It starts very mysteriously and sparks your curiosity. But unfortunately you’ll see through the mechanics too fast and while the idea of conveying the story via scribbles is interesting, the lack of gameplay challenges drops the suspense too soon.

It shows the still known mechanical faults, but the story is worth every minute, as it sets the tone for a hopefully tense finale.

This is like a magical novel. If you’re looking for something different, something quiet, you just might find what you need in this beautifully crafted adventure full of secrets.

Old school city builder with a beautiful art design but clumsy UI.

It might have started as a mobile twinstick shooter, but it will certainly satisfy your appetite for action.

The concept is as cool as the minimalistic art design that gives you the chance to be a four-wheeled magic marker. And while it might take a while to get used to the art of drifting, you get bored quickly by the redundant mission design.

The visual style is very unique and captivating, the quiet storytelling with the focus on experiencing the world based on perception and expectation is a breath of fresh air. But it all feels very safe. In the end you are not Rae’s guardian or protector but rather a companion on her travels.

The choice of games is dubious sometimes, with the omissions of GoldenEye and the Xbox-Version of Conker Live and Reloaded the most prominent victims. Also the backwards compatibility for Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts and Perfect Dark Zero needs optimization. But nonetheless I grew fond of this collection that gives you a good overview of the opus of one of the most creative studios there was.

If you are looking for a quick strategy snack this might just work but in the end it lacks complexity, an online mode and suffers from poor presentation.

This action-adventure sports some interesting ideas. The execution leaves a lot to be desired though. Technically and mechanically it feels outdated.

Sometimes The Vanishing forgets to lead the player into uncertainty – it feels too safe, even though Poe and Lovecraft are quoted here and then. But that aside, this is an interesting adventure that utilizes Unreal Engine 4 on the PS4, resulting in some of the most memorable scenery you can get.

If you don’t know Journey, get ready to get excited. Not only because technically it is a convincing port. But more importantly because even after three years this masterpiece of reduced game design is as captivating as ever.

Compared to the complete content package that is Geometry Wars 3 the meager five levels of Zenizenzic doesn’t seem like much. But those five levels challenge you beyond belief.

In terms of variety Tembo can’t challenge Rayman. But this destructive elephant delivers a rock solid platformer experience.

This side of Sanctuary it doesn’t get much better than this. Victor Vran blurs the lines between hack & slash and action adventure, delivering a very unique experience. Unfortunately it suffers from a generic art design and the preset character development.

The Red Solstice delivers tense action that relies mainly on its tactical variety. Its biggest flaw is lack of content and mission alternation.

With the added campaign, more traps and improved (yet still not contemporary) visuals, the Nightmare Princess on PS4 is the best Deception 4 you can get. Too bad that Tecmo Koei didn’t improve AI as well.

If you’re new to Trials Fusion this is the complete package you want to get: lots of content, lots of variety. There could be more of the beautifully bizarre unicorn levels, though.

How on earth could this game make it to a release state? And why would Atari kill the franchise that started survival horror and made Resident Evil what it is today?

Visually the reincarnation of the cult monsters is a disappointment, brought down by the sluggish controls and redundant mission design. Godzilla should have stayed in hibernation.

God of War 3 was and still is a milestone for exceptionally well orchestrated action. If you’re new to Kratos, though, you could be overwhelmed, since nods to the first two parts are scarce while technically the remaster is not as polished as The Last of Us.

Solid but shallow adventure with loads of references to Grimms fairy tales.

The courses look better than ever on consoles, even though the change to Frostbite also shows some significant hiccups. And while the mechanics are rock solid as always, hardcore fans might feel ripped off since content was scaled down. It is a solid reboot for a series stagnant on the old systems, but EA still has some way to go.

That’s it! I’ve had it! I can’t accept Milestone’s copy&paste mentality any more. Basically this is last years’ iteration with updated teams – in other words, nothing that couldn’t have been done with a reasonably priced DLC.

Yes, it is short. But Geometry Wars 3 aside I haven’t had that much fun with a twinstick shooter in a while. Be wary of the spiking difficulty in the middle parts though where it moves from challenging to frustrating for a little while.

It will take a little to get used to the coordinated chaos that is PlanetSide 2. But the more time you spend on Auraxis the more fun you will have. If only the artdesign and engine performance were optimized.

If you’re into accessible over-the-top arcade sport this might be for you. But be careful when you play: At certain times the network problems are horrible.

Overall it lacks the punch of the first two episodes and focuses too much on action, while character development is put on the back burner. Nonetheless I am curious how Telltale will continue their journey to Pandora.

A refreshingly simple, yet fitting art design and a great mixture of components make this a turn based dungeon crawler like no other. Unfortunately your success depends a little too much on luck and it shows a tendency for grind.

It could have been an impressive start into the Formula 1 era on current console systems. Visually mostly impressive and with convincing driving physics Codemasters is on the right path. But the overly aggressive AI, the inconsistent penalty system and the disappointing damage system combined with the even further reduced content make sure that this is nothing more than a good foundation on which to build.

In terms of accessing content (especially the chance to collect all the minifigures) the change from free-to-play to pay-to-play is a welcome step. But it opens the door to a whole other world of problems: Why not change the game to offline with optional online connectivity? And also with the redundant fighting system and the mission grind Minifigures has to compete with a wide variety of offline Lego games, which are almost always the better choice.

Legends of Eisenwald tries hard to challenge the competition. But as a roleplaying game it is either corny or boring while the turn based tactics are standard respectively borderline uninteresting.

There are some strong moments. But they are definitely not found within the visuals. Unfortunately Cyanide doesn’t manage to walk the tightrope between simulation with its energy management the team orders and the tactical components and pure arcade cycling without mechanical failures or even crashes.

It could have been a solid platforming experience with a flashy art design. But in the end the disappointment over the technical shortcomings weighs like a heavy burden on the goddess’ shoulder.

Homesick transports its mysterious story exclusively with the items in the environment and manages to captivate without narrator or pre-rendered cutscenes. A very interesting storytelling journey.

If you yearn for the “variety” of the Agricultural Simulator while you play Harvest Moon, something has gone wrong. Once quite entertaining this cocktail has been watered down beyond recognition. It feels like actual work – which is the wrong direction for a game.

The more characters you know or recognize the more fun you will have with this tremendous roster of animanga star power. But fortunately J-Stars has more to offer, e.g. a solid fighting system and astonishingly diverse characters. The arenas and campaign mode lack variety, though.

Good-Feel managed the almost impossible: To make Nintendos dino mascot even cuter than ever before. A charming design and interesting yarn puzzles make this conservative platformer a fluffy experience.

The concept is clever, but the execution lacks finesse. While the turn based stealth action is a great idea, the controls as well as the game flow are sloppy and incoherent.

If you like creative game design, a good story and psychological suspense, Her Story is perfect for you.

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.

I am still torn between the well executed integration of typical (offline) Elder Scrolls elements and the necessity to cater to the typical online mechanisms. But the abolition of subscription fees makes it so much easier to get drawn into the world that had its share of problems when it opened the door to an Online-Tamriel more than a year ago on PCs.

In its best moments is like a bag of potato chips: You just can’t stop. There’s a level-up, there you have to collect stuff, you distribute new weapons and play matchmaker for a few couples. But it also has its share of bad moments, where everything is drawn out, where it lacks challenge.

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.

Gotham City looks astonishing while the story is full of suspense and surprises. Mechanically the star once again is the freeflow fighting system. But somewhere along the way Rocksteady lost the focus and missed the point, especially with the overpowering, omnipresent inclusion of the Batmobile. Those sequences (and there are far too many) are nothing but a second-tier shooter which takes away too much from the dark knight and everything he stood for up to now.

Like never before Traveller’s Tales managed to capture the spirit of the source material, starting with the original score up to the almost perfect reenactment of iconic scenes by Lego characters. As for the rest: Well, it’s a Lego game.

You can feel the potential. But in the end it gets boring since the ships abilities allow only a few tactical options while you fight wave after wave.

“Word Spud” is more “Word Dud”, but the other games are destined to be played between your Rock Band, Dance Central or Just Dance sessions.

Reincarnation is trash and proud of it. It celebrates its roots and is consequent in what it tries to achieve: To be a thoroughly entertaining waste of time. Well… Mission accomplished.

A minimalistic strategy gem that lacks diversity.

Massive Chalice delivers decent turn based fantasy strategy that falls short when compared to Disgaea or Fire Emblem. But the metagame where you take care of a whole kingdom and play royal matchmaker is worth the simplistic battles.

It is extremely short, but it also is a refreshingly take in dramatizing love(making).

It could be a suspenseful mystery adventure. But then the old-fashioned puzzles and weak storytelling get in the way.

Like its PC or One siblings this is an escape simulator that is not without flaw. And it can be quite frustrating. But it also is very rewarding once you get the hang of it.

The world of this game is full of story, art and drama, but waives hurry, judgment or putting the player under the pressure of an ideal decision. Instead you get a beautifully crafted world that gives you the feeling of a virtual existence.

After what seemed like 100 add-ons or adventure packs I was hoping for more. Yes: it looks better. And yes: It has been fine-tuned. But in the end you’ll get the same joyful and chaotic spell action where the fun rises analogue to the number of players.

If you strip away the totally overrated and needless controversy sparked by the first trailers, you’re left with what? A mediocre twin stick shooter with nice art design and totally redundant mechanics that is not worth a second look.

Pixel Star is the ideal shooter for your lunch brake giving you the essence of Geometry Wars or Super Stardust, but lacks in depth and diversity.

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.

It caters to a very specific audience. So if you like to stare at tracks for hours or if you grew tired of the polished Train Simulator 15 this might just be the one for you.

It is good to see that it is not only Harmonix trying to push boundaries with rhythm games. The concept is simple yet genius. The execution takes a little time to get used to and then it is over all too soon. But it is great fun while it lasts.

If it says “Klei” you’ll get quality for sure. The Canadians serve up a challenging turn based strategy gem in a comic style spy world.

While the mech construction is almost decent the action is far from it. Visually and mechanically this is bottom tier.

GalCiv 3 gives you everything a galactic conquest has to offer: Plenty of victory conditions, scalable enemies and fleet battles. Unfortunately with the exception of tech trees the races play too similarly while the diplomacy can be broken down to math. So while there is lots to improve in small details, in the big picture Galactic Civilizations is one of the best of its kind.

It gives me loads of things I wish for in racing sims. But the plentiful options aside Project Cars offers a mighty engine and authentic physics resulting in a convincing driving experience.

Compare this to Ori and the very conservative interpretation feels old-fashioned. It shows some cool gadgets, though, while the weaponry and abilities are well connected to the exploration. But nonetheless this is “too” retro for me.

Not a Hero is the pixelart counterpart to a lot of Jason Statham movies: The two-dimensional action is brutal, over-the-top and redundant – but tremendous fun.

Interesting turn based tactics in a creative steampunk world that marks a successful premiere for a new franchise. Nonetheless Intelligent Systems is far away from the quality of Advance Wars.

Shantae is high spirits in gaming form. While you can see the 3DS source within the rough visuals the mechanics are as enchanting as ever – a beautiful open MetroidVania platform adventure.

Hectic, albeit fun retro action that tips its hat to the classic Robotron 2084 with the unmistakable art design of Puppygames.

More of the same? No, better. Machine Games took the best elements from New Order and threw all the frills overboard. The result is a stylish prequel that managed to entertain me more than its big brother.

This role-playing marvel creates an impressive atmosphere in an open world, focusing on the silent moments and the exploration as much as on spectacular fighting. The quest quality is high throughout and the storytelling is out of this world – not only for ten or dozens but for a hundred hours.

The concept is not as fascinating as it was ten years ago, but nonetheless Kirby still is a source of creativity. The clay’ish artdesign is as cute and cuddly as its star. The inclusion of the precise touchscreen controls is a perfect example for the capabilities of Wii U. Unfortunately Kirby’s excursion is rather short.

While the star is undoubtedly the cartoony art design with its hand drawn backgrounds and animations that make you feel like watching a mafia show on Adult Swim the mechanics are as conservative as can be.

Yes, it is bigger than the original Toukiden. And it doesn’t look to shabby on the PS4. But one major problem remains: The core is nothing but an uninspired Monster Hunter clone.

Verdun is a welcome change of pace in the almost always hectic multiplayer shooter arenas. The rules offer a successful mix of realism and the usual unlocking mechanism. But there are not enough modes nor maps to keep you busy for too long.

This is the most creative match-3 game since the good old PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords. As usual you are depending on luck a little too much, but nonetheless the tactical possibilities when it comes to matching your orbs are huge. Plus: Gong Ho managed to replace the micro transactions from the phone version with well suited mechanics.

This variation of the classic board game Risk isn’t pretty, the UI is rough sometimes, but it has a very vivid community that gives you an enormous supply of maps where you can try to conquer almost everything from Middle Earth to Westeros.

When it comes to the realtime elements Sins of a Solar Empire is more defined. But the economical and political aspects of the galactic conquest make this one an interesting choice. Not to mention the individual construction of your fleet. There is enough substance to spend a lot of time in this universe.

Was it the right decision to bring wrestling back to the PC? With the abundance of sports games on this platform you would definitely think so. But as a straight port from the HD console versions it shares the same problems when it comes to presentation or controls. But as with the console siblings there is hope that new edition (which will hopefully come to PC as well) will step up to the plate and improve. The foundation is solid.

While the puzzles are challenging and a clear improvement on act 1, the humor as well as the storytelling are below Schafer standards.

Even with all the progress compared to the predecessor it seems that the dev team bit off more than they can chew. While the dungeon building is rewarding albeit not challenging enough the overworld battles lack any strategic depth.

It is technically improved but still far from being up-to-date. But behind the façade hides a very tense and multifaceted fight for survival. Once you’re infected it is damn hard to get away from State of Decay.

A rather bland reiteration of the well known formula. While the user generated challenges are fun to play the base game itself is rather not.

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

Even without the overpowering Geometry Wars 3 breathing down its neck, We Are Doomed would face serious problems. While the geometric colorful art design is interesting the mechanics are as generic as anything.

While there are a lot of games out there combining creative construction with useful goals, including the almighty Minecraft or Space Engineers, none of them adds the economical depth like Kerbal Space Program. And on top is is great fun to experiment with all the tools at hand to figure out the best solution for the given problem.

Quotation forthcoming.

I can appreciated that Wales Interactive wants to deliver more than just another endless runner. But the setting with werewolves in space sound more interesting than it really is while the mechanics are nothing more than a sequence of quick-time reactions.

It is a small game, but it is so beautifully crazy that you find yourself goating more often than you want to admit.

A charming 2D action adventure that captivates with its pixel aura like Sword & Sworcery but suffers from technical glitches.

Once you get past the cumbersome introduction with its meager tutorials and hopefully find a helpful group to play with the constant change of being hunter and hunted is an interesting chance of pace.

Even though the UI is clumsy the coordination of numerous planets is motivating while seeing your self-designed vessels blowing the enemy to smithereens gives you the extra kick. Too bad that a lot of weaknesses like rudimentary diplomacy options and restricted research makes this a very mediocre 4X experience.

This is – once again – brilliant fantasy. Hours fly by as you dive into ruins, magic and sword fights while the story is surprising as well as mysterious. Creative storytelling at its best. I am looking forward to the fourth and final installment.

The soundtrack is great. The conceptual mix of rhythm game puzzler and dungeon crawler is ingenious. Games like this show that the indie scene is still dancing to a different beat.

Call me old-fashioned, but I liked the China Chronicles. A lot. Starting with the art design and its mechanical nods to the Prince of Persia series that started it all while keeping everything “Assassin”, this is a nice distraction from the big siblings. But the storytelling is way below average.

I am thankful that the indie scene produced games like Amnesia, Outlast or Slender and thus helped build the renaissance of survival horror. Unfortunately House of Caravan with its uninspired borrowing from games or concepts like Gone Home or P.T. will be remembered for … Well, for… Nothing. A game that nobody needs.

Surreal and unforgivingly sinister Adventure in a post-apocalyptic world that stumbles over the generic puzzle design.