With its varied, satisfying fighting styles, tons of equipment, wealth of animals and monsters, online functionality, and attractive visuals Monster Hunter: World is a skillfully concocted drug that keeps you coming back for more despite its lackluster story and some excessively drawn-out encounters. [03/2018, p.44]

It’s a lame tycoon but a quite decent FNAF. As a whole Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator looks like two different games stitched together. [02/2018, p.56]

If you enjoyed the original Titan Quest, I believe you will enjoy this at least 10 hours long expansion. It still is a great hack’n’slash, but Ragnarok does little to enrich the experience, looks old and certainly will not delight you with its story. [02/2018, p.55]

The DLC does exactly what it should be doing – it pulls Warren out of homogenous industrial interiors and transports him into a new, completely different environment (which actually shows how much the game could have gained from more varied levels in the first place). It also loosens up the atmosphere but I felt it does not go far enough with crazy. I was disappointed with its length (ca. 3 hours in my case) and the fact that it does not scale well to New Game+, as my level 90. Warren felt much too powerful for the most part. [02/2018, p.54]

A very decent debut game. The developers tackled same serious topics (interpersonal relations, modern technology’s place in human life) and got away with it, even though the story feels rushed due to the fact that the game takes ca. 3 hours. [02/2018, p.53]

The developers did what they could to avoid the word “solitaire”, but that’s what Shadow Hand is at its core. It’s not just a solitaire though, it’s a hell of a solitaire. [02/2018, p.52]

Finding Paradise is not as heartbreaking as To the Moon but still arouses strong emotions and encourages reflection. [02/2018, p.50]

I marveled at the beauty of some new landscapes, but I will remember Curse of Osiris as a string of disappointments. Dumb story, few new features, endless grind, poorly balanced difficulty, awfully lame final encounter. [02/2018, p.49]

Good news: new Portal game! Bad news: it’s just a marriage between Portal and Bridge Constructor. Good news: it’s a happy marriage. Building bridges with GLaDOS might not be as atmospheric and witty as big Portal games, but it sure is fun and it’s definitely not the case of cynical preying on a beloved franchise. [02/2018, p.48]

The concept for the game is great, level design is solid and the visuals are sometimes nice but the whole thing is painfully underdone. [02/2018, p.46]

At last! A Battlestar Galactica game that leaves fond memories. Deadlock will draw the fans of the show with unmistakable atmosphere and might convince other enthusiasts of space strategy games with its solid gameplay, but could have been more approachable for those unfamiliar with the TV series. [02/2018, p.44]

Spellforce 3 is average both as an RPG and as an RTS, but the developers managed to mix these two genres skillfully, elevating the game beyond mediocrity, and ensured it looks spectacular. Still there are some major issues that drag Spellforce 3 down – questionable design choices, larger battles descending into frustrating chaos, bugs and widely understood crudeness. [02/2018, p.42]

An innovative, brilliantly designed puzzle game that everyone will enjoy regardless of their age. [02/2018, p.40]

Underneath the artsy surface Ode is a hollow, shallow experience that I will never come back to and can’t recommend. [02/2018, p.39]

The puzzles are decent sometimes and David has a very nice coat, but that’s about all Black Mirror’s advantages I can think of. [02/2018, p.38]

Okami aged gracefully. Even though its age shows here and there both in design and execution it still is a bold and unique game. [02/2018, p.36]

It’s obvious that SCS Software put a lot of effort into this expansion, as the new map is the most detailed and therefore the most interesting of all available. [02/2018, p.34]

PUBG’s version 1.0 not only brings a new map, but primarily introduces numerous crucial gameplay improvements to a game which was already hard to resist. [02/2018, p.28]

A solid expansion to a great game. It even managed to improve combat which originally already had the best design among all the open world games I’ve played. [01/2018, p.68]

I’m delighted that after so many years the developers managed to find a room for improvements that enrich the experience in such meaningful and impactful ways and got another inch closer to blurring the line between Football Manager and reality. It’s hard to believe, but the game is even better than it was. [01/2018, p.66]

The climbing mechanics are satisfying, the frustration you’ll have to endure on your road to mastery is sweet, and Foddy’s commentary is intelligent, but mouse controls are physically tiring and need getting used to. [01/2018, p.65]

The competitive mode is fine, but the rest of the game is not. It’s short (no unnecessary background-building scenes whatsoever), the characters are just shallow cut-outs, the choices seem meaningless and on top of all I experienced some technical issues. [01/2018, p.64]

Battlerite is a paradise for those who cherish fair play above anything else. It’s a game of pure skill, devoid of any random elements. No critical hits, no scaling, no artifacts, no spells etc. Every ability deals the same amount of damage every time it is used. The gameplay is transparent, fast-paced and satisfying. [01/2018, p.62]

A horror game disguised as a dating sim. First couple of hours are boring and written poorly to the degree of being hard to digest for me, then things get better, but the story is still shallow and the substance plays second fiddle to the form. [01/2018, p.61]

Retro visuals, chiptune soundtrack, faithfulness to standards set by Metroid. It’s not a game to remember for the years to come, but it is a beautiful example of how some ideas never get old. [01/2018, p.60]

An highly enjoyable variation on a template we already know. We had the right to be worried that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is going to be just a cash grab, because it’s been just two years since XCX, but the developers managed to build another huge, wonderful world and endow the game with its own identity. [01/2018, p.58]

An ugly epilogue to a series which actually did not deserve to start in the first place. [01/2018, p.56]

It’s hard for me to view High Hell as anything more than an awkward experiment. [01/2018, p.54]

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]

A lot of Hitman’s components are of the highest standard, but in my opinion its episodic nature took a heavy toll. I felt the game is fractured and its narrative lacks continuity, because the campaign is not really a campaign, but a series of standalone challenges glued together with some poor, makeshift story. [01/2018, p.52]

Phone Destroyer is pure hypocrisy, as it shamelessly ticks all the boxes from Parker and Stone’s guide on preying on susceptible people using mobile titles (episode Freemium Isn’t Free of the TV show). The game looks good though and has the show’s unique vibe, so the fans should enjoy it for a while, until they get tired of shallow, repetitive gameplay. [01/2018, p.51]

Pocket Camp is worse than main renditions of Animal Crossing in every aspect. Nintendo took a great franchise and taught it nasty mobile habits. [01/2018, p.51]

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]

Anyone who dreamed of exploring Skyrim on the go or during prolonged toilet sessions, will instantly forgive a slight downgrade needed to ensure fluidity (the game almost always runs at 30 fps). Apart from some visual trade-offs and a bit of exclusive Nintendo content (e.g. Link’s outfit) it’s the same game you know and possibly love. [01/2018, p.50]

A decent platformer that will fall into oblivion sooner rather than later. [01/2018, p.49]

Hollow certainly is ambitious, but most of the time it’s mediocre and undercooked. [01/2018, p.48]

DLC offers a wide spectrum of additions (e.g. new weapons) but unfortunately fails to eliminate flaws of the original game and I slumped into boredom because of its repetitiveness. [01/2018, p.47]

For me Need for Speed is dead and buried as a franchise. Yes, Payback offers a large and varied open world and 70 licensed cars, but the driving model is decent at best, microtransactions system resembles free-to-play games, randomized upgrades force you to grind and the story (along with the dialogues) is simply embarrassing. [01/2018, p.44]

Underneath innocent, cartoonish visuals you’ll find quite complex mechanics that force you to make tactical decisions and constantly keep you on the edge of your seat. Unfortunately at the final stages of the campaign the game becomes unfair and frustrating rather than demanding. [01/2018, p.43]

Sonic Forces’ few merits (like the soundtrack) are not enough to offset primitive gameplay, crude level design, poor pacing that completely obliterates the sense of speed, and the script that resembles a fanfic. [01/2018, p.42]

I’m really glad that the developers decided to create a sequel, as they learned a lot and managed to improve every element of the original game, including the campaign which evolved into a really thought-out, demanding adventure. [01/2018, p.40]

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

Seven managed to combine things that seemingly should not come in pairs: fantasy aesthetics with a post-apocalyptic world, mechanics of a traditional isometric RPG with a stealth game that does not avoid action sequences, and – unfortunately – some great ideas with tons of bugs and flaws that buried promising work. [01/2018, p.38]

Apart from the great Starfighter Assault mode Battlefront II is a mess of conflicting ideas, uneven mechanics and of course questionable monetization practices. DICE is facing long months of salvaging the game and the studio’s good name. [01/2018, p.32]

In a nutshell, Destiny 2 for PC is the same outstanding game we played on consoles, but even more enjoyable thanks to spectacular visuals, masterful optimization and much more suitable controls. [13/2017, p.75]

Shinji Mikami’s philosophy is to focus on making the game’s good aspects shine even brighter instead of trying to eradicate its flaws. His latest work both benefits and suffers from that approach. The Evil Within 2 offers great exploration, but its story is laughable. It’s a thrilling shooter, but a mediocre stealth game. At the end of the day I find Mikami to be right – a game’s best moments count the most and make us turn a blind eye to its flaws. TEW2 fails to reach the level of my beloved Resident Evil 4, but in today’s circumstances a triple AAA survival horror without online components and intrusive microtransactions is a gem. [13/2017, p.72]

For me Origins is the best game in the series, a beginning of a new era for the long-running franchise. I was awestruck by how huge, varied and believable its world is and how dense it is with all sorts of appealing activities. I welcomed the completely redesigned combat system, which bids farewell to the old “press X to win” feature. Apart from various glitches and technical issues (often resulting from game’s complexity) my only serious charge against Origins is that it sets up its story poorly and fails to keep it tight. [13/2017, p.68]

I really wanted CoD’s return to World War II to be something more than a solid game – but it’s not. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ve already seen all this, that the developers (or perhaps the publisher) chose to create something as safe as possible. There’s just one campaign mission that surprised me with its scale, the rest is just a disappointing “best of Call of Duty”. The multiplayer is as good as usual, but it was infused with unnecessary systems resembling mobile titles, e.g spending in-game currency on pointless tasks of the “kill 100 enemies” variety. Missions that make you watch other players open their loot boxes are the pinnacle of absurdity. [13/2017, p.64]

An enjoyable game that unfortunately gets repetitive in a long run. [13/2017, p.63]

An old-school turn-based tactical game that will never get boring as long as you’re playing it in mobile doses. [13/2017, p.62]

WWE 2K18’s price gives you the right to expect a triple AAA product, but instead you get a shabby game that looks like it was thrown together hastily and as cheaply as possible. [13/2017, p.61]

A great game from a genre that we see so rarely on PC. It’s not too demanding, but it’s pure joy to play, as it’s charming, cheerful, full of stuff to gather and uncover and does a lot to keep you engaged all the time. Not all levels were designed to the same high standard, but even in its weaker moments A Hat in Time is still good. At its best it really shines. [13/2017, p.60]

I did not find The Last Wind Monk as thrilling as the first Inner World, because the effect of novelty has faded, but I still feel the need to recommend it to point’n’click lovers, especially those who enjoyed the original game. [13/2017, p.59]

A good fighting game with solid, original mechanics and impressive visuals. When I tried to come up with some similar titles, I thought of Psychic Force or Senko No Ronde rather than Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. In other words, it’s a rather niche game that would probably go unnoticed without the Pokémon license. [13/2017, p.58]

Dungeons III offers what Dungeons II (a limited clone of Dungeon Keeper) offered two years ago, expanded with simple RTS mechanics. It’s a competent game, but its story (along with the humor) is lame, the interface needed more work and though the dungeons look really good, visuals above ground are... colorful (that’s the only positive thing I can say about them). [13/2017, p.57]

An ugly postcard from 2006 which someone decided to resend. I have no idea why. [13/2017, p.56]

Heliborne’s biggest problem is that it’s still far from the state of completion that would justify calling it a final release. [13/2017, p.55]

FX3 is a valuable upgrade from Zen Studios’ previous pinball platform, as it enriches the experience in meaningful ways, while retaining compatibility with old tables. [13/2017, p.54]

It’s not the best Lego title, but it’s a fun game for a family friendly co-op (it does stutter a bit on PS4 in split-screen mode though). I was not very impressed, by my kid was over the moon. If you’ve already finished better Lego games (City, Hobbit, the latest Star Wars), you can pick up Ninjago – it will be fine, but nothing more. [13/2017, p.53]

I see two principal flaws in Hob. First of all, none of the game’s elements is outstanding. The second problem is the repetitiveness of goals, puzzles, combat. Hob might relax you, but it will definitely not excite you. [13/2017, p.52]

One of the best and most popular series from Japanese arcades finally travels to the West. The single player mode is solid at most, but the multiplayer is worthy of a Game of the Year, mainly thanks to an amazing movement system. [13/2017, p.51]

Golf Story came out of nowhere and stole my heart with its original sense of humor, use of HD Rumble, cute visuals and multitude of ideas for using golf in most unconventional ways. Don’t get discouraged by the whole golf thing though, as Sidebar’s game is actually a really good RPG that happens to borrow it’s mechanics from golf titles. [13/2017, p.50]

The Fractured but Whole might be a better game (mainly thanks to significantly improved combat) but The Stick of Truth was a better South Park by a long shot. The Stick was brimming with humor and creativity (remember the 8-bit Canada?), this one is a forced compilation of jokes that are mostly either lazily rehashed (City Wok’s owner mispronouncing words, they took our jobs, poof! It’s gone and many, many more) or shallow. Where’s the show’s brilliant satire!? I’m not just disappointed by the fact that Parker and Stone botched this. As a die-hard fan of the show I’m simply embarrassed. [13/2017, p.46]

Jydge’s core mechanics are solid and the means to customize the character in meaningful ways that impact the gameplay are almost ridiculously extensive. Unfortunately the game becomes wearisome quickly, as it offers only 18 short missions and the grind-based progression system makes you replay them over and over again with slight alterations. Jydge also doesn’t look good and voice acting is laughable. [13/2017, p.45]

A trip to the vast Crystal Desert is worth every penny if you’re mainly into PvE (the new maps are one-time affairs though due to lack of meta events), but it does not offer much to those who prefer PvP or WvW. [13/2017, p.44]

GT Sport boasts an excellent driving model and superb car models, but primarily it’s a paramount step towards blurring the line between electronic entertainment and sport, and on a global scale. I just hope Polyphony continues working on the game until it reaches its full potential. [13/2017, p.42]

The best entry to the best platforming series is so ridiculously huge it’s like a theme park made of theme parks. It’s a wonderful tribute to Super Mario 64, but it’s not a lazy homage. Super Mario Odyssey draws inspiration from the superb classic to top it and everything that came after it. [13/2017, p.38]

The Norwood Suite shames all other walking simulators with the quality of its storytelling and the way it uses player interactions in the narrative. It’s a unique, intelligent and ambitious game that eludes simple interpretation. [13/2017, p.37]

An attempt to blend Fire Emblem with Dynasty Warriors might seem an odd idea. Where’s the common ground between a tactical RPG and an over-the-top slasher, right? It actually worked out pretty well, as the game managed to retain Fire Emblem’s atmosphere. If you’re a fan of the series and not allergic to Dynasty Warriors’ formula, give it a try. [13/2017, p.36]

Shooter of the year! It plays great, looks spectacular and sounds amazing. What’s more, despite an apparent lack of seriousness it’s not afraid to bring up difficult subjects, mixing comedy and tragedy in a stunning way. It’s a ridiculously good game. [13/2017, p.30]

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

Despite new setting it’s obvious from the start who made this game. If you enjoyed Gothic or Risen series, you will probably have fun with Elex, because you’re used to turning a blind eye to numerous problems infesting Piranha Bytes’ titles. You will just have to give the story enough time to pick up speed, because the beginning is painfully slow and boring. [12/2017, p.74]

There are some improvements and some progress in WRC 7, but if you own WRC 5 or WRC 6, it’s hard to justify buying this year’s edition. [12/2017, p.73]

An excellent modern nod towards the likes of Final Fantasy, and a beautifully drawn, masterfully animated feast for the eyes. [12/2017, p.72]

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 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]

In its current form FM7 is not perfect (loot boxes!), but when it comes to the most important thing, namely the joy of driving, it’s simply the best racing game available regardless of platform. [12/2017, p.64]

A solid dungeon crawler (in the vein of Legend of Grimrock) that could have used some fresh, distinctive ideas. [12/2017, p.63]

I wish everyone who develops platform games understood movement mechanics as good as Image & Form. SteamWorld Dig 2 is a very good game in every aspect, but the cherry on top is the joy that comes from running around, jumping and climbing. [12/2017, p.62]

Don’t be fooled by pixel graphics. Despite its simple mechanics TaT is a full-blooded RTS game with a varied, challenging campaign. [12/2017, p.61]

RofBP offers a fresh take on 4v1 matches and interesting melee combat and stress mechanics, but due to the risky model of development and distribution the game’s content is very scant. I do encourage you to try the free portion of the game though. [12/2017, p.60]

A brave, flashy, self-destructive spectacle that made me chuckle like a madman right up to one of the best endings in the history of video games. [12/2017, p.58]

This year’s edition of PES is a really good game (the PC version is at last on par with the consoles) that has one major problem – it appeals to people already won over by Konami’s series and has almost no chance to convince FIFA’s fans. That doesn’t change the fact that I can honestly recommend it. [12/2017, p.56]

Infinite is a case study on how not to make crossovers. The story mode is really poorly written and if you don’t already know and like the characters, you’ll just waste your time. What’s worse, almost every element of the game is similarly weak. The result is a mediocre game that wastes the potential of its solid combat system. [12/2017, p.54]

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]

I was surprised by how much this new incarnation of Destiny appealed to me. New worlds are brilliantly designed, sound and visuals are top notch, combat feels great (those headshots!). This is how the first Destiny should have looked. [12/2017, p.50]

Creative Assembly takes us on a breathtaking journey through four of Warhammer’s continents (the map is huge!) and serves all of its gameplay elements in right proportions. It’s a highly addictive game that will consume all your free time one turn at a time. [12/2017, p.48]

ECHO made a great first impression on me with its dark atmosphere and AI that mimics player’s tactics, but this impression did not last long, as the game sunk into repetitiveness. [12/2017, p.47]

Cuphead is a stunningly looking, wonderfully animated interactive cartoon with three hours of jazz and ragtime playing in the background. Its gameplay however lacks the brilliance of the audiovisual layer. [12/2017, p.46]

Capcom wanted to fuse two popular series about hunting monsters and somewhat succeeded. In terms of technicalities the game is far ahead of Pokémon Sun/Moon, but lacks even a fraction of its depth. [12/2017, p.45]

I’m not emotionally attached to Metroid series, so for me Samus Returns is just a solid metroidvania game with a bland art style, devoid of the spark of individuality that turned Ori, Apotheon or Hollow Knight into memorable gems. [12/2017, p.45]

The first Knack was a laughing-stock. The sequel kept the main concept but did everything else differently and surprisingly the result is one of the most enjoyable co-op platformers I’ve ever played. [12/2017, p.44]

By rebuilding the animation system the developers managed to significantly improve footballers’ responsiveness, which results in more fluent gameplay and lets you perform tighter maneuvers. That makes attacking a real joy, but in my opinion turned defense into frustrating chore that requires too much precision. [12/2017, p.42]

Reikon Games’ greatest achievement is that they managed to infuse this simple twin-stick shooter with more atmosphere than majority of expansive AAA games can offer. The game looks amazing and the soundtrack is superb. So is the satisfying, brutal combat. Unfortunately difficulty levels were balanced absurdly – you either face no challenge at all or repeatedly bang your head against a wall. I was also disappointed by the fact that the game promises more than it delivers (the city acting as a hub turned out to be just a hollow shell) and becomes tedious due to primitive design of final levels. [12/2017, p.41]

The final DLC for Infinite Warfare is a solid one, but you won’t find anything jaw-dropping here. [12/2017, p.38]

Although I can imagine a better game, more open and consistent, I don’t regret any of dozens of hours I spent in the deep, rich and beautiful world of Original Sin II. [12/2017, p.32]

Patapon’s charm is timeless but the PS4 edition underlines the game’s drawbacks, especially tedious grind necessary to progress, which was not so painful when you played the game in short sessions on a handheld. [11/2017, p.77]