Creepy, cruel—it goes down like a ride on a ghost train. The Dark Pictures Anthology opens its first science fiction chapter. Fans of the anthology series should definitely climb aboard the spaceship for Directive 8020.

Mixtape isn't just a collection of songs perfectly suited to every scene; it's an atmospheric, poignant, and—at the right moments—serious coming-of-age story that feels relatable almost from start to finish. The narrative adventure is enriched with clever cutscenes and varied mini-games that keep the experience from ever getting boring.

Saros is not able to outshine the spiritual prequel Returnal in every aspect. But at least when it comes to the most important part, the gameplay, it certainly is an improvement.

With an exciting, innovative combat system that remains fun even in the endgame, a sympathetic duo of protagonists whose chemistry is perfectly balanced, and a fascinating science-fiction world, Pragmata is already shaping up to be one of the highlights of the year.

Life is Strange Reunion is fan service - but damn good fan service. If you love Max and Chloe, you won’t want to miss this installment, despite its lackluster main story.

Marathon is an extraction shooter that truly does its own thing. It is visually unique, yet complex and not easily deciphered. However, those who stick with it are rewarded with fantastic matches and a motivating gameplay loop.

Unfortunately, the story campaign is too linear and dialogue-heavy, but Screamer's gameplay is a blast and satisfies the hunger for classic arcade racing fun.

Planet of Lana 2 picks up seamlessly where its predecessor left off: Outstanding features such as graphics, atmosphere, and the cute sidekick Mui are just as appealing the second time around. The world is varied and the puzzles are moderately difficult. A no-brainer for fans of the genre.

Disco Elysium meets Dungeons and Dragons: Despite its reductive description, Esoteric Ebb delivers a unique experience and identity. A top-notch role-playing game that genre fans shouldn't miss.

Pokémon Pokopia seems to have received a lot of love during its development and therefore feels fully polished. This results in many different moments of pure gaming fun.

Despite some pacing issues, Resident Evil Requiem is an excellent entry in the series, delivering on both action as well as survival-horror.

The brilliant visual novel is almost as good as its predecessor, once again offering a thrilling case for fans of mystery and crime with great puzzles and an overall fantastic presentation.

One of the best racing games on the platform and due to more selection and the improved physics even better than the Wii-version.

Reanimal continues the tradition of Little Nightmares and garnishes it with disturbingly fascinating gore elements. The atmosphere and creature design are top notch, and the couch co-op option is the icing on the cake. Only the game length could be longer.

Mewgenics is a fantastic roguelike with turn-based combat and cat-tactic power that quickly draws you in. Already a contender for Game of the Year 2026.

Thanks to larger worlds and more dynamic combat, Nioh 3 is a must-have title for fans of the series. However, boring loot, a weak story, and mediocre visuals remain core problems of the franchise.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is not a hardcore RPG, it’s more like a vacation. A well needed remake for the original.

It is mind-blowing how time flies with this game. At first it seems like Eufloria just offers relaxed zengaming, but the more you look the more entertaining strategy for explorers and conquerors you'll discover.

An indie gem where every pixel breathes love for its characters. An old-school point-and-click adventure whose story starts slowly but then develops an irresistible pull. Perfect Tides: Station to Station is great storytelling on a small screen.

A new star in the Metroidvania-sky: MIO: Memories in Orbit enchants with its magnificent art style, captivating atmosphere, and challenging but fair combat system. New abilities constantly motivate you to discover the world and push beyond your limits.

It's a pity that the visuals haven't been optimized for the retina display, but nonetheless it is a beauty. Stamped with a hefty price tag you'll get an exceptional roleplaying game that is as fascinating as it was a few years ago on the DS.

Samus Aran makes a strong comeback: Metroid Prime 4 is not only a great game on the Nintendo Switch 2 but also looks fantastic. The only things it really didn't need were the open world section and a few mission types that seem stuck in time.

Anyone who was bored in history class won't fall asleep here. The Berlin Apartment has a lot of heart, even more charm – and if you're looking for a well-told, interactive German history experience, you'll currently find little better.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Giant Tides is a powerful 3D platformer with sponge-tastic gameplay flow and perfect childish humor – only some annoying race tracks slowed down my fun.

With an emotional story, a strong message and sublime gameplay, Constance is one of the best Metroidvanias out there. Only small details diminish the overall experience.

Kirby Air Riders is clearly the product of a development team driven by passion. This is especially evident in the effort they put into elevating it to so much more than just a simple fun racer. Nevertheless, not every spark ignites.

Mouse-drawn! Winter Burrow is a well-balanced mix of survival and cozy game and will be your perfect companion for the winter season. The game has only minor flaws and will captivate genre fans, at least for the duration of the story.

Leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to mechanics, but scores in terms of atmosphere, art style and characters. And a good time loop never fails.

New ideas, mechanics and a fresh setting combined with the known and loved formula of Anno provide an accomplished tightrope walk.

A fun return to Hyrule that doesn’t come without small obstacles, but nevertheless serves a diversified and detailed adventure for Zelda-fans.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 exudes dinosaur love like no other game – making its predecessors completely obsolete.

The Outer Worlds 2 impresses with well-written dialogue, countless role-playing options, and surprisingly strong shooter gameplay. However, the title runs a bit flat in terms of quest design toward the end.

Ninja Gaiden 4 offers superbly choreographed action and is more beginner-friendly than any other game before it. The brilliant game design more than makes up for the weak story.

A creative, wacky solo adventure in which the highlight is the incredibly bizarre game world. However, Keeper remains rather thin in terms of gameplay right up to the end.

Those who are unfamiliar with the first Bloodlines will have a distinct advantage with Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. A compelling storyline, an atmosphere as thick as blood, and brutal action make for an impressive package – although the role-playing aspect has been noticeably reduced.

A great experience that invites you to pause and presents a concept so strong that it leaves you with an insatiable hunger for more.

With a well-rounded gameplay flow, seamless catching and fighting as well as a smooth performance, Pokémon-Legends: Z-A is the best game delivered by Game Freak in the last ten years.

Battlefield 6 is a top-tier destruction sandbox and multiplayer shooter that brings the brand back to the Champions League.

Little Nightmares 3 does what you'd expect from a game in this series. It's dark, scary, delightfully repulsive, and bizarre. The fact that the co-op mode is only available online is a bit of a bummer. The playtime could also be longer.

Not quite as well rounded as its predecessor, Ghost of Yōtei offers more variation, but falls short in terms of story and depth of side characters. Nevertheless a great open world-adventure with a fantastic presentation.

Even better than its already brilliant predecessor, Hades 2 offers more content, a crisp combat system, lovable and exciting characters, and so many details that even after dozens of hours, you won't feel a bit bored. A masterful sequel that could hardly be any better.

The focus on action takes away from the spookiness, but Silent Hill f is nonetheless a really brave survival horror game that fans of the genre shouldn’t miss.

Focus instead of expanding: Unlike many other studios, developer Techland takes a different approach and presents Dying Light: The Beast, a game that knows what it's good at. There's no time for boredom or slow spells in this compact game...But apparently, there's no time for any special innovations either. A sequel, not a dimensional leap. On the other hand, it's just way too much fun to explore the world like a monkey climbing a tree and mauling zombies. It should get boring, but there are too many buttons being pressed for that.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is close to perfection, with only a few nuances that could dampen motivation. A worthy successor to what is (to date) probably the best Metroidvania game ever made.

Borderlands 4 motivates with tons of loot and tight gunplay – it is and remains one of the best loot shooters ever. Now that the story and endgame has returned to most of its old strengths, you can easily spend dozens of hours here before boredom sets in. Only the open world wasn't really necessary.

Feeling truly powerless and helpless again? The latest Bloober Team game can help. In this space-age survival horror, people seem to die every second. You have to like it – but it's a lot of fun.

Not without its minor flaws, but certainly one of the biggest surprises of the year: If you like to explore freely and don't want everything spoon-fed to you, you shouldn't miss Hell Is Us.

The Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade for Kirby and the Forgotten Land offers more of the same and will definitely appeal to fans of the original.

Small weaknesses almost disappear in the wake of big strengths: The remake is the definitive way to experience Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

For me, in terms of horror, Cat People from 1942 is way ahead of Saw 3D or other cinematic torture masterpieces. If you feel the same way, Heartworm is a genre highlight.

A narratively weak Soulslike, it nevertheless boasts a brilliant and challenging combat system and fresh ideas. On top of that, it has one of the best game worlds in the genre and stunning visuals.

Will this old-school odyssey become the new Monkey Island class leader in the click-along segment? Not at all! But a damn pixelated grindhouse movie to play along to has been born – with a hero like a whip crack.

Innovative, refreshing and incredibly entertaining: Donkey Kong Bananza inspires with new ideas without forgetting its roots.

Stronghold Crusader Definitive Edition offers the core of the RTS masterpiece in a beautiful, fluid, and improved form – but this time with enough content.

A technically solid, if not entirely flawless, implementation of Hogwarts Legacy. As entertaining as ever, but finally looking the same on the Switch 2 as it does on the other platforms.

While the Gameplay is more accessible, the story of Death Stranding 2 transforms into a completely new beast, once again breaking the limits of the medium.

Dune Awakening is a magnificent adaptation of the sci-fi original: thanks to the attention to detail and atmosphere, surviving on Arrakis becomes a true delight, only marred by minor bugs and rubberbanding.

The implementation of Cyberpunk 2077 for the Nintendo Switch 2 is absolutely successful: both technically and in terms of content, it offers a strong role-playing package. Only graphically, the version is clearly inferior to the PS5, PC, and Xbox competition.

Despite its rather lame open world, Mario Kart World is a blast for newcomers and seasoned hardcore fans alike. Fresh changes liven up the racing fun, and the knockout tour is a true stroke of genius.

Pixel by pixel, it's an old-school point-and-click adventure—and that's a good thing. Kathy Rain has survived the sequel unscathed, investigating better than Inspector Columbo and Mr. Monk combined.

Not entirely without errors, the Duck Detective sequel serves up a short, successful crime story for detectives of all calibers.

Sunderfolk is a good start to introduce beginners to the world of tabletop games without a complex set of rules and a lot of setup. The controls via app are technically well done, while at the same time the gameplay is challenging enough to allow the player to spend hours and hours in the world of Arden.

At its best, Doom: The Dark Ages is a fantastic first-person shooter with a brutal combat system that is convincing almost across the board. However, the dragon and mech missions as well as the uncreative open level structures make sure that the pacing doesn't always feel perfectly smooth.

Even though the look is the star of the game, The Midnight Walk has a lot to offer when it comes to gameplay. A unique and spooky adventure.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sets new standards for the genre of turn based RPGs with regard to the story, but even more so the combat. A new, shining star, who hopefully points the way for many future games.

An entertaining point-and-click puzzle collection with a deep narrative. Beautifully presented and a great addition to any cozy afternoon on the couch.

Simple but not boring in terms of gameplay, captivating but not overwhelming in terms of story: South of Midnight is an atmospheric game that harks back to the old days and transports you to an intriguing fairytale world that we're now eager to learn more about. The swamp awaits you.

Xenoblade Chronicles X in it's best form to date. The Definitive Edition delights with all the strengths of the original version, pleasant changes and new content.

Split Fiction is further proof that Hazelight does coop-gameplay with excellence while still feeling like a unique experience. A tasty buffet of well-arranged gameplay variety.

Apart from too much focus on the story and a few hick-ups, Monster Hunter Wilds is offering exactly what one could wish from a new game in the series: Spectacular monsters, amazing fights and the feeling to fight for your life with real creatures.

Visually and playfully attractive role-playing game in a varied world with an extensive lore. The many dialog options and interesting characters as well as the powerful combat system are among the highlights. However, not recommended for Xbox Series S.

A successful Metroidvania that is particularly convincing in terms of exploration and combat systems, but lacks uniqueness.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 knows exactly where its strengths lie and takes full advantage of them. In some regards it lacks a bit of final polish, which is annoying but not too tragic.

Civilization 7 manages to surprise as well as challenge me and my expectations at a classic Civ-game. The developers dare to do one of the most drastic gameplay changes in the series and break with old patterns. It is a fine line between revolution and alienation.

Sweet cozy game fun for Hello Kitty fans and a young target group. Well suited for in-between times and for a relaxed pastime; but in the long run it may be negligible.

A varied adventure for Indy fans and anyone who wants to become one. A little more focus on puzzles and a few fewer (or more sophisticated) close combat scenes would have been nice. However, the graphics, story and authentic locations offer a coherent picture.

Infinity Nikki hits the nail on the head. It may be a little harsh in a few points, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with this game. The possibility of squandering real money doesn't change that - I didn't have to use it.

Miniatures is a very special experience that weaves unpleasant childhood memories with surreality and will stay in your memory, not least thanks to its chic presentation.

Thanks to a well-rounded game principle peppered with charming details, Amber Isle has nothing to hide. The team has clearly taken care to deliver a clean job. Highly recommended.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership has its heart in the right place and delights with its combat and charme. But a flood of tutorials and noticable pacing-problems are weighing down the fun.

Strong campaign, solid zombie mode and a multiplayer mode with potential: Black Ops 6 is a strong package overall, although more could have been done.

Max's return is worthy of a new Life is Strange. Despite some rough edges in the story and performance, the game's gameplay and atmosphere are sure to impress more than just die-hard series fans.

With Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Bioware is returning to its more successful past. The fantasy role-playing game captivates with exciting characters and a crisp combat system, but is not quite able to revive the heights of its previous successful years.

Super Mario Party Jamboree radiates colorful light from every pore. If you look closely, you can see a slight flicker in a few places. The overall lighting is still cheerful.

Silent Hill 2 Remake is not a good modernization of the original, but it is a damn good horror game.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a feast for fans that delivers visually stunning fights, but is not without a few shortcomings.

Vessel of Hatred is a successful expansion that turns the feel of Diablo 4 on its head with the new Spiritborn class, but sometimes has the same weaknesses as the main game.

A role-playing adventure that starts off strong loses some of its appeal over time. Nevertheless, Bloomtown is convincing with likeable characters, a fitting adventure atmosphere and a combat system inspired by Persona.

Zelda's first adventure is colorful, cute and surprisingly versatile fun. Dozens of echoes provide variety, the friendly game world and Zelda-typical puzzle fun do the rest.

The development team behind Ara: History Untold succeeds in competing with the established titles of the genre with new ideas and creative gameplay, cleverly packing complex economic systems and production processes into a graphically sophisticated and lively framework while retaining the roots of its genre predecessors.

One of the best PlayStation games of recent years gets an equally good port: God of War Ragnarök is also a hit on the PC and plays more smoothly than ever - countless settings make it possible. An almost perfect port.

If you're looking for complex challenges and moral choices, Frostpunk 2 won't disappoint. Hours of entertainment are almost guaranteed.

Bloody and stupid: Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP is just as over the top as the original – and that's why it's still a hit today.

A colorful and varied 3D platformer full of fun ideas and some surprising cameos. Not simply fans of the genre should get their money's worth - it would not be surprising if Astro Bot wins many new friends with this game.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one of the best action games of 2024: It crashes, it bangs and it looks fantastic too. The overall package of story campaign, PvE mode and PvP is also a content-rich board.

Emio – The Smiler: Famicom Detective Club is presented as an authentic detective experience with which Nintendo has fulfilled each and every one of the expectations. Both its plot, the characters and the development of the same are a real treat for players who are fans of the interactive visual novel genre. If the game already seemed attractive on its first appearance, as soon as players start playing it, they will not be able to stop until they finish it. Will Emio be a simple legend or will he end up being a cruel murderer who will have to be stopped so that the full weight of the law falls on him?

With Age of Mythology: Retold, the developers have managed to breathe new life into the aging title and make it presentable for a modern audience without losing sight of its roots. Players who already liked the fantasy spin-off back then will definitely get their money's worth here.

Not a graphics blender, but not a savior either: Black Myth: Wukong is a largely successful action role-playing game with fun fights, visual variety and, despite minor flaws in terms of gameplay variety, is captivating.