Age of Wonders 3 knows the ropes, so much is clear. But as soon as you get a grip on the clever AI, you'll notice this game might be looking in Civilization's direction – much too often for me to believe that's not what it wants to be – but it never really reaches those heights.

Even though it follows the series' tradition in terms of core gameplay tenets maybe a bit too closely, Liberation's New Orleans is still well worth a visit.

Once you understand how it works, Akka Arrh is a clever experience that rewards good timing with cool combos. Above all, it's a surprisingly relaxed affair that often lets you enjoy the sparkling polygon spectacle at your leisure while keeping it going with a few well-aimed shots.

Don't let the minimalistic visuals fool you, as a strategy game, Panzer Tactics HD knows every trick in the book.

Structurally and narratively I wish the developers had had shown more courage. But this kind of thing can happen, I guess, if you concentrate on getting your core mechanics spot on as much as United Front did. More of a rigidly controlled experience than a real sandbox, you can't help but notice that this type of game is not what it once was: Once open-world games were the fresh-faced poster boys of interactivity and do-as-you-please attitude. Now they're becoming more and more stale and antiseptic environments. It's not Sleeping Dogs' fault alone, and the game does impress at least mechanically most of the time, but it never manages to surprise.

Minor troubles aside, for about ten bucks you get one of the best Sonic experiences, and one that can and will keep you busy for weeks, if you're really want to see everything. If you can get past the camera issues, some control quibbles and the rather boring search for crystals, this will hook you like in the olden days. This reunion might bring with it some surprises, as your memory seems to play tricks on you, but it's still a worthwhile get together.

A nice re-release of the PS2 original with slightly improved graphics and PSVR2 support, but without new content it doesn't quite live up to its potential.

The Extended Edition doesn't quite deliver on its potential. Still, it's a good chance to experience this classic if you didn't get to play it when it originally came out.

A good DLC tidbit for a small price, but with only one new campus and no gameplay effects in other levels it also doesn't offer too much content.

Killer Instinct still has it, no doubt about it. On the other hand, six or eight characters respectively is an almost shamefully small amount of content. This is not a debut, but the third game in a series that only brings one new character to the table. So to me, this is clearly a game of two sides, as it even stays pretty basic when it comes to game modes. Still, I do like what's there, but even at those 20 bucks it's a bit meager, especially compared to everything else that came out on current gen in recent years.

For such a monster of a game, some quibbles and problems are understandable. Still, it's about time EA started taking care of long known problems before integrating new (if really interesting and reasonable) features. If FIFA Manager is going to become a thoroughly recommendable product again, something really needs to happen.

More of this quality can't be a bad thing, even though you're not as panicked anymore as you were when the main game came around.

It's all terribly tense and perfectly entertaining until you're two thirds through. At that point, unfortunately, a routine kicks in that you hadn't quite expected from this type of procedurally generated sandbox.

If you only know the 'Tycoon'-moniker from those railroading games and expect to find something with complex mechanics and systems to mull over, this is not the game for you. It's a light-hearted and a bit shallow simulation for the whole family. And as such, it succeeds.

Even though Unity arguably is the braver game of the two, Rogue might just be the better one.

PES 2015 just lives and breathes Soccer. After years of decent iteration on the series' core tenets, I almost didn't expect something as impressive as this. That being said, it's just a crying shame Konami seemingly insists on confirming every single stereotype one might have had when it comes to the pathologically shaky online aspect.

It's not quite what Kirby deserved. But Triple Deluxe is still well worth the two or three carelessly entertained afternoons between feathery clouds and cotton candy.

For years, Dust: An Elysian Tail will be a testament to what one person is able to create. But it also shows how problems in a game can sometimes be missed by the creator as well as the players.

Onslaught is a decent package with some nice maps – 'Bayview' being a new personal favorite – and a good start when it comes to the badly needed fresh content for the games' 'Extinction' mode.

Turns out, RE4 is not a timeless classic, then, but it's a classic nonetheless. And as such you shout, by all means, have played it at least once in your life. The closer to release you did that, the better. But for a mere 20 Bucks you can hardly go wrong in 2014, as well.

If you want to show off your new console's next-gen graphics, this entertaining romp is the game to get. It looks absolutely stunning in its effects and even the lush design of its world. Still, in the not-too-distant future we'll get games that look this good while offering considerably more depth than Ryse's beautiful, but ultimately shallow puddle of a brawler. And that are considerably more exciting.

In the future, the community could mod this to be a truly outstanding experience. And I sincerely hope the developers pitch in some new things as well. So, is it a game for everyone? Absolutely not. But if you're looking for something that's really, really out there, you'll enjoy this quite a bit, if only for a while.

Crimes and Punishment is not the sort of adventure where you jam-pack your inventory with random items and boredly click away window after window of borderline meaningless dialog. It's a real detective game – the video game equivalent of a crime novel, suspenseful, but ultimately undemanding.

Fable has always been a diamond in the rough. There's as much entertainment to be found here as there are frustrations - nothing about that has changed in the past decade.

It's a dialogue-heavy, but ultimately solid bridging episode that's probably going to be compared to the fourth part of season one, when it's all said and done. You get the feeling it's only about to really get started now.

This is a solid version that's well worth the download for Xbox live gold members. Compared to the PC game it lacks too many features, though, and technologically it is far behind as well.

Even though its level design capabilities are kind of rudimentary, the game still manages to give its short intense bursts of action some variety, ensuring that you return to it for another round. This, and the lovingly – and knowingly – dilettantish Amiga-style graphics makes this a really solid sleeper of a game. Had Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara not come out shortly before, this would most probably haven gotten more buzz.

The guys and gals at 5Th Cell really know their DC. There is a lot to explore and try out, the sheer number of characters and comic-trivia in this makes for some very interesting and fun experimentation. You will feel like you have had your fill sooner rather than later, though, and move on to something else.

You are better off to tolerate the cracks in the façade of this game and use them to dig deeper into it. Then, I Am Alive will have the desired impact. We need more broken, bleak and bitter games like this.

While this is still expertly made and well worth the time and money, really relevant information regarding the murders was few and far between. You don't feel like Bigby is running the investigation, he's hopelessly trailing behind for the third consecutive episode.

The first look at Unit 13 might have been daunting, but now I don´t want to miss the game on my memory card. The elegance that's missing in the presentation can be found in the puristic, unpretentious flow of the game's design.

Clearly, for some this won't be enough – they might find the experience too familiar. Some might even take offense to the fact that Namco Bandai divided something by six, which was once truly unique. … I, too, had taken issue with the recycling factor of it all. But if you decide to give it a chance, the games' disarming charms will have you hooked halfway through the introduction. At that point you'll be able to laugh again at the balance between heart and insanity the developers so effortlessly strike.

We are deep in fan-service-territory with this one. (…) Y´s Origin is a small nerdy pleasure for everyone who misses the 16-/32-bit era, but does not want to resort to going completely retro.

The fascination for this game must come from the bizarre, exaggerated humor. It´s really good at that and uses it well to keep you motivated. Gameplay-wise, there is not much here, that you will remember after a while.

Escape Plan is hardly a world-shattering nor an especially touching puzzler, if that's what you expected. But it still is an acceptable getaway to calmer waters, somewhere beyond Vitas flashy and action-heavy launch line-up.

Even if the premise is not as self-contained as it should be and the basic design not as fascinating, as in the game that helped Swifts rise to fame: Friend of Portal-esque puzzles will find enough to do for two long afternoons - and at a reasonable price point, too.

It's still a very engaging (couch) co-op experience, until routine sets in and you have to throw in something else for a bit. Still, the good news is, Gauntlet's saga is not quite over yet.

If you haven't played the original back in the day, this will probably look trashy to you. The story oftentimes borders on nonsense and the puzzles regularly are uninspired. But that's not what this is about. This is about once again seeing the world through Tex Murphy's eyes. And that's as much a privilege today as it was back in the olden times.

Sadly, this is the second-best way to experience part 2 and 3 of the franchise. As an idea for a 'satellite-game' to the home edition, leaving out Peace Walker from the Vita-collection was hardly a stroke of genius. For the moment it seems that the series should stay where it calls home: On a enormous widescreen, support by a gigantic sound-system.

If you don't need a deep fighting engine to enjoy killing the same monster hundreds of times, Toukiden might be a valid alternative to Monster Hunter.

It's just so charmingly old-fashioned that you cannot really fault it for its slight problems.

Don´t be fooled by its colourful and shiny looks. Fortune Street is definitely not one of those cheap swing-the-mote partygame-collections. (...) A challenging virtual boardgame.

Even though it never gives you an adequate feeling of when and from where you are taking damage, you'll end up playing this over and over again. It's a refreshingly undiluted experience.

If you pass on this one, you're not missing all that much, least of all new ideas for this series to follow up on in the future. Still, credit where credit is due: this well-written additional episode would have been a clear standout in last year's Batman game.

It feels great to blast though the hordes of zombies and monsters and especially the big guns will leave you with a wicked smile. If you haven't played it on the Wii, own a Move and are not averse to the one-sided gameplay, it´s an easy buy.

In spite of or maybe even because of some of the gameplay barriers, I will remember my experience with it forever. I love it, I hate it and I love hating it.

It might be lacking in structure and its online systems seem ancient. As a golf game, though, Mario Golf World Tour is solid beyond any doubt. Its inner mechanics just are some of the best in the genre.

Don't Starve can be a real pain. But if you know what you're getting yourself into, you'll not regret answering the call of this cute, but somehow distressingly terrifying wild.

Had Square Montreal shifted its focus from the story chapters towards the more open-ended city, and granted players more sandbox-y freedom, this could have been quite a milestone for the genre. In merely aping the strengths and, unfortunately, the bad habits of its competitors, though, it becomes just another, if quite well polished, stealth game on the market.

Even an unconventional title like The Secret World struggles in a market full of great alternatives without those monthly payments.

Constantly jumping between a number of simultaneously running programs feels shallow at times. The quick problem solving though cleverly translates the glorified idea of what live hacking might be like into a unique and engaging breed of puzzle game and resource management.

By no means does Warfighter reinvent the wheel, but at the same time it doesn't dent it in any way, either. And while it's certainly not for the war-weary, most shooter fans will find a lot of solid entertainment in the well-paced, good-looking campaign and the all right, if a bit standard multiplayer modes.

Tortuga: A Pirate’s Tale is solidly entertaining and affordable pirate-fare. I do miss adventures on land and some of the longer trips lack excitement, though. Pirates this is not. But then again, what is?

The problem is, the last game did everything much better. I don't think I have ever played a sequel that made me wonder more if the people behind it were fully sure why they did it. In a way, it's no small feat and a testimony to Mercury Steam's considerable talent that they still managed to make this an enjoyable experience.

Fans of the series will be disappointed by the new game due to its lack of depth. If you're able to look beyond this shortcoming, this is a decently playable and visually appealing game that otherwise doesn't have any major problems.

A little bit too efficient, a bit too distant from the player, but still I´m very happy Port Royale 3 exists. Its a game that gives you a lot of options for your actions without forcing you to use them. You can labor all day if you want to or just instead take five for a whole hour without having too watch your trade-empire crumble instantly.

The Inner World is a game of opposites. While the puzzle design and characters of this debut manage to pleasantly surprise, the voice acting is in parts atrocious. Also, the stark contrast between the quality of the background art and the rather crudely drawn characters is a bit jarring. Still, this unevenness only really hits home because the rest of this point-and-click adventure is really well done.

Even though the project as a whole still feels uneven, the strong puzzles in Broken Swords' final chapter right some of the first part's wrongs.

Until Kid Icarus Uprising is released, checking out this remake on the 3DS is well worth your time.

Not only have these JRPG-bedrock games never looked or sounded better, they also give you all the comforts you could ever want, to experience them again.

They say familiarity breeds contempt. In the case of The Sims 4, that's certainly true for quite a portion of the audience that'll decide to sit this one out. The rest still believes familiarity to be a prestage to attachment and, sometimes, even love. Which camp do you sit in?

Zack Zero pleases with its solid old-school visuals and gameplay, but is missing any kind of unique charm.

It's a lot of fun for a considerable amount of time – until you hit that skill-ceiling and wish there was something more to strive for than a place on the leaderboards. Still, with every single go being very short indeed, Vlambeer's newest game is perfect for short bursts where ever you have to kill a few minutes.

There aren't many games like this on consoles. It's all the nicer that the conversion of Transport Fever 2's PC version is largely successful, apart from a few performance problems. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily create transport lines and build your own logistics empire from the 19th century to the present day.

Great level design and brilliant dialogue in the second act have you thrilled for the resolution of this well crafted DLC. But that's where Levine overdoes it a bit. It feels forced in a way, as the steps he has to take to get us there, aren't too believable. In some ways he even takes away some of the first Bioshock's magic in the process, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

This is no revolution for the series, in whatever direction. And with me that's alright, this time at least - and mostly because I largely ignored part 4. It does signify the current struggle of the genre, though. All is well and good, but also a bit boring. Still, I did have quite a bit of fun with DOA 5, especially offline.

It‘s a fan-feast for the ears, then, with a good sense of rhythm and lots of tracks. It‘s just a shame that its looks are somewhat disappointing and that it‘s comparably stingy in terms of extras commemorating the series‘ 35th anniversary.

The meager eight stages are fun, but leave you very abruptly stranded at the end-credits and wishing for more areas, Bossfights and especially many more weapons.

When a toothless campaign and the restrictive unlock policy are the only real problems a new Sturmovik has, sim fans know they're not making a mistake in picking this up.

As a puzzler, Puddle is a fine gaming–snack with great accessibility. Well worth the small price of admission.

15 years ago its systems were a step forward for the genre. Since then, games have come a long way, though. Still, there's some consolation to be had in the fact that, for all its faults, in its own way Risen 3 still ended up an endearing game.

The combat feels slick, the design mirrors the anime really well and there's enough content to keep you going for weeks. Just know that the experience starts to drag after the exciting opening levels.

Telltale has a way with words, its authors consistently producing quite powerful stuff. It might well be that they still manage to turn this season into something special with the final episode. I just wish they had sealed the deal sooner by finding a consistent theme to the season and making the narrative less incidental.

Even though the devs go overboard with the difficulty at times, what we have here is a well-playing space action game that will bring back fond memories for everyone who grew up on the classics of the genre. If you've got a soft spot for those and can deal with occasionally frustrating missions, this is well worth your time and money.

As much as Disgaea 3 can get along on the qualities of the original and of course still is a good game: you just can´t help the feeling, that the Vita should instead have deserved the fourth release of the franchise.

The first two thirds are a contemplative puzzler with dreamy art direction, beguiling music and sound effects you can turn off, should you so desire. It's a small idea, but one worth playing. Had the developers withstood the urge to go a bit overboard with the action in the last bits, this would have been a really great brain-teaser. In any case, you should give it a chance to enchant you before it'll almost inevitably spite you a bit. Sometimes there's something to be said for that, this is not one of those times. But what can you do? Weather and seasons tend to come and go as they please.

Gameplay-wise Call of Juarez: Gunslinger doesn't do too much different from all the other shooters, but the way Silas' memories shape the campaign gives it a really fresh feel. It really elevates an okay and arcadey corridor shooter to a fascinatingly told western-adventure, that has Fans of John Ford and Sergio Leone fork over the 15 bucks without hesitation.

In spite of all the youtube-nonsense and the useless frame of a story, Grid feels like a game from another time. It just didn't really evolve all that much from its predecessor, which fit its era much better. The generation was still young back then, but today, Grid 2 has to ask itself, where its place should be, between Shift 2, Forza, Most Wanted, Hot Pursuit, Gran Turismo, iRacing and all the other ones. This field of gaming has great titles for every type of player and the high quality that's on display all throughout Grid 2 has become sort of the bottom line expectation.

Paranormasight features a multi-layered story with interesting insights into Japanese myths, even though it promises more than it delivers in terms of content and gameplay.

As a whole, Dawnguard is either to expensive or too spiritless to really shine, maybe even both. In its best moments, it manages to surpass Skyrim in some disciplines, but it doesn't quite harness all of the potential its fascinating new areas and fractions seem to offer. A good new episode then, but not an essential one.

If you liked Second Son, First Light is a decently priced alternative to taking on the older game's campaign a second time. If you haven't played Second Son yet, though, at around 40 bucks now it's clearly the better deal.

Hohokum is not a game to show this medium a new direction. Instead it points to where gaming came from, promoting a delightfully childish sense of play.

Rather a beautiful short-story than a novel of a game, this is an adventure with a lot of character.

The constant connecting and disconnecting with strangers to my game and all the load times and reset boss fights that came with it, it made this the worst online experience I have ever had.

It offers scant few new ideas, but it's a great balance of fighting and puzzling and its humorous story still offers a really breezy diversion for as long as it lasts.

So yes, ultimately you're left with a game that, despite all the considerable possibilities of the likeable main character, overall plays out the same way too often. However, that doesn't mean I didn't have fun with this. The scenario is fresh and the breadth of Tchia's abilities interesting enough to get you far enough in that'll want to see it through to the end.

There's lots of interesting stories to experience while you clean out your quest log without ever slipping into a routine. It's just a shame the fighting mechanics and the presentation leave a bit to be desired.

Delivering familiar goods is one thing, doing so with a constantly high quality another – but making basically the same game three times in a row is a whole different issue entirely. I won't complain too much, though, I greatly enjoyed the long hours leveling and exploring this revisited universe.

Never once does Watch Dogs raise a finger to show the rest of the world which way to take the genre. Instead, it is somewhat of a Best-of across a multitude of thematically and systemically similar games. A highly polished, and entertaining, cross-section through all things 'open world'. I'd lie if I said I hadn't gotten a few really satisfied sighs out of it. But sometimes that's just not enough.

All in all, this is a disappointment. It sure is great to see this cornerstone of real-time strategy in higher resolution on a modern PC, and it certainly isn't less fun as it was all those years ago. Still, I would have expected more that slight visual adjustments, especially regarding the steep 18,99 euro price tag. If you're into the multiplayer side of AoE2, this might not really bother you, since, thanks to Steam, this remake has got you covered for months and years to come.

Small problems notwithstanding, Paper Mario: Sticker Star is easy to recommend to any 3DS-User. Just crank up the excellently utilized and in no way distracting 3D and don't expect the role-playing experience earlier games in the series offered and you get a refreshing take on the familiar formula.

Our enthusiasm is only held back by the dozy and overpowered RAAM, who has nothing to add to the formula, but instead strips away most of what is good about Gears. But not to worry, his part is over quickly and then it´s back to the familiar role in some fresh surroundings.

Curiously, this offers about the same value as the recently published Stadium, but costs about twice as much.It's not exactly worse than that one, but, crucially, by far not as good a deal.

Considering this is their first game, Among the Sleep suggests that a bright future lies ahead for the talented developers at Krillbite.

Those big pixels back then may not be for everybody anymore, but despite their low count, they managed to give every screen its own appeal, style and distinctive character. As good as the story and some of the puzzles still are, this aspect didn’t carry over. The remake is visually completely forgettable.

Atelier Totori features a few elegant mechanics in combat and framing. (…) Let me put the story this way: If you, unlike me, don´t have to look up, what "Shōjo" means, but instead use it as a positive filter during your search for new anime-stuff, then Atelier Totori is right up your alley.

It's a competent platformer, and fun without question. But it's also lacking identity or a personal touch.

Going back to Arulco may not be the vacation of your dreams, but it´s still a worthy adventure. One that leaves a lot of possibilities for improvement, nonetheless, but if you´re into tactics it´s still worth your attention.