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.

When the moment comes and you find the solution to a problem that's been bugging you all these hours, you can get awfully narcissistic and self congratulatory. You know, just like any old island dictator probably would.

Blacklight: Retribution is a good, but hardly great multiplayer-shooter. It´s solid entertainment for a while, but does not nothing new, that will knock you of your boots.

An entertaining, humorous and demanding first person shooter. Fashion Police Squad captures the classic Doom style shooting quite well and adds a good dose of colorful madness on top of it.

Not only is Jazzpunk in and of itself a clever and positively insane experience, it is one of the funniest games of all time.

On the one hand, Tiger Woods 13 is a game almost too good for current control methods, on the other hand, a misguided experiment in online monetization. There seems to be a perfect game of golf sitting somewhere in the middle. We'll see if they can find it in 14.

A thriller that is somewhat limited in terms of gameplay and a tad overloaded when it comes to the narrative, but stylistically creates a fascinating world with impressive backdrops.

A lot of bullet-hell fans have declared Akai Katana the best there is when it comes to the gameplay mechanics and especially love the slash-mode. I think I understand them, even though I'm not so sure I understand everything that's going on in this game. In slash, Akai may well be the most complex Shoot 'em Up there is.

Actually, it's a damn good jump & run that awakens nostalgic feelings in a successful way. Unfortunately, the structure of many levels is frustrating for several reasons.

The undercooked strategy layer notwithstanding, nothing quite compares the Aliens: Dark Descent. With its open, persistent maps and tactics that oscillate nicely between quietly menacing exploration and gun-blazing battles, this one has a pull of its own that's hard to resist. It lacks polish, no question, but this game has heart, brains, and a takes great delight in making your heart go faster. An imperfect favorite of mine this year, and at just 40 bucks, fans of the series are going to have a blast with this one.

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.

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

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.

In the end, for all its faults, this is still an easy to recommend package. 30 Euros for two very competent games that have aged well and without losing anything of their dashing, boosting and metal-disintegrating fascination.

A short, cosy adventure in the icy Freljord that touched me with its enchanting story. Technically not flawless, but atmospherically a great cosy game.

For me, The Crew Motorfest is clearly the best part of the series so far. This is not only due to the beautiful setting, but also the much improved handling of the cars, which keeps me much more glued to the screen than the two predecessors. It's not quite perfected yet, but with the more manageable setting this time around, the improved handling as well of the abundance of variety, Ubisoft Ivory Tower is on a very good path.

It's one of those games with loads of untapped potential, which is how it ultimately traps itself in the shadow of its big role-model. It manages to create an atmosphere on a comparable level of quality, but lacks in finesse of design. You're only a third of you way through this adventure until you hunger for more skills and weapons, and long exhausting marches regularly get in the way of any real adventuring. Still, Anodyne manages to entertain and displays a level of talent which has you wonder what its creators will be up to next.

Fract OSC works just as well as a strict puzzle game than it does as an audiovisual experience. And if you're not interested in these aspects, you will appreciate the freedom and clever structure.

The combat is pleasantly versatile, while you have to deal with strong enemies that face you in interesting configurations. The further you progress and the better you understand the world and its connections, the more motivating it is to tackle them - Lords of the Fallen gets this familiar rhythm just right. So if you're still in the mood for Soulslike, then go for it! In cooperation with Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen ensures that From Software can take its time with its next title.

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.

Even with all of the convoluted stuff surrounding them, there are at least a hundred good ideas in The Evil Within. Not two levels are alike, no bullet is wasted, not one minute is boring. When this enormous, visually stunning nightmare comes to an end, it leaves you deeply satisfied. That’s no small feat.

I can look at Syndicate from any angle I want: In the end it stays a mediocre, though not entirely charmless Shooter, whose only real redeeming factor is the coop-mode, which also comes off a little bit half-hearted.

On to a familiar set of rules, Techland crafted a dynamic sandbox that's stupid in all the right places. I don't know if I need another one of these, frankly. But for now this sits right next to last years' Shadow of Mordor, as a mechanically sound and motivating experience I hadn't expected at all.

If you liked LocoCycle's acting achievements and value plain silliness over gameplay then Roundabout might be worth a look. But even then you better hold out until the next sale.

A surprisingly atmospheric mystery novel about urban legends, with an engaging story, a unique pixel art style, and a wonderful soundtrack. Although the gameplay loop becomes repetitive towards the end, the plot and characters remain intriguing throughout.

I spent much more time with this remake than I would have thought beforehand! ... Like the original, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a damn likeable declaration of love to the Disney universe centered around the famous mouse.

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 Dark Eye arrived safely in the point'n'clink-world on the first go. Daedalic didn't go for crazy experiments, but instead kept to the proven formulas of the genre and also to the adapted game-world. Everybody can be happy about that, adventure-fans as well as The Dark Eye Nerds.