For me Origins is the best game in the series, a beginning of a new era for the long-running franchise. I was awestruck by how huge, varied and believable its world is and how dense it is with all sorts of appealing activities. I welcomed the completely redesigned combat system, which bids farewell to the old “press X to win” feature. Apart from various glitches and technical issues (often resulting from game’s complexity) my only serious charge against Origins is that it sets up its story poorly and fails to keep it tight. [13/2017, p.68]

A puzzle game so addictive that your family will have to break down the bathroom door to drag you out. [01/2016, p.75]

There’s a new Tetris in town and this one you need to see, even if you don’t own a PS VR headset. It does not try to revolutionize the gameplay foundations, but the idea to marry timeless mechanics with breathtaking visuals reminiscent of Rez was brilliant and makes Effect the best thing that happened to Tetris in a long, long time. [02/2019, p.31]

Order & Chaos Online is not yet perfect but in its current form is already a mature MMORPG not very different from what World of Warcraft had to offer on the day it came out. Which is even a bit scary considering that consoles are still waiting for a game like this and on PCs Blizzard's masterpiece doesn't have a really worthy competition. [July 2011, p.69]

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]

PUBG’s version 1.0 not only brings a new map, but primarily introduces numerous crucial gameplay improvements to a game which was already hard to resist. [02/2018, p.28]

Its weaknesses – generic world, bland story and lack of innovation – are easily forgiven because the game is very well put together and extremely addictive. On every step it gave me a reason to spend 'just 15 more minutes' with it. I really couldn't wait to play it again at home. [March 2012, p.44]

Echoes of Wisdom is a must-have game. Abandoning metroidvania roots turned out to be a great idea. Phenomenally designed skills are reminiscent of Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, while finding summons and learning their uses has a kind of Pokémon magic to it.

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

Lost in Random excels in storytelling and offers an unconventional combat system. If you like visiting unique worlds, enjoy dark fables and appreciate a good story, you’ll get hooked on this game big time. I was eagerly awaiting Alice: Asylum and suddenly this gem appeared. Here’s to more wonderful surprises like this one. [11/2021, p.74]

Almost everything that I loved about the first Company of Heroes is back in the sequel and done even better. It’s been a long time since I played such a stunning and addictive RTS. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.46]

The new Forza Horizon is even more enjoyable than before and its only real fault is that it looks more like a large patch for Forza Horizon 2 than a full-blooded new entry in the series. [12/2016, p.54]

Balatro is seemingly simple, seemingly trivial, yet it’s impossible to tear yourself away from it. Each attempt goes a little differently, your strategy needs to evolve constantly and even after a couple of hours you’re still being surprised by new modifiers, ideas and the need to change your approach. It’s a great game that simply doesn’t get boring.

After all these years Dead Rising’s design is still absolutely unique. There’s no way you’ll finish the game in the first attempt. You’ll have to repeat it over and over again to work out the optimum scenario, but Dead Rising is so good you won’t mind that at all. [12/2016, p.56]

At last I found a game that filled the void left in my life by Knights of Pen & Paper. Despite some technical issues Loot & Legends earned the space in my iPad for a lifetime. [11/2015, p.67]

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]

Clichéd and predictable story might not be Unbound’s strong point, but the level design and mechanics definitely are. Behind the game’s fairy-tale charm, fantastic visuals and great music you’ll find masterfully crafted and challenging gameplay. This Romanian indie gem is not only highly polished, but also wonderfully varied and exciting from start to finish. [10/2021, p.76]

A real feast for RPG-loving console owners and one of the best games to play in co-op. [13/2015, p.47]

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

There are two reasons to put the HD Remaster on the shelf – it’s an example of how magnificent Final Fantasy once was (X) and the evidence of how low it fell (X-2). [06/2014, p.63]

It's great that we got such a wonderful game to kill time with while waiting for a real revolution in the Total War series. [April 2012, p.66]

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]

Red Dragon should open the wish list of every gamer who shares the view that RTS games should promote strategic thinking, not fast clicking. [06/2014, p.66]

Lost Judgment is the sequel we needed. The story and combat are still the game’s strongest features, while the previously disappointing detective elements were improved. Some mistakes were made along the way (stealth sections, climbing), but overall it’s a great successor of Judgment. [12/2021, p.50]

It might be merely a return of a game that did not advance the series, but it was – and still is – the genre’s peak achievement. Sure, I could argue that boss encounters could’ve been more polished and the game could’ve looked better since Switch is more powerful than Wii U. A new world would have been a nice touch too. But what can I do when the game’s core is so good and it is complemented by content so great that such complaints become irrelevant? [02/2019, p.54]

The story mode (this year’s biggest selling point) is not perfect, but I was surprised how much I was invested in this idealized adventure every little boy dreams of while playing football with his pals. None other mode in FIFA or PES provides such experience. In all other departments – licenses, visuals, sound, atmosphere – the new FIFA is as strong as ever. [12/2016, p.67]

When Dave Gilbert decided in 2014 to put an end to Blackwell, arguably the most remarkable series of contemporary point’n’click games, he burned a hole in my heart. When I finally accepted the thought that the wound will never heal, Wadjet Eye is back with another gem, a terrific mix of a point’n’click and an RPG that’s right up there with Gilbert’s previous work. [10/2018, p.52]

An outstanding debut and one of the weirdest games I laid my hands on. [02/2019, p.59]