Alternative Reality

Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is a remaster that knows exactly what it wants to be: not a reinvention, but an affectionate and competent restoration of a classic that deserved a second life. Pipeworks understood which elements deserved the most attention, prioritizing the monsters' look, the destructibility of the environments and solid performance, instead of chasing a graphical realism that has nothing to do with the nature of the project. The result is a game that shines above all in the right hands: with friends on the couch and four controllers in hand, it becomes a rowdy, irresistible party game, able to generate laughter and chaos with disarming ease. Played alone, however, the experience shows its limits more quickly, with single-player content that struggles to hold interest beyond the first few hours. It is not the definitive "Godzilla game" that many dreamed of, and the chance to expand the roster with more recent creatures was sadly wasted, but as an act of love toward a piece of gaming history it works very well. For fans of the series and for anyone looking for a lighthearted brawler to share, it is a more than justified purchase.

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The most convincing photorealism in the genre and, with version 0.8, gameplay that is finally up to par: excellent tension, physicality and audio. Content, basic online features and optimization, however, remain those of an Early Access game.

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Final Fantasy Resonance is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be: a bridge between the glorious past of the series and the present of Square Enix, a turn-based JRPG that does not reinvent the rules but executes them with taste, competence and a surprising amount of heart. Its combat is the real triumph, a system that starts simple and grows into one of the most customizable seen recently in the genre, while the HD-2D presentation turns every screen into a small interactive painting. If the story had been given the same level of care as the mechanics, we could be talking about an essential chapter of the saga. As it is, it remains a highly recommended experience for those who miss the classic Final Fantasy games, for those who love turn-based JRPGs, and for those who want to rediscover the pleasure of building a party, learning enemy weaknesses and celebrating thirty years of gaming history. It is not the Final Fantasy that will change the series, but it may be the one many fans needed.

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ONE PIECE: Grand Gourmet is a brave experiment, a title that oozes love for the original work but remains partly held back by the historical limits of Kairosoft productions. The initial game loop is a concentrate of pure addiction and visual joy, supported by a truly monumental amount of characters and references and by the total absence of microtransactions. Technical optimization problems, together with a far too passive endgame and a frenzy that grows in the more advanced stages, keep the game from reaching greater heights. It remains, however, a title warmly recommended to longtime fans of the Straw Hat crew, and one to consider for lovers of purer, more rigorous management games.

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FIRE AND ASHES is a horror game that wants to be different: using the voice as both weapon and vulnerability is a rare idea, potentially capable of creating a physical and almost intimate bond between player and game. Unfortunately, the execution is not up to the intuition. ASDstudio and Antelus Games' title offers atmosphere, a few disturbing images and an interesting sound concept, but entrusts it to unrefined gameplay, a story that is slow to reveal itself and a technical side too fragile to support the experience. There will surely need to be a major polishing effort: more believable AI, more responsive combat, a cleaner interface and a narrative better integrated into the scenes. As it stands, FIRE AND ASHES is very hard to recommend: it may intrigue the curious about the genre and fans of sound experiments, but it will not convince those looking for a solid, engaging and technically reliable horror game.

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GEAR.CLUB UNLIMITED 3 is not a bad game in the end: it starts from a driving system that certainly works, with several tracks and a considerable number of cars, but the story is not great and there are many problems on the technical side. Indeed, on PC, with our configuration, we struggled particularly to reach 60 fps. Moreover, the absence of multiplayer is certainly a significant shortcoming, and in terms of content the game offers only two game modes. In short, GEAR.CLUB UNLIMITED 3 is a passable title that could have done much more.

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Beyond The Dark: Nightwatch is a game built around a strong idea: turning fear into a dialogue between two people. When the explorer and the navigator work well together, the experience becomes tense, engaging and memorable, able to make even the crossing of a simple corridor special. Atlantis Studio deserves credit for designing a horror game that smartly exploits the cooperative potential of Nintendo Switch 2. However, the execution cannot always live up to the concept. The repetitiveness of the attempts, the harshness of the penalties, some AI problems and an interface that is not always clear weigh down an adventure that, with more polish, could have shone much more. It remains a title recommended to pairs of players looking for a cooperative horror game that is different from the usual, to be approached with patience, a loud voice and a good level of mutual trust.

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Silver Pines above all manages to turn a small town into a place to understand, fear and remember. Exploration, clues and resource management work together effectively, giving value to the storytelling. Art direction and soundtrack complete an experience able to disturb even in its quietest moments. The combat does not reach the same quality and some passages show certain limits: stiffness, repetition and a few solutions that are a bit too familiar keep the game from always maintaining the same intensity. These are noticeable compromises (and understandable given that it is a debut title), but they do not overshadow the character of the production. For those looking for a horror adventure based on atmosphere, preparation and the pleasure of discovery, Wych Elm's debut is a very convincing proposal.

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Stupid Never Dies will inevitably face a launch window crowded with downright ravenous competition. And that is a shame, because the debut work of the GPTRACK50 veterans is a roguelite-tinged action RPG that is narratively fearless, visually eclectic and liberating to play. A delirious and unpredictable adventure that spares nothing in its writing and the madness of its situations, even at the cost of deliberately sacrificing a little on level design and the refinement of the combat system. Maybe it will not be a game for everyone or one that a wide audience will consider, we agree. But those who give it a chance will find themselves facing an eccentric Dantesque odyssey made of idiotic zombies, amazing transformations and sui generis feelings.

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Overall, Valor Mortis left us with a good impression. It is a solid action game, with several interesting ideas and a difficulty level less punishing than the studio had suggested. It remains an experience designed for those already familiar with the genre, but it does not address only veterans. There are limits, some technical (and requiring urgent fixes), which we hope will be resolved quickly, and others inherent to a project with a modest budget. The ending disappoints and the backtracking without a map can be frustrating; on the other hand, the good combat system and the level design that grows in the second half are convincing. For those looking for a less hardcore experience than other titles in the genre, but aware of its roots, it deserves attention. One More Level did a good job, and – thanks to the DLC coming in 2027 – we will find out more about Valor Mortis and perhaps get a better epilogue than the one in the base game (at least we hope so)!

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EA Sports FC 27, for better and for worse, is a deeper and more coherent reproduction of contemporary football than you might think. This year's edition is neither revolutionary nor particularly innovative, but it contains many elements of expansion and change. It is a huge game, overflowing with content and therefore inevitably imperfect and uneven. The most interesting gameplay evolution of recent years is offset by the most contradictory and least significant addition in the franchise's recent history, The Grounds, which probably took resources away from elements that could have received the care needed to be almost perfect. But perhaps they would not have had the same impact on the balance sheet. The fact remains that football is changing, and EA Sports FC 27 is part of that process, appearing as cause, effect and mirror of many of its idiosyncrasies.

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Evaluating a work like The Relic: First Guardian always presents an ethical and critical dilemma. Behind the flaws of this project you can glimpse the enormous heart of a small team that tried to bite off more than it could chew, putting together a content package beyond its real means. But passion alone cannot justify a product that reaches the market in a truly too approximate technical state. Focusing on quantity instead of quality was the final blow to a project that, in different conditions, could have made its mark among soulslike games. In its current state, the adventure is a problematic journey with the taste of a wasted opportunity. One that, despite all its rough edges, shows the seeds of intriguing and quite stimulating ideas. Therefore, while waiting for massive corrective patches (which we hope will arrive soon), it is a dark fantasy odyssey meant only for the most devoted fans of the genre.

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Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup! is one of those nostalgia operations that look at the sweetness of childhood memories more than at the solidity of the offering. On one hand, the collection made by Atari and Digital Eclipse is substantial and gathers some of the best cult titles of the tie-in era between the '90s and 2000s. On the other, the intent is purely conservative and, apart from interesting documentary content, some titles have aged rather badly and no work was done where it was perhaps most needed, technically and in terms of gameplay. Still, an unmissable selection for those who lived through those roaring years, especially in the bundle with Toy Story 3: Complete Edition.

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Setting aside some technical rough edges and a restoration effort that perhaps could have been broader, Toy Story 3: Complete Edition is tangible proof of how love for the source material, combined with a brave and non-punishing game design vision, can defeat the prejudices attached to licensed products. Avalanche Studios did not simply create a game based on a movie. It managed to bottle the very essence of Pixar's philosophy, that priceless ability to speak simultaneously to the inner child and to the aware adult. And this edition shows how all of this manages to withstand the test of time. Anyone looking for a light but deep adventure, backed by inspired level design and an iconic sandbox mode, will find in this re-release a practically obligatory purchase.

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ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is clear proof of how one can remain faithful to one's roots while embracing technical modernity and narrative ambition. Project Aces reaches one of the highest peaks ever reached by the entire franchise, thanks to a work able to charm newcomers to arcade flight with well-calibrated accessibility. At the same time, it is perfectly able to make the hearts of Strangereal veterans beat faster. Despite a slightly measured campaign opening and a multiplayer side that is still a bit immature, the incredible variety of the campaign missions, the depth of the gameplay, a gleaming technical side and a soundtrack that gives you chills make this chapter a must-buy for all fans of the series and beyond. The king of the digital skies is back.

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Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival is a game that is hard to judge. As a video game adaptation of Hellraiser, it is probably the most successful project in the franchise after the first two films: it captures its most transgressive side, keeps an adult tone without compromise and delivers a Labyrinth that fans will appreciate. As a survival horror, however, it is less sure of itself: it borrows a lot from modern Resident Evil games, adds an interesting telekinesis (along with other powers), but does not always manage to make its combat smooth and varied. The overall balance is that of an imperfect but interesting work. It is not a technical masterpiece, nor a revolutionary of the genre, but it has personality, courage and is faithful to the soul of Clive Barker. Those looking for a (canonical) action horror may be disappointed; those who love body horror, hellish atmospheres and a truly out-of-the-ordinary setting will appreciate it. In short, Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival is not a perfect game, but it is exactly the kind of adaptation that such an extreme saga deserved: painful, fascinating, at times clumsy, but impossible to forget.

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Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered is a carefully made remaster: Koei Tecmo has visually rebuilt a classic, smoothed some of its rough edges without upending it, and included an amount of content that fully justifies the "Complete Edition" label. For those who lived the original on PS2, it is a surprisingly beautiful trip back in time to look at and play; for those approaching the series today, it is a dive into a game design that can charm with its purity but also tire with its repetitiveness. The verdict is that of a niche but quality product: not revolutionary, not modern in its mechanics, but executed with respect and competence. If you love classic Musou games, the history of the Three Kingdoms and the idea of mowing down entire armies with an incredible soundtrack accompanying your rampages, this remaster is almost obligatory. If instead you are looking for the evolution of the genre, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is probably a better choice.

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Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a triumphant return for the franchise, proving that the Igavania formula can evolve without losing its identity. The collaboration between Konami, Evil Empire and Motion Twin has produced a title that meets the expectations of the series' veterans while welcoming new players with accessible mechanics and a well-calibrated difficulty curve. Rose Belmont proves to be a charismatic protagonist, and the innovative use of Tarot Cards adds depth to both the story and the gameplay. The combat, with its emphasis on mobility and timing, recalls the best moments of Symphony of the Night and Aria of Sorrow, but with a modernity that makes it immediate and engaging. Technically, the game is solid on PS5 Pro, with stable performance (apart from a few rather crippling bugs) and an audio side that enhances the gothic atmosphere. In the end, the overall experience is of high quality and consistent with what you would expect from a main chapter of the series.

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Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is an act of love toward a way of understanding role-playing games that many thought was lost. It is a colossal work, the child of old-school writing that is not afraid to take its time to introduce characters and accompany them through wonderful coming-of-age stories. The dramatic progression, Estelle's evolution, the complexity of the world and a layered, rewarding combat system make the Nihon Falcom title a must-buy for anyone who loved the previous chapter. A triumph of rare emotional and gameplay beauty, which deserves a seat among the best titles of the year.

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Ghost of Yōtei: Complete Edition does exactly what a Complete Edition should do: it does not just bundle the base game with a few marginal DLC, but adds content able to change the way you return to play. Echoes of Sekigahara is a solid story expansion, able to make Atsu more human and multifaceted, while Most Wanted turns the combat system into a quick, tactical cycle of challenges that is hard to put down. The original edition was already a masterpiece of the open-world action-adventure genre; this version makes it richer, longer-lasting and better suited to those looking both for a story to live and a combat system to master. Its weaknesses – a certain familiarity in the DLC and a roguelike mode that is not for everyone – are not enough to overshadow an excellent package, technically flawless and fully up to the expectations created by Sucker Punch.

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