Cretive science-fiction, great dialogue, an open game with decisions and consequences. This feels like a mixture of Fallout New Vegas, Mass Effect and BioShock. Despite some flaws Obisdian delivers a very good role-playing game.

Why is there no release of the complete trilogy for the launch of a new console? That would have been added value. Nonetheless this is basically the same game that you can get on other systems, give or take some interesting additions as well as nagging faults: An entertaining and sometimes tragic ending to a space shooter that doesn't live up to its potential.

This turn based strategy is not for casual Caesars but a very ambitious project for sophisticated generals. The creative formation system and the challeging campaign will keep you busy for weeks – one turn at a time.

This is not as mass compatible as Street Fighter 5, but with a deep fighting system, beautiful visuals and a lot of content this might just be the best old school beat-em-up you might get on PC.

This was and still is one of the best JRPGs. If you haven’t played it yet, you should give it a chance. Despite its original age, It looks quite decent and the battle system is a dream once you get used to it.

The table design with its mixture of realistic elements and physics on one side and unrealistic parts on the other might be too much for pinball purists, but it still works surprisingly well. And on top Zen Studios offer a fair pricing system, where 360 users can upgrade their already purchased tables for free – commendable!

It works surprisingly well on consoles. Technically and in terms of control systems perfectly adapted to PS4 and One, you can dive in head-first into this prime example of old school roleplaying.

Some elements like microtransaction feel inept, but most of the time the symbiosis of random battles, turn based tactics and time manipulation works surprisingly well. If you cherish old rpg virtues this is definitely for you.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a very good Star Wars adventure with strong characters, varied locations but somewhat fickle technology.

Xbox luchadores might have had to wait a little longer, but it was worth it. This was and is one of the prime action platformers in recent years.

A space adventure that is graphically breathtaking in places, the story of which surprises, but some Bethesda strengths are unusually difficult to get going. Sci-fi fans should still take a look.

While EAs next gen basketball is embarrassing, 2K shows them how it’s done. It plays authentic, it looks fantastic, which makes watching the games a lot of fun. If you like Basketball you’ll be entertained for months – even if the online games are a little bumpy and you don’t get all the modes you are used to.

This is a breathtaking, extremely playable arcade-extravaganza with varied challenges and ways to play.

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.

A gripping mystery visual novel that enriches the exciting story with a few clever puzzles, the latter of which unfortunately falls short over the entire duration of the game.

It should have been the same experience as on other consoles. But technical issues, mainly the pop-up distance and frame rate issues hold this assassin back. Not to mention the underutilized GamePad.

Lunacy, anarchy, drastic violence and stealth tactics wrapped in absurd amounts of pixelblood and psychedelic electro. You can love this game. You can damn it into the deepest hell. But you can't ignore it.

Loving nostalgia flash for Turtles fans with great new game mechanics, but too few game modes to motivate in the long term.

With a potent PC the visuals are nothing short of stunning. And with all the content bundled plus all the enhancements that have been introduced to the console versions since the release, this so far is the definitive version of this thoroughly entertaining roleplaying experience.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Cool superhero action in an open world with the star being the aerial acrobatics, just like in the predecessor. While the shortened load times are noteworthy, it is the auidohaptical controller feedback that keeps the experience fresh.

The transition from PC to console is successful. Everything is there: The enormous amount of pixel brutality, the unforgiving mechanics, the gorgeous soundtrack – and the sometimes frustrating trial-and-error that keeps Hotline Miami from being truly great.

It is tremendous fun to cruise through a breathtaking virtual Colorado, explore and listen to the fantastic soundtrack. On top of that the brilliant driving physics show that the Forza-DNA is still intact and working. But AI problems, a missing split-screen and the reduction to a maximum of eight players online eventually show that there is still room for improvement.

Origins is more than the sum of its parts - which by the way are not influenced by the franchises’ past but also by games like Witcher 3 or Horizon. While a lot of old and new elements show untapped potential, this still is the best Assassin’s Creed since Black Flag.

Arkham City is one of the strongest games in the Wii U launch lineup, mainly thanks to the original content that's as fascinating as it was about a year ago. But this port also benefits from good implementation of the touch pad controls that seem tailor-made.

Despite problems like the resolution limitation and the missing PC optimization this game is still excellent. Courageous heroes can delve into a mysterious and dangerous world where greed and impatience are bad companions.

There is no doubt: On Wii U 2K13 celebrates the same magnificent basketball as on 360 or PlayStation 3. But be aware that the engine is not as fluent as on other systems and that the new features for the Wii U GamePad are either unnecessary or well conceived but implemented halfheartedly.

If you like your realtime tactics with a flavor of old school like Commandos or Desperados then you can look forward to intense infiltration with challenging missions and superb AI.

What a monster! When it comes to content this is the mobile beat-em-up to get. A solid solo campaign is nowhere to be seen, but with all its modes, unlockables and varied gameplay it is hard to resist the 50+ fighters.

The pixelated retro knight shows off imaginative enemies and excellent level design. Inert controls and some exceptionally finicky bosses are common as well, though.

PES 17 looks great, feels authentic and celebrates complex soccer with new tactical components. But the lack of progress in game modes (especially the career) is alarming.

The driving physics are a dream come true. If at all, only iRacing can capture the fascination of authentic driving this realistically. But in terms of content it leaves a lot to be desired: Even though it looks great, it still feels like a beta version. Maybe the dev team should have waited a little longer with the official release to give Assetto Corsa more time for fine tuning.

The visuals are a little outdated but that can’t take away much from the rest of this gem, that.

This is plain and simple a very good action adventure for all fans of Dark Souls, Sekiro etc.

This PS3-classic didn’t lose any of its magic. The visuals are beautiful, the turn based tactics challenging as always.

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.

The visuals are drastically reduced in parts, but the overall quality of quest design and storytelling manages to keep the fascination intact.

Two excellent action heavyweights, aged exceptionelly well and still audiovisually and mechanically top notch.

Beautiful sequel to the HD 2D pioneer. Strong form in scope and strategic claim, with slight weaknesses in the narrative B-grade.

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.

A very good start. This is no pretty fairy tale, but a gruesome thriller with a fantastic parallel world New York as a background, where you meet characters from Snow White to Grendel.

The fight against the robots is not as intense as Superhot VR – but the highscore hunt is catered remarkably well to suit VR needs and a technical masterpiece with accurate roomscale tracking. Content is limited, though.

Quotation forthcoming.

This is the most dramatic episode of the season so far.

Rejoice, hobby generals: Battle of the Bulge is the first strategy highlight of the year. Alongside Ravenmark this is the best you can get in turn based strategy for your iPad.

Slight changes in the fighting system, and slightly rearranged visuals: Even 30 years in the past Yaukza is the game it always was. The concept is still cool – but feels slightly overused.

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.

I overlooked the franchise for too long, as I am glad that this year I ventured into the Major League ballparks. This is a mode-filled, very entertaining baseball experience that is not quite perfect yet, but nonetheless will eat your time away.

A full assessment is virtually impossible at this time, especially with the raids not activated yet. But the impression after completing the story is a thoroughly good one. In terms of visuals and sound design a real beauty and improved in small mechanical details, Destiny 2 is everything you could expect.

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

An improvement over its predecessor in every way. The intriguing story could be told in a more captivating style though.

Challenging twin-stick action with charming characters and clever enhancements of the well known mechanics.

If you know Death from another console there is no reason for you to ride with him again. But as a launch title for Wii U this as close as you will get to a game in the tradition of the Legend of Zelda-series.

With its magical micro-cosmos the Switch port of Pikmin 3 (as a ‘Deluxe’ version) is a creative vitamin supplement for the system. This is very good entertainment for real-time strategists.

Touching adventure with diorama visuals and accurate controls.

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

Chaotic, frenzied platform action with loads of entertaining online modes: This is a dream come true for sociable jump&run fans.

Poignant, mysterious and deadly: This is an impressive odyssey in to space.

A decent remake of the best Yakuza episode in terms of storytelling.

The new submission system copies a page out of EAs MMA conceptbook, but it works well and adds depth to the already convincing fighting system that gives you loads of options to try and dominate your opponent, regardless where the fight takes place in the octagon.

Sports Interactive continues to push the boundaries. On the surface this is just a collection of visually enhanced excel sheets, but under the numbers and tables you find a lot of personality. This is a gem from soccer crazies for soccer crazies.

Regardless of the new singleplayer or multiplayer options: The amount of fun you’ll have with this is definitely depending if you’re a pinball purist or not. But even if you think that everything on the screen could be build in a real pinball machine, you might get a kick out of the convincing physics, which blend almost perfectly with the unrealistic elements on basically every table.

You’ll need patience until you realize all the new well designed options at your disposal, but they result in more complexity for non-military strategists. But when archaeologists hunt for lost treasures or when museums are graced by works of art while my resolution passes the world congress, this is strategy at its best.

Arcade minimalism close to perfection and manic action: Geometry Wars is back. Seriously: If I hadn't owned a console already I would buy one just for this game.

Is this game to the film to the game a reboot? A remake? A director’s cut? A best-of? Actually it is sort of all of the above and bigger as the sum of its parts. It is great to see Insomniac go back to their beloved action-duo, while on the way they produced the best movie related game since Rockstar’s The Warriors.

A good game. After initial skepticism because of the staid level layout in many places, I finally put Kirby and the Forgotten Land back on the shelf with a good feeling: In over 35 hours I elicited all the secrets from the cheerfully colorful adventure - and that kept me going until the end gives joy. However, the story is also a bit too stupid for a simple jump'n'run and I didn't like the visual design of many bosses.

While the font size is a little too small for mobile demands, the core of the game of course is still the same. And that means that now also Switch users can enjoy this beautiful and challenging tactics-rpg with its excellent art design.

When it comes to two-stick action this is as good (or bad) as any. But with its comic style and the sheer amount of enemies it reminds me positively of an isometric Serious Sam.

You have a lot to do, a lot to learn and a lot to forgive. Especially since the battles might be impressive, but haven’t progressed for years.

Limbo was and still is a thrill ride with an almost perfect assembly of melancholic dark moments as well as challenging and suspenseful platforming sequences.

The mixture of roleplaying, card strategy, fantasy and turnbased tactics within the world of The Witcher works surprisingly well.

The tactical as well as explosive action delivers and gives me loads of options. I am changing the skirmish with my behavior, I can play it to suit my play style, from straightforward attacks to sneaky head shots. But I also find myself in the middle of a mountain range theme park with animals more fierce than any herpetologist could imagine while the map throws places at me that I rather want to discover myself.

The island adventure leads you on an interesting treasure hunt but lacks the polish of the main game.

Tetris meets music: The creative concept sill delivers an exceptional arcade-experience.

Moss is an enchanting little puzzle game with a cute design and creative puzzles. Fight mechanics and areas of the motion controls could use some improvement, though.

It looks sharper, runs more smoothly and looks better overall. But certain gameplay and design shortcomings are still there.

If you love 2D Zeldas or Death's Door, you have to grab it: Tunic is an imaginative action-adventure with clever ideas, a picturesque game world and really poisonous bosses.

Age is the worst enemy for this former masterpiece. With the core mechanics unchanged (this is not a remake) the weak points like pathfinding and control issues weigh in a lot. But then again, the strengths like unit and faction balance are still evident as well.

While the level design shows some inconsistencies and there are no real consequences depending on your choice of subtle oder bloody methods. But nonetheless this is a very entertaining and thanks to the competent AI challenging modern interpretation squad based realtime strategic infiltration à la Commandos.

Visual Concepts has to be very careful not to overdo it. And I am not talking about the almost flawless mechanics that haven’t changed over the last few years or the modes that have been only marginally tweaked. With all its mechanical brilliance it is a pity that this years’ prime basketball game is merely a vehicle for an abundance of microtransactions that are borderline pay-to-win.

Hats off to Supergiant Games. With their third game they push the boundaries again and deliver an exciting and emotional journey with mechanics somewhere between fantasy rugby and a visual novel. Art design and the beautiful soundtrack draw you into this world even more.

While the concept with its “groundhog day of destruction” is intriguing, the technical as well as mechanical execution is not.

Well executed conversion of two of the most beloved JRPGs of the PS2-era.

This is an 8-bit-masterpiece, an atmospheric border patrol dystopia, filled with loads of decisions and tough consequences.

On one hand id shows once more where its core competence lies: fast brutal action embedded in impressive technology. And while I appreciate that Doom tries to merge old-school run-and-gun with modern elements as well as a new dynamic, I miss dramaturgy within the action. There is no element of surprise. The action becomes predictable.

Quotation forthcoming.

This is a beautifully crafted timetravel adventure that is content rich every which way you turn and tactical battle with tremendous depth.

Kudos to Ubisoft: The bizarre experiment of mixing the anarchic Rabbids with one of the most liked icons in the Nintendo universe is a big success. The turn-based battles might not challenge the XCOM-aficionado, but they are great fun from top to bottom.

Vivid, varied and at times extremely challenging: Crash Bandicoot 4 builds on the success of the N.Sane Trilogy and enhances it – despite occasional camera angle problems.

Not much has changed in the console versions of this extraordinary storytelling experience: The added audio commentary is nice while the visuals are a little more defined.

A year ago on PlayStation 4 this was a surprise hit. The simple but thought-through concept still works, though and makes this exhilarating cocktail of dungeon crawler, dualstick-action and bullet hell blast.

It could be improved in terms of content, but no other rally sim gives you driving physics as sophisticated, challenging and simply great as Dirt Rally 2.0!

The zombie sequel is an impressive lesson about life after the apocalypse with moral questions.

While topics and storytelling might be a tad too childish and the challenge level of this fairy tale is a little too low, it nonetheless is hard to escape the magic of this beautiful JRPG, with its varied mission and level design.