Open your own repair shop and fix all kinds of electronics. THE GAME ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs is an electronics repair simulator developed by Mandragora and distributed by tinyBuild. Taking over an old electronics repair shop in Tokyo in the 2000s, your goal is to manage the shop, repairing all kinds of devices from that era and helping local citizens with their electronic problems. Assemble and disassemble video game consoles and cell phones, buy parts, repair electronic devices, and try to keep the bills paid to keep your shop open. Serve customers and repair their electronic devices. MY IMPRESSIONS Perhaps it's impossible to explain how satisfying an electronics repair game can be. ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs puts you in the role of a repair shop owner, where you must disassemble, clean, and repair a wide variety of electronic devices from the 2000s. And the game does this in the most satisfying way possible, since all the controls and sounds while working on the devices are very good. The calm atmosphere that surrounds the game also greatly contributes to the setting, which doesn't feel pressured to rush you to do anything. Although there's a time cycle, deadlines for repairs, and bills to pay, it's almost impossible for these things to cause you any kind of worry. The idea behind ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs isn't to work frantically, but rather to appreciate the activity and immerse yourself in a nostalgic era spanning the 2000s. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, allowing the player to follow the game's story. The game's art is beautiful, and the realism of the electronic devices is charming in itself, bringing a great deal of realism to the game, which emulates well-known devices like the PSP and Xbox, or features fully licensed devices like those from Atari. You'll have two types of customers: online customers, whom you can choose to serve or not, and in-person customers, who are recurring characters with their own stories. It's this second type of customer that guides the game's story, which, despite its simplicity, strives to create interesting characters with their own stories, though these stories intertwine, as they are all frequent visitors to that neighborhood. Despite this, even though you have dialogue choices and different paths to follow, it all boils down to repairing electronic devices. Often you'll have to repair specific devices that require a license, and to obtain it, you usually just have to pay for it, thus unlocking a new device for your arsenal. You can also upgrade your equipment and unlock new tools for repairs, such as a soldering iron or a paint sprayer, but I confess that the basic tools are much more fun than the tools that are introduced later. Your computer will be your best friend, helping you buy new parts, used devices, new tools, and much more. You can also decorate your shop, buying accessories that improve its comfort. As the game progresses, you can enter assembly competitions, which consist of assembling an electronic device from scratch in the shortest possible time, but you must do it in the right order and without help; otherwise, you will have to assemble everything from scratch again with the clock continuing to run. This part of the game is for those players who won't be satisfied with just the tranquility of ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs and need a challenge, or for those who, after assembling the same device a hundred times, want to test if their memory is still good. Despite seeming like an endless repetition of assembling devices, the constant acquisition of new electronics and tools aims to prevent the game from becoming monotonous, but the player needs to be aware of this, or they'll end up assembling the same things nonstop without even realizing it, just like I did. Assembling the electronic devices is satisfying because of how fluid each connection is and how satisfying the sound is. ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs is the typical game to play while listening to a podcast or to relax between stressful activities, but be careful not to get swallowed up by the game and lose track of time. Clean, repair, paint, solder, and reprogram. ACHIEVEMENTS In general, the achievements in ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs are basically about playing the game and experiencing everything it offers. Using all the mechanics a certain number of times, buying and upgrading tools, purchasing licenses, paying bills, winning assembly competitions—in short, play the game and, naturally, you'll get these kinds of achievements, since it's quite difficult not to get hooked on repairing electronic devices. In addition, some achievements require you to do things differently from the standard, usually linked to the passing of days, such as going ten days without buying new parts, working seven days straight without stopping, or spending 365 days in the game. They seem difficult, but there are ways to get around them in a less laborious way. However, there are achievements linked to the game's characters, and this is where it gets complicated. Without giving away too many spoilers, at a certain point, you will have to make a specific choice, and there are ramifications of what happens. And of course, there's an achievement for each one, but the problem is that the game save is unique, which will usually require the player to start the game from scratch more than once. There are also different endings, so adding these factors together, getting 100% of the achievements will be a bit more work than it should be, since the game presents itself in such a straightforward way. Buy parts, broken electronics, and licenses for your store. CONCLUSION The first few hours of ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs captivated me so much that I didn't notice the time passing. Tinkering with the devices is very satisfying. Every connection, every screw removed, everything is an orchestra of sounds that hypnotize you, and you don't want to stop. Despite this, the following hours aren't as exciting, not in the sense of being bad, but rather that the game doesn't go much further than that. And that's not a bad thing, but it also doesn't surprise you. The tools that are introduced aren't exciting; I even preferred it when I didn't have access to them. I don't know if it's the way I'm playing, but it seems like the game drags on more than it should, even if I rushed just to advance the story; it seems like the game stretches out to have a slightly longer story. The fact that it has multiple paths also bothered me a bit, since I don't see myself having the urge to restart a game of this genre from scratch just to see other story paths, which clearly isn't what attracts the player. In the end, none of that matters, because ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs is a game that manages to stand on its core, which is the fun and satisfaction of fixing electronic devices. And it does that very well. SCORE: 8.5/10

An adventure that grows alongside its protagonist In a world dominated by gears, clocks, and a night that seems to never end, Duskfade follows Zirian, a young apprentice who sets out on a journey alongside his mechanical companion Cuco to find his sister Allira. After the Clock Tower is taken over by Agony, the balance of this world is disrupted, forcing Zirian to travel through different regions while acquiring new abilities, facing creatures, and uncovering more about his family’s past. The adventure combines exploration, 3D platforming, combat, and character progression in a structure clearly inspired by the great games of the genre that defined the PlayStation 2 era, while using a modern presentation built in Unreal Engine 5. Throughout the journey, Zirian gains new possibilities, discovers devices capable of changing his movement, finds hidden paths, and returns to previously visited regions to reach places that were previously out of his reach. Duskfade places a strong emphasis on exploration and the gradual evolution of its mechanics, creating an adventure that starts relatively simple but steadily expands its possibilities as new abilities become part of the journey. STORY Zirian is a sweet and charismatic protagonist, with the personality of a dreamy boy who is always ready to discover something new. Allira works as an interesting counterpart, being more focused on building things and trying to find solutions to the problems that appear along the way. Tristan, their grandfather, is the character who constantly tries to keep both of them grounded, always with great calmness and compassion. These are characters who spark curiosity, but they do not always receive enough room to develop everything they seem to have to offer. I also felt that Allira needed a stronger emotional presence at the beginning of the adventure. The game quickly establishes that we need to find her, but I would have liked the story to give us a stronger reason from the very beginning to genuinely care about her. I understand the narrative choice made by the development team, and this relationship improves as the story progresses, but initially it did not affect me as much as it could have. The scenes involving Zirian’s past, his sister, and Tristan are some of the moments that help the most in this regard. The animations are also very impressive. The facial expressions, character details, and the way they react during scenes are very well crafted. On top of that, practically everything is fully voiced, which gives the cast much more personality. Agony also works well as an antagonist. At first, there is a sense of mystery surrounding her, along with the feeling that we are facing something genuinely dangerous. It is not an extremely complex story, but it works within the kind of adventure Duskfade is trying to create. GAMEPLAY It is in its gameplay that Duskfade begins to show some of its best qualities. Zirian’s movement is precise, which is essential in a platforming game. Running, jumping, rolling, attacking, and using different abilities during exploration all respond well to the controls. Exploration is also quite rewarding. There are secrets scattered throughout the world, different collectibles, areas that initially cannot be accessed, and several types of upgrades. We can improve our weapons, abilities, devices, and resources related to Cuco through the progression system and the Traveler’s shop. The progression system, however, is slow. This was one of the things I noticed the most during my playthrough. I would have liked some of the more interesting tools to become available earlier, especially because the initial combat is quite simple. For a good portion of the beginning, we are basically attacking and dodging. Cuco can also participate in combat, and as we progress, new devices and abilities become available, but it took me a while to feel that the system was truly evolving. The Pendulum is a clear example of this. It is only after a few hours, roughly three hours into the game, that we begin to have a greater variety of combos. I completely understand the intention of keeping these tools locked away to create a sense of progression, but I felt that this contributed to making the beginning of the adventure slower than it should have been. The Chrono Shot is one of the abilities I liked the most. The Minuteria builds up energy and releases an extremely powerful blast, almost as if we were using a kind of shotgun. It is a simple ability, but it completely changes the way some enemies can be approached. There is also a projectile parry mechanic that I found very interesting. Some attacks can be sent back at enemies and, in certain situations, the damage dealt by the reflected projectile is greater than the damage Zirian himself can inflict. On the other hand, I felt that the game was missing a more complete defensive system. The roll is essentially our main defensive tool, and although it works well, I believe a block or another defensive option could have added a lot more depth to combat. The camera also has some problems. There is a lock on system that can be used during combat and, in some situations, it works well. The problem is that it can be too automatic and end up directing our attention toward an enemy we did not even want to target. It does not always choose the closest enemy, which can become particularly troublesome in arenas with multiple opponents. The enemies have some variety, but I felt that there should have been more differences between their attacks. Once we understand certain patterns, some encounters become predictable. Interestingly, the bosses perform better in this regard. Exploration, however, has some orientation problems. Duskfade does not have a traditional map system. This can be interesting for players who enjoy memorizing environments and discovering paths on their own, but there were moments when I simply got lost. What is even more curious is that even after replaying some areas, I still had trouble remembering exactly where certain objects were located. There are bells that help locate certain objectives, and Fast Travel also makes navigation considerably easier. It even shows some of the collectibles we have left behind, which is quite useful for anyone looking to fully complete each region. I also liked the way the game indicates when an area has been completely finished. For players who enjoy going for 100 percent completion, there is a clear incentive to return to the maps. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, Duskfade is one of the adventure’s biggest highlights. The environments are beautiful and feature a very distinctive art direction, mixing fantasy, gears, crystals, and clockwork elements. The colors immediately stand out and, at times, the saturation can be excessive, but when the game does not push this characteristic too far, we get some truly impressive landscapes, such as Meridian Village. The animations are also very well crafted. The characters’ facial expressions, visual details, and the way they move help considerably during the story scenes. It is one of those games where the characters can convey personality through their expressions alone, which fits very well with the adventure’s more charming tone. The soundtrack fits the adventure very well, alternating between more dramatic themes and adventurous music during exploration. The voice acting also deserves praise and gives the characters more personality, particularly during the campaign’s story scenes. The main problem is the PC version. I missed having more complete graphics options to properly configure the experience, and I also noticed some signs of a lack of optimization. Since the game does not allow me to control all of these settings in the way I would like, it is difficult to determine exactly how much of the performance is related to the configurations being used. It is a shame, because Duskfade is visually impressive and deserved a better prepared PC port. ACHIEVEMENTS Duskfade features 25 achievements worth a total of 1,000 Gamerscore, and the list is fairly well balanced between natural progression, exploration, and optional activities. Some achievements are earned simply by progressing through the campaign, while others encourage players to get to know the characters and regions of the world, find specific points of interest, and complete small activities scattered throughout the adventure. It is a list that fits well with the game’s structure without requiring players to do anything completely outside its intended experience. For anyone going after all 1,000G, however, considerable exploration will be required. There are achievements related to collecting cards, music boxes, special items, health and temporal energy upgrades, as well as objectives involving characters and some hidden secrets. There are also simpler and more unusual tasks that reward players who pay attention to their surroundings and interact with situations that could easily go unnoticed. Overall, I found it to be an interesting list for players who enjoy completion, especially because it encourages you to discover practically everything Duskfade has to offer without revealing important story events. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Duskfade has some clear problems. The map design could have been better, especially in the earlier regions, where the lack of a map can make exploration confusing. The camera also has issues during combat, and the target lock does not always select the enemy we want. Regular combat is also quite simple, especially at the beginning, with limited variety in enemy attacks, while progression takes a while to unlock the tools that actually make the gameplay more interesting. To top it all off, the PC version reviewed here offers very few graphics options, almost none, and a port that leaves something to be desired in several technical aspects. Still, it is difficult to ignore the number of things I enjoyed during the campaign. Zirian’s movement is precise and becomes increasingly fun as new abilities are unlocked. The projectile parry mechanic, Chrono Shot, Pendulum, and different devices help transform the experience as we progress, while the bosses make good use of what we have learned throughout the journey. Exploration also has plenty to offer, with collectibles, secrets, upgrades, and areas that encourage players to return after acquiring new abilities. Visually, Duskfade is also very impressive. Its environments are detailed, colorful, and full of personality, while the characters have great animations and expressions. The soundtrack fits the adventure very well, and the voice acting helps make the cast more charismatic. The story is simple, but it works within the game’s premise, especially because of the personalities of Zirian, Allira, Tristan, Cuco, and the various characters we encounter along the way. In the end, Duskfade is an enjoyable adventure that takes a while to show everything it has to offer. It modernizes several characteristics of classic 3D platformers, while also repeating some familiar problems from the genre. I would have liked some systems to be more refined and for the PC version to have received more attention, but the precise movement, bosses, exploration, characters, and art direction make the journey worthwhile. I would mainly recommend it to players who enjoy 3D platformers and do not mind exploring a world that, at times, demands a strong sense of direction. SCORE: 8.6/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Sophie's story continues. THE GAME Lost & Found: A This Bed We Made Story is a mystery and investigation game developed and distributed by Lowbirth Games. Aboard a cruise ship, we meet Sophie, the protagonist of This Bed We Made, who is back in her job as a chambermaid. She is warned that there is a thief on the cruise ship stealing from the other passengers. As Sophie has access to all the rooms, she is tasked with trying to find out who the thief is. By snooping around the rooms, Sophie learns more about the passengers and thus tries to solve the mystery of the stolen items. A new environment for Sophie to snoop around in. MY IMPRESSIONS The story of Lost & Found: A This Bed We Made Story takes place after the events of the first game. Here, we have a very short story involving Sophie, who remains a first-rate snoop. In a much smaller environment than the hotel in This Bed We Made, the player will gather clues to uncover the identity of the thief on board. The game is not in Brazilian Portuguese, which will make understanding the story difficult for those who don't speak English, as the game is heavily guided by text, even to better understand the context of the story and the characters. The atmosphere created is very good, with music, sounds, and noises setting the mood very well. The gameplay is very simple, just like the first game; you are never in danger of being caught snooping. The game is more focused on solving mysteries than on making you anxious about being caught, for example. Dialogue options open up if you have discovered information during your investigations. Everything is very easy to find, and you will have very little difficulty progressing. Furthermore, before you know it, the game is over. Its duration is short, almost like an appetizer for what This Bed We Made is all about. Nothing is explored in great depth, but for those who played the previous game, it's nice to have something new from this universe, even if it leaves the player wanting more. Find clues and uncover secrets. ACHIEVEMENTS Although it's a short game, if you want to complete all the achievements, you'll have to play it again a few times. Starting the game carrying over the consequences of the previous game or not, gossiping or not, and cleaning everything up correctly are just some of the tasks necessary to complete certain achievements. Correct or different decisions can lead you down different paths and, with that, unlock some achievements. Probably, playing twice, you'll be able to easily complete 100% of the achievements. Browse through items to discover more information. CONCLUSION I didn't quite understand the purpose of Lost & Found: A This Bed We Made Story. When you start the game, you can input your choices from This Bed We Made. For me, it was difficult to remember what those choices were, since I played This Bed We Made a long time ago. This, in itself, is something that would only work for those who played one after the other, but it's forgivable since it doesn't directly affect Lost & Found: A This Bed We Made Story; it only makes your game historically accurate to what you experienced in This Bed We Made. The short length isn't a problem, but the game itself seems to serve as a bridge to a sequel. At the same time, it leaves fans of the series wanting more, but it also serves as an entry point for those who have never played This Bed We Made, even though the events of this game take place after This Bed We Made. So, is Lost & Found: A This Bed We Made Story an appetizer for new players? Is it an announcement for a longer sequel? Is it all of that together? I don't know the answer, but the game is still great, even if it's much easier and on a much smaller scale. SCORE: 7.5/10

Help Doloc thrive once again. THE GAME Doloc Town is a casual farming game developed by RedSaw Games Studio and distributed by Logoi Games and Pathea Games. In a post-apocalyptic world, our young protagonist finds Doloc, a small village facing difficulties. It is in this situation that our protagonist settles in the town and starts her own farm, helping Doloc to prosper again. Besides farming, you can raise animals and collect resources, as well as control drones that will help you both in battle and in tending to your crops. Help Doloc and its inhabitants so that everyone can live better in a devastated world. Organize your space however you see fit. MY IMPRESSIONS The experience of having an entire world to explore and diverse mechanics to learn sums up what games where you manage a farm and help the town's population are all about. Doloc Town, however, subverts the standard idea, creating a vertical, 2D game without losing the genre's usual mechanics. This idea works very well with the presented world, where everything is abandoned and almost everything is built from scrap and repurposed resources, creating very well-designed vertical environments and constructions. Resource gathering is essential for building your equipment, as well as for selling it. Weather conditions are very important in Doloc Town, directly influencing your crops and even your machines, since in addition to regular rain, thunderstorms can damage your buildings if there isn't a lightning rod to protect and even collect energy, just as acid rain can corrode structures and destroy unprotected crops. Doloc Town expects the player to always use the acquired resources to maximize efficiency and protect against potential weather problems. Unlocking new recipes and machines will always depend on consistently using all your proficiencies, generating points that can be spent to unlock more options. The game's art is very beautiful, with beautifully animated 2D art and a color palette that perfectly matches the game's atmosphere, where the world is devastated and everything seems to have lost its color. The city of Doloc is alive, with all residents having their importance and availability schedule. They will help you by selling resources, food, seeds, equipment, drones, and even constructions. Missions are also available on the city's notice board, serving to help residents and receive rewards for doing so. And of course, you can improve your friendship level with everyone in Doloc by gifting them things they like. Doloc Town has a story that revolves around how to make that town prosper again, with some mysteries lingering in the city. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, which makes it much easier to follow the story, as well as greatly helping to understand the game's mechanics, which are numerous. You'll have to venture into forests and other environments surrounding Doloc in search of better resources to progress further. In some cases, hostile enemies will try to hinder your adventure, so you'll use a drone as your main weapon against them. This drone can usually be customized with various types of weapons. Despite being your main weapon, it has a battery that is consumed with each attack, but it regenerates automatically or can be instantly recharged using batteries. Drones are also important for your farm, as they can be used to automate specific tasks. And if drones weren't enough, you can also have a flying motorcycle. If that's not cool, then I don't know what is. Collecting resources, cultivating plants, fishing, mining, caring for animals, defeating enemies—in short, all sorts of activities possible in this genre of game revolve around larger objectives, where the reconstruction and improvement of Doloc is central. There's so much to do and so many new resources appearing that you won't even notice the time passing. You unlock a new tool or piece of equipment that allows you to do something new, and then you discover a new feature, which unlocks the possibility of creating something new, and so on. Despite this, Doloc Town lets the player do everything at their own pace, without pressure, allowing them to enjoy everything the game has to offer. The city really needs your help. ACHIEVEMENTS In a game with so many diverse activities, it's to be expected that your achievements will also be quite varied. You'll have achievements related to all aspects of the game, from simple actions that happen naturally to others that require battles or reaching specific milestones such as money amount or number of fish caught. Some achievements require the player to, in a way, fail at certain activities, which is a practice I don't particularly appreciate, since failure generally shouldn't be encouraged, even if it can happen naturally. Overall, my advice is that the player enjoys the game to the fullest, explores every existing mechanic and scours every corner of the map, and eventually, when you feel there's nothing left to do, go after what's missing to get 100% of the achievements. Take good care of the animals. CONCLUSION I had fun and continue to have fun with Doloc Town. Each game session is light, in the sense that I don't notice the time passing and I don't feel pressured to rush things, even though there's a lot to do and I end up losing focus several times. However, this doesn't get in the way, and the game itself allows you to tackle larger goals in stages. The game's story falters a bit by trying to explain too much, in a very tiring and unappealing way. It won't excite you, but it doesn't bother you either. It's amazing how you can't stay still in Doloc Town; you'll always have something to do, and I think that's great because it keeps the game alive at all times. Even though things get a little easier as the game progresses, it's rewarding to see things gradually evolving. I was missing a good farming game in my life, and Doloc Town managed to fill that void. SCORE: 8.5/10

The battlefield changes, but strategy remains the greatest weapon Final Stand abandons the traditional structure to focus entirely on surviving against waves of enemies, and I was curious to see if this change would actually work. Although it moves away from the campaign and territorial battles, the essence of the series remains present throughout the experience. Each match requires planning, adaptation, and quick decisions, especially because we never know exactly which technologies will become available during the run. This unpredictability, combined with the need to build an efficient defense against soldiers, vehicles, and increasingly dangerous bosses, kept me spending several hours trying to improve my strategies. At the same time, some design choices prevented the experience from being even better, especially when randomness interferes too much with the flow of matches or when certain limitations make battlefield management more difficult. GAMEPLAY The biggest change Final Stand introduces compared to traditional games in the franchise is the structure of its matches. Instead of capturing territories and pushing across the map, we must defend our Outposts while receiving resources automatically. This change shifts the entire focus toward preparation, positioning, and choosing the right units. Before each wave, we have a short period to reorganize our defenses and select new technologies. This system is one of the most interesting parts of the experience, as we can receive new units, Commander abilities, or upgrades that completely change how we approach a match. In one playthrough, we can build a defense focused on paratroopers, while in another we have to work with whatever options become available at that moment. However, this unpredictability also becomes one of the game's biggest problems. In one of my matches, I barely received any technologies related to tanks or anti-armor units, and when enemy vehicles started appearing, the situation became much more difficult. It creates the feeling that some battles depend more on luck than strategy. The difficulty increases significantly during the final waves, especially when bosses and tougher units enter the battlefield. Company of Heroes still requires knowledge of each unit’s strengths and weaknesses, as simply placing several troops on the frontline rarely works. An anti-tank squad, for example, became one of the most important parts of my army during some battles. The strategy that worked best for me was splitting my forces between defense and flanking. While one group held the main advance, another remained ready to attack from the sides and prevent enemies from overwhelming a single position. This type of decision shows that, even with the change in format, the strategic identity of the franchise remains intact. The cover system also remains one of the biggest highlights. Using walls, abandoned buildings, and bunkers makes a huge difference in troop survival, especially during later waves. I also liked the ability to set the direction units are facing, something simple but very useful when creating defensive lines. The Tactical Pause, activated with the space bar, is another essential tool. During chaotic moments, it allows players to better analyze the battlefield and reorganize their troops before the situation completely falls apart. Despite that, some issues hurt the experience. The camera could be positioned farther away, especially on larger maps where controlling multiple groups becomes more difficult. I also encountered strange situations, such as a rock blocking my line of fire during a battle, preventing my units from functioning as expected. The permanent progression through each faction’s benefits is a good addition, allowing players to improve reinforcements, vehicle durability, and other attributes. However, since each army has its own progression tree, the system encourages focusing on a single faction rather than developing all of them equally. Overall, Final Stand succeeds at transforming Company of Heroes into a survival-focused experience, but some decisions, such as the lack of save options during matches and the absence of more detailed battle statistics after each run, make the experience feel less complete than it could have been. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, Final Stand maintains the quality the franchise has shown in previous games. The maps feature plenty of detail, the units are well designed, and the battles still capture the feeling of a real conflict happening on screen. Explosions, vehicles, and troop movements contribute greatly to the immersion. The sound design is also one of the highlights. Gunfire, explosions, and soldier communications successfully convey the weight of each confrontation. Even though this is a more limited mode compared to a full campaign, the presentation still maintains the identity of Company of Heroes. ACHIEVEMENTS The achievements in Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand are mainly focused on encouraging players to explore every possibility within the mode. Objectives such as earning a gold medal, winning without losing any Outposts, or defeating bosses in specific ways require players to better understand the defensive mechanics. The most time-consuming challenges are connected to the four available factions, as players need to accumulate benefits while using each one. This encourages experimenting with different playstyles, but also requires dedication for those aiming to complete everything. Overall, the achievement list is balanced, avoiding extremely frustrating objectives while rewarding players who truly master the game's mechanics. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand offers a different approach within the franchise and successfully adapts some of the series' strongest elements into a survival-focused experience. Building an effective defense, choosing technologies, and constantly reacting to enemy attacks creates intense moments, especially when stronger enemies appear and every decision starts to matter. However, the biggest issue lies in its limited scope. Final Stand is a much smaller experience than a full Company of Heroes game, functioning almost like a separate mode that is restricted by the amount of available content. Despite having a strong strategic foundation, the lack of variety and some systems that encourage replaying the same battles repeatedly make the sense of discovery disappear faster than it should. The randomness of technologies can also create unfair situations, while the lack of saving options and some camera issues show that there was still room for more improvements. It is an experience with good ideas that can provide enjoyable matches, especially for players who like testing different strategies or playing cooperatively, but it leaves the impression that Final Stand could have gone much further. With more maps, a greater variety of events, deeper progression, and additional quality-of-life improvements, it could have become a much more memorable addition to the franchise. SCORE: 6.5/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Cultivate, build, and watch a small community flourish at your own pace. Verde is one of those games made for players who simply want to relax. With its cozy premise, it puts you in charge of managing a small town surrounded by nature while taking care of the charming Seedlets, tiny seed-shaped creatures. Guided by the charismatic little owl Fa, your goal is to expand this peaceful haven at your own pace, enjoying streamlined management mechanics and an incredibly comforting atmosphere. GAMEPLAY Verde's management systems are fairly simple, and that is precisely what makes them so enjoyable. Little by little, you supply the town with water, place markets, build homes, grow coffee plantations, and purchase new land to increase the population. Progression feels steady, and each newly unlocked area gives the satisfying impression that your town is genuinely growing. As you advance, new biomes introduce different needs. Snowy and beach areas, for example, require specific structures in addition to water distribution, such as fans to keep the population comfortable. This adds a light strategic layer without taking away from the game's relaxing nature. Before starting my playthrough, I expected Verde to place a much stronger emphasis on farming, featuring a variety of crops such as wheat, grapes, and others. In practice, farming is simply one aspect of city management, while the true objective is creating a comfortable home for the Seedlets, making agriculture a secondary focus. One particularly nice feature is the ability to unlock new music tracks as you progress through the campaign, providing small rewards beyond simply expanding your town. On the other hand, a few areas could use some improvement. The building customization system becomes repetitive because every time you find a house style you like, you have to manually apply the same customization options to each new building. A preset system would make this process much more convenient. I also missed proper controller support. At the time of this review, there is no control scheme designed for handheld devices such as the Steam Deck, which feels like a missed opportunity considering the game's relaxing nature. Another aspect that slightly slows the pacing is the process of gathering leaves, the main resource used to expand the town. At certain points, there is little to do besides waiting for enough leaves to accumulate before purchasing new land. After that, you still need to clear rocks, set up water distribution, and prepare the entire infrastructure before continuing to expand. VISUALS AND SOUND The art direction is easily one of Verde's biggest highlights. The visuals perfectly capture the comforting atmosphere the game aims to create, featuring soft colors and incredibly cozy environments. It is the kind of game that encourages you to simply sit back and watch your little town come to life. The soundtrack complements this atmosphere very well, although it does become repetitive after several hours. Personally, I recommend lowering the music volume slightly at the beginning of your playthrough to avoid that feeling during longer sessions. ACHIEVEMENTS Verde's 31 achievements fit the game's relaxing philosophy very well and rarely feel like artificial objectives. Most of them reward natural campaign progression, encouraging players to expand their population, purchase new land, increase leaf production per minute, and complete the main objectives without requiring any particular playstyle. There are also achievements tied to unlocking new regions, growing your town, and progressing through different quest lines, encouraging players to explore nearly every system the game has to offer. Beyond the main campaign, Verde also includes achievements related to optional features such as Photo Mode, weather events, and the construction of special buildings, giving players extra reasons to keep playing even after making significant progress. The list also features a few humorous and unexpected achievements triggered during specific situations, adding some variety to the routine of city management. Overall, it is a well-balanced achievement list with no excessively grindy objectives, complementing the experience without making 100% completion feel like a chore. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Verde delivers exactly what it promises. Its streamlined management systems, cozy atmosphere, and freedom to grow a small community make for a satisfying experience for anyone looking for a relaxing city builder. There are improvements that could make the experience even more enjoyable, such as a more practical building customization system, proper controller support, and slightly faster progression during certain sections. Additionally, the Portuguese localization contains a few translation issues. Even so, none of these shortcomings undermine the game's core appeal. If you're looking for a relaxing city builder without unnecessary complexity, Verde accomplishes its goal very well. SCORE: 7.9/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Delicacy Can Still Exist Even in a Lost World When Beast of Reincarnation was first announced, many people looked at the project simply as “the new Game Freak game”. That reaction was inevitable. After all, we are talking about the studio responsible for Pokémon for decades. But after only a few minutes with Emma and Ko, it became clear that this project had a completely different direction. After completing the entire campaign, I was left with the feeling that the studio finally had the freedom to show what it was capable of outside its main franchise. Beast of Reincarnation delivers demanding combat, a breathtaking world, and a duo of protagonists that quickly wins over the player. Not everything works perfectly, especially when it comes to some technical aspects and design decisions, but it is rare to see a first project of this scale demonstrate so much personality. Rather than simply following the Soulslike formula, Beast of Reincarnation creates its own identity by combining action, vertical exploration, ability management, and an extremely well-developed relationship between Emma and her companion Ko. STORY The story takes place thousands of years in the future, in a Japan devastated by the Pestilence, a force capable of corrupting people, creatures, and nature itself. In this world, we follow Emma, a young woman who knows little about her own origins and carries a destiny directly connected to the future of humanity. From the very beginning, Beast of Reincarnation makes it clear that its narrative will play an important role in the experience. Unlike many games in the genre, which hide much of their story in optional details, here the campaign constantly presents its narrative through numerous scenes. At times, the amount of cutscenes can slightly interrupt the exploration flow, but it is also what allows the game to develop its characters more effectively. The biggest highlight is the relationship between Emma and Ko, a giant dog found injured and trapped against a tree by an arrow. Their first encounter happens in a quiet and emotional way, and it quickly becomes clear that there is a much deeper connection between them than just a combat partnership. Throughout the journey, we can strengthen this bond, pet Ko, and unlock new possibilities for his abilities. What could have been just a progression mechanic also works as a way to create an emotional connection between the characters. Ko became one of the most useful and charismatic companions I have encountered recently in games, even feeling better utilized than D-Dog from Metal Gear Solid V. Throughout the campaign, we meet characters such as Kagura, Brad, Violet, and Kunai, who help build this world. Kagura stands out especially because of the way she shows a new perspective for Emma, a protagonist who slowly learns how to create connections with other people. Small moments, such as learning simple expressions of daily life, make these interactions feel surprisingly human. Violet also draws attention because of the mystery surrounding her, as only Emma can see her, while Mikoto helps explain the nature of the Pestilence and the different ways people deal with corruption. One of the biggest strengths of the story is the constant feeling of hope it delivers. Even in a destroyed world where corrupted creatures dominate the landscape, Beast of Reincarnation still finds room to show beauty, affection, and small moments of humanity. That was the main feeling the campaign left me with: even in a devastated world, there is still room for delicacy and the belief that a better future is possible. The ending also concludes Emma’s journey in a satisfying way, although it leaves some questions open, including a detail involving a second capsule that sparks curiosity about a possible continuation. GAMEPLAY Beast of Reincarnation builds upon an action framework inspired by Soulslikes, but it finds its own identity primarily through the relationship between Emma and Ko. Combat demands focus, enemy awareness, and mastery of parrying, but its greatest strength lies in the way the two protagonists fight together. Emma handles direct combat with her sword, dodges, perfect guards, and special abilities. Ko, on the other hand, acts as a true combat companion, taking on different roles depending on the abilities you unlock. He can deal damage, protect Emma, or inflict negative status effects on enemies, making him one of the most useful companions I have encountered in this type of game. The developers created a character who genuinely participates in the adventure instead of simply following the player around. The combat system places far greater emphasis on parrying than on traditional dodging. A perfectly timed guard activates Blade effects, enhancing your attacks and unlocking new combat opportunities. Perfect dodges are also available, but throughout my playthrough it became clear that the game rewards players who truly learn to master its defensive mechanics. Beast of Reincarnation is at its best when facing individual enemies, especially bosses. Learning attack patterns, recognizing the right moment to strike, and finally earning a victory after mastering their mechanics makes for some of the most satisfying moments in the adventure. However, battles become more complicated when several enemies appear at once, mainly because of the camera and the lock-on system. One of my biggest recommendations is to disable lock-on assistance before fighting the Nushi. Against these massive creatures, the automatic targeting can make positioning more difficult and reduce your overall precision. Rangifer, the first Nushi encountered during the journey, is a perfect example. The encounter serves as a complete introduction to the game's mechanics and becomes significantly more enjoyable once you understand the importance of parrying, perfect dodging, and proper camera control. After mastering these elements, it becomes one of the most memorable boss fights in the opening hours. Defeating the Nushi allows Emma to absorb their powers and unlock new abilities. This progression system is one of the game's highlights, as each defeated creature represents another step in Emma's growth, visually reflected by the flowers that bloom in her hair after purification. Character progression revolves around separate skill trees for Emma and Ko, alongside equipment and talismans. The overall concept works well, although the skill trees could be presented more clearly. Many upgrades feel subtle, and it is not always obvious how much each choice will impact combat. The Walker and Purifier base also plays an important role, allowing players to upgrade weapons, adjust abilities, rest, and manage resources. Its structure resembles the hub systems seen in other games, with upgrades and rewards closely tied to overall progression. Exploration is another major highlight. Although the game is not a fully open world, its environments are spacious and make excellent use of verticality. Emma's hair plays a key role here, allowing her to reach elevated areas, uncover hidden paths, and explore every region more thoroughly with the press of R2 or RT. Vegetation is one of the game's most impressive features. Beyond creating beautiful landscapes, it actively shapes exploration, with roots, trees, and natural structures serving as pathways to hidden discoveries. The maps are filled with caves, well-placed campsites, and rewarding secrets, reducing the need for long backtracking after defeat. Even so, there are moments where the game creates a stronger sense of freedom than it actually offers, especially when seemingly accessible areas are blocked by invisible walls. The difficulty is also well balanced. I recommend playing on Normal, as it provides a satisfying challenge without becoming frustrating. Easy reduces much of the intended experience, while Hard is better suited for players already familiar with the genre. I stayed on Normal throughout my entire playthrough and found the progression highly rewarding. The greatest sense of accomplishment came from learning the mechanics and understanding how to make the best use of every available tool. The Nushi are visually spectacular, but I did wish there was more variety between them. Several encounters follow similar structures, with familiar attack patterns and fewer meaningful changes than I expected. Even with these shortcomings, Beast of Reincarnation delivers one of the most enjoyable combat systems I have experienced in this style of game. The combination of Emma and Ko, vertical exploration, and meaningful progression allows it to stand out as much more than another Soulslike-inspired adventure. VISUALS AND SOUND If there is one area where Beast of Reincarnation impresses immediately, it is its visuals. Built with Unreal Engine 5, the game delivers highly detailed environments, convincing lighting, and vegetation that becomes one of the defining elements of its world. Nature is more than simple decoration. Trees, roots, and ancient structures create the feeling of a living environment, especially through the way Emma's hair interacts with the world around her. Emma herself is beautifully designed, featuring impressive detail in her face, clothing, and subtle visual touches, such as the roots inside her chest, which quietly reveal more about her character. The art direction blends traditional Japanese aesthetics with futuristic elements, combining natural landscapes, ancient machinery, and the ruins of a forgotten civilization. The soundtrack complements this vision perfectly, drawing strong inspiration from Japanese music and reinforcing the atmosphere throughout the adventure. Despite its visual quality, the technical side has room for improvement. PC performance was one of my biggest criticisms, as maintaining a stable 60 FPS proved difficult even on a high-end system. I also encountered a few minor visual glitches, mostly involving the environment, although none of them significantly affected my experience. ACHIEVEMENTS Beast of Reincarnation features a varied achievement list, especially for players who enjoy exploring everything the game has to offer. Many achievements are tied to natural story progression, such as defeating the major Nushi, fully upgrading Emma and Ko's abilities, improving weapons, increasing attributes, and strengthening relationships with characters like Kagura and Ko. Completionists will also find plenty to do through cooking, collectible documents, seeds, equipment, and various upgrade systems. On the other hand, some achievements demand more dedication than I would have liked, particularly those requiring every collectible, every shrine, legendary murals, and other exploration-based objectives. Encouraging players to search every corner of the world is a good idea, but making it mandatory for full completion can become somewhat exhausting. There is also the traditional New Game+ achievement. I do plan to earn it eventually, but only after taking some time away before returning to this journey. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Beast of Reincarnation was one of the biggest surprises I have experienced in recent years. Game Freak has delivered something completely different from what most players expect from the studio, demonstrating an ambition that few imagined they would see outside of Pokémon. The relationship between Emma and Ko is the game's greatest strength. Ko is far more than a gameplay mechanic, playing an essential role in combat, progression, and the narrative itself. It is rare to find a duo this well integrated, where one character influences both how you play and how you experience the journey. The combat system is equally rewarding once you understand its philosophy. Its emphasis on parrying, the strategic use of Ko's abilities, and the progression built around the Nushi's powers create a satisfying learning curve that rewards mastery rather than simple stat growth. There are still areas that keep the game from reaching perfection. PC optimization needs improvement, the Nushi encounters could offer greater variety, the skill tree could communicate its upgrades more clearly, and some invisible boundaries reduce the sense of freedom during exploration. Even so, Beast of Reincarnation stands out because of the strong identity it builds throughout the campaign. Its combination of precise combat, vertical exploration, memorable protagonists, and a richly detailed world allows it to stand out in an extremely competitive genre. Emma and Ko's journey is one of the most memorable gaming experiences I have had in 2026 and easily ranks among the year's most ambitious and surprising releases. SCORE: 9.4/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

The definitive game in the Dragon Ball franchise. EXPANSION The release of Super Limit-Breaking NEO marks a historic moment for the fighting game community and, in particular, for fans of Akira Toriyama's work. This is the latest DLC for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, establishing itself not just as another generic piece of add-on content, but as the most massive, robust, and content-packed expansion ever created for the title to date. The expansion didn't limit itself to just delivering new fighters; it completely overhauled the game's core structure. PLATFORMS When it comes to accessibility, the new content is already fully available for PC players (via Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. For the community that prefers portability, Bandai Namco brought excellent news through its official channels: dedicated versions for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 have already been confirmed and will be released at a later, yet-to-be-announced date. NEW GAME MODES To fully grasp the magnitude of this expansion, we need to look at the menu structure. In the base game's main menu, we traditionally access the mode titled "Episode and Custom Battle" and then click on "Episode Battle" to start the classic, linear campaign everyone knows. However, the major revolution of this DLC is the addition of a brand-new tab right on the home screen: the "New Adventure Mode." Upon selecting the "Limit Breaker Journey" option, the player is introduced to a gameplay and progression dynamic entirely different from anything that existed up to this point. In this innovative mode, you choose your favorite warrior and take to the battlefield within a structure that flirts directly with RPG elements. Every victory rewards you with experience points (XP) and unlocks special events on the map, which serve to increase your "Sparking Power!". Through this scoring system, you have total freedom to evolve your character's specific attributes, allocating upgrades to health bars, attack damage, defense, and so on. This mechanic brings back an irresistible wave of nostalgia, pointing directly to the iconic story mode of the beloved Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3. However, the modern execution is infinitely more dynamic and fast-paced. The player navigates a branching map packed with opponents and freely chooses the order of the confrontations. The more victories you stack up, the stronger and more unique your warrior becomes. Best of all is the replay value: the customized character you shaped in this mode can be used in offline matches against your friends, simply by enabling the "battles with Limit Breaker Journey characters" option in the match rule settings. NEW CHARACTERS Historically, the classic Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 boasted an absurd number of fighters (163 characters) that were deeply missed in the original Sparking! ZERO roster. This DLC resolves that issue in an apotheotic fashion, delivering the largest volume of playable characters I have ever witnessed in a single expansion in fighting game history. The package does an impeccable job of curation, rescuing classic figures from BT3 while also introducing warriors never before seen in the Budokai lineup. A total of 33 new playable characters have been added. Check out the full list below: Classic Dragon Ball (12) Nam Android 8 General Blue Mercenary Tao Spike the Devil Man Grandpa Gohan King Piccolo Goku (World Martial Arts Tournament) Tien (World Martial Arts Tournament) Chichi Piccolo Piccolo (Giant Form) Dragon Ball Z (11) Bardock Super Saiyajin Sauza Sangya Paikuhan Kaiohshin Masked Saiyan (Goten & Trunks) Uub (Kid) King Vegeta Fasha Tora Chilled Dragon Ball Super (3) Jaco Champa Cheelai Dragon Ball GT (7) Vegeta Vegeta Super Saiyajin Trunks Trunks Super Saiyajin Nuova Shenron (4-Star Dragon) Hell Fighter 17 Super 17 Combining the 182 characters from the base game with all the expansions released so far, the roster now surpasses the impressive milestone of 240 fighters! Without a doubt, this is the absolute highlight of the expansion. It is a dream come true for anyone who, just like me, loves gathering friends at home to host local multiplayer tournaments. FREE UPDATE Even those who only own the base game and haven't purchased the DLC yet will receive substantial free improvements with the new patch: New Stages: Three new variations of already existing arenas have been introduced free of charge. Explosive Chain: Now, when executing a grab or throw, you no longer just watch your opponent fall to the ground. It is possible to follow up the attack and start a combo. Furthermore, if you switch characters during a team battle at this exact moment, your ally will enter the stage using a fixed, specific skill, extending the combo (the classic Tag Combo). Sparking! Boost: A new action that can be activated during Sparking mode (which is when your Ki bar is fully charged). It raises your damage considerably, but it comes with a risk: as soon as the effect ends, your attacks will suffer a temporary damage reduction. NEW STAGES The expansion did not hold back on the battlefield, bringing four new iconic stages (battle arenas) from the franchise. Among the highlights are the legendary Kami's Lookout, a classic setting for training and major clashes throughout the saga, and the Stratosphere of Planet Vegeta, which allows players to recreate the iconic and cinematic battle where Bardock confronted Frieza's army in space (I actually did this, and it made me feel like a 10-year-old kid again, watching the movie on DVD on my beloved old CRT TV). NEW EPISODES AND CUSTOMIZATION For the lone wolves who love single-player content, the expansion adds four new story-focused Episode Battles and brand-new Extra Battles within the custom edit mode. On top of that, the package includes over 20 new customization items. This encompasses brand-new outfits and the ability to change the characters' Super Attacks, allowing you to build setups with whatever ultimate techniques you prefer. MY EXPERIENCE The expansion manages to please all kinds of players across the franchise. It adds a new game mode for those who prefer playing solo offline. For those who enjoy playing with friends in multiplayer, whether locally (which is definitely me) or online, the additions of new characters, new battle outfits, and new arenas have significantly improved the overall game experience, diversifying matches and opening up new possibilities. Another major point is the implementation of the new Super Attacks; there were certain specific characters that didn't fit into my gameplay strategy simply because of their special move, and now I can comfortably use those characters with alternative attacks. For anyone who is a fan of the Dragon Ball franchise, this game truly becomes the definitive experience. ACHIEVEMENTS For the achievement hunters out there, one detail is worth pointing out: the DLC itself chose not to add any new achievements or trophies. It rigidly maintains the total of 50 achievements established in the base game. While some might see this as a missed opportunity to expand the challenge, the original list is already complex enough, demanding a considerable amount of patience, deep mastery of advanced mechanics, and real effort to reach that 100% completion. Therefore, in my opinion, the game actually makes the right call by not padding out the achievement list. CONCLUSION With this upgrade, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO definitively establishes itself as the supreme title of the franchise, shining brilliantly in its solo content and, most importantly, in its multiplayer. It is the ultimate tribute to Akira Toriyama’s universe, delivering an overwhelming amount of content that guarantees endless fun. For me, this is one of those games that you beat, reach 100% achievements on, and never delete from your PC or console, because you know for a fact that 10 years from now, you will still be playing it with your friends. It is guaranteed fun for years to come. Score: 9.8/10 Review by: LefaTOON

Use the elements and save your world from collapse. THE GAME Fading Echo is an action-adventure game developed by Emeteria and published by New Tales and Com2uS Holdings. The protagonist, One, sets out to save Corel, her world, from the Paradox Corruption that is distorting reality and destroying everything in its path. With the support of her mother, One seeks to restore order to the world before its complete extinction. One discovers a latent power that manifests at an opportune moment: the ability to transform into a kind of water slime that absorbs elements, combining them to acquire new properties. Thus, One embarks on an adventure to help save Corel. A great adventure awaits you. MY IMPRESSIONS The third-person adventure presented by Fading Echo, combined with recurring action, creates a classic combination, with many platforming challenges and puzzles throughout the journey. Interestingly, the game often doesn't explain certain mechanics, expecting the player to understand them through trial and error and/or observation to progress. The level of challenge is excellent, requiring the player to think before acting. Map exploration, while often seemingly linear, is rewarding, leading you to find artifacts and points to equip them, which are nothing more than new abilities for One. Combat in Fading Echo is quite simple, but rewards creative players who use elemental combinations to defeat enemies. Each element has an effect on opponents, greatly facilitating battles, but also creating chaos on the battlefield, as enemies also possess elements and end up interacting with each other. When transformed into his aquatic slime form (if I may call it that), One acquires water properties, allowing him to pass through grates and leaving a trail of water in his wake, which he can use to interact in battle. Touching other elements in this form grants you that property, and you can also combine elements to create new interaction possibilities. It's a mechanic you'll use both in battle and in puzzles, so it's very important to pay attention to the possibilities. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, but the coolest thing is that it's also dubbed by renowned Brazilian voice actors such as Carol Valença, Adriana Torres, Guilherme Briggs, Reginaldo Primo, Flávia Saddy, and Léo Rabelo – voices you'll immediately recognize from each character's first line. Speaking of voices, a negative point in Fading Echo is the character conversations, where you have to stay in a specific area to hear the characters talking, and if you leave, the conversation stops. This significantly disrupts the game's rhythm, forcing you to wait through an entire conversation before returning to the action. I only stopped to listen because I wanted to see the voice acting; otherwise, I would have skipped through the whole process just to listen to conversations. The game's art is very colorful, with great color contrasts, well used by the variety of elements that should stand out as they are the core of the game's main mechanics. Fading Echo doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does the basics well. The puzzles are much more appealing than the combat parts, which aren't as exciting. The story unfolds gradually, and details of this world are sprinkled throughout the journey, keeping the player interested in what's happening and explaining things about that world. As an action game, Fading Echo doesn't disappoint, but it's not thrilling either; as an adventure, it's very fun. Its slime form is essential for progressing. ACHIEVEMENTS Fading Echo doesn't complicate things for those who want all the achievements, but it won't make it easy either. Some will be simpler, like listening to all possible conversations, while others will be more challenging, such as finding all the game's artifacts. Finally, in addition to the story-related achievements, a large portion of the achievements aim to make the player interact with the elements and defeat enemies in specific ways, creating an extra layer of challenge while indirectly teaching some mechanics you might not have noticed before. As I said, it's not that complicated, but getting 100% of the achievements will be, at the very least, challenging. Discover worlds full of color. CONCLUSION While I enjoyed all the puzzles and platforming in Fading Echo, the combat didn't appeal to me. Although the idea is good and rewards creative players, the execution isn't that fun. Whenever I could, I preferred kicking enemies into an endless fall rather than dealing with various elements that I often didn't even know where they came from. The break in rhythm to listen to conversations between characters also didn't please me; it could have been done in a more dynamic way. The Brazilian Portuguese dubbing steals the show, with our incredibly charismatic voice actors. Fading Echo has a good dose of challenge and does the basics of the genre, with interesting mechanics in the adventure, but not so fun in the combat. SCORE: 7.5/10

Are you infected? THE GAME Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is a post-apocalyptic management game developed by Brigada Games and published by Devolver Digital. You are tasked with managing a checkpoint in a city overrun by zombies. It's up to you to decide which survivors are fit to be rescued or to eliminate those already infected by the zombie virus. Using a variety of resources, check all survivors and decide their fate. Check the survivors and look for signs of infection. MY IMPRESSIONS The idea behind Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is quite interesting for games of this liberation/prohibition genre. It combines interesting search and analysis mechanics with simple base management, with goals to be met, which gives the player a direction on the intended objective and the required challenge. I like how the game doesn't rush you to check the survivors, since many games would put a time limit to speed things up and make it even more difficult; however, Quarantine Zone: The Last Check has many mechanics at the same time that add up and complicate the analyses, and if there were a time limit, it could be very frustrating. Therefore, the player is free to take as long as they want and do whatever they want during their day in the game. The survivor analysis mechanics are quite varied, with some being more interesting than others. In particular, those that are unlocked last are the least interesting, most complicated, and tedious to use. It's essential to use all available analysis tools to ensure a good assessment and earn research points to upgrade your equipment, making it easier to check if everything is in order. Once you detect something in a survivor, you can mark the discovered characteristics on a checklist to determine their level of danger. If they only have green-level symptoms, signs, or behaviors, they are free of the zombie virus and can enter the survivor area. If it's orange, it's an alert for that person, who may either develop the virus or simply get rid of the symptoms; therefore, it's preferable to send that survivor to quarantine and wait to see what happens. You can visit the quarantine area and reassess the survivors there. If they've improved, they can go to the survivor area, but if the virus has progressed, you'll soon see the damage. Finally, red means that person is beyond saving, so you send them to be eliminated. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, which makes it easier to learn all the mechanics and understand how they work, since there's quite a bit to learn, even if it's simple. You can also send survivors with unknown symptoms to the lab and, in exchange for that person's sacrifice, you discover new symptoms to identify in future survivors. This is a basic game cycle; every day will be like this, adding mechanics as the days go by, until the day comes when you can send survivors to the scientists and earn research points or send them to the army and earn money, used to improve your base. In addition to the gameplay cycle mentioned above, you have to manage your base, providing resources such as food, shelter, and energy to keep everything running. It's a very simple system, but it's there as an addition to make sense within the game's theme. From time to time, hordes of zombies attack your base in the early morning, and you, using a military drone, must stop them by shooting at waves of zombies that appear and try to destroy the base walls. Just like the base management system, these attacks provide a break from the normal gameplay cycle, like a minigame to coolly break the rhythm, while also keeping everything consistent with the zombie theme. The biggest problem with Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is its pacing. While it's good in the first few hours, adding many mechanics, not all of which are as fun or dynamic as the initial ones, makes everything feel very dragged out. Even though you can use research points to improve your equipment and make diagnoses easier, you'll still have to use everything at your disposal to ensure your check is a complete success. Add to that huge lines of survivors, and you get tired very quickly. Overall, it's a game with good ideas and interesting mechanics, but it's perhaps best played in short bursts to avoid getting bored so fast. Protect your base from zombie attacks. ACHIEVEMENTS Theoretically, most achievements in Quarantine Zone: The Last Check can be obtained in a single playthrough, as many achievements are tied to advancements and new mechanics introduced in the game, as well as specific actions like killing rats roaming the base or breaking lamps. However, to get all the achievements, you will need at least two complete playthroughs, since you need to get both the good and bad endings. It won't be too difficult, but it may take some time and effort to achieve 100% of the achievements. Keep your base updated to better accommodate survivors. CONCLUSION I started Quarantine Zone: The Last Check having a lot of fun, with new mechanics being introduced each day that began in the game. Simple and quick mechanics that made the game enjoyable to play. As time passed and many more mechanics were introduced, the game became tiring. The final equipment is unnecessarily tedious to handle. Each day of the game became more drawn out and time-consuming to finish. And so I slowed down the pace of the game and it gradually lost me. I really liked Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, but it loses much of its freshness after the beginning. Still, it's a fun game that brings very interesting elements to the genre. SCORE: 7.5/10

Long before the NFL spotlight, the dream begins on the college field For those who follow American football loosely, College Football 27 might seem like just an alternative version of Madden NFL 27 with college teams. However, this comparison overlooks the main differentiator of the franchise. College football has its own unique identity in the United States. The vast majority of players who reach the NFL pass through college football, where they start their careers, build historic rivalries, and compete in championships with an atmosphere that often rivals the professional league. This difference also defines the in-game experience. While Madden places the player in control of professional franchises and established athletes, College Football 27 bets on building college programs, recruiting new talent, and developing players who are still fighting for their space. EA's goal is to deliver not just football games, but the entire environment surrounding a university: fans, tradition, coaching staff, recruitment, and the pressure for results. MADDEN NFL vs COLLEGE FOOTBALL Although they share a similar gameplay foundation, both franchises have different goals. Madden NFL 27 represents the professional level of the sport, where each team already boasts well-known players and a consolidated structure. The focus lies on competition between major franchises, roster management, and immediate performance. College Football 27 operates under a different reality. Here, the coach needs to build their team, scout young prospects, and develop athletes who have yet to reach their peak. A successful season depends not only on winning games, but also on landing new talent and improving the university's facilities. This difference makes College Football an experience much more tied to management and long-term planning, especially in Dynasty mode. GAMEPLAY Unlike sports games where the action happens instantly, American football features a crucial step before every play: tactical decision-making. Choosing a formation, identifying gaps in the opponent's defense, and setting the best strategy can be more important than executing fast moves. This gives the game a distinct learning curve. Beginners might find it challenging at first, mainly due to the amount of information presented, but the experience improves considerably once the player understands how each choice impacts the outcome. The main strength of College Football 27 lies in how it treats American football as a game of decisions. Despite having moments of intense action, a matchup is built primarily through pre-snap planning. For newcomers to the genre, it is important to understand that a game does not rely solely on controlling the fastest or strongest athlete. Every play begins with a tactical choice: which formation to use, which player to target, how the opposing defense is positioned, and what risk is worth taking at that moment. This characteristic gives College Football 27 a distinct identity compared to many sports titles. A player with a better grasp of strategy can overcome someone with higher stick skills who makes less efficient decisions during the game. Compared to the previous title, there were adjustments to player behavior, new plays, and enhanced defensive intelligence. The result is an experience where every game demands constant focus, especially against more prepared opponents. One of the biggest challenges for College Football 27 is precisely finding the balance between accessibility and depth. The game offers a few tools to help beginners, such as automatic play suggestions through Coach Suggestions. This option eases the initial experience, offering alternatives without requiring the player to know every mechanic of the sport right away. However, as experience grows, it becomes clear that relying solely on these recommendations is not always enough. Certain situations require deeper analysis, and understanding the reason behind each choice becomes one of the most rewarding parts of the game. While the learning curve may turn away players looking for an immediate arcade experience, it is also one of the game's greatest qualities. College Football 27 does not attempt to oversimplify the sport, as it preserves the intrinsic complexity of the game. ULTIMATE TEAM Just like other EA sports titles, College Football 27 features the Ultimate Team mode, bringing the traditional structure of building a squad through card packs. The core loop is familiar to anyone who has played other franchises from the publisher. Players earn various currencies, including Points acquired with real money, alongside resources obtained through progression, such as training packs, tokens, and objective rewards. The main goal is to gradually upgrade the roster by opening packs, acquiring new athletes, and raising the team's Overall rating. Each player has a rating that determines their general strength, but there are also cards with specific traits that can influence team building. An interesting feature is the option to automatically generate the best possible lineup using available cards. This function helps players who do not want to spend time manually managing every position, although it is worth noting that it prioritizes overall ratings, sometimes setting aside individual attributes that might be crucial on the field. Menu navigation is fast, organized, and much smoother than experiences found in other sports games from EA itself. Opening packs, checking rewards, and tracking objectives happens seamlessly, without the feeling of heavy or sluggish menus. Pack opening animations also receive special care. They manage to build that moment of anticipation before revealing the player inside, which is an element that has become a staple of the mode. At launch, the number of available objectives was still somewhat limited, which is expected for a newly released game, but the structure shows clear potential to grow as new events and content are added. Despite following a well-established EA formula, Ultimate Team works well here because it fits the fantasy of building a competitive college program, even while carrying the franchise's familiar microtransaction framework. DINASTY Dynasty: Building a program from scratch. If there is one mode that best represents what College Football 27 aims to be, it is Dynasty. Here, the player fully steps into the role of head coach and must manage every aspect of a college program. Winning games on the field is not enough, as decisions outside of matchdays shape the future of the team. Players can choose different roles within the coaching staff, acting as head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator. Each choice alters how the player participates in the team's evolution. Before starting the journey, players must deal with board expectations and set contract goals. Larger universities demand ambitious outcomes, while smaller programs might require a complete rebuild. This distinction creates an engaging sense of progression, as every program operates under its own reality. The administrative side of Dynasty is one of the game's greatest strengths. Throughout the season, the coach must assemble their staff and hire coaches who provide different perks. Some professionals boost recruiting efficiency by helping scout top prospects, while others improve player development or reduce injury risks. There is also a budget system where players must manage university expenses and decide where to allocate available funds. This management layer adds a strategic depth that goes far beyond matchday. A great season is built not only through victories, but through smart off-field decision-making. ROAD TO GLORY Beyond playing as a coach, College Football 27 also allows players to follow the journey of an individual athlete through the Road to Glory mode. The premise changes completely. Instead of managing an entire university program, the goal is to guide a single player's development from the start of their college career, making choices that shape their future in the sport. The mode features distinct developmental paths and allows players to choose various positions, including roles that offer wildly different gameplay styles. This variety keeps every campaign unique, as playing as a quarterback delivers a completely different experience than playing on defense. Progression happens through on-field performance and choices made throughout the season. Players must balance training, skill upgrades, and off-field decisions, creating a strong sense of living out an evolving career. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, College Football 27 is one of EA's most impressive sports games to date thanks to the Frostbite engine. Stadiums, uniforms, equipment, and player models receive an exceptionally high level of detail. Match lighting stands out significantly, especially during night games, where the environment manages to replicate the look and feel of a real broadcast. Player bodies, helmets, and gear feature top-tier finishes, creating a highly realistic presentation. At times, the visual fidelity gives the impression of watching an actual live game. It is not entirely flawless, however. Some facial expressions still show inconsistent quality across different players, especially when compared to the rest of the presentation. Still, this minor issue does not detract from the overall package. The crowd, mascots, cheerleaders, marching bands, and pre-game traditions create an identity few sports games can match. Even before kickoff, the game builds an atmosphere of a major event. Team run-outs, stadium chants, and traditional university elements all contribute to making every game feel impactful. The soundtrack features creative moments, heavily incorporating marching bands, an element deeply tied to American college culture. Another welcome addition is the soundtrack featured throughout the menus, with songs from well-known artists such as Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, and Amy Winehouse. The varied selection helps keep navigation enjoyable between matches, complementing the traditional marching bands that define the atmosphere on the field. One of the coolest touches is a tailored version of the Battlefield theme adapted into a marching band style. This choice shows how EA could explore more cross-franchise references to create special moments for players. Additionally, commentary, stadium audio, and ambient noise round out an experience that closely mirrors a real-life sporting event. In a game where atmosphere matters as much as the action itself, the audio work plays a vital role in delivering that immersion. ACHIEVEMENTS The achievement list in College Football 27 was designed to encourage players to explore virtually every aspect of the game. Objectives span across major modes, including Dynasty and Road to Glory, alongside in-game performance challenges and specific seasonal milestones. There is a healthy balance between achievements tied to player progression, team management, custom matches, and unique on-field scenarios. The list avoids being strictly about winning championships, offering varied goals for players who enjoy experimenting with tactics, following a career, or simply taking advantage of everything the game has to offer. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS College Football 27 proves that the franchise is much more than a collegiate reskin of Madden NFL. Its heavy focus on recruiting, program management, and player development creates a distinct experience where strategy and planning hold as much weight as stick skills. Modes like Dynasty and Road to Glory are the clear highlights, while the presentation, complete with detailed stadiums, marching bands, and an atmosphere true to traditional American universities, makes every matchup deeply engaging. On the other hand, a steep learning curve and the lack of Brazilian Portuguese subtitles may make the onboarding process harder for new international players. Even so, anyone looking for a deep sports simulator will find in College Football 27 a comprehensive experience, one fully capable of carving out its own space without relying on comparisons to Madden NFL. SCORE: 7.9/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Master Chief returns in an adventure that respects the past and expands his legacy. There is a huge challenge in revisiting one of the most important games in video game history. Even greater is the challenge of surprising players who already know practically every moment of the original campaign. Halo: Campaign Evolved achieves exactly that. Even knowing what would happen in the following missions, it only took a few minutes to realize that this was not simply a graphical upgrade, but an extremely careful reconstruction of nearly every aspect of the experience. While Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary modernized the 2001 classic while keeping almost its entire structure intact, Campaign Evolved goes further. The campaign has been rebuilt using modern technology, adding new missions, weapons, vehicles, and several new features, while preserving what has always made Halo work so well: a fun and accessible campaign that constantly places the player at the center of massive battles. CAMPAIGN The story remains faithful to the original. Master Chief and Cortana become stranded on the mysterious Halo installation after the fall of the Pillar of Autumn, beginning a journey that quickly evolves from a conflict against the Covenant into something much greater hidden within the ring. The writing remains simple, and that is exactly why it works so well. There is always a clear objective, memorable characters, and a rhythm that balances exploration, combat, and cinematic moments extremely well. Speaking of cinematics, this is perhaps the aspect that surprised me the most throughout the entire campaign. The cutscenes reach an impressive level of quality. Facial expressions, camera direction, and animations make several scenes feel like they were taken directly from a major science fiction film. Each mission ending practically rewards the player with another visual spectacle. During the opening hours, I encountered some minor technical issues, such as soldiers appearing unexpectedly in certain locations and a strange situation where I managed to access an area of the ship that I clearly was not supposed to reach, only to be launched into space moments later. Since I played an extremely early build, none of these issues affected my overall experience. When we finally reach Halo’s large natural environments, the visual impact becomes even greater. The biomes impress with their scale and especially their lighting, making it hard to believe everything is happening in real time. Another element that continues to work extremely well is Cortana. Besides her excellent interactions throughout the campaign, she also naturally assists when the player takes too long to find an objective, preventing frustration without turning exploration into a fully guided experience. The arrival of the Flood remains one of the most memorable moments of the adventure. The campaign completely changes its atmosphere, adopting a tone much closer to space horror. The sequence involving recovered recordings from a UNSC soldier remains excellent and perfectly prepares the player for what comes next. From that point onward, the game enters an almost uninterrupted rhythm of action. Seeing the Covenant, Flood, and Master Chief sharing the same battlefield creates chaotic and incredibly fun encounters. This was also where one of my favorite moments happened: grabbing the Shotgun and simply blasting my way through the Flood. It is one of those moments where you forget any elaborate strategy and just enjoy the combat. The ending maintains all the adrenaline of the original, now enhanced by even more impressive cinematic direction. The final sequence remains one of the franchise’s most memorable moments and closes a campaign that is still incredibly fun more than two decades after its original release. BONUS MISSIONS Alongside the classic campaign, Halo: Campaign Evolved adds Operation: METEORITE, a new campaign consisting of three missions that take place approximately one year before the main events. The focus here is expanding Sergeant Johnson’s role and exploring events that had never been shown before in the franchise. This change in perspective works extremely well. Johnson actively participates in combat throughout most of the bonus campaign, making encounters more dynamic and creating a constant feeling of a military operation. Unlike the main campaign, the supporting characters actually contribute during many battles. This was also where I found some of the most enjoyable weapons in the game. The Spiker quickly became one of my favorites, while other weapons provide options that rarely appear in the traditional campaign. The variety constantly encourages experimentation with different equipment. Visually, these missions also introduce very different environments, featuring beautiful open areas, new enemy variations, and excellent use of colors that makes identifying some opponents during combat more challenging. The biggest highlight, however, is the space battle featured in the final missions. Controlling a ship equipped with plasma cannons, lasers, and boost systems brings a very welcome change to the gameplay. The battles work extremely well, the galactic environments are impressive, and they create the feeling that Halo Studios is also using these missions to test ideas that could appear in future games in the series. In the end, Operation: METEORITE goes far beyond being simple bonus content. These three missions complement the main campaign, introduce new mechanics, and improve the experience for anyone looking to explore everything Halo: Campaign Evolved has to offer. COOPERATIVE MODE Halo has always been a franchise that shines when played alongside others, and Campaign Evolved maintains that tradition. The entire campaign can be completed cooperatively with shared progression and crossplay support, allowing players on different platforms to experience the story together. During my experience, it became even clearer how some situations seem designed around cooperative play. This is especially true during vehicle battles. Jumping into a Warthog while one player drives, another controls the mounted turret, and a third covers the surroundings completely changes certain encounters. It is the type of situation where combat simply reaches another level. I also enjoyed the ability to use Skulls during cooperative sessions, creating much more unpredictable and entertaining matches, especially for players who have already completed the campaign. My only criticism is the lack of an internal matchmaking system for finding cooperative players. Those without friends playing the game are forced to rely on external communities, such as Discord, to build a group. A cooperative matchmaking browser would make a lot of sense and help more players experience one of the best ways to play the campaign. On the other hand, I really appreciated the return of split-screen on consoles. It is an increasingly rare feature in the industry and remains a great way to enjoy Halo locally. The absence of a PvP mode may disappoint some fans, but it is clear that the focus here was always on delivering the best possible campaign experience. In that regard, Halo Studios succeeded. CAMPAIGN REMIX Campaign Remix is an excellent way to revisit every mission from a completely different perspective. Each level can receive different combinations of unlocked Skulls, significantly changing the gameplay experience with modifiers that make encounters more unpredictable and challenging. Players can even allow the game to randomly select which modifiers will be applied, ensuring that each attempt feels different from the previous one. I see this mode as something designed for players who already know the campaign well and want to increase replay value, as some combinations can dramatically raise the difficulty. Even without seeking the biggest challenges, it is worth experimenting with Remix because the variety of modifiers makes familiar missions feel almost completely new. Another positive point is that Remix is not limited only to the main campaign, as it can also be used with bonus missions, making it an excellent option for those who want to continue exploring everything Halo: Campaign Evolved offers after finishing the story. VISUALS AND SOUND Few games have impressed me visually within the first few minutes like Halo: Campaign Evolved. The reconstruction created by Halo Studios is extremely ambitious and demonstrates, in many moments, the potential of modern technology. The biggest highlight is the lighting. Reflections, shadows, and different materials react to light in an extremely convincing way. This becomes even more noticeable in indoor environments. Metallic rooms, corridors, hangars, and especially the Truth and Reconciliation feature some of the best lighting effects I have seen in a first-person shooter. There were moments when I simply stopped for a few seconds to observe the reflections spread throughout the environment. When the campaign reaches natural environments, the impact remains impressive. Vegetation, large open fields, and enormous draw distances make exploration feel like entering a living world. The animations follow the same level of quality. Weapon reloads, small combat movements, and even enemy reactions to gunfire make everything feel much more impactful. There is clear attention to detail in making every weapon feel different, both visually and through its animations. The soundtrack remains fantastic. Halo’s traditional chants continue to create unforgettable moments and help transform ordinary battles into memorable sequences. Meanwhile, when the campaign adopts a darker tone during the Flood’s arrival, the music perfectly follows that atmospheric shift. It remains one of the franchise’s greatest strengths. ACHIEVEMENTS Halo: Campaign Evolved offers a very complete achievement list that encourages different ways of experiencing the campaign. Besides the traditional achievements for completing missions and finishing the story on every difficulty level, there is a strong focus on exploration through Skulls and Terminals scattered throughout the environments. Finding all these collectibles requires attention, as many are extremely well hidden, perfectly matching the game’s exploration-focused design. For players seeking 100% completion, the challenge goes far beyond simply finishing the campaign. There are achievements focused on specific objectives during certain missions, challenges involving Skull combinations, Remix campaigns without dying, Legendary difficulty completion, and even the traditional LASO challenge, considered one of the biggest tests of skill in the franchise. It is a list that satisfies both casual players and those who want to extract everything the game has to offer. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Halo: Campaign Evolved achieves something few remakes manage to accomplish. It completely respects the original material while finding room to expand the experience with new missions, weapons, vehicles, and additional modes without losing the essence of the campaign that defined a generation. The combat remains exceptional. Very few games make almost every weapon enjoyable to use, constantly encourage experimentation, and maintain engaging battles throughout the entire campaign. Combined with the impressive visuals, excellent art direction, high-quality cinematics, and outstanding audio work, the result is the best version of this story ever created. Still, some decisions prevent the experience from being even better. While it is clear that Halo Studios’ goal was to focus all efforts on delivering the best possible campaign experience, the absence of a PvP mode will certainly be missed by part of the fanbase. I also did not agree with hiding certain features behind Skulls. The ability to play in third person, a highly anticipated feature among players on certain platforms, could have been available naturally instead of requiring the unlock of a specific modifier. I also experienced some minor performance drops during the final third of the campaign, especially during the final mission, when massive explosions and simultaneous battles between the Covenant, Flood, and UNSC forces create much more intense situations. After finishing the campaign, I was left with one simple feeling: I wanted to keep playing Halo. Campaign Evolved reignited my interest in revisiting the entire Master Chief Collection and following the next chapters of the franchise. The bonus missions reinforce that feeling even further. While respecting the events of the original game, they demonstrate that Halo Studios has strong ideas for expanding this universe when it is no longer limited by the structure of an already established classic. If that was one of the team’s goals, it worked perfectly for me. For longtime fans, this is a reconstruction that does justice to the original. For newcomers, it is difficult to imagine a better entry point into Halo. SCORE: 9.3/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz