Luca Saati

“The Berlin Apartment is a small narrative gem that encapsulates a century of history through the lives of ordinary people. Blue Backpack’s work moves, surprises, and invites players to reflect on the weight of memory and the value of change, even when it does so with modest means and a few inevitable technical imperfections.”

“Space Chef is a mix between a space-themed Stardew Valley and Plate Up! that entertains at first but ultimately fails to hit the mark as it should. Behind a lighthearted and fun concept hides a game that quickly becomes repetitive and limiting, especially in crafting aspects that should be less restrictive. It’s a shame, because the lively art direction and irreverent humor deserved a much better final result.”

“Rise of Industry 2 is an ambitious management sim that makes great use of the 1980s setting, featuring a solid economic structure and a campaign packed with diverse scenarios. However, its natural complexity is often made worse by some unintuitive design choices and a cumbersome interface, especially on consoles. The result is a game that rewards patience but risks discouraging players before they can fully appreciate its depth.”

“Frostpunk 2 is an ambitious sequel that expands the scope of the original with deeper political systems, layered management mechanics, and a striking presentation powered by Unreal Engine 5. It’s a compelling mix of survival, city building, and social simulation that can easily absorb players for dozens of hours. Unfortunately, the console version suffers from major interface and control issues. Menu navigation is often clunky or unresponsive, turning simple actions into frustrating tasks. These problems heavily affect the overall experience and weigh down the final score. With proper patches, Frostpunk 2 could truly shine on console. For now, its brilliance is dimmed by technical shortcomings.”

“Spirit of the North 2 builds on the charm of the original with a larger world and deeper progression, but stumbles on rigid platforming, repetitive puzzles, and technical issues. Despite its heart and visual charm, it lacks the polish and depth to truly stand out.”

“Game Builder Tycoon is a simple yet engaging management sim that lets you live the dream of running your own game studio. While its visuals and audio are basic and the gameplay can feel repetitive over time, it still offers a fun and accessible experience, especially for fans of simulation games.”

“American Arcadia is a narrative gem that confirms Out of the Blue's talent for crafting engaging and emotionally compelling stories, supported by a striking visual style and a gameplay component that, while relatively simple, proves to be effective and well-integrated in service of the narrative.”

“Reversing the core concept of SUPERHOT isn't enough to make COLD VR a memorable title. The issue goes beyond bugs or physics tweaks; the level design fails to enhance time manipulation and lacks consistency across environments. The result is an experience with some interesting ideas but without the spark to make it truly unforgettable.”

“There is a moment in DIG VR where the game reflects: "Many think it's crazy to use an excavator to clean up all this trash, but what should we use? Our hands?! As far as I'm concerned, we should solve every life problem with excavators." This is the essence of DIG VR. With its absurd situations and humor, DIG VR is a fun simulator that can offer a few hours of lighthearted entertainment when approached with the right attitude.”

“Human Fall Flat VR is a 1:1 adaptation of the iconic No Brake Games title, gaining a new sense of physicality thanks to virtual reality. Players who have already experienced the original may not find many reasons to revisit it, except for the thrill of seeing it from a fresh perspective. However, those who haven't played it will discover a unique puzzle game that shines when played with others.”

“SlavicPunk: Oldtimer had potential with its retro-cyberpunk setting, but it turned out to be a disaster on all fronts, with its only merit being its short lifespan. The story is inconsistent, the gameplay gets the basics of the twin-stick shooter genre wrong, with some incomprehensible design choices and technical issues scattered here and there.”

“Hitman 3 VR: Reloaded is a prime example of a lazy and superficial re-release. It simply rehashes the content from the original Hitman 3, ignoring extra DLCs and the rest of the trilogy—unlike what’s coming to PS VR2—making Meta Quest players feel like second-class citizens. On top of that, there are major issues with gesture controls and accuracy for VR, not to mention a disastrous technical performance. In short, the inherent quality of Hitman 3 isn’t enough to make this version worth your time or money.”

“It's not enough to invoke the sacred monsters of the metroidvania genre to make a good game, and MARS 2120 is proof. QUByte Entertainment's game is a disaster across the board, with weak narrative, flawed gameplay, and outdated technical aspects.”

“Downward: Enhanced Edition is a solid and fun first-person platformer that stands out in the genre for its fantasy setting, offering varied scenarios from exotic zones to icy or fiery expanses. It's a pity about some small physics issues that get the character stuck in unlikely places, the lack of real combat, and a soporific and inconclusive plot that doesn't do justice to Caracal Games' creation.”

“The debut work from this Latin American development team is extremely pleasant in its simplicity, with an enjoyable story, effective gameplay, and impactful art style. Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a good start for C2 Game Studio on consoles and a promising foundation for more ambitious goals.”

“Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is an intriguing management game on paper, but it struggles to reach its full potential due to unclear gameplay elements and a control system that doesn't accommodate the player.”

“Absolutely Games debuts with a fun and enjoyable title that probably won't be memorable but is enjoyable throughout. Classified: France ’44 offers traditional turn-based strategy gameplay with some unique features that work and others that need more attention.”

“Inkulinati is a peculiar strategy game with layered and deep gameplay and a unique art style that offers many hours of fun, provided you get past the daunting tutorial.”

“There's not much more to add about Cat and Ghostly Road except that it's a missed opportunity. Narratively and artistically, BOV's work is solid, but it's marred by gameplay situations that make progression less enjoyable.”

“A mix of Job Simulator and Papers, Please, Border Bots VR is a fun VR experience. It may not offer anything new to VR, but its challenging gameplay and humor make it a great way to spend a few carefree hours.”