Joonatan Itkonen

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons is as addictive as ever and the new quality of life improvements make the return to its quaint charms that much more alluring.”

“An initially frustrating puzzle-action-hybrid that quickly reveals itself as a revelatory meditation on perseverance, Forestrike is an odd anomaly worth experiencing.”

“Immaculately restored, warts and all, Tomba! 2 is a wonderful throwback to a simpler era of platforming greatness.”

“Exquisitely designed with astonishingly deep gameplay mechanics, Farthest Frontier is the second masterpiece in the simulator genre this year that will impress fans for years to come.”

“Hugely ambitious and rife with ideas, Of Ash and Steel is an unpolished and deeply broken throwback to an era most have left behind.”

“Packed with superb design and a kicking soundtrack, Sektori is pure twin-stick shooter nirvana that is as close to arcade perfection as you can get.”

“Claws of Awaji doesn't introduce anything new to the already terrific Shadows, but it is more Assassin's Creed, and that's just enough to warrant a second look.”

“Expertly designed and highly addictive, Achilles: Survivor is a fantastic addition to the bullet heaven genre.”

“If you like thrillers, platformers, horror, or a combination of all three, you owe it to yourself to play Out of Sight. It's one of the best games of the year so far.”

“For old-school fans, this is a welcome addition to the collection. It has everything you might remember, only better and more polished than before. For those curious about classic RPGs, Saga Frontier 2 represents an island in time that, for the first time, is more accessible than ever. If we can't have a full remake, then this is the next best thing. Especially if it's your first time with the saga.”

“Wren’s Resurgence is for a limited crowd, but I’m not sure that’s entirely a bad thing. This is a labor of love that understands what it’s emulating. It has its heart in the right place, and there is plenty to enjoy in the platforming aspects. It’s nowhere near perfect, but sometimes passion is enough to cover other parts that fall short.”

“The first expansion to the superlative Final Fantasy XVI is slight but memorable thanks to some terrific boss battles and visually breathtaking splendor. As a continuation of one of the best Final Fantasy titles in years, it's a welcome addition well worth exploring.”

“I want to like Twinsen's Quest more than I do. It has all the elements of the classic game that I love and numerous great ideas and updates that make it worth a revisit. But it's a hard sell to newcomers, yet that's exactly who it should cater to.”

“It's a great first effort, one that should place the developers on your radar for whatever they make next. Sometimes that's enough.”

“Should Train Yard Builder continue updating as it already has, I hope it takes the time to ease off on certain repetitive tasks. It could also clean out the UI some. If not, I'll live and still enjoy what there is. But mostly, I just wish it will get more content in the future. After all, as all model builders know, the more you build, the more you want to expand.”

“It captures the additive nature of classic city builders of the past and iterates upon them successfully. It's almost a comfort in how familiar it is, yet it never feels stale or repetitive. Instead, Citadelum builds on tradition through innovation and emerges as one of the most satisfying games of the year.”

“There's a myriad of reasons why I wouldn't recommend Kill Knight for most of my friends, and only a few why I would. But herein lies the beauty of it: Kill Knight does the things right that this particular audience wants, and in doing so it cements itself as one of the best games in its genre. Just as long as you're in that very small subset of gamers who like that kind of thing.”

“For under 15 euros, it’s one of the more solid dungeon crawlers out there, and a perfect pick-up-and-play experience for fans of the genre. It’s the kind of indie gem that you can recommend for just about anyone, thanks to a low barrier of entry and a solid difficulty curve that makes repetition a joy.”

“Synapse is one of the first games to showcase what VR on a home console can be. It's fast-paced, inventive, and visually stunning. Sadly, it's not much more than that, as the repetitive gameplay can't keep up with the technical splendor. It's fine, but not the system-seller the PSVR2 needs right now.”

“It won't replace the gym and it's not even the best exercise game on the Switch, but Let's Get Fit is a decent enough effort, and a fun first step into getting yourself moving at home, even if it's just for a little bit.”