Even though it doesn't reach the class of Forza Horizon, Most Wanted is an open-world game in the truest of senses. You have to look for the fun to find it. But since there is so much entertainment scattered about Fairhaven, this should be no problem. Those wild and nerve-wrecking police pursuits alone, which regularly develop their own zany dynamics, would be a decent raison d'être for any racing game.

Fear the Spotlight is a loving homage to the survival horror of the 90s and a damn well-made tale for fans of quiet horror.

The ways it tries to scare you are somewhat limited and there’s some technical issues, but this is a well-made, discreet and smart reboot for a series that deserves a second chance

The 'f' is for 'finally': Not exceptionally scary and treading on very familiar ground in terms of gameplay, but still disturbing and powerfully resonant: Silent Hill f revitalizes the legendary horror series as a subtle narrative puzzle for you to pick apart.

The familiar mix of puzzles, jumping, fighting and co-op hasn't lost any of its appeal in part five. Trine 5 has a decent playtime, as well, isn't too expensive and treats your eyes and ears to an atmospheric audiovisual presentation. Real fun, both alone and in co-op.

Yes, Forza Motorsport looks and feels great and offers a lot of content. Unfortunately, there is a lack of variety here and there, which ultimately doesn't detract from the fun on the track. For me, there is still a lack of a certain something that really rounds everything off. So, for the time being, you are left with the impression that you are already getting a very good launch version, but that its full potential will only unfold at some point when all the DLCs and other content have been released.

Future Soldier can be an extraordinary gaming-experience, but it depends heavily on the conditions under which it is played. (...) This is clearly an experience, that has to be shared with friends in the cooperative modes.

The stronger of the two expansions presents itself as a worthwhile new "Mini-Control" that will effortlessly entertain you for three to four hours.

Ultimately, I am completely satisfied with the Xbox implementation of Age of Empires 4. What already worked well in part two continues seamlessly here. The title is perfectly playable with the controller, and those who don't feel like 'sticking' it out can also use the mouse and keyboard.

Although Age of Wonders 4 may seem at first overwhelming, it's actually not. Many automatisms help beginners, and gradually you'll be able to abandon them if you want to. In the end, its great flexibility offers an enormous replay value and encourages you to try out all possible combinations.

A small and inexpensive experience without goals, tasks and many other stressful things. During creative building you can relax nicely. Ideal for short rounds in between.

That´s all there is to it. Touch for slide, touch to land, that is all the interaction, you will find here. Throw in a few sunflowers to bounce of from and some water hazards and you get a game that manages to create an almost perfect flow.

Just leave me here, on these lush, gigantic worlds, and I'll be too well entertained to over-analyze Survivor's certain lack of precision or it not exactly inventing all these mechanics anew. I am docking a point for the technical state it is launching in, though.

Clash of Heroes' optics and audio are rather sobering, but its narrative and its extremely refined gameplay still make for a unique turn-based tactics game.

I was really looking forward to this more compact experience in Mirage and was not disappointed. Of course, there are still collectibles here and there, but again it feels more like a fun pastime than a life's work. That's one important point. The other is that Mirage simply feels good to play, at least where it matters.

This has 'future' written all over it, but I don't really feel a substantial change. Sure, more Trials is always reason to celebrate, its base gameplay and level design are too fantastic not to. In the end, this feels like a really good update.

Dragon's Dogma then, a game that only slowly opens up to its guest, and one that certainly hasn't gotten all of the usual RPG-homework right. But if you are persistent and stay curious it will reward you with the most delightful cases of megalomania and delusions of grandeur in a long while.

It´s a nice little time sink for a single player and a real blast in a group of friends or family. All of these games cater far more to the needs of the classic gamer than Wii Sports ever did and at the same time they manage to show of the capabilities of the new gamepad pretty well. It's not the revelation the Wii once was, on those first evenings after you brought it home. But its an endearingly crafted piece of quality software.

Once again, Two Point Studios succeeds in combining their mix of quite complex, demanding management, which requires a lot of thought, with humor and the usual silliness that you know from the series.

Not only is Sword of the Sea fun, but it feels like something that's actually good for you. It's wonderfully uncomplicated and relaxing, while always being engaging. While AAA productions pile up mountains of features to simulate “added value,” this game focuses on a single idea—and develops it so clearly and consistently that it entertains for hours.

I can't say if Broken Age is all that you hoped it would be. I for one found that this first act juggles its serious core story, humor and absurdities splendidly. My backer dollars seem very well invested, indeed.

Rockfish put Everspace 2 together with insanely good intuition. They blended components that, in lesser hands, could have either seemed conveniently stolen together or difficult to reconcile and made them into a wonderfully coherent whole. The result is a game that repeatedly makes you forget about time, while you fly from one pulp sci-fi poster into the next, with your mouth wide open.

2D experts might not find quite enough challenge with Hell Yeah! and there's not the most replay value to be found here. Still, the game is absolutely great looking and lots highly enjoyable, just because of its overall level of insanity and its funny antics.

On the whole, F1 Manager 2024 is an improvement and, not least thanks to the option to create your own team, the best version of the series to date. The other new features do not completely turn the game upside down - which was not to be expected - but are welcome additions that add a little more depth.

Deep gameplay and a wealth of content make this late successor a successful continuation that targets mostly experts of the genre.

Showgunners is a fast-paced, often surprising mix of turn-based tactics and real-time exploration in a scenario reminiscent of The Running Man and other 90’s movies aesthetics. Smooth controls and well-crafted characters are cornerstones of the generally familiar XCOM-like.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy knows how to impress with its refreshingly intricate story that is very well distributed across game elements and characters. Turn-based strategy and daily activities are also captivating. Only the slow pacing can at times become a little tiresome. Overall, still a great mystery game.

The last Paper Mario with an RPG twist, charmingly reworked and brought into shape for a new generation, unfortunately only marginally streamlined.