Once you start, it is almost impossible to get away from this dynamic cell conquering. Inspired by classic board games like Go, Pathogen builds a new experience by adding modern elements like chain reactions or moving arenas. Brilliant.

If you like games like Limbo or Inside, chances are, you will love Little Nightmares. And even though overall it doesn’t have the emotional impact of the aforementioned (since too many questions are left unanswered), the Tim-Burtonesque art design is beautiful.

The cute design choices and creative puzzles make this an enchanting adventure. It could have been even better with a more decent fighting system.

Is it better than last year? Theoretically yes. The visuals are improved, so is the running game. But there are also still some old problems left to fix, while the continuation of the Longshot story mode suffers from an irrelevant script.

A great collection of tables for pinball fans, who not only want to enjoy the imaginative design of the tables in gorgeous VR but also their love for Star Wars in general with the fantastic customizable Fan Cave.

Wonderfully weird and always surprising: Indika is a real experience that is worth a look despite the monotonous gameplay.

A beautiful start to an emotional road trip that makes me want more, even though some of the delicate topics are handled in a fashion that is too cliched and stereotypical.

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.

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

This is Grid’s dirty brother. And it shows similar flaws in terms of depth as well as on the technical side. Nonetheless this can deliver short-term arcade off-road fun.

In terms of content and mechanics this is better in almost every aspect than Shadow of Mordor, heavily relying on the vastly improved Nemesis system to carry the burden, while the story is decent enough to keep you motivated for most of the time. Unfortunately the fourth act falls short with its omission of story elements and the temptation of micro-transactions lurking - which, by the way, bothers me mostly because of the break in the immersion. Orks from loot chests? Really?

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.

Atlus could have taken the easy way out and simply release the old game with improved visuals - and that would have been a hit. But add to that new story elements, freshly produced cutscenes, revamped puzzles and a third women inserted into this beautifully weird love story, you’ll get an instant classic.

Tense battle for survival in VR with crafting focus, but also weak AI.

You can see the age of the original here and there. But nonetheless at its core Dark Arisen is as fascinating as ever.

Anime roleplaying game with high production value and a great entertainment factor – and all of that for free.

Unless you don’t like puzzle games, I can’t give you any good reason to stay away from this mash-up of two classics. Yes, the story in campaign mode is basically non-existent, while the art design might be too colorful for some. But you get plenty of modes, on- and offline, solo and versus, making Puyo Puyo Tetris a prime example for “come on, just one more round”-games.

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.

The final chapter of this civil war drama is old-fashioned in terms of presentation, but nonetheless delivers a deep story and faceted turn based tactics as well as character development.

The battlefields in this turn-based tactics gem are as numerous as they are varied. This is tactical entertainment at its best.

Quite short, but beautifully mysterious puzzle-trip into a VR world full of bizarre machines.

Charming continuation of Silicon Studios homage to 16-bit classics. If you like your mobile roleplaying experience with a distinctive flavor of classical JRPG, this is for you.

This is the bag of potato chips for turn based strategists: Once you start, you cannot stop. With aliens, satellites, xeno mass and all the other futuristic flair it not only plays distinctively differently, but culture, ideology, affinities and research are exceptionally connected. You can look forward to a sleepless fall and winter.

Too much of a good thing: The outstanding combat system, including great Marvel fan service, almost sinks into an annoying mush of unnecessarily ramified micro-management, boring dialogues and boring hiking tours in environments whose optics seem to be ten years old.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is a successful mix of Persona and Zelda, where some superficial game mechanics are supported by a charming presentation and clever puzzles.

A lot of games tried to copy Minecraft – or at least participate from its' success. But this two-dimensional take on the well known formula is the only game that is able to step out of the shadow of the indie phenomenon that inspired it. It leads you into a unique world full of creative magic and translates well onto consoles thanks to the very good pad controls.

As brilliant as ever. A great anime RPG that age extremely well, while being enhanced with more facets.

Quotation forthcoming.

Like Universal Classics Pinball the pinball adventures into the world of dinosaurs lack some atmosphere in terms of original music, but if you like the Zen approach to pinball, Jurassic Park is a worthwhile and thoroughly entertaining addition to your library.

Is Skyward Sword a good game? A game worth playing? Definitely. It looks better then ever and plays much smoother with a pad than with the original controls. But it also (and still) is the weakest 3D-Zelda out there.

This is not the content richest game of its kind. But nonetheless this is one of the best bullet hells that you can travel through right now. A motivating high score hunt.

What a comeback. Wasteland 2 is a perfect example how to renew a tradition and continue it gracefully. All you need is devotion. And even though this post-apocalyptic experience has its share of problems like balancing, visuals or inconsequences regarding character decisions this is an epic role-playing game with soul, great atmosphere, a good script and surprising situations.

A visually beautiful and quite complex city-builder that doesn’t rely on its past alone, but adds quite a few new elements to the experience.

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.

A charming monster hunt with turn-based battles for up to four players and Pokémon-like beast nurturing. But on Switch you will encounter framerate issues occasionally.

Stylish, really good survival horror of the old school, which convinces above all with its setting, puzzles and atmosphere.

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.

Surprisingly well playable mobile shooter, with loads of in-game-purchases and bots.

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.

This is a very special roleplaying experience. Technical shortcomings are more than ironed out by well written dialogue, consequences a believable world.

On PS4 Pro with framerate prioritized you’ll get an almost identical experience like on current consoles or PC – an impressive port from Capcom.

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.

Like Shoope Keep Moonlighter tries to mix the life of a hero with that of a merchant - and that with a mostly charming result.

This is more of an animal-based sandbox builder than zoo simulation with management ambition. If you are into aesthetics and love your wild animals, you might spend a lot of time in your personal animal kingdom.

Silly, yet extremely entertaining two-dimensional real-time tactics spectacle.

Fast RMX is a widely enhanced reissue of the currently fastest racing game, sporting 30 tracks, an unbelievable speed and challenging course design. But with some modes missing from the Wii U original the motivation takes a downturn here and then.

Quotation forthcoming.

Bizarre mystery-thriller that can’t quite capture the essence of the excellent predecessor. Still this is a very entertaining Vita game you shouldn’t pass up.

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.

While it is easy to lose yourself in the intense multiplayer skirmishes, the solo campaign is merely solid.

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.

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.

No-frills port of the classical lawyer adventures preserves the original charm.

Some inconsequences, e. g. in terms of AI and the short leash are annoying, but story and characters are very convincing.

This is old-school action roleplaying at its finest. Beautifully designed and with the added bonus of a touching story, a clever level design and more than enough loot, this is something very special.

A solid conversion of two roleplaying classics. There are technical issues though.

Really good real-time strategy, but not enough innovations in mechanics and scenery. Company of Heroes 3 stays true to the quality of the series without deviating from familiar paths. Only the story campaign would have needed noticeably more love.

One of the best combat systems in recent years provides adrenaline-pumping action in a successful post-apocalypse setting and makes minor gameplay failures and flat characters easily fade away.

While the sea battles are intense and tactically challenging as well as easy on the eyes the maritime warfare lacks clan support and big teams.

The campaign is sterile, the presentation mediocre and in the long run the battles don't reach genre standards. A lot of good ideas are sabotaged by annoying flaws.

With its weak main characters the class and storytelling depth of Dishonored 2 is out of reach for Death of the Outsider. Having said that, you definitely can look forward to a suspenseful and stealthy return to Karnaca.

Visually exciting future racer with great flying physics and a rich career mode.

Visually outstanding, intense adventure in which horror and the fight against one's own demons are staged particularly effectively.

While the story marks an interesting step in a new direction for the shooter series, the mechanics stay very conservative. With the added gadgets you get more variety, but the level design doesn’t demand these mechanics too often. And while the multiplayer is as solid as always and content-rich I miss fresh and creative modes.

As if you need further proof that episodic games can enhance the experience in terms of dramatic and narrative value. I can't wait for the finale.

Sifu is a fierce and delightful test of your frustration limit, which can unleash incredibly rewarding feelings of happiness.

Almost 15 years after its premiere the motivating simplicity of Lumines’ mechanics stands the test of time.

Entertainingly chaotic obstacle course à la Battle Royale.

A fascinating survival adventure in a wonderfully weird underwater world.

Even though the track layout is too similar in the long run this is a great game for all WipEout or F-Zero enthusiasts. The VR implementation needs optimization, though.

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.

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.

Affordable Space Adventures shows exemplary how you should use the Wii U gamepad to enhance a gaming experience. A classic arcade experience transported into a new era.

If you like old school JRPGS and don’t know the 16 year old original or if you want to jumpstart your memories, you can’t miss this time traveling adventure.

This town builder looks decent and it shows off some great mechanics. But if you want depth, you should look somewhere else.

A solid motorbike racing game with some interesting new ideas for the franchise. There is still room for improvement in terms of AI, presentation as well as the career mode.

If you like old-school adventures with a modern twist and a lot of humor, stop right here. This book will keep you busy.

Gears Tactics is a quite decent spin-off. The turn-based tactical battles are enormously aggressive and fast-paced, but clever nonetheless.

A proper sequel to the anime civil war drama. More playable characters, new options within the turn based battles and a flexible skill system offer more variety for mobile strategists.

When it comes to content, this is a complete package. The collision physics are improved, the running game is enhanced. But overall there is little progress and an AI that seems more faulty than in the last years. Let’s hope that the focus was put on the versions for PS4 and Xbox One. Otherwise this could be a very short anniversary party.

Of course I would like to talk about a sequel. But nonetheless six years after the original again I had a lot of fun with War and his improved visuals within the timeless comic design. Unfortunately some mechanical flaws remain untouched.

A very good expansion pack with a strong comeback of religion and a very entertaining steampunk scenario.

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

This is like zen gaming for landscaping artists, a relaxed tactics experience for all puzzle-lovers. [Review in Progress "B"]

Playful, strong round tactics spectacle with many guest stars from older parts of the series, compared to whose stories the new plot seems comparatively pale.

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.

The fights, the gun battles and all the little tasks are quite entertaining, but they all lack depth and finesse and often feel separated from the main story and its emotional impact. This is a solid but very conventional open world action.

This is exactly what you expect: Loads of super heroes and villains, millions of Lego studs to collect and an all-around entertaining experience without surprises. If Traveller’s Tales knows one thing, it is their Lego formula, to which they stick like glue.

The omnipresent paywalls are a constant thorn in my side. But still this is the best Lego game Traveller’s Tales has produced since the original Lego Star Wars. The idea to incorporate the Toypad into the puzzles is genius, where virtual and real Lego worlds merge.

This is a deep sci-fi 4X extravaganza. Loads of beautifully and sometimes very subtle connected game systems make this the most atmospheric and most complex 4X in recent years.

Shadowmatic is a decent puzzler and fancy representative of the so-called zen gaming. Even though it doesn’t offer the variety or the challenge of The Room this is an entertaining experience.

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.

Quotation forthcoming.

If you like roleplaying games that focus on decisions with consequences as well as moral dilemmas or is simply a fan of adventures like Planescape: Torment, you will find yourself drawn into the world of Tyranny.

This still is the same time consuming monster that it always was. Depth, authenticity, atmosphere: everything is there, while there are some comfort functions and a superficial “Social Feed” was added. If you are new to the series, this is the one to go to, but veterans can stay with last years’ version.

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

Hyperspeedy adrenaline rush à la Pang (yes, the retro gem), that suffers from missing longevity.

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