Vultures: Scavengers of Death is a fascinating genre experiment with a strong tactical core and wonderfully rough-edged retro survival-horror flair, but unfortunately also a few flaws that are hard to overlook.

Magin combines deckbuilding, an unusual dark fantasy world and challenging turn-based tactics but lacks some adjusting in melding all its pieces into a coherent whole.

Between accessible button-mashing and tactical depth, Invincible VS strikes an intriguing balance. However, it does not hit the mark in every area.

This 15-minute daily sitcom is wonderfully charming and often makes you laugh. But like a swing that you have to occasionally push, it’s only fun as long as you’re willing to put something into it. Occasional repetition and Nintendo’s sharing restrictions are annoying.

The Posthumous Investigation is an adventure game that feels like a visual detective novel that's stylistically poignant yet shallow in terms of actual detective work.

Screamer tries to do a lot and packs in tons of content, but unfortunately, it drops the ball when it comes to the basics of the genre. No matter what else an arcade racer does, if the controls and the driving itself aren't spot on, the battle is mostly already lost.

Being able to bypass many encounters and having multiple paths at your disposal is a genuine highlight of this RPG – and not just because I prefer to avoid the miserable combat at all costs. While an outright recommendation might be a stretch, fans of the first game might find enough here to justify a purchase.

Especially when playing with mouse and keyboard, Toxic Commando is a fine shooter for up to four players - even if lacking variety in the long run.

Fans can truly enjoy Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown, but the game is not easy and the gameplay could be more varied.

Come to terms with the fact that iRacing Arcade feels like a top-down racer mimicking a regular one and you just might enjoy rubbing doors with an overly aggressive, sometimes unfair AI competition.

Laysara: Summit Kingdom is a light city builder in an unusual yet beautiful scenario that lacks in terms of content and some quality-of-life-features.

Ultimately, Velvet's emotional journey of revenge is what drives the experience: brilliant storytelling and characters clash with a lackluster remaster that still hasn't shaken off its old flaws.

If you’re like me and have to play every Metroidvania out there, then yes, God of War: Sons of Sparta is decent enough. But in a genre this strong, 'decent' just means it’s below average and ultimately not worth your while.

A nostalgic time capsule with a minor flaw: hardcore fans may sorely miss the original soundtrack. Nevertheless, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition offers a fascinating look at a milestone of the platforming genre.

Even with the updates and upgrades, Kingdom Come: Deliverance Remaster nowadays feels even older than 2018 and the still-present bugs and glitches do not help. Warhorse can take solace in the fact that it's at least their own sequel that shows so impressively how it is done right.

The physics of driving a bike are as great as ever and optionally being made accessible to less involved players through Arcade Mode. The engaging career, however, is hampered down by its basic presentation while the game is also lacking content - some of which to be added later.

Papers, Please! meets zombie apocalypse: Despite wooden shooter interludes and technical sloppiness, the bitterly wicked charm of this thankless checkpoint assignment is convincing.

A new protagonist, punchy third-person combat, and more agile Na’vi enemies give the DLC more bite than you’d expect. Not essential, but an easy recommendation for fans of the base game.

Charmingly unique, and extremely stylish, Demonschool is a game of several interesting ideas. Unfortunately, despite its deep combat system, as a whole, the game fails to stay consistently engaging.

Maybe 15 heroes were too many, and the rest, from the scope to the quality of the levels and enemies, fell by the wayside? I have no idea. Either way, it's another pretty nice pixel brawler that you definitely have to play locally with one to three friends.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a kind of cozy and solid pastime for curling up on the couch during the cold season. But it's certainly not the next big JRPG.

Eighteen years after the last installment, Samus Aran finds herself lost in her most linear, easiest game yet. Nevertheless, the unique atmosphere, solid foundations, excellent visuals, and several neat dungeon ideas make Viewros well worth a visit.

Thrasher lacks the precision of a truly great arcade challenge, but in short bursts it is still an amazing audiovisual experience.

There are co-op games that strengthen friendships – and then there’s Biped 2. It sparks more hatred than any family Christmas dinner and is likely to destroy more friendships than Monopoly and Mario Kart combined.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake from Square Enix goes right back to the beginning of the JRPG genre. Unfortunately, I'm not sure the trek there is worth taking. Well, at least the two role-playing games now look fantastic.

The Outer Worlds 2 is a damn good, classic role-playing game in which you can pretty much do whatever you want...At the same time, I have to admit that I found it to be quite formulaic for long stretches. Factions, conflicts, open character development with numerous gameplay options: none of this is new, and because every distribution of perks, weaknesses and abilities always leads to a certain goal, proceedings feel somewhat arbitrary and lacking a certain special spark.

In terms of gameplay, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has some good points, such as real-time catching and battles, while the city seems limiting. Technically, it's still lagging behind, but at least it runs reasonably well on the Switch 2.

Little Nightmares 3 remains an audiovisually impressive dark fairy tale — rich in atmosphere but lacking in innovation. The co-op mode adds real value, yet it can’t disguise that the series is treading water in terms of gameplay.

Death on the Nile builds on the strengths of its predecessor, adds more variety, and convinces with engaging storytelling and a well-executed shift in perspective. Its weak tech and presentation hold it back, but for genre fans this case is still worth taking on.

As it is, I appreciate Claws of Awaji for the eerily beautiful atmosphere, the Bou staff, and the boss fight against Nowaki. Without the technical issues, this DLC could have been the highlight of the entire game for me.

Techland’s latest dive into zombie parkour chaos is at times pure gold and at others wearying routine, a tightrope walk between adrenaline rush and monotony.

Brilliant idea, solid framework—and yet an adventure that falls short of its potential: much of the detective work in Hell is Us is more tiresome than engaging.

Charming adventure that's a little too similar to Journey and somewhat lacking in depth - but unique in how it has you herding fantastical beasts on a wordless trip into the mountains.

Overall, Daima does a lot right. The main story and fights in particular are well staged and always fun, with the mass battles standing out in a particularly positive way. The game also scores points for its sense of progression. The experience only falls apart when you stop focusing on the main story or battles and start looking for entertainment outside of them.

Gripping, no-frills action with annoying rough edges - but so spot-on in terms of content that the big shooters should take a leaf out of their book.

In principle, the Switch 2 upgrade has a lot to offer, but little of it leaves a lasting impression. It feels more like a technology showcase than a focus on new content that fans really want.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a fast-paced and pleasantly challenging, but also very straightforward and short-lived adventure.

Pac-Man really wanted to go dark and chose a genre in which the bar had been set very high over the last decade. In the end, Shadow Labyrinth is a generally solid experience, but of little relevance to Metroidvanias overall.

Luffy and the Riverside feels like stepping into a children's book and letting your imagination run wild. Turning trees into water? Sure, no problem. Turning the pond with the annoying shark into lava to fry it? Of course. The flip is a wonderful game mechanic that breathes fresh air into the platformer genre.

The resource management is pleasantly challenging, and the story poses interesting questions. However, the emotional component is crushed by inconsistent, far too pragmatic dialogue and decisions.

What remains is a solid new edition. Is that enough to fork out 40 bucks? As already mentioned, this is still a long way from a real "Master Crafted Edition" for me. It looks prettier, yes, it also plays better than the original on the Xbox 360, but overall it could have been even better.

A small but charming pixel adventure built around an entertaining fishing minigame - a bit short on the parody that made Epic NPC Man yet full of charming characters from the series.

The simulation might not be as deep as others, but working the heavy machinery is quite entertaining most of the time.

Stylish adventure game with mostly simple puzzles. Unfortunately, important points of the actual interesting story are dealt with too briefly.

The reworked Unreal Engine 5 outing feels like an untamed beast that’s neither sim nor arcade as a lack of driving aids makes it hard to enjoy its convincing physics including dynamic ruts.

I appreciated South of Midnight for its world, characters, and story. It's just a shame that its outdated and formulaic action-adventure ideas can't keep up with its powerful audiovisual and narrative imagination.

Atomfall combines English provincial idyll and open gameplay with a solid, if not necessarily exciting, first-person action RPG. However, the combat, stealth and progression are not incredibly elegant and there's issues with player guidance that should be worked on urgently.

This nice trip down memory lane to the golden days of Yu-Gi-Oh! includes 16 games ranging from Game Boy to GBA. They are a fun companion to kill time, also the new collection provides some nice extra options but won't ignite the same type pf hype that was surrounding Yu-Gi-Oh! back in the days.

And yet I spent quite a bit of time with this, because when things are going well, Knights in Tight Spaces feels just as satisfying as its cool predecessor ... I just hope developer Ground Shatter will streamline the concept a little to ensure quicker battles, speed up the start a little and make the game a little less restrictive on the meta level.

Do you need to have played these games? No. But it's nice that Aspyr offers the opportunity to do it on modern systems with a few improvements. As always with Aspyr's releases, it could have been taken even further. In summary, more could have been done, but it's good entertainment and a chance to reminisce. As long as you don't expect miracles from it and know what you're getting yourself into.

If it wouldn’t be for the name “Ys”, this release wouldn’t exist, but since it’s here: it’s okay, you can play this. Or not. Lots of better action-RPGs out there. Many of them are also called Ys.

It‘s a solid expansion pack that somehow got inflated to full-game dimensions. Resistance is anything but essential, and it brings the series‘ qualities and (age-related) faults into sharp focus.

In the end, Civilization 7 remains a Civilization game at its core. BUT: The new gameplay mechanic with changing ages is a double-edged sword. I'm honestly still not sure what to make of it after all this time with the review version. I see Civilization 7 as a solid foundation for what's to come in the future. In a year's time, this game could look completely different, let alone in three or four. But whether you're ready to embark on this adventure right now is up to you. You might love it. You could hate it. Or, like me, you could be caught between the two.

This new edition is largely based on the original, in both positive and negative respects. Aspyr has also added some new content and technical optimizations, but again leaves a lot of potential untapped. This makes it more of a nostalgia-soaked experience or a history lesson in Star Wars video games for all those who played it back then or for those who didn't.

Koei should have kept the story more compact and focused more on the mysterious protagonist instead of a quarreling China. My recommendation: If you love the Warriors series, get the game - there's a lot to like. But if you don't have a clue about Chinese history, don't play it. There are games in the Warriors series that are much easier to get into.

If you can muster the will and the motivation, Fitness Boxing 3 can help you burn calories (...) It's definitely fun.

A somewhat sluggish version of Vampire Survivors with active combat and manual triggering of abilities. The number of enemies is lower, but some extras are exceptionally fun.

Redacted's comic-like action is good, but in the long run it is so uniform that the roguelike runs out of steam relatively quickly despite good character development.

The most beautiful version of Dragon Quest 3 to date knows exactly how to make a visual impression. However, the teeth of time have been gnawing mercilessly at the plot and gameplay.

After all, the combat system is pleasantly complex without being overloaded, while you can develop all characters very precisely into the specialists you desire in your party. Plus the motivating building of your own empire... Despite the formulaic course of events, you can spend a lot of good time with this remake.

Some of the action is spectacular and great to play, but in the long run Rogue Flight is quite monotonous.

Starship Troopers Extermination may have left Early Access, but it still feels like it could use some work and fine-tuning in some areas. Behind the still somewhat rough surface is a thoroughly entertaining multiplayer shooter, which (as is so common in the genre) lives or dies depending on your comrades-in-arms.

Now you can relive the Lego Harry Potter Collection on the latest consoles, even though, in terms of technology, nothing much seems to have changed about these two cute Lego Games.

It's charming enough, but that's about it. Somewhere inside Unknown 9, there is a really good game that would like to be released, but I'm not sure we'll see that moment.

A good alternative to Civilization that could be even better with a little more optimization. Beautifully detailed world, interesting features and flexibility.

The amazingly comprehensive retro flair, including a fantastic soundtrack, make this retro racing love letter something I like to let myself be carried away by. In terms of content and driving model, however, this runs out of gas somewhat quickly ... Parking Garage Rally Circuit is successful in what it does, but it's also a not much more than a short snack.

Agreed, in many ways, Solar Crown doesn't come close to Forza Horizon 5 or The Crew Motorfest, both of which simply do many things better. However, there are years of experience behind those series, while this is KT Racing's first Test Drive. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun with Solar Crown where it mattered - namely the races.

I can recommend Evotinction especially to players for whom stealth action is not just this one level in Call of Duty, and who are willing to trade high-class production values for an experimental flair.

The routes are short and monotonous, but the handling of the truck conveys, in an atmospheric way, what it must be like to steer a truck through space.

Hobby detectives with a focus on the narrative should feel right at home with Emio, while investigators who prefer to think and investigate for themselves might be a little disappointed by the gameplay.

Once again, a port from Aspyr that I'm ambivalent about. On the one hand, I'm delighted to be able to play Star Wars: Bounty Hunter on my Xbox Series. But on the other hand, I'm always thinking about what could have been, I see the potential for even more improvements around every corner.

Honor of Kings can be a good choice for getting into the genre on a smartphone. After all, the game is simple, offers a stripped-down MOBA experience and helps you to understand the basics in and out of matches. However, the game doesn't really stand out with much.

A lovingly drawn platformer that is not as lively in terms of gameplay as its visuals might suggest.

Nice repurposing of Nintendo's NES classics, but the local multiplayer mode in particular lacks the options to become a real party hit.

The First Descendant does not yet feel like it could become a serious competitor to the big names in the genre. Perhaps the game will surprise us with more endgame content that will satisfy our looter-shooter needs. So far, my experience has been mixed.

A well-playing strategy game with an all too varying difficulty level, weak story, technical imperfections and annoying always-online.

The physics and presentation are so well done that you can have a pleasant game. In terms of gameplay and audiovisuals, however, Zen's tables are still no match for the classics.

Entertaining sneaking with an inventive mechanic whose true potential is never fully explored.

Although Eiyuden Chronicle manages to capture a certain charm of the 90s, it is inconsistent in many areas. Above all, there is a lack of meaningful comfort functions. As a result, the game struggles to keep up with best of today's JRPGs despite a great deal of passion on display.

Audiovisually enchanting adventure on a submerged spaceship with likeable characters, which is not entirely convincing in terms of narrative and has little depth in terms of gameplay.

Withering Rooms is a horror adventure that is as atmospheric as it is playfully motivating. The ever-changing estate is morbidly fascinating and the constant progression encourages you to search it carefully. Even the story is interesting, even if it is only told via written text. Only the numerous battles are not one of its strengths, nor is the repetitive running through many same-y rooms.

Entertaining arcade racer about past Formula 1 decades with exciting races, even though some content and gameplay issues irritate.

Technically, Peach's Performance leaves a lot to be desired, then. Nevertheless, the lovingly designed levels in small fun-sized bites are a lot of fun. The staging of the plays, the many small design options for Stella and Peach's costumes make this one a charmer.

A solid real-time strategy entry to the Terminator universe, then, with engaging gameplay and tense missions, but the story leaves a lot to be desired ... There's definitely a lot of micromanagement here, but if you get used to it, you'll be able to keep everything under control and shouldn't face insurmountable problems. Terminator Dark Fate: Defiance does a lot right and is definitely worth a look if you like real-time strategy and the Terminator franchise.

Reveil is an atmospheric horror tale with memorable moments, whose strengths are successful puzzles and a visually and playfully vivid setting. Unfortunately, the ending fails to bring the emotional story to a convincing conclusion.

It's got heart and charme. But strange narrative pacing, patchy writing and weak presentation slow down this original and pretty RPG considerably. Fans of historical fantasy are treated to a pleasantly sinister Warsaw excursion with a clever combat system.

Its core mechanics are solid and there's undoubtedly great moments, but these are watered down time and again by repetitive run-of-the-mill missions and tasks. Suicide Squad often simply becomes too mechanical due to its nature, instead of giving players some breathing room.

A good port of the classics to modern systems, with a decent visual overall and more modern controls - but also outdated mechanics which make these a bit tough to enjoy.

The sailing and explosive battles are as enjoyable as this game's attractive backdrop. A shame that most of it is driven by dry resource collection to upgrade your ship.

The bottom line is that Go Mecha Ball is an arcade snack that you won't spend dozens of hours playing, but which fits perfectly into short breaks when you just want to have a quick game. For this purpose, the imaginative mix of pinball and two-stick shooter is actually really good. It's just a shame that it lacks an equally strong level design and more options for experimenting with different play styles.

The fact that you can't skip a single cutscene and that some save points are far apart are also relics of previous Telltale adventures that I'm not particularly stoked about. You could therefore say that the new old studio is still very much the old one, despite the closure, takeover and new start. Which also means, maybe most importantly, that it captures the essence of the source material very skillfully, which is why I can recommend The Expanse: A Telltale Series to fans of the series despite the criticisms.

As much fun as the central gameplay loop is, the graphics and performance unfortunately make the comeback of Dragon Quest Monsters look like a relic from the past.

I love the visual style of the game, so as an Asterix fan I can forgive it for not having a huge amount of depth to offer. In this respect, Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All 2 should particularly appeal to fans, but it is also interesting for anyone who doesn't want to be overwhelmed by a wealth of game options or movesets.

The predictable, mechanical side of Frontiers of Pandora pervades every aspect of this visually impressive experience and stands in stark contrast to the wonderfully organic and vibrant environment. It's two sides that don't fit well with each other, don't belong together - the movies made this part of their central message.

I was actually surprised that it still plays reasonably well, although of course it still shows its age. In this respect, it's a piece of history to replay if you like.

Immersive gameplay, but only few interaction options. Winter Warrior delivers more of the same, but in a good way. If you don't set your expectations too high, you'll be well entertained for the 15 bucks.

In the end, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader delivers exactly what fans want from it. Owlcat Games has succeeded in creating a very good, albeit text-heavy CRPG conversion, which is only held back by the remaining technical shortcomings.

Entertaining, but not quite perfect: Gangs of Sherwood has interesting heroes, but bland opposition dulls their potential.