While in the open world there is hardly any horror atmosphere, let alone tension or suspense, in the linear levels of the second half the story comes to life - and so does the horror that you miss in the beginning.

This jump & puzzle-adventure doesn't deliver the variety or charm of Fly'n or Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams, but in its own (quite small) microcosm the puzzles work well.

Forget 1-2-Switch or Super Bomberman R. This is the multiplayer gem that Switch so desperately needs. Smart, creative and with a very distinctive artdesign this is a beautiful cooperative puzzle extravaganza.

Even with some mechanics feeling outdated or anachronistic, this still is a milestone in its genre.

Ys 9 builds on the strengths of its predecessors, but doesn’t enhance it with modern visuals.

The biggest problem of the Infinity franchise is the terribly low difficulty level, but thanks to the tremendous atmosphere the Star Wars playsets deliver solid entertainment for kids and adults alike. The big star (as usual) is the Toybox anyway.

If you want to show off the technical capabilities of your new mobile system, go and get Drake's new adventure. But this is more than a techdemo. The concept with puzzles, action and climbing is as exciting as on the PS3. The story isn't, though.

Even with the weaknesses more exposed than originally, this still is a good remake. Kamurocho never looked better and Kiwami tells one of the best stories of the franchise to date. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the Yakuza series.

While the scenario still is remarkably fresh, some mechanics haven’t aged well. Having said that, if you are a fan of old-school dungeon crawling, this is definitely a worthy addition to your library.

A really cool VR gangster drama with great entertainment value, especially if you use the Move controllers.

The spruced-up port of Sonic Generations isn't worth mentioning apart from the 2D levels, but the Shadow campaign scores points with fun levels and serves up a worthy comeback for the shadow hedgehog.

Demeo brings the coziness of the RPG basement to VR in a brilliant way, even if some extras are missing on PSVR2.

Kudos to Crazy Monkey Studios. Instead of relying on only the strengths of the predecessor, the team decided to tackle all the shortcomings. And the result is a blast, filled with guns, gore, zombies, nazis, tongue-in-cheek humour and a visually beautiful cartoon design.

While the visuals are sub-par at best, Battle Brothers is an interesting turn based tactics beast with a multi-faceted battle system but also serious balancing issues.

Business as usual? Not really. With Middle Earth as a hub world, the intelligent puzzles as well as the proven mechanics this is the best Lego adventure in a long time.

Not as good as the fourth part, but aficionados of cartography dungeon crawlers will without a doubt be drawn into the caves of this remake.

Visually this is the best version, if you have the appropriate hardware. But neither the top-notch storytelling nor the best visuals can hide the fact that in terms of gameplay the series is stagnant.

The constant hunt for the bigger better loot shows its age here and then - but still packs quite a punch. Just don’t expect a local co-op mode.

Dark, intense and brutal: Outlast celebrates classic survival horror.

The concept is interesting but too soon everything will be sacrificed to in-app-purchases that are forced by design dead ends that can just be solved by spending money. This is pay-to-win at its worst…

A clean port of a solid brawler with an interesting, albeit short story campaign. If you were battling Superman on another system already there is not much here to convince you of purchasing it again, though.

While Square is fighting with its tradition Atlus cements its status as a first class JRPG maestro. Yes: At its core Tokyo Mirage is as conventional as the art design is colorful. And the story is less captivating than the Persona mysteries. But when it comes to the multi-tiered battle system, #FE shines.

A successful remake that inspires with nostalgia and innovations in equal measure, but is held back by its somewhat strange pricing policy.

The constant change between fiction and reality, the Darkness' dirty illusions and Jackie's inevitable descent into madness make this shooter very special. But you have to ignore the AI problems and the barely average action mechanics for which Digital Extremes is well known.

Full of surprises and tactically challenging to the very last map. Unfortunately the focus on in-app-purchases takes away from an otherwise great strategy game.

Even with the visuals as well as the online service seemingly outdated, the essence of Pokémon is found in abundance. Fighting, catching and collecting still delivers its very unique motivational high.

Don’t be fooled: This is (as it always was) a challenging old school platformer. The simple design feels a bit outdated by now, though.

Evolution was bigger and better in every aspect. But still this is a competent and challenging arcade game that keeps you glued to your pad.

A visually impressive, intense campaign meets a bucketload of multiplayer modes - although not all of them are convincing.

A year ago, when I was sitting in the cockpit the first time, I was ecstatic – and I still am. The flight model might not be realistic but just feels right. The visuals and acoustics are top notch. But at the same time Braben’s universe feels weirdly outdated and after a while you notice the mistakes in the trading systems as well as faults in other areas. Nonetheless this trip through the galaxy captures the fascination space like almost no other.

Moving adventure with charming diorama visuals but slight flaws in terms of control and puzzle design.

Vice City is a magical place that is home to my most memorable videogame experiences. And everything is there, or at least it seems: Crusin' through the city is fun, the soundtrack is as good as ever, so is the dialogue. But as soon as you really have to play, the systems' limitations spoil the fun.

Even with the improved combat system the superhero spoof can’t surpass The Stick of Truth. But since Obsidian’s South Park treatment is not available on Nintendo’s Hybrid, Cartman and his friends have to settle with being the best South Park game on Switch.

A seasoned and streamlined Nioh successor that also wants to get newcomers into the junk. The snappy fights tie you to the gamepad, even if the strangely balanced level of difficulty sometimes gnaws at your nerves.

Kratos still delivers. But after all those years and especially the grand experience that was God of War 3 you slowly get the feeling that you’ve seen it all.

If you like your 2D-beat-em-up with a big helping of retro pixel charm, then Darkstalkers Resurrection is for you, even though you don’t get the complete package, but just the highlights in the form of Night Warriors and Darkstalkers 3.

A great ending of the bizarre science fiction adventure with a plethora of funny ideas and loads of challenging puzzles.

If this is indeed the last chapter of CyberConnects beat-em-up saga, it is a worthy farewell. You can’t expect anything new or revolutionary but you’ll get a content rich brawler with a distinctive anime-design.

The point & click adventure stages the story of an extruded clown in a very unconventional way.

Sometimes this sidescrolling time manipulating action with its charming pixel look is extremely hectic. But all frustration aside the intelligent design keeps you coming back.

Even with the visuals as well as the online service seemingly outdated, the essence of Pokémon is found in abundance. Fighting, catching and collecting still delivers its very unique motivational high.

The characters are lovable and the soundtrack is simply phenomenal. Even with bugs and errors not to be found in the console versions you can’t help but fall in love when Tim Schafer pays homage to the gods of heavy metal.

Arc Systems delivers again: A solid retro inspired brawler with an offensively arranged fighting system that takes a little time getting used to but manages to impress.

Up to now the franchise stood for uncompromising arcade fun. But with this iteration there is another element: micro-transactions, in-app-purchases. But whatever you may call it hinders the fun, even though you can get through the game without...

The quality of this Russian odyssey is as inconsistent and varied as its climatic zones. But despite all its flaws and weak AI it still manages to create a solid post-apocalyptic action experience.

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.

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.

The slightly raised tactical demands and the improved freedom with the character development make the Switch iteration of this intricate match-3 variation the best version.

Quotation forthcoming.

Some problems with AI, story direction and character development still exist. But nonetheless this is beautifully crafted stealth-action that delivers – also thanks to the included DLC.

Despite a weak story, a boring beginning and well known mechanics, the complex character generation, the flexible management and the challenging turn based tactics make this a dungeon crawler worth getting.

Crisp third-person shooter that surpasses its predecessor with exciting fights, great boss fights and high replayability.

Explosive, lightning fast, challenging: Ace Combat 7 is back with a vengeance and an immersive yet much-too-short VR experience.

This is a competent sequel to an outstanding RTS game with a compelling multiplayer experience, although problems with AI and path-finding are still evident.

RiME is an atmospheric adventure where exploration, acrobatics and puzzles are woven together in a very subtle and comfortable way.

Frozenbyte manages to deliver a magical puzzle platformer that doesn’t build on innovation, but recreates the old the fascination missing from its predecessor.

While mechanically the old school jump&run with the unofficial PSone mascot feels outdated at times, being thoroughly entertaining nonetheless, visually this is the benchmark for coming remakes.

Entertaining platformer that didn’t lose any of its touch on the PS4.

While the games in their entirety truly stand the test of time, still show that they got “it” and (at least on consoles) have never looked this good, the bonus content could be more plentiful.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable port of one of gamings all time favorite survival horror games.

If you like tactical card battles and are not opposed to the WWII setting, Kards delivers plentiful.

Fast-paced shooter/slasher mix with great fight mechanics. If you don’t shy away from repetition and a multitude of deaths, this is definitely for you.

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.

Mostly the changes are subtle, but they matter. The flow is improved, the game is more tactical and faster, more dynamic.

Being a precisely “tailored foreSports" competitive tactical team action, this is more than just an alternative to Counter-Strike.

You can leave this high school either as a murderer or as a corpse. The line between friendship and rivalry is blurred. You look into the soul of the characters where hope gets replaced by despair in an instant. This is an excellent morbid surreal whodunit.

Depending on the collection of Skylander figures that you already own, the number of areas that can just be opened by your wallet will vary – and so will the fun you will have with the Giants. That aside the new adventure in the Skylands shows improvements on almost every level.

As long as the Queen of Gravity uses all her abilities to fight the Nevi this is an action spectacle. But not every mission takes advantage of the freedom of movement while camera and controls could be tighter.

At its core this is first class hockey. But the virtual standstill in almost all areas while focusing more on arcade aspects makes me go back to last years’ version.

Even with the visuals as well as the online service seemingly outdated, the essence of Pokémon is found in abundance. Fighting, catching and collecting still delivers its very unique motivational high.

Depending on the collection of Skylander figures that you already own, the number of areas that can just be opened by your wallet will vary - and so will the fun you will have with the Giants. That aside the new adventure in the Skylanders shows improvements on almost every level. Unfortunately the use of the Wii U GamePad is quite superficial.

This is thoroughly entertaining, surprisingly well conceived fantasy tactics with a focus on depth. This is a breath of fresh air that doesn’t rely on the typical rock-paper-scissors mechanics.

A return that could make fans of the series happy. Graphically and technically magnificent; a small roster and lackluster presentation of some modes prevent a better rating.

Beautifully presented retro collection with a great game selection and modern comfort. But almost every title was included in other Capcom collections.

Fantasian is an atmospheric roleplaying game - the best of its kind in Apple Arcade. A stylish as well as placid experience unfolds, even with the story taking quite some time and the battles being too easy.

Although there is almost every cyberpunk cliché to be found somewhere, the themes and dialogues are put together well. Which can’t be said about the actual playing mechanics, since they leave a lot to be desired.

Take a pinch of Rez, add a helping of Gitaroo-Man, serve with loads of electronic beats and fascinating visuals and you get a quite interesting rhythm game. With more content and better balancing this could easily play in the same league as Amplitude or Thumper.

Slighty enhanced PS4 premiere of the epic rpg saga with a slight touch of Persona.

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.

Well executed remake of a classic with all the weaknesses and strengths still intact, including on of the best storylines in the franchise history.

In terms of storytelling, atmosphere and visuals Metro is up there with the heavyweights like BioShock Infinite. But the action is rather ordinary and held back by the appalling AI.

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.

Like its Switch sibling roughly a year ago this is a captivating old-school RPG with an extensive turn-based battle system and stunning art design, but also quite some grind and varying quality in the storytelling for the eight protagonists.

A mobile beat-em-up never looked so good. Unfortunately the Vita fighters don't get the same expansive content package that made the stationary version so exceptional.

It has its fair share of shortcomings, but nonetheless this twinstick action with its free weapon configs and the surprisingly motivating campaign is quite entertaining.

Quotation forthcoming.

Gamefreak managed to enhance the nostalgia of past games with creative improvements. Regardless if you are a veteran or a beginner, there are loads of incentives to catch em all.

The Last Story tries to walk on a new path – and quite successful at times. But sometimes it just gets caught somewhere in no man's land between action and roleplaying.

The challenge level of the puzzles is quite low at times. But the design as well as the atmosphere and especially the dialogue between Ava and the AI will keep you going. If you think Portal is too difficult for you, give this one a chance.

This is Nidhogg visually enhanced, more varied arenas and more weapons. The core mechanics remain untouched - in good and in bad.

For the first time since Bionicle Heroes Traveller’s Tales didn’t have to stick to an external license, but could let their fantasy run wild in an open world. The result is a little shallow in terms of mechanics, but makes up for it with bucket loads of humor in the tradition of the early Zucker/Abrahams spoofs.

Roughly five years after its premiere two things become evident. A) The art design still is out of this world. B) It still has some flaws, but the relentless action paired with the hunt for items is highly motivating.

Vlambeer’s latest offering shows a lot of potential. It mixes a lot of mechanics and adds a few good ideas to make the dogfights special. But the controls do their best to keep me away from this.

Don't be fooled: If you pit Kingdoms of Amalur against Skyrim, Reckoning will be pulverized – Bethesda's roleplaying epic is superior in every aspect. But as a hack-and-slay in an expansive world with entertaining fights and more loot that you can carry Amalur stands out. It is exactly what I've been waiting for since the good old days of Champions of Norrath or Dungeons & Dragons Heroes – even though the inventory system lacks usability.

On consoles Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 was the best appearance of the beloved ninja so far. And on the PC nothing has changed.

A textbook remaster: The looter shooter that started it all still has its problems (as it did ten years ago), but visually as well as mechanically it is up to date - and still a quell of motivation for hunters and gatherers.

Roguelite RPG, that invites you not only with its coop-option, but also the charming pixel design and the well constructed story. But technical issues as well as the high grind factor provide a setback.

Charming hybrid of bicycle racing and and skill tests - quite motivating and with spot-on controls.