A caption on the box for Polish edition of Lost Horizon promises a 'traditional adventure game with a cinematic feel' – and this slogan is very accurate. For the fans of Indy-like adventures Lost Horizon is a must-have. [June 2011, p.76]

I was annoyed by various flaws (both technical and design-related) and tedious, dragged out final stages of the campaign, but overall I enjoyed the ride. It looks like the developers wanted to stuff the game with all the best elements Middle-earth has to offer. Shadow of War’s atmosphere is terrific and watching Talion rise in power is surprisingly addictive. [12/2017, p.62]

Solid, engaging campaign is full of humor and shines especially during the Cold War era, but unfortunately fades in the modern period. [08/2014, p.75]

In contrast to Emily or Corvo Billie does not offer the sense of true power, which might be disappointing to some, but to me was refreshing. Death of the Outsider provides just five missions, but one of them is so good and so extensive that I replayed it over and over again to find every alternative path and hidden event. [12/2017, p.70]

I found Ghost Warrior 3 to be better as a whole than the quality of its components suggested. Of course the game should’ve been more polished at launch, but I still had surprisingly good time with it thanks to its well-designed open world, a satisfying weapons system and a fairly high degree of freedom in choosing ways to complete missions. [06/2017, p.40]

An adaptation of a board game that looks a bit infantile, but despite the seemingly trivial rules really makes you flex that mental muscle. If you appreciate puzzle games, you’ve come to the right place. If you have young children, Quilts and Cats of Calico will work great as family entertainment. If on top of that you also love cats, you will be purring with contentment.

The game's real resolution seems lower than 720p but still cars are very detailed and the dynamic weather system is unrivalled. Overall, Codemasters did well to improve on F1 2010 but there still are some minor issues to be dealt with. [October, p.64]

Despite some annoying shortcomings and obvious deficiencies, the return of the Sparking! series can be considered a success. With great visual effects, plenty of unlockable content and alternative story paths, every Dragon Ball fan should be satisfied with this game.

The game hasn’t aged almost at all (especially that its visuals were refreshed) and is still wickedly fun, but charging almost full price for it is absurd. [06/2017, p.44]

A wicked, Rocket League-inspired fiesta that cleverly translates dodgeball into a fast-paced multiplayer game. With the variety of balls (and player’s ability to become one!), throwing, catching, knocking each other out, and avoiding city traffic, it’s pure fun. However, to enjoy the game to the fullest, be sure to gather a proper team instead of playing with randoms. [08/2021, p.38]

An uncompromising simulation that expects you to devote all your free time but will reward you with immense satisfaction. [12/2017, p.78]

With great combat and character development, it's hard to tear yourself away from this adventure. You only need to turn a blind eye to a few things and swallow the heavily candy-coloured style to discover a satisfying action RPG that has soul and was made to be fun.

In terms of gameplay mechanics Injustice closely resembles Netherrealm’s previous work – Mortal Kombat – but fails to outshine it. Still it’s a great fighting game, especially if you’re into comic books. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.60]

The Robot Entertainment crew didn't try to create anything original here but managed to combine the tried and true elements surprisingly well. [November 2011, p.57]

Stray is a melancholic game that tells a simple story about a cat lost in a world of robots pretending to be humans. The feeling of solitude is magnified by nostalgic music that captures the mood of the moment well and beautiful environments cloaked in twilight. I liked the cat’s perspective and enjoyed snooping around the underground city, but weird jump mechanics made exploring a bit harder than it should be.

A polished, pretty and enjoyable game that could benefit from more content – 5 courses (plus their mirrored versions) is just not enough to fill the single player campaign, so you get the impression that you're doing same things over and over again. [October, p.72]

Decent Far Cry 3 mechanics merged with a tongue-in-cheek setting absurd to a point of genius. You either love or hate this homage to the 80s. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.62]

After the failure called MotoGP 23, the latest entry does more than just put the series back on track – it elevates it to a whole new level. If I were to rate MotoGP 24 solely against the previous installments, I would give it a 9 out of 10, but overall, an 8 accurately reflects the quality of the game. The bottom line is that we’ve just received the best MotoGP game ever.

It seems NHL 12 and FIFA 12 teams were sharing ideas, as the hockey game also boasts of tweaked defending and a new physics engine that works good usually but not always. In general there are a lot of enhancements but the game plays more or less the same as the last year's edition. [October, p.74]

Eight years after the original this sexy horror didn’t even get one wrinkle! It’s worth to give it another chance even if you’ve scored with Atlus’ work before. [03/2019, p.79]

Sand Land is a very enjoyable action RPG focusing largely on driving vehicles, but neatly combining a wide variety of gameplay mechanics. Although the limitations of the not-so-high production budget sometimes manifest themselves, the whole game is a well-done tribute to Akira Toriyama.

If you’ve never come across these titles, you should get acquainted with them, as they come from the era when Disney licensed games were really great. The only flaw I have to point out is that the emulation sometimes stutters. [06/2017, p.51]

Every writer in the game industry should learn from Harebrained Schemes. It’s been a really long time since I was following a game’s story with such pleasure. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.50]

Takes inspiration from Mass Effects, but offers a richer, more tactical combat. Usually there’s a reason for scheduling a game release for the slow summer season, but The Bureau turned out to be a really good game. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.56]

Some minor disappointments did not prevent me from soaking in the atmosphere worthy of Lovecraft’s horror stories. [Dec 2014, p.46]

A very solid online shooter with some good ideas, offering enormous possibilities of equipment customization and complex, rewarding gameplay. The important thing is that thick wallet makes the encounters easier but does not determine their outcome – and that’s the Holy Grail of free-to-play games. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.66]

As a remake, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is a bit disappointing, because in terms of graphics it only reached the level of NieR Automata, which means it doesn’t look great. The content, however, is still brilliant. It’s an amazing adventure you must experience. [06/2021, p.36]

If you’re looking for a modern yet traditional RTS other than StarCraft II, you can’t go wrong with Grey Goo. [03/2014, p.68]

The latest instalment of the Guilty Gear series is one of the most beautiful fighting games I’ve ever encountered and it plays great, partly thanks to the new wall break mechanic that lets you avoid being beaten to a pulp while trapped in a corner. What’s disappointing is the fact that we will have to wait a couple of months for the game to show its full potential with the addition of new characters and arenas, because right now its content is rather scant. [08/2021, p.56]

It's a pity that a game with such phenomenal and unusual visuals has such simple game mechanics, being a simple slasher that uses just one attack button and offers a limited array of enemies. [November 2011, p.70]

One of the best, most enjoyable games in the wide selection of Lego titles, a real superhero extravaganza. [01/2018, p.39]

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (PC) – 80 Although its plot should be understandable to newcomers, the most compact Yakuza game is primarily a gift for loyal fans of the series hungry for more of Kiryu’s adventures. You get to beat up hundreds of thugs, fight for honor, help people and enjoy numerous stories – all that with the usual tons of unique charm that’s worth experiencing.

The best racing game I’ve played in a long time. It’s fast, beautiful and extremely rewarding. Still there are better titles out there, including the unforgettable first Grid. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.70]

Simply put, EA Sports WRC is a great game for both casual players and rally veterans, as it perfectly balances between arcade feel and realism. It would be even better if it weren’t for one of the industry’s biggest headaches – poor optimization that sucks some of the joy out of the experience.

No doubt one of the most interesting online shooters available. Saying PayDay 2 is absorbing is like stating that Godzilla is large. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.62]

One of the best King of Fighters games. Even those who got their fingers burned on KoF XIII might fall in love with a completely different gameplay style of '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition. [03/2014, p.69]

It frustrated me, it treated me unfairly, but after I got the hang of the rules I simply couldn’t tear myself away from it and kept chasing momentary triumphs among incessant nervous breakdowns. [06/2017, p.60]

Trials makes you swear and rail but never in real anger, because when you play this game, a broad smile never leaves your face. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.74]

Simplified gameplay mechanics give away Deadlings’ mobile origin, but it’s not hard to let it slide, because the game is so much fun. [03/2014, p.70]

I treated Motocross Madness with reserve but then spent half the night with it enjoying its pleasant driving model and nice visuals but also wishing it had more content. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.75]

It’s a good game, but you have to remember that it’s a port of a 10-year-old PSP title. [Dec 2014, p.72]

If you already have the previous edition of PayDay 2 (especially the PC version), you might see the Crimewave Edition as a robbery in broad daylight. If you don’t – it’s the best “robber simulator” there is. [09/2015, p.45]

A love letter to Contra, Metal Slug and the likes, Mighty Goose does a really good job at recreating the look and feel of classic side-scrolling run-and-gun games. Of course, high difficulty level comes with the territory, but for me combat plunges into confusing chaos too often (“wait, is this an enemy bullet or just a harmless visual effect?”), somewhat spoiling the fun alongside the unfriendly autosave system. [08/2021, p.65]

Living up to such legacy seemed impossible but Beamdog understands Baldur’s Gate and created a game true to the original. Unfortunately along with the party you need to gather a band of patches, because bugs are crawling all over the place. [06/2016, p.40]

Soulstorm is old school and it’s for you to decide whether that’s a flaw or not. You can definitely feel the spirit of the old Oddworlds, but for me the devs were to conservative. I would really welcome a touch of madness, some variety to spice thing up. However, if a solid, challenging retro platformer is what you’re looking for – go for it, you’ll be pleased. [06/2021, p.50]

This expansion doesn’t need an introduction or a recommendation, because it’s been on Resident Evil fans’ radar for a long time. Ada is great as the main character, the campaign (expanded compared to the original) does not disappoint, and I was pleased to see the return of some bits cut from Leon’s adventure.

Please don’t just look at the score and “meh” Splatoon, because this online shooter is the best thing that happened to Wii U in a long time. It just needs some major updates, because on arrival it’s just 75% of The Game of the Year. [09/2015, p.46]

VR really lets you experience Skyrim on a whole different level of immersion. Even despite PS VR’s low resolution it’s really easy to forget about the real world. The problem for me was that although I’m usually resistant to VR-induced nausea, after ca. 40-60 minutes with Skyrim VR I was starting to feel sick. [01/2018, p.50]

It’s a shame Gauntlet’s visuals are not as wonderful as its gameplay. [Dec 2014, p.75]

The expansion provides just enough improvements and new features to convince you to play through the campaign again. [02/2016, p.44]

There are two categories of people I would recommend Blaster Master Zero to: fans of the original Blaster Master and those looking for an accessible introduction to Metroidvanias. [06/2017, p.62]

Anno 1800 is a stellar strategy game and while the Console Edition has some flaws (e.g. large interface windows cluttering the screen, some technical issues, the lack of major expansions available on PC), they’re not so annoying as to suck the fun out of the experience. However, it seems the PS5 and Xbox version of the game was developed with novices rather than veterans of the series in mind. Regardless, I enjoyed my time with Anno 1800 Console Edition very much.

Adventure game – check. Developed by Frenchmen – check. Tells a story about an American – check – teenage girl – check – gifted with paranormal powers – check. Here’s where Beyond: Two Souls and Life is Strange go their separate ways, because the latter is actually good. [03/2014, p.74]

An illegitimate child of Binding of Isaac and Nuclear Throne – a wonderfully animated twin-stick shooter with randomly generated world, vast choice of weapons and pixel graphics. It’s a shame it didn’t inherit Isaac’s atmosphere and Nuclear Throne’s pace. [06/2016, p.44]

Twenty years ago I was enamored with Startopia’s humorous approach to a space business simulation. Spacebase Startopia does the same but worse. While back then I didn’t mind Startopia’s low level of complexity, because its 3D graphics and humor made up for that, today I was disappointed with the fact that the campaign poses no challenge at all and the whole thing feels shallow. It’s more of a replacement rather than a worthy successor to the classic. [06/2021, p.56]

Apart from poorly realized battles and too much micromanagement, Endzone: A World Apart is a solid city-builder with a strong emphasis on survival. My greatest concern is that it failed to evoke any emotions. People died and I just didn’t care, because despite the post-apocalyptic setting the game is almost idyllic. Don’t expect to be torn apart by tough decisions – it’s no Frostpunk. [06/2021, p.60]

Technically this port is so impressive that sometimes it’s hard to believe it actually exists. It’s the game itself that I have some issues with, as in my opinion its campaign is encumbered by elements that sometimes unnecessarily slow down Doom’s fantastic pace. [01/2018, p.53]

It’s barely a game, but if you decide to give it a try, you will not be disappointed, as it offers a lot of choices to make, extensive descriptions to read and some interesting topics to contemplate. [03/2014, p.79]

Written narrative in Sunless Sea is almost as good as Shadow Run’s, thus inviting players to use their imagination to the extent rarely possible while playing more visually advanced titles. [04/2015, p.58]

Some insist that Souls’ and Bloodborne’s greatest quality is their sadistic difficulty. If so, The Old Hunters is hands down the best game by From Software. [02/2016, p.48]

The DLC features Yuffie Kirasagi, a 16 years old ninja, whose immature attempts to make people take her seriously are both cute and comical. In combat she offers a perfect combination of agility and power. I wish her adventure was longer than 4-6 hours, introduced a new hub, and expanded the main story somehow. [08/2021, p.81]

SLRE can’t compete with the titans (i.e Forza Horizon 2) but it is doubtlessly the best rally game by Milestone. [03/2016, p.63]

It's very good, but it could have been even better. The authors managed to reach the quality of Little Nightmares II, but in my opinion, they didn't surpass it. That's still enough of a recommendation to give the third installment a try.

The remake of Silent Hill 2 is a small step for the players, but a big leap for Bloober Team. Those familiar with the original will undoubtedly ask themselves more than once whether the Polish creators have definitely gone the right way, but no horror fan can pass by this title indifferently.

Silt is not groundbreaking, but you won’t regret spending 3-5 hours on this stunningly beautiful, somewhat oneiric puzzle platformer, especially if you enjoyed Limbo and David Lynch movies.

Is it worth it to pay for a new version of a an old free mod? The visuals are of course better, but it’s not important in a game with the story as a centerpiece. And the topic that was fresh in 2011 doesn’t have such an impact nowadays. [13/2013, p.66]

Storywise, this classic jRPG is more relevant today than it was in 2003, as its tale of global apocalypse turned out to be a quite fitting metaphor for what we have all experienced in the last 12 months. Nocturne’s age is obviously noticeable, but for a game this huge the quality of the remaster is acceptable, even if Atlus’ enormous work only managed to turn the clock back by a couple of years. [07/2021, p.36]

Some levels of this music game resembling bullet hell shoot’em ups are simply beautiful. [13/2013, p.69]

50 increasingly maddening, short arcade levels. [03/2016, p.70]

Unfortunately, poor optimization, boring plot, stumbles in gameplay balance, and a number of minor bugs negatively affect what is otherwise a very good gaming experience.

If you regard the 90s and first two Fallout games as ancient history, Underrail is not for you, because without the anesthetic power of nostalgia it might be completely indigestible. [03/2016, p.71]

When SaGa Frontier was first released in 1997, it was not magnificent, but it was memorable for its interesting attempts to do many things differently than the time-honored jRPG tradition demanded. When I played the remaster, I was pleasantly surprised how well the game stood the test of time. I wouldn’t call it an essential title every jRPG fan must play, but it is charmingly unpretentious and I enjoyed my time with it. [07/2021, p.42]

Shadow Warrior 3 is a no-holds-barred shooter dripping with humor and full of spectacular moments. Sadly, it’s imperfect in almost every aspect. The sum of all flaws prevents it from shining really bright and reaching the level of Doom Eternal. Such a pity.

While the developer’s previous game – The Walking Dead – bought me with difficult relations within the group, The Wolf Among Us captivated me with its mood, much darker than in the original comic books. It’s simply dripping with noir. [13/2013, p.73]

Despite technical issues and weak story I found Armikrog really engaging. [12/2015, p.66]

Although it’s not very impressive as far as graphics are concerned, this old-school tactical RTS is a game that all fans of Paul Verhoeven’s "Starship Troopers” are going to enjoy.

An interesting, quite easy and simple survival game that puts emphasis on atmosphere, storytelling and decision-making rather than action. Overall, it’s like a dish with too little salt in it, not amazing, but still tasty. [07/2021, p.52]

A great example of a game that’s based on simple mechanics but quickly unveils its depth and invites you to tackle problems your way. [09/2015, p.59]

Ubisoft hasn't been getting good press lately, but it doesn't deserve criticism for its anniversary compilation of the first Rayman. The biggest sin of this production seems to be the new soundtrack, but that's a small price to pay for the powerful dose of nostalgia that the game provides.

The joy of watching this wild tangle of pixel art tentacles, organs, and flesh (and listening to the sounds of humans being devoured) alone makes this game worthwhile. If, just like me, you always root for the bad guy, Carrion’s gameplay can be immensely satisfying. [10/2020, p.54]

Initially I was more frustrated than entertained by Surgeon Simulator 2. Once I mastered the intentionally awkward controls, I began to appreciate it more and more. If you’re patient, and grotesque, dark humor is your thing, I believe you’ll enjoy this game. [11/2020, p.64]

Six hours of a good survival game and three hours of a mediocre action game. In its better part it’s the most terrifying title in the series since 2002 (RE1 remake), it never makes you feel completely safe and proves that triple AAA survival horrors are still relevant today. [03/2017, p.40]

For those who enjoy puzzle platformers and dying a lot. [13/2013, p.77]

‘A retro platformer enriched with some modern ideas’ – how many times have we already read something like that? Fortunately Castle in the Darkness is among few games that actually managed to pull that off. [04/2015, p.69]

A very decent Mystery Dungeon game and the best Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. [06/2016, p.66]

Just like the tabletop original Mordheim is very difficult. It needs 12 tutorials to introduce you to its complex tactical and strategic layers. [02/2016, p.65]

Discordianism is weird but Ossuary is even weirder (but also engaging, unsettling and decently written). [09/2015, p.66]

The developers made an attempt to spice up the gameplay, but their victory is not complete, as there’s a lot of meaningless side activities in Gravity Rush 2. [03/2017, p.56]

Olija is an atmospheric but rather derivative throwback to the Another World, Price of Persia and Flashback era. Its gameplay mechanics are quite elaborate for this genre and the story is satisfying, but the game somehow looks worse than the mentioned classics. [04/2021, p.43]

With every upgrade I felt more and more like the king of the underworld. [10/2015, p.68]

Despite lackluster story, cumbersome touch controls and lack of distinctive characters, it’s not a bad game, because it has something that most modern Asian tactical RPG’s don’t – good level design. [02/2016, p.67]

Rocket Arena is surprisingly fun and addictive for a simple, non-violent title for younger gamers. It would’ve been a blast if there were more people playing it, but a couple of weeks after the release its servers are pretty much desolate. [10/2020, p.74]

The game is full of all sorts of flaws and bugs, but thanks to deep mechanics and vast world it’s an enjoyable survival both in multiplayer and played solo (but less so in the latter case). [07/2018, p.52]

I can recommend this game as a good introduction to the genre for those who would like to start their first virtual career as a football club boss, but it's still not much of a competitor for the Football Manager series. [December 2011, p.54]

Borrowing from various genres, Curious Expedition 2 is an interesting and pretty simulator of an explorer. Sadly, it doesn’t offer enough content to keep you fully engaged throughout the whole adventure. In my case, the initial fun of exploration started to fade around the half of the campaign, as the lack of auto-battle started to annoy me (especially that my party became so strong that combat lost its thrill) and random encounters began to recur. [04/2021, p.52]

Driving the unique vessel is very engaging but simple environmental puzzles are pale in comparison. At the end of the day Far: Lone Sails is a stylish, atmospheric tale of journey. [07/2018, p.58]

The previous Space Marine, released thirteen years ago, did not prepare me for the intensity of the sequel’s combat. Space Marine 2 is undoubtedly a great game for Warhammer 40,000 fans, although it’s best experienced in co-op, because the AI that controls the protagonist’s companions in single-player mode leaves a lot to be desired.

The game is simple and gets boring fast, but I return to it often for a couple of minutes of fun. [10/2015, p.75]