Rise and Fall is an excellent expansion for Civilization VI, broadening the offering and adding many more irons in the fire: nine new leaders, eight civilizations, a general improvement of the experience, and several new gameplay tweaks. The original game was a pretty good one, and with this new expansion it's just gotten better.

Owlboy is a brilliant but short trip: a gorgeous journey into a touching story, dressed up in a metroidvania suit.

A story full of suspense and black humor, besides intriguing enigmas, is what allows Yesterday Origins to be one of the best "point & click" adventure of the year.

Day of the Tentacle is one of the best graphic adventures of all times. The game is a truly unique gem, full of humour, insane puzzles and an incredible voice-over. This Remastered version delivers stunning hi-res graphics, audio commentary, improved interface and controls (not suitable for gamepads), while keeping intact the original spirit. A must-have for all the adventurers out there.

Guacamelee! 2 is colorful, crunchy, sweet and spicy even on Switch, just like a good Mexican taco.

Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster is a nice fit to the Switch’s library, but it adds nothing compared to previous editions of the HD Remaster that appeared on other platforms.

SteamWorld Quest is a delightful and epic parable about heroism and the ease of forgetting about it in times of peace.

From a certain point of view, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is a remake that doesn't like to take too many risks, improving on the original experience without making any major changes. Yet this is also its greatest strength, especially for those who never played the original chapters on DS. The result is an authentic recreation of a historical title, polished and cleaned up from outdated game design elements.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is one of the best stories ever told by a video game, with a clever mix of mystery and science fiction. All the characters are credible although stereotyped, and the twists chase each other unpredictably while maintaining coherence with the narrative. Excellent technical realization, editing worthy of a television series and good acting support the plot that requires important decisions capable of influencing future events and personal relationships. The excessive ease in the progression could discourage those looking for a challenging game, but perhaps it is time to turn the page and embrace the new generation adventures.

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth is an excellent addition to the dungeon crawler RPG series from Atlus: players will find a lot of exploration, a huge variety of classes and races, and an intriguing - yet quite challenging - gameplay.

Nioh may not replace the Dark Souls series in our hearts, but it definitely has built a place for itself. Technically a little rough, still without PvP, this new title from Team Ninja could have provided more diversified scenarios, but it sure offers an excellent combat system and a wide and deep offering.

Arco is the kind of video game to which the term “hidden gem” fits like a glove. The story is interesting and cleverly told, with plenty of references to Mesoamerican Native culture. The tiny graphics are full of points of interest to discover along a rather large map that features threats at every corner. Combats, the real focus of the game, are handled with a hybrid turn-based mode that forces reasoning to flip the situation initially always to our disadvantage, and the presence of the ghosts of the past – actual enemies to be killed – require quick decision-making. Those who like turn-based RPGs will have a lot of fun.

Fantasian Neo Dimension is a title that needs to be played, explored and brought to everyone's attention. There is nothing new, except for a couple of interesting mechanics, but the aesthetic and musical realization is of the highest quality, net of what is a game made with an extremely low budget. They have made a virtue of this situation, squeezing every single experience in Mistwalker and returning a decidedly remarkable JRPG.

If you love the open world action genre, the new year started great: Gravity Rush 2 improves upon the original title in every single, possible way, offering a deep, challenging and addictive gameplay. Warning: considering the peculiar nature of this game, the vote must be read upside down.

What a ride! Riders Republic gives you an amount of freedom that you can hardly find anywhere else, and lets you choose your own path within a happy community that’s keen to celebrate your successes.

Chaotic, crazy, rich, explosive. Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is the best kart game outside the Nintendo universe and, in some ways, it is even more compelling than Mario Kart World. The only thing missing is that final spark that would allow it to definitively emerge from the shadow of its rival.

As demanding as it is satisfying, Chivalry 2 pushes you to to keep an eye on mission objectives while managing its easy-to-learn-difficult-to-master fighting system. Unfortunately there is no single player campaign, but the missions are as varied as the maps are beautiful.

Simon the Sorcerer Origins is the latest chapter in the saga that's been missing for thirty years, more or less since the release of the second installment, and was likely meant to inspire a new generation of players to become fond of the character. Simon's comical expressions, his impatient banter, and his frequent fourth-wall breaks take us back to a time when humor reigned supreme and permeated games of the genre. It will certainly appeal to those disappointed by the penultimate installments of the series, although, it must be said, we're no longer accustomed to such a crude approach to puzzles. In some places, it's truly overdone. But the sublime technical execution and incredible irony almost scream masterpiece. Almost.

Cassette Beasts is an addictive and fun videogame that pleasantly engages and excites. It offers a fascinating story and context, as well-implemented sensitive themes. A must have especially for the play structure.

Battlefield 6 arrives in grand style to remind us that all-out war, when it's virtual, can be magnificent. EA, Battlefield Studios, and the community were eager to move on from the disappointment of Battlefield 2042, and we can finally say it: Battlefield is back.

Lost Judgment is a high quality sequel. It’s fun to play, despite the few gameplay changes compared to its predecessor, and has a very engaging and well-acted story. There is never a moment of boredom when playing in the role of Takayuka Yagami, moving between Kamarucho and Yokohama in search of the truth, with a thousand doubts in mind, a thousand enemies to defeat and a thousand extra activities to try.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy gets back to the classic single-player formula, steering away from the hybrid attempt of Marvel’s Avengers and piecing together gameplay elements from Tomb Raider, Mass Effect and even Knights of the Old Republic to make a quite unique choral adventure. The player is asked to act like the team leader, taking decision and managing the resulting contrasts between the other members. The strength of differences is the big theme of the game, and Guardians of the galaxy is great in telling it both through narration and gameplay.

Fast, brutal and incredibly fun, Valfaris is as heavy metal as a game can be.

SteamWorld Heist 2 grabbed me right away with its light-hearted tone and the fact that it offered considerable tactical depth without being punitive in its approach. On the contrary, the developers seem to say "Come on, try this thing too, you have nothing to lose anyway!". The management of the difficulty level and the mission structures do the rest, while it is only a partial lack of variety of enemies that prevents Thunderful Development's game from reaching excellence.

Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold is, hands down, the best chapter in this J-RPG saga. It's marketed as a remake, but it's so full of new content and material that it's only fair to consider it a new game.

Monster Hunter Stories is a perfect synthesis between a classic JRPG and the Pokémon formula. Though is quite easy to play, the combat system and the rest of the features are solid enough to keep your attention alive till the end.

Age of Mythology Retold is a faithful modernization of the 2002 original, capable of removing the dust from a true masterpiece of the past. The innovations made to the game mechanics are excellent, although reporting the presence of some bugs.

I don’t know whether to recommend Ruined King: A League of Legends Story for the interesting story set in the League of Legends universe or because it's one of the best turn-based RPGs I played since quite a while. I’d stick towards the second reason, leaving the first one as the icing on the cake. An engaging storyline, beautifully characterized and customizable characters, and a combat system that will test your tactical skills await you, especially if you dare to play at higher difficulty levels. Will Runeterra’s champions become the new Avengers?