STWGames Italia

Cat Mail Co. succeeds in its goal of providing us with a completely relaxing gaming experience, free of pressure, anxiety, timers, or stress. We really appreciated the great freedom in managing and decorating the packages, as well as the satisfaction that comes from tidying up the chaotic back room of the post office. While the gameplay works well, the narrative and missions are rather sparse, so over time, the game can become boring without new elements to keep players engaged. Still, it remains a good game, particularly enjoyable for anyone who loves organization and tidying-up simulators.

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The work born from Kira’s imagination is not merely simple, run-of-the-mill interactive entertainment, but rather a sensory and psychological experience capable of leaving an indelible mark on the soul of anyone brave enough to face it. Lost in Vivo accomplishes the titanic feat of embracing the weighty and priceless legacy of the great survival horror games of the past, not by merely engaging in a nostalgic aesthetic copy-and-paste, but by reworking those very atmospheres to convey a profound, raw, and painfully real message tied to the abyss of mental illness. The magnificence of the art direction, the oppressive sound design, and the ingenious breaks in the fourth wall more than make up for every single imbalance you might notice during the adventure.

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Moonlight Peaks is a perfect blend of the calm and serene nature of cozy games and a gothic aesthetic that is sure to capture the attention of fans of the genre, especially thanks to the wealth of content available right from launch, which promises hours of gameplay and a variety of interesting mechanics. However, the game has its shortcomings in its plot development; although the story is a central element of the game, it rarely offers interesting dialogue or narrative moments.

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The release of version 1.0 of Voltage High Society establishes Platonic Partnership’s work as one of the most fascinating and daring experiments in the indie scene. The team has succeeded in blending the brutality of a first-person brawler with the thoughtful exploration typical of Metroidvanias, all seasoned with punishing Souls-like mechanics. The result is a “Retro-Puncher” that doesn’t merely mimic the nostalgia of the ’90s, but harnesses its unsettling aesthetic to build a coherent, oppressive body horror experience with a strong identity. It’s certainly not a game for everyone: the steep difficulty curve, the chaotic nature of close-quarters combat, and the ruthless “game over” mechanics are likely to drive away less patient players.

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Until Then: Afterimages is an expansion written with evident love, which tastefully and respectfully expands a universe that so many of us have grown fond of. The two chapters dedicated to Sofia and Mark offer some of the most mature moments in the entire saga and confirm Polychroma Games’ narrative talent—all at a price that makes purchasing it almost a must for anyone who loved the base game. What prevented us from letting ourselves get completely swept up in enthusiasm is the game’s tendency to dwell on its characters’ suffering more than necessary, losing some of the delicacy that was the true hallmark of the original.

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Kira’s solo project stands out powerfully as an introspective journey of inestimable value, capable of deeply captivating anyone who has the courage to face its darkness and unravel its countless mysteries. Although there are obvious shortcomings related to a somewhat rudimentary alchemical system and a balance of magical arts that isn’t always flawless, the masterful artistic direction and an extraordinarily powerful soundtrack skillfully overshadow these minor programming flaws, presenting the player with an incredibly cohesive and satisfying ecosystem.

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Maseylia: Echoes of the Past is Sol Brothers’ first foray into the world of gaming. A classic Metroidvania that makes exploration and its art style its strong points, but fails to impress due to a somewhat slapdash combat system. The story features some original elements, but suffers from a narrative that is at times slow and disjointed. There are a few bugs and technical glitches, which may be resolved in future updates. We’d give this title a solid pass mark, particularly given that the developer worked with limited resources.

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SWAPMEAT stands out as a game that defies convention, skilfully blending biting black humour directed at unbridled capitalism with a grotesque, cartoonish aesthetic. The mechanic of dissecting and grafting enemy body parts is not merely a brilliant aesthetic flourish, but the beating heart of frenetic gameplay that encourages constant tactical experimentation. Although it is at its best in the chaos of co-op mode and shines thanks to the level design of its boss fights, this title from One More Game unfortunately stumbles over an unnecessarily chaotic and frustrating progression system, accompanied by a certain repetitiveness in the voice lines and a few too many annoying bugs.

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Dave the Diver: In the Jungle is not just a simple addition to the original package, but a dazzling declaration of love from Mintrocket toward its own creation. Moving away from free micro-crossovers, the Korean team has crafted a paid expansion that is massive in terms of content, matching few others in recent gaming history. Moreover, it is capable of almost entirely revolutionizing the gameplay loop, refreshing the original title's experience and making it highly appealing again two years after its release. In short, Dave is back, he has shed his skin, and his jungle feast is simply unmissable.

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Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark presents itself as a solid Metroidvania, capable of introducing some interesting ideas that could have further enhanced its quality. However, these ideas are only partially developed and are accompanied by a number of design shortcomings, which limit its overall potential. Overall, the game is of a more than decent standard, offering several hours of entertainment thanks to its enjoyable and well-structured gameplay. Whilst it does not particularly stand out within the genre, it still manages to win players over thanks to its appealing art style and excellent attention to accessibility.

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Thank You For Your Application constructs the dystopia of Aeropolis City through highly entertaining satire. However, the tone is at times too light-hearted, which detracts from the immersive experience. The gameplay is very strong in the first part of the game, but becomes rather sluggish towards the end, where there is very little in the way of new content. Furthermore, the job interviews feel more like the border checks in Papers, Please than genuine candidate assessments, and we would have appreciated a deeper exploration of the selection mechanics that are already present but limited to brief special sections.

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33 Immortals is a game which, despite the release of version 1.0, remains a somewhat half-baked experiment. It certainly boasts an original core concept, a consistent aesthetic and a well-crafted co-op structure, but it falls short in terms of variety, storytelling and systemic depth. When played with the right group, it can offer some genuinely enjoyable sessions, but when tackled alone or with expectations of a much more polished roguelike, it soon reveals its limitations. Given its modest price, we can’t help but recommend it to fans of the genre, as we’re confident it will provide plenty of satisfaction.

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The Gothic Remake experience is certainly not for everyone, but those willing to pluck up the courage to get through the first few intense hours of gameplay will find it well worth their while, thanks to entertaining gameplay and a vast, detailed world just waiting to be explored. However, the game inherits some of the original’s flaws, whilst adding others specific to this new remake.

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Crushed In Time manages to breathe new life into the graphic adventure genre with a story rich in mystery and populated by characters that make it full of humour and stylistically appealing. The gameplay mechanics are simple but, thanks to the ‘pull-and-push’ system, they add variety to the gaming experience. The presence of countless puzzles and environmental riddles will make it appealing and challenging for fans of the genre and beyond. All in all… well done, Draw Me A Pixel – mission accomplished!

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Kioku: Last Summer is Lugn Studio’s debut title, and it certainly feels like one – for better or worse. The team’s intentions are clear; the game is just the right length and delivers a storyline which, whilst simple, reminds you what it’s like to be a child. However, there are far too many technical glitches that undermine the experience, turning what should be a cosy game into an all too frustrating one. Hopefully, like many others, the team at Lugn Studio will learn from their mistakes and improve their game with their next release, as the foundations are solid but need strengthening, especially if they decide to continue with a series of similar titles.

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The Remake of The End of The Greatest RPG of All Time proves to be a bold experiment, capable of deconstructing the conventions of Japanese role-playing games to create a fascinating investigative adventure with a strong meta-narrative structure. Despite struggling with some structural rough edges, an unfriendly interface and a cryptic nature that can prove frustrating, this title from Coin Drop Games wins you over thanks to its unique identity. Though hampered by a significant language barrier, it remains a digital gem recommended for those who love the most enigmatic and stimulating experiences.

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007 First Light stands out as the best James Bond video game since GoldenEye, and succeeds in the far-from-certain feat of honoring the legend without merely imitating it. The origin story crafted by IO impresses with its narrative maturity and mechanical depth, leaving room for future developments. There are, however, aspects where the game could have been more daring. In fact, a certain underlying caution hangs over every aspect—a choice to play it safe that holds the game back just as it reaches the threshold of absolute excellence.

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Echo Generation 2 represents a bold attempt by the development studio Cococucumber to evolve its IP. The highly inspired art direction confirms exceptional aesthetic talent, but unfortunately, these brilliant ideas are held back by a combat system that, while intriguing in the early hours of gameplay, ultimately clashes with poorly balanced spikes in difficulty. Despite this, Echo Generation 2 is well worth experiencing for fans of tactical challenges and vaporwave atmospheres.

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Mina the Hollower is a splendid tribute not only to a specific era of the past, but also to an approach to video games that is becoming increasingly rare these days. Ossex and its surroundings exude character from every pore thanks to a mix of absurd personalities, bizarre dialogue and unexpected situations, presented to the player through a truly remarkable layering of quests, activities and events. The gameplay follows this same formula, offering a combat system that is mechanically simple yet effective, and a platforming element that evolves over time with an endless array of ideas and movement mechanics that are varied and increasingly unique.

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In answer to the questions we posed at the beginning, Mixtape is neither an interactive film nor a traditional video game in the most conventional sense. It occupies a space all its own, blending cinema, music, and interactivity to tell a story that would likely not have had the same impact in another medium. Beethoven & Dinosaur is a bold experiment that could have taken more risks with gameplay and devoted more attention to some of its characters, but it still manages to find its own identity.

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