The developers did a great job at ironing out imperfections of the original game and expanding it without messing with its core. There are some visual shortcomings and performance issues, and the AI needs more work, but I longed for a good strategy game and Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition filled that void for me. [13/2020, p.50]

You need to look at Devastation as a sandbox that lets you choose your toys and fight battles you dreamed of. [13/2015, p.60]

WarioWare: Get It Together is a fantastic assortment of tiny experiences that add up to create a huge festival of awesomeness. Add cool multiplayer and co-op and you’ve got a seriously fun game distinctively different from Mario Party. [12/2021, p.60]

A genuinely funny game with the spirit of the original all over it. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.62]

Life is Strange managed to land some punches on Telltale’s chin and blew Until Dawn out of the water. [13/2015, p.61]

The game's biggest problem is that it doesn't offer anything fresh – it's roughly Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds from PS3 (which is still impressive for a handheld). [March 2012, p.77]

Wargame will appeal to those few who enjoyed playing early Combat Mission games more than World in Conflict. [May 2012, p.58]

Rather than a typical online game, Genshin Impact resembles a traditional single-player jRPG with a real-time combat. For a free-to-play title it is very impressive, but turns out to be pretty derivative and quickly slumps into monotony. [13/2020, p.52]

GHL is a great game if you’re playing it alone. I appreciate all the new ideas but I’m really disappointed that it is no longer a party game. [13/2015, p.62]

Centipede: Recharged is a good remake that retained the feel of the original. Sometimes the action gets too chaotic, but revisiting this almost 40-year-old arcade classic was a satisfying experience for me. [12/2021, p.62]

A sort of “best of Final Fantasy” compilation that takes you on a nostalgic journey. [01/2017, p.41]

Freedom of exploration, complex ecosystem and breathtaking visuals result in an unbelievably strong sense of communing with nature, but horrible UI, some design flaws and common glitches undermine theHunter’s value. Nonetheless it’s a unique game worth checking out. [04/2017, p.52]

An interactive story enriched with puzzle elements or an arcade/puzzle game with an exceptionally mature and expanded plot – depends on how you look at Catherine. Either way it's both frustrating and fascinating. [April 2012, p.80]

You can still fall in love with Trackmania 2, but these are not Pokemons and you don’t need to catch ‘em all. If there are still some tracks for you to master in Canyon, you don’t have to buy Stadium. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.64]

The game might not be very friendly towards newbies (it doesn’t teach you how to play and therefore forces you to resort to trial and error) but once you get hold of it and gather a reliable team you’ll spend many enjoyable evenings with it. [01/2017, p.42]

You can write books about Mortal Kombat, but you can also sum up Komplete Edition with one sentence: it’s the best fighting game available on PC. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.65]

Despite some flaws and obvious low budget Youropa is a very solid game that constantly evolves and causes the “one more island” syndrome. [09/2018, p.69]

If it were a book it would be missing its first chapter and every other page. The game’s story is a chaotic patchwork of ideas collected over the years and characters who appear out of the blue and disappear without a word of explanation. On the other hand it’s the first game to imitate road movies so well. The journey has a very satisfying pace, friendship between main characters is depicted splendidly, the views are spectacular and there’s a lot of optional content. [01/2017, p.44]

An RTS disguised as a 2D platformer. Sounds weird but works surprisingly well. [13/2015, p.65]

For its price ($5, free on iOS and Android) Ambition of the Slimes definitely stands out among other tactical RPG’s. [12/2016, p.76]

A solid expansion that lacks a wow factor. It failed to surprise me but I found two (out of three) new maps to be really good. [04/2018, p.48]

400 Days does exactly what a good TV pilot episode should do – catches your interest. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.67]

A distant cousin of Flappy Bird. When you get used to controls the sessions begin to last longer than 10 seconds and the game becomes really enjoyable. [12/2016, p.76]

Not as innovative as previous games from the series, but 24 maps, 8 types of towers, 6 special abilities and 10 variants of enemies are enough to provide a couple of days of fun. [Sept 2014, p.70]

Despite Eagle Flight’s scanty content and the fact that its visuals are just okay, it was my most enjoyable VR experience to date. [01/2017, p.49]

Chaos Chronicle is a sinful pleasure – it requires almost nothing except a bit of player’s attention, but is really well put together and microtransactions are not intrusive. [12/2016, p.77]

The developers juggled a couple of ideas with ease but failed to use them to their whole extent. I’m looking forward to an expanded sequel. [Sept 2014, p.71]

A skillfully written, nonlinear interactive movie that despite its cyberpunk setting touches upon modern topics (like the LGBT movement or disabilities) and does it in a tactful, natural way. [04/2018, p.51]

10 dollars spent on Gunpoint is 10 dollars well spent. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.68]

Exactly what I was looking for – a bike racing game accessible to people who were overwhelmed by MotoGP or SBK series. [13/2015, p.71]

A great party game for anyone who’s familiar with Queen’s classics (there are 30 of them here) and enjoys belting out “We Are the Champions”. [13/2020, p.68]

All those who enjoy flexing their brain muscles will enjoy Archaica. If only it offered more levels and a larger variety of beautiful realms to stare at. [11/2017, p.44]

Fallen God is a large stand-alone expansion that succeeds in differentiating itself from its predecessors. The developers managed to diversify the experience (not spectacularly though) and did a terrific job at depicting the specific nature of the new race – trolls. [13/2020, p.72]

Despite its skillfully achieved cinematic feel Remothered is not an interactive movie but a full-blooded survival horror – suspenseful, well-written and worth recommending if you’re a fan of the genre. [04/2018, p.57]

Despite the simplicity of the combat system it’s hard to quit this game. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.71]

The levels are generated procedurally and the game doses new opponents and obstacles wisely. If only the enemies were smarter than an average bubble gum... [12/2016, p.78]

Creative Assembly did their best to make Halo Wars 2 accessible without dumbing it down too much, but as it’s a console game at heart, some simplification to the RTS formula was inevitable. Apart from that the PC version is more than decent, as it features a different UI and the game’s pace was tweaked. Besides the single player campaign (13 really good missions) it offers a multiplayer mode, which unfortunately is tainted by a pay-to-win factor. [04/2017, p.70]

An extreme first person platformer designed very skillfully. Every time I died – and I died 343 times on the last level alone – I needed to try again. There’s something in Deadcore that makes you crawl back for more. [02/2015, p.48]

Frostpunk 2 is a great city builder. Complicated, offering plenty of possibilities, beautiful looking. Unfortunately, the spirit of the previous installment got lost somewhere in all this complexity, while the moral dilemmas got blurred in a flurry of gameplay mechanics and sliders.

The 2020 edition is as engrossing as always... but also as irritating as never before – in part because of the quite appalling match engine. [01/2020, p.46]

Despite all the simplifications (e.g. plants need just a couple of days to grow) there’s something addictive about FS17 that makes you switch off your thinking and just farm, farm, farm. [01/2017, p.59]

The flight model is Microsoft Flight's biggest advantage, as the game is very enjoyable regardless of whether you're a newbie using a mouse for a controller, or a simulation maniac. A promising start to what might evolve into something big. [May 2012, p.73]

A beautiful homage to Grim Fandango. Not perfect though – Chapter One is short, could be funnier and the choice of some of the voices is questionable. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.66]

Yakuza Kiwami is so much more than just a remake of the first game in the series. Sega rebuilt the original from scratch using a much more powerful engine, with the help of completely new artists, and enriched the script with tons of references to subsequent Yakuza releases. It’s not a perfect game but it does a great job at tying up loose ends from Yakuza Zero. [11/2017, p.50]

In the first episode of its final season The Walking Dead is prettier than ever, sounds better than ever and does a better job at pretending to be a game. Telltale’s attempts to refresh the series are too conservative but I still appreciate them, even if it feels like praising a notorious sloven for washing his hands before Christmas dinner. [10/2018, p.76]

Simplified Dead Space combined with stripped-down Doom 3 and some Deus Ex elements. [13/2015, p.73]

Dex really surprised me. Under its modest externals I found a decent, complex RPG game incorporating everything that makes cyberpunk an attractive setting. [08/2015, p.56]

Apart from brilliant, genuinely funny dialogues West of Loathing’s biggest strength is its simple but satisfying turned-based combat. [11/2017, p.53]

It’s a pretty faithful adaptation of the Root board game about warring animal factions. Just like the original, some might find it too infantile for their taste, but it’s fun, looks good, and offers an additional challenge mode. It’s a shame though that it doesn’t include two new factions introduced in the original’s Riverfolk Expansion. [13/2020, p.37]

If you need more relaxation and laughter in your life, Slime Rancher is the game to choose. [11/2017, p.54]

I still don’t know if I pulled all those all-nighters with the game despite its bugs because of my Stockholm syndrome or because it’s really that good. [01/2020, p.59]

A weird game with an amazing atmosphere and a really long, vast campaign. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.71]

Disgaea 6 can’t deny its blood ties to the previous games of the series, but it introduces fully 3D graphics and significantly cranks up the level of absurdity. The price for the former is poor framerate on Switch and the story will give you a lot of reasons to smile but won’t leave a lasting trace in your mind. Combat on the other hand is very solid and discovering new abilities and developing your party of characters are strong incentives to keep playing. [09/2021, p.35]

A reimagining rather than a remake, Operation Galuga is a fun way to rediscover the 8-bit classic. The developers kept the gameplay foundations of the original, but included a lot of welcome additions. For Contra veterans, it’s a great sentimental journey, for younger players – a blast from the past in a bearable, modern form.

For offbeat humour aficionados and brain flexing enthusiasts. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.72]

The Lost Legacy is a great, breathtakingly beautiful action adventure game and its only substantial weakness is that it fails to reach the stellar level of A Thief’s End while heavily relying on old tricks. [11/2017, p.60]

Zip Lash is a polished game but not as inspired and surprising as New Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Country or Yoshi’s Woolly World. [13/2015, p.74]

As in most roguelike games luck plays a large part in Rogue Stormers. It adds addictive unpredictability but coupled with permadeath may also cause outbursts of fury. I couldn’t stay mad at this game for long though. Actually I feel like playing it right now. [01/2017, p.71]

It’s more of a superbly written movie than a game. [01/2015, p.59]

It’s one of those moderately necessary remasters, but at least it’s reasonably priced, especially if you already own the game. It offers higher-resolution textures, an opportunity to experience three levels cut from the story campaign, and a quite extensive roguelike mode. These additions won’t blow you away, but they do justify paying 10 bucks for the PS5 upgrade.

Darkwood’s developers have an expert grasp of what terror is, where it lurks and how to frighten the player to make him come back for more. They couldn’t decide whether they’re making a story-driven game or a sandbox, but their effort is still worth recommending to everyone who enjoys good horrors. [11/2017, p.64]

An interesting idea reinforced with a really great story. [08/2015, p.61]

The concept of constant switching between two, three or even four simultaneous races is great. It’s not a full blooded racing game, but it’s arcade driving model is cool and if you’re looking for something fresh, give it a try. [02/2017, p.45]

Not only the first real MOBA game for consoles, but also one of the better ones in this sub-genre. There’s not many flaws I can point out in GoMe. If anything, I doubt its longevity – there are only 22 guardians to choose from and capabilities of building a community are much smaller than on PC. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.42]

Backbone has far fewer puzzles and stealth sections than you might expect after finishing the brilliant first act, but it will still keep you engaged thanks to the quality of its storytelling. [09/2021, p.40]

The game induces sleepiness here and there because of its low tempo and repetitiveness but it does so for a reason. It helps that the art style is both flexible with color tones and insanely modest. [02/2020, p.45]

The new Darksiders’ top-down perspective may actually be my favorite of the series. The game has its flaws but looks great, sounds absolutely fantastic and offers both dynamic gameplay and some interesting environmental puzzles to spice everything up. [02/2020, p.46]

This game is like a student who partied instead of studying but during the exam improvises so cleverly that the examiner just can’t find the strength to fail him. Shadows has some cool ideas and is very enjoyable but it’s surprising how it stumbles on some really basic issues. [02/2015, p.64]

It’s rather short but as long as there are some apartments to left to be (re)done, there’s a potential for some good fun. That’s a kind of home makeovers I can get behind. [02/2020, p.49]

Ash of Gods is the best Banner Saga since The Banner Saga. The problem is that its developers hung on to the standards set by Stoic a bit too tight. [05/2018, p.40]

Despite the monotony of procedurally generated environments and repetitiveness that with time creeps into combat, it would be absurd not to try Let It Die. It might be free, but it’s much more worthwhile than many indie games you have to pay for. [02/2017, p.46]

Rating The Crew is problematic, because you can look at this game from two perspectives. In view of some simplifications and scripted moments it will not delight those in search of pure racing. Those who appreciate large open worlds however will be overjoyed. [01/2015, p.70]

The algorithm that builds tracks based on songs is outstanding, but when its novelty wore off and I got bored of feeding it mp3s to see what happens, I returned to Audiosurf less and less frequently. [08/2015, p.68]

A surprising, timeless mix of a visual novel, a tactical game and a shooter, spoiled by dumb AI and inescapable grind in the later stages. [07/2016, p.51]

Natural disasters (both random and on-demand) were very skillfully integrated with the existing gameplay. [02/2017, p.49]

A solid traditional point’n’click game with a very distinctive look (inspired by the medieval Danse Macabre art style) and great music. It is a bit too simple though and takes at most two hours to finish. [05/2018, p.48]

Even though I missed the quality and thrills of San Andreas, GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption, I had more fun with Sleeping Dogs than I expected. It's worth giving it a try while waiting for GTA V. [10/2012, p.54]

I am sure Natural Selection 2 will gather a group of devoted fans. After all it’s a good, surprisingly original game. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.50]

Extreme off-road racing in the vein of early Dirt games, with impressively diverse scenery, surprisingly wide range of licensed cars and disappointingly poor audio. [05/2018, p.49]

Nerd Monkeys’ mix of an adventure game, a platformer and a puzzle game won’t surprise you with any new ideas and won’t get stuck in your head. It looks good though and thanks to its low difficulty level and lack of violence it could have been a great family game, but sadly it doesn’t offer co-op. [09/2021, p.60]

Solid survival game, a bit hardcore in places. However, the heavy emphasis on exploration and the associated character development pays off with the opportunity to explore the British 1960s zone and play detective to unravel the mystery of the nuclear power plant.

It does show that Steep is a game born of passion in a studio located at the feet of Alps, so it is easier to turn a blind eye to some of its flaws, like faulty collision detection. It’s not a perfect game, it will not have a following as strong as SSX 3 did, but if you’re looking for a game that will let you hit the slopes, there’s a chance you’ll be returning to Steep often. [02/2017, p.50]

Even a low budget Assassin’s Creed is more enjoyable than most AAA games. There’s not much to do besides the main story and you can deal with Liberation in less than 7 hours, but it will be time well spent. [03/2014, p.56]

Planet of Lana is an enjoyable change from large games, a relaxing experience with a couple of poignant moments. It’s not in the same league as Ori and the Blind Forest or Limbo, and its puzzles could’ve been more creative, but in my opinion it’s still a strong debut by Wishfully and I’m curious what the future holds for the studio.

Even The Three-Headed Monkey would not be unable to distract you from The Critter Chronicles’ shortcomings but this prequel to The Book of Unwritten Tales is still likeable. It’s just smaller in every aspect.[CD-Action 02/2013, p.56]

There’s nothing groundbreaking about Showgunners, but the game engagingly blends turn-based combat with real-time exploration and uncomplicated yet intellectually challenging puzzles. Despite some degree of repetitiveness, the dragged-out ending, and a couple of other shortcomings, I believe Showgunners deserves giving it a chance.

The series finally moved forward and stopped looking like a relict. WWE 2K15 is not overflowing with changes, but they are there and are most welcome. [01/2015, p.79]

Nightdive Studios did a solid, thorough job of restoring the classic, but I have the impression that the developers focused too heavily on trying to please those who remember the original fondly. Its numerous annoying elements that were left untouched show how much the industry has changed over the past three decades and I’m afraid will discourage many younger players accustomed to modern standards. SHODAN, however, is as terrifying as she was years ago.

Very enjoyable, even addictive. [08/2015, p.78]

Despite its smaller scale, this amazing tribute to F.E.A.R. surprised me with spectacular and devilishly satisfying combat. Trepang2 recycles assets without moderation and sometimes loses momentum, especially in sections where it focuses on its unremarkable narrative and pretends to be a horror game, but those are minor hiccups in an otherwise great FPS. Definitely worth checking out.

It might not be a game to remember for years, but the great PvP mode is worth checking out (especially that Star Conflict is free). [01/2015, p.81]

Bear with FPWW’s visuals, because this game offers what WWE 2K can’t – pure fun. You’ll probably need quite a long time to get used to its controls, but when you do, you will enjoy the game’s excellent flow and the feeling of participating in a wrestling spectacle, not just a dressed up regular fighting game. [03/2018, p.64]

A stylish, engaging game that could use more innovation and a quicker pace. [05/2018, p.65]

Aliens: Dark Descent is a challenging and extremely satisfying tactical shooter whose music and visual side will make every Alien fan feel right at home. It’s a shame, however, that the gameplay is marred by bugs and chaotically placed save points, which sometimes make missions mercilessly time-consuming and ruthlessly difficult.

At first I was a little disappointed by small number of new weapons introduced in Aftermath. However it turned out that one of them – the crossbow – is a very versatile piece of equipment and can replace a whole bunch of other toys. I might have pictured this DLC differently but after all I got hooked for long hours. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.60]

Easy puzzles resemble irrational conundrums from old point’n’click games and are accompanied by pop-cultural references and absurd humor. Turn a blind eye to subpar visuals and treat this game as a fun, undemanding break from serious titles. [03/2014, p.68]

The journey through Unmechanical's underground complex is an engaging and enriching experience. [10/2012, p.66]

Chivalry's gameplay was boiled down to waving your weapon around but if you're willing to accept this simplicity, you're in for hours of fun. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.62]