Screamer delivers a stylish and fast-paced arcade racing experience with strong presentation, varied modes, and a compelling story, only slightly held back by inconsistent difficulty balancing.
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Tokyo Xtreme Racer may start off slow and niche, but rewards patience with an addictive street racing experience full of atmosphere, depth, and authentic Japanese car culture.
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Ride 6 improves on its predecessor with a stronger career mode, better presentation, and more variety, even if some areas like editors and character models still feel outdated.
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Old School Rally proves there’s still room for retro racers, offering great variety, nostalgic charm, and strong content, even if its career mode feels somewhat lacking.
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Project Motor Racing shows strong potential with its car selection, tracks, and modding support, but major issues in handling, AI, visuals, and overall structure leave it far behind its competitors.
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Legends BMX starts off fun with its accessible trick system, but quickly becomes repetitive due to limited content, uninspired progression, and a lack of variety.
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Lumines Arise delivers a stunning audiovisual experience with addictive, timeless gameplay, only occasionally hindered by visual clutter, making it a must-play for puzzle fans.
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A charming, accessible aerial combat game with fun dogfights and a unique setting, but limited depth, short playtime, and uninspired music keep it from reaching its full potential.
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Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition clearly shows its arcade origins at every turn. This applies to its high accessibility, the brutally fast and consistently smooth racing action, and the ludicrous environmental interactions, which are especially fun to watch. But it also applies to the very limited scope of just eight vehicles and six tracks. What works in the arcade doesn't quite work at home, unfortunately. Without unlockable content, there's simply no long-term motivation. After completing all the tracks three times, you've pretty much seen everything there is to see. And due to the absolutely absurd rubber band effect, the focus of all races is only on the last fifteen seconds, the correct use of the boost, and a little bit of luck. On the other hand, the game scores points with its local multiplayer mode, where I actually had some really entertaining sessions with my wife. Fast & Furious: Arcade Edition is good for a quick round in between, but it misses the chance to make a big impression outside the arcade.
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With NASCAR 25, iRacing makes a remarkable console debut, scoring points above all thanks to its extensive license package with four racing classes. The US stock car sport is presented very well and atmospherically, and the career mode alone provides plenty of long-term motivation. Another positive aspect is the numerous settings options, which cater to both rookies and advanced players alike. On the negative side, the somewhat dreary graphics, including avoidable frame rate drops and clearly visible, unsightly pop-ups on the AI vehicles, are worth mentioning. Nevertheless, NASCAR 25 ranks quite high among licensed racing games. In any case, I had a lot of fun with the game and am definitely looking forward to a sequel, as well as the numerous other titles that iRacing has in the pipeline for us console gamers.
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With Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian, Koei Tecmo Games and Gust are returning somewhat to the roots of the series, offering a pleasant, cozy gaming experience that focuses on likable characters, colorful presentation, an offensive turn-based combat system, and exploration of the game world. Particularly noteworthy are the very beginner-friendly alchemy system and the expansion of the general store, which goes hand in hand with the upgrade of the city. On the downside, the story gets off to a slow (but somehow typical) start, and there are some minor technical issues in the form of stuttering. The collision detection within the game world could also use a little work. Personally, I liked the darker approach of Atelier Yumia a little better, as I felt that Atelier Resleriana: somehow lacked a common thread apart from the village expansion. However, Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian is a pleasant, cozy JRPG that definitely makes for relaxing evenings exploring the game world.
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In our test, Formula Legends impresses primarily with its great scope, beautifully implemented races, catchy gameplay, and, of course, its successful unlocking mechanics. The seven decades of F1 depicted are played out on a total of 14 tracks, with different variants often available. In terms of scope and atmosphere, developer 3DClouds is second to none. So, is everything set for the world championship title? Unfortunately not quite, as some technical issues and the lackluster background music detract from the overall picture. In particular, the slight stuttering during racing and the noticeable reloading of textures when the weather changes are immediately noticeable and prevent what seemed like a sure place on the podium. With a little tweaking, however, I can definitely recommend Formula Legends to both F1 fans and arcade-loving racing enthusiasts.
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In principle, Rally Arcade Classics does a lot of things right. It offers crisp rally action on short stages, which are also very atmospheric. The “just one more stage” effect quickly sets in. Racing through the stages in numerous cars from various decades of rally history is a lot of fun. On paper, the scope of the game alone is impressive, with 420 individual tour race events in four different locations. Additional game modes such as Arcade and Rally also provide entertainment. After the exorbitantly high prices for the vehicles in the game were significantly reduced via a patch, the game progress is very pleasant. Ultimately, the biggest drawback is the number of countries we travel through. Even though all four areas are beautifully designed, they become repetitive relatively quickly as the game progresses. We would like to see a little more variety here, preferably in the form of additional countries being added later. Nevertheless, Rally Arcade Classics definitely stands up to comparison with art of rally or the rally mode in Super Woden GP II – on the contrary. As the debut work of the small Spanish development team NETK2GAMES, I can only say: hats off and keep up the good work!
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In our review of Everybody's Golf Hot Shots, the latest installment in the venerable series unfortunately only manages a bogey. On paper, it sounded promising in principle. A total of 30 golfers and several different caddies are available to play (for free). In addition to the ten beautifully designed courses, a variety of different game modes are available in both single and multiplayer modes, providing plenty of variety. Special attention is paid to Challenge and World Tour modes, with the latter even offering us genuine story campaigns for each individual golfer. In keeping with the series' bright and colorful approach, these come across as somewhat inconsequential. Unfortunately, Everybody's Golf Hot Shots already slips up at the tee... um, the start. With only two selectable players and a single course, the game initially feels more like a demo or a heavily condensed free-to-play title. A few more options would have been essential for variety and especially for the multiplayer mode. The gameplay, which is fundamentally very grind-heavy in order to unlock new content, is not very helpful in this regard. There's just no real flow when you're not really in the mood to play for hours on end to unlock the next new character or course. In addition, the audiovisual experience and a few bugs detract from the gaming experience. In addition to popping objects and textures, the rather monotonous music starts to annoy the player very early on. On top of that, there are a few game crashes that the developers really need to patch. At its core, Everybody's Golf Hot Shots is definitely a worthy representative of the series, but with a little more fine-tuning and, above all, a more appealing unlocking mechanism, the developers could have saved themselves a few extra strokes in the end result. Then they would have at least come out with a PAR. As it stands, they currently lag behind their established competitor, PGA Tour.
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With Gradius Origins, Konami delivers an all-round successful collection that brings together six parts of the series under one roof. By implementing regionally different versions, they go the extra mile to put together a well-rounded package. Browsing through the different versions is fun and reveals the development history behind each individual part. And with Salamander 3, they even deliver a genuine new part that is clearly intended as a tribute to the series' history. The great convenience features are particularly noteworthy. For example, the insert-coin mechanism of classic arcades gives you almost unlimited attempts if you get stuck in the admittedly quite difficult games. In addition, the easy mode and invincibility are real aids to enjoying the games in a much more relaxed way. The icing on the cake is the free save feature and a small rewind function. Unfortunately, Salamander 3 only has an original mode, so at this point at the latest, we have to rely on our skills. Overall, I found Gradius Origins to be a great collection and an exciting journey through the history of the series, which, as it is, ultimately has no major weaknesses.
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In our test, Super Robot Wars Y scores points primarily with its fun and thoroughly in-depth combat system. The fantastic anime sequences that accompany each attack contribute greatly to the atmosphere. Numerous appearances by more or less well-known anime characters enrich the crossover plot and are sure to provide fans with a few “aha” moments, especially since original music pieces are often interspersed. Unfortunately, however, the actual plot frays due to the many side plots, so that every character can have their moment in the spotlight. As someone unfamiliar with the original, you find yourself wondering more than once who actually wants what and why, and you're left sitting in front of the screen feeling confused. Ultimately, the battles aren't entirely convincing either, because once you've had your fill of the constantly repeating attack sequences, all that's left is a sobering numbers game. Super Robot Wars Y may well have its raison d'être precisely because of its crossover focus, and the battles are really fun. However, when we compare the title with other competitors in the tactical RPG mech action segment, games like Relayer or the brilliant 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim are unfortunately clearly ahead.
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Wheel World proves itself in testing to be a small but exquisite indie gem that pays homage to cycling, peppered with countless terms related to two-wheeled vehicles. The basic story about the demon Skully and the lost parts of his special bike provides a nice framework without becoming too outlandish. Unfortunately, it ends rather abruptly; perhaps there could have been more. The core elements are definitely the exploration of the picturesque open world and the cool races, both of which are very catchy and really fun thanks to the arcade-like gameplay. This is supported by the very well-implemented upgrade mechanics, which really force us to engage with the parts. After all, just like in real cycling, every detail counts if you want to be victorious. Unfortunately, Wheel World sometimes hits a few bumps in the road. These include stuttering during quick changes of direction or when there is a lot of traffic on the track, as well as music that doesn't reload, which is a shame given the atmospheric retro tracks. The playing time of around five to seven hours is manageable, but ensures that the game doesn't become tedious. If the game had been significantly longer, I think I would have gotten a little tired of it without any additional elements. Overall, I personally have very fond memories of Wheel World. I especially enjoyed the races and leisurely cruising through the picturesque landscapes, as well as figuring out the best components for more challenging stages, so despite its technical weaknesses, I can definitely recommend the game to all pedal bike fans.
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With TRON: Catalyst, the iconic Disney license finally gets another video game spin-off, which is only natural given the scenario. The game does a very good job of recreating the world, especially visually and acoustically, so the license is put to good use in this regard. But beyond the beautiful facade, TRON: Catalyst unfortunately fails to fully convince. On the one hand, there is the very slow narrative style of the story, which simply fails to generate any real tension. Generic characters without any real unique selling points contribute to the fact that it is difficult to really identify with the story. On the other hand, the basic gameplay fails to ignite. The mix of exploration and combat is fun in principle, but ultimately all the components are very superficial. Both the combat and upgrade systems offer little depth, so that the passages outside of the dialogues feel just as tedious as the story progression. At first glance, TRON: Catalyst certainly shines with the typical TRON look and feel, but it fails in the areas that are actually important for a game of this genre. In addition, some serious bugs mar the experience. As a self-confessed TRON fanboy, I can only say: It's a shame, because there was certainly more potential here.
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With a new engine and a slightly revised career mode, MotoGP 25 attempts to take the series a step forward. In parts, this actually succeeds. The career mode is fun as usual and brings new possibilities in the area of bike development, which are very well integrated into the gameplay. The transfer mode is once again well implemented, providing a breath of fresh air in every season. The three new disciplines of Minibikes, Motard and Flat Track also provide a pleasant change of pace and a little more scope. And the driving experience, which we can customize with a wide range of settings options, is as successful as ever, but also challenging. Despite all this, the presentation remains dusty after the engine change, which is once again due to the same old animations, especially in the Grid and Parc Fermé. The character models, especially the faces, are also unconvincing and really need an urgent makeover to finally leave the PS3 level behind. This would definitely be our biggest point of criticism. Thanks to the new disciplines, MotoGP 25 still earns a slightly better rating than its predecessor.
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Lushfoil Photography Sim is a really successful indie game that looks breathtakingly beautiful in places and is bursting with atmosphere thanks to the melancholy soundtrack and the grandiose lighting mood. The collecting tasks fit in well and offer a bit of a break from just taking photos, which is very well done in itself. Thanks to the time of day changes, the mood of the areas changes permanently, which makes for a very good scope. On the negative side, however, there are frequent reload stutters, the rather functional photo inventory including annoying micromanagement as well as minor errors and bugs. The collection tasks sometimes turn into a chore when certain locations or objects simply won't be found. However, this is only a problem for players who really want to collect everything. This is not essential for progressing through the game. As with a good photo, we have light, but also shadows. Why do I give it such a high rating despite the certainly avoidable mistakes? Because Lushfoil Photography Sim is simply a great, extraordinary one-man project that definitely deserves it!
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