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

Travel through Japan and become the best Denshattacker in the country. THE GAME Denshattack! is an arcade game developed by Undercoders and distributed by Fireshine Games and Boltray Games. Traveling through Japan aboard a train might seem normal, but in Denshattack! trains are more than just a means of transportation. Following the journey of Emi and Fernando, you'll encounter customizable trains capable of performing radical maneuvers as they travel along tracks that challenge the player with drifts and jumps, as well as formidable enemies to defeat, all at a frenetic pace. Assemble a group of misfit and charismatic characters to defeat the evil Miraido corporation and become a legendary Denshattacker. We don't need tracks. MY IMPRESSIONS Imagine a train that can do skateboarding tricks. With that premise, it's impossible not to get excited by the frenetic and highly thrilling pace of Denshattack!, which immediately grabs your attention. With very stylish art, vibrant colors, and a cartoonish feel, Denshattack! immerses you in an electric and cheerful vibe, combining its visual exaggerations with its radical maneuvers and epic battles. The soundtrack, naturally, follows all the other elements, dictating the rhythm of the game with tracks that match the presented environment and with songs that have the potential to become instant classics. Charismatic characters are the guides to the story of Denshattack!, even if overshadowed by the brilliance of the intense gameplay. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, which helps the player understand the story that guides their journey, as well as giving the characters more charisma and telling their stories in that world. There are also onsens scattered around the map, where we can learn a little more about the characters and their motivations. The game controls are quite intuitive, even with a vast range of movements, which are very satisfying to master and achieve higher scores. However, it's not all about increasing numbers: generally, you'll have three types of objectives in each level. First, scores per maneuver, as already mentioned. Second, you must complete the level in the shortest time possible. And third, you'll have a selection of small objectives during the level, which can range from collecting all the collectibles to performing a specific action, such as destroying an obstacle or executing a specific movement. You don't necessarily need to do everything perfectly, but these three parameters add another layer of fun, challenge, and replayability. The levels are well-constructed, always bringing interesting challenges and pacing your gameplay, as well as being very creative and well-presented artistically. Each time you advance in the game, new mechanics are introduced, and what already seemed frantic becomes even more chaotic, but in a positive way. The player can also customize their train with new paint jobs and stickers, as well as acquire new trains during their journey. Each train has its pros and cons, improving one aspect and worsening another; it's up to the player to choose a train that suits their play style. At a certain point in the game, by completing some maneuver combos, you create your own tracks with a magical power, creating alternative paths in levels, opening up a new range of possibilities. Many levels will bring crazy interactions, such as using a Ferris wheel to advance through the city or riding a boat and performing maneuvers on waves. The creativity put into this game is incredible, and where we can see this at its peak is in the boss battles. Equipped with giant vehicles (if we can call them that), the epic battles against them are incredible just by existing as they are, but the interactions and sequences they generate are sensational. Denshattack! is guaranteed fun. The levels are conducted in a fluid and fast way, and the gameplay is very good. With quick matches, you don't even realize how much you've played. Even those looking for a great challenge will find it in Denshattack!, as completing all the level objectives will be a difficult task. And this characteristic of being a game for all types of players makes Denshattack! reach the hearts of many more people. Be radical. ACHIEVEMENTS The achievements in Denshattack! are quite straightforward. Completing all story chapters, getting a gold medal in every stage, completing all stage challenges, finishing first in every race, performing impressive combo maneuvers, visiting all onsens, collecting all collectibles, and acquiring trains and stickers practically summarize all the achievements the game offers. Mastering moves is part of Denshattack!'s gameplay and will be essential to achieving 100% of the achievements, as well as replaying some stages, making the game highly replayable. Face surprising enemies. CONCLUSION Denshattack! is a time-consuming game; you start playing and when you stop, you realize you've been playing for so long without even noticing. Its gameplay favors both the least skilled and the most expert players. The frenetic pace embraces the player in such a way that you just keep up with the rhythm, reacting in a fraction of a second to a breathtaking chain of events. The way the game makes you replay levels is very clever and never gets boring, encouraging the player to explore every corner of the game and perhaps even provoking them to try to be better. Denshattack! is as fun as it sounds and surprises you at every step of your journey within the game. If the whole premise is crazy and attention-grabbing, trying Denshattack! will certainly give you a lot of fun as a reward. SCORE: 9.0/10

The Retro Horror That Turns Every Hallway Into a Trap Few games manage to recreate that feeling of playing a classic for the very first time without simply copying the past. CULTIC does exactly that. From the very first minutes, it's clear that the game draws heavy inspiration from the great FPS titles of the 1990s. Instead of merely repeating familiar formulas, however, it uses those influences to build an experience with its own identity. Right from the beginning, you're thrown into a world overtaken by a violent religious cult with very little explanation. You play as a detective who survives an execution attempt and begins hunting down those responsible while uncovering the secrets behind the organization. The narrative doesn't rely on lengthy cinematic cutscenes. Instead, it's told through exploration, documents scattered throughout the maps, and the environments themselves, leaving much of the interpretation in the player's hands. This approach fits the game's design perfectly. Rather than constantly interrupting the action to explain its story, CULTIC allows each location to speak for itself. Abandoned asylums, churches occupied by fanatics, isolated farms, and hidden laboratories all work together to create an unsettling atmosphere from beginning to end. But if there's one thing that immediately stands out, it's the game's artistic direction. Its visual style instantly brings classic 1990s shooters to mind. The sprites, lighting, over-the-top violence, and map design all evoke games like Blood, Doom, and Duke Nukem 3D. I don't see that as a flaw. Quite the opposite. That inspiration becomes one of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire experience. Many objects scattered throughout the environments can be destroyed or interacted with during exploration, making every location feel alive. Despite its retro aesthetic, the game manages to create richly detailed maps that constantly encourage players to explore every corner. GAMEPLAY If the visuals trigger nostalgia, the very first firefight makes it clear that CULTIC has no intention of being just a museum piece for old-school FPS games. Combat is incredibly fast-paced and brutally violent. The initial feeling is very reminiscent of Doom, especially because of how quickly battles unfold. At the same time, resource management plays a much larger role. You can't simply run forward and shoot everything in sight. Using your weapons wisely makes a huge difference. Headshots eliminate many enemies almost instantly, explosives can wipe out entire groups, and every bullet wasted may be sorely missed just a few minutes later. Dynamite, for example, becomes one of the most entertaining tools in your arsenal. It can be used both to eliminate large groups of enemies and to interact with parts of the environment. During my playthrough, I often found myself wondering whether explosives could open certain blocked paths, although they didn't always work the way I expected. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the variety of weapons. Every new firearm genuinely changes the way you approach combat. Once the shotgun becomes available, for example, the pace shifts dramatically. Combat feels even closer to Doom thanks to the sheer aggression it enables. That's far from a criticism. On the contrary, this constant evolution of your arsenal prevents the gameplay from ever becoming repetitive throughout the campaign. The game also displays small instructions whenever a new mechanic is introduced. It's a simple touch, but one that prevents confusion without disrupting the pace of exploration. Speaking of exploration, this is perhaps one of CULTIC's greatest strengths. Most levels are built around the philosophy of classic FPS games. Hidden passages, secret doors, optional areas, keys scattered throughout the environment, and numerous alternate routes are everywhere. On several occasions, I completely ignored the main objective just to investigate seemingly insignificant hallways, only to discover additional resources or uncover another secret. And there are certainly no shortage of secrets. During one stage, I managed to find only one secret out of a total of eleven hidden throughout the level. That alone demonstrates just how much content the maps conceal for players who enjoy exploring every corner. This design philosophy strongly resembles Duke Nukem 3D and other classics of its era, where discovering hidden areas was part of the fun and significantly extended the length of the campaign. Not everything works perfectly, however. Camera movement was one of the aspects that bothered me the most throughout the experience. Even after lowering my mouse sensitivity to the minimum available setting, I still struggled to find a speed that felt comfortable. The camera response never quite behaved the way I wanted it to. This issue directly affected some of the more intense encounters, especially when I had to react quickly to enemies attacking from multiple directions. Curiously, this annoyance became much less noticeable once I switched to Casual difficulty. It may sound strange to recommend the easiest difficulty to players who are already experienced with FPS games, but that's exactly what happened in my case. Even after spending years playing the genre, I found Casual to be far more balanced, allowing me to enjoy the rest of the experience without turning every encounter into an excessively punishing battle. On the default difficulty, the sheer number of enemies is impressive. It's common to fight dozens of them within a single area. Many carry weapons similar to your own and are strategically positioned to ambush you whenever possible. Traps scattered throughout the environment further reinforce the constant feeling of danger. There are moments when the level design itself seems to warn you that an extremely difficult encounter is about to begin. At other times, the message is almost the opposite: fighting isn't worth it. Just run and survive. This constant alternation between intense combat and desperate escapes does an excellent job of keeping the campaign unpredictable. VISUAIS E SOM If there's one department that rarely disappoints, it's the audiovisual presentation. Visually, CULTIC does an outstanding job of blending modern technology with a visual style inspired by the 1990s. The sprites evoke the genre's greatest classics, while dynamic lighting, particle effects, physics, and a variety of modern visual effects ensure that the game feels like much more than a simple nostalgia filter. Nearly every environment has its own personality. Each map possesses a distinct identity and perfectly conveys the atmosphere it's aiming for, whether through its architecture, lighting, or the absurd amount of blood splattered across every location. The soundtrack is another major success. It knows exactly when to make its presence felt and, more importantly, when to disappear. Throughout much of the campaign, I was often surprised by moments where almost no music played at all. The silence makes you imagine that some horrifying threat is waiting just beyond the next doorway. This combination of sound design and atmosphere makes many sections far more tense than they would have been through cheap jump scares alone. ACHIEVEMENTS For players who enjoy earning 100% completion, CULTIC offers an extremely enjoyable achievement list. Many of the achievements encourage players to experiment with mechanics that would likely be ignored during a normal playthrough. There are challenges involving highly precise shots, creative kills using environmental objects, clever use of explosives, and even a few unusual situations that are guaranteed to bring a smile once you discover them. The game also includes exploration-based achievements that require finding every secret hidden throughout the chapters, along with objectives tied to weapon upgrades, survival, specific combat challenges, and extra game modes. What makes the achievement list especially satisfying is that it rarely feels like a repetitive checklist. On several occasions, I had the impression that the developers were deliberately encouraging players to approach each situation in completely different ways. The only warning is for completionists aiming for the full 100%. Some achievements require a considerable amount of skill, especially those tied to the highest difficulty, no-damage runs, and finding every secret hidden across the game's maps. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS CULTIC is a love letter to classic first-person shooters while confidently introducing plenty of ideas of its own. Its outstanding artistic direction, exceptionally clever level design, countless secrets, brutal combat, and survival horror atmosphere come together to create an experience that stands apart from most modern shooters. Anyone who plays it will almost certainly remember the "chainsaw guy," though probably not for friendly reasons. My biggest criticism remains the camera controls, which never felt completely comfortable to me despite trying several different sensitivity settings. Fortunately, this issue became much less noticeable after switching to Casual difficulty, which I believe is the best way to experience the campaign for the first time. I also loved the way the game rewards exploration. Finding secret passages, uncovering new routes, and revisiting older areas never feels like wasted time. Quite the opposite. That constant sense of curiosity is exactly what makes CULTIC feel so much like the genre's greatest classics. If you're looking for a modern FPS packed with cinematic storytelling, you'll probably find better options elsewhere. However, if you miss the creativity, exploration, and unapologetic brutality of 1990s shooters, CULTIC absolutely deserves a place on your list. It's one of those rare games that fully understands its inspirations and successfully transforms them into something that remains just as fun today. SCORE: 8.9/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Does the Mega Bundle provide the advantage every great escape needs? The arrival of Escape from Violet Hold brings a brand-new card set, fresh mechanics, and several new features to accompany the expansion. Among them, the Mega Bundle stands out as the most complete option for players who want to begin the season with a strong collection, exclusive cosmetics, and enough resources to explore the new strategies from day one. I spent several days using the Mega Bundle to see whether it truly delivers on its promise. Rather than simply opening a large number of packs, the goal of this review is to show how it impacts the early expansion experience and what advantages it offers to players looking to dive straight into Hearthstone. ABOUT THE MEGA BUNDLE The Mega Bundle was designed for players who enjoy starting a new expansion with a solid card collection. Instead of progressing gradually throughout the season, as with the Tavern Pass, nearly all of its content is available immediately, allowing players to build new decks and explore the expansion’s mechanics from the very beginning. In addition to a massive number of packs, the bundle includes special Legendary cards, exclusive cosmetics, and Tavern Tickets, making it one of the most complete packages released for Escape from Violet Hold. Whether you're following the competitive meta or simply enjoy experimenting with different archetypes, it significantly reduces the time needed to build a strong collection. CONTENT The Escape from Violet Hold Mega Bundle includes: 80 Escape from Violet Hold Packs 10 Golden Escape from Violet Hold Packs 1 Random Golden Legendary Card 1 Random Signature Legendary Card 1 Signature Vanessa 4 Tavern Tickets High Commander Beatrix Hero Skin High Commander Beatrix Card Back MY IMPRESSIONS As soon as I started opening the packs, the difference compared to the normal progression became immediately clear. Within just a few minutes, I had already collected a solid number of cards from the new expansion, more than enough to start building several decks without relying solely on free rewards or spending weeks saving up gold. What I enjoyed most was the freedom to experiment. Instead of being locked into a single class, I was able to test different combinations and get familiar with the new mechanics introduced in Escape from Violet Hold. It made my first few days with the expansion much more enjoyable and varied. I also appreciated the balance Hearthstone offers today. Even players who don't purchase the Mega Bundle can still make good progress through missions and the Rewards Track. The difference is that the bundle speeds up the process considerably, allowing you to build a competitive collection much sooner. In my opinion, that's the bundle's biggest strength. It doesn't make the game unfair for free-to-play players, but it offers a significant advantage for those who like to follow the meta from day one, try out new decks, and experience nearly everything the expansion has to offer without waiting to unlock key cards. TRAILLER OFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS The Escape from Violet Hold Mega Bundle delivers exactly what it promises. The huge number of packs, special cards, and exclusive cosmetics make it an excellent option for players planning to spend a lot of time with the new expansion. Even though Hearthstone still offers solid progression for free-to-play players, the Mega Bundle provides a much stronger and more enjoyable start. If you like experimenting with different strategies from day one, I believe it's an investment worth making. SCORE: 8.0/10

Only coordination can save you. THE GAME Brave Escape is a cooperative platform game developed and distributed by Hit Start Studios. Explorer Colin and robot Floyd team up on an adventure where progress depends on their cooperation, whether through precise jumps or using their abilities at the right time. Call a friend or find someone online and brave the dangers of Brave Escape. Coordinate your movements to move forward. MY IMPRESSIONS The first thing I want to highlight about Brave Escape is the existence of the Friend's Pass. Since it's a game that, theoretically, you can only play with one other player, having a way to play with someone who doesn't own the game is commendable. It might seem like a small thing, but many games don't do this and require multiple copies to be purchased just to play cooperatively. It's smart to do this because perhaps without this pass, not a single player would buy it because they'd have to get a friend to buy it too. Even though there's a way to find other people online to play with, it's not the same as playing with a friend, with more coordination and intimacy. Furthermore, having to depend on someone playing at the same time as you, and perhaps not being as interested or at the same pace as you, makes the game too restrictive to rely solely on this method of finding online players. Therefore, I think it's important to put this as the first and most important point to be made about Brave Escape. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, although it doesn't have much text or a particularly intriguing story to follow. The game consists of advancing through themed maps using cooperation. While Colin uses his rope to help Floyd (and even himself) reach high places, the robot can be used as a trampoline by the explorer to jump higher, as well as adapting to the environment's theme and acquiring new mechanics. The level of challenge is quite high at times, as players often need to make precise and coordinated jumps or even time their actions to overcome the challenge in the correct time. With many different themes, there are maps with electricity, ice, fire, and even in twilight. Each one unlocks a new mechanic for Floyd to use exclusively on that map, which prevents the game from being just a repetition of the same idea. Overcoming some challenges would be difficult normally, but some maps have collectibles that will require players to take a few extra steps than they should to collect them and complete the level. Beyond the standard levels, there are bonus levels that will demand even more from players, with challenges far greater than normal. Brave Escape offers two difficulty levels: the standard, which offers a more relaxed yet still challenging experience, and the Brave mode, which is how the game was designed, with much greater difficulty and requiring players to be much more skilled and coordinated. Even with a simple concept and art style, Brave Escape offers a fun challenge to players. Although some levels may seem impossible, the only thing that will stop you from advancing is a lack of coordination. It's a game that challenges you from beginning to end, with well-thought-out and well-constructed levels. Each character has their own role. ACHIEVEMENTS Although challenging, Brave Escape offers simple achievements. Besides completing all the levels and finishing the game, which you'll normally do, Brave Escape also has an achievement for collecting all the collectibles, requiring a bit more effort from players. Since it's a game of trial and error, achievements related to player deaths are quite common, including one for dying 5000 times. There's also an achievement for when one player causes the death of another using their abilities, which can happen intentionally or unintentionally. And if all that isn't enough, there are two achievements related to the early levels, which take place in the ancient cave. These two achievements are: completing the entire ancient cave without dying and finishing it in under 8 minutes. While with practice you can achieve these challenges, getting 100% of the achievements in Brave Escape will require a lot of patience and coordination between players. Different environments will require different skills. CONCLUSION Brave Escape manages to deliver great fun through its simplicity, showing that a game doesn't need complex mechanics to be enjoyable. A game requiring two players might seem prohibitive, but the Friend's Pass was a brilliant addition. The proposed challenge, combined with the challenge of coordinating with a friend to advance, turns short levels into fair challenges with good progression that demonstrates that only coordination is needed to move forward. If you're looking for a challenging game to play with a friend, Brave Escape will offer you everything you want. SCORE: 8.5/10

The escape has begun in Dalaran, but is the Tavern Pass worth the journey? The arrival of Escape from Violet Hold brings a new wave of cards, brand-new mechanics, and a theme inspired by a massive prison break from Dalaran. Alongside the expansion, Blizzard has also introduced a new edition of the Tavern Pass, featuring an updated Rewards Track with exclusive cosmetics, cards, packs, and experience bonuses to accompany players throughout the entire season. I spent several days exploring the Tavern Pass to understand how it works in practice and whether it is truly worth the investment. Rather than simply listing the available rewards, this review aims to show how it affects progression throughout the expansion and what benefits it offers to players who plan to enjoy Hearthstone throughout the entire season. ABOUT The Tavern Pass remains one of the main features for players who want to follow an entire Hearthstone season. With the arrival of Escape from Violet Hold, it received a new Rewards Track filled with cosmetics, exclusive cards, packs, and experience bonuses that speed up progression as players complete matches and missions. Unlike a bundle that provides most of its content immediately, the Tavern Pass follows the player throughout the expansion. The idea is simple: the more you play, the more rewards you unlock. This makes it a feature designed for players who intend to stay active during the season, regardless of their preferred game mode. By purchasing the Tavern Pass, players immediately gain access to the premium track, along with an initial experience bonus. As new levels are reached, this bonus increases progressively, allowing players to advance faster through the Rewards Track and earn gold, packs, cosmetics, and various other items sooner than they would through the free track alone. NEW MECHANICS The Escape from Violet Hold expansion also introduced new mechanics that change the way players approach their strategies during matches. One of them is Prepare, a new keyword that allows players to reduce the cost of a card by spending their remaining mana from the current turn, creating opportunities for more powerful plays in future turns. Another new addition is Disguise, a mechanic that allows players to place minions directly onto the opponent’s side of the board, opening up new possibilities for interaction, control, and unexpected strategies during battles. The expansion also introduces Bribe, a mechanic inspired by the theme of the prison escape, where extremely powerful cards provide some benefit to the opponent as part of their effect, creating riskier and more strategic decisions. Finally, we have the Rulebreakers, new Legendary minions capable of altering traditional Hearthstone rules. These cards introduce unique effects that go beyond the normal boundaries of the game, allowing players to create situations that were previously impossible during matches. In practice, Prepare adds an interesting layer of strategic planning to each match. Instead of spending all of your remaining mana on the current turn, you can invest it into a card that returns to your hand at a reduced cost, setting up far more explosive plays in future turns. It's a mechanic that rewards careful planning and efficient mana management, opening the door to powerful combinations that would otherwise be difficult to pull off. CONTENT The Escape from Violet Hold Tavern Pass includes: 10% immediate XP bonus (increasing up to 20% as you progress through the track) 1 Diamond Card P3G4-R4T0 1 Golden Vanessa, the Headmistress 1 Golden Maiev, the Warden 4 Escape from Violet Hold packs 2 Golden Standard packs 8 exclusive Hero skins 1 exclusive Card Back 1 exclusive Coin Exclusive Rewards Track cards (cannot be crafted or disenchanted) Access to the Premium Rewards Track with all rewards unlocked as you level up MY IMPRESSIONS One of the first things that caught my attention was the expansion’s presentation. As soon as I opened Hearthstone, I was greeted by a new cinematic that, as has become tradition for Blizzard, impresses with its animation quality, direction, and especially its voice acting. It was the kind of introduction that immediately made me want to jump into a match. Before activating the Pass, I decided to explore the game first to understand what had changed. Although Hearthstone still maintains the same core identity I remembered, it became clear that progression is much more organized now. The Journal gathers most of the important activities, while the Rewards Track clearly shows what can be earned through both the free and premium versions. I also liked seeing that the Tavern Pass does not diminish the experience for free players. Even without purchasing it, players can still earn gold, packs, and various rewards simply by completing missions and progressing through the track. The premium version, however, speeds up that progression with its XP bonus and adds exclusive cosmetics and rewards, making the journey more satisfying for those who plan to follow the entire season. After spending a week exploring the expansion, my impression was very positive. The feeling of progression is constant, and there is always a new objective to pursue, whether unlocking new Rewards Track levels or earning seasonal rewards. The Tavern Pass fits very well into this system, and for players who plan to spend time with Escape from Violet Hold, I believe the investment makes sense, especially because of the XP bonuses and exclusive items included throughout the progression. TRAILER OFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS The Escape from Violet Hold Tavern Pass pleasantly surprised me. After spending a week playing and exploring its rewards, I felt that it complements the Hearthstone experience very well, mainly by providing constant progression and new goals throughout the season. Even for players who prefer the free-to-play experience, the current system allows for solid progression. However, the Premium Pass makes this journey faster and more rewarding with its XP bonuses, cosmetics, and exclusive items. For anyone planning to play regularly, I believe it is an investment worth considering. SCORE: 8.0/10

Farlands brings the farming simulator formula to another planet with charm and plenty of great ideas. It is almost impossible to start Farlands without thinking about Stardew Valley. In my case, the coincidence was even greater, as I was actually playing Stardew Valley for another review when I began my space farming adventure. The opening hours make those inspirations very clear. The farm layout, energy management, resource gathering, and even parts of the interface immediately bring ConcernedApe's classic to mind, occasionally feeling like a playful nod to the formula that made it so successful. Fortunately, that first impression begins to change as the campaign progresses. Rather than simply copying a familiar structure, Farlands uses it as the foundation for building its own identity. Replacing a small countryside village with an entire solar system completely changes the feeling of exploration. You inherit an abandoned planet that must be restored while traveling to other worlds in search of resources, meeting characters scattered across space, and slowly uncovering what caused this once-thriving system to fall into ruin. This setting gives the game personality from the very beginning, making it feel like much more than just "Stardew Valley in space." GAMEPLAY The core gameplay follows a formula that fans of the genre will immediately recognize. Each day is divided between tending crops, mining, fishing, crafting equipment, organizing your property, and carefully managing your stamina before night falls. The biggest twist comes from expanding that daily routine across multiple planets. Instead of limiting progression to a single farm, Farlands constantly encourages players to travel throughout the solar system. Every planet introduces exclusive resources, unique biomes, new characters, and materials required to unlock better equipment. This makes exploration feel far more meaningful than it usually does in traditional farming simulators. Another enjoyable aspect is the constant sense of progression. Better tools grant access to previously unreachable areas, rare resources unlock more efficient buildings, and even your spaceship evolves as the story advances. This steady progression keeps the gameplay engaging throughout most of the adventure. That said, not every system offers the same level of depth. Some activities will inevitably feel very familiar to players who have already invested dozens of hours in games like Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons. Combat, for instance, mainly serves as a complement to exploration and is unlikely to become the game's biggest highlight. One detail that genuinely stood out to me was the attention given to small animations scattered throughout the experience. Whenever your character collapses from exhaustion, a tiny robot appears to carry you back to bed. It's a simple but genuinely funny sequence that gives the world extra personality while adding some charm to the otherwise repetitive daily routine. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, Farlands impresses by modernizing an art style that many players instantly associate with Stardew Valley. While it remains faithful to pixel art, the level of detail is noticeably higher. The protagonist features a much more defined face, expressive facial animations, and smoother movements during everyday activities. These improvements become particularly noticeable during conversations and scripted events throughout the campaign. The artistic direction also makes excellent use of its sci-fi setting. Every planet features its own visual identity, from vegetation to architecture, creating varied environments that constantly encourage exploration. The animations deserve special mention as well. Small details scattered throughout the gameplay help make the world feel more alive, whether you're mining, interacting with NPCs, or watching humorous moments like the little robot carrying your unconscious character home after an exhausting day. The soundtrack complements the relaxing atmosphere perfectly. Soft melodies accompany life on the farm, while subtle musical variations appear as you discover new locations, creating a pleasant ambiance for long gameplay sessions. ACHIEVEMENTS Farlands features a fairly extensive achievement list designed to encourage players to experience nearly every system the game has to offer. Story progression naturally unlocks many achievements, from purchasing your planet and repairing your ship to completing the campaign and fully restoring the Ark. Completionists, however, will find a much greater challenge ahead. Reaching 100% requires fully upgrading both your house and spaceship, building every type of barn, growing every vegetable, cooking every recipe, unlocking every crafting expansion, visiting every planet, and mastering nearly every activity available, including fishing, mining, farming, exploration, woodcutting, stone gathering, and insect collecting. Relationships also play an important role in the achievement list. Players must build friendships with the game's romance candidates, reach the highest relationship levels, get married, and eventually maximize every available relationship, making social interactions an essential part of full completion. Overall, the achievement list demands a significant time investment without relying too heavily on artificial difficulty. Instead, it encourages players to experience everything Farlands has to offer, making the journey toward 100% feel like a natural extension of the adventure for those who enjoy exploring every mechanic before putting the game down. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Farlands makes its inspirations clear from the very beginning, but fortunately it doesn't become trapped by them. Its combination of farming, space exploration, and progression across multiple planets offers a refreshing spin on a well-established formula. Some mechanics may still feel overly familiar, especially during the opening hours, but the charming presentation, attention to detail, memorable animations, and strong visual identity allow the game to stand on its own. If you're looking for a relaxing farming simulator packed with content, rewarding exploration, and an uncommon science-fiction setting, Farlands is well worth your attention. It may not completely reinvent the genre, but it introduces enough original ideas to make restoring this forgotten solar system an enjoyable and worthwhile adventure. SCORE: 8.0/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

More scientific, more contemplative, and just as engaging as the original campaign. One of The Alters' greatest strengths was leaving important questions unanswered even after the credits rolled. Last Variable builds directly on that idea by turning one of the possible endings from the main campaign into a brand-new story, following the scientist Jan, who chose to remain on the planet while the others managed to escape. The expansion can be started independently from the base game and even includes a recap of previous events to help newcomers understand the context, although being familiar with The Alters' mechanics and universe makes the experience considerably more rewarding. Rather than repeating the structure of the original campaign, the DLC completely shifts its perspective. Survival remains important, but it now shares the spotlight with a much deeper investigation into the planet's mysteries, the consequences of past decisions, and the fate of a Jan who spent years living with what the others left behind. The result is an expansion that meaningfully expands the universe created by 11 bit studios without feeling like simple bonus content, establishing its own identity through stronger character development, new mechanics, and, above all, its narrative. STORY The campaign follows the scientist Jan, the only version who chose to remain on the planet while the other Alters escaped. Anyone who played the base game will remember that he already played a major role as one of the most important Alters throughout the story. Within the opening minutes, however, it becomes clear that a great deal of time has passed since those events. The environment has changed, Jan has grown older, and the mission is no longer about surviving for just a few more days. Now the objective is to understand the planet, uncover the true nature of the Oasis, and continue research that has spanned years of isolation. Another element that greatly strengthens the story is the introduction of JanBot, an artificial intelligence created by Jan himself before the events of the expansion. Far more than just another computer inside the base, it serves as a living archive of years of scientific research. Throughout the campaign, it answers key questions, presents theories about the planet's strange phenomena, and even helps reconstruct parts of the story that remained unresolved in the main campaign. I particularly appreciated this approach because it avoids turning the DLC into a straightforward sequel that simply hands players all the answers. Many discoveries still require careful interpretation, making the investigation feel much more satisfying. The existence of the new Alters also carries a very different meaning this time around. Instead of creating versions of Jan who pursued completely different professions, every Alter now originates from the scientist himself, resulting in a team made up entirely of research specialists. At first glance, this might suggest that they would all feel similar, but the exact opposite happens. Every Alter has a distinct personality, unique priorities, and a very different perspective on the mission. The Physicist, for example, displays an almost excessive confidence in his own ideas and frequently believes he's several steps ahead of everyone else. Meanwhile, the Geologist approaches new discoveries with contagious enthusiasm, while other versions are noticeably more cautious or pragmatic. These differences make conversations one of the franchise's strongest features once again. More than once, I found myself delaying an expedition simply to watch new interactions unfold or see how a particular Alter would react to decisions I had made. Jan himself is no longer simply someone struggling to survive. He now carries the weight of years of research, failures, and difficult decisions. Since he has become the very variable responsible for creating new versions of himself, the narrative introduces an interesting layer about identity and continuity without relying on lengthy exposition to make the concept work. There are several meaningful revelations throughout the campaign, but 11 bit studios wisely allows players to assemble the larger puzzle gradually through documents, experiments, conversations, and environmental observations. As a result, Last Variable feels like a natural continuation of the original story rather than an epilogue created solely to tie up loose ends. GAMEPLAY Anyone familiar with The Alters will feel at home almost immediately. Base management, exploration, resource gathering, and research remain the heart of the experience, but Last Variable introduces several subtle changes that noticeably alter the campaign's pacing without losing what made the original game so compelling. The biggest difference lies in how time is handled. Whereas the original campaign revolved around a steadily advancing countdown toward catastrophic events threatening the team's survival, this expansion replaces that with a countdown until the Sun returns. Once that moment arrives, the planet's surface becomes completely uninhabitable again, creating constant pressure to carefully plan every expedition, research project, and construction task. The sense of urgency remains, but it is now tied much more closely to scientific progress than to simply escaping. Another mechanic that significantly changes the campaign's structure is cryogenic sleep. At certain points, Jan must spend extended periods in stasis to preserve his lifespan while his Alters continue working at the base. This passage of time creates some fascinating situations, as the scientists continue evolving, developing new relationships, and even changing their behavior while the protagonist remains asleep. It is a mechanic that blends seamlessly with the narrative and reinforces the feeling that you are overseeing research conducted over the course of many years. The base itself also represents an important change. Unlike the massive mobile facility from the original game, you now operate from a fixed underground installation. This completely changes how space management works. Several times I had to reorganize rooms to accommodate new laboratories, storage facilities, and research equipment, demanding more planning as the campaign progresses. It isn't a complete reinvention of the formula, but it introduces fresh management challenges. Exploration remains very similar to what players experienced in the base game, which can be viewed in two different ways. Those who enjoyed the familiar loop of leaving the base, gathering resources, avoiding anomalies, and returning before conditions worsened will likely appreciate that sense of continuity. On the other hand, players hoping for more substantial changes may notice that much of this structure remains largely untouched. Even so, the expansion introduces enough fresh mechanics to justify returning to the planet. Terraforming is one of them. As new research projects are completed, previously inaccessible areas gradually become restored, creating a tangible sense of progress throughout exploration. It is a system that perfectly complements the campaign's scientific focus while reinforcing the idea that you're no longer merely surviving on this planet, but actively trying to understand and reshape it. Research also takes on a much larger role than before. Much of the campaign's progression revolves around producing advanced materials, conducting experiments, and developing entirely new technologies. As a result, resource management remains absolutely critical, especially since every decision can significantly accelerate or delay your scientific progress. Another aspect that continues to work exceptionally well is the dialogue between the Alters. Since they all come from scientific backgrounds, I initially expected their personalities to feel somewhat similar, but the reality is quite the opposite. Each scientist has their own opinions about the mission, interprets events differently, and frequently clashes with the others. These differences make the base feel much more alive and ensure that management sections never feel like a repetitive checklist of routine tasks. Some gameplay decisions did frustrate me, albeit in an almost amusing way. I don't know whether it was simply my impression, but there were several moments where the map seemed to overuse environmental barriers to restrict exploration. We're not talking about just a few blocked paths, but dozens of massive rock formations constantly forcing players to find alternative routes until they eventually gain the tools needed to destroy them. Since I chose to play on one of the higher difficulty settings, every detour meant spending additional time and resources, greatly increasing the tension during expeditions. Perhaps because of everything that happened in the base game, I also spent much of the campaign expecting one of the Alters to make another completely absurd decision. I have to admit there were moments when I thought, "Here we go again... someone's about to cut off their own arm." Thankfully, nothing quite that extreme happens, but simply expecting the unexpected speaks volumes about how well The Alters established its characters. If there's one area that could have evolved further, it's the pacing of exploration itself. At several points, the campaign still relies on the familiar back-and-forth between the base and resource gathering locations, a gameplay loop that already divided opinions in the original release. Fortunately, the strength of the narrative and the new mechanics largely compensate for this repetition, keeping the campaign engaging almost from beginning to end. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, Last Variable maintains exactly the same high standard established by the original game. The art direction remains one of the franchise's greatest strengths, using hostile environments to create landscapes that are simultaneously beautiful and unsettling. Although much of the visual identity will feel familiar to returning players, the expansion introduces new regions and makes excellent use of the contrast between devastated wastelands and areas where scientific research has begun transforming the environment. The Oasis deserves special recognition. Besides representing one of the narrative's biggest mysteries, it also delivers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the entire experience. Its lush vegetation stands in stark contrast to the rest of the planet, immediately conveying the sense that something extraordinary exists there. It is an environment that sparks curiosity from the very first moment and consistently reinforces the desire to uncover its secrets. Another aspect that caught my attention was the increased verticality of certain maps. At several points, exploration expands beyond wide open spaces by making much better use of multiple elevation levels, creating more interesting environments to navigate. It's not a dramatic change, but it helps reduce the familiarity for players who already spent dozens of hours exploring the planet during the original campaign. That said, this is also one area where I felt the game falls short. The map doesn't adapt particularly well to these vertical spaces, and the elevation system could certainly have been handled more effectively. Character models remain outstanding, especially during dialogue sequences. Even though every version shares the same face, each Jan conveys a distinct personality through facial expressions, body language, and voice acting. It quickly becomes easy to identify who's speaking based solely on their behavior, which is essential for a story centered around multiple versions of the same character. The audio design maintains the same impressive quality. The soundtrack complements exploration, research, and base management beautifully, alternating between subtle ambient pieces during routine scientific work and more intense compositions whenever urgent decisions become necessary. Sound effects continue to reinforce the feeling of isolation, while the voice acting remains one of the narrative's strongest pillars, giving every Alter a distinct identity and making their conversations even more believable. ACHIEVEMENTS Just like in the main game, the achievements naturally accompany campaign progression while encouraging players to fully engage with every new system introduced by the expansion. Many of them revolve around advanced scientific research, producing materials such as Phased Rapidium, Proxylium, and Megafluid, as well as making use of the terraformers scattered throughout the map. As a result, nearly every major addition introduced by the DLC offers meaningful rewards for players willing to experiment with its mechanics. I also appreciated how several achievements encourage deeper interaction with the Alters while expanding the story itself. Completing every scientist's storyline is among the expansion's most rewarding challenges, as it encourages players to better understand each version of Jan. Meanwhile, more unusual achievements, such as creating the same Alter for a second time, promote gameplay choices that many players might otherwise never consider during a standard playthrough. In total, Last Variable adds only seven achievements, but each one feels purposeful and well integrated into the expansion's design instead of existing merely to inflate the achievement list. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS The Alters: Last Variable does exactly what I hoped an expansion to this universe would accomplish. Rather than simply adding new missions, it chooses to expand one of the most intriguing narrative paths left behind by the main campaign while answering many of the questions players were left asking after finishing the original game. Its stronger focus on scientific research, the continued evolution of scientist Jan, and the introduction of the new Alters allow the story to develop its own identity without losing the qualities that made The Alters so memorable. Although it retains much of the original structure, including an exploration loop that can still feel somewhat repetitive at times, the new mechanics, outstanding character writing, and excellent narrative make this return to the planet well worth the journey. SCORE: 8.6/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Much more than a shoot 'em up, Geppy-X makes you feel like you're watching a classic anime. Some games stand out because of their technology, others because of their gameplay, and some simply because of their personality. Geppy-X certainly belongs to the latter. Originally released in 1999 for the original PlayStation as a Japan-exclusive title, it remained a hidden gem for more than two decades, known mostly among retro gaming enthusiasts and fans of giant robot anime. Thanks to this new HD remaster, players around the world finally have the chance to officially experience one of the most unique releases of its era. It is important to point out that this is not a remake. The original campaign, stages, and animated sequences have all been preserved. Instead, this release focuses on restoring and modernizing the experience through higher resolution, quality-of-life features such as Quick Save, Rewind, image filters, achievements, and a wide range of customization options, making the game much more approachable for modern audiences. What truly makes Geppy-X special goes far beyond its retro appeal. From the very beginning, it becomes clear that the developers never intended to create just another shoot 'em up. Playing it feels like discovering a forgotten anime from the 1970s or 1980s, complete with comedy, over-the-top action, giant robots, catchy vocal themes, and an atmosphere that proudly celebrates classics like Mazinger Z and Getter Robo. GAMEPLAY The campaign follows the classic side-scrolling shooter formula. Instead of piloting a traditional spaceship, however, players control the massive Geppy-X, a transforming super robot equipped with multiple combat forms, each offering its own arsenal of missiles, lasers, and powerful special attacks. The controls are easy to learn, yet the different transformations add a welcome layer of strategy. Certain forms prove far more effective depending on the enemies or boss encounters, encouraging players to adapt throughout each stage. Although its foundation is firmly rooted in classic arcade design, the pacing rarely becomes repetitive thanks to the constant transitions between gameplay and cinematic sequences. Completing each stage rewards players with entertaining animated scenes that further develop the cast while reinforcing the feeling of watching episodes from a television series. These moments do an excellent job of breaking up the action and keeping you curious about what comes next. Another highlight comes right before every boss battle. Each major enemy is introduced through its own short 3D cinematic entrance, building anticipation before the fight begins. While this may seem like a small detail today, it perfectly complements the game's nostalgic presentation. Despite being based on a 1999 release, this remaster includes several modern conveniences for players unfamiliar with older arcade titles. Quick Save, Quick Load, graphical filters, subtitle options, and numerous accessibility settings all make the experience significantly more enjoyable without compromising the authenticity of the original game. STORY The story follows humanity's struggle against the Cosmic Demon Empire, an alien force deploying gigantic war machines in its attempt to conquer Earth. Humanity's final hope comes in the form of Geppy-X, a powerful super robot built specifically to repel the invasion. Rather than taking itself too seriously, the narrative embraces the balance between action and comedy. The dialogue features the exaggerated delivery typical of classic robot anime, while many scenes playfully reference the familiar tropes that defined the super robot genre. This identity becomes even stronger thanks to the campaign's structure. Every mission feels like a standalone anime episode, complete with opening sequences, animated cutscenes, ending themes, and even previews of what's coming next. It remains an impressively ambitious presentation, especially considering it was originally created for the first PlayStation. VISUALS AND SOUND Even with the technical limitations of the original PlayStation hardware, Geppy-X still delivers an incredibly charming visual identity. Stages feature attractive parallax scrolling backgrounds that create a convincing sense of depth, while several environmental elements and enemy introductions make use of early 3D graphics, resulting in an interesting blend of 2D and 2.5D visuals that fits the game's style remarkably well. The animated scenes deserve special praise. They perfectly capture the aesthetics of 1970s and 1980s anime, adding personality to both the characters and the story. More than once, I found myself looking forward to the next cutscene before even starting the following stage. If the visuals impress through style, the soundtrack steals the spotlight. The instrumental tracks do an excellent job supporting the action, but it is the vocal themes that truly elevate the experience. They faithfully recreate the excitement of classic anime openings, delivering an unmistakable sense of nostalgia even for players unfamiliar with the series that inspired Geppy-X. Without question, the soundtrack stands out as one of the game's greatest strengths. ACHIEVEMENTS The achievement list closely follows the campaign's structure and encourages players to experience nearly everything the game has to offer without relying on repetitive or artificially difficult objectives. Most achievements are unlocked naturally by progressing through the story, rewarding the completion of each episode. There are also achievements tied to different decisions made during specific moments of the campaign, providing a strong incentive to replay the adventure and discover its alternate outcomes. Beyond the main story, the remaster also highlights its bonus content through achievements linked to the extra game modes inspired by fictional productions within the Geppy-X universe. Completing the enemy database is another objective that rewards careful exploration throughout the campaign. Overall, it is a very enjoyable completion list, offering a satisfying Platinum or 1000G journey without depending on frustrating difficulty spikes or unnecessarily time-consuming tasks. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X is one of those remasters designed to preserve an important piece of video game history. Rather than reinventing the original, it focuses on presenting it in the best possible way, allowing a completely new audience to finally experience a title that remained exclusive to Japan for decades. Its gameplay remains enjoyable, the robot transformations add welcome variety to combat, and the steady flow of animated sequences gives the entire campaign the feeling of watching an actual television series. Naturally, some aspects of its design reveal its age, especially for players accustomed to modern shoot 'em ups. Even so, its personality more than compensates for those limitations. The combination of humor, action, memorable boss encounters, stylish animation, and an outstanding soundtrack creates an identity that is still remarkably unique today. For fans of classic super robot anime, retro gaming enthusiasts, or anyone interested in preserving PlayStation history, Geppy-X is no longer just an obscure curiosity. It is finally a classic that can be appreciated by the wider audience it has deserved for SCORE: 7.9/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

A dive into hell where Brazilian culture meets one of the most addictive roguelikes of recent years. The Brazilian game industry continues to gain recognition with projects that embrace a strong sense of identity, and Hell Clock is one of those games whose personality shines from the very first minutes. Instead of simply taking inspiration from the biggest names in the genre, Rogue Snail builds an experience that borrows familiar ideas while giving them its own distinctive signature. It was a pleasant surprise to discover a game that blends elements of Diablo and Hades so naturally, automating several actions to make combat feel even smoother while using one of the most significant events in Brazilian history as the backdrop for its adventure. More than just an excellent roguelike, Hell Clock demonstrates remarkable attention to its setting. Brazilian culture is present in the voice acting, expressions, dialogue, characters, and the way the entire narrative is constructed. These details bring players closer to the world being portrayed and give the adventure a personality that is difficult to find even in major international productions. It quickly became clear that this was exactly the kind of game I never realized I had been missing. STORY Hell Clock presents a fantastic reinterpretation of the War of Canudos, using the historical conflict as the foundation for a compelling supernatural narrative. Players take control of Pajeú, a warrior who ventures into the depths of Hell to rescue the soul of Antônio Conselheiro after the tragic events that marked the fall of Canudos. Although the premise is rooted in history, the game never attempts to recreate those events with historical accuracy. Instead, it uses this context to craft an adventure filled with demons, infernal creatures, and corrupted locations, transforming one of Brazil's most important historical episodes into the perfect setting for an action RPG. As players descend through the different layers of the dungeon, new events are revealed through beautifully crafted cutscenes. I particularly enjoyed how the campaign rewards progression. Every major milestone is usually accompanied by a cinematic that expands the story, develops its characters, and keeps curiosity high about what lies ahead. This structure works exceptionally well because the narrative evolves alongside the character. As battles become more intense, the story also gains emotional weight, ensuring that every new floor feels meaningful rather than simply another room full of enemies. GAMEPLAY The structure of Hell Clock is incredibly easy to understand, yet offers tremendous depth for players who enjoy experimenting with different builds. Each expedition takes players into an infernal region composed of multiple floors. As enemies are defeated, the descent continues deeper into the dungeon, presenting tougher challenges alongside increasingly valuable rewards. This gameplay loop quickly becomes highly addictive because nearly every room provides some form of character progression. Combat is undoubtedly one of the game's greatest strengths. Skills are fast, impactful, and visually satisfying, while constantly evolving throughout each run. The progression system allows even the simplest ability to transform dramatically after only a few minutes, creating incredibly powerful combinations. One of Rogue Snail's smartest design decisions was automating several actions that would normally require additional player management. This keeps the experience dynamic and allows players to focus on positioning, movement, and build creation instead of repetitive micromanagement. The philosophy feels very similar to Hades, while the level of customization is much closer to Diablo. Equipment also plays a fundamental role in character progression. After rescuing certain NPCs trapped within the dungeon, new crafting and equipment options become available, greatly expanding the possibilities for customization. It is not simply a matter of replacing one sword with another that has bigger numbers. Equipment modifies important attributes, increases health, strengthens specific abilities, and in many cases completely changes the way each encounter is approached. It is exactly the kind of system that constantly encourages players to experiment with new combinations. Another essential mechanic comes in the form of relics scattered throughout each expedition. These powerful items can completely transform a run. On several occasions, I found myself rebuilding my entire setup simply because I had discovered a relic that perfectly complemented a specific ability. This freedom ensures that virtually no two attempts ever feel the same. Even while using the same character, there is always room to explore different strategies. The Hell Clock itself, the mysterious timepiece that gives the game its name, directly influences the pace of every expedition. A constant sense of urgency accompanies exploration, forcing players to balance risk and reward at all times. Fortunately, anyone who prefers enjoying the campaign at a slower pace can activate Relaxed Mode, removing the time limit and allowing each area to be explored without pressure. If there is one aspect that might discourage some players, it is the sheer number of systems introduced during the opening hours. Equipment, blessings, abilities, relics, permanent progression, and several other mechanics appear in rapid succession. Thankfully, the learning process feels surprisingly natural, and after only a handful of runs everything begins to click naturally. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, Hell Clock features a very beautiful art direction. The infernal regions have a lot of personality, the skill effects are eye catching without harming the readability of the action, and the number of enemies on screen helps create that constant sense of chaos that perfectly matches the game's style. The bosses also deserve special praise. Each encounter introduces memorable creatures, with attacks that are easy to identify visually and patterns that require constant attention during combat. But perhaps the aspect that impressed me the most is the entire cultural construction present throughout the production. The dialogues use Brazilian expressions in an extremely natural way. The voice acting gives the characters a lot of personality, the dialects feel authentic, and the linguistic adaptation shows a rare level of care even when compared to major international productions. At no point did I feel like I was listening to a translated script that was simply made to fulfill a requirement. The soundtrack fits this entire package very well, alternating moments of tension during battles with compositions that reinforce the dramatic atmosphere of the campaign. This entire identity makes Hell Clock one of those games that could hardly have been created anywhere else. There is a clear pride in using Brazilian references to build its own universe, and this makes the entire experience even more special. It would not be an exaggeration to place it alongside other great representatives of the national game industry. ACHIEVEMENTS The achievements in Hell Clock perfectly follow the game's philosophy and avoid falling into the trap of simply increasing the amount of time required to reach 100%. A large portion of them is unlocked naturally throughout the campaign, rewarding story progression, defeating important bosses, rescuing characters, and discovering new mechanics. Without revealing specific moments from the narrative, the list encourages players to explore practically all available content, making each new achievement represent a meaningful step in the journey rather than simply completing repetitive objectives. After the main campaign ends, the achievements begin encouraging players to fully master the progression systems. There are challenges involving different difficulty levels, Hardcore, Ascension, Nightmare, Abyss, and Oblivion modes, as well as objectives connected to creating increasingly efficient builds and achieving impressive damage numbers. This makes the list appealing both to players who simply want to complete the adventure and to achievement hunters who enjoy overcoming truly difficult challenges. It is a set of achievements that rewards skill, understanding of the mechanics, and dedication to the endgame, without relying on artificial or excessively repetitive tasks. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUIGHTS Hell Clock was one of the biggest surprises I have found recently within the genre. Its combination of Diablo and Hades elements works in an extremely natural way, taking advantage of the best aspects of both worlds while removing some of the unnecessary complexity commonly found in more traditional ARPGs. The result is an extremely satisfying combat system, accompanied by a progression system that constantly encourages players to experiment with new builds. The narrative based on the Canudos War adds a very strong identity to the campaign, while the excellent Portuguese localization, voice acting, and various cultural elements help transform the entire adventure into something truly unique. Even requiring a short adaptation period due to the amount of available mechanics, the rewards come quickly. With every new descent into hell, players discover better equipment, more powerful relics, new abilities, and scenes that make the campaign even more engaging. For anyone looking for an action roguelike with excellent replay value, addictive combat, and a strong Brazilian identity, Hell Clock easily deserves a place among their priorities. It is a production that showcases Rogue Snail's talent and reinforces that Brazil continues creating games capable of competing in quality with the biggest names in the international market. SCORE: 8.2/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz

Assemble your crew and prepare for an epic journey to save the Sky Realm. THE GAME Granblue Fantasy: Relink is an action RPG developed and published by Cygames, Inc. Aiming to reach Estalúcia, a legendary island, the crew of the Grandcypher, an airship that flies through the Sky Realm, arrives in the celestial space of Zegagrande, home to numerous floating islands. Upon arrival, our crew becomes embroiled in a larger conflict involving the Church of Avia, which threatens the very existence of Zegagrande. Assemble your team of four characters, choosing from a wide variety of unique characters, both in appearance and gameplay. With the new expansion Endless Ragnarok, in addition to several improvements implemented in the game, a continuation of the main story unfolds, with new challenges and more epic battles. Climb aboard the Grandcypher and explore the mysteries and adventures of the Sky Realm. Prepare to fight enormous enemies. MY IMPRESSIONS If there's one game that looks like an anime, it's Granblue Fantasy: Relink. Its main campaign, essential for introducing the game and all its mechanics, puts the player in the role of the story's protagonist. The plot follows the protagonist (who the player can choose between a boy or a girl) who is the team's captain, a girl with great powers named Lyria, a small mascot dragon named Vyrn, and a wide variety of characters who can join their crew. The main story of Granblue Fantasy: Relink follows many clichés, but these are compensated for by the very fun and varied gameplay, thanks to the variety of playable characters and their different gameplay styles. Despite this, it's undeniable that the final stretch of the story becomes dragged out and repetitive. All the characters are very charismatic and unique, in such a way that it's impossible not to become fond of at least one of them. The moments that the main story provides are epic and put you in battles worthy of a shonen anime. There are also Destiny Episodes, which delve deeper into the stories of the other crew members as you recruit each one, allowing you to learn more about the character and encouraging the player to experience their individual gameplay. With the Endless Ragnarok expansion, we gain even more story, continuing the events of the main campaign and delivering another journey for your team, with more challenges and new additions. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, with a very competent localization job that translates very well how the character is saying a sentence, using our way of speaking, without losing the essence and personality idealized by the game's original language. The end of the main story is just the beginning of what Granblue Fantasy: Relink has to offer. With new missions and the possibility of breaking the characters' limits, the real challenge begins here. You can play alone or in cooperative mode, as well as find people to play with, which changes the entire gaming experience, allowing you to create strategies instead of just relying on the CPU controlling your allies. With this, Granblue Fantasy: Relink manages to keep the player making the most of everything the game offers and keeping the game alive. This is the moment where the player will likely choose a character and try to master them, both in terms of gameplay, increasing their attributes and unlocking new abilities, and improving or creating weapons and perfecting seals, which are enhancements added to characters, like equipment that grants specific attributes. Among the missions, variety is not lacking. You can face bosses or hordes, with secondary objectives that improve your spoils. You can also replay stages of the main story. With Endless Ragnarok, the Confluence mode was also added, which is basically a roguelike mode within Granblue Fantasy: Relink, where you advance through missions and can choose upgrades for your character to keep during that mission. And since we're talking about new mechanics, Endless Ragnarok introduces summons to the game, a way to increase the range of tactical options for your gameplay, allowing you to control summons or have them participate in team attacks. It's even difficult to explain how varied the gameplay of Granblue Fantasy: Relink is because, in addition to each character having their own play style, the mechanics are quite comprehensive. You might find it better to defend than to dodge, and acting in each of these ways changes what you gain, as well as using connected attacks, breaking the enemy's defense, or using the aforementioned summons. This is without even mentioning the diversity of abilities and their effects, and ways to combo them with your standard attacks. It might seem dauntingly complex, but I promise it's not. Granblue Fantasy: Relink is quite user-friendly and manages to keep the player from feeling frustrated. The fights against boss monsters are truly epic battles that can last a long time and require a lot of skill from the player to know when to attack or dodge, for example. For me, this is where the game shines. Graphically, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is gorgeous. With vivid and vibrant colors, simple but effective environments surround all the game's maps. However, it's impossible not to mention Hideo Minaba and his illustrations. Just looking at one of the character artworks, you already know the artistic quality, since Hideo Minaba has worked on other major franchises and his art is unparalleled and unforgettable. The character, monster, and weapon designs are wonderful and full of personality. Equally incredible is the soundtrack, which in epic moments grows along with the action, immersing you in battles and transforming them into unique moments for the player. Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a game that will captivate you for a long time. The main campaign will only be the appetizer; the endgame will offer you a feast with many options, regardless of how you want to play, whether alone, with three friends, or with strangers. Whether in short gaming sessions or long hours of battles. The Endless Ragnarok expansion only improved what was already very good. Granblue Fantasy: Relink awaits you with open arms, with incredible adventures and epic battles. Create powerful and incredible attacks by joining forces with your team. ACHIEVEMENTS Boredom won't be a problem for those driven to complete all the game's achievements. Detailing each one would be a daunting task, as they cover all elements of the game, from character-related achievements and specific actions to be completed in the main story, to collectible achievements and high mission scores. When I said that finishing the main story was just the beginning of what Granblue Fantasy: Relink has to offer, that's partly what I was trying to show. It's hard not to be hooked on the game, and the achievements appear as an extra factor for the player, a challenge outside the game itself, but one that enhances the experience, adding another layer of activities. And it won't be an easy task, since to achieve 100% of the achievements, the player will basically have to explore everything the game has to offer and, in some cases, put in a lot of effort, whether due to the time spent or the skill required. Therefore, I recommend enjoying Granblue Fantasy: Relink to the fullest, and if you get excited about completing all the achievements, that will give you much more fuel to keep playing and mastering your gameplay. The vast Sky Realm holds great adventures. CONCLUSION After focusing 100% on the story of Granblue Fantasy: Relink, I explored more of what the game had already presented to me, but which I had left aside in order to complete the main campaign. It's astonishing how much there is to do in this game. It took me a while to get my bearings, but I soon realized I had only scratched the surface. And that's a great strength of Granblue Fantasy: Relink, because it offers a lot to the player, and it doesn't matter if you're more casual or more hardcore, there's content for everyone. I really like the variety of characters which, in one way or another, ends up making the game even more varied, because there will always be a different way to play with each character and this also changes how the player interacts with the whole thing. The boss battles are where the game shines for me. Some battles drag on for a long time, which might seem like just a way to waste the player's time, but in reality, it requires coordination and skill to do everything at the right time, and this makes the whole battle something more epic. Granblue Fantasy: Relink positively surprised me. It features a very well-constructed world, with beautiful art and a great soundtrack. It's so hard to choose a character to master because they all seem so cool, each in their own way. It's a great game to play with friends and defeat bosses by coordinating strategies and performing insane combos. The Endless Ragnarok expansion is the icing on the cake, adding a lot of cool stuff to the whole package. It's a game that, even with so many elements, manages to be quite unique in what it sets out to do, delivering a lot of fun and challenge. SCORE: 9.0/10

Every second matters when time itself is your greatest enemy. It only took a few minutes to realize that Ascend to ZERO wasn't trying to be just another roguelike inspired by Vampire Survivors. The core structure certainly resembles other games in the genre, featuring hundreds of enemies filling the screen, constant upgrades, and that addictive "just one more run" loop. The difference lies in one mechanic that completely changes how every run is approached: time. Here, the clock is much more than a survival timer. It represents almost everything. The duration of each run depends on it, your progress through each stage is directly tied to the remaining seconds, and every decision has to be made quickly to avoid wasting a resource that is just as valuable as your own life. The story follows Chrono Child, a young girl sent through time after a scientific experiment leads to humanity's destruction at the hands of a machine invasion. Alone in a devastated future, her mission is to return to the past and prevent that catastrophe from ever happening. While the narrative provides an interesting backdrop, its primary role is to support the game's time manipulation mechanics, which ultimately become the true centerpiece of the experience. GAMEPLAY The structure of each run feels familiar to anyone who has played survivor-like games. Your character attacks automatically while you move through the battlefield, defeating large groups of enemies, collecting experience, and choosing new abilities as you level up. Even so, the game introduces several actions that remain fully under the player's control. Besides movement, you manually activate your dash and a powerful explosion capable of turning the tide of battle when used at the right moment. The game's biggest strength, however, is its time manipulation system. You can completely freeze the battlefield, reposition yourself, avoid incoming attacks, or prepare a devastating explosion before allowing time to flow again. This mechanic fundamentally changes the pacing of every run. Instead of simply trying to survive endless enemy waves, you are constantly balancing two equally important priorities: eliminating threats efficiently and managing your remaining time. That constant pressure creates a surprisingly engaging sense of urgency. There were plenty of moments when I deliberately ignored groups of enemies because recovering more time had become the immediate priority. Almost every decision carries weight, and that alone helps Ascend to ZERO stand apart from many modern roguelikes. As you continue progressing, permanent upgrades become available before starting each new run. You can increase your starting time, begin at higher levels, and improve various character attributes. These upgrades have a noticeable impact, especially during the opening hours, gradually making each attempt less punishing than the last. On the other hand, one aspect stands out as one of the game's few weaknesses. There are numerous NPCs dedicated to different upgrade systems, along with several currencies tied to specific progression paths. At times, figuring out where to invest your resources feels more complicated than the runs themselves. A more unified progression system would likely have made the overall experience much easier to understand, particularly for newcomers. Fortunately, that feeling fades as you spend more time with the game. The various progression systems gradually become easier to understand, and their connections become much clearer. What initially seems overwhelming eventually develops into a rewarding sense of growth, especially when your once short-lived runs begin lasting significantly longer thanks to the permanent upgrades you've unlocked. STORY Ascend to ZERO builds its narrative around science fiction themes involving time travel, artificial intelligence, and humanity's collapse. After a failed experiment opens the door to a devastating machine invasion, humanity's only remaining hope is to send Chrono Child back in time and alter history before the disaster unfolds. The story never dominates the gameplay experience, but it appears through dialogue sequences, character encounters, and key moments throughout the campaign. It provides enough context to support the missions without interrupting the game's fast pace, allowing the focus to remain on progression and the constant tension created by the countdown timer. VISUALS AND SOUND Visually, Ascend to ZERO leaves a very strong impression. Its animations are exceptionally polished for the genre, both during combat and throughout the interactions with the various NPCs found in the hub area. Explosions, abilities, and particle effects make every encounter feel energetic, especially when dozens of enemies fill the screen at once. The art direction also deserves praise for combining detailed pixel art with modern lighting effects, creating futuristic environments that perfectly complement the game's themes of time travel and technological collapse. Even during the most chaotic battles, the action remains easy to read. The soundtrack complements the fast-paced gameplay with energetic tracks that build tension without overpowering the sound effects. Explosions, special abilities, and the audio cues associated with time manipulation all carry satisfying impact, reinforcing the growing sense of power as your build becomes stronger. ACHIEVEMENTS Ascend to ZERO features an achievement list that closely follows the game's progression systems while encouraging players to explore nearly every mechanic it has to offer. Beyond the achievements earned through the main campaign, players will also find objectives tied to rescuing characters, unlocking equipment, upgrading the Avatar, experimenting with different weapons and classes, and making full use of the game's various progression features. Additional achievements focus on specific gameplay mechanics, resource management, item enhancement, and the different game modes, giving the optional content meaningful rewards beyond simple completion. For completionists, reaching 100% will be a lengthy journey. The list includes high-level challenges, endgame objectives, mastery of the combat systems, completion of advanced content, and even a few achievements that reward unexpected situations during gameplay. The positive aspect is that most of this progress happens naturally as you become more familiar with the game's mechanics, making achievement hunting feel like a natural extension of your overall progression rather than a collection of repetitive or disconnected tasks. TRAILER OFFICIAL FINAL THOUGHTS Ascend to ZERO establishes its own identity by making time the most important mechanic in the entire experience. While many roguelikes focus almost exclusively on building the strongest character possible, every second here directly influences your decisions during each run, creating a constant sense of tension from beginning to end. Although the large number of progression systems and different currencies makes the opening hours somewhat confusing, that complexity becomes much easier to appreciate as you advance and understand how every upgrade contributes to future runs. Once everything clicks, the progression loop becomes genuinely rewarding. With beautiful art direction, highly polished animations, enjoyable combat, and a gameplay concept that genuinely distinguishes itself within a crowded genre, Ascend to ZERO stands out as an excellent choice for players looking for a roguelike that offers much more than simply surviving endless waves of enemies. SCORE: 7.5/10 Review by Gamertag: Scoulz