An uncompromising simulation that expects you to devote all your free time but will reward you with immense satisfaction. [12/2017, p.78]

Despite new setting it’s obvious from the start who made this game. If you enjoyed Gothic or Risen series, you will probably have fun with Elex, because you’re used to turning a blind eye to numerous problems infesting Piranha Bytes’ titles. You will just have to give the story enough time to pick up speed, because the beginning is painfully slow and boring. [12/2017, p.74]

There are some improvements and some progress in WRC 7, but if you own WRC 5 or WRC 6, it’s hard to justify buying this year’s edition. [12/2017, p.73]

An excellent modern nod towards the likes of Final Fantasy, and a beautifully drawn, masterfully animated feast for the eyes. [12/2017, p.72]

In contrast to Emily or Corvo Billie does not offer the sense of true power, which might be disappointing to some, but to me was refreshing. Death of the Outsider provides just five missions, but one of them is so good and so extensive that I replayed it over and over again to find every alternative path and hidden event. [12/2017, p.70]

I was annoyed by various flaws (both technical and design-related) and tedious, dragged out final stages of the campaign, but overall I enjoyed the ride. It looks like the developers wanted to stuff the game with all the best elements Middle-earth has to offer. Shadow of War’s atmosphere is terrific and watching Talion rise in power is surprisingly addictive. [12/2017, p.62]

In its current form FM7 is not perfect (loot boxes!), but when it comes to the most important thing, namely the joy of driving, it’s simply the best racing game available regardless of platform. [12/2017, p.64]

A solid dungeon crawler (in the vein of Legend of Grimrock) that could have used some fresh, distinctive ideas. [12/2017, p.63]

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]

Don’t be fooled by pixel graphics. Despite its simple mechanics TaT is a full-blooded RTS game with a varied, challenging campaign. [12/2017, p.61]

RofBP offers a fresh take on 4v1 matches and interesting melee combat and stress mechanics, but due to the risky model of development and distribution the game’s content is very scant. I do encourage you to try the free portion of the game though. [12/2017, p.60]

A brave, flashy, self-destructive spectacle that made me chuckle like a madman right up to one of the best endings in the history of video games. [12/2017, p.58]

This year’s edition of PES is a really good game (the PC version is at last on par with the consoles) that has one major problem – it appeals to people already won over by Konami’s series and has almost no chance to convince FIFA’s fans. That doesn’t change the fact that I can honestly recommend it. [12/2017, p.56]

Infinite is a case study on how not to make crossovers. The story mode is really poorly written and if you don’t already know and like the characters, you’ll just waste your time. What’s worse, almost every element of the game is similarly weak. The result is a mediocre game that wastes the potential of its solid combat system. [12/2017, p.54]

StarCraft Remastered is a fun blast from the past, but it’s hard not to notice how much games have evolved since 1998. [12/2017, p.53]

I was surprised by how much this new incarnation of Destiny appealed to me. New worlds are brilliantly designed, sound and visuals are top notch, combat feels great (those headshots!). This is how the first Destiny should have looked. [12/2017, p.50]

Creative Assembly takes us on a breathtaking journey through four of Warhammer’s continents (the map is huge!) and serves all of its gameplay elements in right proportions. It’s a highly addictive game that will consume all your free time one turn at a time. [12/2017, p.48]

ECHO made a great first impression on me with its dark atmosphere and AI that mimics player’s tactics, but this impression did not last long, as the game sunk into repetitiveness. [12/2017, 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]

Capcom wanted to fuse two popular series about hunting monsters and somewhat succeeded. In terms of technicalities the game is far ahead of Pokémon Sun/Moon, but lacks even a fraction of its depth. [12/2017, p.45]

I’m not emotionally attached to Metroid series, so for me Samus Returns is just a solid metroidvania game with a bland art style, devoid of the spark of individuality that turned Ori, Apotheon or Hollow Knight into memorable gems. [12/2017, p.45]

The first Knack was a laughing-stock. The sequel kept the main concept but did everything else differently and surprisingly the result is one of the most enjoyable co-op platformers I’ve ever played. [12/2017, p.44]

By rebuilding the animation system the developers managed to significantly improve footballers’ responsiveness, which results in more fluent gameplay and lets you perform tighter maneuvers. That makes attacking a real joy, but in my opinion turned defense into frustrating chore that requires too much precision. [12/2017, p.42]

Reikon Games’ greatest achievement is that they managed to infuse this simple twin-stick shooter with more atmosphere than majority of expansive AAA games can offer. The game looks amazing and the soundtrack is superb. So is the satisfying, brutal combat. Unfortunately difficulty levels were balanced absurdly – you either face no challenge at all or repeatedly bang your head against a wall. I was also disappointed by the fact that the game promises more than it delivers (the city acting as a hub turned out to be just a hollow shell) and becomes tedious due to primitive design of final levels. [12/2017, p.41]

The final DLC for Infinite Warfare is a solid one, but you won’t find anything jaw-dropping here. [12/2017, p.38]

Although I can imagine a better game, more open and consistent, I don’t regret any of dozens of hours I spent in the deep, rich and beautiful world of Original Sin II. [12/2017, p.32]

Patapon’s charm is timeless but the PS4 edition underlines the game’s drawbacks, especially tedious grind necessary to progress, which was not so painful when you played the game in short sessions on a handheld. [11/2017, p.77]