The driving model is better than in the previous WRC game and is surprisingly solid. Despite that it’s hard not to notice that the developer’s budget was very limited. [01/2014, p.72]

The story starts with a bang (during the Red Wedding) but fails to keep the momentum and ultimately comes nowhere near the breathtaking twists of the original. [01/2016, p.72]

The game looks amazing and is overall very charming, but it seems it lost half of its content along the way, because it ends before it manages to fulfill its potential. I also felt that the designers couldn’t agree on how combat should play out, so it got stuck somewhere between tactical and frenetic. [03/2017, p.62]

It carries you over to a drab, sad place and tells a story that doesn’t make sense. Maybe it would be best – both for Ubisoft and players – to just forget about Unity? [03/2014, p.72]

I felt disappointed with Elex II, because while in some respects it is better than its predecessor, other elements are a step back. Gameplay balance, combat, graphics, and interface have improved a bit, but some obvious design flaws are still there and the storyline is just weak, especially the severely underwhelming ending. However, if you love Piranha Bytes’ games, you'll probably have fun either way. I did.

Despite dated visuals J.U.L.I.A. offers around 8 hours of interesting story, unusual gameplay mechanics and varied puzzles. [June 2012, p.71]

Fun and creative game that would work better on tablets. [06/2015, p.62]

Mech Land Assault proves that Avalanche’s designers have tons of ideas on how to make JC3’s total chaos even more total, but not enough resources to implement these ideas properly. [09/2016, p.45]

The game draws its inspirations from Hotline Miami but fails miserably. [10/2017, p.75]

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 It looks barely decent and its level design is obsolete (invisible walls!), but it turned out to be quite enjoyable, although in short sessions only.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.

The developers found a proper balance between different gameplay elements, so both raiding other players’ castles and preparing an automated defense of your own stronghold are fun. [06/2015, p.73]

A fun beat ‘em up wonderfully devoid of any deeper meaning. It’s one of those games you’ll forget about very quickly, but you’ll be playing it with a big smile. [11/2015, p.42]

It’s more a Mutant Year Zero’s cosplay of XCOM than a truly original game but it still offers somewhere between 10-20 hours of enticing tactical gameplay. [04/2020, p.62]

Without Activision at the helm and its policy on licensed games – done too quickly and too cheap – it could have been an epic adventure. [01/2015, p.80]

Neither minor bugs nor some questionable ideas change the fact that one thing was recreated perfectly in new SimCity – the addictive quality this series is known for. [CD-Action 04/2013, p.60]

The idea behind Gods Will Be Watching is not bad at all, the prototype was promising, the Kickstarter campaign was successful, but after 15 minutes of playing I was furious. Gods might be watching, but whether you live or die is decided by a random number generator, not them. [10/2014, p.60]

Cool graphics are the biggest strength of this modest platformer, because its gameplay is repetitive and essentially primitive. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.79]

Aragami 2 was released in an abysmal state. Tons of bugs and lame AI made it pretty much impossible for me to enjoy the two main improvements over the original game – increased focus on the co-op mode and enhanced character mobility. I was also disappointed by boring mission design, as the tasks I had to tackle made the impression as if RNG worked on them. [12/2021, p.56]

LotB drips with Maiden “mythology”, looks great and offers a decent gameplay, but becomes repetitive too fast and relies on grinding too much. [10/2016, p.71]

On the one hand we have beautiful visuals, distinct melancholic atmosphere, and an interesting backstory to uncover. On the other – mediocre combat, repetitive puzzles, slow pace, and various technical issues. It is definitely an enjoyable game though and I’m looking forward to Orbit Studio’s next title. [08/2021, p.72]

At first I reckoned this FMV game to be a sitcom similar to “Friends” or “How I Met Your Mother”. When I started playing it, I thought the only thing that was missing was the laugh track. Fortunately, Five Dates is much more than an interactive romantic comedy. The cast is very good, every girl you date is unique and building relationships with them turned out to be very refreshing and enjoyable even for an introvert like me. [02/2021, p.35]

Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator is a quirky, weird game with a great premise, but repetitive gameplay. It can be entertaining in small doses.

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

Kholat tries to be everything – a survival, a horror, a first person walker. It might have worked well if all those elements had been polished properly. [08/2015, p.66]

It’s the same game on PC and iOS, which explains its simplicity and low difficulty level. It just wasn’t designed to steal months of your life, but works great in short, relaxing sessions. [05/2015, p.64]

I really enjoy Lego games by Traveller’s Tales with their charm, humor and pop-cultural references. Minifigures Online however was created by Funcom and you can feel that the Norwegians just don’t understand why TT’s games appeal both to young and older gamers. What’s more, LMO is boring, rather ugly, full of bugs and dubious design choices. [09/2015, p.55]

Redeemer has its moments, but they are so scarce that the only thing that kept me going was my obligation to finish the game before reviewing it. [11/2017, p.48]

The only reason people paid attention to this mediocre game was its top-notch marketing which convinced us that Strafe is a worthy heir to the best shooters of the 90s. The truth is that its developers simply misunderstand their inspirations. [07/2017, p.52]

The Town of Light reminded me of similarly short and unpleasant Neverending Nightmares. Both games tried to tackle the subject of mental illnesses and both failed utterly. [07/2016, p.51]

Formula developed by Traveller’s Tales got old like 10 games ago and it’s hard not see Avengers as yet another sign of studio’s creative stagnation. [04/2016, p.46]

Dear Telltale, having to write this breaks my heart, but we cannot see each other again. Please don’t message me, please don’t call me to tell me about Bridget Jones: The Telltale Series (or whatever franchise you’ll turn into a primitive, derivative husk of a game in the future). I’d love to say it’s not you, it’s me, but... well, it’s you. [02/2017, p.54]

As a fan of the genre I hoped for improved nail'd but Mad Riders turned out to be worse in every aspect. [August 2012, p.78]

Warframe is worth your time, especially on PS4 with its limited array of games. [02/2014, p.56]

Irrespective of the platform, Kholat is a game full of extremities. Awesome aspect of navigating the area is squandered by invisible corridors resulting from main character’s restricted mobility. Powerful horror scenes are wasted in a story that’s just an empty shell. On a technical side I was disappointed that the game runs in 30 fps and sometimes noticeably stutters. [05/2016, p.63]

It’s just Clash of Clans redone to make some easy money. [11/2016, p.75]

A decent hybrid of genres but why is it so short? [CD-Action 04/2013, p.78]

The visuals are fantastic, but I was disappointed with the shallow, boring story and I grew annoyed with the gameplay. What upset me the most was the lack of scientific credibility in a game about scientists on a scientific space station (e.g. why do station modules separated by an explosion suddenly stop drifting apart!?). [06/2016, p.60]

The grand finale turned out to be not that grand. In fact, it’s the weakest game of the whole trilogy and definitely not a worthy sequel to the great second episode. [09/2015, p.52]

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

In some respects Forspoken is a truly modern game that ditches the past generation and its limitations. Sadly, it turned out to be no more than a beautiful foundation ultimately used to create a benchmark rather than a compelling experience. I greeted the end credits with some relief and I’ll remember this game mainly as a case of a criminally wasted potential.

The game’s setting and horror vibes are interesting and boss fights are decent but my overall impression of Hellpoint is that the developers got in over their heads. I don’t recommend it to anyone who still has other soulslikes to feast on. [10/2020, p.83]

Besides mildly satisfying swordplay (Grasshopper failed to come up with a really good combat system) Killer is Dead offered me nothing that could raise my blood pressure. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.60]

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York was an introduction to the World of Darkness, whereas Shadows of New York is a specific story with a predefined protagonist, that would allow the writers to really show their craft. And show their craft they did! I was falling asleep playing Coteries, but Shadows held me in its grip for 10 hours straight and finally convinced me that being a vampire is awesome. [11/2020, p.40]

Cat Café Manager is a casual tycoon where you run and expand, well, a cat café, which means keeping both the cats and the customers happy. The gameplay is simple and repetitive, but nonetheless engaging, however the developers should have refined aspects related to economy and staff management.

It’s just alright choice for a pizza evening with friends in front of a TV and console. [04/2020, p.74]

This crazy, controversial open-world mix of Postal and a geriatric GTA puts you in a role of a senior citizen who escapes from a care facility and starts wreaking havoc in a city that hates the elderly. It’s fun for a while, but over-the-top violence and exaggerated ragdoll get old pretty fast and what’s left are awful controls, outdated graphics, poor optimization and a bunch of various other flaws. [08/2021, p.59]

Instead of building on ACC: China’s formula, Climax Studios delivered more of the same, just more annoying. [03/2016, p.66]

King’s Bounty II boldly leads the series in a new direction and while it’s not perfect, I’d call this revolution a success. Instead of remaining a mindless Heroes of Might and Magic copy stripped of economy, the whole layer of exploration morphed into a traditional RPG – a crude, simplified and naïve in terms of the story, but still surprisingly enjoyable and charming. Turn-based combat lived to see some minor updates, but retained its spirit, which means it can be immensely fun. The first step was made, next time I want more of the same but with a much bigger budget. [11/2021, p.36]

Qasir Al-Wasat’s shallow story wastes the potential of the oriental setting and the stealth mechanics are very basic. [04/2016, p.42]

The game can be infuriating but I formed a weird attachment to it and retried time after time while mumbling profanities under my breath. [04/2017, p.45]

An addictive but mindless and unfunny game that I could only recommend as a time killer on mobile devices, because playing it on a PC is a pure waste of time. [04/2017, p.50]

Call of the Wild: The Angler offers vast, varied environments, as well as lots of equipment to chose from, but obviously is simplified in comparison to real fishing and devoid of its many subtleties. There are moments when the game is fun even despite some considerable flaws and the ridiculously limited multiplayer component, but as a whole it presents a quality level more befitting Early Access than a finished game.

The game is repetitive but its ingenious absurd humor can keep you in front of the screen. [October, p.73]

The End of the Sun could be the truly Slavic game that fans of Eastern European culture have been waiting for. Folk history, a realistic depiction of a bygone era, and objects scanned by photogrammetry - it may be a simple walking sim, but it is also a remarkable project of craftsmanship.

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

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]

It seems like the writers had solid ideas for the beginning and the end of – but not quite for the middle of the story. Ultimately it is very straightforward, lacks twists and false leads. [04/2020, p.60]

If we pretend that Battle Arena is not a part of The Witcher franchise and is not spreading its universe too thin, it’s a good mobile MOBA, very simplified though (one basic mode, two small maps, nine characters). [03/2014, p.65]

At first I had to force myself to play Has-Been Heroes, but gradually it convinced me that there’s a decent degree of depth under simple gameplay mechanics. [06/2017, p.61]

Fat Princess Adventures is cute and sometimes funny, but so shallow, repetitive and boring that I was fed up with it halfway through the 7-8 hour long campaign. [02/2016, p.55]

At the Gates would need another year of fixes in Early Access to be relevant. As of now it’s a true diamond which never got the chance to shine. [03/2019, p.71]

An interesting offer if you're looking for a game suitable for short sessions – longer ones will get boring. [1/2013, p.69]

The narrative part of this ‘stealth Darkest Dungeon’ is a pleasant surprise – with strong characters, a dark Victorian western vibe and lots of references to Lovecraft’s works. [05/2020, p.84]

I was surprised to discover that the reedition of the first, 8-bit Fire Emblem is not just a disappointing history lesson. Of course, this NES-era classic is ugly, outdated and rough in many aspects, but it’s still very engaging. It also shows that although the series grew significantly over the years, it managed to retain its overall feel. [02/2021, p.38]

It seems like the high quality of the first Lords of Shadow was accidental, because the sequel looks like three different games unskillfully stitched together. The beginning is great, but then suddenly the pace is gone, making room for long, boring cut-scenes (telling an extremely stupid story) and annoying, unnecessary stealth elements. [03/2014, p.50]

It’s not the worst RPG in the world, but it’s far from the best. The numerous bugs and cut content are a real letdown, but fans of the series will still find something to enjoy here.

I like games that let me know that what I do matters or at least build a believable illusion of my indispensability. The Order: 1886 did not need me at all. It seems it was made by people who would rather do movies than games and the player is a hindrance for them. When it becomes available for free on PS Plus though, it will be worth downloading because it looks great and offers 5-6 hours of decent, even if derivative fun. [04/2015, p.60]

A new quick and satisfying campaign that will keep you occupied for 10 hours on a smaller map limited to 18 provinces of Gaul and Britain. [02/2014, p.57]

Alone in the Dark is a mid-tier title that successfully blends together elements of survival horror and adventure games, dripping with atmosphere but full of discouraging bugs. If you’re able to turn a blind eye to the noticeably limited development budget of this reboot, it can be really enjoyable.

When Wheels of Aurelia pretends to be a driving game, it’s an unwitting parody with awful collision detection. When it tries to be an adventure game, the choices it offers are too limited and shallow to be meaningful. [13/2016, p.65]

Puzzle Agent 2 combines brilliant story and clever puzzles – and that's the Holy Grail of adventure games. It does, however, recycle some of the challenges from its predecessor. [August 2011, p.50]

Simply put, Bethesda showed us how not to port mobile games to big platforms. Fallout Shelter formula just does not fit PC gaming. [10/2016, p.53]

Set in atmospheric Chicago in 1920s, Empire of Sin puts you in a role of a crime boss aiming to become the biggest fish in the underworld. It borrows from many genres and all its intertwined gameplay mechanics (business management, RPG elements, turn-based combat that bears a striking resemblance to the XCOM series) are deep enough to create an engaging experience that requires constant attention. Apart from shallow diplomacy and unsophisticated enemy AI, Empire of Sin’s problem is that while it was skillfully put together from tried-and-true components, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. [02/2021, p.56]

I see this game as a tech demo of a good physics engine that can be put to a sensible use in some bigger project. The only thing you'll remember having played through Hydrophobia is that water played it's part brilliantly. [June 2011, p.66]

It’s a decent DLC, but also a redundant one. Shadow of War’s core gameplay is still entertaining, but Blade of Galadriel offers merely around three hours of new story content and no side activities apart from killing captains for legendary gear, which is moderately engaging pastime. [04/2018, p.74]

If Bloodlines 2 had changed its title, been shortened by half, and had its combat cut down, I might have looked at it more favorably. Unfortunately, we got a game that was disappointing in every way and simply insulting to the legendary original.

Unique style and return to the roots of stealth games – Big Robot’s game promises a lot. And it delivers at first, but quickly reveals all its cards and becomes tediously repetitive. I was also annoyed by the fact that you can only save in specific points of the island, so death often means losing half an hour of progress. [07/2014, p.66]

A generic action game that can be really funny at times (if boob jokes are your type if humour) and has some enjoyable moments. If you’re a Deadpool fan and you find this game at a discount price or borrow it from a friend, I will not discourage you form playing it. Otherwise – meh. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.52]

In my opinion only masochists could possibly enjoy this game with its horrible AI, annoying micromanagement, chaotic battles and absurd difficulty level. [12/2016, p.60]

In comparison to beautiful, fluid, rich Forza Motorsport 6 Assetto Corsa seems amateurish and I see no point in wasting time on looking for its alleged awesomeness when every platform offers at least one better racing game. [11/2016, p.66]

It’s an likable little thing, but I see no point in playing it on PC. Crush Your Enemies was obviously designed for mobile gaming and its short skirmishes work better on the go. [09/2016, p.45]

The Tiny Bang Story is something between a traditional point'n'click and a 'hidden object' type of game. It's biggest flaw is its length. It can be completed in 2 hours and although every puzzle enthusiast will find this time enjoyable, you have to decide whether such a short adventure is worth your buck. [July 2011, p.81]

If you're one of those flagellants that see games not as an entertainment but rather as a challenge and a test of character, this simple fighting game will abuse you just the way you enjoy. [10/2012, p.78]

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]

The recipe for the Warriors games almost hasn’t changed for years. And that’s perfectly fine. [10/2015, p.76]

Very simple and repetitive, not much more than a game jam experiment. [04/2016, p.41]

Shallow, boring and ugly as sin. [07/2016, p.67]

It’s one of those little indie games that rely on an interesting concept. Illusion’s bargaining chip are its environmental puzzles. Just like in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, you have to manipulate the character and the camera until the elements of the environment come together to create the symbol you’re looking for. The puzzles are creative, but the camera sometimes hindered my attempts to find the solution. That’s Illussion’s biggest flaw, smaller being arcade elements that seem forced into the game. What makes Illusion really worth your time is its unique artistic direction. [08/2018, p.78]

Curved Space is a visually impressive twin-stick shooter with a twist in the form of an unusual level design. First impressions were great, but the game lacks a spark that would keep me glued to the screen for hours. It’s splashy but not addictive. [09/2021, p.34]

Combat in Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites is enjoyable, heroine’s moveset surprised me with its broadness, and varied menagerie of monsters frequently forced me to change my tactics. Sadly, annoying platforming sections with frustrating difficulty spikes drag the game down. [12/2021, p.71]

The developers said out loud that Goat Simulator is not worth buying unless you come across their game on some sale. And they are right. [05/2014, p.69]

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

Complexity of gameplay mechanics and really decent immersion make up for the game’s repetitiveness and very slow pace. Despite its flaws I spent almost 20 hours with Take On Mars and didn’t even notice when all that time flew by. [04/2017, p.43]

Not only is Brawl boring and tedious, but a sudden difficulty spike almost made me smash the controller against the wall. [08/2015, p.63]

Crytek’s game fails to differentiate itself from other free-to-play shooters. I find Ghost Recon Online, Warframe and even PlanetSide 2 more interesting. [01/2014, p.68]

Intriguing visuals, great music and an interesting concept. Unfortunately Trauma is too short for its price and shallow – no matter how hard I tried, I was unable to see any deeper meaning to this story. [Sept 2011, p.68]

WRC 5 is surprisingly good for a studio’s debut in the rally games genre but it’s pretty obvious that the developer ran out of time and money too fast. [13/2015, p.39]

If Skydive’s flight ends in a bargain bin, you can give it a try. Otherwise there are so many great games to play. [13/2013, p.71]