Vikki McGowan
All in all, “Transformers: Galactic Trials” doesn’t have a lot going for it. The concept of combining racing with Transformers-style combat is intriguing, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. I think I would have preferred each mode to be separated to be honest. The Transformers themselves are generally well-represented in both visuals and audio, but the rest of the game almost screams mobile game ported to PC. There’s no microtransactions currently, but the reward box animations are so reminiscent of lootboxes I’d be surprised if they weren’t introduced later.
Ara: History Untold is absolutely gorgeous, the ambient sounds and music and event dialogue is wonderful. The focus on building and developing your nation rather than combat, alongside it's great tutorial makes it feel very accessible to newcomers, while also being a lot fun for fans of the genre.
I’ve played a lot of deckbuilders over the years, and 2024 seems to be a great year for them. Pyrene included – it’s merging of intriguing and heartfelt stories with a compelling gameplay loop make it quite difficult to put down. There’s a lot of variety and this variety ensures that each playthrough provides a fresh experience, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies and hero combinations.