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]

Sable never rushes you. You take in the setting and simply enjoy the essence of the game – the journey entwined with a tale about maturing and change. If you don’t like to hurry at breakneck speed and prefer to look under every rock, there’s a chance Shedworks’ game will charm you. You’ll just need to turn a blind eye to some technical flaws, get on your flying motorbike and set off towards the horizon. [12/2021, p.54]

Each of Inmost’s three playable characters has been given not only their own narrative, but also distinctly different gameplay mechanics. The bearded man’s segment is a full-blooded platformer that reminded me of Hollow Knight (and that’s a huge compliment). The little girl’s gripping story took the form of a simple yet suspenseful adventure game. And then there’s the knight whose action-oriented section is dull and feels like it was grafted from a different title. Despite that disappointment, I’m not surprised by the awards this beautiful, memorable game won when it was initially released on mobile devices. [11/2020, p.70]

I’m glad that Funcom decided to release Secret World Legends and gave me the chance to experience this unique MMORPG after I missed it 5 years ago. [09/2017, p.36]

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]

Kaiju Wars is a fantastic title for the fans of old-school strategy games and kaiju movies. The best turn-based tactics game I’ve played this year offers tons of content with a long story mode at the center, exciting combat, stylish visuals and excellent soundtrack.

At first I looked at Mind Scanners as a copy, but as the story progressed, the game distanced itself from Papers, Please and developed its own identity. It’s rather short, but gives reasons to try different approaches, while the varied array of patients along with some random elements make every playthrough different. [07/2021, p.75]

With its complex and surprising story and vintage visuals Resonance is a must have for all point'n'click fans. [August 2012, p.83]

Project_Hel might not be as great in terms of level design as the base game, but it’s a fun DLC that tells a good story and provides more space for combat, which results in more intense, more violent gameplay.

I expected a Hearthstone clone, but Chronicle is closer to a board game. It's interesting, fresh mechanics need some tweaking though, because now the game is both a bit too random and a bit too predictable. [08/2016, p.73]

Looking at charming, detailed hand-drawn environments is pure pleasure and the game’s simple story about priorities, plans and hopes is truly touching. [07/2017, p.42]

Over half of available levels were taken from the original game, which is not a bad thing, but the price of the game is simply inadequate. [10/2017, p.66]

This is not only Crytek's best work and the most beautiful PC title to date but also a wonderful good-bye to the current generation of platforms. Crysis finally found its place among Call of Duty, Battlefield and Halo, taking some of their best bits but at the same time remaining distinct enough to be worth your time. You should definitely at least see it. [CD-Action 03/2013, p.44]

NCsoft’s experience pays off in Master x Master, a pretty, modern MOBA with a successfully introduced fresh mechanic of swapping characters midmatch. [09/2017, p.48]

I see two principal flaws in Hob. First of all, none of the game’s elements is outstanding. The second problem is the repetitiveness of goals, puzzles, combat. Hob might relax you, but it will definitely not excite you. [13/2017, p.52]

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]

MachineGames took a step back in terms of design. The Old Blood is basically the same game as before but more action oriented, not as varied in terms of pace and lacking distinct ideas and settings. [07/2015, p.48]

A full-fledged entry to the Sniper Elite series, with 18 missions and a story that binds them together and lasts a couple of hours. It’s decent (if you consider the fact, that PS VR is not a cutting edge gear), but be aware that it resembles a low-budget version of Call of Duty and the graphics are average at best. I’ve seen many PS VR games that were much more impressive in terms of visuals. [10/2021, p.39]

This great mobile slasher has PlatinumGames written all over it. Wonderful art style, superb combat, fascinating Yokai, the soundtrack, the story, the characters – pretty much everything clicked in World of Demons. The developers did a fantastic job and now they can finally focus on giving us Bayonetta 3. [06/2021, p.48]

In the first episode of its final season The Walking Dead is prettier than ever, sounds better than ever and does a better job at pretending to be a game. Telltale’s attempts to refresh the series are too conservative but I still appreciate them, even if it feels like praising a notorious sloven for washing his hands before Christmas dinner. [10/2018, p.76]

It won’t be a hit of Hotline Miami’s proportions but the game is well worth recommending to all fans of the genre. Especially because everything, that’s not welded to the ground, can become a weapon. [05/2020, p.76]

Two guys decided to mix spaghetti westerns with hip hop. It had no right to work, but despite simplicity and primitive visuals Luckslinger is pretty damn good. [10/2015, p.63]

New visuals look great without completely ditching the distinctive style of the original Pharaoh, more fluent animations add to the positive experience, while the gameplay is still demanding and addictive. Overall, Pharaoh: A New Era lives up to expectations for remakes of classic games, but Triskell Interactive should have worked much harder on the interface, as its new version makes the game harder to enjoy.

Even a decade later it’s obvious why SoulCalibur II is regarded one of the best 3D fighting games. The HD version is unfortunately only decent – it’s clear that the game is 10 years old and the online component is very modest. [02/2014, p.72]

I didn’t care much for the series after CoJ: The Cartel, so I was very surprised by the fact that the modest digitally distributed effort to return to the Wild West turned out to be the best Call of Juarez ever. It has brilliant storytelling, looks great and offers pure, unadulterated fun. At this price it’s a steal. [CD-Action 07/2013, p.66]

Obduction is scant storywise and in contrast to The Witness failed to gradually teach me how to deal with its puzzles, instead forcing me to use the trial and error method. Myst fans, however, should enjoy it. [11/2016, p.46]

New Ratchet & Clank does not bring anything fresh to the table in terms of gameplay, but it skilfully borrows from other games and offers something interesting all the time. It’s unpretentious, charming and fun to play. [01/2014, p.71]

It looks and sounds fantastic but the gameplay revolves mainly around fetching stuff for people who tell you where to look for other stuff. [05/2020, p.70]