Alberto Lloret

“Cookie Cutter isn't just another metroidvania. Like so many others, he manages to find his place with ideas and his own aesthetic, which does not "contain itself" and lets its gore and hyperviolent touch flow, with a cheeky and punk humor. Too bad some aspects need a little polishing, because it's fun and catchy.”

“Arizona Sunshine 2 convinces with its mindless action, silly humor, and the relationship between Buddy and the protagonist. It may not innovate, it may have technical flaws and all its tricks have been seen before, but what it does, it does in a very entertaining way: it's almost impossible to get bored with it.”

“Without doing anything new, Tevi is forceful in its proposal: a metroidvania with touches of role-playing, bullet hell and even a touch of "souslike" (it's difficult, but you can turn it into hell), which is difficult to resist once you've taken the bait.”

“In a year as saturated with great games as 2023, Worldless is presented as one of its latest surprises, a metroidvania that manages to conquer with its original combat system and a minimalist aesthetic that works like a charm. Without a doubt, a great presentation job for Noname Studios.”

“EA Sports WRC is a rally simulator that is brimming with content, but leaves you feeling uneven. Many modes and options feel half-throttled, as if they don't give everything they could, while the technical section doesn't take advantage of all the power of current systems, in addition to presenting flaws.”

“The Invincible is a walking simulator that, starting from a good story, fails to adapt it to a video game in a satisfactory way. It's a slow game, with accessory and sometimes unnecessary mechanics that at times feels more like a visual novel with playable "globs". And that's a shame, because there was potential in its atmosphere.”

“WarioWare: Move It! recovers the crazy and irreverent essence of the series with a new installment that puts the entire weight of the gameplay on the JoyCon, and the absurd poses, with good results. Add multiplayer modes to bore, from Story mode to a variety of co-op and competitive experiences, and you've got FUN at its best.”

“EA Sports UFC 5 is a great fighting game that recreates this successful competition like never before, both its staging and its beastly side thanks to a spectacular damage system and great modeling of the fighters. Although in general it is a continuity game in many aspects, the online Career mode is one of its great successes.”

“Dave the Diver is one of the best indie games of 2023, plain and simple. Not only is it tremendously fun and original, but it's also long, has a very careful audio-visual plot and they keep adding more content. And he exudes a sympathy that is difficult to see today.”

“City Skylines 2 is a great city management and creation game, with a bright future ahead thanks to updates, mods and user-created content, which already has a range of interesting options, although the whole is weighed down by poor optimization that still has a little way to go to unfold its full potential.”

“Super Mario Bros. Wonder isn't just a breath of fresh air for 2D platformers, it's a masterclass in how to update a game concept that's been a hit for more than three decades, and do it successfully, without losing the essence. A surprising platformer where the unexpected is the real star.”

“Like the previous Jeppe Carlsen games, Cocoon is a special title, a wonderful little puzzle adventure that plays with original concepts and ideas. It may be brief, leaving you wanting more... But it is one of those indie games that, as soon as you are attracted to the genre, you have to play yes or yes.”

“Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster is a great opportunity to discover, or replay, two role-playing gems from the GameCube catalog. Although the visual improvement is evident, Bandai Namco could have done more, such as translating Baten Kaito Origins or polishing the technical plot a little more. Even so, great adventures, with an unforgettable combat system.”

“Even with questionable aspects such as premium currency, The Crew Motorfest exudes style and flashes of quality, with a solid proposal that can connect with lovers of the most eclectic speed (as soon as you are in the mud as with single-seaters). Too bad that aspects such as poor multiplayer, or always online, disfigure the final result.”

“MythForce is an entertaining action-role-playing roguelite, which stands out for its cartoon aesthetic of the 80s and being very oriented to cooperative play for four. It has many "evils" of the subgenre (random generation of levels, repetition ...), but if you are going to play it with friends, you will have a great time. Alone, maybe not so much.”

“Disney Illusion Island is an entertaining platform with metroidvania development capable of entertaining children and adults, with its cooperative for four. Technically it is a joy, which almost looks like a Mickey animated series, although unfortunately it is very easy and short, and despite its abundant collectibles, it is not especially replayable.”

“Few open worlds offer an experience as unique and distinct as Tchia, a game with a personality as overwhelming as its own world or the mechanics it proposes. Even with its flaws and technical aspects that can be improved, it is a game that deserves a chance, as soon as you go to the games in the open world.”

“If you like puzzles and games with "original" mechanics, you should try Viewfinder. Its premise is as unique as it is fun. Too bad that it becomes somewhat short and does not reach its full potential almost to the end. Perhaps the studio was being reserved for a hypothetical sequel? Hopefully!”

“Operation Wolf Returns is not the update of the classic formula that many expected, and between the fact that it is a short game and is quite generic as an action game in virtual reality, it does not take the opportunity to bring back a remembered license from the 80s.”

“Everybody 1-2 Switch! Repeat as a game that you are going to take out to liven up parties and meetings, and although there are missing modes and options (such as being able to skip the previous instructions of the tests) and its minigames are simpler and not all equally inspired, the games for 100 and its ability to entertain everyone equally is still its main asset.”