1348 Ex Voto is a highly imperfect work that—much like its own history—thrives on dualities, on light and shadow, yet manages to leave a mark in its own way: a small *ex-voto* capable of speaking to us and our modern cages, drawing upon a Middle Ages that proves itself both intimate and relevant.
If we had to define Planet of Lana 2 in one word, it would definitely be "maturity." The same maturity the development team has poured into this work, both in terms of story and gameplay, improving it in every aspect. Ultimately, the series is a little gem because, like its protagonist, it looks to the past with admiration while resolutely aiming for new directions in an adventure that still has much to tell.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando reimagines a tried-and-true formula, transporting it to a new open-world setting where the Swarm Engine's capabilities once again demonstrate their effectiveness in managing hordes. The result is a riot of blood, bullets, gasoline, and ignorance that will delight anyone looking to spend an evening hunting zombies with friends. When everything runs smoothly, Saber Interactive's title effectively conveys the feeling of being in the middle of one of those apocalyptic films where the only priority is surviving yet another wave of the undead. However, the game's offerings, as they stand, are far too limited and quickly become repetitive. The project's underlying structure is solid and shows promise, but new content will be needed to transform Toxic Commando into something more than a fun cooperative shooter for a couple of evenings.
Once the dust has been cleared, one could say that Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is the same game released almost twenty-five years ago, simply given a thorough facelift. In reality, however subtle, the structural changes are significant in bringing this little masterpiece up to date, particularly regarding the combat system. All around, a series of embellishments demonstrate that Team Ninja didn't just do their homework, but tried to integrate as much as possible without distorting the authorial vein of the work. From this perspective, Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake represents an excellent example of video game preservation: a respectful restoration that doesn't rewrite the past, but simply makes it more accessible to the present.
Monster Hunter Stories 3 proves that with care and a willingness to experiment, even the most modest subseries can grow to truly deserve its reputation. The result is a JRPG that's both fresh and layered, with an identity built on the convergence of strategic combat, ecological conservation, and political narrative—three pillars that would risk clashing in another game, but here feed off each other with disarming ease. The most interesting question Twisted Reflection leaves open isn't about the present, but about the future. If the first Stories was an experiment, the second an evolution, and the third a maturation, where does the series go from here? The journey it's taken in ten years is that of an intellectual property that has found its identity almost by accident, achieving a creative outcome that no one, likely not even Capcom, had foreseen. Now that its identity is defined, the real challenge becomes not settling: proving that this formula can still surprise, that the next iteration won't be a consolidation but a new leap. If Capcom can keep up this courage, Stories has all the credentials to not only stand alongside the main Monster Hunter series, but to establish itself as one of the most relevant entries in the entire JRPG landscape.
WWE 2K26 presents itself to fans of great pro wrestling as a revised and improved version of the previous game that smooths out some rough edges (while, unfortunately, leaving others unchanged) and further increases the enormous amount of content that has all the makings of keeping fans engaged for several hundred hours. If you're a fan of the discipline and want to get caught up in the fervor of WrestleMania Season, perhaps with a group of friends, WWE 2K26 could be just the thing for you.
Pokémon Pokopia is the best pocket monster video game of the Switch era. If you enjoy gameplay that combines life simulation and construction, the definition could be expanded even further, making it one of the most interesting Pokémon titles ever. It's not a revolutionary game: it's simply a spin-off that confirms the untapped potential of a franchise that has so far been torn between highs and lows. The choice to rely on "bricks" makes the gameplay and technical structure more manageable, while the artistic direction may not be to everyone's taste. However, if you love Pokémon and want to immerse yourself in a simple and satisfying experience, you'll discover that Pokopia is much more than a hybrid between Animal Crossing and Minecraft.
The game features an excellent narrative with well-developed characters and psychological insight. The solid Liberation Linear Motion Battle System offers considerable satisfaction, and the enemy bestiary is well-researched and varied. Among the remaster's strengths are undoubtedly its technical performance, with 4K support and improved fluidity, as well as the inclusion of all previous DLC. However, some features are controversial to say the least, such as the ability to disable turn-based combat, as was the case in Baten Kaitos, and especially the application of censorship. These are choices intended for a wider audience, we understand, but purists may not be happy.
We'd love to talk about Requiem as a masterpiece, the best of the three most recent numbered titles in the series. Unfortunately, despite a first installment of the adventure capable of achieving excellent results, we can't do so, nor can we hide our bitter taste as longtime fans. This is because the success of the overall experience is partially compromised precisely when more space is given to an icon of the series, the protagonist of an action-horror section that simply doesn't live up to the previous one, though not without its own beautiful moments. We conclude by saying that yes, Requiem is still worth playing, even just to experience its evolved "zombies" and to discover how it looks to the series' past (and future).
The added value of the collection lies in its encyclopedic nature. You can examine detailed scans of the original packaging, cartridges and manuals in the US, EU and JAP editions, discovering precious details about the lore and world of the game. A gallery of illustrations, development documents and a compilation of all the soundtracks complete a truly rich package that demonstrates attention and love for the medium. Technically the porting is fluid and impeccable, although I recommend abandoning the analog sticks in favor of the directional cross to have greater control and precision in movements. Furthermore, remaining in the Playstation ecosystem, I found it perfect to play on Portal (both streaming and in the cloud). Ultimately, this is not a lazy emulation but a true operation of historical memory, restoring dignity to a series that contributed to defining the canons of a genre that continues to inspire modern titles. Super Bomberman Collection is not just a gift to the nostalgic to recover a glory of the past, but a bridge for the new generations, so that they can discover how a simple bomb could have laid the foundations of the video game.
