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]

It's a strange blend. On one hand it has a lot of bugs and a very complicated gameplay. The visuals are crude too. On the other hand it offers great atmosphere and attention to details that maniacs will appreciate. [November 2011, p.66]

I spent 46 hours with the PC edition of TFitF, so I obviously love this game. I wish it let me rate it higher this time, but I couldn’t do it because of the bugs – not very frustrating but frequent. [03/2017, p.67]

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]

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 hundredth sequel to Harvest Moon delivers what you expect from it – a chance to experience a simple yet happy farm life. [05/2016, p.75]

Until now there was only one sensible way to play Pac-Man – the Championship Edition. Pac-Man 99 is a new viable option. Even though the presence of other players is barely noticeable and the whole trick gets old quite fast, the game is simply more interesting than the basic version of the classic. [06/2021, p.39]

I have no doubt that the latest Call of Duty will earn ridiculous amounts of money once again, but I will remember it as a dip in form, a game that’s closer to mediocrity than greatness. The story campaign has a satisfying finale but as a whole is rather uninspired, while the multiplayer has lost the tactical feel I enjoyed in Modern Warfare Remastered. [01/2021, p.56]

It has some issues (i.e. sluggish animations) but fortunately they are not too annoying to take away the joy of following a well-written story. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.48]

It forces you to switch off the cause and effect mode in your brain and try most insane solutions. Fun! [CD-Action 02/2013, p.65]

The game is pure fun until it becomes painstakingly difficult. The problem is not even the difficulty level itself, it’s the fact that when you fail, you have to restart the whole huge level and you lose all the character progression you achieved on it. Poof! The last 40 minutes never happened. [09/2017, p.60]

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]

All the old school charm goes to hell because of the repetitiveness. [06/2014, p.69]

The game marries Dynasty Warriors with Zelda and provides the same kind of fun that classic arcade beat ‘em ups did. You just move in 3D and simultaneously fight hundreds of enemies instead of three. [Nov 2014, p.57]

The Crew Motorfest is a very satisfying, constantly surprising racing game with a great single player campaign and an engaging multiplayer mode. Sadly, microtransactions significantly slow down the process of unlocking new vehicles and the interface can be distracting while driving. The developers of the Forza Horizon series can still rest easy, but they need to be aware that a worthy rival has joined the race and in some respects overtook their creation.

Addictive, fast, balanced gameplay quickly induces the state of total focus which is the most important source of pleasure in ShootMania. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.70]

This 'bank robbing Left 4 Dead' can be very enjoyable with a well knit group of friends and a real nightmare without them, as it emphasizes precise and coordinated teamwork. [December 2011, p.98]

Wow, so it is possible to make a genuinely funny game after all. I can’t recall another game that made me laugh so often and occasionally so hard. [13/2016, p.72]

I really hope that Rocksteady can still teach an old bat new tricks, because WB Games Montreal failed to advance the series. What we have here are old gameplay mechanics – which still work fine by the way – sold to us for the third time and supplemented with a bit of fresh ideas that don’t have a sufficient impact on the whole game (and sometimes are simply bad). [13/2013, p.56]

For me Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture was a beautiful, almost mystical experience thanks to its atmosphere and one of the best soundtracks in gaming history. It’s a shame that on PC framerate tends to drop below acceptable levels, I was annoyed by some bugs and the ending failed to properly wrap up the story. [08/2016, p.72]

A decent PC substitute for the Pikmin series. Its magical land filled with adorable creatures is a joy to explore, rich content will keep you occupied for as long as 20 hours, and a drop of survival mechanics spices up the adventure without making it stressful. The somewhat hazy story is okay at best and even though the game showers you with crafting materials, the crafting itself is pretty much needless, but the game’s biggest problem is the repetitiveness that made me slightly weary. [8/2021, p.74]

Regiments, a real-time tactics game almost completely free of micromanagement and focused on combat, is worth checking out if you’re a fan of World in Conflict or Wargame by Eugen Systems. It fails to bring anything new to the genre, but is overall a solid offering.

Innovative mechanics designed by Richard Garfield (Magic: The Gathering), rules that you can grasp after just a couple of minutes, clear interface – Artifact is a great game. It’s a shame that it’s huge esports potential can be squandered, because Valve doesn’t seem to care for it enough to implement progression systems, leagues, rankings or means to comfortably communicate with rivals outside an invitation-only friendly tournament. [01/2019, p.58]

The Reaper of Souls expansion really shook the foundations of Diablo III, giving us a reason to revisit the game and stay for longer. Compared to it Rise of the Necromancer is a disappointing waste of a chance to make something great again. [09/2017, p.61]

The phrase “reversed Darkest Dungeon” springs to mind immediately. Groups of heroes delve into dark dungeons, suffering bodily and mental wounds as they face hellish monsters in an attempt to reach the evil lord. The difference is, in Legend of Keepers you are the evil lord – and it’s so much fun! The only flaw I need to point out is that it’s quite easy to find a combination of monsters which makes it possible to finish every dungeon without much effort. [07/2021, p.55]

What looked like a small, modest indie title, turned out to be chock-full of content. Midnight Fight Express is a brilliant game from a solo developer and an irresistible offer for anyone who enjoys fighting against overwhelming enemy forces. Here, you can use literally everything within reach as a weapon to overcome demanding challenges.

The coolest stealth game in months, maybe even years – and not only for MGS fans. It shows how good MGS V: The Phantom Pain will be. [05/2014, p.56]

After having played ATS for over a dozen hours I put it aside and returned to Euro Truck Simulator 2. Right now ATS is just a foundation for a game and it will take a couple of DLCs to fill it properly with content. [04/2016, p.60]

The DLC’s undeniable advantage is its impressive length – I needed eight hours to finish it. The problem is that the story, though well-written, doesn’t actually need you. It is absolutely linear and doesn’t even pretend not to be, so no matter what you do, you’ll get roughly the same ending (the final decision seems crucial but its impact is small). Other than that Murder on Eridanos is more of the same, but you’ll be shooting less than you did in the base game. [05/2021, p.45]

Muv-Luv is full of clichés and the execution of the ideas can’t keep up with their potential, but those ideas are absolutely unique, so you keep playing. [10/2016, p.41]

In terms of its size Dawn of Ragnarok is a full-fledged, traditional expansion we used to see back in the day rather than a typical modern DLC. It offers a surprisingly good story but the mythological setting didn’t bring any substantial changes to the gameplay. It’s just more of Valhalla and while I enjoyed the base game I’ve simply had enough of Vikings by now.

Thechineseroom studio managed to create something surprising and original, but Dear Esther is something you experience rather than play. [April 2012, p.79]

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]

I played dozens of point’n’click games over the years and The Dream Machine might be the best of them all. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.68]

Opponents know how to bluff, they lure the player into ‘traps’ and despite humorous presentation things at the table can get tense. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.81]

A hybrid of The Room and Amnesia that looks great thanks to Unreal Engine and offers a surprisingly realistic physics model. [10/2014, p.69]

An interesting and beautiful, but also slow and repetitive board game. [12/2015, p.60]

It's a pity that the game ends after 3-4 hours. Maybe if it was twice as long its attractive concept would wear out, but I had so much fun I wished it would last longer. [September 2012, p.64]

Even though the AI is unable to learn from its failures and crack the player’s tactics, which makes later battles too easy, Thrones of Britannia is a game no strategy fan should overlook. [08/2018, p.74]

The gameplay of EA Sports FC 24 differs from FIFA 23 in nuances only and the overall changes are minor. While the game can be impressive thanks to the most realistic animations to date, it is just as often irritating due to its erratic physics engine. All that’s left for football fans is to hope that next year’s edition will be bolder, because this new start under the altered title is underwhelming.

Derivative, but also colorful, absurd and fun. If you played one Borderlands game, you played them all. [Dec 2014, p.56]

One of the fullest and most clever realization of the DLC concept I have ever encountered. Instead of lazily rearranging old bricks Mooncrash takes familiar elements and really squeezes new quality out of them. [08/2018, p.82]

Reheating this antique was a risky venture, but the outcome is surprisingly good. If you turn a blind eye to its obvious archaism, what remains is pure fun. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.77]

Rather than nerves of steel Outlast 2 requires a stomach of steel, because it’s more repugnant than scary. I’m not quite sure whether an emphasis on shocking with atrocities is a sign of lack of talent on developers’ part or there is some deeper meaning to all this gore, but Outlast 2 undoubtedly includes a couple of scenes that push the boundaries of interactive horror. [07/2017, p.68]

Every time I gave Space Run Galaxy a chance, I got tired of it after a couple dozen minutes. [09/2016, p.65]

If I had to find a way to make kids learn English as a foreign language, I wouldn’t probably come up with anything better than this game. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.57]

Hacking and stealth elements are so good in Watch Dogs 2 and as a whole the game is so much better than its predecessor that I managed to turn a blind eye to the fact that Dedsec members are annoying as hell. [01/2017, p.32]

It took Chris Hunt and his small team 12 years to develop Kenshi and that unfortunately shows. The game utilizes an archaic engine, is poorly optimised and hideous most of the time. It also does next to nothing to help the player get a grasp of its mechanics, and, as it happens, their complexity are Kenshi’s most important aspect. I would be happy to love this game, because I understand and applaud Hunt’s idea of completely open gameplay, but loving Kenshi is extremely hard. [02/2019, p.47]

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]

Gloomy atmosphere was achieved with a well written story, sedulously drawn backgrounds and great audio. It's also a satisfying finale of the trilogy. Over 10 hours offered by this game is a time well spent. [July 2011, p.76]

A game that’s very friendly in terms of visuals, yet very complex when it comes to gameplay mechanics. There’s a lot of information you need to memorize to be efficient, which makes you more of an accountant than a god. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.80]

I’m pleased that we finally got a new full-fledged game by Camelot. What’s more, it will appeal to a whole lot of different people ranging from hardcore fighting games fans to your grandma and grandpa, though the difficulty level can be painful at times. The most important thing is that Waluigi begins his special move with a rose between his teeth, which puts Mario Tennis Aces dangerously close to the GOTY territory. [08/2018, p.64]

An old school fighting game with a really compelling combat system. The Switch port is rather an artistic than technological feat, sporting loads of bugs and other shortcomings, though. [05/2020, p.80]

Bland story, repetitive quests and overall lack of depth made me feel like I was wasting my time. [01/2016, p.55]

After I got used to Beholder’s interesting setting and thick atmosphere of hopelessness I got bored with the game quickly. [01/2017, p.61]

Revamped career mode is extremely enjoyable this time and the game as a whole is a step forward for the franchise. UFC 3 looks amazing, as you can clearly see the effects of trading blows – injuries, blood staining the shorts, sweat trickling down the skin. What needs to be dealt with in the next installment is the ground game, which trails way behind entertaining, dynamic stand-up fighting. [04/2018, p.70]

It could’ve been a really good game, but the developers stumbled on the basics. Terrible interface, awful beginning of the campaign and mediocre AI take most of the fun out of Satellite Reign. [12/2015, p.46]

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

The game, heavily inspired by Steve Wilson’s “Drive Home” music video, deals with feelings we all experience at some point – grief and helplessness after losing a loved one. It does a great job for most of the time but stumbles at the very end, as the last 15 or so minutes are unnecessarily bloated and unbearably metaphysical. [11/2017, p.49]

Apart from wonderful visuals Seasons After Fall has little to offer – it’s just another indie platformer built around one idea (a good one, at least). [12/2016, p.58]

A colourful, humorous cross between 2D platformers and MOBA games. In single player mode it can get boring pretty fast but is addictive in multiplayer. [July 2012, p.72]

By combining a unique method of connecting players, complex character creation and development, and solid combat mechanics, Absolver delivers something that no traditional fighting games can offer. What it lacks is variety. [11/2017, p.45]

Copying your own ideas is not a sin, but what worked well in a larger open-world adventure, doesn’t necessarily hold up paired with a linear story. A remake created from scratch, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is a decent game but also a significant step backwards compared to Chapter One.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series works well as a tie-in, because it recreates the atmosphere of the series and explores the past of a loved character (Cara Gee as Drummer is amazing as always!). However, as a whole, it is a middling game that ends before it really gets going. I also regret that the developers missed the opportunity to delve deeper into The Expanse’s universe, as this setting has a lot to offer.

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]

Visually it’s one of the best games in the genre but to say the camera work is unpolished is like to say Deadpool has a slightly better immune system than average. [06/2020, p.44]

I would compare Silence to The Night of the Rabbit or Harvey’s New Eyes, which means it’s decent but lacks quite a bit to be superb. [01/2017, p.48]

I respect the Cold Symmetry team for their courage to put their own twist on the soulslike formula. In Mortal Shell almost nothing works how you would expect it to and even if the game doesn’t always benefit from that, it feels fresh and is definitely worth checking out. [11/2020, p.36]

Star Wars Outlaws turned out to be less of a typical Ubisoft game than I feared, offers a lot of great atmosphere and lets you roam around the galaxy quite freely, experience numerous gangster adventures and feel at least a little bit like a real smuggler. It can only gain in the coming weeks if the developers roll up their sleeves and fix some issues that include god-awful enemy AI and a couple of bugs.

I expect more from Wadjet Eye, because they understand what made classic point’n’clicks great and their every game was a diamond that would rival Beneath a Steel Sky and Broken Sword in the 90s. In comparison Shardlight is... well... just a good game, a diamond in the rough. [05/2016, p.54]

The gameplay tries to accomplish too many things at once and would use more simplicity in exchange for a more interesting, unique story. [04/2020, p.82]

I bow down to writers behind Jazzpunk. I just haven’t decided yet whether I should send them flowers to the rehab or to the mental hospital. [05/2014, p.69]

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 parts of Under the Waves are the moments when you can peacefully explore the depths of the sea and observe the creatures that inhabit them. The story about an evil corporation and a man who can’t cope with loss is clunky and introduces an unnecessary emotional weight that spoiled the whole experience for me.

The writers created a great setting, had a good idea for the plot and prepared excellent dialogues, but at the end of the day Nobody Wants to Die resembles an impressive technology showcase more than a proper game. I had fun, but the gameplay’s limited formula and modest length of this adventure are significant drawbacks.

Beautiful, cute and wonderful. Unfortunately also very short. [04/2015, p.67]

The best Move game I came across. I was surprised with how much fun I had remembering the light gun arcade machines I used to play as a kid. The game also supports the Dualshock but don't bother with it, 'cause if you remove the motion controller from the equation, you're left with something old, ugly, short and rather pointless. [January 2012, p.65]

As all Codemasters' racing games Showdown looks great but it doesn't make it exciting and will not keep you in front of the TV for a long time. You'll be better off digging up good old Burnout Paradise. [July 2012, p.74]

To keep it short and simple: the PC version is a solid port. Do not expect wonders or any efforts to radically improve the game. Let's be honest – it's the weakest installment of the trilogy. [June 2011, p.59]

I didn’t expect this could happen, but Square finally released a mobile Final Fantasy game that is not a steaming pile of filth. [08/2015, p.78]

Fascinating character design makes every fight a breathtaking spectacle. [09/2015, p.49]

I have no idea how the developers managed to waste such an intriguing beginning of the story. They clearly forgot that a good horror game should relentlessly keep players on the edge of their seats, not ruin the atmosphere with pathetic jokes. [03/2017, p.59]

Giga Wrecker’s experimental, low-budget nature is not for everyone, but if you give the game a chance, you might enjoy its great physics-based environmental puzzles and challenging boss fights. [05/2017, p.44]

Although the events are usually similar in each playthrough – and the same goes for the consequences of our choices – it’s hard not to fall under the game’s charm. [05/2020, p.41]

If it weren’t for some game breaking bugs I wouldn’t have imagined a better platform for this survival/tactical candy of a game than the Switch. [07/2020, p.73]

The developers of The Girl of Glass did not lack ideas, quite the contrary – they had too many. The game would have scored higher, had it remained a simple point’n’click adventure, because its turn-based combat is a miss and later chapters focused solely on fighting are boring to the point of being unbearable. [13/2020, p.35]

The terrific concept, the amazing music, the minions bustling around the retrofuturistic secret base of my own design – there was a moment when I was deeply in love with Evil Genius 2. Hours later I discovered that it drags research out frustratingly and the choice of rooms you can build is too narrow considering the length of the scenarios. What’s the point of having a multistory facility if all the floors look the same? Still, it’s a fantastic game that will make all fans of Dungeon Keeper feel right at home. [06/2021, p.46]

A Souls-inspired roguelite set in a techno-biological world, where your weapon is a symbiont and you develop your character by mutating – all that in a Nordic mythology coating and seasoned with humor. Sounds weird, but it works, at least until it gets repetitive. [12/2021, p.52]

Sonic Frontiers is both the best and the worst entry to the series. Romping around the open environments is great, the bosses are among the best Sonic has ever met, and the soundtrack is once again full of bangers. It’s a shame that every step of the way you can see that the development was rushed, which resulted in an incredibly rough gameplay and made my experience sad and painful.

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.

Ride 5 proves clearly that when it comes to motorcycle physics, Milestone currently has no equal. It’s by far the best installment to date and while the pace at which the series evolves may not be fast, the most important thing is that the Italians are heading in the right direction.

A very interesting attempt to combine a hack’n’slash with a rhythm game. The mechanics of striking enemies to the beat work great, but Beat Slayer disappoints by artificially dragging out playtime, which results in a series of monotonous, identical battles.

I remembered Zone of the Enders on PS2 for two reasons – because it looked great and was so much fun to play. Both these qualities were carried over to the HD version. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.66]

MADiSON borrows a lot from lamented P.T., obviously Visage was also a source of inspiration, but you can’t say the game lacks its own identity. It’s actually one of the best horror games of recent years. It tells a gripping story, does a great job at building tension, randomizes jump scares, offers interesting puzzles, looks good and sounds fantastic. On the downside, it tormented me with incessant backtracking and annoyed with strictly limited inventory space.

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]

A weird game that’s coherent in its weirdness. You won’t find such puzzles anywhere else. [07/2014, p.67]

An unusual spellcasting system and many interesting references to Japanese folklore make Ghostwire: Tokyo a unique experience that’s worth your time despite the game’s disappointingly small variety of enemies and their poor AI.

At a time when the biggest companies are shamelessly releasing remasters of titles that are several years old, any fresh IP, especially one set in such a unique universe, is worth its weight in gold. The gameplay and story are compelling, even if it is a production from a bygone era.