Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a passionate and engaging video game, which expresses its best through game design, one of the most valuable and focused that I have had in my hands. A greater commitment regarding progression would have been appreciated, but the work presents vast possibilities for different choices and approaches based on the clashes. It's a hack'n slash that achieves its goal, and much more, also supported by an exciting story.

Though it undoubtedly belongs to the retro games strand, Casper Croes' relationship to nostalgia in the game is different from the more widespread one. In the case of Alisa, the past is understood not as an unattainable era of now, but as a model whose limitations can now be a challenge rather than an obstacle. The challenge is to recreate a game today that not only draws inspiration from Resident Evil, but also shares its technical characteristics, yet turns out to be palatable to modern gamers. The challenge can undoubtedly be said to have been met, thanks in part to the use of a good dose of (self)irony reminiscent of Lynch's.

Inkuinati is a rediscovery of who we were in the Middle Ages, of our long lost attitude about games event in serious context. A great strategic game full of jokes and farts diegetically inserted in the game experience.

What is most refreshing about Helldivers 2 is not just the fact that it’s an incredibly fun game, but that Arrowhead managed to grow in scope without losing its identity: this is, without question, a game made by the same people who created Magicka so many years ago. At present state, however, Helldivers 2 suffers from some stability issues, and employs an invasive anticheat.

Not a platformer but a puzzle-platformer dating back to the long-gone Game Boy Advance era, revamped on Switch. This time Mario will take you to an adventure a little different than usual, which will improve your jumping skills at least as much as your intuition and speed of execution. More than 130 levels (some of them brand new) with secret stages and direct challenges with Donkey Kong. A must-have challenge for Nintendo fans

An excellent action-RPG that follows in the footsteps of God of War and The Witcher 3 while proposing a very different but equally fascinating setting and two really cool main characters. Net of a few technical stumbles and some design naivete, Don't Nod's most ambitious project hits the mark rather well.

Ultros is a passionate and engaging Metroidvania, with excellent art design and level design, strong graphics and an artistic direction of absolute value. It is a long-lived and detailed video game, very original and multifaceted, with a game design that explores all its potential in a peculiar way. An absolute must have if you are passionate about the genre, and if you are a beginner. It is also particularly suitable for beginners.

One cannot conceive of combining the irreverent spirit of the Suicide Squad with a formula plastered around what one considers to be the most marketable fashions at the moment. The risk is twofold, namely that of creating a game that dresses poorly around the lead characters, but also that of arriving outside, deflated fashions. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League stumbles over both of these mistakes. Yet here and there flashes of fun situations emerge, the characters have charisma, the writing is good with spikes of excellent quality, and Rocksteady knows how to do their job technically. Let's hope the live service experiments with superhero groups are over here.

Anomaly Agent is a debut with a bang for Phew Phew Games, which arrives on our monitors with a beat'em up with Canabalt-style endless runner elements, a charismatic and crazy protagonist, plus music to shoot at full volume that accompanies the action in beautiful pixel art. The attack and dodge combination starts with the simple press of two buttons and gradually becomes more and more complex with combos and special weapons. Sudden gameplay changes and gigantic bosses each one with its own fighting style make this game unmissable for those who love action.

A brilliant and captivating video game with an excellent and detailed story. An original and brutal game model that shows great care in every area, from the hustle and bustle of battles to other noteworthy details such as the relationship between Crimson and the secondary characters of the experience. A video game not to be missed.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a diamond in the rough, equipped with a limited number of colossal opponents and various choices and concessions that contribute to making the challenge and long-term interest less rewarding. If you are passionate (or even just interested) in the universe created by Cygames, it is likely, however, that the rich and charismatic cast of playable characters may make you turn a blind eye. Definitely a game made for fans.

Persona 3 Reload is a sensational work that is not just satisfied with being a remake but is, consequently, something that reformulates the development of ATLUS video games for an even wider audience. Choosing one of the greatest and most powerful works of the JRPG genre, thus forging a title to improve and revisit a work of the genre, was by no means an easy and immediate task. Indeed, it was something extremely complex. A great return that can be summed up in the term "Masterpiece".

Howl is a puzzle game in which planning your moves and predicting the consequences play the lion's share. Keeping enemies' reactions in mind for the next six turns can prove very challenging, although with the assisted mode or a healthy dose of trial and error you will be able to complete all sixty levels in two or three evenings. The darkly grim story, medieval setting, and distinctive graphics make this a thoroughly interesting game. Once completed there is no reason to replay it except to try to earn all the achievements, but it remains a recommended experience for lovers of this genre of games.

Recent unfortunate events led us to think that the Commandos-like genre would struggle to come up with new quality games, but here comes Stargate: Timekeepers to turn the tide, while rehabilitating the SG-1 IP that had fallen somewhat into oblivion. Vast and highly structured levels filled with enemies to avoid, overcome or eliminate by taking advantage of the environment, an AI that knows when to turn a blind eye and charismatic characters with exclusive abilities make this game a must buy for all stealth RTS lovers.

It may have lost the console war, but this new incarnation of SEGA as a publisher is an unstoppable force of nature: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the perfect sequel, which corrects the mistakes and doubts that arose during a first episode that was perhaps too experimental. An incredibly satisfying combat system frames one of the most engaging stories written by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio in an adventure that is a serious contender for game of the year, and we're only in January.

Tekken 8 is yet another great chapter in a series incapable of making missteps. The new mechanics change the skin of the game and, although the historical detractors will not find particular reasons to change their minds (the famous "volleyball simulator" for the emphasis placed on juggles), all the others will find an incredibly deep game, which will accompany them for several years to come. Who knows, maybe thanks to Ghosts even those who are completely resistant to online gaming will find the courage to take their first steps in a new world.

An adorable cast that is impossible not to love, lots of extras (including DLC) and a greatly improved quality of life are further points in favor of this second Trilogy, dedicated above all to those who are discovering the series in recent years, but also recommended for those who want to relive these events after a long time. No objection, your honor!

In the first decade of the 2000s, Cing was synonymous with atmospheric adventures and extraordinary gameplay ideas. Two of those now arrive on Switch with a complete graphic makeover and modernized gameplay. Slow pace, plenty of atmosphere and intriguing storylines are strengths of two productions that have kept (quite) intact their charm.

A work as simple and fascinating as it is effective and powerful. Andrea finds himself experiencing himself in the eyes and behaviors of others within a powerful narrative adventure that brings to the table the hardships and problems of Generation Z. A concrete and successful test, in our opinion.

The Cub is a good game, a good platform, a pleasure to play for the five or six hours that it lasts. It’s nice that Demagog Studio is continuing to explore the same universe game after game adding pieces to this puzzle, even though in Golf Club the impact was stronger. The team has done many step forward from the gameplay perspective, but unfortunately the game is not perfectly polished. All things considered, The Cub is a really good experience.

Releasing a remaster of such a prominent game just over three years after the original was certainly a gamble. Fortunately, Naughty Dog has combined the audiovisual restoration work (adequate and perceptible in some parts of the game, almost superfluous in others) with a general optimization that has improved the quality of the experience with a much more solid frame rate and noticeably faster loading. To further increase the value of this version we find a challenging and fun new roguelike mode, three cut mini-levels, skins to unlock and various other extras that further delve into the world of TLOU2, allowing us to discover all the details and secrets.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does everything it has to do in the best possible way. Or rather, almost everything: unfortunately the plot is negligible and the characters have the same charisma as a puddle. Beyond this, however, the structure of the semi-open world is very complex, the combat system is much deeper than the average of the genre, and the platforming borders on excellence. A return in style for one of the most beloved franchises of all time.

House Flippers 2 is a simple game that couldn't be simpler. While it focuses on simplicity, in fact, and on a fabulous and effective game design, it manages to blend in a fantastic way with a context that gives emotions and leaves you with a smile. Yes, that's right: just like Unpacking.

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell is a good metroidvania, that fully shows the 10+ year experience Guilherme ‘rdein’ has developed in crafting this genre of games. However, while it doesn’t have any flaws worthy of notice, it also lacks that “wow” factor. It’s just a good, honest game, but that is already something to be proud of.

Blood West is an FPS with a strong stealth component and a soulslike difficulty that will see you try over and over various ways to wipe out enemies. The penalties assigned whenever you die in the long run can make your character almost unplayable, but once you tame the insane difficulty curve, the various possible builds are very different from each other and you will definitely have fun experimenting. The sound is excellent and the lowpoly graphics are good, although it would have been nice to make the maps a little richer. Some will find it very punishing, and the absence of difficulty levels does not run to its aid, but the Wild West is a ruthless world.

Radiant Silvergun is personally the best shooter written by Treasure, but it's not for everyone. The measured cadence of the action and the difficulty of handling the seven weapons make it difficult to approach for those who prefer the deflagrating action of more dynamic alternatives like danmaku, but the effort of mastering such unique mechanics is repaid by an extraordinary game.

After the excellent porting work on Gothic, Gothic II also deserves the same treatment, with religious care. DLC is also added to the game package to make the entire experience even more engaging.

A good zombie slayer, heir to one of the first games of the genre in virtual reality. Arizona Sunshine 2 uses some references – dog à la Fallout, TLoU-style zombie mutations, mainly – to increase the fun and game solutions. It's a shame for a visual design that took into account the all-in-one versions of the game, especially in outdoor scenarios, and the graphic limitations are also felt on PS VR2 and PC. Better show, but not as much as it could have been.