I appreciate the addition of brand new research projects, more interesting enemies and much larger variety of environments, but I’m not sure I’ll muster enough enthusiasm to play XCOM 2 again. [03/2016, p.44]

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

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]

Celeste has a lot going for it: virtuoso level design, top notch pixel art, fantastic chiptune soundtrack, an overall smart design, huge speedrunning potential and some deeper meaning (climbing the mountain as a metaphor of overcoming depression). Be aware though that it requires flawless precision and you will count your deaths in thousands. [04/2018, p.53]

Once again I was enamored by this unique, fascinating world and Guerrilla’s whole vision of Earth after the fall of our civilization. In terms of gameplay Horizon Forbidden West is not a revolution, but rather a natural evolution that introduces many improvements. You can think of it as a supercharged Horizon Zero Dawn – bigger, more beautiful and richer in content. It’s not a perfect game, as the human enemy AI needs a major overhaul and there are some technical issues to sort out, but it’s a thrilling, memorable adventure.

Restored Land has transformed Dying Light: The Beast from a very good game into an even better one. The issues I complained about after launch have been fixed, and the addition of survival mode offers a great opportunity to revisit Castor Woods.

A brilliant tactical RPG that easily pulls you into its world with charming dialogues, memorable character designs and perfect soundtrack. [08/2016, p.75]

The best Pokemon game since Gold and Silver. It’s worth buying a 3DS. [13/2013, p.76]

I’m honestly surprised, because I did not expect to have so much fun with Deathloop. It draws some gameplay ideas from Dishonored, but introduces time-related mechanics, offers an intriguing story with interesting characters and has its own unique and coherent style. It’s an original game, full of surprises and addictive, but not necessarily easily digestible for everyone. For me however it’s one of the best titles of 2021. [11/2021, p.22]

I took interest in Ori by chance, looking for something colorful for my kid. What I found instead was the hardest but also the best metroidvania of this decade. It became this year’s most pleasant surprise for me and I plan to return to it regularly for years to come. [05/2015, p.58]

Wonderful philosophical reflections, a lot to discover, and truly phenomenal brainteasers make The Talos Principle II a dream puzzle game. I’d love more continuity in the dialogues and a stronger impact of my choices on what the androids discuss, but The Talos Principles II is still amazing.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is still very enjoyable, but mainly because the base game was great, as this stand-alone expansion does next to nothing to evolve the formula. If you’re okay with getting more of the same, you should not be disappointed, especially that the port is solid and looks fantastic on a powerful PC.

Geralt made it to consoles at last. And in what style! One of the best RPG games in years was ported to X360 almost perfectly – it looks great and plays great. What it lacks is some introduction for those who didn't have the opportunity to play the first game or read Sapkowski's books and therefore might feel lost in The Witcher's world. [June 2012, p.54]

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]

Is it worth it to pay for a new version of a an old free mod? The visuals are of course better, but it’s not important in a game with the story as a centerpiece. And the topic that was fresh in 2011 doesn’t have such an impact nowadays. [13/2013, p.66]

Probably the most surprising DLC of 2023. Unexpected and engaging, Valhalla digs into Kratos’ past more boldly than Ragnarok and God of War from 2018. It’s an absolute must-play for fans of the series, especially since it’s free.

I’m impressed by how well the developers thought this game through. Rise simultaneously improves the formula used in World and makes Monster Hunter more friendly towards newcomers. It makes great use of Switch’s nature and by clearly separating the multiplayer from the single-player campaign, it ensures you’re going to have fun regardless of the circumstances. Apart from one subpar mode (which imitates a tower defense), it’s an amazing game. [06/2021, p.42]

You don’t want to spend your night in front of the computer? You have a wife and kids? You cherish your friendships and enjoy parties? Beware of this game. It’s that good. [13/2016, p.44]

A much needed radical change of setting worked great. It’s still obvious you’re playing a Battlefield game, but it offers a lot of period specific elements you won’t find in other war themed shooters. I was delighted with Battlefield 1’s multiplayer, but unfortunately the single player campaign is very uneven and leaves the aftertaste of squandered potential of a great setting. [12/2016, p.36]

The StarCraft II finale offers a decent but not breathtaking campaign and some tweaks to the multiplayer which now promotes quick, aggressive expansion. [01/2016, p.66]

After all these years it could have been bigger, better, more polished. It could have had a PvP mode or a voice chat, or at least a more competent loot generator. But if you drop all the 'could have beens' Diablo III is a great, addictive game. [July 2012, p.46]

The best and the most complete of all console editions of Diablo III – and you can play it anywhere. Who needs Diablo Immortal? [01/2019, p.65]

Only intrusive microtransactions could have ruined this great game, but fortunately it’s not the case. [12/2015, p.74]

I wish everyone who develops platform games understood movement mechanics as good as Image & Form. SteamWorld Dig 2 is a very good game in every aspect, but the cherry on top is the joy that comes from running around, jumping and climbing. [12/2017, p.62]

Take all the beauty of football, all its unpredictability and all emotions it carries, boil it down and what you get is roughly FIFA 13. It's the best, the richest simulation of football ever created. [12/2012, p.48]

Legion took me back to the times of World of Warcraft’s greatest splendor, to the era of The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King. It miraculously revived a game that was already dead to me. [11/2016, p.44]

Whereas the first game won our hearts as a love letter to cherished RPG legends (Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment), this one tempts us with its own unique flavour. The series moved away from the tried-and-true medieval fantasy setting in favor of seemingly dissonant elements (quasi-Nordic gods, strokes of traditional high fantasy, pirate mythology in the vein of Stevenson’s Treasure Island, culture of the Caribbean) that somehow fused together exceptionally well. On top of that its scale is noticeably bigger and there are tons of various improvements. All that makes Deadfire precisely the sequel it should be. [07/2018, p.66]

With its fast paced action and rapid movement Eternal takes more form the Quake franchise rather than from its own. There’s a bit too much of world traversing puzzles for my taste, the game already engages both brains and reflexes on the highest possible level. [05/2020, p.34]