In the beginning, I was heavily disappointed – and not only by the sub-par visuals. But under the ugly surface sleeps a tactical masterpiece with immense depth and an excellent character development.

This whodunnit adventure has its flaws, but in its best moments this is an intense, clever constructed as well as challenging experience.

While one table takes its strength from its minimalistic design and interesting stories, the second one is one of the most effects-laden pinball tables in Zen history, but sacrifices mechanically challenging missions for the visual splendor.

I was very skeptical, but Prison Architect is a prime example that this kind of strategy can work on consoles.

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.

Quotation forthcoming.

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.

Quotation forthcoming.

With its 30fps-limit and the backscaled graphics it doesn’t feel as fluid or impressive as its big siblings, but nonetheless the Switch-version is proof that Nintendo’s hybrid and visually challenging titles don’t have be natural enemies.

The visceral VR action places itself somewhere between The Matrix’ Neo, Max Payne and Raiden from Metal Gear Solid, but is held back slightly by the technical limitations of PlayStation VR.

Small engines, big fun: Once you started it is hard to put the Vita down. Head-to-head online duels are sorely missed, though.

The Ultimate Edition is definitely the best console version of one of Remedy’s finest games. But even with all DLC included it lacks the fidelity that you can get on a high-end PC.

It is not the prettiest undead game out there. And with the omission of the second screen (even though it would have been possible on Vita or SmartGlass devices) the great atmosphere and immersion suffer, which characterized the WiiU version. But at its core it still is a tense and hard fought fight for survival.

Technically very clean Switch port of this equally atmospheric as well as beautiful adventure – now with photo mode and gyro controls.

Stylish noir thriller with an interesting story, but mechanical limitations – despite a variety of possible interactions.

It is not an epic strategy game like Dune but this little gem offers something for almost everybody: Beginners will not be overburdened while experienced players will get a challenge with the unusual mechanics and veterans can ramp up the difficulty level to get their money's worth.

Meticulously catered to PS4 the remastered versions deliver – with increased playability and additional content.

Except for slight deficits in terms of controls and visuals, Cities Skylines is a great console port of an exceptional city-builder. It is harmed by the lack of editors, though.

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.

Haven is no prosaic drama centering around the burden and the suffering of love, but a rather sensitive and charming piece of youth literature wrapped in an interesting action adventure.

Kudos to Capcom. In the umpteenth iteration of the quirky attorney I wouldn’t have expected such a progress on almost every level. Humorous, challenging, entertaining.

It shows some flaws in terms of interactive storytelling, but nonetheless 1979 delivers a tense political thriller with strong characters.

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.

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.

Story and world lore could be more defined, but Remnant delivers an adrenaline-fueled intelligent adventure - kind of Dark Souls with brute shooter flair.

Challenging and an audiovisual gem: While the concept might seem simple this is a breath of fresh air that is as good on Switch as ever.

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.

Quotation forthcoming.

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

With smart enhancements and general improvements Beyond is even better then Next, while the PSVR-enhancements literally give this game a new dimension.

While the basic Harvest Moon concept is fundamentally outdated by now the focus on construction and exploration enhances the experience tremendously.

I like Resident Evil. Still. And as a fan of the GameCube remake I enjoy the up-to-date presentation with 16:9 ratio and 5.1 surround sound. Nonetheless, one of the godfathers of survival horrors lost a little of its fascination over the years. It still is better and scarier entertainment than Resident Evil 6.

Housemarque merges twinstick shooting with platforming, while adding their signature particle action style. But with its focus on action there is not enough exploration to be found for oldschool platforming fans. Nonetheless in its best moments this feels like Metroid on speed.

Wreckfest on consoles remains a steady source of destructive racing fun.

Don’t get fooled by the cheesy description “Sci-Fi Romance”. This is an intelligent adventure novel. Unfortunately the puzzles can’t live up to the storytelling.

Black Pants didn't only work on creative physics puzzles, but also implemented a well executed platformer. It's a little short though.

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.

If you are (like me) a fan of the Genesis original this is more than a trip down memory lane. This is a carefully modernized old school platform adventure with a lot of personality. But don’t expect anything out of the ordinary.

There are some problems with the procedural world generation. And the UI lacks a sorting function for objects, while the free building is a little awkward. But nonetheless this is a huge creative sandbox somewhere between No Man’s Sky and Minecraft.

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.

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.

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

Under the goo-goo eyes and the rather clumsily animated characters hides a challenging old school role-playing experience that punishes every little mistake you might make in your battle strategy. But more importantly: The magic of an era long forgotten is still there.

Expanding on the strengths of its predecessor (in its Dirctor’s Cut, of course) while trying to eradicate its weaknesses, this a thoroughly entertaining ego puzzler with an interesting story.

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.

Quotation forthcoming.

The Turing Test is an entertaining puzzle game that took a bite out of the Portal playbook. It doesn’t unlock its full potential in this area but delivers bucketloads of atmosphere as well as interesting dialogue.

Once you get into the concept it hard to get away from this fast paced fight for survival. This is Geometry Wars in the form of a first person shooter – nice!

With all its technical shortcomings that show the age of the originals, these adventures are a prime example for good story-telling and still show more atmosphere, character and soul than a lot of open world playgrounds in recent years.

For the hours of expanding into one the countless galaxies, the admission is worthwhile. And even though all the new factions and abilities give you only more options but not more depth, this is a satisfying final to Ironclad's space opera.

Even with the support of potent hardware, some of the technical problems remain. But nonetheless this is a fast paced action game that you don’t see too often on the PC – and it is surprisingly well implemented in the Metal Gear universe.

Well done, Creative Assembly. Attila is the game that Rome 2 should have been. It still has its flaws but this fifth century survival strategy is quite entertaining.

It starts as an idyllic walk of a dreamer, but soon becomes an occult ghost story with a touch of thriller. Albeit being a classic adventure at its core, Anna shows off a very dynamic orchestration of the supernatural.

A good jump&run reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country wrapped in beuatiful pixelart visuals. I wouldn’t mind if Kaze becomes a franchise.

From time to time you feel that the original is from a different era, considering that it is seven years old. The battle dynamics have been surpassed by the likes of Kratos, Bayonetta or Dante’s modern alter ego. Nonetheless it still is a thoroughly entertaining action-adventure that aged very well.

A mystery thriller set in a deserted hotel. Interesting characters und tense dialogue make this first person adventure a trip worthwhile.

The first big add-on for Final Fantasy 14 gives you a lot of new or enhanced content starting with raised level caps, new enemies, dungeons or flying mounts. What it doesn’t give you is an enhancement of questing structures, which still stay very conventional.

Telltale, your script is really really good: Great dialogue, brilliant conflicts and a sense of stealth action. But the deficits like playtime as well as the hardly challenging puzzles remain.

Despite its noticeable weaknesses and gaps in content, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is an overall good shooter package that is convincing in both campaign and multiplayer.

Fairy tale book to play yourself with an original game idea and a fantastic presentation, which enchants the inexperienced and the pros alike, but never demands too much.

Entertainingly chaotic obstacle course à la Battle Royale.

Easily accessible 2D beat-em-up with gorgeous visuals. While the rpg mode is quite dreary, great playability and the online battles make up for that in abundance.

If you miss your daily dose of Advance Wars or need more in the likes of Wargroove, this is a definite recommendation. A charming and varied turn-based strategy.

The captivating cultist simulator completely manages the gripping genre balancing act despite technical problems.

Pixelart western that combines a whodunit with an open world and consequences that even Bioware never dared to touch.

Fast and precise old-school shooter, sometimes not challenging enough and with redundant enemy waves, but also filled with imaginative locations and spacious levels.

Atmospheric, in love with detail - but in the end too concerned about safety: Hogwarts Legacy is a really good wizarding adventure, which leaves room for improvement, especially in the story.

Overall this is a decent, yet seemingly old-fashioned Switch sequel to the 3DS roleplaying games which showed an original approach to turnbased tactics.

While the action could have been a little more challenging, this nonetheless is a fascinating and surprisingly story-rich trip into a bizarre fantasy world.

This is a wild Japanese superheros-spoof mixed with a hack&slay extravaganza. Despite control issues this was and still is in a lot of ways a remarkable videogame.

Feel-good adventure with good puzzles that will make many old adventure fans happy - a beautiful game, as Guybrush deserves it.

A playworthy history lesson about an undervalued shoot-em-up franchise. The collection is technically excellent, while the retro games keep up their fascination til today, mainly because of their imaginative bosses.

A playworthy history lesson about an undervalued shoot-em-up franchise. The collection is technically excellent, while the retro games keep up their fascination til today, mainly because of their imaginative bosses.

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.

Solid roguelite RPG with fancy pixelart visuals and pleasentlc tactical turn based battles.

This is a classic. And like its PC brother it still is a challenging straight forward top-down two-stick shooter that I can’t get enough of.

SNK proves that it can take the fight to Mortal Kombat, Soulcalibur and Tekken. The tactical approach to the unforgiving fighting system is a breath of fresh air.

It's easy to say that this years' Madden is the best football that you can get. But then you should take into consideration that with the lack of competition the feeling of stagnation is very dominant – even with the new physics engine.

3D space strategy on an epic scale as good as this I haven’t seen since Homeworld.

Hardly any major innovations, but many small improvements: The thrillingly fast color shooter Splatoon 3 offers a more rounded overall package than its predecessors.

Two years after its’ premiere The Banner Saga still is a creative example for a well conceived mix of art design, storytelling and turn-based tactics well worth an award – this is chess with drama, battles and consequences. But technical problems and the occasional bug make sure show that the console version is not as polished as the PC brother – too bad.

Like its predecessor Age of Calamity delivers an entertaining mass brawl in the Zelda universe, albeit one that is held back by some of the same problems that all of Koei’s Warriors face, mostly monotony setting in eventually.

Even with its irritating design decisions I am Alive gives you intense, well-presented survival action in an apocalyptic setting.

Falling Order mixes acrobatics with exploration and challenging light saber battles. Excessive enemy respawns and unnecessary backtracking reduce the enjoyment, though.

That's what I call a positive surprise. With only a few exceptions the sackboy-races run smoothly. Unfortunately online there are no challenges or ladders, the focus here is put on fun racing. A big plus is the powerful editor that allows creations from anything and everything between WipEout and a top-down racer.

4A Games delivers an impressive port of two competent shooters, visually settled between the originals and the Redux versions for One or PS4.

My Time at Portia enhanced the Harvest-Moon-concept with a new found focus on exploration and construction. Nice!

While the number of playable characters is just as impressive as Chronopolis as a vibrant and varied open hub world, in terms of mechanics this is one of the least innovative Lego adventures in a while. But thanks to the script with its mostly toned down humor it still is fun to play.

The problems which Tequila Works obviously have with the Unreal Engine are more evident on Switch than ever. Nonetheless this is still a very atmospheric and stylistically engrossing puzzle adventure.

A charming interactive comic that unfortunately is over too soon.

Is it surprising that InoCo Plus' turn based premiere can't keep up with Civilization? Not really. But for just being a "Fantasy Civ" it offers surprisingly good strategic entertainment.

About a year ago on PC this was one of the most ambitious time management games of the time – and it still is on console. With lots of humour, a fairly deep and tactical turn based fight management, a whodunit for good measure and an inspired 16-bit-retro-fell to it, Punch Club will draw you in. But within all the movie quotes and references you’ll also find a great amount of grind.

A quite entertaining simulation of an alternative 90’s internet. The great art design aside the numerous beautifully designed websites keep you coming back to solve new cases as an enforcer.

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

This game is a phenomenon. Not only because of its success. But rather that this Battle Royale is so fascinating even though it has significant flaws. It is the situational suspense, the half hour of sizzling tension that makes players come back again and again.

This is no excellent shooter – by a long run. But regardless this is a decently modernised classic and a well executed journey through time.

I want to find 'em all, catch 'em all and train 'em all. But on the other side I dread the level grind, the shallow role-playing and the rocky online connectivity. Then again you get solid and motivating entertainment over weeks, months, if not years. But I am not as euphoric as I thought I should be.

Clever: With Go, Square Enix doesn’t try to emulate the cinematic action from PC or console, but instead worked out a clever design for touch controls that captures the spirit of Agent 47.