Blitworks took the best from 8-bit platformers (Rick Dangerous! Montezuma’s Revenge!), evolved it greatly, and wrapped it up in visuals worthy of 2020. The result is amazing but be aware that you’ll be dying over and over and over again, because part of the game’s retro heritage is its frustrating difficulty level. Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints and place Spelunky 2 among my top 10 games of the year. [12/2020, p.46]

The FIFA series desperately needs a fresh start. Right now, it relies mainly on the Ultimate Team mode and marketing, while going around in circles. Instead of leaping into the future, FIFA 21 takes half a step forward and two steps sideways in an attempt to differentiate itself from its predecessor well enough to rationalize spending money. If you already own FIFA 20 and are not addicted to Ultimate Team, you can sit this one out. [12/2020, p.44]

Anyone who can rally up some friends simply needs to give Among Us a try and feel the brilliant tension that builds up within the group as trust deteriorates and everyone becomes suspicious. [12/2020, p.42]

Star Renegades’ best feature is its combat system which rewards good tactics based on thorough analysis. Battles also look great, thanks to the polished pixel art, but the complicated, unfriendly interface makes enjoying them harder. I was also disappointed with the game’s rudimentary story, but what really disheartened me was the tiresome repetitiveness of gameplay. [12/2020, p.41]

Based on a true story, this dark thriller (a mix between a point’n’click and a survival horror/stealth game) excels at creating an overwhelming atmosphere that brings to mind David Fincher’s “Se7en”. This Is the Zodiac Speaking is not much of a looker and suffers from various flaws, but it really did chill my blood a couple of times. [12/2020, p.40]

For the first time since forever, I feel like playing Super Mario Bros. again. The team at Arika added 34 other players, increased the number of mobs accordingly, made the player character a bit more powerful – and thus managed to turn rusty gameplay into gold. [12/2020, p.39]

Dozens of hours of pure fun! Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a journey through an outstanding series, a feast – well, actually three feasts – for those who love platformers. Super Mario Galaxy alone makes this package worthwhile, but even the lowest rated among these games (Super Mario Sunshine) boasts a Metascore of 92! [12/2020, p.38]

Spellbreak tries to reinvigorate the worn-out battle royale genre by ditching guns and fortifications in favor of an excellent magic combat system (combining spells works great!) supported by remarkable character mobility. The result is a frenetic, very satisfying game. And it’s free, so it’s easier to turn a blind eye to the fact that the map is large but empty, and there isn’t even a simple chat system to make communication within the team easier. [12/2020, p.37]

Serious Sam remained true to its legacy and therefore is charmingly archaic – which is not a flaw in this case. It’s easy to point out that side missions are uninspired and fail to provide the diversity they were supposed to introduce, or question the quality of graphics and optimization, but it’s not really that important when burying enemies under piles of bullets is so much fun. [12/2020, p.34]

The main difference between the remake and the original game is that the latter was outstanding for its time, while the Definitive Edition is “merely” good. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time. What’s crucial here is the fact that Hangar 13 approached the original’s narrative with proper respect and refrained from changing it too much. Mafia: Definitive Edition might not be remarkable as an open-world action game, but it still has the story worthy of the most revered gangster movies. [12/2020, p.28]

I’m not sure what I’m dealing with here. Is Hate Wave an exercise in Unreal Engine done after two weeks of watching tutorials on YouTube? It does seem that way, so why does someone want me to pay for it? [11/2020, p.77]

Kill it With Fire is one of those “so dumb it’s kinda fun” experiences. The game is very simple, intentionally ugly, and unpretentious, which makes killing house spiders with over-the-top weapons (explosives, flame thrower, shotgun, etc.) pretty enjoyable for around two hours. [11/2020, p.76]

It’s a solid, very pretty and well-balanced RTS in the vein of Company of Heroes and Dawn of War II. Its most important quality though is that it managed to retain the atmosphere and allure of the unique dieselpunk 1920+ universe it’s set in. [11/2020, p.74]

Inspired by Franz Kafka, this great mix between weird fiction and magical realism casts you in the role of a man turned suddenly and inexplicably into a little bug and lets you explore a civilization built by insects but resembling our own. In many aspects Metamorphosis is crude, but the unsettling atmosphere of the strangely bureaucratic insect world, unusual music, solid voice-acting, and dialogues full of legal gibberish that illustrates said bureaucracy make the game unique. [11/2020, p.73]

An interesting visual style resembling moving stained glass is pretty much all Gleamlight has going for itself. Its gameplay mechanics are very basic, the level design is pedestrian, and you can complete it in 50 minutes on your first playthrough. [11/2020, p.72]

At first, I found Transport INC to be quite engaging, but things went downhill after a couple of hours, when I realized that it pretends to be deeper than it really is. Its biggest flaw is that you can’t influence the economic environment in any way. You can’t develop cities or create supply and demand by building manufacturing plants or extracting oil. [11/2020, p.71]

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]

This point’n’click adventure game set in a computer system is a brilliant and beautiful homage to the late ‘90s, when the Internet was a fascinating, messy eyesore. If you feel at least a bit nostalgic about that time period and what the Internet used to be back then, you absolutely need to play Hypnospace Outlaw. The only flaw I found in the game is that its story feels rushed. [11/2020, p.68]

With the way it combines genres, Spiritfarer simply shouldn’t work – and yet it works perfectly! It offers a varied and engaging gameplay, introduces you to fleshed-out characters, sounds and looks really good, and has plenty of content. While the story of a girl who takes up Charon’s duties of carrying souls into the afterlife tackles death without needless pathos and affirms life, it does not lack touching moments. [11/2020, p.66]

Initially I was more frustrated than entertained by Surgeon Simulator 2. Once I mastered the intentionally awkward controls, I began to appreciate it more and more. If you’re patient, and grotesque, dark humor is your thing, I believe you’ll enjoy this game. [11/2020, p.64]

It’s still good old Dontnod but Tell Me Why falls short of the studio’s previous achievements. Outdated engine aside, the game lacks interesting interactions or a relationship as powerful as Chloe’s and Max’s friendship in Life is Strange. Its simple story is quite linear and fails to surprise, and supporting characters are rather bland. [11/2020, p.62]

A mix between Three Kingdoms and Thrones of Britannia, Troy is a solid game that has a lot to offer and guarantees many hours of addictive fun but might disappoint loyal Total War fans with some of the changes (e.g. diplomacy). If you’re new to the series, be prepared to power through the overwhelming beginning, fortunately with the help of one of the best tutorials I’ve ever seen. [11/2020, p.60]

The latest game by No Man’s Sky developer is not only enjoyable to play, but also pleasant to look at. Despite visual simplicity it will charm you with its style and vibrant colors, bewitch you with its fairy tale atmosphere and sooth your senses with subdued soundtrack. If you’re looking for a puzzle game that won’t overheat your brain but will provide a couple of hours of varied fun, give The Last Campfire a chance. [11/2020, p.59]

A worthy successor to Crusader Kings II. Right now, it is not as deep and demanding as its predecessor with all its expansions installed, but it still is an excellent strategy game. For newcomers it’s a great way to dive into the world of crowned tyrants, treacherous vassals, unfaithful wives, and inconvenient babies strangled in their cradles. [11/2020, p.56]

Juggling genres is the series’ trademark and the latest game offers much larger variety in that aspect than any of its predecessor. Most of the genres were tackled well enough, but not all ideas are spot-on and almost every part of the game could be improved. It is the best Battletoads game to date though and it would’ve scored higher if it wasn’t for one frustrating and infuriating section towards the end of the campaign. [11/2020, p.55]

Most of the puzzles were well-designed and I appreciated the chance to put my problem-solving skills and spatial awareness to the test, but the game is insolently short. I finished the campaign in approximately two hours, but it can be done much faster even without skipping the cut-scenes. [11/2020, p.54]

The first Project CARS game designed not only for hardcore simulation fans, but also for more casual racing enthusiasts, was supposed to be love at first sight. Well, it wasn’t. It does boast one of the most enjoyable driving models you can come across nowadays, but it’s not enough. The rest of the game (including the single-player campaign that should have been named Project Grind) falls short of what the best racing games on the market offer. [11/2020, p.52]

A great remaster of the best “single-player MMORPG” ever. The original seemed to have everything it needed to shine, but some external factors (poor marketing, the closure of 38 Studios) robbed it of success. I’m happy to inform that the remastering was done expertly and this charming, fun, unpretentious game resembling Fable is still worth both its price and all the hours needed to complete it. I’m really happy I got this chance to revisit Amalur, and I want to believe that Re-Reckoning foreshadows the revival of the franchise that died prematurely years ago. [11/2020, p.48]