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]

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]

The developers should be ashamed to put Manhunter in their portfolio. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.58]

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]

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]

Bethesda’s games were never perfect but they made up for their flaws with a promise of a grand adventure. It’s not different this time – Dragonborn reminds us why we loved Skyrim. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.54]

Miasmata is a bold game, sometimes innovative, sometimes crude and irritating.[CD-Action 02/2013, p.52]

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]

Do stealth games have to be so slow? Stealth Bastard Deluxe has an answer – no, they don’t! Well, you can argue whether it’s a real stealth game or rather a platformer but the important part is that it’s very addictive and well-balanced. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.49]

As a Suda51’s game Black Knight Sword had to be odd. The problem is that its weirdness feels forced and the gameplay itself is very simple. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.49]

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]

For some reason jRPG and Ghibli did not click as superbly as one could hope for. Instead of expected perfection Ni no Kuni is just a very good game. But should we really complain about that? [CD-Action 02/2013, p.46]

It has a low budget feel to it but decent length of the campaign and low price combined with deficit of similar games make A Game of Dwarves worth your time. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.44]

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]

What a great start to the year! First big premiere already brought us a thrilling game that raised the bar for other contenders for the action game of 2013 title. Ninja Theory did a fantastic job revitalizing the series and I hope Dante stays with them for years to come. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.36]

This is not a product for a typical gamer and has plenty of shortcomings but it does fit lazy afternoons pretty well. But on the other hand so does blowing into ocarina… [1/2013, p.74]

Cognition feels like some old game by Sierra and this is its biggest strength. [1/2013, p.72]

Out of three recently released karting games – other two being F1 Racing Stars and LittleBigPlanet Karting – this is the best one, especially if you look at them through the eyes of a real gamer. [1/2013, p.70]

In terms of story, puzzles and length Deponia 2 outmatched its predecessor and the ending raises hopes for an equally great finale. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.69]

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

Simplified contextual controls and overall polish make WWE '13 fast, dynamic and fluent. The number of graphical glitches during fights was considerably reduced and the fighting system is still deep enough to keep things interesting. [1/2013, p.68]

It's been ages since I wasted 5 hours so pointlessly. I felt like a victim of an exceptionally malicious prank. [1/2013, p.67]

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]

Worth checking out, especially if you're interested not only in racing with your kid on split screen, but also in tackling the powerful but not very friendly editor. [1/2013, p.65]

A creative way to use the F1 license – F1 Race Stars is Codemasters' variation on Super Mario Kart. Unfortunately the outcome is merely okay. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.64]

A memorable game with a superb, deep story that forces you to make tough decisions and live with them. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.62]

Boss battles are tedious and companion's AI is disastrous (which might explain why the puzzles are so basic and repetitive – that dumb rabbit probably wouldn't handle anything more elaborate). And it's not really a game for kids because on occasion it's rather difficult (partly due to abysmal jumping mechanics). Each time I put the controller aside after playing this painfully generic game, I was tired and bored. And I hated my job a little. [1/2013, p.60]

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]

The feeling of potencythat grips you when you storm through the map alongside hundreds of your allies is one of a kind. Neither Call of Duty nor Battlefield can provide you with this impression of taking part in something grand. [1/2013, p.56]

The Enhanced Edition enchanted me the same way the original Baldur's Gate did almost 15 years ago. I'm very grateful to Overhaul Games for bringing this feeling back. [1/2013, p.54]

Although it's hard not to appreciate the story (the line between the good and the evil was never this thin in any previous Assassin's Creed) numerous technical issues prevent you from forgetting it's just a game. In addition controls are not very intuitive and low resolution textures occur far too often. Still it's definitely worth playing. [1/2013, p.52]

Primordia's intentionally outdated looks prove that the story (including atmosphere and puzzles) is still the most important element of a point'n'click adventure game. [1/2013, p.48]

Gameplay mechanics are very basic but the most important thing is that they are solid and don't get in the way of enjoying Family Guy's distinctive humour – and the game is full of it. [1/2013, p.47]

One of the most original and addictive platformers I've ever played. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.46]

The best, the most interesting and the most elaborate entry to the series. Engine's limitations are more visible than ever before but it doesn't change the fact that Traveller's Tales once again managed to deliver an enjoyable game chock-full of content. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.44]

It offers a very good story and vast freedom of action and lets you dispose of enemies in various, often sophisticated ways. But there's more – tropical islands with their intriguing mysteries, superb acting, crafting, additional challenges and broad possibilities of character development. This game is everything Far Cry 2 was supposed to be. [CD-Action 1/2013, p.38]

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

Double Dragon Neon can be very frustrating, because it's unforgiving, fighting mechanics are a bit clumsy and the main character is sluggish. That's how you played games back in the day. Fortunately you don't have to anymore. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.79]

The idea behind Lucius was promising, but it's obvious that it's Shiver Games' first project – all of its elements are botched to some extent. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.78]

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]

Huge pixels, old school top-down perspective, 8-bit animation and choice of colours convincingly recreate the mood of 1989 – the year Hotline Miami's story takes place in. Fortunately there's also plenty of excellent, unconventional and engaging fun for mature gamers. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.76]

Tryst is a bad joke, a clickfest designed probably with eSports in mind, but so abysmal that no one will bother with it. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.75]

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]

'An ambitious story' turned out to be a compilation of clichés realized in a trivial way and dragged down by laughable combat, linearity and overall poor quality. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.73]

In terms of gameplay RCR is rather simple, but it's a wonderful voyage to the land of classic games – all main missions are inspired by at least one oldie and there are plenty of references to both retro gaming and popular culture of the 1980s. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.72]

It's not an appropriate tribute to one of the greatest icons of popular culture. It's a little abomination conceived out of love for money. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.68]

More of an artistic experiment than a real game. Its visuals are beautiful and it offers various gameplay mechanics but none of them is particularly engaging. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.67]

As far as I remember it's the most sluggish hack'n'slash I've played in last five years. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.66]

King's Bounty is still very enjoyable and addictive but it's hard not to notice that the series keeps running round in circles. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.64]

An interesting medieval action game with a very good combat system (except for a rather primitive mounted combat) which is more refined than its counterpart in Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.62]

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]

The prettiest, most interesting and funniest point'n'click adventure game of the last couple of years. It would be a mortal sin to miss out on it. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.60]

Combat requires precision but Kinect can't keep up with the player and the more annoyed you become, the more nervous and ineffective are your actions. The same applies to driving your wagon. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.59]

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 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]

Sports Interactive did not exactly hit the bulls-eye with their latest experiments – The Classic and Challenge modes – but the rest of the game is even more ingenious and addictive than last year. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.56]

Most Wanted works best when you treat it like mobile games – switch it on for 15 minutes, do a random race with a random car and then turn it off. It's a good arcade racing title closely resembling Burnout: Paradise but it's not exceptional. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.52]

Creative Assembly was searching for their own formula for a slasher but kinda got lost along the way. Viking can be fun but calling it a 'Nordic God of War' would be an exaggeration. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.50]

The only thing that this wonderful shooter lacks is some distinctive mark left by the new developer. However what they managed to create is a game you could call 'the best of Halo'. Additionally it rocks in multiplayer and pushes X360's capability in a way that probably even the console's designers find surprising. [13/2012, p.46]

In terms of technology it's not so fresh anymore, but the rest is really likeable. Thanks to the necessity of making choices (some of which are 'hidden' and not obvious) this time I didn't feel like a puppet in the hands of the writers and the multiplayer is amazing. [13/2012, p.42]

There is only one thing missing in Origins: a coin slot. If you're willing to reminisce about the good old days of arcade gaming, this is a great opportunity to do it.[CD-Action 13/2012, p.36]

Due to unreliable scripts and other technical issues, bland and chaotic storytelling and stupid AI I played Warfighter strictly out of obligation and not for fun. Decent (but unbalanced) multiplayer is not enough to put other label than 'mediocre' on a game that was supposed to be a major hit. [13/2012, p.36]

Absolution throws down the gauntlet –it's difficult but extremely rewarding and never malicious or unfair. It offers great freedom, looks terrific and is packed with huge number of optional tasks and challenges. I spent 15 hours with Hitman but that's just a beginning – I'll be definitely coming back for more. [13/2012, p.30]

ETS2 has its shortcomings – there's no visual representation of truck's damage, no snow and ice, cities are laughably small – but if you like to rest while watching the road unravel before your eyes, you won't find a better game. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.70]

It's not scary, but it has tons of moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat. [11/2012, p.70]

It's not only one of the best looking free-to-play games, but also one of the most interesting and satisfying. [11/2012, p.67]

A fast, demanding shooter with a huge potential for the future. It's basically CS: Source, but the maps are more polished and the game looks better. [11/2012, p.64]

Distinctive humour, fantastic graphics, tons of weapons and an unconventional world – there's simply no other game like Borderlands 2. What ails me is that a lot of minor flaws could have been fixed with a small amount of work. [12/2012, p.56]

It seems even the developers themselves didn't want this game on computers – quality of the PC port of this wonderful game is pathetic. [11/2012, p.55]

An almost perfect MMO game and the first one in years that had the guts to drop outdated, 'tried and true' means and replaced them with new, fresh ideas. [11/2012, p.46]

This 2D platformer looks and feels like it was sold on floppies two decades ago. It's fun, but there's no real thought behind this game. [12/2012, p.89]

New game by Angry Birds developer Rovio puts more emphasis on creative thinking and less on dexterity and is equally addictive. [12/2012, p.89]

Clearly some people think that it's enough to hop on the indie bandwagon to make a buck. Don't waste your time on Colour Bind. [12/2012, p.88]

It still drips with style, but in terms of gameplay this return to the past is rather painful. [12/2012, p.87]

Garshasp's only advantage is its price, but the time you would waste on this weak game is much more valuable. [12/2012, p.87]

Despite all the flaws (e.g. AI's very poor path-finding) I had warm feelings for Carrier Command, even if it did test my patience a couple of times. [12/2012, p.84]

In terms of gameplay design, difficulty level and visuals it's a true indie game. But once you get over this fact, it's a great mix of spaceship simulation and a roguelike. [12/2012, p.83]

Of all hack'n'slashes I played this year – including Diablo III – Torchlight II is the best one and it costs an equivalent of just one act of its biggest rival. [12/2012, p.80]

A failure. A tragedy. A nightmare. Everything went wrong in this game and it's one of the worst I've ever played. [12/2012, p.78]

The most impressive thing about this 2D stealth game is that majority of problems can be solved in various ways depending on your playing style – you don't have to kill anyone. Klei Entertainment (known for two installments of Shank) managed to design a game that rewards not only patience and quick reactions, but also creativity. [12/2012, p.77]

If ten years ago, when I told my parents I want to learn to play guitar, I had had a choice between a 15W practice amp and this game, I would have chosen Rocksmith. [12/2012, p.74]

I must admit that Blizzard learns from its mistakes – Mists of Pandaria is much better than Cataclysm. For the first time in ages I'm having fun playing WoW. [12/2012, p.70]

A free game that lets you relive Half-Life without having to stomach outdated visuals. Essential to every gamer. [12/2012, p.69]

Secret Files 3 will suit the taste of every traditional point'n'click games lover, not just fans of the series. Two basic elements – a well told story and reasonably designed puzzles – are very well executed here. [12/2012, p.68]

Despite introduction of micro-transactions and the lack of a proper tutorial NBA 2K13 is a must-have for every basketball fan. [12/2012, p.66]

The only thing I regret is that Forza Horizon is only available on X360, a platform that doesn't have a decent steering wheel. Still if I had to choose three games to take with me to desert island, two of them would be Forzas – the latest Motorstorm and the new boundless Horizon. [12/2012, p.64]

Dishonored could well have been the fourth installment of the Thief series, but there are also traces of BioShock and Half-Life 2 here and there. If you compare it to these paragons it's a bit disappointing, but it still shines among this year's games. [12/2012, p.60]

It's been years since we were treated to such a thrilling detective story in a game. It's the best point'n'click title by Frogwares. [12/2012, p.58]

Andy Davidson (the original Worms creator) returned to help refresh the series. It didn't really work out the way it should have – Revolution is not what I was hoping to see. [12/2012, p.57]

A solid game that failed to reach the level of the wonderful, more complex original from 1994. The 'just one more mission syndrome' is still very strong though. [12/2012, p.54]

If you're loyal to Pro Evolution Soccer series you got used to its various shortcomings and you will be pleased with the 2013 edition – it's the best one yet. But today choosing PES over FIFA is like watching a match in the second division instead of the Champions League final. [12/2012, p.52]

Take all the beauty of football, all its unpredictability and all emotions it carries, boil it down and what you get is roughly FIFA 13. It's the best, the richest simulation of football ever created. [12/2012, p.48]

Driving a Formula 1 car in F1 2012 is more pleasant than ever. Developers dealt with problems that infested the previous edition two years ago but flaws of various calibers are present and prevented me from rating this game higher. Still it's the most accessible Formula 1 simulation ever. [12/2012, p.44]

When I finished this curious remake ('the best of Painkiller' suits this game better) all the flaws that I jotted down and that annoyed me ceased to matter. There's something charming in this simplicity. [12/2012, p.42]

My first thought was: 'Sweet Jesus, who would like to play a game like this now?'. Two hours and a couple hundred laps later I was wandering how something this primitive can be so addictive. [10/2012, p.78]

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]

I really recommend you play this game and see for yourself that an online shooter does not have to be a Call of Duty clone. [10/2012, p.76]

I could go on and on about Bullet Run's shortcomings but instead I'll just advise you not to bother with this game. [10/2012, p.75]