Spirit of the North 2 is a step forward in many ways. It looks beautiful, the gameplay is more extensive and the puzzles are a lot more interesting. You can even personalize your fox. But where the first part was sometimes too limited, part two goes a bit too far in the other direction. The open world offers freedom, but without a clear structure it quickly becomes confusing and frustrating. It is a game that tries to enchant you with the beautiful images, but it forgets that the gameplay must also be in good shape. These are not problems that cannot be solved and I hope the creators take the time to fix this with a patch. But at the moment you are better off picking up the first part if you really want to run around as a fox.
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The Precinct comes at just the right time and combines nostalgia and modern gameplay in a wonderful way. The atmosphere and the city breathe eighties and make you feel like you are in an action movie from that era. It feels refreshing to be on the right side for once, and you actually have to follow the rules. This is a game that you have to give yourself some time, but when the random chaos breaks loose, everything comes to life. I can't wait for the sequel, hopefully bigger and more ambitious in design. The wait for GTA 6 will be a lot more pleasant this way.
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The game teaches you more about James Ensor in a playful way, and perhaps even more importantly: it invites you to really look. At art, at details, at the stories behind the work. Please, Touch the Artwork 2 was made with great care and love by solo developer Thomas Waterzooi and knows how to combine art and play in an accessible way. It is creative, relaxing and above all original. It is therefore a pity that you get through it quickly, and the price tag is on the high side. But if you have any interest in old artists, it is good to support this game, hopefully we will get a nice compilation with all the Belgian masters.
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DOOM: The Dark Ages is perhaps the toughest DOOM title to date. The new weapons, especially the Shield Saw, are great. The story and the Slayer mythology are told in a cool way. The combination of brutal combat, immersive atmosphere and impressive level design make this one of the best single-player shooters of the year. Where other games stick to safe formulas, this game dares to do something really new, without losing that raw, tough DOOM feeling.
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Steel Seed is a game full of missed opportunities. The solid stealth elements and occasionally impressive visual moments show potential, but that is overshadowed by a weak story, flat characters, and repetitive gameplay. The skill system offers short-lived entertainment, but can't hide the fact that Steel Seed ultimately remains stuck in mediocrity. For fans hungry for a new stealth adventure, Steel Seed may be worth picking up, as long as they temper their expectations. But for many, this game will disappear into a pile, never to be touched again.
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Days Gone Remastered is finally a remaster of a game that many players probably missed. Technical improvements, clever DualSense support and new modes breathe new life into this underrated classic, even though some rough edges remain visible here and there. Fortunately, these drawbacks are more than compensated for by the intense atmosphere, memorable moments and the cool mix of survival, exploration and bike maintenance. Days Gone Remastered is still not perfect, but it does give me more hope for a sequel. After all, as a player you are still left with a number of unanswered questions.
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Sunderfolk knows exactly what it wants to be: an accessible RPG experience that you share with friends. The controls on your phone are smart, the combat is tactical, and the world feels alive and full of choices. There’s no hassle of setting up a board or finding a dungeon master. The game is chock full of content, and for groups of friends who’ve always wanted to try a tabletop RPG but haven’t had the time or inclination to delve into the rules, Sunderfolk is a godsend. It may not be revolutionary in terms of visuals or mechanics, but it carves out a new niche. This should be the perfect introduction to both analogue and digital RPGs. But it still falls a bit short. The game is on the slow side and lacks some streamlining. The phones feel like a cool gimmick. The less than stellar visuals can be partly ignored, but the game simply doesn’t offer enough truly cool moments, whether as a video game or a board game.
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Soulslinger: Envoy of Death is a fresh mix of genres that come together surprisingly well. Everything works. The weapons are fun to play with, the progression system is logical and the interface is clear. You can tell that the creators worked on this game with a lot of passion. The western-fantasy mix is fresh, and the nice conversations between Death and our gunslinger make you go through large amounts of arenas with pleasure. Despite the limited weapon selection and the fact that the game does not offer much choice everywhere, it all feels cool. Soulslinger is stylish, challenging and bloody entertaining.
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Star Overdrive comes as a complete surprise and perfectly fills the gap after Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The world is cool, huge and full of surprises. Both your keytar and hoverboard are cool additions that really come into their own. The game looks like Breath of the Wild and squeezes beautiful images from the Switch. Unfortunately, it is not a perfect game, the crafting is unclear and clumsily worked out. But hopefully that will become clearer with more playing time, because I just keep playing. After more than ten hours I am far from done!
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The fighting system in Bleach: Rebirth of Souls is surprisingly good. The gameplay is deep and challenging, and even if you’re unfamiliar with the characters, the effects and animations make for impressive moments. However, the story mode is a big part of the game, and the lackluster presentation detracts from the experience. The cutscenes are too long, the fights too short, and the overall presentation is disappointing. For fans who come purely for the fights, this is one of the better arena fighters. But if you’re looking for an immersive story experience that does Bleach justice, this is probably best skipped.
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MLB The Show 25 perfectly emulates the atmosphere and experience of visiting a baseball game. The presentation of the menus and the large amount of animations make for a cool end result. However, the long history and the hardcore fan base make it a game that you don't just jump into. But if you are willing to really get to know the sport and put in the time, then this is the baseball game to pick up. It gives a nice glimpse into the world of one of America's favorite sports and makes you suddenly want a tasty hot dog.
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Turtle Knight Games knows how to add something fresh to the roguelike genre and that is great. The gameplay is fast, challenging and chaotic. This could be a perfect game to quickly play on the Nintendo Switch . But unfortunately everything around the levels feels a bit slow. Unlocking upgrades, changing levels and walking to the next subway happens at a snail's pace. This ensures that this entertaining game ultimately does not qualify for the Eredivisie.
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Expectations were high after It Takes Two, but Hazelight shows that they really know what it means to create a cool co-op experience. The game is packed with diverse gameplay elements, cool visuals and an entertaining story. The big ambitions could have gone completely wrong, but the gamble pays off. This is the co-op game to play this year.
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Carmen Sandiego is a breath of fresh air in the gaming landscape, but comes across as a B-title due to minor flaws. The slow XP progression and mandatory side missions slow the game down. The mini-games are too easy and the linear campaign offers little replay value. Still, the educational elements and the cool storyline are big pluses. Fans of the franchise and players who like to test their geographical knowledge will certainly find something to like here. However, those expecting a smooth and engaging detective adventure may be disappointed.
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Everhood 2 succeeds in developing the original concept of the first part without losing the unique elements. Where the first part had some shortcomings, such as long loading times, the sequel polishes away these drawbacks. The story is an even grander adventure and there is more focus on the 100 different music tracks and fights. The level system and weapons may not add much, the result is still a cool and unique indie experience. Everhood 2 is an adventure that you do not want to miss. It may not have the WTF moments of the first part, but it knows how to walk its own path and create an experience that is once again both musically and visually unique.
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Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a worthy successor that refines and expands on the strengths of its predecessor. The combat is more fluid and responsive, the music and voice acting impress, and the visual style is breathtaking. Unfortunately, some of the new additions are disappointing, with the grappling hook and monster hunting feeling like hindrances rather than improvements. The game offers both players looking for an impressive adventure game and a challenging soulslike a fun experience that can easily take up 20 hours. As long as you set the difficulty correctly!
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The soundtrack deserves special praise. With a mix of EDM, industrial metal and other electronic styles, each track fits the gameplay perfectly. It is incredibly fun to switch between songs via the cassette player. You can even switch music during a run if you feel like the music doesn't fit the level or weapons. Robobeat is therefore a welcome addition to the PS5 game catalog. Dual-wielding two guns that are completely different from each other works like a charm. You can earn a lot of extras here and you don't feel like you have to grind endlessly to unlock something new. With four different levels and an art style that is very similar, the game unfortunately doesn't offer much visual diversity. The large amount of cool songs, weapons and power-ups specifically ensure that you come back to play a "short" level.
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Fantasian: Neo Dimension isn’t for everyone. The game is dated in style and structure, and the visual presentation may turn some off. But for fans of classic JRPGs, this is an absolute must-have. With a strong story and solid gameplay loop, Sakaguchi’s team has once again delivered a game that will stand the test of time. It may not be groundbreaking, but it does remind us of what made the genre so great back in the day.
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With its exaggerated cartoon style, chaotic gameplay, and nods to classic platformers, Antonblast manages to leave a unique impression. It may lack some finesse in the controls and technical support, but the combination of nostalgia and original ideas makes it a title worth checking out. If you enjoyed the recently released and equally insane Pizza Tower, then chances are that Antonblast will also appeal to you. The demo is available on Steam now, so give it a try and see if this wild rollercoaster is for you.
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Nairi: Rising Tide is a solid successor to Tower Of Shirin. The graphic style now contains even more details and the story and the world contain a lot of depth for a game with childish characters. The puzzles are cleverly designed and the various tools are used cleverly here. It is therefore a great pity that the story is sometimes quite difficult to follow and the dialogues are on the long side. In any case, the makers know how to end the games in an exciting way and it makes us curious about what the next part will bring us.
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