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

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]

The PC edition of Team Bondi's groundbreaking adventure game offers 5 additional investigations (previously released for consoles as DLC) and translated to PC very well. [January 2012, p.52]

A delightfully absurd, genuinely funny tactical game that offers a lot of content, looks and sounds great and is an absolute blast to play in co-op. [05/2018, p.66]

The latest installment of the popular Formula 1 simulator puts the series back on the right track. You can still have some complaints about F1 23, but improved AI, a new driving model, and more restraint in bombarding players with DLC purchase offers have made the new Codemasters game worthy of attention.

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]

It’s far from being ideal but all the glitches and shortcomings don’t ruin the overall fun of Battlefield V’s multiplayer experience. Although the single player portion of the game is not bad at all, I would have been disappointed if I bought the game just for it. [13/2018, p.56]

Best twin-stick shooter I have played – fast, varied and enriched with hack’n’slash elements deep enough to make looting and upgrading weapons highly addictive. [07/2016, p.66]

Unlike previous Fallout 4 DLCs Far Harbor provides a huge new island full of interesting stories, people to talk to and tough choices to make. A must-have for any Fallout fan. [09/2016, p.43]

Tim Schafer’s Kickstarter game is finally here and it does not disappoint. After finishing Broken Age I spent an hour coming up with theories on how the story will unfold in the second act – and that is the best recommendation. [03/2014, p.70]

Offers more of what worked well in Pillars and provides a satisfying ending to the adventure. [04/2016, p.44]

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty features some really cool ideas – unusual mechanics related to combat, a rich array of spells or a reputation system that rewards exploration. Its outdated, linear level design trails behind Dark Souls, not to mention Elden Ring, and sometimes I was annoyed with uneven difficulty level but I still believe every soulslike enthusiast should at least take a closer look at Team Ninja’s game.

If the PS4 edition is you first contact with Elite, you’re in for a treat, as you receive a game that has been evolving for almost 3 years (but hasn’t aged a bit!) along with Horizons expansion. [09/2017, p.30]

It’s not as revolutionary as the first Rome, but it’s an extremely elaborate game that will keep you occupied for days, weeks, months. I’ll even risk stating that it’s the best strategy game out there right now. [CD-Action 11/2013, p.52]

I haven’t played such a good arcade game in a long time. Rollerdrome is a great blend of genres with both the shooting and the roller-skating aspects realized very well. Its art style might not be everyone’s cup of tea and the lack of a multiplayer mode is a pity, but you should definitely consider checking Rollerdrome out, especially if you’re a fan of Tony Hawk games.

You can play Helldivers alone but there’s not much point to it, because it’s the co-op that’s teeming with dramatic moments that make this twin-stick shooter easy to fall in love with. Not for a lifetime maybe, but for a dozen evenings of heroism, sacrifice and brotherhood in arms. [05/2015, p.52]

While not being an indie games enthusiast myself, I do wholeheartedly recommend this game – both to fans of pixel art aesthetics, and to those who just want to shoot a lot of stuff in an old school FPS. [13/2018, p.68]

The new character class (sadly only one, but it’s just one of numerous additions introduced in The Crimson Court) is definitely worth your money and the DLC as a whole is fantastic. [09/2017, p.38]

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.

A great, addictive game that should please the fans of Animal Crossing, simple RPGs and Harvest Moon. [08/2015, p.79]

A very well done fighting game – nuanced and demanding, but also fun in simple instances of waving some big swords around. [13/2018, 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 engaging card game with simple rules that offers a decent single player campaign and does not shove microtransactions down your throat. [08/2015, p.80]

It’s six hours of a diversified gameplay with loads of secrets and good music in the background. And the finale is so delightful I wanted to clap during the credits. [13/2018, p.72]

The price to fun ratio is amazing, but Starbound’s biggest advantage is the freedom it offers. I took a long break from Elite Dangerous to play this indie gem – it’s that good! [10/2016, p.58]

Diablo III is a better game on consoles. Gamepad controls lack precision a bit, but on the other hand this version does a better job at conveying the most important thing in the series – the euphoria associated with looting. [CD-Action 11/2013, p.68]

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

Next-gen FIFA is a step in a good direction, although it’s not that different from the FIFA 14 released for PC, X360 and PS3. New animations are visible throughout the whole match and the veterans will also appreciate new, more realistic ball physics. [01/2014, p.48]

Ride 2 has the ambition to appeal to as wide audience of motorbike fans as possible, so it offers loads of contents (tracks, bikes, competitions) and is very flexible in terms of customizing your experience. It’s the best bike racing game of this generation. [13/2016, p.62]

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]

You die often and spectacularly, but failures are not frustrating in the slightest, because you lose a couple of minutes of progress at most and gameplay mechanics are fresh and very satisfying. [08/2018, p.69]

This game is a lot of fun. There’s some Crysis in it, some Titanfall, some elements borrowed from Unreal Tournament and Battlefield. Underneath it’s still Call of Duty though, finally modernized in terms of visuals. [13/2014, p.50]

Sony’s in-house studio brought us a really well made platformer. It is also the second (after Moss) mandatory buy for every owner of PS VR. [13/2018, p.79]

Songs of Conquest modifies various aspects of the Heroes of Might and Magic III formula, and while not all these changes are indisputably positive, in the end we get a game that can easily be called a worthy spiritual successor to the cult classic.

It doesn’t look too good and cartoony visuals suggest shallow gameplay but it’s one of the best space sims and one of those indie gems that focus on creativity and playability rather than technical aspects. [07/2015, p.56]

Still not as complex and technologically advanced as FIFA, but this is the best PES in years, the game fans were waiting for. Konami managed to resurrect the spirit of Pro Evo 6, but with modern visuals that are breathtaking at times. [13/2014, p.54]

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]

Tempest is a great expansion but the timing was unlucky as it was overshadowed by Civilization VI. [13/2016, p.66]

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]

Special Edition is a boring remaster – there’s no new content and the visual update is modest. Nonetheless it’s the best way to play Skyrim on a console and a good reason to spend another couple hundred hours in one of few games that are truly worth it. [13/2016, p.67]

“I’ll just take a quick look at it”, I thought. “That’s a good one”, Invisible, Inc. thought and then stole 17 hours of my weekend. [07/2015, p.58]

One of the best party games ever made – and I don’t even like cooking. [10/2016, p.65]

I value the game for its non-linearity and many endings but mainly for the gravity of its theme and how the history – unpleasant as it is – was depicted. [03/2020, p.56]

GT6 might have seemed dead on arrival – it’s built for an 8 years old console and even if it looks great for a PS3 game, it can’t even be compared to Forza Motorsport 5 in terms of visuals. But the key to Gran Turismo’s success is its wonderful driving model. There was no better driving game on Sony’s platforms and there won’t be a better one on PS3 ever. [01/2014, p.54]

Canadians responsible for this edition restrained their own creativity almost completely, delivering a polished product true to the original game. [13/2014, p.63]

It’s undeniably well-made albeit controversial part of the series. One that tries to break the mold and open itself to another kind of player. It’s worth of praise, even if just for that. I recommend it especially to Battlefield players – you may be pleasantly surprised. [13/2019, p.50]

A very solid, but not revolutionary shooter in an amazing setting, with a story that struggles to convey its authors’ ambitions and is only seemingly complex. The vision is less focused than in previous Bioshocks and it does a worse job on binding the plot with gameplay. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.46]

Generations is a sort of a greatest hits compilation that will benefit newcomers the most. [10/2016, p.70]

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]

The best economic simulation game in years. Cities: Skylines does everything SimCity wanted to do and is one of the best ways to spend free time that I can think of. [05/2015, p.68]

FFXII never became the masterpiece it was supposed to be, but it has enough marks of a masterpiece to be worth your time, especially that the remaster was done expertly. [09/2017, p.62]

In ‘horror’ category The Beast Inside is my biggest and most pleasant surprise of this year. Almost all of its cogs are in the right places and the occasional grain of sand doesn’t interrupt the the game’s steady rhythm. [13/2019, p.56]

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.

Codemasters finally reminded me why I loved this series before Dirt 3 and Showdown happened. [08/2017, p.54]

Hands down the best Black Ops III expansion and one of the best in the history of Call of Duty brings back classic maps (no Mob of the Dead though, which is a bummer) and lets you revive your memories online. [09/2017, p.67]

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.

Each level is a rainbow firework that captivates with detail, makes laugh with the character design, and amazes with its quality and design. [13/2019, p.66]

I fell in love with this highly addictive gem after just a couple of turns. If you don’t mind that it was created with RPG Maker and looks like a decades-old relic, if you’re able to turn a blind eye to poor enemy AI and you’re willing to give the story time to really get going, you’ll probably lose track of time. Just like I did when I spent 16 hours with Symphony of War just on the first day with it.

Beautiful and relaxing. It encourages players’ experimentation and at the same time it’s flawlessly designed. [13/2019, p.70]

At last F1 is a game it should have always been – a feast for both hardcore Formula 1 fans who expect a proper simulation and those who want to pick up such game for the first time. It’s unbelievable that Codemasters’ series needed six years to reach the level of MicroProse’s unforgettable Grand Prix 4. [11/2016, p.52]

A tour de force of level design and an attempt to break the world record for the number of explosions and mechanics in a single video game. Split Fiction defies genre classifications and tries really hard to impress the player. Postmodernism at its craziest.

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

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.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a worthy representative of the soulslike genre. For fans of digital suffering – probably the most interesting premiere of this year next to The First Berserker: Khazan. For the rest – a worthwhile title.

Mario Party 10 stands out from the roster of great Wii U party games. [07/2015, p.71]

Not for Broadcast is a witty, hilarious satire of the world of media. It teaches you not to trust your TV set and makes you genuinely pity the poor bloke who tries to manipulate you.

Mortal Kombat 1 is not a revolution but rather an evolution that continues the franchise’s good streak. Excellent combat system, solid story mode and some truly noteworthy additions (like Kameo or Invasion Mode) make it really difficult to tear yourself away from the controller. Sometimes you can feel that the series is starting to chase its tail, but for now it’s hard to find a similarly accessible fighting game.

You can point out that Ascension failed to make a real step forward. You can argue that the multiplayer mode is a foreign body, a strained attempt to find innovation in the wrong place. That’s true, but in my eyes the foundation built by the previous God of War games proved to be strong enough to sustain what I hope is just the calm before the storm that Kratos will unleash on PS4. And damn, Ascension looks unbelievable! [CD-Action 05/2013, p.64]

Simply one of the best conversion of classic arcade games – both true to the original and borrowing lots of contemporary gameplay mechanics. Plus it’s really funny. [05/2020, p.79]

The Last of Us delights with its artistic side but can tire you with its gameplay. It tells an interesting story but doesn’t leave much room for the player. It represents a new quality in the industry but openly borrows a lot of themes from literature, movies and other games. The most important thing however is the fact that several days after I finished The Last of Us, it is still in my head, causing strange uneasiness. I guess that’s what the developers were aiming for. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.62]

The latest rendition of the series does not introduce many changes to the gameplay, but offers so much content, that it’s almost impossible to play it all. [13/2014, p.72]

Sucker Punch has once again created a beautiful samurai story. Its strongest points: graphics, a new arsenal of weapons, the path of revenge against the Yotei Six, and the wonderful Atsu.

Remember Me is high quality from beginning to the credits. The developers managed to squeeze out much more than one could expect from the simple formula. The fact that the game was done by the French aided by the Japanese shows even in the main menu – it’s obvious that the artistic side of the project was very important. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.74]

Rogue Legacy 2 is simply a bigger version of the original, with art style being the only significant difference. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a stellar roguelite with lots of natural charm and unique humor.

Eyes with dark circles around them, irregular meals, cat looking at me reproachfully. For the last couple of weeks I’ve spent every spare moment on Nexus, where I kill, craft and have a blast enjoying a very pleasant combat and delightful visuals. [08/2014, p.46]

Although it’s lacking in certain parts of the overall experience, Kojima’s latest seems like a middle finger shown to the portion of the industry which seems to have lost the capability to design an open world game without RPG elements and a ‘service’ component. [13/2019, p.34]

It’s definitely worth checking out after Stardew Valley. Even if Doraemon Story of Seasons is not as complex as Eric Barone’s game, it still does often pleasantly surprise – and that surprise element is something that was long missing in Story of Seasons. [13/2019, p.86]

Like a Dragon is the eighth installment of Yakuza, but a new protagonist makes it a great opportunity to get acquainted with the franchise. Even though the new turn-based combat system may become tedious at some point and I was disappointed with the lack of thrilling boss battles, it’s one of the best games in the series. Ichiban Kasuga and his friends are a really awesome bunch and I very much enjoyed experiencing Yokohama through their eyes. [01/2021, p.70]

The misery of Jan Dolski and the disaster of the expedition he was part of is a really good starting point for a game that stands on script, management and exploration. The Alters uses its strengths over skillfully by appropriately developing many gameplay mechanics.

It’s an intense, immensely enjoyable game with deep gameplay mechanics, great cast of characters and so much content that it’s impossible to unlock everything in a lifetime (unless you resort to microtransactions). If you don’t own Mortal Kombat 11 but want to give it a try, this edition is the way to go. [01/2021, p.77]

I am delighted with this old school point’n’click. Unmatched atmosphere, suggestive visuals, great audio – all this is worth much more than 10 euros they’re asking. [08/2014, p.55]

Following in the footsteps of Disco Elysium, this is another political and existential crisis presented as an RPG, though with its own distinctive style and satirical edge.

The game’s strength lies in its simplicity. The Pedestrian keeps evolving up until the end and the graphics are both very clear and very pleasant to look at. [04/2020, p.66]

Despite its dark theme the game gets more fun by the minute and the ‘Hellboy’ and ‘Sin City’ inspired graphics are as pleasant to look at as the soundtrack is to listen to. [04/2020, p.72]

It’s hard to leave this game – it’s beautiful, sound great and is extremely involving. A must-have for the fans of Day of the Tentacle, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. [01/2014, p.70]

Simple rules, high production values, low system requirements and huge tactical freedom make Hearthstone one of the best card games available. And if you take into account the free-to-play model – it’s the best one. [05/2014, p.62]

Marathon is a very good shooter, but in the long run, it may paradoxically suffer from being limited to just one game mode.

Screamer is a one-of-a-kind game, I thought they don’t make racing games like this anymore. And here we are.

A bundle containing refreshed and expanded versions of Tower of Doom and Shadow over Mystara. It’s hard to find better representatives of the beat’em up genre. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.83]

Although I can imagine a better game, more open and consistent, I don’t regret any of dozens of hours I spent in the deep, rich and beautiful world of Original Sin II. [12/2017, p.32]

Gaijin Games once again managed to find a reasonable balance between trivial gameplay rules and gradually rising, pleasantly challenging difficulty level. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.75]

This action RPG set in the dark fantasy-flavored Wild West enraptured me with its cleverly constructed story with meaningful choices, unique atmosphere, and living, interactive, beautiful world. My delight would have been even greater if it wasn’t for the terrible AI and unintuitive controls.

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is by no means a leap forward, but it is in every aspect superior to its already excellent predecessor. For me, it’s a perfect battle royale, although it’s a shame that right now, plagued by countless technical issues, it looks more like a prerelease build than a finished game.

Yet another story about ordinary people turned into monsters by uniforms, but one of few games that manage to tell such a story really well. [06/2015, p.74]

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]

I picked up Yonder without any expectations, as it seemed to be a simple game trying to capitalize on Zelda-like visuals. It won me over in 15 minutes and over a dozen hours later I parted with it with true sorrow. [10/2017, p.54]

What a wonderful surprise at the end of the year! Blacktail, a real gem dipped in Slavic folklore, delighted me with its distinct atmosphere, engaging narrative, sense of humor, and excellent music. What did not impress me, was the combat, but as a whole the game is a fantastic experience.

Cuphead is a stunningly looking, wonderfully animated interactive cartoon with three hours of jazz and ragtime playing in the background. Its gameplay however lacks the brilliance of the audiovisual layer. [12/2017, p.46]