it likes it, or you, or an audience framed by some market survey. So you may find it funny or maybe not, brilliant or terribly stupid, unmissable or forgettable and you can't get out of it: it goes just to taste. I found it pleasant but not irresistible, engaging but a little too borderline to last long. In short, one of those novelties that drive you crazy at first, but for which you soon lose interest. For five euros, however, it is free, and it is definitely worth doing this psychedelic gaming experience, if only to encourage Ivan to do other similar things.

Zero Hour isn't groundbreaking or technically perfect, it has some obvious limitations, and the AI ​​leaves much to be desired. That said, it's a good entry point for tactical FPS newbies thanks to its immediate and engaging mix of slow-paced gameplay and wild PVP.

Shift Legacy Collection perfectly embraces the definition “a blast from the past,” bringing back to the present day a game that marked a happy era of gaming. Sixteen years have passed, but the gameplay is still as captivating and engaging as on day one. It is a pity, however, that no new material has been added to the collection of the four Shift chapters; to be nitpicky, one could say that we are paying for a series of games that were once free and can still be launched on browsers, however, the required amount is small and allows us to have everything beautifully ready in our library.

Mechabellum might look like a simple game at first glance, and it’s very easy to get into – you drop some robots, watch them fight other robots and blow each other up. But it doesn’t take long before you realize that there’s a very deep strategic layer behind every decision, even something apparently as simple as “where do I place a unit”. Recommended for people who love the decision making in RTS games but have very poor APM (like me).

A remastered work as simple as it is effective, and I will certainly be repetitive. Lollipop Chainsaw RePop arrives at the goal and with an interesting purpose: to be able to entertain old players and beyond. It could be fitting in after finishing other more challenging, such as a Frostpunk 2, or an alternative Black Myth: Wukong, in which knowing how to beat is an obligation.

Excellent and always on point, Kan Gao succeeds in the complex attempt to propose an adventure as usual special and touching, touching the right chords through a simple but effective plot. The goal of the production is to revive part of the experience of To the Moon, a goal that is achieved in an absolutely noble way. The gameplay, not particularly changed compared to the past, focuses on classic and already known dictates. Also on this front, but because the operations of the Canadian developer do not change, not much could be expected. He prefers to focus on emotions, showing them off. An excellent act of beauty.

Vampire - The Masquerade: Reckoning of New York is the worst chapter of the visual novel version of the franchise. Listless, without bite and with an uninteresting protagonist. The trilogy ends with a chapter below expectations.

Mortal Kombat 1 Khaos Reigns is a DLC poor in content, which does not justify its excessive cost. The new balance fixes some issues from the past, but there is still a long way to go.

A Final Fight-like fighting game with a horror flavour seems the perfect recipe for success. Unfortunately Night Slashers Remake is an unrefined product that only in some elements seems to betray the laziness with which it was developed. A more “meaty” combat system and the addition of a new playable character are not enough to balance a disappointing graphical compartment and some technical issues. Despite all this, the four-players coop mode is still quite fun.

While We Wait Here tells a very pleasant story. Despite the absence of a trial and error that I would have found very apt within the title, the parts dedicated to the preparation of dishes are also well integrated. The absolute pro goes to dubbing and atmospheres. I've always dreamed of making puncakes while the world is disintegrating out there.

9th Dawn Remake is an action RPG with very simple gameplay, in which all you have to do is move and click, that manages to offer great complexity thanks to the huge choice of weapons, builds, and companions ready to help us out in battle. Dungeon crawlers lowers will find everything they want, from secret passages to hidden treasure chests, scattered along a vast and pleasant world to visit with various side quests. The Vampire Survivors-style fishing is a nice little touch, and the whole production drips love from every pixel. Too bad most of the monsters are quite anonymous, bosses included.

Providing an environment where you can shoot dozens, hundreds of enemies with glee is one of the most surefire ways in which you can keep gamers entertained. However, that’s also all that Viscera has going for it – weapons are shoddily balanced, the graphics are chaotic and messy, and the game’s poorly optimized. Still moderately fun, but not the kind of game you’d enthusiastically recommend.

Killing Time: Resurrected is the perfect combination of exploration and the latest shooting. Nightdive Studios has been able once again to improve a video game and make it enhanced, modernizing some things on the gunplay side and offering animations that are really beautiful to look at. It could really be much more than a classic moment to enjoy a work from the past.

The so-called Remastered versions of Warcraft I and II show the least possible effort to bring back two of the most important legends of the Blizzard catalogue. Such a lazy and lacklustre result would have made sense had it been given to fans to celebrate Warcraft's 30th anniversary, but as it stands, it joins Warcraft III: Reforged in the ranks of mediocre products that, until a few years ago, we would never have expected from such a legendary developer. Thrall does not approve.

The so-called Remastered versions of Warcraft I and II show the least possible effort to bring back two of the most important legends of the Blizzard catalogue. Such a lazy and lacklustre result would have made sense had it been given to fans to celebrate Warcraft's 30th anniversary, but as it stands, it joins Warcraft III: Reforged in the ranks of mediocre products that, until a few years ago, we would never have expected from such a legendary developer. Thrall does not approve.

A bit Duke Nukem without the Duke and a bit bit Bulletstorm with some reminiscence à la Anger Foot, 420Blaze It 2 is an engaging and lively FPS, powerful both in exposure and in their never tiring content. It is a work that, very capable of surprising and bewitching the player with borderline situations, manages to speak well to the hearts of fans.

The Stone of Madness is a stealth adventure set in an 18th-century monastery-psychiatric hospital. Players lead a group of troubled characters, each with unique abilities and phobias that affect gameplay. The Commandos-like approach requires cunning to overcome guards and obstacles by capitalizing on cooperation among team members. The beautifully reconstructed monastery oozes Gothic eeriness, while the plot explores the cruelty of religious institutions of the time. Despite a few technical flaws, the game offers a compelling experience for fans of the genre, who have been on a diet lately; almost starving I would say.

Underward is a first-person cooperative horror game in which players explore an abandoned hospital, retrieving cryogenic cylinders while escaping mutant creatures. The game requires stealth skills to move in the dark and in silence without alerting the monsters. The graphics, inspired by found footage, amplify the claustrophobic atmosphere. Multiplayer allows play for up to four people, but single player is more complex and punishing. Despite repetitive environments and some design limitations, the experience is engaging, especially for horror fans.

Viscerafest is a frantic boomer shooter set in a retro sci-fi universe painted with big pixels with a neon palette reminiscent of the vicious color schemes of the 1980s. The mercenary protagonist is a love letter to Duke Nukem, engaging in ultra-violent shooting and impossible jumps along labyrinthine levels overflowing with aliens and bosses to be riddled with bullets until they turn to pulp. The option of collecting skulls to use as currency at stores to buy cheats invites replaying maps already completed in search of secret areas or simply for revenge once you get stronger.

The peculiar gameplay of Into The Restless Ruins combines familiar but only seemingly incompatible game elements. Dungeon crawling, deck-building and roguelike blend to perfection in Ant Workshop's title, which rewards skill as much as daring and curiosity. Longevity is not its strong suit, but the experience is undoubtedly worth it.

A fishing-themed adventure with RPG elements that brings the characters of a web-com that has become very popular worldwide to PC and consoles. The fishing mechanics are unexpectedly funny and a few small variations on the basic theme manage to keep a gameplay full of humour gags inspired by video game stereotypes, which nevertheless suffers from a certain repetitiveness in the long run.

SCUM is an extremely technical sandbox survival game, focused on a detailed simulation of the human body and resource management. Set in a huge map, it offers advanced metabolism, thermoregulation and nutrition systems, which directly influence the character's performance and abilities. The gameplay alternates exploration, crafting, management of vital parameters and combat, both PvE and PvP. The learning curve is steep and the interface is not always intuitive, but the approach is unique in the survival panorama, offering a deep and punishing experience for the most demanding players.

Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 is the tangible explanation of why indie is beautiful, as well as being the confirmation that Toby Fox knows how to reinvent the 2D RPG with intelligence and irony like no other. A simply unmissable work, if you consider yourself a gamer.

Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4 is the tangible explanation of why indie is beautiful, as well as being the confirmation that Toby Fox knows how to reinvent the 2D RPG with intelligence and irony like no other. A simply unmissable work, if you consider yourself a gamer.

Becoming Saint is a bold, strategic management game that offers something different in the roguelike landscape with a refined approach. However, it's also a work marked by several more or less obvious flaws, which give it a rough and tumble appearance that clashes with the elegance of its artistic direction.

BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary revives the 1984 classic with over two hundred levels, including the original sixty from the first three chapters, introducing new gameplay elements such as enemy generators and acid pools, plus an intuitive editor. The fast pace and scoring system reward reflexes and precision, while the variety of content ensures longevity. Among its strengths are the solid gameplay and Chris Hülsbeck's soundtrack. Less convincing is the graphic style, which is uninspired and too reminiscent of hyper-casual mobile games. A successful tribute, despite the occasional lapses into laziness.

Gatekeeper is an isometric roguelike that focuses on straightforwardness: no complex hubs, just choose a character and get started. Missions alternate between simple objectives such as escort, resistance, and activation, and spectacular, well-constructed boss fights. The power-up system is effective, with 10% bonuses that are cumulative and immediately noticeable. However, the progression system is immature: perks are unlocked with a slow “point collection” that does not enhance the character but only the assortment in the shops, and abandonment due to excessive grinding could come very soon.

More than a remake, Project-X Light Years is the modern sequel to a great classic that made history and, in addition to being one of the best 'reboots' ever seen for IPs of the past, it is also one of the best side-scrolling shmups released in recent months, competing with Yuzo Koshiro's Earthion for my very own award for the most interesting of the season. Proof, if there was still any need, that we Westerners are also very capable of making excellent games of the genre, even if we don't speak Japanese.

Super Robot Wars Y is an ode to nostalgia and a passion for Japanese robots: every animated sequence, every opening credit, every battle is a small celebration of the cartoons that shaped our childhoods. The roster combines old and new series to please fans of all ages, while the overly simple strategic action almost becomes a pause between one breathtaking sequence and the next. Here too, the series shows the weight of tradition: few innovations, long dialogues, and a conservative approach that limits risk and surprise, keeping it prisoner to its formula. You have to know what you're getting into. Those who love Japanese robots and jump out of their seats at the sight of Tetsuya incinerating assorted monsters with gamma rays, screaming like a maniac, will find this an almost essential experience. Those who know the series inside out and are looking for freshness and boldness will inevitably be disappointed.

Featuring a relaxed and accessible gameplay, Hammer & Ravens' Ale Abbey stands out for its serene atmosphere and the care and detail in translating the artisanal brewing process. The charming fermenters, the variety of ingredients, and the ability to customize the monastery make the experience engaging and soothing, despite a certain underlying repetitiveness.

At its core, Sworn isn't bad and has all the makings of a fun game to keep you entertained for several hours. Beyond that, however, it stops offering any real enjoyment or gameplay depth. Compared to other behemoths, it's the one that sits closest to its comfort zone, also benefiting from a co-op system for up to four players that could make the difference. Varied in the progression of the four heroes, the biggest obstacle is the pace of the game, which alternates between really slow and fast moments, where, however, the slow pace of our heroes never manages to respond to the game world with any real responsiveness. It takes a bit of practice, at least in the first few hours, which feature a rather steep difficulty curve.

Necesse is fun little survival with light management mechanics: by starting a settlement we can invite NPCs to join it and delegate to them trivial tasks like cutting trees or gathering produce, while we dig through underground caves and fight huge bosses.

Misery isn't a title for everyone, nor for those who love single-player adventures - it needs co-op to show off its true worth - but for those who embrace its pace and constant melancholy, it can prove to be a surprisingly sincere experience.

Of Lies and Rain demonstrates how a small studio can interpret VR with personality, making you wonder what Castello Inc. could do with a different budget. It's an immersive adventure that thrives on gestures and sensations rather than statistics, and it restores to VR the physicality too often sacrificed for comfort. It's not a perfect game, especially from a technical standpoint, but it's authentic to the core and thrills: in a market where special effects are often emphasized over substance, this is more than enough to recommend it without hesitation to anyone with a headset.

Terrifier: The ARTcade Game is a side-scrolling beat 'em up inspired by the Double Dragon arcade cabinet, featuring four playable characters from Damien Leone's horror franchise. It offers good pixel art, a chiptune soundtrack, convincing CRT/VHS filters, and six modes, including Arcade, Story, and Boss Rush. The combat system is basic, based on two attacks and a special move, with gory finishers and collectible weapons. However, imprecise hitboxes, chaotic priorities, and broken pacing detract from the experience, making the title appealing only to the most die-hard fans.

Using a font similar to Times New Roman for almost the entire interface isn't a great idea; I understand the intention to reference Stranger Things here as well, but, well, it looks a bit like a poorly printed business card. However, it immediately gives an idea of ​​what the whole game will be like: no frills, focused on the essentials, but capable of doing its job very well. In fact, there are no flaws in the execution, everything works wonderfully, and there are a lot of quests to complete, many people to talk to, and countless monsters to kill. The problem, if anything, is managing to maintain the momentum and interest throughout the game, and this essentially depends on your affinity with the genre. A pleasant indie title, which perhaps requires some minor tweaks here and there, but which is worth the price at which it is sold.

Bogos Binted? is a wacky party game based on card games between lazy aliens, where each turn players contribute to a shared sum without exceeding a random target number. Whoever goes over the limit activates a compressor connected to their skull, often with fatal consequences. The gameplay is immediate, just the right amount of mean, and supported by special cards capable of turning the tables at the last second. The bizarre look and super-budget price work in its favor, but the fact that only one of the four planned modes is present in the final release is a significant drawback. Without rankings, tournaments, or leaderboards, interest quickly wanes if you're not playing with friends. Fun, but still incomplete.

The Infernal Edition represents the most complete and modern incarnation of Blizzard's classic. The Reign of the Warlock DLC introduces a new, deep and versatile class, a more dynamic endgame, and a series of quality-of-life improvements that significantly improve loot management and progression. Without overturning the original core, this edition manages to coherently expand the game, offering new objectives for veterans and a solid entry point for those entering Sanctuary for the first time.

Pluto is a roguelite deckbuilder featuring *Slay the Spire*-style progression, built around a unique combat mechanic: spells are assigned to individual fingers, creating combinable patterns that allow for overlaps and free activations, thereby transforming every turn into a strategic puzzle. Managing free fingers—whether for defense or extra bonuses—and the use of rings add further depth to the strategic layer. However, the punishing complexity evident right from the early stages, combined with the absence of persistent progression, make the experience feel more akin to a pure roguelike than a modern roguelite—running the risk of alienating a more casual audience.

ChainStaff is a 2D action shooter built on twin-stick foundations, enhanced by a strong central mechanic: the ChainStaff, a multifunctional weapon that can be used for attacking, grappling, shielding, or interacting with the environment. The gameplay is fast and accessible, with solid ideas and a good variety of situations, although in practice the weapon is mostly used offensively. The choice system – whether to rescue or devour soldiers – is an interesting addition, affecting upgrades and endings. Among the drawbacks are a fairly linear level design, poorly integrated secret areas, and occasionally imprecise physics. The visual style is original, but inconsistent.

Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes takes the series into virtual reality territory, skillfully reworking its structure and perspective. VR could have been used more with the puzzles, and the visual polish on Meta Quest 3 isn't perfect, but Iconik's experiment is certainly a success: it's too short, but what an atmosphere.

A collection bearing the System 3 label that brings the *The Last Ninja* saga back to life, pairing it with some of the most iconic beat ‘em ups of the late 80s—from *International Karate +* to *Bangkok Knights*. Unfortunately, many of the included titles have aged poorly and prove difficult to stomach after so many years; moreover, the collection feels “lazy,” to say the least, offering no significant extras to whet the appetite.