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The balance the team found between exploration and the use of tools to carry out all the activities offered by Lou's Lagoon is the real strength of the production. Besides collecting objects, players can in fact devote themselves to fishing and to many other relaxing side activities in the game. Lou's Lagoon is ultimately an excellent indie, relaxing and carefree but not for that reason trivial. The excellent graphics, the story and above all the gameplay that mixes adventure and resource management work really well, and it is therefore highly recommended to lovers of the genre.
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The Alighieri Circle: Dante's Bloodline is a brave production that shows how Italian art and literature can be a very fertile ground for the video game medium, especially when drawing on the monumental Divine Comedy. The development team One1 Games brings an excellent atmosphere, solid writing and an inspired art direction, able to deliver an enterprising vision of Hell, as intimate as it is psychologically disturbing. It is a pity that the far too linear progression (even for a walking simulator), the simplicity of the puzzles and an overall length that does not exceed four hours keep the splendid narrative premises from finding the right conditions to bloom decisively. A fascinating and evocative journey in which to lose yourself, provided you accept the compromises of a work with a decidedly too short breath.
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Honeycomb: The World Beyond is convincing for the coherence of its design: non-violence is not a constraint but a choice that shapes every mechanic, from exploration to bioengineering, to base building. The hybridization system is deep and rewarding, supported by a progression loop that rewards curiosity and planning. Performance on PS5 Pro is solid, with a clean and stable image that showcases Sota7's colorful biomes. Among its limits, the narrative remains essential and functional, more a frame than an emotional engine, and some inventory and crafting management systems may prove cumbersome in the advanced stages of the game. Unfortunately, the total absence of conflict will not please those looking for the tension or punishing challenges typical of classic survival games. Ultimately, Honeycomb: The World Beyond is an intelligent and relaxed survival game, ideal for those who want to explore, experiment and build in a believable alien world, turning science into a true adventure.
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The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition does not try to rewrite history, but to tell it better: with a smoother pace, more modern controls and a care that lets the original soul breathe. It is the kind of remaster that speaks first of all to fans, to those who already loved that chapter of war in the North and now want to relive it without the friction of 2011, but it also works as an honest gateway for those who want a simple, direct action RPG faithful to the spirit of Tolkien. It is not a forgotten masterpiece being reborn, but rather a niche cult title finally finding the right frame: imperfect, dated in some respects, but still able to convey the weight of war, the value of fellowship and the pleasure of fighting side by side against the shadows of the North.
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HOT WHEELS Infinite Rush takes a further step forward in video game adaptations of the famous Mattel brand. The Italian software house Milestone S.r.l. bets everything on a vast open world, backed by an unscrupulously arcade driving system in which whoever stops is lost (literally). Paradoxically, the biggest regret is that Infinite Rush slows down just a moment before greatness, taking refuge in a rich but far too ordinary content offering with no flashes of originality. Something that, above all, the most dedicated arcade racing players will quickly feel with a bit of fatigue. If, however, you are die-hard fans of the iconic die-cast cars and crave a new world to explore a quarter mile at a time, well... pedal to the metal!
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Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters is a title that makes spectacle and fan service its fundamental pillars. Fun, immediate and visually splendid, it manages to deliver great satisfaction thanks to exaggerated super moves and a combo system (Chains) that is rewarding to execute. On the other hand, the narrative component ends up weighing down the pace because of too much text and constant loading, while the game structure favors arcade action at the expense of any pseudo-football ambitions.
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ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition does not merely bring From Software's milestone to Nintendo Switch 2, but also creates a perfect synergy between the original title and its later evolutions, offering a progression that has never been so cohesive and rewarding. At once a technological triumph and a marvel of game design, a precious gem that belongs in the library of every player, even more today than it already did in 2022. In short: we are facing the definitive tribute to a masterpiece that never had and no longer has anything to prove, except its own inalienable right to sit on the Olympus of gaming.
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Overall, Observer: System Redux on Nintendo Switch 2 is the definitive version of Bloober Team's title on a Nintendo platform: cleaner, smoother and more respectful of the original intent, though without turning the game into an absolute masterpiece. It is an experience recommended to those who love cyberpunk themes, psychological horror and first-person investigations, especially if you appreciate the possibility of playing it on the go without evident compromises!
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Orbitals is proof that homage, when made by people who truly know the subject, can become language instead of citation. The reconstruction of the aesthetics of '80s and '90s anime is the most convincing seen in a video game, not because it imitates drawings but because it has understood their inner mechanics – the sampling of the animation, the analog photography, the role of the sung theme song – and reproduced them with rigor. Around this scaffolding, Shapefarm has built an intelligent asymmetric co-op game, generous with ideas, supported by two protagonists who are a pleasure to accompany. It is not a masterpiece, and it would be unfair to sell it as one: the second half burns through its concepts too quickly, the bosses are not up to the puzzles, the camera betrays you at the wrong moments and the compressed ending leaves on the table the emotion it had built. But it is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be, that does not waste your time and that, if you have someone to share the couch with, will give you back one of those evenings you remember. In the still young catalog of Nintendo Switch 2, it is one of the best reasons to turn on the console for two.
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With Marsupilami 2 - Salsa Palombia, the character created by André Franquin gets a second chance to be appreciated in the video game landscape, five years after the shy but promising predecessor. An opportunity that is exploited very well by Ocellus Studio, the French team returning to the yellow marsupial with a work that is more aware, lively and fun for the whole family. Some rough edges remain, especially in the initial approach to the control system, and the level design lacks a little spark. But fans of the French mascot and of 2D side-scrolling platformers can sleep soundly: get ready to have light-hearted fun.
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Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a surgical operation on a beloved franchise: Asobo Studio had the courage to remove almost completely the stealth, the hordes of rats and the linear structure that had defined Innocence and Requiem, replacing them with a rhythmic, vertical action adventure deeply tied to the myth of the Minotaur. A myth boldly reinterpreted, intertwined with the mysteries of the Macula and creating an experience that is at the same time a tribute to classical mythology and an original evolution of the saga. For fans, the Minotaur becomes the key to understanding the origins of the Macula and the destiny that binds Sophia, Theseus, Amicia and Hugo in a single, terrible legacy. The most evident transformation concerns the gameplay: the combat, based on parries, dodges and heavy blows, is demanding but – at the same time – highly rewarding. Sophia, with her arsenal of sword, dagger and grappling hook, is a more autonomous and capable character in combat than Amicia, while Theseus offers a more brutal and aggressive approach. The Minoan Sphere, besides being essential for solving puzzles, becomes a survival tool against the creature hunting Sophia through the shadows, creating a coherent experience where light is both a tool for solving and for protection. The level structure, with its vertical design, intricate labyrinths and temporal duality, represents a significant evolution compared with previous chapters, offering denser, more coherent and more interconnected exploration. The puzzles, based on the refraction of light and environmental manipulation, are more complex and require genuine observation and reasoning, maintaining the tradition of the saga while evolving it significantly. All of this is accompanied by a sumptuous art direction, a soundtrack, once again entrusted to Olivier Deriviere (without a shadow of a doubt among his best works), with an epic Mediterranean flavor that fits the Cretan setting perfectly, and a well-optimized technical side on PS5 Pro. The result is a game that renews the formula without betraying its soul and that represents one of the best action adventures – not only of 2026 – but of recent years.
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Duskfade is a nostalgia operation carried out with undeniable love and skill. Weird Beluga has managed to put together a solid 3D platformer that can be played from start to finish thanks to a fluid movement system that winks above all at those who lived through the golden age of the genre. If on one hand we have a fun, content-rich and artistically refined title, on the other there are also the outlines of a missed opportunity. Settling into the clichés of the past, the production takes refuge in a structure that constantly feels already seen and risks boring those looking for an experience in step with the times. If you add a combat system lacking bite (except during the tasty boss fights), you realize the title misses the appointment with excellence by a hair. It is a sweet return home, a pleasant trip back in time that entertains and charms, but leaves a bitter taste for what it could have been with a pinch more courage.
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METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol. 2 is an essential Collection above all for the presence of Metal Gear Solid 4. The transfer to PS5 and PS5 Pro (as well as PC, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch 2) does not reach the ambition of a remake, but offers the most practical and technically advanced way to play the last chapter of Solid Snake's story today. Support for up to 4K and 60 fps concretely improves the quality of the experience, even though the frame rate is not always stable and PS5 Pro does not seem (unfortunately) to have received an exclusive graphics mode. Peace Walker adds depth with Mother Base, recruitment and co-op, while Ghost Babel completes the package with an interesting testament to the versatility of the series. The result is less rich in quantitative terms than Vol. 1, but more significant for the value of the games included. Some conservative choices and the absence of a deeper technical overhaul keep the collection from being definitive in an absolute sense; however, its historical weight and the quality of its content make it a release that is hard for enthusiasts to ignore.
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Twisted Tower is a project with a clear personality. The influences of BioShock, classic linear FPS games and mascot horror are evident, but Atmos Games manages to combine them coherently enough to build a world that remains recognizable. The tower, with its themed floors, is one of the most successful settings among those offered recently by indie shooters. The gameplay is simple, perhaps even too much at times, but it works thanks to the variety of weapons, the good alternation between combat and puzzles and the presence of alternative paths. The narrative is not always deep and the progression system could have dared more, but curiosity about what lies on the next floor manages to sustain the journey. The main obstacle is the technical side. Stuttering, collisions that are not always precise and some anomalous behavior can reduce engagement, especially in the busier arenas. These are problems that could be mitigated by future updates, but at launch they keep the experience from reaching the level of its artistic insights. Ultimately: Twisted Tower is an imperfect but surprisingly polished indie shooter in terms of atmosphere. It does not reinvent the genre and does not reach the complexity of the titles that inspire it, but it offers a compact adventure, original in its aesthetic dress and supported by excellent sound work. We feel we can recommend it above all to those looking for a linear narrative FPS, with eccentric settings, absurd weapons and a mix of horror and dark fairy tale.
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Teeto is the video game we did not know we needed in the summer of 2026. Eat Pant Games has put together a small independent gem that is clean, optimized and above all fun. It is a manifesto for a way of understanding the medium that is increasingly hard to find in big productions, further enriched by smart and enticing gameplay suited to both newcomers and more seasoned players. Admittedly, it does not boast the visual exuberance of a triple-A game and its longevity falls just below the genre average. But if you are willing to put your trust in this little blue blob, you may find yourself holding a small, delightful surprise.
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The Prisoner is an expansion that is successful on the atmospheric and narrative level, which broadens the world of REANIMAL with new characters and themes, keeping Tarsier Studios' identity intact. While not revolutionizing the base game's formula, it offers a coherent, tense and engaging experience, especially in co-op. It is a good reason to return to the nightmare of REANIMAL, even if its real potential will only be realized with the next two additional chapters of the trilogy.
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SENARA: The Sacrament is a solid independent survival horror game, able to turn an abandoned ship into a believable and disturbing place. Influsion Inc. shows it knows the grammar of the genre well: exploration with interconnected paths, limited resources, documents to interpret, puzzles, locked doors and threats to face or avoid. The game is at its best when it invites you to move slowly through the decks of the Senara, listening to every noise and trying to understand the story of the cult. It loses part of its strength instead when combat becomes more frequent and the pace shifts toward action, highlighting the limits of the offensive system and a certain repetitiveness of the encounters. It is not a work free of flaws nor a new reference point for survival horror, but it is an interesting debut with a precise personality. Those who appreciate claustrophobic atmospheres, realistic settings and the exploratory structure of the classics will find aboard the Senara a disturbing and recommendable journey, provided they accept a short length and some technical rough edges.
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Corsair Cove is not the definitive pirate game in the adventurous sense of the term. It does not seek the spirit of freedom in sailing the seas, nor the vastness of action and exploration or the military complexity of a pure tactical title. It is, on the contrary, a rigorous treatise on urban planning applied to a corsair fantasy. Everything revolves around its ability to overturn the established rules of traditional city builders, forcing you to deal with height, gravity and the rocky walls of mountains and cliffs. Unfortunately, the strategic excellence clashes with a combat system left mostly to chance, an interface that tends to become bloated and an endgame that carries the risk of repetitiveness. Limbic Entertainment's title nonetheless remains a package made with evident care and supported by a vibrant atmosphere full of personality. Practically a must-buy for anyone who loves untangling complex logistical knots and wants to build the pirate hideout of their dreams. Arrr!
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BLUE REFLECTION Quartet is a precious anthology that gives new life to the Gust franchise, at once sweet and poignant. A dish very rich in content but at the same time not an impeccable edition, just as the titles that make it up were, in the end, not perfect either. The underlying repetitiveness and the modesty of the production means emerge several times, mixing with a simplicity in the difficulty curve that will not win the favor of those looking for more complexity in JRPGs. And yet, for anyone who can look beyond the surface and is willing to be lulled by a slow, ethereal rhythm, this collection is the best way to approach one of the most underrated sagas of recent years.
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Truxton Extreme is a triumphant return of a classic horizontally scrolling shooter that shows how an iconic series can evolve without betraying its foundations. Despite some compromises tied to modernization, the game preserves all the familiar elements and the essence of Toaplan's design, offering an experience that will satisfy both veterans and newcomers.
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