MGG

The potential of The Adventures of Elliot is undeniable, but it’s never fully realized. Its highly repetitive world-building and gameplay, weighed down by a limited roster of enemies, end up overshadowing the few good ideas that Square Enix’s Zelda-inspired game brings to the table. Still, it’s a very solid adventure that will keep you entertained for 20 to 30 hours.

Even though it’s far from perfect, Gothic 1 Remake succeeds in significantly modernizing the original game while preserving everything that made it so charming. It’s still an old-school RPG, offering players a great deal of freedom and the chance to lose themselves in a world that’s both extremely harsh and distinctive, without ever holding their hand. But now, it’s much richer visually, and some of the gameplay flaws have been smoothed out a bit. This doesn’t erase all the clunkiness and flaws of the original game, while the improvements to combat and the interface clearly didn’t go far enough. The numerous bugs and performance issues are also real problems at this point. Even for Gothic fans and those seeking an old-school experience, it’s best to wait before diving in, for an optimal gaming experience.

Far from perfect, Mina the Hollower is still a particularly satisfying game, skillfully blending 2D Zelda, Souls-like elements, and original mechanics, all wrapped up in a Game Boy Color aesthetic that will melt the hearts of nostalgia-seekers. It does have a few collision issues and some odd game design choices, but nothing enough to detract from a solid experience from start to finish.

After all the doubts surrounding its development and direction, 007 First Light pleasantly surprised us. It skillfully blends varied gameplay segments while delivering a highly cinematic, “James Bond-esque” experience. The production values are solid, and the story is compelling enough for the genre—if you overlook the usual implausibilities. The franchise has made a successful video game reboot, and we’re curious to see what IO Interactive does with it next.

Despite its strong concept, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book failed to fully win us over. Of the game’s dozens of short levels, only a handful stuck with us, due to significant repetitiveness in the gameplay and underdeveloped ideas. That said, we must commend the originality and risk-taking behind this new title from Good-Feel, which should delight trophy hunters and completionists.

Ultimately, LEGO Batman: The Dark Knight’s Legacy is a must-have for anyone who loves LEGO games and the Batman universe. Its generosity and ingenuity in drawing on the best elements of the Arkham series elevate this installment to a higher level, making it far from “simplistic.” Its longevity is unquestionably among the best you’ll find in this genre, and the variety of gameplay options keeps things fresh enough to prevent boredom. Not to mention all the events involving Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight that we relive, along with the usual shenanigans of the LEGO series, which give this new game a very unique flavor and identity.

While the Forza Horizon series could be criticized for treading water, there’s no denying the effectiveness of Playground Games’ formula, which is at its peak in this sixth installment: the Japan of FH6 is stunning, rich, and a joy to explore. Without even trying, it has become the new gold standard for arcade racing games—a position previously held by Forza Horizon 5.

Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes is an excellent adaptation of the franchise as a whole, as well as a very good FTL-style game. It features all the standout elements of the TV series, combined with original and well-designed gameplay. The battles are intense, but so are the management phases, and there’s easily enough content to keep you busy for dozens of hours. Boredom does eventually set in, though, since the battle format and crises don’t change up enough. But for a fairly modest, low-priced game, it remains a genuine success, and you can’t help but relaunch a space adventure every now and then with great pleasure.

While more accessible than Returnal, Saros is still a real gameplay knockout. Its overly cryptic world will likely leave many players in the dust, and the replayability typical of roguelikes isn’t necessarily there, but it makes up for it with a string of memorable bosses and new ways to utilize Arjun’s abilities. As with Housemarque’s previous game, this is undoubtedly one of the best PS5 exclusives.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is the kind of expansion we love, offering additional content across nearly every aspect of the game. While it doesn’t bring any groundbreaking changes, the new features are solid and enhance a game that was definitely in need of a boost. Equipment management and high-level activities in particular should benefit from this, thanks in part to the update accompanying the release. Unless you fundamentally dislike the game’s gameplay, this is a great opportunity to dive into Diablo 4 or resume your adventures in Sanctuary.