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]