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]

Generally it makes a pretty good impression but fails to thrill. Letting players create new adventures is a great feature (I already found some real gems), but the game lacks a proper open world, microtransactions are pricey and the animations look worse than in old World of Warcraft. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.60]

The problem with NeverDead is that while its Japanese design (the characters, the story) is really good, the game mechanics implemented by the British team are not. [March 2012, p.58]

I was sure Little Hope will improve significantly upon the first installment in The Dark Pictures series, but the developers opted for the bare minimum. The story is more interesting, the ending is more surprising, and the character cast is better. There are also some technical improvements. Little Hope is decent, but still fails to provide things I expect from a good horror game, like more engaging gameplay, interesting plot twists (Until Dawn!), and a real sense of terror. [13/2020, p.38]

At first glance, The Sims 4 Lovestruck is a very good expansion, inviting players to delve deep into gameplay and explore the new mechanics. However, the closer I looked at it, the more shortcomings I noticed. EA took a step in the right direction, but still failed to offer us a full-fledged add-on worth its price.

For a game that was created as a short-lived parody Totally Accurate Battlegrounds is a surprisingly competent battle royale shooter with a huge map (maybe too huge, actually) and good physics. [09/2018, p.51]

I feel that with a larger budget and bigger experience XGen Studios could offer us a real treat, but what I got instead was just a snack that left me hungry. [11/2018, p.77]

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

Live 16 is a substantial step forward for the series and less demanding players will enjoy it, but it falls far short of NBA 2K. [13/2015, p.57]

The developers took on a difficult subject and tripped. They managed to conjure a proper dystopian setting, but the story is too shallow to make a proper impression. [11/2018, p.79]

Norwegian horror walker drowns in overused clichés but has some really scary moments. [13/2015, p.57]

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 game seemingly had everything that was needed to bring back the glory of Forgotten Realms, but failed due to a shallow story, unimaginative quests and lack of identity. [13/2015, p.58]

It’s a competent, accessible sim, but there is nothing special about it, so I didn’t miss it after I stopped playing it for the sake of this review. [12/2016, p.72]

As rather ugly and targeted mainly at children The Incredibles is definitely not the best game Lego series has to offer. [09/2018, p.59]

Moebius is not bad, but it’s the weakest entry in Jane Jensen’s portfolio and we have every right to demand more from her than just a decent game. [06/2014, p.70]

There is potential in Bound by Flame but I can’t review this game without using some harsh words. It’s linear and clichéd, combat should be better and many elements could be more complex. Still I believe that with more money, people and time Spiders would be able to play in the major league. [07/2014, p.54]

The developers wasted a promising maximum security prison setting by resorting to clichés that drag the story down. Do not expect the atmosphere to be on par with The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay either. I wouldn’t call this DLC worthless but it’s a shame that we’re parting with Adam Jensen under such disappointing circumstances. [04/2017, p.45]

With its easy combat and simple quests the new Adventure Time game provides around 10 hours of relaxation for the fans of the animated series but does not excel as a game. [09/2018, p.62]

Does not stand out in any way and disappoints with its lack of internet multiplayer. [March 2012, p.77]

Civilization VII commits the greatest sin of all strategy games - it's boring. A few tweaks to the formula have worked out well for the series, but this is the moment for either a major revolution or the development of well thought-out mechanics that worked in Civilization VI. No more half-measures.

It’s not a game you need to play. Nevertheless, despite its obvious low budget, technical issues and terrible combat, I don’t feel my time with it was wasted. What rescued Falcon Age in my eyes, was a surprising, weird attachment I felt to my flying companion. I can’t explain it, but I felt really awful when I saw the bird return to me badly hurt and bloodied after I had sent it into battle too recklessly. [13/2020, p.61]

A solid oldschool point'n'click game but its visuals are so poor, that even older than dirt Day of the Tentacle kicks Da New Guys' butt. [May 2012, p.65]

Despite erratic physics system Storm does a really decent job as a puzzle game, plus it is unique and suitable for the whole family. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.67]

Even a decade later it’s obvious why SoulCalibur II is regarded one of the best 3D fighting games. The HD version is unfortunately only decent – it’s clear that the game is 10 years old and the online component is very modest. [02/2014, p.72]

The series has barely evolved since Sniper Elite 2 – it got stuck in World War II and one gameplay blueprint. Even the visuals are outdated. Moreover I simply can’t take Karl Fairburne’s exploits seriously as he singlehandedly clears whole villages full of Nazis, takes on tanks and for the third time shoots Hitler in the nuts in the DLC. Pure nonsense. [04/2017, p.60]

A brutal, frantic action game built on a solid technology. Driven by nostalgia, Eat Sleep Play created a game that they wanted to create. I just doubt that modern gamers will want to play it. [May 2012, p.68]

A horror game with a quite controversial and bold story that deals with such sensitive subjects as child abuse and torture and doesn’t shy away from gruesome sights. It’s just two hours long and might scare you away with terrible textures, poor character models and clunky animations, but it sounds really good and offers a grim atmosphere that did make my skin crawl a couple times. [03/2021, p.51]

Commander ’85 is difficult and unfriendly, and therefore will discourage most people almost immediately. It is a great tribute to the games and movies of 1980s though, so if you’re into retro stuff, you might enjoy it. I know I did. [13/2020, p.70]

Although first impressions are good, it soon becomes obvious that the ‘simulation’ is shallow, there’s too much chaos and the mech controls are not intuitive. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.60]

A good game to play with your kid – it’s designed for co-op and visuals are doing great job of referring to the Cartoon Network show. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.61]

A “Souls with guns” type of game (think Returnal), but more forgiving than most representatives of the genre. It looks barely decent and its level design is obsolete (invisible walls!), but it turned out to be quite enjoyable, although in short sessions only. A couple of original ideas make Scars Above distinct enough and ultimately it’s a shame it is so modest. It would definitely benefit from a bigger budget and more boldness on the part of the developers.

An interesting idea – a 3D brawler focused on multiplayer. The combat system seems simple but offers quite a bit of depth. Unfortunately it is hard to find people to play with over the Internet and the single player mode is dull as hell. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.64]

I’m torn. On the one hand it’s Age of Empires as I remember it, atmosphere and spirit intact. On the other hand despite refreshed graphics it’s simply an old game so sentiment seems the only driving factor here. [04/2018, p.61]

The puzzles, although repetitive, never stop encouraging the players to think. The game enchants with its visuals which are complemented by a truly masterful soundtrack. I am not going back to it after finishing it though. [01/2020, p.54]

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]

A charming metroidvania with a disappointingly bland story and poor stealth segments. Its simple gameplay is relaxing but I longed for more tension and a sense of grand adventure that Fe lacks. [04/2018, p.66]

Desperate Struggle is based on the exact same concept as its predecessor, but the developers managed to weed out most flaws. Too bad the PC version is a lazy port from Switch that pretends keyboards don’t exist, offers only basic settings and can surprise you unpleasantly with crashes. [09/2021, p.33]

Apart from little variety of enemies and interiors this roguelike’s biggest flaw is that it does nothing to draw the player away from the boring playstyle based on eliminating enemies from a safe distance. [04/2018, p.68]

Some quite clever puzzles, a couple of collaborating characters and constant changes of scenery are enough to elevate Yesterday Origins above mediocrity. It’s a shame that its story is subpar and characters are rather shallow. [02/2017, p.42]

A quarter of a century ago, the original Outcast made its mark on games, but since then its core strengths have become commonplace in the industry. Its sequel is merely an average title done by today’s standards. The overall quality of execution is there and the developers were obviously committed, but A New Beginning doesn’t offer anything that will make you remember this adventure for years to come. However, as soon as the bugs are fixed, you can give it a chance, as long as you have some time on your hands.

A simple and quite enjoyable tactical game perfect for short sessions. It could have squeezed much, much more out of the Wild West setting though. [11/2017, p.58]

Discovering new additions is fun, but it does not last long, because the game gets repetitive quickly. [01/2017, p.71]

Never Alone has a fairy tale charm and educational values, and it’s a decent platformer. It’s a shame Alaskan temperatures failed to kill off the bugs. [01/2015, p.62]

Where Winds Meet tries to do too many things at once, which ends up in a way typical for this approach – there are many activities and mechanics, but none of them are particularly impressive.

It’s an admirably ambitious and atmospheric game that sometimes sparkles like a diamond, but the PS4 version I played was so ridiculously underdeveloped I couldn’t believe someone had the nerve to publish it in such a disgraceful state. [04/2018, p.45]

At its basis (which were copied from Ubisoft) Homefront is not a bad game, but total lack of innovation, ridiculous AI and myriad of lesser flaws make it hard to recommend to anyone but the most avid Far Cry fans. [07/2016, p.44]

It’s a shame that this well-though-out, enjoyable and satisfying combat system was used in a game completely lacking any spark of individuality and amateurish in many aspects. [03/2018, p.54]

A paradise for train enthusiast although it doesn’t seem to follow modern city builder and tycoon trends. Some of the game mechanics were simply derailed. [02/2020, p.50]

Maize is more memorable than your usual Dear Esther clone. I imagine the developers thinking: “We’re unable to make something outstanding with our budget, so let’s at least make something funny”. And they did. [02/2017, p.48]

Take on Helicopters is an attempt to prove that civil aviation does not have to be boring. The problem of this game is that it sits on a fence between mass accessibility and hardcore simulation. It's competent in both cases but I'm not sure it can win over either group of players. [February 2012, p.56]

Minute of Islands seems like a promise of a brilliant story but sadly some mechanics and developers’ choices got in the way and the game’s potential was squandered. Poorly designed platforming sequences quickly becomes tedious, while hallucinations caused by spores are boring and repetitive. I also wish the designers told me more about the intriguing world they created, because minimalist storytelling does not work here as well as it did in Journey. [09/2021, p.52]

Lords of Xulima is ugly, some of its elements are too simplistic and the story is poor but you rarely find an RPG that tests you intellect to such a degree, making you count every coin you spend, thoroughly examine every piece of equipment, keep track of food supply, endlessly tackle puzzles, carefully manage characters’ stats, look for alternate routes and find out how to beat different monsters. [08/2015, p.69]

The first impression is more than decent – the game looks really nice for its genre. Unfortunately due to limitations of the engine your players are not doing what you tell them to and act bizarrely on the pitch. Forget FIFA Manager 13 and buy Football Manager 2013. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.57]

A really decent game that can keep you playing for a few afternoons. Unfortunately limitations imposed by its low budget are evident. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.58]

The moment when the puzzles get really interesting, the game unfortunately starts to wrap itself up. A fun but short experience. [02/2020, p.67]

Lego Horizon Adventures is a heartfelt attempt to retell Aloy's story. It can get tedious with short and not very varied levels, but it also offers a lot of fun in combat and co-op. It's a shame that it all only lasts a couple of hours, and that Sony went too far with the release price.

It’s a decent game but not much more. [02/2017, p.53]

If you’re OK with getting more of the same, you will probably enjoy The Hidden Ones, but as a fan of the series I found nothing memorable in this DLC. [03/2018, p.62]

This gorgeous game could have been great, but it stumbles on important details. Sometimes graphics make it hard to discern important objects (I advise against playing A Tale of Synapse in handheld mode) and the puzzles are tediously repetitive. Additionally, once in a while double jump happens when you don’t need it, which makes some parts of the game unnecessarily frustrating. [09/2021, p.66]

There’s plenty of better action RPGs out there and if you lean towards survival gameplay, pick up Don’t Starve. In its current form Goliath is simply not good enough to win the battle for you free time. [07/2016, p.62]

Forge left me with mixed feelings. It has considerable potential but until developers fulfill their promises players will have to deal with an unfinished product. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.59]

Why can't Activision approach Spidey seriously, invest enough money and time and finally make a game that all Spider-Man fans are waiting for? The Amazing Spider-Man ain't it. [August 2012, p.64]

A game that could have been released 5 years ago and even then wouldn’t be anything special. [03/2014, p.66]

I really tried to like this game but the more I played it, the more tired I grew of its generic world, uninspired quests, dull characters and long distances you have to cross over and over again while cutting down respawning enemies. Combat is really good though, especially against massive foes, and the Pawns system is an interesting idea. [August 2012, p.66]

A really decent point’n’click game, but I would appreciate higher difficulty level and more inventive mini-games. [01/2015, p.83]

As short as its lovely heroine's skirt, not particularly pretty and rather shallow in terms of gameplay. Still you might enjoy it if you're in a mood for some Japanese insanity. [August 2012, p.70]

Playstation's most hardcore fans will appreciate the number of familiar characters but I doubt anyone will be really thrilled with All-Stars Battle Royale. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.59]

More of an 'interactive experience' than a game but some shortcomings make Datura hard to really sink into. [July 2012, p.73]

When at 3 AM I heard my friends calling for support in panic or we quarrelled over tactics, I had fun. But when I had to play with a random group of people the game often became a nuisance. [January 2012, p.58]

Bae Team managed to create such distinctive feline characters, that I still smile at the thought of some of them, but the visuals are mediocre most of the time and the game as a whole is afraid to step outside of the genre’s restrictive bounds. [03/2018, p.71]

I must admit that developers hit the spot with the title of their Spellforce 2 expansion. It’s still good, old Spellforce, but the emphasis should be put on ‘old’. [03/2014, p.69]

It saddens me to see the game that stole more of my time than I’m willing to admit turn into a self-parody. Ashes of Ariandel is like a covers playlist prepared by someone who has never heard the original recordings. Its only truly valuable moment is the wonderful last boss fight. [13/2016, p.48]

It's more of an interactive movie than a game, because you don't really get the sense of influencing the events. What Telltale Games concocted is a huge QTE sequence interrupted by dialogues and very easy puzzles. I can recommend it only to casual gamers still in love with the movie. [January 2012, p.62]

Well-thought-out, transparent gameplay rules make Port Royale 3 a title that can keep you entertained for hours. It's a shame that naval battles are so simplified and the story is presented so unattractively. [July 2012, p.76]

Its visuals might be reminiscent of the PS2 era but underneath lies a surprisingly solid gameplay. [10/2012, p.70]

The problem with Rebellion’s whole zombie series is that the developers were unable to supplement their great sniping mechanics with equally good content, so gameplay quickly becomes repetitive, even tedious. I can’t imagine anyone completing all three campaigns in single player mode. Co-op is more enjoyable, which is not a surprise, as the whole game was designed around it. [05/2015, p.48]

Pid's world is charming, graphics and music create a wonderful atmosphere and the puzzles are clever. But on the other hand the game punishes you for every mistake and could infuriate a Tibetan monk. [1/2013, p.66]

An arcade racer in purest form – the number of points you gather during the race (e.g. for drifting) is more important than being first on the finish line. Unfortunately it's not Split/Second and driving around unalterable tracks get boring pretty fast. [January 2012, p.67]

The House of the Dead 4 is enjoyable but also a couple of years late. If you like light gun shooters I advise you to pick up The House of Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut (if you haven't done so yet). [July 2012, p.82]

Star Renegades’ best feature is its combat system which rewards good tactics based on thorough analysis. Battles also look great, thanks to the polished pixel art, but the complicated, unfriendly interface makes enjoying them harder. I was also disappointed with the game’s rudimentary story, but what really disheartened me was the tiresome repetitiveness of gameplay. [12/2020, p.41]

For the Dragon Ball fans only. Others won’t understand the theatrical exaggeration or will get bored by the convention and its limitations. [03/2014, p.74]

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

The Moon delights us with its entire glory just once a month – on other nights it looks unfinished. The same goes for Moon Hunters, which has its moments but its story seems incomplete and gameplay mechanics are too simple. [13/2016, p.59]

BFG Edition of Doom 3 might be interesting only for its nostalgic values (Doom and Doom 2 are included), because it's way behind contemporary shooters. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.74]

It’s a shame that it’s not a remake or a reboot (that this charming game deserves), but just a straightforward port with unattractively upscaled 480p visuals, poor controller support, primitive physics and flat out horrible companion AI. [04/2016, p.52]

In these kind of moments it’s common to write about an ‘unfulfilled potential’ but after playing I can’t be bothered to do even that. Although it takes just one look at the game’s aesthetics to see how well and honestly the developer was able to render the Game Boy-pretend visuals. [13/2018, p.74]

I was really hoping I Am Setsuna will turn out to be the promised spiritual successor of Chrono Trigger. Instead it’s more of a walk through a museum of obsolete ideas that lack some binder which would make the game as engaging as Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy V. [10/2016, p.60]

NeoCore noticeably put a lot of effort into Inquisitor – Martyr, but sadly that does not change the fact that the game lags two divisions behind the genre’s greatest. [08/2018, p.66]

A fast, demanding and satisfying shooter that would benefit from better boss fights and more varied settings. [11/2013, p.72]

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]

Pleasant exploration and interesting turn-based combat are unfortunately counterbalanced by too much backtracking, over-the-top number of fights and not very functional map. [05/2015, p.65]

I tried, really tried to like The Elder Scrolls as a MMORPG, I gave it a fair number of chances. Now I hoped the Morrowind will be a game-changer, but unfortunately it will not convince those who were unable to embrace TESO earlier. [09/2017, p.50]

I can recommend Wizard Wars to all fans of original Magicka but if you’re looking for a MOBA that puts emphasis on tactics, you have to look elsewhere. [07/2015, p.55]

It worked much better as an iOS game than it does on PC. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.69]

Due to continental drift North America moves away from Europe at the rate of about an inch per year, which means the continents are much livelier than the story of Trails of Cold Steel. [04/2016, p.62]

Time travel elements could have been realized better and the levels are uninspired, but YesterMorrow’s biggest problem is that it lacks a feature that would allow it to stand out from a dozen other fantasy-themed platformers. [01/2021, p.34]

The developers cooked up a really pretty open world. Small but full of life. There’s also good sound design, pleasant graphics and... the feeling of deficiency after the end credits. [13/2019, p.45]