If you play this game focusing only on its single-player mode, you might end up disappointed, as the campaign is short, features a limited number of levels, and feels somewhat underwhelming. That said, it still offers a fun and dynamic shooting system, making it enjoyable enough to play through, even if it falls well short of the second and third installments. My rating: ***
Heaven Dust is an indie copy of the early Resident Evil games, featuring charming top-down 3D graphics and some well-designed puzzles, but it is held back by a lack of variety in combat and a few somewhat confusing sections. My score: ***
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Mastercrafted Edition is a remaster that visually updates the original 2011 release, delivering a noticeable and welcome graphical overhaul. However, beyond that aesthetic improvement, the revision feels somewhat limited, as it fails to fix all the errors and bugs that were already present in the original launch, which ultimately creates a sense of a missed opportunity. From a gameplay perspective, the passage of time also weighs on it. Its design feels closer to somewhat archaic shooters from the PlayStation 2 era, with simpler and more straightforward structures and mechanics, than to the more refined, spectacular, and polished style that came to define the generation shaped by Gears of War on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It comes across as less sophisticated in its cover design, encounter pacing, and overall variety of situations. All things considered, it remains a moderately enjoyable experience. Its direct and hard-hitting approach can still be entertaining, provided one accepts its technical and gameplay limitations, as well as the repetition that gradually becomes apparent over time. My rating: ***
Technically impressive thanks to its cel-shading style and excellent cinematics, which make it very visually striking even 24 years after its release. It’s a shame about its short length and repetitive combat, because it had the potential to be much better. My score: ***
After helping shape the immersive sim genre with Ultima Underworld, Warren Spector went on to develop System Shock, marking a true before-and-after moment in first-person games. It became the precursor to later masterpieces such as System Shock 2 and the acclaimed BioShock. This remake by Nightdive Studios updates the original in exemplary fashion, making it accessible to modern audiences without losing its identity, despite its high difficulty and occasionally frustrating level design. In any case, it is highly recommended for any lover of the immersive sim genre. My rating: ****
Yakuza: Dead Souls stands out for its irreverent humor, fun (though repetitive) shooting mechanics, and laugh-out-loud side missions. However, the lack of a stronger story and a deeper gameplay system prevents it from shining as it should. My score: ***
BioShock 2 is a game that recycles absolutely all the elements of its predecessor, without contributing anything truly new from a gameplay standpoint. In any case, it does feature some interesting narrative elements and is more or less entertaining while it lasts, although it is undoubtedly the weakest entry in the original trilogy. My score: ***
If you manage to forgive the stupid story and the numerous bugs, you will find one of the most fun and original Assassin’s Creed from the pre-Origins era. The spectacular naval battles stand out, as well as everything that happens while sailing across the seven seas, and a technical aspect that, when played at maximum settings on PC, is still quite solid even today. My rating: ****
Despite an ending that may not be entirely satisfying, A Way Out remains a brilliant and engaging co-op adventure that entertains from start to finish. While we wait for a remaster or remake in the style of Brothers, this title is still highly recommended for anyone who enjoys emotional, story-driven teamwork experiences. My rating: ****
Let’s face it: Turok was never a great shooter because of its frustrating platforming sections and rather unfair save points. And this remaster does absolutely nothing to change that. Not bad, but rather average and poorly aged. My score: ***
Fun, fast, and straightforward, though it doesn’t take many risks and feels very much like a continuation of the previous installment. The controls remain tight and responsive, offering that classic arcade sensation of instant fun without demanding much precision or realism. In any case, it will easily entertain fans of carefree, over-the-top driving and satisfy those looking for quick, accessible races full of color and energy. Perfect, too, for younger players or families sharing the controller. My score: ***
A pioneering game in its genre — the Hidden Object Game — which, despite not having a great story, manages to entertain and keep you hooked until the end. However, be warned: the Steam version has two issues — it doesn’t support full screen due to its low resolution, and it’s not available in Spanish Still, it’s quite recommendable if you enjoy this kind of experiences. My rating: ****
This expansion commits the three worst sins content of this kind can commit: it adds nothing in terms of gameplay, it's far too short, and it fails to fix any of the main game's issues—such as, in this case, the horrendous enemy AI. In any case, it does feature a couple of quite good puzzles. My rating: ***
Motorhead could have been a great arcade racer for the original PlayStation, thanks to its excellent technical performance and impressive sense of speed. However, it ultimately isn’t as fun as it should be, due to poorly balanced difficulty and a lack of track variety. My rating: ***
Although the story convinced me and has some absolutely epic moments, this game is too mechanically similar to the first one to be considered outstanding. In any case, it’s a good conclusion to the Norse era of God of War. My rating: ****
Although it feels like a genuine Silent Hill in terms of story and exploration, this installment brings a breath of fresh air to the franchise thanks to its wonderful setting in 1960s Japan and a greatly renewed combat system which, although somewhat divisive, I absolutely loved. It doesn’t reach the level of mastery of the incredible Silent Hill 2 Remake, but it’s still a very solid entry that shines on its own when compared to titles like the failed Homecoming and Downpour, or the mediocre **** Memories. My rating: ****
A good update of the classic game, which becomes very fun in local co-op despite a somewhat confusing progression system. On its own, it would be a pass, but in co-op it clearly deserves a solid rating. My score: ****
Fuel is a sort of precursor to Forza Horizon, standing out for the wide variety of vehicles, landscapes, and race types it offers. Without a doubt, a hidden gem of the PS3/Xbox 360 era. My rating: ****
Phantom Liberty is not the dream expansion for every Cyberpunk 2077 fan due to its slow pace and a heavy, tedious ending. However, it is still a remarkable piece of entertainment, where Idris Elba and Keanu Reeves truly shine. My score: ****
Survival horror in the purest 90s style, retaining the virtues of games of that era but also some of their flaws, such as dull combat and, in my opinion, overly complicated puzzles that continually break the game’s pacing. My score: ***
A true spiritual successor to the beloved F.E.A.R. series which, while not quite on the same level narratively, absolutely delivers in terms of gameplay with intense, bloody, and highly enjoyable shootouts. My rating: ****
WRC 5 offers an accessible rally experience, with a good selection of vehicles and official stages. Its gameplay leans more towards arcade than simulation, which may appeal to casual players but could disappoint more demanding fans. Visually, it’s modest and suffers from some technical issues, though it gets the job done overall. In summary, it was a decent reboot for the series under new developer Kylotonn—pleasant to play, but ultimately unremarkable in any particular area. My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Poor level design compared to the first part, and an absolutely insane story... But it makes up for it with a brutal and bloody combat system that keeps you hooked until the end.
The only flaw I can point out in this game is Ashley’s annoying breathing sound effects, because everything else makes it an exemplary remake — an absolute joy to play, super fun, ultra gory, and incredibly satisfying. Highly recommended. My rating: *****
Return to Castle Wolfenstein was the closest thing to a triple-A first-person shooter back in 2001. However, it would now require a remaster that updates the controls, difficulty, and other aspects of the game in order to be fully enjoyed today. Even so, it’s still worth playing. My rating: ***
The main story drags on too much toward the end, and the artificial intelligence is absolutely disastrous… But that doesn't stop this game from being a playable delight, and instead of copying Uncharted and Tomb Raider, it manages to stand out as a product with its own personality, and the best thing that has been done with the character created by George Lucas in decades. My rating: ****
The marvelous art direction and the splendid soundtrack of Okami can't hide a game burdened by ridiculous dialogues that constantly interrupt the pacing, as well as gameplay that starts off brilliantly but eventually becomes repetitive, making the second half of the adventure unbearable. Even so, it's still worth at least giving it a try. My rating: ***
A very challenging game with a deep combat system that also pays tribute to action cinema and films like Old Boy, The Raid, and classic Hong Kong martial arts movies. My rating: ****
Nintendo delivered a clever deconstruction of third-person shooters—one that’s as fun as it is charming, and also features a splendid technical presentation that has aged remarkably well. My rating: ****
Based on the foundation of Far Cry 4, Primal immerses us in a prehistoric world with sublime atmosphere, wonderful graphics, and captivating wildlife. However, it is held back by a derivative gameplay that makes you miss firearms, and unfortunately, its story doesn’t quite measure up. Despite everything, it’s still worth playing. My rating: ***
The real Need for Speed Nitro, much better than the mediocre DS version. That said, it’s still just a decent arcade racer and nothing more. It’s fun while it lasts, but the lack of depth in its driving mechanics and the repetitive nature of its events prevent it from reaching greater heights. Moreover, it’s not really representative of the classic style of the series either. So it ends up being clearly neither here nor there. My rating: ***
Building on the gameplay framework of the first Amnesia—which was itself an evolution of what we saw in Penumbra (Frictional Games’ debut title)—The Chinese Room crafted this new story, which isn't really a sequel but rather a standalone entry that feels much weaker both in gameplay and narrative terms. Despite being short, it ends up feeling drawn-out, simplistic, and emotionally flat. The puzzles are very easy, the enemy encounters are quite poor, and the storytelling relies heavily on reading documents—arguably the worst choice they could have made. Only the music and the atmosphere are worth mentioning… And not much else.
An interesting blend between Warframe and Demon's Souls, featuring an excellent combat system, great artistic direction, and numerous boss battles. Unfortunately, the game isn’t perfect due to some levels feeling a bit confusing and repetitive, as well as certain (optional) puzzles that end up being tedious to solve. My rating: ****
The DS version of this Nintendo-exclusive Need for Speed entry is very different from the Wii version—so much so that you could say they’re entirely different games that just share the same name. As for the DS version, what we have here is a very simplistic arcade racer that feels archaic to play, with visuals that would even make the original PlayStation blush. So unless you're a hardcore series completionist, I strongly recommend avoiding this DS game at all costs and going straight to the Wii version if you're curious about what this Nintendo-exclusive Nitro is all about. My rating: **
This game boasts a bombastic campaign packed with utterly over-the-top moments — it’s like the playable equivalent of Fast & Furious. The downside is that it throws in a bunch of different mechanics without really going deep into any of them, ending up as a clear example of "jack of all trades, master of none." Still, it’s an experience worth having, even if it's completely superficial and forgettable in the long run. My score: ***
Before the Pixel Remaster version existed, the PSP port was perhaps the best way to enjoy this title. And honestly, I loved it! For a game from 1987, it has some incredible ideas. My score: ****
Kojima failed with this title, which completely lacks rhythm due to the constant cutscenes, messages, and codecs that repeatedly break the flow **** that also features shallow and uninspired gameplay. Undoubtedly, the lowest point in the entire series. My score: **
What could have been a great first-person shooter for Android is marred by constant microtransactions and an unfinished main campaign. On top of that, it's too similar to the first installment, making it a shooter that's hard to recommend. My rating: **
Just like in Control, Remedy makes the mistake in The Lake House of basing the narrative of this expansion on dozens of readable documents, which constantly breaks the game’s pacing. A shame, since otherwise this expansion is a clever blend of Control’s atmosphere and level design with the excellent shooting mechanics of Alan Wake 2. My score: ***
This second season of The Last Door fails to reach the level of the first due to a confusing level design, some poorly designed puzzles, and a story that isn’t as well executed. In any case, if you enjoyed the first installment, it's worth playing, as it holds some truly terrifying moments and at least provides a worthy conclusion to a somewhat convoluted script. My rating: ***
Crysis 3 successfully combines the more tactical and sandbox approach of the first Crysis with the spectacle and visceral action of the second installment, while also introducing some very well-executed new ideas. However, it is so short that it fails to fully develop its excellent premise, giving the impression that with one or two more years of development, it could have ended up being the best entry in the series—something it unfortunately doesn't quite achieve despite its great potential. My rating: ****
After playing many From Software games, I ended up feeling oversaturated with the soulslike genre. However, I played through Lies of P all the way to the end. Fine story, excellent artistic design, and solid combat make this Neowiz title the best Miyazaki-inspired game I've ever played. My rating: ****
A gorgeous game that has run flawlessly on my PC and is an absolute joy to play in co-op. And the best part is that it constantly surprises you, packing a great variety of mechanics into its three-hour runtime. My rating: ****
Good game, with very polished shooting mechanics. However, its mission structure, designed around a live-service model, ended up putting me off. My score: ***
Possibly the Halo game with the most generic campaign and the most inconsequential and incomprehensible story. It has some decent moments, but overall, it’s just an okay experience. My rating: ***
The killer girl Ellie continues taking down both infected and non-infected in an expansion of The Last of Us, whose biggest flaw is that it doesn’t last twice as long. Even so, there’s time to fill in some gaps in the main story and introduce a few interesting mini-games. My rating: ****
Few games put you in the shoes of a killer as efficiently and brutally as The Last of Us Part I, where you play as two characters who kill hundreds of people—both guilty and innocent—just to survive. But despite being morally reprehensible, it's hard to deny that the game's technical execution is stunning, and the gameplay is highly satisfying. My rating: ****
In its attempt to be deep and profound, the game ends up feeling heavy towards the end. In any case, it has some fun platforming sections and a wonderful artistic direction, making it worth playing. My rating: ***
In its attempt to be deep and profound, the game ends up feeling heavy towards the end. In any case, it has some fun platforming sections and a wonderful artistic direction, making it worth playing. My rating: ***
