Similarly to Resident Evil 4 back in the day, Village will attract a new generation of players and redefine the franchise for the modern age. I guess it’s time to stop looking back and counting on the series to return to its roots. Capcom is well aware of those roots and willingly draws from them to create something new but still infused with Resident Evil’s spirit. Village is not perfect, but neither was RE4, and once again it’s easy to turn a blind eye to the flaws, because overall it’s an amazing game. [07/2021, p.56]

A free game that lets you relive Half-Life without having to stomach outdated visuals.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

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]

Vessel of Hatred is better than the basic Diablo IV. The game has been overhauled in many aspects, making gameplay more rhytmic and dynamic. However, there are still some elements that need polishing, and Blizzard – aware that most people play alone – introduces mandatory multiplayer.

We got used to developers promising huge worlds to explore, but there’s no other game where the world is so overwhelmingly vast. I honestly don’t know how much time you have to invest in Xenoblade Chronicles X to see everything this game has to offer. [02/2016, p.60]

A great shoot ‘em up born of passion for the genre. [01/2014, p.63]

The developers decided not to tamper with core gameplay and most of the additions they introduced feel forced and water down the experience instead of enhancing it. It’s a solid platformer but it failed to surpass the original Guacamelee! [11/2018, p.84]

Requiring creativity and spatial imagination, this puzzle game draws you in from the very first minutes. If only it told its story better and dared to be more difficult and bolder, it would be nearly perfect.

I parted with Soma with the same feeling that came over me while I was watching “Matrix”, “Interstellar” or “Inception”. Once again someone came up with something no one thought of before and took me for an amazing ride into the unknown. [12/2015, p.40]

Every time I recall my favourite scenes from Grim Fandango I’m flabbergasted by how much life the developers breathed into their story about the land of the dead. It’s just throbbing with energy and creativity and it’s one of the most spectacular games I’ve ever come across. [03/2014, p.60]

As a person who was raised on Age of Empires I was satisfied with every aspect of the remake. Small missteps didn’t spoil the fun and the addition of new nations only deepened my love for the series. [01/2020, p.82]

With the way it combines genres, Spiritfarer simply shouldn’t work – and yet it works perfectly! It offers a varied and engaging gameplay, introduces you to fleshed-out characters, sounds and looks really good, and has plenty of content. While the story of a girl who takes up Charon’s duties of carrying souls into the afterlife tackles death without needless pathos and affirms life, it does not lack touching moments. [11/2020, p.66]

The old guard sent us a beautiful postcard from the year 1987 and I don’t hesitate to announce that Thimbleweed Park features Gilbert’s best script in at least two decades. [05/2017, p.66]

After terrible first couple of hours Fallout 4 pulled itself together and ultimately was almost as fun as The Witcher 3. There’s a huge chasm between these two games in terms of technology (F4 looks like a X360 game), but their open worlds are equally good and Bethesda did a better job with crafting. [01/2016, p.42]

John Carpenter and Ron Gilbert can be proud of Dave Lloyd. The Drifter is a successful combination of retro point'n'click and 1980s sci-fi horror - and how paradoxically fresh and modern it all is.

It’s been a long time since any game offered me such an engaging challenge and rewarded with so much satisfaction. [10/2014, p.62]

In my personal ranking The Binding of Isaac joined Limbo and Frozen Synapse, thus completing the podium for the this year's best indie games. [December 2011, p.82]

A better polished, expanded and more interesting incarnation of Trine. Plus it demands more thinking than the first game, gives you more freedom in solving puzzles and is the most gorgeous platformer out there. [February 2012, p.52]

Child of Eden is an abstract interactive music video trying to induce the state of synesthesia. This significant journey is short though – all the game's 'worlds' can be discovered in two hours. It's hard for me to recommend the game to anyone but dance music enthusiasts who are additionally able to hear red C-sharp vibrate hypnotically. [June 2011, p.83]

A frustratingly difficult game that I couldn’t get enough of. [10/2017, p.59]

Doesn’t tire with repetitiveness and doesn’t irritate with illogical consequences of our choices. It’s fun in small doses, but on a PC monitor – if we give it our full attention – it gets wearisome after fifteen minutes. [13/2018, p.63]

I may be some nine years late to this party but I’ll reiterate the opinions of countless reviewers before me – To the Moon is a writing excellence and most of all – a truly unique experience. [03/2020, p.64]

There’s no passion in this game, no risk, no surprises. It’s a product developed by skilled specialists, not by visionaries. It offers decent fun but does not leave a mark. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.52]

By rebuilding the animation system the developers managed to significantly improve footballers’ responsiveness, which results in more fluent gameplay and lets you perform tighter maneuvers. That makes attacking a real joy, but in my opinion turned defense into frustrating chore that requires too much precision. [12/2017, p.42]

Super Mario RPG is a creative and very accessible take on the RPG formula. You’ll traverse many lands and fight tons of battles to save the kingdom, while enjoying a hefty dose of light humor. If you’re looking for unwavering positive vibes, you will definitely find them here.

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]

In some respects Prodeus pretty much seems to be a clone of the very first Doom, but it imitates the legend ridiculously well, because the guys from Bounding Box Software perfectly understand the pillars of id Software’s success. Their game is fast and satisfying, old school and modern at the same time, sounds great and looks even better.

Just like Theme Hospital two decades ago, Two Point Hospital doesn’t take the whole medical stuff seriously, which makes it fun and accessible, but despite all the giggles it still is a simulation deep enough to satisfy those more demanding. [11/2018, p.62]

In terms of the story and exploration it’s still DmC, but look at the rebalanced combat and you’ll see the good old DMC. [05/2015, p.78]

Dozens of hours of hacking and slashing done so well and so addictive that you could swear it’s Blizzard’s game. [05/2016, p.56]

The shield and melee weapons haven't changed the character of Doom, it's still fast, furious and brutal. Despite my initial misgivings, The Dark Ages swept me away completely, which I particularly appreciate given that Eternal is, in my opinion, one of the weakest instalments in the series.

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

I’m almost completely immune to horror games – they just don’t scare me. From time to time an exception from this rule happens and Detention is one of those exceptions. First half of the game expertly blends heavy, unsettling atmosphere with occasional jump scares and it’s a shame that the second half can’t keep up. If you enjoy being scared and don’t mind an excessively convoluted story with a moderately satisfying ending, give Detention a try. [03/2017, p.53]

Black Ops 6 is a Call of Duty unlike any other: smarter, longer, better thought out, offering far more options and playing with all sorts of genres. A successful redemption after the flop that was Modern Warfare III.

Chris Nordgren and Jordi Roca created something unique and delightful. Everhood’s music-based combat system is absolutely brilliant in its simplicity and addictive as hell, the soundtrack is stellar, and I enjoyed the surreal atmosphere and the story which often breaks the fourth wall. It’s a gem you should definitely play. [05/2021, p.30]

It's a fantastic, addictive economic strategy at its best that you have to try. Pefect for long winter evenings. [January 2012, p.50]

Third god perspective freshens up the MOBA genre but its potential was not fully utilized (e.g. you can jump, but there’s nowhere to jump to). Smite makes up for that with varied game modes and accessibility to inexperienced or casual players. [06/2014, p.58]

If you’ve already played Square Enix Montreal’s previous game, Hitman GO, their take on Lara’s adventures will not surprise you. It’s a simple but addictive and satisfying puzzle game that would work equally great without Lara. [11/2015, p.65]

Omega Force’s crossover between Persona and the Warriors series is a breath of fresh air for both franchises. It’s not a revelation by any means and not a great sequel to Persona 5 in terms of the story, but despite rather uninteresting content in between missions and the scantiness of additional activities, it’s a good, varied game that’s simply enjoyable. [04/2021, p.36]

Wow, what a strange phenomenon – a free mobile game based on a movie is much better than the movie itself. [11/2016, p.73]

Sometimes you need to take a step back to move forward – yes, it’s a platitude, but that’s exactly what happened with Valkyria Chronicles 4. Forget about Valkyria Revolution. The latest entry in the series goes back to the roots and reminds us why the first Valkyria Chronicles stole our hearts a decade ago. The developers restrained themselves from making unwelcome changes and if they decided to alter something, they did it wisely. [12/2018, p.80]

With its atmosphere, brilliantly written characters, action-packed missions skillfully set in the open world, and multitude of side activities, Red Dead Redemption can still rival games released years (and console generations) later. I recommend it even to those who don’t much care for the Wild West setting.

An adaptation of a board game that looks a bit infantile, but despite the seemingly trivial rules really makes you flex that mental muscle. If you appreciate puzzle games, you’ve come to the right place. If you have young children, Quilts and Cats of Calico will work great as family entertainment. If on top of that you also love cats, you will be purring with contentment.

A trip to the vast Crystal Desert is worth every penny if you’re mainly into PvE (the new maps are one-time affairs though due to lack of meta events), but it does not offer much to those who prefer PvP or WvW. [13/2017, p.44]

Hellblade can disappoint you with repetitive puzzles, linear structure and the fact that it was stripped down to most basic, indispensable mechanics. But Hellblade is not about gameplay. It’s about darkness and fear and despair. The emotional weight of this game is unbearable. Forget about The Last of Us, To the Moon or Telltale’s The Walking Dead. Hellblade is soul-crushing in a way I never thought a game could be. Remember Requiem for a Dream? That’s what Hellblade does to you. I will NEVER forget Ninja Theory’s masterpiece. [10/2017, p.38]

The new installment introduces a lot of changes, but does not depart from the atmosphere of the previous entries to the series. It’s an excellent turn-based strategy that offers not only an engaging campaign, but also graphics unmatched across the genre. The only thing Age of Wonders 4 needs, are improvements to the multiplayer, as right now it doesn't work great.

At first glance Blasphemous 2 may look just like its predecessor, but it offers much more content and significantly improved gameplay. It’s a polished, addictive metroidvania that every fan of the genre should play.

The Robot Entertainment crew didn't try to create anything original here but managed to combine the tried and true elements surprisingly well. [November 2011, p.57]

One of the best RPG games for 3DS. [03/2014, p.77]

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

It was a risky decision to drop the single player campaign and focus on multiplayer, including battle royale, which seemed like a cynical attempt to jump on the bandwagon. I’m a bit surprised to say that Treyarch did truly great. Black Ops 4 is one of the best online games of 2018 – its shooting mechanics are wonderful, Blackout (the aforementioned take on battle royale) is top-notch and the Zombies mode drifts towards... action RPG. [12/2018, p.78]

Papetura is a cute, very short gem that’s genuinely a joy to look at, to listen to, and to play. [07/2021, p.50]

As expected, Splatoon 3 is a terrific game. It’s addictive, its core concept is still brilliant, the story mode turned out to be surprisingly good and there are some minor overall improvements. If you haven’t played two previous entries to the series, you should definitely add something to the score. The disappointing thing is, five years were not enough for the developers to stir the old paint properly and for me Splatoon 3 often felt more like a DLC than a full-fledged sequel.

I was pleased with Mankind Divided. I had to play it in long, intense sessions to meet the deadline and I wasn’t tired of it even for a minute. The new Deus Ex is not a breakthrough in any respect, but all the great qualities of the previous game are here and they still work great. [10/2016, p.34]

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]

Despite being a spin-off, Judgment firmly stands on its own two feet, offering a great story, immensely fun combat and the usual truckload of cool side stories and engaging activities scattered around Kamurocho. The main plot line has some pacing issues and the detective mechanics are shallow, but you should definitely give this game a try, even if you don’t care much for the Yakuza series. [07/2021, p.68]

The game is dripping with pathos, but I couldn’t invest myself emotionally in it, because it all just feels fake. [01/2015, p.42]

This might be the most suggestive vision of hell I’ve ever seen in a game, both repulsive and entrancing. [05/2016, p.69]

Strange Horticulture is a puzzle game where you identify plants and mushrooms for the clients of your herbal store and explore the map following the clues. It’s a game for you if you don’t mind staring at one screen or browsing a swelling botanical handbook – especially if you enjoyed Potion Craft.

Brume Tower is less claustrophobic than Shulva and the second DLC did a much better job convincing me to revisit Drangleic and its surroundings than the first one. [Nov 2014, p.73]

The game is as well-designed and polished as the original Don’t Starve, but of course your reception of Together depends on who you play it with. [07/2016, p.65]

I have no clue how Villa Gorilla came up with an idea to combine a platformer with a pinball (was there a hat full of cards with genres on them involved?) but it works like a charm. Instead of jumping you use numerous flippers, which fit into the game world surprisingly well along with other elements that usually belong on the pinball table. In addition to being super fun to play Yoku’s Island Express looks and sounds great and is one of the most charming games I’ve come across. I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. [08/2018, p.77]

If you want to travel back in time to the period when adventure games posed a clever challenge, you won’t find a better game to do so. Epiphany is the best game in the series, so I’m genuinely sad there won’t be a follow-up. [06/2014, p.64]

Anno 1800 is a stellar strategy game and while the Console Edition has some flaws (e.g. large interface windows cluttering the screen, some technical issues, the lack of major expansions available on PC), they’re not so annoying as to suck the fun out of the experience. However, it seems the PS5 and Xbox version of the game was developed with novices rather than veterans of the series in mind. Regardless, I enjoyed my time with Anno 1800 Console Edition very much.

It’s more a fitness suite than game but it’s the ‘game’ part that draws the players in – and does it quite well. Right now it might be the best invitation for the players to get up from the couch and just move. [02/2020, p.60]

As a remake, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is a bit disappointing, because in terms of graphics it only reached the level of NieR Automata, which means it doesn’t look great. The content, however, is still brilliant. It’s an amazing adventure you must experience. [06/2021, p.36]

A psychedelic, brilliant whodunit, brimming with even more crazily creative minigames and impossible to forget. [07/2016, p.68]

Saying that Two Point Campus is loads of fun would be an understatement. Its developers have learned from previous mistakes (very few, I might add, as Two Point Hospital is still great) and created a game that deserves a magna cum laude distinction – genuinely amusing, very pretty and hugely enjoyable.

An idea to mix jRPG with Minecraft was a wild one, but it works surprisingly well. What drags DQB down is its excessive simplicity in terms of quests, story and combat. It would be a great game to play with a child, but sadly it lacks co-op. [13/2016, p.69]

A great, naturalistic alternative to Anno, though it doesn't quite reach the level of the greatest strategy games.

It’s still the same brilliant game but this time available on a console that you can take anywhere with you. I expected more, but it turned out that it’s enough for me. [09/2017, p.54]

Stray is a melancholic game that tells a simple story about a cat lost in a world of robots pretending to be humans. The feeling of solitude is magnified by nostalgic music that captures the mood of the moment well and beautiful environments cloaked in twilight. I liked the cat’s perspective and enjoyed snooping around the underground city, but weird jump mechanics made exploring a bit harder than it should be.

The new version of Observer goes beyond a visual touch up and offers some gameplay improvements along with a splash of new story content (additional small investigations). And that’s fine, but did we really need a remaster of a game released three years ago? [01/2021, p.35]

Despite a bit of self-plagiarism and some laziness on the part of the developers, World of Goo 2 tries to earn the title of a full-fledged sequel and… almost succeeds, because the goo is still as entertaining as it was years ago. I look forward to future new installments. Because there will be new installments, right? Right?!

There are a lot of seemingly dissonant notes in The Song of Life, but from this chaos arises one of the best written open world games of this generation, a great technological foundation for upcoming Yakuzas and a beautiful farewell to Kazuma Kiryu. [05/2018, p.38]

A tasty but ultimately low-calorie addition to the excellent Kirby and the Forgotten World.

The game follows in her predecessor’s footsteps, but many new ideas for puzzles, unique environments and creepy scenes make it a fresh, engaging and surprising experience from start to finish. Everything that worked well in the original Little Nightmares now packs twice the punch. [04/2021, p.60]

I am not a hard core MMORPG fan, but this is exactly how I envisioned an online Final Fantasy game and I am delighted with it. [CD-Action 11/2013, p.62]

In a nutshell, Destiny 2 for PC is the same outstanding game we played on consoles, but even more enjoyable thanks to spectacular visuals, masterful optimization and much more suitable controls. [13/2017, p.75]

Mobile version of WoT remains a wildly satisfying F2P game that requires skill rather than deep pockets. [10/2014, p.68]

Age of Mythology: Retold is a classic RTS in modern clothing. It works, looks and sounds very good, and most of all it is a lot of fun thanks to an interesting campaign, a mythological setting and diverse pantheons to choose from. It’s a perfect example of the fact that some games are truly timeless and sometimes all it takes to create an excellent remake is a small touch-up.

Despite the top-down view DarkMaus stays too close to Dark Souls and it’s obvious that the developer is not interested in telling stories, but I’m still really impressed by what he managed to achieve on his own. [05/2016, p.43]

A solid, enjoyable hero shooter, varied and polished. Yes, it does have a lot of Overwatch DNA, but in some areas it’s more advanced than Blizzard’s game (e.g. wide range of adjustments you can make to adapt your character to your playing style) and it’s free. [08/2018, p.62]

With its great mechanics, frantic pace, absurd story and insane missions Sunset Overdrive is mad and uncompromising, and that’s exactly what we need in the age of increasingly serious open world games committed to imitating reality. [01/2019, p.70]

Resistance 3 failed to outmatch its main competitor – the Killzone series – but still is a great game. It's got a tangible atmosphere of threat, a personal story that does not drip with cheap pomposity, a set of 12 fantastic upgradeable weapons that are fun to use and very good visuals (if you don't look at textures up-close). Boss battles are somewhat disappointing though and enemy AI leaves much to be desired. There's also nothing groundbreaking here but good old FPS standards were put together brilliantly. [October, p.44]

It's not much more than tweaked Orcs Must Die! It offers more of the things we loved in the original game – and that's why it's so hard to stop playing it. [10/2012, p.64]

You can either hate Octopath Traveler’s art direction or love it, but it definitely will not leave you indifferent. Distinct visuals are just one of the game’s many strengths which make it a feast for the fans of jRPGs – and much more than that. It’s not flawless though – the dungeons are bland and there are virtually no relations between the characters in your party as they don’t communicate almost at all. [09/2018, p.66]

BoxBoy is the champion among puzzle platformers and the only flaw I can think of is that the game lasts for a couple of hours while it should never end. [06/2017, p.59]

Triangle Strategy’s long (maybe too long), nonlinear story should appeal to tactical RPG aficionados but even if it doesn’t, they will be completely absorbed in one of the best tactical combat systems ever created. Every fan of the genre simply must play this game, while the rest should at least consider giving it a chance.

At the end of the season Hitman turned out to be a great game, arguably the best in the series. [13/2016, p.60]

It might be unpolished, but it still is a gem among slashers, especially on a platform that lacks this kind of game. [03/2014, p.72]

The Internet hype around Starseed Pilgrim is surprisingly only a bit exaggerated. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.85]

An example of a perfect console-to-PC port – we got a complete game with two DLC's that looks better than the original X360 version. The loading times are very short, mouse and keyboard controls are perfect and even an old PC is enough to enjoy Alan Wake. [April 2012, p.56]

The biggest weakness of Monaco is the simplicity of its gameplay – it’s a trivial, almost mobile game. I recommend playing it in a 4 players co-op mode, where the low difficulty level and simple rules are not so bothersome. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.78]

After completing the game I almost instantly returned to it for another 9 hours of New Game+ and after I’m done with it I’ll do 9 more. Or maybe twice as much. [07/2014, p.52]

This is how VR titles should be done! Moss: Book II cleverly uses the potential of PS VR, offers immersive and varied environments, surprisingly creative challenges, great animations and engaging gameplay. What’s important, it doesn’t cause any discomfort or nausea. It’s a pity that it is quite short, though.

The freedom to move around the city and the ability to use powers that everyone would like to have as a superhero are this game's undeniable pros. It does not overwhelm you with activities though so those who enjoyed training assassins and renovating shops in Renaissance Rome will probably be disappointed. [July 2011, p.72]

It’s a shame that such an amazing game is trapped inside PS3 and therefore is condemned to frequent technical issues caused by the lack of power and will never gain the popularity it deserves. [02/2016, p.46]