I appreciate the game’s originality, appealing art style, replayability and combat mechanics that leave some room for tactics. I find randomizing the difficulty level irritating though. Sometimes you get to fight softies, sometimes the same level greets you with enemies that kill you with a single punch (hello, permadeath!). Loosing simply because you were unlucky and had to face an impossible dungeon does not feel great. [03/2021, p.39]

The idea behind Skellboy is brilliant – you swap out parts of your body to change the way you fight and interact with the surroundings. I also enjoyed the art style with 2D sprites in 3D environments. Unfortunately, combat is boring, camera angles can be annoying and the story is dull. [03/2021, p.38]

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]

Danish developers prepared a new set of fantastic sandbox environments, filled them with crowds, scattered useful gadgets all around, and said: have fun however you want. If the best Hitman missions for you were those based on freedom, exploration and watching the surroundings carefully, Hitman 3 is what you need. It is a worthy finale of an exceptional trilogy. [03/2021, p.30]

On paper, Pacer has everything a racing game needs, including a multitude of game modes and customization options, decent physics, nice sense of speed, and a lot of varied, visually attractive tracks. In reality I got bored pretty quickly due to its lackluster career mode, questionable AI, and overall derivativeness. [02/2021, p.63]

Bland plot (which prevents Above and Beyond from being a truly magnificent experience) and somewhat cartoonish characters did not spike the game’s guns. I was impressed with the scope and details of the environments, and gunplay was awesome because the weapons have a nice kick to them. If only the controls were better… I lost count of the situations when I picked up a wrong object or ended up giving myself an injection instead of throwing a grenade. [02/2021, p.62]

Don’t expect a revolution. The PS5 version of the latest FIFA looks better, runs at 60 fps in 4K, and loads matches much faster, but the only feature truly worth focusing on is the creative use of haptic feedback (e.g. as your player gets tired, triggers gradually become harder to press). [02/2021, p.61]

Colorful, pretty scenery, decent voice acting, lots of interactive objects, and a couple of interesting puzzles give the impression that the game has more to offer than it actually does. The atmospheric first half is good, but the repetitive second part disappoints. The plot makes no sense and the direction it takes is predictable to anyone acquainted with Lovecraft’s work. The further you go, the narrower the path is and you bump into invisible walls all the time. It’s a shame the game’s considerable potential was squandered. [02/2021, p.60]

The problem with the new Super Meat Boy is that it’s not the old Super Meat Boy. We have waited a decade for the sequel and it turned out to be an autorunner, which is not necessarily a welcome surprise. Two buttons is all you need, which makes CMBF very easy to grasp, but limited control over the protagonist can be maddening, especially that the game is even harder than the original. Having said that, the developers managed to squeeze a lot out of the simplified control scheme, and while I understand the game disappointed many fans, I still recommend it to those of you looking for a serious challenge. [02/2021, p.58]

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]

Doom 64 for Switch was overshadowed by Doom Eternal’s release on Nintendo’s handheld, but it would be a shame to ignore it. Do not mistake it for a port of the original Doom. Developed for Nintendo 64, it features a completely different campaign, offers more complex levels, and goes for a darker atmosphere. The enhanced Switch edition looks better, brings six additional levels, and fits the platform perfectly. [02/2021, p.55]

I have no idea how Panic Button managed to cram one of the most spectacular action games into Nintendo Switch. It’s an amazing achievement, but of course it came with a price – the game runs smoothly enough at 30 fps, but looks ugly, and playing it with the Joy-Cons is a nightmare. I highly recommend using the Pro Controller, or better still, experiencing this terrific shooter on another platform. [02/2021, p.54]

The Coalition spared no resources to bring us a story DLC that’s absolutely on par with the base game in every aspect. Hivebusters offers three highly enjoyable hours and left me hungry for more. [02/2021, p.53]

Morbid tells a mediocre story, but offers a great Lovecraftian atmosphere. The most important thing though is the game’s soulslike combat system, which is pleasant and takes the protagonist’s mental health into account alongside his stamina and HP. Don’t fear the “soulslike” label, because Morbid is not as frustrating as most games of that genre. [02/2021, p.51]

Faster and more fluent – is there anything else to wish for, especially that the game itself is still amazing? Actually, the Special Edition has much more going for it, including a new difficulty level, new rendering modes (up to 4K 30 fps with ray tracing), and the ability to play as Vergil. Sadly, the new character doesn’t come with his own levels. I also need to point out fps drops in the 120 Hz mode, and lackluster use of DualSense’s features. [02/2021, p.48]

I fully recommend Orwell’s Animal Farm as a great way to familiarize oneself with the timeless novella. It lacks a lot as a game though, because the adaptation is completely faithful and therefore restricts the player’s freedom heavily. [02/2021, p.47]

The main goal of Haven is to relax you, and all gameplay mechanics work in harmony to help convey the beauty of living in a happy, trusting relationship. Exploring an alien planet indeed is calming, but monotony creeps in after a couple of hours. [02/2021, p.46]

Although it is very short (only two hours!), Lucifer Within Us is one of the best puzzle games of 2020. Set in a world infested with evil forces, it puts you in a role of an inquisitor/detective who must interrogate suspects, identify demons that possessed them, and perform exorcisms. In terms of mechanics, the developers somehow managed to blend Phoenix Wright with “The Exorcist”. Don’t ask how that works, just try it out. [02/2021, p.45]

The first season of the traditional point’n’click with tons of absurd humor got a remaster. The graphics are much better (especially the new lighting that makes the environments look almost modern) and the adventures of the crazy detective duo are still funny as hell, but I think some jokes got too old for younger audience. [02/2021, p.44]

To survive in Morkredd’s deadly darkness, you need light, and its only source is a huge glowing ball that you have to roll in front of you as you navigate environments full of obstacles. The game’s puzzles are simple yet clever, the journey is engaging, but the whole thing is very short (ca. two hours) and sometimes it is annoyingly easy to die. [02/2021, p.43]

This cute, well-designed and relaxing little gem takes playing with light and shadows to the next level. Its gameplay is based on the cooperation between a little girl that’s afraid of light, and her shadow twin who helps her in her journey through magical, a little surrealistic and beautifully drawn environments. [02/2021, p.42]

An interesting mix of a stealth game and a point’n’click adventure, set in the Wild West. As a six-year-old boy, you have to cleverly use the environment to escape from bandits and find out what happened to your mother. Enemy AI could be better and some minor technical issues spoiled the fun a bit, but every puzzle in the game can be solved in many ways, and that’s something I always welcome with open arms. El Hijo is a fairly easy but satisfying game that you can play with your kid, as there’s not a drop of blood here. [02/2021, p.40]

There is no denying that Pokémon was a strong inspiration, but Monster Sanctuary has its own identity, a vast, beautiful world, and many diverse creatures to catch. The game is unique, because the developers managed to combine turn-based combat with a traditional 2D metroidvania. Do not fear the platforming sections though, as they won’t break your fingers like Ori and the Blind Forest does. [02/2021, p.39]

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]

Due to repetitive gameplay Airborne Kingdom might not be the best city builder of 2020, but it definitely is one of the most interesting. Its mechanics nicely reflect the fact that your city floats in the air, but even though you need to consider the weight distribution and be careful not to tilt the whole thing, the game is easy and relaxing. [02/2021, p.37]

Phogs! reminds me of many games based on physics, such as Human: Fall Flat, and I can’t deny that it is full of very funny moments. It is a shame that so many elements are botched (from poor responsiveness to flawed controls) and the whole thing is crawling with various bugs. [02/2021, p.36]

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]

It is truly impressive that you have the whole planet to explore and build over. What caught my attention in the first place, was the deep, realistic simulation of terraforming, but unfortunately the game turned out to be tedious and boring. I also wish I could manage my settlements better and plan their development in details, as the only decisions I got to make were where to place the structures and how to prioritize them. The rest is up to autonomous drones. [02/2021, p.34]

Those who played Life Is Strange will surely feel similar vibes in Dontnod’s latest release. However, this game has even more sluggish pace and although I enjoyed reconstructing events in the mind palace, I was annoyed with the fact that I had to find every single piece of a puzzle even if the solution was already obvious. The story is decent, but some of its potential was wasted and the characters are not as well-written as in Dontnod’s previous games. [02/2021, p.32]

I launched Cyberpunk 2077 on my PS4 Slim several weeks after the release and most of the bugs were fixed, so I was able to play the game from start to finish. However, the quality of textures was painfully low, I usually had only 20-22 frames per second while driving around the city (with dips below 20), and some objects tended to disappear. The technical state and graphics of the PS4 version are awful, which is a shame, because the game itself has one of the best stories I have ever encountered, its gunplay is really good, and Night City is very impressive. [02/2021, p.30]

The DLC features Yuffie Kirasagi, a 16 years old ninja, whose immature attempts to make people take her seriously are both cute and comical. In combat she offers a perfect combination of agility and power. I wish her adventure was longer than 4-6 hours, introduced a new hub, and expanded the main story somehow. [08/2021, p.81]

The world of Below Zero is much smaller than its predecessor’s, but it is still an absolutely brilliant survival game that tells an interesting story set in a fascinating environment. Additionally, it is more friendly towards less experienced players, and managed to get rid of some technical issues that affected the original Subnautica. [08/2021, p.78]

I enjoyed the atmosphere, assassination-based combat, enjoyable bow shooting mechanics, varied character classes, and cool maps. The whole concept is great, but Hood needed more work, because numerous minor flaws and a sole game mode make it look like an early access title. I also believe it was possible to squeeze much more out of this darker twist on the Robin Hood setting. It is not an excellent game right now, but it is enjoyable enough to be addictive, and I’m looking forward to future updates, hoping they will unlock Hood’s full potential. [08/2021, p.76]

A decent PC substitute for the Pikmin series. Its magical land filled with adorable creatures is a joy to explore, rich content will keep you occupied for as long as 20 hours, and a drop of survival mechanics spices up the adventure without making it stressful. The somewhat hazy story is okay at best and even though the game showers you with crafting materials, the crafting itself is pretty much needless, but the game’s biggest problem is the repetitiveness that made me slightly weary. [8/2021, p.74]

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]

A girl the size of an insect searching for her father’s bug-like mech in a forest where nature meets sci-fi is a great concept that makes Stonefly worth checking out. Too bad the developers’ creativity ends pretty much right there. While the game is a clever mix of genres and offers an original twist on hack’n’slash combat, it does next to nothing to evolve the gameplay or the story, so sooner or later monotony will set in. [08/2021, p.70]

The enemy AI needs work and the game’s budget was too low for the developers to polish all the details, but with its spacious environments perfect for extremely long shots (headshots on moving targets from 1500 meters are awesome!) and interesting combat scenarios turning sometimes into puzzle-like situations, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is definitely worth recommending as a well-designed, really fun game. [08/2021,p.68]

While the base game attracted players with the vastness of space, this add-on narrows down the scale and has you complete missions on foot. Sadly, this pretty exciting idea was executed poorly. New tools (e.g. blowtorches and scanners), cool planetary facilities, and procedurally generated missions won’t prevent you from being swamp with repetitive tasks and samey visuals. Additionally, Odyssey is unstable and poorly optimized. [08/2021, p.67]

Compared to the original released on 3DS in 2017, the Switch version of Miitopia looks better and offers a couple of additions, but it is pretty much the same thing. I had a lot of fun with it once again and I can recommend it to anyone looking for a funny (but not necessarily hilarious) game with an extraordinarily enjoyable gameplay loop. [08/2021, p.66]

A love letter to Contra, Metal Slug and the likes, Mighty Goose does a really good job at recreating the look and feel of classic side-scrolling run-and-gun games. Of course, high difficulty level comes with the territory, but for me combat plunges into confusing chaos too often (“wait, is this an enemy bullet or just a harmless visual effect?”), somewhat spoiling the fun alongside the unfriendly autosave system. [08/2021, p.65]

The game is too long, too simple and not thrilling enough to be enjoyable for anyone except the fans of the children’s books and the Netflix animated series it is based on. [08/2021, p.64]

The strongest point of this fantasy/sci-fi jRPG is definitely its very good turn-based combat capable of surprising you with creative encounters. The narrative has some memorable moments, but be aware that it is entirely linear. However, I do not condemn that decision, because it does suit the road movie-like story. What Edge of Eternity lacks the most is its own identity and the developers’ courage to do things their way instead of copying Final Fantasy and other Square titles. It could also use a better engine, more suitable for such a complex game. [08/2021, p.62]

Loads of great new furniture (including modular sofas) and a new career (that you can combine with a different full-time job) make this expansion a dream come true for anyone who’s into interior design. This time EA and Maxis gave it 200% and there’s literally nothing I dislike about Dream Home Decorator. [08/2021, p.61]

If you’re a fan of the Leisure Suit Larry series (or at least its previous instalment), you will probably enjoy this game, but it’s hard to miss the fact that the quality of jokes and puzzles is a step back in comparison to Wet Dream’s Don’t Dry. [08/2021, p.61]

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]

Capcom’s collection of 31 classic titles (dating back to 1984-2001) creates an enjoyable illusion of standing in front of a real arcade cabinet. There are a couple of problems though. The free version of Arcade Stadium offers just one game (1943: The Battle of Midway) and unlocking the rest means either paying for all of them at once or buying them in three smaller bundles. It means you can’t simply choose the games you want. What’s more, Capcom will charge you additionally for the god mode option (ridiculous!), and some of the titles are lagging. [08/2021, p.58]

This fresh take on the EDF franchise got almost everything right. Decimating alien invaders is as fun as you’d expect it to be, and the ability to instantly switch between 4 characters (there are over 100 of them to unlock, each with a unique weapon and a special attack!) makes the voxel-powered destruction even more thrilling. I only wish the Switch version ran smoother and the split screen mode wasn’t exclusive to PlayStation. [08/2021, p.57]

The latest instalment of the Guilty Gear series is one of the most beautiful fighting games I’ve ever encountered and it plays great, partly thanks to the new wall break mechanic that lets you avoid being beaten to a pulp while trapped in a corner. What’s disappointing is the fact that we will have to wait a couple of months for the game to show its full potential with the addition of new characters and arenas, because right now its content is rather scant. [08/2021, p.56]

The concept of an experimental, interactive music album was great, and the fact that musicians associated with Epica, Within Temptation, Kamelot or Asking Alexandria were involved, was very promising and impressive. Unfortunately, the game turned out to be an amateurish mess. The whole gameplay is very poorly executed, the story is cheap and approaches difficult subjects without a trace of finesse, and the voice acting is simply horrible. The worst part is, the music is okay at best. [08/2021, p.54]

A fascinating, fresh take on the Arthurian legend. I wish the lore was more elaborate and the interface less minimalistic, but apart from that it’s an addictive, highly replayable dark fantasy rougelike with fast battles, varied character classes, numerous secrets to uncover, and great music. [08/2021, p.52]

A creative shmup/puzzle game hybrid where reflexes play second fiddle to quickness of the mind and the ability to use terrain and laws of physics to your advantage. What’s more, it was designed to relax rather then frustrate you. It only has one mode though and becomes repetitive after a while, but it is fun in small doses. [08/2021, p.50]

Great port of a great title. Zombie games are all around us, but Bend Studio managed to squeeze every last drop out of this worn out setting. Everything is well-designed and polished in Days Gone – the believable world and characters in it, the distinct post-apocalyptic aura, the crafting, the thrilling combat and spectacular encounters with bloodthirsty hordes. In addition, this version is well-optimized and runs smoothly on a mid-range PC. [08/2021, p.48]

This cute Zelda-like 2D action adventure is a remake of Monster World IV, a Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game from 1994. I enjoyed this rad but surprisingly short (6 hours tops!) walk down the memory lane with beautiful re-recorded music. The only things that bothered me were overly old-school boss battles and some minor performance issues. [08/2021, p.47]

The first story DLC for the truly great RPG is simply okay. Wasteland fans will enjoy the new adventure, although it isn’t long (6-7 hours) and offers almost nothing you haven’t already seen in the base game. Be aware that you can’t play this DLC after completing the original story – you either need a save you made before “the point of no return”, or you have to start over and reach at least level 9. What a nonsense! [08/2021, p.46]

Although obviously not a high-budget title, Resistance is probably the best Terminator game I’ve ever played. Gunplay is fun, there’s a lot of gear to use and upgrade, you can unlock new skills, and stealth elements make the whole experience pretty varied. The graphics are rather basic though (the PS5 upgrade with 4K resolution makes little difference) and I ran across some sound issues, but in general, I had fun. [08/2021, p.45]

While the story is almost non-existent and I wish there were more classes and character development option, I recommend Solasta to those looking for a real old-school RPG experience. I’m especially impressed with the use of vertical environments in both exploration and combat, and the way light and darkness were made crucial factors on a battlefield. [08/2021, p.42]

This Gloria Victis spin-off is literally a This War of Mine gone medieval. It’s a tale of a bunch of civilians trying to survive a war, and many gameplay mechanics were clearly inspired by the 11 bit studios game. I really liked the fresh concept of helping to defend the stronghold by supporting soldiers with resources instead of actually participating in battles, but awful enemy AI and dull story made it impossible for me to truly enjoy the experience. [08/2021, p.40]

A wicked, Rocket League-inspired fiesta that cleverly translates dodgeball into a fast-paced multiplayer game. With the variety of balls (and player’s ability to become one!), throwing, catching, knocking each other out, and avoiding city traffic, it’s pure fun. However, to enjoy the game to the fullest, be sure to gather a proper team instead of playing with randoms. [08/2021, p.38]

Valhalla had many flaws typical for Ubisoft’s titles, but it was easy for me to turn a blind eye to them, because the game was simply enjoyable. Wrath of the Druids lacks that quality. Ireland is pretty but lifeless and artificial, the story is bland, few new features fail to evolve the gameplay, and the whole thing is just more of the same. [08/2021, p.37]

Thanks to its Warhammer 40,000 setting you won't confuse Necromunda with any other FPS and the design and scale of the environments are impressive. For a simple, old-school shooter, it also offers surprisingly deep and fun character development and weapon customization options. It’s a game of contrasts though, and I can't hide my disappointment with terrible enemy AI, mediocre bonus missions, poor character models, rough animations, crude visuals, and god-awful equipment screen. [08/2021, p.36]

Insomniac made us wait long for new Ratchet & Clank adventures but it was worth it. Looking like a Pixar movie, Rift Apart is the first truly next-gen title and the first proper reason to buy a PS5. It is absolutely stunning in almost every aspect – from guns and story to optimization and use of adaptive triggers. It’s a pity though that inter-dimensional portals were not used to their full potential, and both playable characters (the second one being the female lombax Rivet) differ only in appearance. [08/2021, p.28]

It’s been ages since I’ve seen a shooter so awful. Ridiculous physics, horrible animations, practically non-existent enemy AI, and guns lacking a punch are just some of the remake’s transgressions. Believe me, it’s a really, really bad game. [01/2021, p.81]

While I admire the technology that lets you mix two or more completely different tracks together to at least a decent effect, I must warn you that the gameplay is shallow and you’ll quickly get bored unless you’re a DJ at heart. [01/2021, p.80]

Jupiter’s icy moon of Europa failed to make a good first impression on me, but the longer I played, the more I enjoyed the new map. I do not miss Mars or Mercury anymore. Returning players may not be happy about Bungie getting rid of some content and making a substantial part of old gear obsolete, but I understand the need to do some cleaning up before evolving the game. At its core Destiny 2 remains the same thing you loved (or hated) and its shooting mechanics are still among the best you can experience. [01/2021, p.78]

Apart from some lesser features, Snowy Escape introduces the Far East theme (finally!), offers a couple of often-requested new activities (e.g. snowboarding), and lets you choose lifestyles for your Sims. It might well be my favorite expansion for the game. [01/2021, p.77]

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]

The edition for the new generation of consoles is much better than the old one, especially when it comes to graphics (spectacular!) and loading times (lightning fast). Sadly, despite many improvements, some of the game’s flaws remained unaddressed, which fortunately does not change the fact that NBA 2K21 is now simply enjoyable. Just be careful and don’t buy the old version by mistake! [01/2021, p.75]

Sadly this is not Kerbal Space Program. Mars Horizon concentrates on economy (somewhat like the old Buzz Aldrin’s Race Into Space) and you need to be a die-hard fan of tycoon games to truly enjoy it. Also, it could have been better in many aspects, including the visuals. Its 2D graphics are decent, but when the game goes into primitive 3D, it reminds me of 2001. [01/2021, p.74]

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]

Despite a nice 4-player split-screen and enjoyable Playground mode chock-full of cool fan-made courses, Dirt 5 is not worth the full price. Yes, it is very pretty, runs smoothly and sounds great, but it lacks innovation and therefore reminds me of old school racing games. [01/2021, p.68]

The rhythm game developed mainly for the Kingdom Hearts fans recycles old material (the story consists of cutscenes from previous games of the series), but makes an interesting use of it, offers plenty of content and is overall well-designed. [01/2021, p.66]

Age of Calamity is like a t-shirt with your favorite band’s artwork – remove the love of their music and all you’ve got is a piece of clothing. Similarly, if you play Hyrule Warriors not familiar with Breath of the Wild, you’ll miss tons of fan service and end up with a pretty and relaxing but rather basic hack and slash. [01/2021, p.64]

It is very hard to avoid comparing Immortals to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Despite obvious inspirations it is a typical Ubi-game with all its pros and cons, an inventory screen copied almost exactly from Assassin’s Creed, and a store with premium items. Anyhow, it’s Ubisoft’s most interesting game in years, definitely worth checking out for its satisfying exploration accompanied by simple combat and tons of good puzzles. [01/2021, p.62]

Typical roguelikes are usually a nightmare for me, but Crown Trick turned out to be pure pleasure. Its synchronous turn-based gameplay gave me +50 to calmness and +10 to good mood, as I could take all the time I needed to plan my steps. I actually felt I was playing a turn-based tactical shooter rather than a roguelike. Apart from being fun, the game looks and sounds cool. [01/2021, p.60]

I have no doubt that the latest Call of Duty will earn ridiculous amounts of money once again, but I will remember it as a dip in form, a game that’s closer to mediocrity than greatness. The story campaign has a satisfying finale but as a whole is rather uninspired, while the multiplayer has lost the tactical feel I enjoyed in Modern Warfare Remastered. [01/2021, p.56]

Carto is cute but shallow. Repetitiveness of its main gameplay mechanic combined with unsatisfying, tedious puzzles made me welcome the end credits with a sigh of relief. [01/2021, p.55]

Bugsnax are delicious, but you have to be very creative to find a way to catch them all. The hunt itself is engaging and accompanied by quite an interesting story. However, some of the objectives are not clear enough, and while the adventure is full of funny events, it becomes boring after a while. [01/2021, p.54]

Football Manager 2021 introduces some features and improvements that make it a bit more realistic and enjoyable, but it is hard for me to recommend buying it if you own the last year’s edition. As a whole, FM2020 might not be as good as its successor, but it is not much different in the most important aspect – both games are ridiculously addictive. [01/2021, p.52]

It’s a perfect remake and I think the only people who might be disappointed with it are… the die-hard FromSoftware fans. You see, the new Demon’s Souls shows clearly how much Miyazaki’s games have evolved throughout the years. The Dark Souls series simply does everything better. The remake looks like a prototype in comparison, while still being way ahead of other developers’ achievements in this genre. [01/2021, p.46]

The Falconeer’s undeniable strengths are its distinct, memorable atmosphere and beautiful visuals. I believe it would have been a better game if the developer had ditched combat (as well as arcade elements in general) and focused on exploration and uncovering the history of the realm. [01/2021, p.44]

The only thing Godfall has going for it is its great combat system. Everything else just came along for the ride. [01/2021, p.42]

At first, The Pathless seems like many other games due to its bland story. However, give it a chance and it will shine like a diamond in other aspects. The developers of Abzu created a truly compelling world, where exploration and satisfying boss battles are interlaced with ingenious puzzles. Even the simplest activities are engaging and fun. You need to play it. [01/2021, p.40]

A charming game that aged gracefully, really great in co-op and perfect for kids. Who would have thought that fighting ladybugs and digging out lost fruits can be so exciting! [01/2021, p.39]

Sackboy is not groundbreaking in any way, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a wonderful platformer that looks great, sounds excellent, and offers superb co-op. It is pure, varied fun and deserves much more recognition than it received overshadowed by Spider-Man: Miles Morales and some other big releases. [01/2021, p.38]

Everything Blacksad: Under the Skin did ineptly, Chicken Police does perfectly. This Hungarian visual novel offers much more than I expected: a feast for eyes, a great duo of detectives, polished and varied supporting characters, and a story that treats social issues (e.g. systemic racism) seriously. [01/2021, p.36]

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]

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 best metaphor for Cyberpunk 2077 is Johnny Silverhand himself. A messiah, a mix of Kurt Cobain and Che Guevara, a talented singer who loves to shape his own legend and has a charming personality but loses the struggle with his own demons. The same goes for the game. It tells a great story and forced me to ask myself difficult questions, but many of its gameplay mechanics do not evolve and its technical state upon release was abysmal. Cyberpunk’s true hero is not a person, but Night City – a vibrant, living creature of great diversity. The beauty of the metropolis is striking. [01/2021, p.22]

It’s a pretty faithful adaptation of the Root board game about warring animal factions. Just like the original, some might find it too infantile for their taste, but it’s fun, looks good, and offers an additional challenge mode. It’s a shame though that it doesn’t include two new factions introduced in the original’s Riverfolk Expansion. [13/2020, p.37]

Tennis World Tour 2 is far from perfect, but if you compare it to Big Ant Studios’ previous tennis games, you will notice significant progress. A lot of improvements have been made and the game is not as awfully bland as its predecessor. It’ll take a lot more work to make this series truly good, but it seems the developer is capable of getting there after all. If you enjoy tennis and stumble upon TWT2 on a sale, you can seriously consider giving it a chance. [13/2020, p.76]

The easiest way to describe Ghostrunner is to call it an illegitimate child of Hotline Miami and Mirror’s Edge. It fails to match the latter in terms of body awareness, but it makes up for it with well-thought-out, satisfying level design and looks great regardless of whether you’re putting your parkour skills to the test, or slicing enemies with your katana. [13/2020, p.74]

Fallen God is a large stand-alone expansion that succeeds in differentiating itself from its predecessors. The developers managed to diversify the experience (not spectacularly though) and did a terrific job at depicting the specific nature of the new race – trolls. [13/2020, p.72]

Pumpkin Jack is a charmingly old-school game that would fit perfectly into the PS1 era. It’s colorful, full of humor, and offers huge, well-designed levels. It tries many different ways to mix up the gameplay, which is great, but all these efforts are too safe to bring any real surprises. [13/2020, p.71]

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]

A great party game for anyone who’s familiar with Queen’s classics (there are 30 of them here) and enjoys belting out “We Are the Champions”. [13/2020, p.68]

The Signifier is pretty unique in terms of both the concept and its execution. I’m sure you won’t regret giving it a chance if you’re into adventure games and can appreciate a highly unsettling atmosphere bordering on horror. [13/2020, p.67]

Don’t let the title fool you. For something called The Survivalists, the game’s survival-related mechanics are shockingly lenient. The only aspect you need to pay constant attention to is hunger, but there’s plenty of food. Low overall difficulty level doesn’t have to be a flaw though. If Don’t Starve Together is too stressful for you and your friends, The Survivalists might be a great choice for co-op. [13/2020, p.66]

Legion is a return to the darker roots of Watch Dogs. It is also the best game in the series, regardless of whether you’re inclined to avoid violence and solve problems DedSec style (by hacking), or prefer to unleash a hail of bullets. The story improved big time and it is unsettling to realize how much the game’s dystopian reality resembles our own. [13/2020, p.62]