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Kingdom Loop tries to be a clone of Loop Hero, without fully succeeding, with progression issues, imbalances and little bite, but despite everything you can tell the substance is there and perhaps it just takes a little to recalibrate the product, which certainly should have launched in early access, but which will certainly see major changes in the coming months... perhaps.

Invincible VS is the first fighting game inspired by the comic book (and animated series) of the same name, throwing us into a brutal, adrenaline-fueled world where we can unleash incredible powers. The roster, made up of 18 characters at launch, is varied and allows for genuinely interesting three-character teams that can pull off some solid, choreographic combos. The game is fluid, accessible, and caters to a wide range of skill levels: after a few matches, even those who don't live and breathe fighting games will find real satisfaction in the battles, despite some minor balance issues and character switching that isn't always seamless. We didn't find Invincible VS in great shape when it comes to single-player content — there's very little of it, and what stands out is a story that didn't quite win us over, on top of being far too short. Then again, the Quarter Up and Skybound Entertainment fighter is squarely aimed at multiplayer and the competitive scene, where players will go at each other tooth and nail to reach the top. It remains to be seen what impact it will have on the competitive landscape and how it will be received by those who treat fighting games as their religion. It doesn't always shine, but it does show us that something fun and genuinely competitive can be built from this IP. If Invincible VS manages to hold players' attention and listens to community feedback, we'll be hearing about it for months to come.

An interactive storytelling enthusiast—evidently captivated by *Disco Elysium*—decided to create a similar video game, albeit opting for a fantasy setting. The result is a title that, in many respects, closely resembles ZA/UM’s game; however, to reduce it to a mere variation on a theme would be unfair. Esoteric Ebb is a work capable of immersing the player in a complex universe, offering a commendable degree of role-playing freedom, and embedding its narrative within a gameplay framework that is, in some ways, superior even to that of *Disco Elysium* itself. If you aren't daunted by extensive on-screen reading and have a love for RPGs, give Esoteric Ebb a chance—you won't be disappointed.

Despite the 'Enhanced Edition' label, The Shore's console release fails to salvage a fundamentally flawed experience. While the creature design is genuinely unsettling and the opening moments build a solid, oppressive atmosphere, the game quickly devolves into a disjointed theme park of Lovecraftian tropes. Bogged down by clunky exploration, uninspired puzzles, and a narrative that loses all focus and logical progression, it ultimately fails to stand out in a heavily saturated genre. A missed opportunity that sinks just below a passing grade.

Years go by, but Milestone continues to deliver for both its fans and MotoGP enthusiasts. MotoGP 26 is a solid and entertaining title, capable of satisfying players willing to put in the effort to master these two-wheeled beasts, while also welcoming more casual gamers thanks to its arcade mode. Compared to the previous installment, there are several additions in terms of both content and gameplay, although most of them are refinements to the handling system and physics rather than major innovations. There’s no revolution here, but tampering too much with the series’ core formula would have been a mistake considering how much enjoyment it already provides to fans. Of course, we would have liked to see a deeper career mode and slightly more reactive AI, but that doesn’t take away from the overall quality of the package offered by MotoGP 26. If you want an experience capable of making you fully appreciate everything the MotoGP world has to offer, this is definitely the game for you. And it doesn’t matter if a few flaws still remain: learning how to truly understand your bike and mastering every corner of every track until you finally set the perfect lap time is a satisfaction beyond compare. Are you ready to jump into the saddle and challenge Marc Márquez and Marco Bezzecchi for the top step of the podium?

Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard works as a creative experiment that translates the chaotic and ironic soul of Vampire Survivors into a fast and unpredictable card formula: it's not as deep as a traditional deck-builder, but it bets everything on rhythm, surprises and short sessions, offering a light and fun experience especially for those who love the original universe and want something different without too many complications.

Aphelion marks the full maturity of Don’t Nod, as the team successfully breaks free from its self-imposed "creative cage" to deliver a raw and essential sci-fi work. Thanks to the collaboration with the ESA, the journey on Persephone avoids all clichés, transforming into a plausible and terrifying projection of our climate crisis and the urgent need to seek refuge elsewhere. The gameplay effectively splits between Ariane’s physical exploration and Thomas’s slow-burn investigation, where oxygen management and the threat of the Nemesis convey the scale of a titanic environment indifferent to human life. Visually monumental, the title stuns with its photorealistic glaciers and an alien soundscape enriched by Amine Bouhafa’s soundtrack. By tackling urgent themes like the New Space Economy and climate migration, Aphelion is not just a video game, but a political work that reminds us that the future depicted is no longer a matter of "if," but "when."

Until Then is a graphic adventure with incredible potential, capable of moving the player through its coming-of-age story—an ordinary one, blended with a mix of supernatural elements. The delicacy with which certain situations are handled, along with the excellent direction behind this narrative—also superbly adapted into Italian—captivated us and prompted reflection on some fundamental aspects of everyone’s life, despite a slightly different cultural impact compared to the Western one. This is the strength of video games: a medium capable of introducing us to different cultures through dynamic storytelling, while preserving the core meaning of life itself. The gameplay mechanics are limited, and the mini-games lack creativity, but that’s a minor issue: Until Then explores something deeply human, with rich (sometimes even too detailed) and sincere dialogues that let us breathe in a bit of Filipino culture. Moreover, in the second half of the game, there are some compelling twists that change everything. So get your tissues ready and set aside some time for the adventure by Polychroma Games, now also available on Xbox Series.

By abandoning its iconic diorama perspective for a generic and clunky first-person view, Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes completely loses the soul of the franchise. Plagued by frustrating climbing mechanics, snap-turning issues, and an empty fan-service narrative, this short two-hour hide-and-seek experience fails to capture the tragic melancholy of the original games. Despite decent sound design and the inherent immersion of VR, it remains a deeply disappointing transition.

SAROS stands out confidently and without a shadow of a doubt as one of the best PlayStation 5 exclusives, the result of an extremely polished and intelligent effort by Housemarque. It's not simply an evolution of Returnal, but a bold step forward that finds its strength in a remarkably well-achieved balance between challenge, depth, and accessibility. The game manages to make a typically demanding structure more readable and manageable, without ever truly simplifying it. The progression is smart and rewarding, the gunplay precise and satisfying, while new mechanics add complexity without ever feeling frustrating. Everything is designed with one clear goal in mind: to guide you through the experience in the best possible way. The result is an excellent experience on every level — solid, polished, and perfectly balanced. SAROS doesn't just improve on what came before; it demonstrates that it's possible to elevate a genre while keeping the challenge intact, making it at the same time more modern and accessible.