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Anomaly Agent (NSW) First things first, I have to mention that Anomaly Agent has a special place for me. It was developed by Phew Phew Games, the studio founded by Enis Kirazoğlu, someone I’ve been following in the gaming industry for a long time. So yeah, I might be a little biased when it comes to the game. Even though I’m not very familiar with the action platformer genre, Anomaly Agent managed to keep me entertained for its roughly three hour runtime. It doesn’t try to reinvent the genre or bring anything completely new to the table, but I think it does what it sets out to do successfully. The story and plot are good enough to keep you curious about what’s coming next, but there’s one thing the game handles much better than most: its humor! I think playing it in its original language, Turkish, also helped me appreciate that even more. Anomaly Agent is full of dialogue that I genuinely understood, found funny, and thought was cleverly written. For a studio’s first game, I think Anomaly Agent is a pretty successful debut. It may not be the most groundbreaking action platformer out there, but it’s a fun and short experience that knows what it wants to be. More importantly, it gave me another reason to be excited about whatever Phew Phew Games does next. "7.5/10"

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Mouse: P.I. For Hire (PC) Mouse: P.I. For Hire ended up being a much better surprise than I expected. I originally started it as a quick little game to finish before jumping into Mass Effect 3, but it turned into way more than just a “filler” game. The black and white visual style immediately pulled me in, and the whole noir cartoon atmosphere works surprisingly well. Hearing Troy Baker as the main character was also a fun surprise! From the prologue alone, I could tell the game had a sense of humor I’d enjoy. It never tries too hard, but even simple things like introducing a double jump mechanic are handled with enough personality to make you smile. The strongest part of the game for me was definitely the story. For a detective game, the most important thing is making the player curious, and Mouse: P.I. For Hire does that really well. There are multiple mysteries happening at once, and even if it gets a little messy sometimes, slowly watching everything connect kept me hooked the whole way through. Running around the small but charming map, solving cases, doing side missions, and uncovering secrets was genuinely fun. The gameplay itself feels more arcade like than I expected, almost like a Mickey Mouse flavored Doom. There are light puzzle sections, small platforming moments, boss fights, and enough new mechanics being introduced to keep things fresh for most of the game. Its biggest weakness is definitely the combat variety. Most enemies are basically the same people in different outfits; cops, mafia members, cultists... and after a while that repetition starts to show. Weapon variety is decent, but once you upgrade one gun enough, there’s not much reason to use the others. I finished the game in around 12 hours, and I’ll admit the last couple of hours dragged a little. The gameplay loop starts showing its limits by then, and I think the game would’ve been slightly stronger if it wrapped things up a bit earlier. Still, even with that, I had a really good time. The atmosphere, humor, and mystery were strong enough to carry the weaker parts. In the end, I basically played a Mickey Mouse themed Doom, and honestly, that’s exactly what I wanted: a stylish, fun little shooter that kept me entertained from start to finish. "7.5/10"

Far: Changing Tides (PC) Booted this game up and it instantly took me back to how much I liked the first game a couple years ago. Far: Changing Tides has that same calm, lonely vibe, just this time you’re out at sea instead of dragging your machine across land. And honestly, I really liked the shift in setting :) The vast, empty seas fit perfectly with that lonely journey theme the FAR games are going for. The gameplay is still pretty simple but really satisfying. You’re just managing your little ship, solving simple puzzles, and slowly moving forward as the game keeps throwing in a new mechanic every half hour. It’s super chill, no pressure, and the atmosphere kinda carries the whole experience. Far: Changing Tides definitely feels less dark than the first game, and at times even kind of cute. In almost every way, Changing Tides builds on what came before, better atmosphere, gameplay, and art direction. I still think the first one hit me harder tho, probably because it was my first time experiencing this kind of storytelling. That being said, I absolutely loved the final scene. Now I just need a sequel set in the sky. "7.5/10"

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Mass Effect (PC) - A Retrospective Review As a lifelong sci-fi fan, Mass Effect has always been one of those series I knew I would love, but somehow never properly got into… until now. So finally jumping into the first game through the Legendary Edition felt long overdue. And even though parts of it clearly show their age, it didn’t take long for the game to pull me in. Even with the upgrades from the Legendary Edition, Mass Effect can still feel old in certain areas. The RPG elements are strong and very noticeable, but the combat mechanics definitely feel a bit dated by today’s standards. Thankfully, the story, characters, and overall atmosphere more than make up for that. What really stood out to me was how believable and immersive the universe feels. The game does such a great job of making you feel like you’re part of a massive sci-fi world that I wanted to complete every side quest I came across. Not out of obligation, but out of pure curiosity. The age of the game is most noticeable in interior environments. Once you start landing on different planets and entering buildings, you quickly realize many of these areas share the same layouts. Main missions try to mix things up a bit, but side quests especially suffer from repetition here. At the end of the day, even if the combat feels outdated, Mass Effect’s universe is more than enough to carry the experience. I genuinely think it’s one of the best sci-fi worlds ever created in gaming. Its story and narrative flow completely hooked me. Even without finishing every single side quest, I rolled the credits at around 35 hours, and not once did it feel like a chore. That alone says a lot about how strong this game still is today. "9/10"

Arc Raiders (PS5) I’m not an extraction shooter expert, so these are simply my honest impressions. On the day I bought the game, I played for about 4 hours straight and my initial reaction was that the game feels solid overall. It doesn’t try anything groundbreaking, but what it does, it does well. The gameplay is fun, the atmosphere works, and both the concept and theme fit nicely with the experience. The Arcs, in particular, add a satisfying level of challenge. Their enemy AI especially stands out as one of the strongest parts of the experience. I’m not really a PvP or PvPvE fan, honestly I’m not even big on online games, but playing casually with a close friend made the whole thing surprisingly enjoyable. Since then, I’ve put around 20 hours into Arc Raiders, and while I wouldn’t call it a Game of the Year contender, the fact that it doesn’t fully match my usual preferences doesn’t mean the game is bad. I genuinely liked what I played but at the end of the day, it’s still not my cup of tea. All in all, even as someone who’s not into extraction shooters, or online games in general, I still had fun playing Arc Raiders with friends. The core mechanics are really good, but I feel like I’d eventually get bored at some point. Sadly, I just can’t find the motivation to constantly grind in games like this. ''7.5/10''

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition (PC) I’ve always loved the Grand Theft Auto series. Because of that, I’ve spent a lot of time with GTA ''copycats'' and Sleeping Dogs was consistently the one people praised the most. So I finally decided to try it for myself to see what all the hype was about. Normally, I do retro reviews for all games released before the 8th console generations, including the Xbox 360 and PS3 era games. But Sleeping Dogs feels like it’s stuck somewhere between two console generations. In some areas it feels pretty modern, while in others it feels noticeably outdated. However, since the version I played was the Definitive Edition, the polished version released in 2014, I decided to treat it as a regular review. If Square Enix thinks this version is serviceable enough for the 8th generations, then my take should follow the same logic. The two things that bothered me the most were the camera and the character controls. The camera angles feel limiting both when driving and when moving around in TPS mode. As for the character controls, unfortunately they feel extremely stiff and robotic. The combat, on the other hand, is a bit better than the character controls. It’s a solid imitation of the Batman Arkham combat system, but at the end of the day it’s still just that, an imitation. It never feels quite as responsive or satisfying as the actual Batman Arkham games. The parry and counter attack mechanics in particular feel clunky and a bit sloppy, which really breaks the flow of combat. The gunplay, on the other hand, is just plain bad, and the poor enemy AI doesn’t help at all. The fact that the game doesn’t focus heavily on gun combat hides this issue a little, but it still could’ve been much better. What I really like is the driving. It feels very arcade-y but in a good way. Even though I usually prefer more realistic driving mechanics in GTA copycats, Square Enix actually managed to create a really fun arcade driving model here. The cars have a nice sense of weight and feel great to control, which makes the racing side missions surprisingly enjoyable. I know I’ve been sounding a bit negative, but I just wanted to get the weakest parts of the game out of the way first. Honestly, I did enjoy Sleeping Dogs. Sure, the gameplay can get a little overwhelming at times, but it still gave me a fun 25 to 30 hours. Playing it on the Rog Ally also made a huge difference; it’s the perfect kind of game to play lying down with an empty mind after a long, exhausting day. It has a great atmosphere and a nice open world with plenty of side activities, even if they can get a bit repetitive. At first, I got into the side activities just to upgrade my character, but some of them genuinely grabbed my attention and kept me going. As for the main story… I think it’s okay at its best. It’s a pretty predictable story, kind of cheesy and a bit chaotic. I don’t think they did a great job conveying Wei’s motivation, either. The character relationships feel a bit rushed, almost like they were thrown together, and because of that the emotional beats the game tries to deliver never really landed for me. Even though the story didn’t impress me much, I really liked the mission designs. I rarely felt that modern open world game confusion of ‘wait, is this a side mission or the main story?’ The main missions always have more epic moments, and the final mission in particular left me with a really good feeling after finishing the game. What left a bad taste in my mouth after finishing the game is the fact that we’ll most likely never get a sequel. The story ends with clear open doors, almost as if it’s announcing that a follow up is coming. Unfortunatelly, Square Enix just tossed the Sleeping Dogs IP onto the dusty shelf, even though it had a solid foundation and a ton of potential. "8/10"

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Portal (PC) - A Retrospective Review? As someone who loves video games, there were only a few things I was ashamed of, and not playing the Portal franchise was definitely one of them. I honestly don’t even know where to begin. I had a great time with the first Portal, but oh boy… Portal 2 absolutely blew me away. With this game, I’ve come to truly appreciate why Valve is held in such esteemed regard. After finishing Portal 2, I realized the first game almost feels like a demo in comparison. In every possible way, Portal 2 is simply the superior experience. The atmosphere, gameplay variety, pacing, level designs, story, dialogues, characters, and even the humor… the list just goes on. I’m not going to sit here and break down Portal 2’s mechanics and explain how well they’re crafted. But I will say this; just like in the first game, those very mechanics are what make Portal 2 so special. There’s nothing else quite like it in any other game I’ve played, and that uniqueness is what sets Portal 2 apart. It is exactly what Portal 2 makes a timeless classic. ''9.5/10''

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Portal (PC) - A Retrospective Review There isn’t all that much to talk about, really. I feel a little ashamed that it took me this long to play such a classic. I played it on the ROG Ally and it was a smooth experience, probably because the game is 18 years old lol. But honestly, if an indie studio released this game today, I don’t think I’d say a single thing about it feeling old. I honestly can’t think of many downsides to this game. The puzzles are fun, and the balance between challenge and reward is really well designed. The story, setting, and atmosphere are all great. The game ends in about 1 to 1.5 hours and doesn’t overstay its welcome, which is a good thing. In the end, Portal didn’t blow my mind or change my perspective on games, but it gave me a genuinely great time. Back in 2007, it must have been an unforgettable experience. "8.5/10"

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Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS5) I’m a simple gamer. I do enjoy short, story driven, and more focused first-person shooter games. I don’t care how short they are, I simply love them. But I’ve gotta say, Killzone: Shadow Fall isn’t one of them. Let me explain why: I actually remember playing it for the first time on my PlayStation 4 back in the day, and honestly, it didn’t hook me that much. Maybe the problem was the gameplay. Maybe it was the mission design. Or maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for it. Anyway, I clearly remember the first few missions that made me lose interest in the game. Eventually, I traded my physical copy of the game for another one. But here we are in 2025, and I’ve finally finished what is probably the last Killzone game ever made. The game starts off pretty well; they could’ve been more specific about the setting and what happened after the third game, but that’s still fine. After all, they have an entire game ahead to explain it in detail, right? Well… at least I thought so. I do not want to give any spoiler, not because i recommend you to play it tho, mainly it's so absurd that it doesn't even worth the time. All I can say is that the story and characters are just poorly written. The graphics stand out as a PS4 launch title, It's visually stunning for its time. Unfortunatelly, that's all I liked about the game. Mission designs are poorly made. It's hard to understand where the game wants you to go within the area. Also, AI seems not very intelligent, It kills all the enjoyment of the combat. Speaking of gun combat, It's okay at its best. Checkpoints are horrible with randomly spawning enemies. Bad, very bad action sequences; other Killzone's from previous generations have better action sequences. At Least the game is trying to vary in every mission yet they manage to make every single one even more boring.. I'm not even gonna talk about the worst boss fight I ever witnessed in a video game. I'm quite dissapointed and even mad since I have always good feelings about Killzone Saga. Unfortunatelly, Shadow Fall is one of the, if not the, most boring shooter games I have ever played. "3/10"

inFamous First Light (PS5) I honestly thought First Light was just gonna be Second Son with a different skin, maybe a quick side story slapped on. But it actually feels a bit different. The shooting is smoother, the focus on Fetch’s powers makes combat more polished, and her neon abilities have way more variety. It’s a nice improvement overall, even if at the end of the day it’s still the same core game. Still, I found the mission structure repetitive and kind of boring. Even the main missions sometimes felt more like side challenges than proper story missions. I know it’s just a DLC and not a full game, more of a standalone expansion, but that doesn’t make it much more fun. What really carried it for me was the story and especially Fetch. I already liked her character from Second Son, so I was invested from the start. The narrative itself is strong and I enjoyed it, but the gameplay loop gets old fast. But I gotta admit that the last mission design and the ending were good. It wraps up as a solid revenge story, and I really enjoyed how it played out. ''6.5/10''

Ori and the Blind Forest (SW) Let’s start by clarifying that I’m going to shorten Ori and The Blind Forest as OATBF throughout this review since the name is quite long. I’m not really familiar with metroidvanias, nor am I a big fan of them. So, I decided to play one of the games that might change my mind about the genre. That being said, my review won’t include much comparison or technical depth, just my humble opinions and experiences as someone who isn’t usually into this type of game. To be honest, my first impression was that the game was harder than I expected. Normally, I would see this as a flaw since I prefer a smoother flow where dying isn’t such a big part of the experience. However, I’ve been trying to keep a more open mind lately and give different genres a chance. Maybe that will even help me become a more patient person in real life… patient enough to play Souls games someday lol. But enough about me; OATBF didn’t tire me out with its difficulty as much as I thought it would. Instead, I felt motivated to overcome the puzzle like platforming challenges I got stuck on. Managing your own save points with limited resources added a layer of strategy that I really appreciated. Plus, the game keeps its flow by instantly respawning you at your last save point after death. Sure, there were moments when I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to finish it, but after 11 hours and exactly 889 deaths, I finally beat the story and felt satisfied with my time in OATBF. That being said, I still don’t think metroidvanias are really my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoyed the gameplay, especially unlocking new abilities that made the map more accessible. My issue was that I never felt motivated enough to go back and explore new paths I had previously skipped. Maybe the game could’ve been more rewarding in that aspect. As for the presentation and narative, I don’t have much to critique. The art design is beautiful, and the soundtrack is amazing, OATBF clearly feels like a passion project. Sometimes I even found myself pausing just to enjoy the visuals. The story isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it has its touching moments and wraps up nicely. Playing on Switch was also smooth; the graphics were sharp and I had no frame drops whatsoever. At the end of the day, OATBF was a really nice experience for me. I’m not very familiar with the metroidvania genre, but this game gave me a great first taste of it. Even with all the times I died, I still had fun and felt like I actually accomplished something by finishing it. The mix of fun gameplay, beautiful art design, and an amazing soundtrack makes it absolutely worth checking out. ''7.5/10''

"7.5/10"

inFamous 2 (PS3) - A Retrospective Review I do retrospective reviews for any game that came out before the 8th generation consoles. Technically, Infamous 2 fits that rule, but the moment I booted it up, it honestly didn’t feel like an “old” game at all. Neither its mechanics nor its gameplay show their age. From the very start, everything feels more improved compared to the first game. The color palette is more vibrant, the world feels alive, and the cutscenes look way more polished. Personally, I loved this shift, but I can see why some people might prefer the darker, grittier tone of the first game. One thing I’m especially glad they kept is the comic book style slides in some cutscenes. It gives a unique personality to its narative. When it comes to gameplay, inFamous 2 makes some huge improvements over the first game. Parkour feels smoother and faster, aiming is more consistent, and the new powers add a lot of depth to combat. One of my favorite additions was the Amper, a melee weapon that finally makes close combat fun this time. In the first game, I basically avoided melee altogether because it felt clunky, but here it actually works well for me. Switching between powers with the quick menu also works perfectly and keeps the action moving. Cole’s superpowers still feel somewhat like using a firearm, but the execution is miles better than in the first game. Honestly, the variety of new abilities Cole unlocks throughout the game managed to impress me. Parkour is also feels a lot smoother and more fun right from the start. That’s probably because the sequel builds on the powers Cole already had in the first game. The world is also designed in a way that makes movement flow better and the improved animations tie it all together, making Cole's mobility enjoyable. That being said, the side missions are still repetitive and get boring fast, just like in the first game. Early on, most of them feel like copy paste jobs from the first game: find a pack from the picture, race against time, destroy supplies, rescue medical supplies, secure the vehicle… you know the drill. It does get better later tho, especially with the optional good and evil side missions, which have better design. Having Kuo and Nix join you on certain missions was also a nice touch too. I just wish this level of variety was consistent throughout the whole game. Enemy variety is better this time tho, and the boss fights, especially the big ones, are honestly pretty great. My biggest dissapointment is still many of the main missions feels like side missions that aims to extend the playtime. Yet, it's still miles ahead of its first game in that case. As for the story? Without spoiling anything, I really enjoyed it. inFamous 2 does a great job of making your choices feel important, not just in dialogue but in gameplay too. Your powers evolve depending on whether you go the hero or villain path, and the civilians react to you differently. Which really adds to the immersion. I personally can’t bring myself to play as the bad guy, so I stuck with the hero path. I also hit to the "Hero Karma" much faster than in the first game, probably because second game is a bit shorter to beat. The ending was satisfying in a messed up way but I really appreciated how the narrative tied everything together. Overall, I believe that inFamous 2 is exactly how a sequel should be. If the mission designs were less repetitive, it could’ve easily become one of my all time favorites. Even so, I still think it’s one of the best superhero games out there and the fact that you can choose to be a hero or a villain makes it even better. Obviously it still has its flaws but I had a great time with it and if you still have a PS3 lying around, definitely both inFamous 1 and 2 are worth revisiting. "8.5/10"

Limbo (SW) - A Retrospective Review Going into Limbo, I had no idea it was from 2010 until I checked after I started playing. So I tought, why not turn this into a little retrospective review? Thinking about it now, I think I made a mistake by playing Inside first, since in my head I thought they’d be pretty similar. But they are really not. Inside felt polished and cinematic while Limbo is something else entirely; way harder, way more puzzle focused, and honestly, a lot more punishing. The overall pace of Limbo just wore me down. Even though the game has some original ideas and interesting mechanics, especially toward the end, I felt overwhelmed by puzzle after puzzle. It’s not that the game is bad; I quite liked its atmosphere and that minimalist art style. But this wasn’t the focused, story driven experience I expected. I guess I went in with the wrong mindset. It’s pure trial and puzzle solving, and that just wasn’t what I was in the mood for. I genuinely understand why Limbo was a big deal back in 2010, it was unique and special for its time. But playing it in 2025, I couldn’t feel that same sense of immersion. Sadly, I believe it didn’t age particularly well. "6/10"

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Hitman 3 (PS5) Every good thing has an end, and replaying this game reminded me why saying goodbye to it isn’t easy, even after all these years. Jumping back in was like meeting an old friend after years; everything felt familiar, but it still managed to hit me in the feels. Some games just leave that kind of mark, no matter how many times you come back to them. To be honest, the cutscenes feel somewhat downgraded, almost PS3-era, but they’re still an improvement over Hitman 2. Knowing that IO Interactive was working with a tighter budget, so I can overlook it. What really matters is that the story feels far more immersive this time around. As a whole, it’s a strong, memorable finale that nicely wraps up the trilogy. I also wanted to rate each mission based on how much I liked their settings, entirely my subjective thoughts, of course: 1.On the Top of the World: 10/10 2.Death in the Family: 11/10 (What a fun and different mission!) 3.Apex Predator: 9/10 4.End of an Era: 8/10 5.The Farewell: 10/10 6.Untouchable: 10/10 (A great finale that puts an end to the trilogy) Sadly, with series like Metal Gear Solid, Dishonored, Thief, and Splinter Cell all seemingly gone quiet, Hitman feels like the last true sandbox stealth experience we have left. ''10/10''

Hitman 2 (PS5) As I mentioned in my Hitman (2016) review, and as you can probably tell from the score I gave it lol, I’m pretty much a big fan of the Hitman series. The fact that there’s really no other game quite like Hitman is what makes the series so special. This is my first time replaying the last trilogy of Hitman games after they were bundled into the Hitman: WOA package and I have to say that it really makes things a lot easier. Unfortunately, IOI used to follow a pretty confusing strategy when it came to marketing and structuring the games. But thanks to Hitman: WOA, you can now comfortably own and play through all three games using the same save file. It’s pretty much the same game with a couple of improvments. It’s the same formula I loved back in Hitman (2016), so no complaints from me. The cutscenes in Hitman (2016) were fantastic. So even though it kind of bothered me that almost all the cutscenes in Hitman 2 were turned into literal slide shows, I understand that IOI was probably going through one of its toughest financial periods at the time. Because of that, considering they released the game on a pretty tight budget, it’s a problem I can overlook. And in terms of story, I can definitely say it’s much more engaging than the first game. I also wanted to rate each mission based on how much I liked their settings, entirely my subjective thoughts, of course: 1. Hawke's Bay Nightcall: 8/10 2. The Finish Line: 10/10 3. Three-Headed Serpent: 8/10 4. Chasing a ghost: 8/10 5. Another Life: 10/10 (Peak Hitman experience) 6. Shadows in the Water: 6/10 7. The Ark Society: 11/10 (Such an epic final mission) Sadly, with series like Metal Gear Solid, Dishonored, Thief, and Splinter Cell all seemingly gone quiet, Hitman feels like the last true sandbox stealth experience we have left. ''10/10''

Hitman (PS5) I’m not writing a full review or anything, but I still want to jot down some thoughts after replaying this beautiful game in 2025. As you can probably tell, I’m a huge fan of stealth games and especially the Hitman franchise. The story might not be groundbreaking, but it does just enough to keep you engaged and make you feel like a real assassin which is exactly what it should do. It’s not a particularly long game, but that’s totally fine. With one prologue and six main missions, I spent about an half and a hour on each and wrapped it up in roughly ten hours I think. What makes it special is how much replay value those missions have, you can keep coming back, trying new disguises, routes, and creative kills, and it never feels repetitive. Each mission offers incredible variety and tons of replayability, letting you experiment with different approaches every time. That’s what makes the sandbox experience so satisfying. I also wanted to rate each mission based on how much I liked their settings, entirely my subjective thoughts, of course: 1.The Showstopper: 10/10 2.World of Tomorrow: 10/10 3.A Gilded Cage: 9/10 4.Club 27: 8/10 5.Freedom Fighters: 7/10 6.Situs Invernus: 10/10 Sadly, with series like Metal Gear Solid, Dishonored, Thief, and Splinter Cell all seemingly gone quiet, Hitman feels like the last true sandbox stealth experience we have left. ''10/10''

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"7.5/10"

Mafia: The Old Country (PS5) I’ve always appreciated games that know exactly what they want to be, and Mafia: The Old Country is one of them. It doesn’t try to be a massive open world sandbox, and that’s exactly what makes it appealing. For players like me, tired of bloated worlds and long winded campaigns, this tighter, more focused experience hits the spot. When I heard it would be mostly linear and around 10 hours long, I was genuinely excited. Not every game needs to drag itself into a 40 hour marathon to feel satisfying. Unfortunately, the first thing that hits you isn’t the story or the gameplay; it’s the graphics, and not in a good way. Playing in Performance Mode on PS5, the resolution looks heavily upscaled, with constant shimmering, ghosting, and a soft, blurry image. FPS drops pop up more often than they should, and distant enemies are harder to spot than they should be with that blury image. I eventually gave in and switched to Quality Mode for the last few hours, locking myself at 30fps just to escape the blur. Character models and animations look stuck in the PS4 era, though I have to admit that the lighting is gorgeous. The gameplay didn’t exactly win me over right away either. The first blade fight in the prologue left me underwhelmed, with clunky animations and sluggish responses. Thankfully, things improved after the first episode. As a long time fan of the series, I really enjoyed the Mafia I and II but bounced off Mafia III, I appreciated the shift toward more linear and stealth (well… kind of) oriented gameplay. Is it on the level of Hitman, MGS or The Last of Us? Absolutely not. But i believe that no one expected it to be. Comparing a $50 title’s mechanics with those games would be an obvious mistake. That being said, the mechanics are okay at best, and while the lack of stealth-friendly weapon design makes sense for the early 1900s setting, it still limits the experience. Missions rarely allow for creative approaches, sometimes feeling like something out of the PS3 era. I still would have liked more depth in the gameplay, as it often feels very dull. However, there are nice touches here and there. The stamina bar when choking an enemy is a small but nice detail. Blade combat becomes more refined once parrying is introduced, though it never reaches a truly satisfying flow. Every boss fight turning into a blade duel quickly becomes predictable, even repetitive. Still, driving, whether it’s cars or horses, is genuinely enjoyable; especially with simulation mode and manual shifting. Gunplay is punchy and satisfying, despite some bizarre AI movement. Speaking of AI… yikes. The enemy intelligence is so poor it kills the enjoyment in the stealth approaches, to the point where it feels like stealth wasn’t even designed as a core mechanic. Combine that with poorly placed save points, and any stealth approach turns into an exercise in frustration. Where the game really shines is in its narative. The music is authentic and perfectly fits the scenes. The slow, story heavy prologue works well, letting us play through Enzo’s backstory instead of dumping exposition. The characters are well written and surprisingly likeable, with motivations and ambitions that feel believable. The dialogues helps a lot here; it’s sharp and natural. The tension in the second half is especially effective, pulling you into the world in a way the gameplay never quite does. In the end, I’m having a hard time giving Mafia: The Old Country a score. Despite all its downsides, I genuinely enjoyed my time with it. Its narrative, atmosphere, and sense of tension are rare qualities in modern games, but its clunky animations, outdated mechanics, and awful AI feel like leftovers from a previous console generation. It’s worth experiencing for the story alone, just don’t expect the gameplay to match it. "7.5/10"

Inside (SW) Inside had been sitting near the top of my indie backlog for a long time. So when I finally got a Nintendo Switch, it felt like the perfect time to dive in handheld, headphones on, lights off. From the very first moment, the atmosphere just grabs you. It’s dark, creepy, and quiet in a way that makes your skin crawl but in the best way possible. It doesn’t scream horror, but it constantly makes you uneasy. There’s this lingering tension that never really goes away, and that’s exactly what makes it so memorable. Despite all the bleakness, the animations are surprisingly charming. Every little movement your character makes is smooth and full of personality, which makes the world feel even more alive… or maybe dead inside, but alive in a weird way. The puzzles themselves? Simple, but fun. They don’t try to outsmart you, but they do make you feel clever. It’s more about the flow than the challenge, and that works really well here. You’re never stuck for long, and the game keeps its pace tight and focused. Its story doesn’t explain itself and that’s kind of its deal. There’s no dialogue, no text, no backstory laid out for you. You just exist in this world, and things get progressively weirder, darker, and more disturbing. It’s clearly designed to make you feel uneasy, to keep you guessing, and to leave you asking, “Wait… what just happened?” The story doesn’t hand you answers, and honestly, I think that’s intentional. It wants you to sit with the discomfort and come to your own interpretation. Sum up, Inside is short, weird, beautiful, and genuinely unsettling. It ends before it ever feels too long, and playing it on a handheld device somehow made the experience even more personal for me. It’s definitely one of those indie titles that sticks with you long after the credits roll. If it’s been sitting in your backlog for a while like mine, I definitely recommend giving it a shot. "8/10"

Remember Me (PC) – A Retrospective Review Every now and then, I go back to older games just to see how well they’ve aged and Remember Me is one of those titles I finally got around to. Released way back in 2013, it honestly holds up better than expected in some ways, especially visually. Neo Paris is absolutely stunning. The atmosphere, the lighting, the art design; it’s hard to believe this game originally came out on PlayStation 3. Even in 2025, it still manages to look impressive. But the moment you pick up the controller, reality hits. The combat is… okay at best. It feels like a rough, clunky version of the Batman Arkham system, with no parry mechanic and some awkward character movement. At times, the camera actively works against you, especially in fights. Still, I’ll give credit where it’s due: the combo customization system grew on me. Being able to assign different abilities to combos made me want to experiment more than I expected. Also Playing it on the ROG Ally was a great choice. It ran smoothly, looked sharp, and felt really nice to play portably. The optimization on PC is solid, and it made revisiting this game surprisingly enjoyable, at least technically. The game’s biggest highlight for me? The memory remix sequences. They’re like mini riddles wrapped in a puzzle meets narrative mechanic, and they felt fresh and creative even by today’s standards. That’s the kind of stuff I wanted more of. Unfortunately, after a strong start, the gameplay begins to fall flat in the second half. Nothing new gets introduced, and it starts to drag. The pacing becomes inconsistent, and the boss fights, especially the final one, are repetitive and underwhelming. It’s a shame, because the game clearly had cool ideas, it just doesn’t build on them. The story had me curious at first, but eventually I found myself disconnected. Dialogues were pretty “meh” most of the time, and I had trouble empathizing with the characters. They feel full of backstory but somehow empty emotionally. Maybe it’s a matter of time: what felt shocking or unique in 2013 feels overused and predictable now. The game tries to hit you with plot twists, but my reactions were more like: “Huh, okay.” That being said, the final plot twist, while kind of expected, was at least well delivered. The voice acting and pacing in that final moment actually worked, and I appreciated the effort even if it didn’t blow my mind. In the end, Remember Me is one of those games that’s easy to admire from a distance. Visually stunning, conceptually interesting, and even ahead of its time in some areas but when you zoom in, the outdated mechanics, shallow dialogue, and repetitive design weigh it down. It wants to be unforgettable, but in the end, it’s more like a nice memory you don’t mind letting fade. "6/10"

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (SW) There are games that entertain you, and then there are games like Breath of the Wild; the kind you just can’t stop playing. I didn’t expect to get this hooked, but hours slipped by as I found myself completely absorbed in a world that constantly pushes you to be creative and curious. What truly sets BOTW apart is how it transforms the entire map into your personal playground. Exploration doesn’t feel like a chore, it feels like discovery! It’s rare for a game to make me pull out a notepad and write down places to return to or things I need to do later. There’s a refreshing old school energy to that, almost like playing a classic game. That’s why I avoided all tutorials and guides on the internet, especially when it came to solving shrine puzzles or hunting down memory moments. Solving things on my own made every achievement feel earned and personal. One of the coolest moments? I even managed to buy a house in a side mission. It’s a small detail in the grand scope of the game, but it made the world feel even more alive. That being said, it’s not without flaws. Horse controls, for example, were frustrating enough that I started avoiding riding altogether. It’s a shame, because the idea of riding across Hyrule sounds amazing in theory; but in practice, it felt clunky and hard to manage. I also did begin to feel the limitations of the Nintendo Switch’s hardware. From time to time, the vast open world felt visually dull or empty; almost lifeless in certain areas. While the art direction is beautiful, the technical constraints sometimes took away from the immersion, reminding me that the console was doing all it could just to keep the experience running smoothly. I played the game for roughly 60 hours, collected 14 heart containers, and still had so much left to do; shrines to discover and side quests to complete.. Despite that, I felt satisfied with time i had in the game. I’ve heard some say that Breath of the Wild might not be the most “ideal” Zelda game, but I can say it’s one of the best open world games I’ve ever played. It feels like a fresh breath of air while carrying the spirit of classic adventure. It gives you space to think, to try, to fail, and to keep going and all at your own pace. And that’s exactly what makes it so hard to put down. "9.5/10"

Infamous (PS3) – A Retrospective Review inFamous and its sequel were among the games I most regretted missing during the PlayStation 3 era. So, when I finally got my hands on a PS3 years later, Infamous was one of the first titles I jumped into. Having previously played and thoroughly enjoyed Infamous: Second Son on the PS4, my expectations for its first game were understandably high. Now that I’ve completed the game along with all its side missions, I can say that while Infamous gave me many enjoyable hours, I think it hasn’t aged particularly well. In terms of gameplay, level design, and graphics, it definitely shows its age. Would I have guessed it was from 2009 if I didn’t know? well.. probably not. Some parts of the game were ahead of their time, but a lot of it feels dated today. One of the biggest flaw of the game is the mission designs. Many of the main story missions felt indistinguishable from side quests, which made the overall progression feel repetitive. That being said, the core gameplay loop remains fun. Unlocking new powers and watching Cole grow stronger is satisfying and adds a sense of momentum. However, the melee combat was probably the weakest part of the gameplay; it felt clunky and underdeveloped. On top of that, Cole’s ranged attacks often feel more like using firearms rather than actual superpowers, which takes away from the feeling of using unique abilities. Where the game truly shines is in its storytelling. The narrative, especially toward the end of the game, surprised me in a good way. I particularly appreciated the stylized, comic book inspired cutscenes, which gave the game a unique style. The final plot twist must have been mind blowing back in 2009. In 2025, after seeing countless similar twists in games and movies, it didn’t hit quite as hard, but I can still respect the impact it likely had at the time. Moreover, Infamous does a great job of making you feel like you’re truly have impact on Cole's path on being whether being a hero or villian. It’s not just about how civilians and cops react to Cole; even his superpowers evolve based on moral choices u make. The fact that all of this also shapes the flow of the story must have felt amazing back in 2009. Overall, Infamous may not be as strong today as it once was, but it’s easy to see why it made such a good impact when it first released. For fans of the series or those interested in seeing the origin of Cole’s story, it’s still worth experiencing, just with lowered expectations. "7.5/10"

Killzone 3 (PS3) – A Retrospective Review I think that the last game of the trilogy is also the strongest in the series. Killzone 3 is superior to its sequel in nearly every aspect; featuring better gun play, improved enemy AI, enhanced graphics, and more mission design variety. For me, it’s a solid, well crafted shooter that still holds up in 2025. That being said, the story feels like it drifted away from what made Killzone unique. The darker, grittier tone of Killzone 2 is noticeably softened here. At times, the dialogue felt like something out of a low budget Hollywood action movie, which made it hard for me to stay invested in the story. The world of Killzone always felt like it had so much more depth and epic potential to explore; like there was a lot more to discover. But the games usually stick to smaller, more contained stories within that big universe. Killzone 3 is no exception. Still, despite its flaws, I genuinely enjoyed my time with Killzone 3, even in 2025. Nostalgia probably plays a part, but honestly, I think it’s also because we just don’t get games like this anymore. Linear, corridor style shooters have almost vanished, and playing this reminded me how satisfying that old school pacing and level design can be. "7.5/10"

Killzone 2 (PS3) – A Retrospective Review Revisiting this flagship Sony title after playing the first Killzone reminded me just how dramatic the leap in graphics was from the Playstation 2 to the Playstation 3 era. Killzone 2 was definitely visually stunning ; its graphics, animations, and physics were arguably ahead of its time. Back when I first played it as a kid, I honestly thought Killzone 2 was the peak of what video game graphics could ever be. There was no way games could look better than this… right? :D However, while the presentation still holds up fairly well, I believe that the gameplay and mission design haven’t aged quite as gracefully. The aiming, in particular, often feels imprecise and frustrating, which can take away from the overall experience. What disappointed me most though, was the story. The lore of Killzone has always felt like there’s so much more depth and epicness to explore, so much more to learn, yet the games tend to focus on smaller scale stories within that vast world. Despite its flaws, Killzone 2 remains a memorable game in the series for me; but one that doesn't quite live up to its potential beyond its graphics. "7/10"

Killzone HD (PS3) – A Retrospective Review Since I recently got my hands on a PS2 and PS3 again after many years, I’ve been going back to play the games I missed out on as a kid. This was actually my first time playing the original Killzone, so I decided to try out the "remastered" HD version on the PS3. While it is definetely looks sharper and more polished in the HD version, the controls and aiming still feel just as clunky as they likely did back on the PS2. Honestly, I went in with zero expectations, but to my surprise, Killzone managed to impress me in a few ways; The story was engaging enough to keep me motivated, and for the most part, the gameplay and difficulty offered me a satisfying challenge. However, The Killzone universe has always seemed like it has way more depth and epic stories to tell, like there’s this huge world we’ve only gotten a glimpse of. But the games usually stick to smaller, more focused stories, so we never really get to see the full picture. We only ever get a glimpse of the bigger picture which makes the missed potential all the more disappointing. "6/10"

Phantom Liberty (PS5) I honestly didn’t expect a DLC to hook me the way it did, but here we are. Phantom Liberty adds a depth to the main story, gives you characters worth caring about, and drops you into a new district that feels nicely designed. By the time I reached the new ending, it didn’t feel like extra content anymore; it actually felt like a chapter the game always needed. The new characters really stands out for me. They’re well written, full of flaws, and easy to connect with. You can feel their struggles and moral dilemmas in every conversation. It’s not the usual “side character you’ll forget in a week” type of deal. I think It’s rare for DLC to add this much emotional weight, but Phantom Liberty pulls it off. When it's come gameplay, you’re not getting a total reinvention, but what’s here works just fine. The new weapons and gadgets are fun to mess around with, and the customization options are nice touches.The new district comes with the DLC is not as huge as Night City but dense, gritty, and really nails the Cyberpunk atmosphere. What impressed me the most was how smoothly it ties back into the main story. The choices you make here actually matter, and the new ending hits harder than I expected. I obviously not gonna spoil anything about the new ending, but let’s just say that I went in thinking I was finally getting the ending I always wanted, only to realize I’d just finished the game with its most depressing one. Sum up, I think that Phantom Liberty isn’t just feel like “extra content.” It makes Cyberpunk 2077 a better game. The story is great, the characters are memorable, and the new ending adds options to V’s journey. If you’re already invested in Night City, skipping this expansion would be a mistake. “10/10”

Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5) I’m going to be honest; I genuinely believe that Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the best games I’ve ever played. The main story is well written and gripping enough to keep you hooked from start to finish. But oh boy, it’s the side missions where CD Projekt Red truly shines! Some of them are so well crafted, I enjoyed them more than some of the main missions. I even got so caught up in some of the side mission's stories that I found myself searching the internet for more lore about them. When it comes to graphics, world design, and gameplay, there’s not much left to argue; they are simply top tier for me. I’m not sure if it’s the best game to represent the cyberpunk theme, but Cyberpunk 2077 is the only game that offers us such a detailed open world in this setting. Both gunplay and melee combat feel smooth and satisfying. It’s nice that being able to personalize and improve both melee combat and gunplay in a way that fits perfectly to my playstyle. The AI may not be the most advanced I have seen, but it’s good enough to make stealth based approaches genuinely enjoyable. Of course, it’s not perfect. Driving feels off, even clunky compared to how smooth the overall gameplay is. I really wished that I could enjoy driving in a map with one of the most amazing atmospheres I’ve ever seen. And while the main story is great overall, it’s shorter than I expected, which makes certain plots in narative feel rushed. It even made me wonder: if I hadn’t thrown myself into all those side missions, would I have enjoyed the game as much? Honestly, I’ll probably never know lol. Also playing the game for the first time in 2025, after years of updates and patches, meant that I didn’t encounter any of the bugs the game was once famous for. It felt like a complete and polished experience from beginning to end. This definitely had a positive impact on my attitude toward the game. In the end, Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t the broken mess people remember from 2020. After playing so many open world games that throw copy paste side missions at you over and over, the level of detail in Cyberpunk 2077’s side content alone makes it unforgettable. The world design is stunning, and even with its flaws, it delivers an experience few games can match. Call it overhated, call it misunderstood; to me, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece. "10/10”

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