The PS5 version of Persona 5 Royal is the best edition of one of the greatest games of the previous generation. However, is a set of DLCs and an upgrade to 60 frames per second worth paying the price the publisher is asking? I don’t think it is. Someone should break into Atlus’s Palace and change the hearts of the management, because this rip-off is distasteful.

A creative take on the addictive “connect three blocks” formula. [08/2015, p.80]

Plenitude of content (characters and setting from different Disney eras) makes Crossy Road magnetic, but then you realize how shallow and pointless this game is. [06/2016, p.66]

After the third expansion Destiny is the same “random loot generator” it has always been, just with some more story in between. [12/2015, p.62]

The game tells intriguing stories and leaves room for interpretation but is short, linear and devoid of true tension. [07/2017, p.60]

Dusk does a decent job at recreating elements that were fun in Doom, Quake or Wolfenstein 3D, but as a whole it lacks a direction other than being a love letter to classic FPS games, a homage assembled out of components that do not always fit together well. [02/2019, p.42]

Great first impression fades away dispelled by primitive run-of-the-mill dungeon designs and the fact that instead of raising the difficulty level by clever enemy designs the game just throws more foes and buffs at you. [13/2016, p.82]

I adore A Way Out, so I had really high expectations for Hazelight’s new game. Instead of sticking to the proven, perfect formula of AWO, the developers decided to give us more of everything and as a result overdid it in many respects. The levels are too long and there are too many minigames, while the story can’t keep up. It seemed to me the narrative is just a pretext to introduce as many different gameplay mechanics as possible, and as a result the relationship between the protagonists is implausible. [05/2021, p.26]

There’s a scene in Left Behind proving that Naughty Dog not only has ambition to elevate games to the rank of art form, but simply does it. [05/2014, p.64]

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is still very enjoyable, but mainly because the base game was great, as this stand-alone expansion does next to nothing to evolve the formula. If you’re okay with getting more of the same, you should not be disappointed, especially that the port is solid and looks fantastic on a powerful PC.

An interesting hybrid of guild management, a board game and a card game, perfectly tailored for mobile devices. For me though there’s a bit too much stress on grind and the initial charm wore thin too quickly. [12/2016, p.79]

The PC edition of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is decent in terms of technical execution and still looks good despite the years, but in 2022 its graphics are not jaw-dropping anymore. The gameplay should appeal to those looking for a simple de-stressing fun and an adrenaline rush, but heavy emphasis on a cinematic experience may not be everyone’s cup of tea and the multiplayer modes are missing.

To truly succeed, a puzzle game needs to be innovative, like Portal or Antichamber. Unfortunately The Witness lacks that quality. [03/2016, p.54]

Both parts of Super Mario Galaxy are still phenomenal 3D platformers, worth playing even today. The problem is that the anniversary compilation looks like it was put together in a hurry, and its price is more off-putting than appealing.

There are two problems with Tearaway. The game is too easy and poses no challenge whatsoever and is not as pretty as one would expect (the technical aspect is fine, but the colours lack intensity). Anyway – Tearaway is worth checking out but it’s not a must-have. [01/2014, p.69]

It’s the best baseball simulation available, but the biggest new feature is the mode for beginners, not very interesting to PS3 baseball aficionados. And the rest will probably ignore this game. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.79]

I have already tasted Inside six years ago while I was playing Playdead’s previous game – Limbo. It doesn’t taste as good for the second time, even despite a more appealing peel. [09/2016, p.48]

It’s kinda funny that standard AWD vehicles are much better suited for the tracks introduced in this expansion than Hot Wheels toy cars that come with it. [07/2017, p.47]

Gone Home touches a lot of emotional subjects so it might stir up someone’s feelings, but it failed to move me. [CD-Action 11/2013, p.67]

Exceptional dialogue served even in most exquisite forms (mini-games, different perspective, mixed chronology) are still not enough for the story to be compatible with this medium or to be worth telling altogether. The result is slow and difficult to ingest and sometimes even unpleasant in its archaic mechanics. [03/2020, p.54]

I approached Death Stranding twice. I spent a couple of hours with the PS4 edition and was fascinated with it. I kinda wish I stopped at that and let the game remain a mystery to me rather than complete it later on PC and be disappointed. There are moments when Death Stranding eludes the traditional 1-10 rating system. There are moments when it sets new standards and becomes a truly special experience. But those are just moments scattered throughout tedious gameplay. Still, it is in my opinion one of those games you simply need to play. [10/2020, p.44]

It introduces a lot of new content but other than that is worth than the original game in almost every aspect. [01/2015, p.73]

Her Story met with extremely different reactions among our staff (from “this trivial babble makes no sense at all” to “the story captivated me and is still in my head”). [09/2015, p.49]

Mario Kart World is an exciting racing game, especially online and in couch co-op. It's not the Nintendo's Forza Horizon though. We only got a mere substitute for it.

It was supposed to be an unforgettable experience, but unfortunately I’ve already forgotten a lot of it. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.74]

Hrot draws from Quake, Duke and Blood but does it half-heartedly and due to the setting resembles the forgotten You Are Empty more than the aforementioned classics. It holds its own in terms of level design, but you can feel it was developed by just one person.

If I was to recommend any installment of the series, it would be Dance Central 2. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.70]

A great game for those who enjoy a challenge. [08/2015, p.81]

Differences between beta version and the final game are close to none, which means that the career mode – the heart of every racing game – is not even a prototype, it’s a prosthesis. Driving model is excellent though and the tracks were meticulously recreated with laser scanning. Along with the support for the modding community it lets me believe that Assetto Corsa might become a brilliant game in the future. [02/2015, p.52]

The protagonist doesn’t have a believable motivation, while the enemies, the environments and the gameplay mechanics lack variety. Other than that Death’s Door is a really decent action RPG – it’s pretty, technically polished, rich in optional content, and welcoming of inexperienced players. [10/2021, p.68]

An old Mario Kart enhanced with a couple of details like gliding, swimming and customizing your vehicle. It seems Nintendo is running in circles chasing its own tail. [January 2012, p.75]

A charming game that aged gracefully, really great in co-op and perfect for kids. Who would have thought that fighting ladybugs and digging out lost fruits can be so exciting! [01/2021, p.39]

I just couldn’t get away from this simple platformer – it gave me a clinical just-one-more-attempt syndrome. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.69]

A pleasant and hard (in a fair way) platformer, but I think authors should have left out the enemies and the means to fight them, because they introduce unwanted chaos and the sense of losing full control over the character. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.78]

The idea to fuse Tetris with a music game was a good one, but Chime Sharp failed to escape repetitiveness, so it’s not suitable for longer sessions. It’s a good way to stretch your brain every now and then though. [05/2017, p.55]

StarCraft Remastered is a fun blast from the past, but it’s hard not to notice how much games have evolved since 1998. [12/2017, p.53]

A banal puzzle game disguised as a shoot-em'up. [05/2014, p.55]

A tribute to Dark Souls done with a deep understanding of the original game, but ugly and derivative as hell. [06/2016, p.61]

If you’ve never played Dark Souls, I obviously encourage you to try the new edition. Otherwise this remaster is not worth much and to me the only notable advantage of the PS4 version was that I could finally unplug my PS3. [07/2018, p.64]

The multiplayer mode is still excellent but I can’t stand how much this game as a whole is stuck in the previous generation both in terms of design and form. [12/2016, p.62]

Thumper’s oppressive atmosphere is amazing. Soundtrack, abstract visuals, breathtaking speed and palpable collisions build tension you would never expect from a runner/rhythm game. It’s a very interesting experience, but every time I removed PS VR after playing Thumper, I was completely worn-out by this intense, perpetual assault on my senses. [13/2016, p.77]

If you value single player experience above all, Sapienza will leave you dissatisfied. [07/2016, p.73]

The developers decided not to tamper with core gameplay and most of the additions they introduced feel forced and water down the experience instead of enhancing it. It’s a solid platformer but it failed to surpass the original Guacamelee! [11/2018, p.84]

Child of Eden is an abstract interactive music video trying to induce the state of synesthesia. This significant journey is short though – all the game's 'worlds' can be discovered in two hours. It's hard for me to recommend the game to anyone but dance music enthusiasts who are additionally able to hear red C-sharp vibrate hypnotically. [June 2011, p.83]

Doesn’t tire with repetitiveness and doesn’t irritate with illogical consequences of our choices. It’s fun in small doses, but on a PC monitor – if we give it our full attention – it gets wearisome after fifteen minutes. [13/2018, p.63]

There’s no passion in this game, no risk, no surprises. It’s a product developed by skilled specialists, not by visionaries. It offers decent fun but does not leave a mark. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.52]

Super Mario RPG is a creative and very accessible take on the RPG formula. You’ll traverse many lands and fight tons of battles to save the kingdom, while enjoying a hefty dose of light humor. If you’re looking for unwavering positive vibes, you will definitely find them here.

Omega Force’s crossover between Persona and the Warriors series is a breath of fresh air for both franchises. It’s not a revelation by any means and not a great sequel to Persona 5 in terms of the story, but despite rather uninteresting content in between missions and the scantiness of additional activities, it’s a good, varied game that’s simply enjoyable. [04/2021, p.36]

The game is dripping with pathos, but I couldn’t invest myself emotionally in it, because it all just feels fake. [01/2015, p.42]

Strange Horticulture is a puzzle game where you identify plants and mushrooms for the clients of your herbal store and explore the map following the clues. It’s a game for you if you don’t mind staring at one screen or browsing a swelling botanical handbook – especially if you enjoyed Potion Craft.

A great, naturalistic alternative to Anno, though it doesn't quite reach the level of the greatest strategy games.

The new version of Observer goes beyond a visual touch up and offers some gameplay improvements along with a splash of new story content (additional small investigations). And that’s fine, but did we really need a remaster of a game released three years ago? [01/2021, p.35]

A tasty but ultimately low-calorie addition to the excellent Kirby and the Forgotten World.

The biggest weakness of Monaco is the simplicity of its gameplay – it’s a trivial, almost mobile game. I recommend playing it in a 4 players co-op mode, where the low difficulty level and simple rules are not so bothersome. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.78]

The freedom to move around the city and the ability to use powers that everyone would like to have as a superhero are this game's undeniable pros. It does not overwhelm you with activities though so those who enjoyed training assassins and renovating shops in Renaissance Rome will probably be disappointed. [July 2011, p.72]

Almost universal admiration for Gris says a lot about the condition of video games industry. It’s just a 2D platformer devoid of any challenge, and instead of evoking true feeling it makes a good first impression (“wow, it’s beautiful!”) and then just glides for a couple of hours using that momentum. It doesn’t actually have anything important to say, it’s just pretty. [02/2019, p.56]

If you value interesting co-op Helldivers is worth checking out, but the developers should have used 10 months since the release of the original PS4 versions to improve the camera and tackle the repetitiveness. [03/2016, p.51]

It’s another edition of the same old thing. One that has nothing to offer apart from what should be offered in the least – and still doesn’t accomplish it well enough to be worthy of any praise. [13/2018, p.76]

Less than two hours of playing time is just right for Abzu’s shallow gameplay. The game offers a hefty dose of “beautiful moments” but fails to make any lasting impact. [10/2016, p.68]

Unique Burtonesque art direction could not avert my attention from the fact that Little Nightmares is one of the poorest platformers I’ve played in years. [07/2017, p.43]

The audiovisual beauty, the diversity of the gameplay and the dynamism of the combat system make Neva a worthy representative of the artistic platformer genre, but it lacks the visionary element known from Gris.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is an innovative mix of different genres that does many things well. Its combat system is satisfying, characters have depth, the atmosphere is great. However, you have to search for the game’s strengths under a massive pile of bland, tiresome dialogues that constantly keep you from actually playing, lame humor and endless tutorials.

A great game both for those who like to polish their tactics for hours and those who just want some fun in a spare moment. [02/2015, p.66]

I was disappointed to see the return of the old, a bit obscure user interface and the biggest pain in the neck – the inability to attack diagonally in close combat. I was also once more let down by the story which is awkward at times and ends too abruptly. [06/2016, p.52]

Superhot makes everything you do look unbelievably stylish, but offers so little content that three hours with the game was enough for me. It needs more varied enemies, a broader arsenal, larger stages. I believe Superhot’s innovative mechanics can be squeezed for more and I’m looking forward to a sequel. [04/2016, p.54]

Resurrection is a bundle of two slightly renovated classic games of the series – Darkstalkers: Night Warrior and Darkstalkers 3. It’s fun but I don’t see much of a point in such re-editions. What we need is a brand new Darkstalkers game. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.80]

6 new stages and 5 new characters – sounds great until you realize that ‘new’ means ‘borrowed from Street Fighter X Tekken’ (with the exception of Decapre, which is a Cammy clone with an interesting move set). [Nov 2014, p.61]

With its dated, slow combat system, no intention to evolve the series, bugs, and no tension, The Banner Saga 3 is sadly just a game you tick off to get closure, not a spectacular finale. [10/2018, p.82]

Thatgamecompany stole our hearts with Journey, and Sky looks like a natural evolution of that concept, as it draws from the ideas, mechanics, setting, character movement and art direction of its predecessor. The problem is, you can only surprise people once with a specific trick. Even if it’s focused slightly different and puts greater emphasis on online features, this “new Journey” will never make the same impression as the original, fresh experience. [09/2021, p.61]

Far Cry 5 is exactly what you would expect from a Far Cry game and not much more. It does the open world really well, but the bland story drags it down. The game touches a sensitive subject, but doesn’t have guts to actually say something and couldn’t convince me even for a minute that what’s happening could be real. What the franchise obviously needs is a new beginning, a leap of faith Assassin’s Creed Origins was brave enough to take. [05/2018, p.56]

It’s ugly as sin (upscaled 800 x 600 resolution) and there are no animations but this indie rougelike/puzzle game is addictive as hell. [02/2014, p.63]

People who spent dozens or even hundreds of hours with Crusader Kings and the Europa Universalis series will like Crusader Kings II and appreciate the fact that this is the most polished game by Paradox Interactive. Others will probably quickly get bored. [June 2012, p.82]

This game should end around the 6th hour – which is roughly the middle of the campaign – when artsy visuals and fairy tale charm concealing the rather shallow content cease to suffice and the originally relaxing pace starts to make you drowsy. [06/2014, p.52]

I appreciate the new interface (it needs getting used to though) and talent system (those dilemmas!), as well as changes to crafting that raise its importance. I enjoyed dragonriding a lot and found quests to be engaging, but was disappointed by dull dungeons and repetitive endgame content. World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is a pretty safe expansion and I expected a bit more from it, but I do feel it has a huge potential that could be fulfilled in the near future.

Volker Wertich has earned my lifelong respect for his past attempts to breathe life into the genre of games widely known as RTS. His new project belies the image that had formed in my mind – that of a bold, creative, ambitious creator.

It looks like Crown of the Sunken Kings was developed by interns, as it misses many elements that made Dark Souls II an exceptional game. [10/2014, p.66]

Dragon Age: Veilguard leaves us with the impression that we bought the wrong title. Instead of a true RPG, we get a mediocre action adventure game. A scenario stretched to the limit, a poorly constructed world and monotonous gameplay bored me to tears.

I expected something close to Battlefield but Rising Storm is far more demanding. It’s been a while since I cursed so much while playing an online shooter. With every round I was telling myself it’s enough, but I kept coming back to get my butt kicked again. Try it – you might enjoy it too. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.73]

An interesting mix of a card game and a tower defense, played in real time. You build your little rat town, recruit warriors, and defend against an ever-growing horde of enemies. Ratropolis is crazy fast and makes you think and act on the spot, but it has some serious issues which take away from the fun. Above all, your units are annoyingly sluggish and rarely reach the enemy in time (and if they did, I often felt I do not have sufficient control over my army). [03/2021, p.37]

Despite the narrative touching heavy subjects of death and its meaning, She Remembered Caterpillars is an extremely relaxing game with simple mechanics that even a kid can fathom. [05/2017, p.65]

I could not shake the feeling that gameplay changes were introduced only to justify publishing a new FIFA. I launched brilliant FIFA 14 for comparison and could not believe how much the designers lost their way. Why try too hard to reinvent something almost perfect instead of just polishing it? [Dec 2014, p.58]

This technically superb tribute to Destruction Derby could use some more insanity (especially in terms of unimaginative, repetitive arenas and challenges) and a broader color palette. The default driving model (with active assists) is both believable and satisfying and the destruction model is very detailed. [09/2018, p.60]

Those who want to relive PS2 days might pick this up, but the rest will probably be put off by these oldies. [02/2015, p.53]

A very simple game with a very enjoyable, addictive gameplay – especially if you play it online. [03/2014, p.59]

A simple but effective roguelike. [01/2016, p.75]

Live A Live is fresh and surprising – there are moments when it’s really hard to believe that it’s a remake of a 30-year-old game. Despite its shallow story and the fact that the combat system’s potential went unrealized, this experimental jRPG is definitely worth your time thanks to its creativity. And if you’re a true fan of the genre, you’ll have lots of fun spotting elements borrowed years later by jRPG masterpieces.

While I admire the technology that lets you mix two or more completely different tracks together to at least a decent effect, I must warn you that the gameplay is shallow and you’ll quickly get bored unless you’re a DJ at heart. [01/2021, p.80]

The only thing in the new Wolfenstein that turned out really well is music. Shooting is decent and some weapons give proper sense of power, but developers failed to build an interesting game on these foundations. It has some good moments but none of them lasts long enough to be satisfying. Plus the writing is terrible and the way the game constantly forces all that ‘war is evil!’ preaching and Blazkowicz’s moral dilemmas down your throat is ridiculous. I actually couldn’t decide whether the game is being serious or not. [07/2014, p.56]

Inspired by traditional point’n’click games, Kentucky Route Zero steers clear of puzzles, picking up objects and using everything on everything else. Instead it offers a distinct mood comparable to Alan Wake. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.75]

In its best moments Stygian really reminded me of the two original Fallout games but heavily spiced up with Lovecraftian horror. [12/2019, p.53]

F1 22 is one of the best racing games on the market, especially when it comes to the career mode. I’m also happy with the VR support, but putting so much emphasis on supercars and cosmetic items is a step in the wrong direction.

Once or twice The Cat Lady made my heart race but the game would benefit from some more tweaking, especially when it comes to story coherence. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.63]

Shadows of Valentia is a mediocre tactical game, but a relaxing RPG. Whereas the best Fire Emblem games are like a steak you need to sink your teeth deep in to really appreciate it, Echoes is a popcorn that’s fun from the start but will not sate your hunger. [07/2017, p.66]

Life Is Strange drifted away from exciting teenage stories towards serious narratives commenting on our reality. Alex’s ability elevated interactions to a new level but its potential feels unrealized. The game is also short and the story only livens up by the end of it. [12/2021, p.46]

Despite a nice 4-player split-screen and enjoyable Playground mode chock-full of cool fan-made courses, Dirt 5 is not worth the full price. Yes, it is very pretty, runs smoothly and sounds great, but it lacks innovation and therefore reminds me of old school racing games. [01/2021, p.68]

Those of you who played Bravely Default should also play Bravely Second, though you might be disappointed, because in my private opinion the previous game was better. [05/2016, p.74]

Despite some rough edges Deus Ex GO is a definitely recommendable puzzle game. [11/2016, p.72]

Despite good execution Flynn is not very exciting. It’s simply a solid and quite fun but also very familiar and not memorable platformer that tells a story about a fantasy world invaded by hellish forces. [12/2021, p.79]