If you want to see what an exemplary roguelike looks like, look at Dead Cells. It does everything right – the controls, the level design, the combat, the character progression system, the pace – and collecting cells remains a joy even after dozens of hours. [10/2018, p.58]

I honestly recommend the Ultimate Edition to everyone who Skyrim still left hungry for questing. [April 2012, p.78]

New gameplay elements introduced by Brave New World are more interesting than what the previous expansion had to offer, and I definitely recommend it to every fan of Civilization. [CD-Action 09/2013, p.63]

Thanks to Mystery Chronicle I finally understood why people get addicted to roguelike games. [12/2016, p.74]

Why would anybody need Fire Emblem Heroes when we’ve got this unique gem? [04/2017, p.53]

The best kind of remake – it show the game the way you remember it, not the way it really was. [12/2016, p.76]

If you spent your childhood playing DuckTales, Super Marios Bros. or Contra on your NES, no one can convince you that a pixel art indie game can bring that feeling back. Except for Shovel Knight. Shovel Knight can. [Sept 2014, p.68]

The remastered edition of a brilliantly designed and masterfully executed action adventure game looks and feels really good on new platforms. [01/2017, p.47]

This is how the only true heir to the old Fallout games should have looked from day one! [13/2015, p.70]

Armored Core VI is not your typical action game. It’s a game about building robots, going into battle and verifying the effects of your engineering efforts. The enormous possibilities of modifying your mech, the undying joy of combat, and the hefty challenges you need to overcome greatly outweigh the little flaws on this diamond.

You shoot monsters with your shoes while falling at high speed. Why? Because video games, that’s why. [13/2015, p.71]

War of the Chosen introduces tons of new mechanics along with various improvements. It refreshes the original game so thoroughly that the campaign is truly worth replaying and the whole package deserves to be called XCOM 2.5. [11/2017, p.36]

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]

Wattam reminds me of Chuchel and is the cutest game I have played in recent years. I love its absurd sense of humor, simple puzzles, adorable dancing and farting creatures, and the way music corresponds with the funny on-screen chaos. The game is rather short and doesn’t play too well with a controller, but other than that it is pure fun. [03/2021, p.52]

Ember Lab didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Instead the developers opted for tried and true mechanics that entertained us time and again in many action adventure games, and mixed them in an almost perfect way. The beginning might be a little slow, but when Kena: Bridge of Spirits gains momentum, it becomes truly great. It’s hard for me to point out any significant flaws apart from overall lack of originality. What a debut! [12/2021, p.74]

Fallen Order is a must have for Star Wars fans and the best Star Wars game in years. Both literally and figuratively: the Force is strong with this one. [01/2020, p.42]

I’ve steered clear of Japanese games since I figured out long ago they’re not my cup of tea. But Yakuza is something else. It was my first contact with the series and although at first I did mind the fact that it trails behind Western competition in many aspects, I quickly ceased to notice it. I know it’s an overused cliché, but damn, Yakuza has a soul! And an exceptional story, one of the best I’ve experienced in games since I started playing them almost thirty years ago. Even if you avoid Japanese games, do yourself a favour and give Yakuza 0 a chance, because it is ridiculously fun and you need to experience it too. [10/2018, p.69]

Historical fiction served as a game full of swordfights, content and design choices straight from the past. Apart from some shortcomings arising from the fact that we’re dealing with a remake of an almost decade-old title, it’s hard to point out any major flaws of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s latest offering. More than just an engaging action game, Like a Dragon: Ishin! lets you experience an incredibly romantic era and a charming story of a warrior with a heart of gold, who’s always ready to put his quest for vengeance aside to go fishing, cook a dinner, pray at a shrine, help someone write a love letter or show kids how to find Japan on a globe. Although it’s a spin-off, it works great as in introduction to the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series.

A game of not one, not two, but many tricks. A book as a platform for gaming adventures is a great idea and an abundant source of interesting gameplay mechanics, which the developers at APF willingly snatched, offering a title that is fresh and strikes emotional chords.

Tekken 8 emerges as the king of modern fighting games. The Heat System turns the intensity of battles up to the max, the abundance of options and game modes won’t let you get bored for a long time, while the focus on new players should help convince even your most resistant friends to duel with you.

There are still a couple of months left until New Years Eve, but I can already risk a statement that Chivalry 2 is one of the best games of 2021. It’s hard to express the feeling of a massive adrenaline rush as you storm castle walls in the middle of a huge siege. The brutal combat system is brilliant, not overly complicated yet nuanced, and Torn Banner did an excellent job at balancing the game on every level – from weapons to controls to classes to maps and spawn points. I only wish there were more modes and maps. [09/2021, p.22]

There’s a lot going on in Shadow Tactics, the scenarios are really well designed and I enjoyed the game immensely till the end. The only thing I can accuse it of is being too conservative in terms of characters – I wouldn’t mind some more creativity in this department. [01/2017, p.60]

The Last Guardian is definitely not to everyone’s liking, but everyone should play it at least for a moment, because it is an extraordinary game. [01/2017, p.62]

Bethesda Pinball is a great package as three tables are completely different from each other in terms of atmosphere, gameplay design and appearance. The important part is that they don’t just capitalize on sentiment but are great on their own merits. [02/2017, p.40]

Absolution throws down the gauntlet –it's difficult but extremely rewarding and never malicious or unfair. It offers great freedom, looks terrific and is packed with huge number of optional tasks and challenges. I spent 15 hours with Hitman but that's just a beginning – I'll be definitely coming back for more. [13/2012, p.30]

With this brilliant game Sonic at last reminded us why he was once a worthy rival for Mario. [11/2017, p.56]

Planet Coaster is almost perfect (it really is on par with Theme Park and RollerCoaster Tycoon) and every forthcoming tycoon game will be measured against it. [01/2017, p.68]

A perfect party game, simple but brilliant. [10/2018, p.84]