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Ultimately, Life Below manages to impress primarily by combining a fairly unique theme with a solid city builder. The underwater setting ensures that the game immediately stands out among all the medieval villages and sci-fi cities we have become accustomed to within the genre. It helps enormously that the interface works excellently, the graphics are very atmospheric, and the game remains reasonably accessible despite its complexity. Thanks to the imaginative elements, the story manages to offer just a little more than a simple save nature message. Building your reef will certainly take you some time. However, the game is held back here and there by the sometimes unclear visual readability of buildings and the rather linear structure. But despite these criticisms, Life Below remains an entertaining and surprisingly atmospheric city builder that tries something different. Anyone who enjoys management games, cozy strategy, or simply wants to try something different than building yet another standard city will absolutely find a game worth giving a try here.

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Ben je wel zo’n keiharde Shmup fanaat? Dan kan dit misschien iets voor jou zijn. De standaardprijs voor deze game op Steam bedraagt wel 34.99 euro, wat ik persoonlijk best veel vind voor een remake van dit soort. Aan jou de keuze of je dit de moeite waard vindt of niet.

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The potential in this game is certainly there, as at the start it seemed to me like this was going to be a pretty interesting plot, but ultimately the execution turns out to be somewhat lacking. While you can indeed replay the game with different choices to experience all five endings—and suspicion can even be corrected immediately at the end, meaning you can essentially have seen all the endings right away—unfortunately, this does not offer a truly different gaming experience. The story and setting are and remain quite flat and do not really come to life, although the acting is quite decent and visually the game looks very slick in every respect. The interaction with objects adds absolutely nothing, given that you can already see which objects contribute to the story and which do not.

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The game is certainly not perfect; the combat and puzzles are too easy, the vehicles could have offered more freedom, and those prompt bugs are just annoying. But there is a lot to compensate for that. Gotham City looks beautiful, the Batcave is surprisingly fun to build out, and there is a huge amount to do in the city. The story might not be very long, but the amount of side content and unlocks ensures that you won't be nearly done with it when the credits roll. For Batman fans, this is an absolute must-have and the best Batman game since the Arkham series. For anyone in the mood for a large, accessible open-world game with plenty of humor, many unlocks, and a wonderful atmosphere, this is also one to keep an eye on.

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With five to seven hours of gameplay, Call of the Elder Gods offers just enough content to keep the story exciting without stretching it unnecessarily. Fans of the first game will undoubtedly enjoy this immensely. The game delivers a cool mystery, features multiple strong twists, and cleverly combines puzzles with a top-notch story. Call of the Elder Gods has thus become a successful sequel that shows this franchise still has plenty of potential. In terms of presentation and polish, it could have gone a step further here and there, but perhaps that is precisely something a potential third installment could focus on entirely.

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The days of imprisonment tick down very slowly, and meanwhile, I have already been trapped in this game for over 10 hours. Luna Abyss is far from unique as a shooter, yet the platforming and shooting feel delightful and quite addictive. The extra elements such as double-jump, generating platforms that disappear after a few seconds, and hanging on rails from a sort of roller coaster have all been shown before, but they do add a bit more depth to the platforming. The chaos of flying balls trying to destroy you, the enemies exploding in your face, the challenge, and the gameplay all work well, and at a very stable framerate. So, if you like a DOOM-style game, with mostly platforming and a little less shooting, this game ticks all the boxes.

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Still, there should be a higher payoff for all that searching and running back and forth in this game. As before, after 4 hours I actually still haven't seen half of the footage from the trailer. I also haven't encountered Margaret at all yet, an apparently important character seen in the trailer and on the cover. So yes, on the one hand, I think this is a very impressive game. It looks beautiful, plays smoothly, and is in itself quite fun and intriguing. But the plot progresses so slowly that I think it will be a letdown for some players. If you are a true Point and Click enthusiast, I would definitely give this one a chance. Just be aware that you will need patience until the story unfolds further.

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The environments in Directive 8020 feel too one-sided, the 'who can you trust?' element is actually far too lacking and not convincing enough, and the real horror is also somewhat lacking. You do see some bloody tentacles pass by here and there, but you pretty much already know what to think about certain characters (or their duplicates), and it would have been 'the charm' if there had been more of that element of surprise regarding mutual mistrust. You can, of course, play the game alone or together, although both experiences felt pretty much the same. The ability to rewind past decisions is a good addition and was often missing in previous games, where you practically had to start a new playthrough. That is not necessary now, although you can mainly view the results per segment, so the entire playthrough does not change retroactively. Directive 8020 is ultimately not a bad game, certainly not; I enjoyed myself thoroughly, but it had much more potential, provided they had looked even more closely at its sources of inspiration.

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Diablo IV Lord of Hatred is a significant step forward for Diablo IV. The expansion combines strong new content with thoughtful improvements to existing systems. For players who have faithfully followed the seasons, this feels like the most complete version of the game to date. The campaign is strong, the new classes are interesting, and the systems offer more depth without requiring hours of research. Although there is still room for improvement, particularly on the technical side, the overall impression is very positive. This is the expansion that shows what Diablo IV can be. For new players, this is an excellent entry point, and for existing players, a compelling reason to return. With this, Blizzard has finally laid a solid foundation upon which to build.

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Saros is a fantastic game, but probably not for everyone. The difficulty remains high, even though Housemarque has clearly tried to make it a bit more accessible with shorter runs and permanent upgrades. That certainly helps, but this remains a game that requires patience and perseverance. Moreover, you have to hold out for a while, because the game only really starts doing cool things after the second boss. From that moment on, everything falls into place better: more weapons, more gadgets, more variety in builds, and much more interesting combat. Meanwhile, the story is somewhat stronger and more prominent than in Returnal, but it still won't win any awards, partly because the characters you encounter remain quite one-dimensional. Fortunately, that isn't the most important thing here. Once Saros really gets going, there are few roguelikes that reach the same level. It is a worthy successor to Returnal and, in many ways, even a better game.

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After all these years, 'Pragmata' has become a game that is rock-solid, but not exactly Game of the Year material. The shooting and hacking feel great, and the setting is very interesting. It is a bit of a shame that the overarching story doesn't do much with that and that there is little variety in the bots you have to fight. I sincerely hope that Capcom doesn't forget the franchise, because those two things could be resolved so that a sequel could indeed rank among the absolute top titles.

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Yes, there is a lot of potential in Gecko Gods. With a decent update, this is a game that is very fun and intriguing. Do you like Zelda-style dungeons and riddles? Then I wouldn't hesitate to give this game a try.

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Did the game MOUSE: PI For Hire not disappoint us at all? Actually, no. The game features a unique graphical style that isn't necessarily outstanding due to sharpness or quality, but purely in terms of setting and the lack of color scheme, it really shines. The gameplay feels simply delightful, the mini RPG elements work well, and the various area settings work excellently. Ultimately, the game will start to feel a bit repetitive after about 10 hours, and mowing down opponents is somewhat one-sided, but it never really gets boring either. The game has an incredible amount of content considering the relatively low price; as far as I'm concerned, even a price of 60 Euros would have been very justified. However, this title costs just over half that, making it an unquestionable must-play for every casual shooter enthusiast.

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Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a game with two faces; on the one hand, the game feels unique up until chapter 2, but after that, the complexity and the Vault really kick in, making things a lot harder and less engaging. After chapter 3, I started to feel the rut and began to lean more towards using the included walkthrough, as the investigations and deductions started to bore me. The important Vault, which forms part of the core of the investigations, is, in my opinion, a bit too emphatically and prominently present, and even in exploration mode, finding your way out isn't always straightforward. In terms of atmosphere, the game emphatically sets the mood, especially in the first three chapters, and it excels there. However, it quickly declines after chapter 3, when you are about halfway through the game. With about 10 to 15 hours of gameplay, the game can take up quite a period, but in fact, the game isn't even that big if you knew exactly what to investigate, activate, and follow. Furthermore, the clues are far from always clear, meaning that even with hints, things sometimes remain unclear. Especially in Chapter 3, I found the clues quite muddled and too mixed up, and following 'trails' was also far from effective. All in all, I can conclude that if you are a true investigator, or a persistent puzzler, this will be a very challenging title. But for the slightly more seasoned casual gamer who enjoys a bit of puzzling, action, and some RPG elements, this game falls a bridge too far.

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Starfield on PS5 is without a doubt the best console version of the game to date. Free Lanes makes travel noticeably smoother, X-Tech adds more depth to loot and builds, and base building and shipbuilding also benefit from the extra features. However, Starfield's core problems have not disappeared. The main story remains boring, many quests still feel outdated, the gunplay is fine but standard, the pace is slow, and you still spend a lot of time on loading screens. Free Lanes makes the game better, but not fundamentally different. Unfortunately, Starfield falls short if you are looking for a game to extensively explore space and make optimal use of your spaceship, but otherwise, it is a fine Bethesda game. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Grime II is a solid metroidvania and soulslike that stands out due to a number of creative ideas. In particular, the system surrounding the collection of enemy forms and the unique boss designs manage to impress. At the same time, the basis of the gameplay remains quite traditional, and the whole experience is somewhat hampered by a lack of variety in the environments. The combination of challenging gameplay and a distinct visual style makes it an experience that, despite its shortcomings, is worthwhile. Players willing to adapt to the difficulty level and accept minor frustrations will find a game with plenty of style and cool ideas here.

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Tiny Bookshop is a title that brings two different hobbies together in a strong way. It manages to transform running a bookstore into an accessible and atmospheric experience that feels anything but dusty. The game is accessible while simultaneously offering a surprising amount of depth and content. The criticisms are minor and do little to detract from the overall picture. We are therefore dealing here with a clear recommendation for lovers of cozy games and books. It is even a suitable gift for someone who enjoys reading but does not normally game. Tiny Bookshop proves that a quiet setup and smart gameplay can combine to create an immersive and long-lasting, great experience.

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To conclude, this is a very beautiful and ambitious game that is definitely worth checking out. Even though it still has some areas for improvement, the beautiful graphics and gameplay certainly make it worthwhile to explore the world of Raoah. This is definitely worth considering, even though it is still only in early access.

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Darwin's Paradox is a title with clear highlights, but also with a number of shortcomings. The creative skills, strong level design, and attractive visual style form a solid foundation. Unfortunately, the emphasis on stealth and the associated frustration result in a platforming experience that quickly leans towards trial-and-error. The game visibly struggles with the technical limitations of the Nintendo Switch 2, and that certainly shouldn't be the case. As a result, the game barely manages to keep its head above water, and we would have liked to see things differently.

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Life is Strange: Reunion has moments that work, especially when it revolves around Max and Chloe and the emotion between them. The voice acting and facial animations are strong, and there are more than enough choices to make, allowing for multiple endings. But as a whole, the game too often feels like a safe, nostalgic choice to keep Max and Chloe's fans satisfied. The story isn't always logical, and Max's time power is used inconsistently. It is nice for the fans that these two beloved characters can finally get the ending they deserve, but unfortunately, Reunion fails to impress on all other fronts.

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