Ultimately, our opinion about Atomic Heart leaves a sour taste in our mouths. At first, we were very excited by this memorable introduction and a cool building to explore, but we were quite disappointed by the bland and trite open world environment. After enjoying the discovery phase, the fun of it all quickly fades away. The initial ideas concerning the various gameplay phases were not bad, but they should not have been recycled ad nauseam. Right now, Mundfish's title has all the makings of a repetitive game ticking all the industry’s requisites without mastering the ins and outs of the genre. This results in a pleasant title that should nonetheless find its audience. Sadly, it will also disappoint a lot of people. Was it too ambitious? Perhaps. It must be said that, according to us, the studio masters quite well the technical side: it still needs more work to be convincing, though. So, a sour taste, but one that still needs to be experienced nonetheless.

Rise of fox hero cannot claim to be a game that leans towards learning if it implements a boss at the end of the first level that is almost impossible for a rookie to beat. However, we feel that the target audience is indeed first-time players: a very attractive price, a non-existent scenario, recognisable enemies, small bonuses to brighten up the progression and a multi-purpose sword for everything else – ultimately, a quick to learn gameplay. As a result, with such an abnormal high difficulty, the game will inevitably upset some players. A child will not be able to do it and a more experienced player will be bored. Rise of fox hero missed its goal: too bad, its graphics were so cute.

Let us greet the arrival of Tales of Symphonia Remaster on Xbox One and Xbox Series the honourable way: by advising you NOT to buy it. Unless you do not have any other game system (like a PlayStation 3) and really want to discover this exceptional title, it is better to pass until Bandai Namco finally decides to offer one of the best titles of its saga the version it truly deserves... or a substantial price drop.

For their first major title, the Mad Head Games team truly outdid themselves. The developers managed to find the subtle balance they wanted between exploration and die and retry. Despite its few flaws, Scars Above is a very enjoyable title to play. This very promising result bodes well for the studio's future works.

As a fast-FPS mixing 2D and 3D and the first project of an independent studio composed of only three people, Fashion Police Squad had all the odds stacked against it. Nevertheless, it turns out to be quite an intense and enjoyable adventure. Despite a life span that is way too short, it is a surprising and devilishly addictive little gold nugget.

For those who wish to discover the pleasure and stress of running around in the shoes of a chef managing his business, Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator is for you. Cyanide studio offers us a complete immersion in the daily life of a restaurant owner. Unfortunately, the Michelin Guide logo is not there to acknowledge the brilliancy of the artistic direction and gameplay, which are completely outdated. On the other hand, if you do not care about the graphics and are looking for a real management game in the culinary space, then it would be a real pickle to miss it.

To finally be able to get our hands on this epic previously reserved for the Japanese public is a real chance for the fans of the licence. Unfortunately, after six episodes in the same format, it is disappointing to live a similar experience once again. If the narration of Like a Dragon: Ishin! is excellent and makes us experience a beautiful adventure, we cannot help but see it as yet another Yakuza, whether in its construction or its side content, but with a samurai filter. If you are still thrilled by the formula, it would be a shame to miss it.

It is important to highlight that Wanted Dead offers an old-fashioned experience on every aspect. The shooter part of the game is not very well done, unlike the hand-to-hand aspect which is much more qualitative. In many ways, you can feel the lack of balance between next-gen and old-school games and that the development had to meet certain specifications, which absolutely failed to seduce us. Be warned that Wanted Dead proposes an experience for gamers whose credo is retro gaming. If you are a nostalgic of the Dreamcast, PS2 and Xbox era, go for it, otherwise it might be painful.

Even though The Pathless rehashes themes already tackled in ultra-popular games, it does so brilliantly and allows the experience to be lived under a more dynamic angle. Enchanting, poetic, meditative, epic: there is no shortage of superlatives to describe the experience offered by Giant Squid and we can only congratulate them for the work they have done. The influence of the gameplay on the level design is strongly felt and everything has been done to make the experience as fluid and enjoyable as possible. The feeling of escalation is truly exhilarating until the final climax. Hats off to you guys.

Wild Hearts is not without its qualities. It even manages to captivate us during certain moments of grace, notably with its lively, nervous and dynamic gameplay as well as with its colourful bestiary. The ability to build structures on the go during battles is a real advantageous edge, both offensively and in our movements. Despite its first few hours which are hard to take in hand, it gains momentum as you unlock new game mechanics. It must be said that technically speaking, it is weak and it suffers from a badly-designed camera that barely does its job.

When you see the good ratings of Startup Company on PC, you can imagine that a majority of the flaws present on console are due to the clumsy port. Hell is paved with good intentions, may Startup Company burn there and rise from its ashes with a better copy for the well-being of console players. Thank you!

Clunky Hero had attracted us with its shiny visuals and its promises of Metroidvania tinged with RPG and humor. In the end, it's a visually successful game, but with an insipid base, a terrible level design and big optimization problems.

Long awaited by fans and probably muggles who know nothing about the world of magic, we were eager to get our hands on the title and discover the magical world of Hogwarts Legacy. What a wonder for the eyes and ears! We can applaud Avalanche Software for the rendition they have given us, it is just perfect. We could talk about it for hours because we were so enchanted by the game. Special mention for the numerous visual details, the story and the well-paced fights. In one word: Bravo!

Ballotron Oceans is a simple game that allows you to relax after a hard day thanks to its very relaxing atmosphere. The title offers mechanics that, although simple, require the player to have some good thinking to complete. Hitting the green ball with the blue ball will not be so easy as there are many obstacles in the way and completion is all the more satisfying.

“Shmup is not dead”. We are not the one saying it, but the game at the end of its rolling credits. With its stripped-down and minimalist look, Graze Counter GM invites us to learn or study one of the crucial gameplay styles of modern shoot'em ups in an almost academic way. Much more technical and less crude than one might think at first glance, it embodies a clear and precise user manual coupled with a progressive practice for the brave, perfectionist or unconscious individual who would like to master one day the incredibly difficult art of danmaku.

Demon Hunter 2: New Chapter does not revolutionise the formula, but it nonetheless remains a safe bet for fans of the genre. Graphically, it is neat and well designed: you can find objects without having to squint and tilt your head sideways. It is a pleasure to find the basics of a classic point and click game, and you can appreciate the few new ingredients that are sprinkled here and there. As for the usual narrative that mixes the fantasy paradigm with everyday life elements, it works like a charm. There is no wow effect in this new chapter, but it is a good vintage where a few visual approximations can be excused.

Despite its shortcomings mainly due to its collaborative funding and the size of the studio, the first title in the series was convincing. Now that it is supported by a publisher, we expected another level of realisation from the KeokeN Interactive team. Unfortunately, the result lacks a little je ne sais quoi to convince. The scenaristic qualities and the developer’s talent in the construction and the orchestration of the narrative manage once again to erase the technical defects. Nonetheless, it would be a shame to make a trademark of it. Whether or not you have done the first game, Deliver us Mars remains an enjoyable game worthy of being discovered.

Albacete Warrior deserves neither our time nor our money. Between its questionable artistic choices, its omnipresent vulgarity, its numerous handling problems and its absurd lifespan, it can only be destined to a particular audience of diehard indie game fans.

SpongeBob: The Cosmic Shake is not a bad game. We mainly criticise it for recycling well-established codes in the genre, ones they already exploited in the previous episode without ever trying to bring something more. The story is only a pretext, far from the standards the square sponge got us used to. The title does not offer a really tough challenge and it is all this that makes us say that the game is rather intended for children. An adult will still be able to enjoy going through levels as varied as the enemies to fight, though.

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is undoubtedly a great game. Despite some controller issues, it remains a must-have for all strategy fans, especially as it stays 100% true to the original content or gameplay. Primarily aimed at the most hardcore gamers and those without a powerful enough PC, do not expect to do more than the solo modes, especially in crossplay, unless you use a keyboard and mouse.

Technically, Backfirewall has everything to please: caustic humour, a minimalist and original art direction, a fresh concept and exciting puzzles. It is a shame that the handling and glitches are tarnishing the experience. It did not need much more to become a real favourite.

Raiden IV x MIKADO remix is clearly not for the occasional pilot, who should be advised to go for more affordable titles that are probably much less frustrating to complete. Saving the Earth has been a terribly serious business since the 1980s. This episode of the electrifying licence is hard to master and reminds us with a certain cheek and style that only training and perseverance are the keys to success. Of course, it is possible to confront the alien invasion with the difficulty settings at a minimum, but undermining the challenge would spoil the whole experience.

Sitting proudly at the top of the list when it comes to the topic of video game remakes, this new Dead Space version has everything to please. Beautiful, fluid, generous in content: the list goes on. Although it faithfully adapts the original game, it indulges in a few more than welcome novelties that modernise and improve the overall experience, topping its original model and offering one of the best survival horror games today. We can only hope that it will find the commercial success it deserves and that the sequel to the trilogy will also be remade. An (almost) faultless take.

Kingdom Rush’ success is by all means well deserved. Excellent in its proposals, it perfectly masters the codes of Tower Defense to offer us an exciting title. However, being a simple port of the mobile version removing the shop, its interest remains limited when compared to a free title that is similar in every way.

For a first game, the developers of Headware Games have done very well. Managing to capture the player’s attention and plunge them into a scary (but never terrifying) adventure, Chasing Static has enormous qualities and incredible gameplay ideas. It is a pity that they are spoiled by imprecise handling, old-fashioned graphics and a too short lifespan. Despite this, Headware Games is clearly a studio to look out for.

Shieldmaiden Remix Edition is an abject failure on all fronts. Unable to even reach the lower part of the spectrum of the games from which it vainly tries to take some inspiration, it adds to this another layer of abysmal content and sadness. One would be better off forgetting its very existence.

Despite some flaws, One Piece Odyssey is a fine tribute to the original work. In our opinion, it is the best One Piece video game adaptation to date. On the other hand, it is essential to take into account that the game fully follows the traditional codes of JRPGs, while making them more accessible. The choice of turn-based combats does not do justice to the spectacular battles and moves seen in the anime. But if you are a One Piece fan, you will love the game!

Children of Silentown is an enjoyable add to to the point’n click category. Its luminous art direction at the service of a rather dark story is sublimated by hand-drawn environments. Its shy intention to dust off proven mechanics could have been more assertive. Even if the title suffers from small flaws, notably in the lack of musical diversity, it remains a pleasant video game discovery for lovers of the genre.