Softpedia

I think Serious Sam: Shatterverse is a good roguelike, as the structure is solid, and the gameplay is tense. However, it loses some of the Serious Sam aura and appeal, because it has a very slow start, and there aren’t a ton of levels here. You are also encouraged to grind quite a lot, which in the case of a roguelike can get boring extremely fast. It does have some good parts though. Once the game gets going, it has fantastic gameplay and it truly feels like an addictive and very intense shooter. It’s also very good especially in coop, when you create synergies with the other players. Plus, the mutators and varied builds give you plenty of replay value, since you can experiment with something new all the time. It’s not exactly the best Serious Sam game out there, but it’s certainly serviceable and an interesting entry in the roguelite space.

Deified delivers a good mix of interlocked systems that deeply influence its turn-based battles. Players need to think about permanent upgrades and cartographer choices before they even start a run. Once Sator enters the temple, it’s important to consider the best possible artifact combinations and opportunities to get health back, while thinking about the build that can deal with the coming boss. The game’s difficulty curve means that it’s tough to get past more than the first boss without investing in upgrades, which requires multiple runs focused on obol acquisition, by which point the battles might lose some of their fun. Deified is a solid run-driven video game that asks players to invest time and energy to unlock all its shiny combat toys.

I had fun with Voidface, although I will be the first to say that this is not a game for everyone. It’s intense, it has some cool mechanics, and the bosses are fun to go against, albeit quite frustrating at times. Additionally, I liked the soundtrack which changes based on the boss stage you’re in, so it’s a pretty cool experience and adventure here. Having every encounter as a boss-tier enemy is not new, but it shows that you have to adapt and figure out the best attack strategies. Plus, the spellcasting system having directional motion inputs is amazing, and it adds a great sense of value to the gameplay. Voidface is a game where precision matters, and you need to get better and better at it with every death. But if you do, it feels very satisfying.

I had an amazing time with RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and I find it to be one of the top survival games released in the past few years. It has a wonderful building system, and spells are not a forgotten item, they are at the core of the game in many ways. The progression system is simple, yet addictive, and the co-op gameplay is one of the best in its genre. RuneScape: Dragonwilds certainly has some flaws, like building restrictions, excessive grind, repetitive combat, which can sometimes deter you from playing more. But if you get through the more challenging initial section, you will find a delightful, cozy survival experience with a beautiful story, one that you’ll want to replay at least once.

NASCAR 26 is a great evolution for the NASCAR game series and for me, it’s the best one yet. It’s definitely not perfect, as it suffers from issues like inconsistent AI difficulty, shallow career management, some poor audio at times, along with some missing features. I felt the lack of local split screen, which would help make the game better. However, it’s certainly an improvement when compared to the previous titles. The dynamic track technology makes these tracks more photorealistic than before, the AI is great and sometimes way too competitive, the driving and physics felt excellent, and the game’s visuals and lighting are a step up from predecessors. If you love NASCAR and want to feel that adrenalin in a videogame format, then NASCAR 26 is the best option available.

ENDLESS Legend 2 is a great turn-based strategy game. It takes familiar genre ideas and enhances them in fun ways, while featuring eight factions that play differently. City expansion and development is the game’s most complex and engaging element, while tactical battles are its most familiar and, after a while, boring. Tidefalls and monsoons tweak the familiar rhythm of a 4X, and, alongside the many narrative-driven quests, keep exploration interesting in the long term. The title’s many interlocking systems can be somewhat opaque for genre newcomers, but reading explanations for keywords helps a lot. My biggest problem with the design is that there are only three victory paths to work with, and some factions don’t feel suited to them. I’ve already spent close to 80 hours with ENDLESS Legend 2, and the game has the variety to deliver fun turns for at least 80 more.

I had a great time with Active Matter, and I think it’s the type of game that brings a lot of potential. Thankfully, the developers are committed to future updates, which hopefully will make the game even better. The title has a very repetitive flow, the PvE difficulty needs some fine tuning, and I also encountered a few bugs like not being able to interact with important items within the game. The onboarding phase could also use some improvements. However, Active Matter still has a lot of great things, too. For example, the atmosphere is very immersive and the way they integrate the active matter into the gameplay and story is very good. The progression system is also rewarding, since it allows you to focus on getting quality loot. Plus, physics and spatial anomalies can be used to your advantage. If you’re a fan of Stalker, SCP and similar titles or just want a cleverly made extraction game, there’s a lot to like here, but keep in mind this is not a game for the faint of heart.

Roguecraft DX is a great, fun-sized title for any players who get nostalgic when they see the presentation or love the idea of fighting by simply bumping into enemies. The core mechanics are easy to pick up, the graphics are retro, and a full run rarely gets past the 30-minute mark. But it’s very easy to become bored with the repetitive nature of the gameplay, and neither the presentation nor the narrative can help with that. Roguecraft DX is a nice diversion, but it needs to add extra mechanics or at least a progression layer to make it more than a modern museum piece.

HOT WHEELS Infinite Rush features an exceptional multiplayer where you can truly test your skills. It’s a worthwhile purchase for all racing fans, and a no-brainer for anyone who played the previous HOT WHEELS Milestone games. However, the open world can be an acquired taste, yet if you give it a shot, you’re bound to have hours and hours of fun here.

The Blood of Dawnwalker has many faults, and the biggest one is that it overpromises a world full of mysteries, treasures and supernatural creatures, and it’s not even let you explore it fully. There’s a huge amount of filler content that you absolutely must go through in order to progress the main story, but the very few story moments in the game manage to balance the lack of good side-quests. In a way, The Blood of Dawnwalker feels more like a sandbox adventure where you make your own story rather than play one that’s been predetermined by the writer. It’s different, but not necessarily better or worse than what we’re used to.