MondoXbox

DON'T NOD delivers a linear, narrative-driven space adventure focused on the connection between its two protagonists. While it shows excellent direction and great characterization, it stumbles on a basic level design, repetitive gameplay, and an underdeveloped story plot. A flawed yet very fascinating interstellar journey.

Life is Strange: Reunion drives us through a nostalgic trip back in time, bringing Max and Chloe together again in a comfortable and familiar adventure. However, its heavy reliance on recycled assets, overly conservative gameplay, and a lack of true narrative courage prevent it from reaching the emotional heights of its predecessors.

REPLACED is an awesome debut for Sad Cat Studios, who deliver us a fascinating cyberpunk pixel art adventure with satisfying combat. Despite some balancement issues, it remains a great action-platformer and a must-play for fans of dystopian sci-fi adventures.

Tides of Tomorrow stands out thanks to its narrative structure and its novel asynchronous multiplayer system, which adds personality to the journey without feeling gimmicky. Thanks to its ability to engage us with complex and impactful choices, and despite some pacing issues and predictable plot twists, it remains a fascinating adventure.

Hades II surpasses every expectation, delivering one of the most accomplished roguelike experiences ever. Deep, addictive, and impeccably balanced, it keeps us glued to the controller with rich content and refined gameplay, coupled with a strong narrative and stunning visuals.

Well-conceived and beautifully crafted, Pragmata is a remarkable and enjoyable game. It might lack that extra gear needed to enter the pantheon of masterpieces, but if the goal is to offer a solid and thrilling experience, it completely hits the mark.

Crimson Desert is a massive and ambitious project defined by its extremes: it presents itself as a vast open-world game that incorporates the greatest modern gaming achievements, yet it suffers from a fragmented identity, shoddy storytelling, and an overwhelming abundance of content that stifles its original spirit. Nevertheless, it’s an adventure that’s well worth your attention, poised to improve steadily through dedicated post-launch support.

Marathon is a carefully crafted extraction shooter: Bungie uses all its artistic and technical expertise to deliver an intense, brutal, and challenging experience, with a frantic and highly competitive gameplay supported by a unique artistic direction. Its uncompromising difficulty and punishing endgame might not be for everyone, but it remains a fascinating and rewarding journey for anyone willing to brave the harsh world of Tau Ceti IV.

Darwin’s Paradox is a charming 2.5D action-platformer capable of offering pleasing visuals, brilliant level design, and varied gameplay. Darwin’s adventure is entertaining and driven by clever mechanics and humor, even if occasional frustration arises from trial-and-error sections and imprecise underwater controls. Despite this, it remains a solid and entertaining platformer well worth playing.

Towerborne impresses with its stunning art direction and simple, lighthearted, and intuitive gameplay, but it leaves the impression that, in the transition to its final form, it lost something along the way, resulting in a game that’s less engaging and captivating than it was during its early access period. The result is a title that’s visually stunning and enjoyable to play, but less immersive than it could have been.