Gameliner

UFC 6 delivers where it matters most: the fights. The action is intense, satisfying, and backed by the strongest presentation the series has seen to date. Some new additions, like The Gym and Flow State, feel unnecessary and can disrupt the pace. Still, with its refined gameplay and robust career offerings, UFC 6 earns its place as the best entry in the franchise so far, even though it doesn’t win by knockout.

Square Enix has another successful JRPG on its hands with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millenium Tales. This charming HD-2D time-travel adventure may not reinvent the genre, but its entertaining story, beautiful visuals, and rewarding exploration make for a cozy and enjoyable journey. The action-based combat is somewhat simplistic and occasionally imprecise, yet players who can overlook those flaws will find a highly recommendable adventure.

Schrödinger’s Call is a hidden gem that proves powerful storytelling can leave a lasting impact without reinventing gameplay. Its emotional, relatable stories and creative character building make for a memorable eight-hour journey. The heavy themes and intense visual effects won’t be for everyone, but those who can handle them will discover one of the more unique indie experiences in recent memory.

With MOLE, Off Black Creations has managed to find a way to dig deep into the player's core by presenting it with something seemingly simple as a repair sim and then cranking up the psychological horror. Once the metaphors start to make sense, MOLE hits you right in the feels, while simultaniously making you run around in circles to keep it together in every sense of the word. There's only a few minor flaws that can halt the progress, but you'll really need to dig for them to find them a grievance.

Gothic 1 Remake stays remarkably faithful to the original, perhaps even a little too faithful, offering a demanding journey that refuses to hold your hand and makes every bit of progress feel earned. The challenge remains rewarding throughout, but the combat continues to feel stiff and cumbersome even after significant advancement, which undermines the action-RPG experience. Audiovisually, the remake is largely impressive aside from its often lifeless NPCs, making it an easy recommendation for longtime fans but a game newcomers should approach with caution.

The first few hours deliver a standard survival experience, with tree chopping and attention to thirst and hunger. After that, progression slows down due to excessive grinding for too little reward. While it may appeal to players focused on building, exploration-driven gameplay feels underdeveloped in Solarpunk.

NBA The Run has the DNA of a true NBA Jam or NBA Street successor, but fumbles too often to truly shine. The gameplay loop is fun at its core, yet frustrating mechanics and always-online requirements constantly get in the way. With its grindy structure and questionable longevity, it’s hard to recommend at launch, especially if you’re looking for a lasting arcade basketball experience.

Voidling Bound boasts a fantastic premise, blending creature collecting, evolution, breeding, and third-person shooter combat into a uniquely engaging experience that often feels like a mix of Spore, Risk of Rain, and Pokémon. Discovering new evolution paths, collecting parts, and experimenting with gene splicing provides plenty of creative enjoyment, but the game's potential is held back by uneven balance, simplistic combat, and an endgame that lacks meaningful challenge.

Crushed In Time is one of those games that just 'clicks', even if it has some minor but annoying flaws. Thanks to the immeasurable amount of creativity at Draw Me A Pixel, Crushed In Time overcomes the repetitiveness that comes with relying on a single gameplay mechanic of picking at stuff to make it move, bounce or fling. Fair warning though: certain scenes might turn you rabbid #IYKWIM.

How you'll experience your return to Stauf's mansion will depend on your last visit. If that visit was 33 years ago, you'll be happy to see what Vertigo Games has done with the place. If you were there in 2023 - wearing a VR headset as you were puzzling your way out - you'll be dealing with the exact same place, minus some previous annoyances. Either way, Stauf is thrilled to taunt you again, no matter how long it has been since you last payed him a visit.