It’s like Diablo, except you mostly fight dressers, fridges and street lights. [Issue#257, p.76]

It’s hard to name a single thing about this game that’s worth your time. [Issue#257, p.54]

Basically, it’s an Age of Empires II remake. Why would Microsoft remake a game that was re-released as recently as 2019? That’s beyond us. [Issue#257, p.58]

It’s one of those cases where it’s really hard to rate a game. It has a great concept and good plot delivery, but actual gameplay is incredibly frustrating. You’re stuck in the loop along with your character, with no way to fast-forward the events, and you have to meticulously try every possible combination, until find the trigger that will open up a new option. And then you re-check it all over again. [Issue#256, p.44]

Resident Evil 2 Remake shows how to properly blend old-school horror ideas with modern action to create a great game. Tormented Souls ignored all that and tried to copy the original one-to-one, with predictable result: it’s a bland clone of a game two decades old. [Issue#256, p.38]

Don’t come in expecting a suspenseful horror or a psychological thriller. This time around, Supermassive Games treats us to an action-horror with adrenaline-filled scenes and great camera work. [Issue#256, p.28]

If you don’t mind the cliché story, you’ll probably enjoy Tales of Arise – it has good graphics, good pacing and fluid (if a bit too easy) combat. [Issue#256, p.64]

The basic gameplay loop is really simple and relies a lot on the mindless busywork, like building the same buildings in exactly the same order in every mission, or manually picking up trash. [Issue#256, p.49]

The game looks like a Yakuza reskin, but that’s not quite true. Lost Judgement is more refined, so to speak: there’s more emphasis on the detective work, and Yagami isn’t so keen to get into fights. Although there’s still plenty of random street thugs for you to beat up. [Issue#256, p.36]

Back in the 90’s, a lot of games were made by small teams or even a single person who did what felt right, creating entirely new genres in the process. It’s hard to imagine something like that happening today. But with Highfleet,it did happen: it’s a truly unique blend of arcade, strategy and fleet management. [Issue#256, p.46]

One does not simply make a 1 to 1 clone of a game that’s 22 years old! So the studio duct-taped hacking mechanics on top of GTA 2 gameplay, but frankly, it didn’t change much in terms of gameplay. [Issue#256, p.43]

Gamedec’s modest skill tree not only feels tacked on – it actively hampers the role-playing aspect, because certain dialogue options reward you with leveling points, and others don’t. So there’s a strong incentive to just sift through dialogue looking for those special options, instead of doing what feels natural for the character. [Issue#256, p.52]

Far Cry is now officially a Just Cause knock-off. There’s a grappling hook, a wingsuit, plenty of vehicles with universally poor handling, a huge open world and a dumb story with one-dimensional dictator. It wouldn’t be too bad by itself, but the gameplay is also a lot slower than in JC, turning every potentially fun activity into a chore. [Issue#256, p.32]

There are some minor improvements here and there, but there’s no new big feature that screams – that’s where 3 years of development went. The only one reason to get CMS2021 for the full price is if you somehow missed the 2018 version. [Issue#256, p.56]

One step forward, two steps back, couple steps to the side with some awkward shuffling thrown in-between – that’s how Back 4 Blood feels compared to Left 4 Dead. Card-based power-up system is the only interesting thing about it. [Issue#256, p.40]

It’s like TV series: during the first season, actors are still getting to know their character, so the show really kicks into gear only from season 2. Same thing here: original Atom RPG was still searching for its identity, but Trudograd shows that it was finally found, and now Atom is a franchise of its own. [Issue#256, p.60]

There’s no denying that Aliens franchise was (and still is) a great source of inspiration for game designers. But its premise and lore are way too simple for a full-length game, and Fireteam Elite is yet another proof of that. [Issue#256, p.50]

Nice remaster of an unusual game that successfully blends together platformer, strategy and god-sim genres. Playing as an omnipotent deity is a rare treat these days, and the great soundtrack makes it even better. [Issue#256, p.59]

There are plenty of unusual or downright bizarre situations in Get It Together microgames: for example, you might need to shave the armpits of a statue of Zeus when all you have is a robo-singer. But every game lasts only a few seconds, so no matter how weird it is, it never outstays its welcome. [Issue#255, p.64]

Many games go for the cyberpunk vibe lately, but few can live up to this style as good as The Ascent does. [Issue#255, p.44]

Despite his powers, Lucius will still die if he falls from a high platform or turns the world the wrong way. So leave your arcade credentials at the door; experience with 15 puzzle will be much more relevant. [Issue#255, p.66]

Every detail in the game shows that, despite the 17-years gap between the original game and its sequel, Raz still holds a very special place in the hearts of Tim Schafer and his team. [Issue#255, p.48]

Rich storyline, impactful choices, difficult fights and great adaptation of pen-and-paper mechanics make Wrath of the Righteous a true RPG gem. [Issue#255, p.34]

It’s ironic that the original game used to satirize the stagnation of video games industry, but now, No More Heroes 3 is afraid to leave familiar ground. Still, long-time fans will enjoy this new chapter of Travis Touchdown’s adventures. [Issue#255, p.54]

Well-designed metroidvania elements, prominent storyline and dynamic action – Metroid Dread delivers on almost every front. [Issue#255, p.28]

With Dontnod, there’s always a small town and the death of a friend to get the story rolling. But this time around, characters, plot and setting are far more developed than in previous games. [Issue#255, p.62]

Humankind offers a fresh take on historical 4X strategy genre, with a lot of creativity thrown in, but the team sorely lacks a lead designer who could tie everything together. So even though each innovation is really cool on its own, the whole turned out to be less than the sum of its parts. [Issue#255, p.40]

Encased has plenty of polish, but not enough substance beneath it. The game never goes anywhere with its 70’s setting, and, despite the “sci-fi” part of the name, doesn’t even try to consider the scientific implications of the premise. [Issue#255, p.60]

It’s hard to recommend Deathloop to anyone. By action standards, the game is plainly boring: it’s basically the same 4 maps over and over again with no variety in enemies or weapons. Cause-and-effect timeloop puzzle gameplay is underwhelming as well: aside from the proper solution, there are very few things to try. [Issue#255, p.56]

A great way to dive into the folklore of the Russian North. The setting is remarkably fresh, the story is well-written, and while the card battles are rather mediocre, the game doesn’t penalize the player for skipping them. [Issue#255, p.50]

Prequel duology took a long time to reach Western players and it shows, especially since the graphics were originally created for 3DS. But hey, it’s more Ace Attorney with the same humor and the new setting! [Issue#254, p.42]

Don’t forget that it’s a remaster, not a remake, so models are rather low in polygons, and textures are a little blurry. It also can feel a little awkward if you play it with new control layout instead of classic motion controls. But the game itself is still a masterpiece. [Issue#254, p.38]

They tried to tell a very epic story on a very limited budget. A contrast like this sometimes really grates on my nerves, but, paradoxically, it’s also a part of Scarlet Nexus’ charm. [Issue#254, p.40]

Returnal has everything you’d expect from an exclusive that comes early in a console’s life-cycle. It shows off everything PS5 has to offer, while delivering a solid roguelike experience. [Issue#254, p.54]

The experience is so captivating, you’ll probably want to blast through the entire 10-15 hour story in one go. But the final is really disappointing: basically, the entire game is just a warm-up, while the important events will happen in the next one. [Issue#254, p.36]

Most modern AAA games have a photo mode, so there’s no need to buy Snap just to play photographer. But for a Pokémon fan, there’s the appeal of seeing these creatures in their natural habitat. [Issue#254]

Necromunda had every chance to become a sudden summer hit. Great gunplay, nice parkour, gory finishing moves. But it lacks one crucial thing: good enemies. As it is, they’re basically training dummies. [Issue#254, p.60]

There’s only one problem we could find with this game: it doesn’t have mechs from beloved franchises like BattleTech. Just imagine if you could fix a Jenner or an Atlas! Alas, it’s just a dream. But Mech Mechanic is still a great fun. [Issue#254, p.44]

Like any golf game, Mario Golf is a niche product. But it has that amazing Nintendo magic – even if you aren’t a golf aficionado, you’ll still have a lot of fun. [Issue#254, p.66]

Each fighter is very unique, so, even though there is a good tutorial, it will take a long time before you’ll learn how to fight properly. Still, if you have even a slightest interest in Japanese fighting games – you absolutely have to check out Strive. [Issue#254, p.56]

Game Builder Garage offers enough tools to make everything from a simple platformer to a racing game to a space sim. The only downside is that it’s hard to discover games made by other players. [Issue#254, p.64]

No matter what your farm’s specialty is, the production chain stays the same: a building for growing, a building for processing, a building for shipping, plus housing for your workers. That’s it. [Issue#254, p.52]

The setting is intriguing, but the story is bland. Open world promises exploration, but there is nothing to find. The combat has all the beats – but it just isn’t interesting. [Issue#254, p.68]

Teen Power has loads of sidequests, but only a few of them actually worth the player’s time. [Issue#254, p.47]

Chaotic melees give little opportunity to use more sophisticated fencing mechanics, but there’s no denying that there’s a lot of pure visceral fun to be had here. [Issue#254, p.58]

Dusting up castles is pretty fun, but it goes on for only an hour or two. After that, the genre suddenly shifts to city-building, with very lackluster mechanics. [Issue#254, p.62]

Anna’s Quest first came out on PC in 2015, but its appeal hasn’t lessened over the years, because beneath a fairy tale there is a mature story about fate and determinism. [Issue#254, p.63]

Skillful adaptation of setting and a fresh take on certain mechanics help Siege Survival stand out among other survival strategies. Too bad that the team didn’t find a solution to the basic problem of the genre: as soon as you figure out the right tactic, there will be no challenge left in the game. [Issue#253, p.58]

Village is not a “survival horror”, but a “survival action”. One particular episode aside, you are always armed and expected to face the problem head-on. Even boss fights are all about strafing and filling the enemy with lead. [Issue#253, p.38]

Think of every obnoxious sidequest you’ve ever had to do; chances are, you’ll have to do exactly the same in Replicant. It has everything from mail delivery to mass-slaughtering sheep for an occasional drop of mutton. Its only saving grace is the new battle system, created by experts at Platinum Games.[Issue#253, p.52]

Beautiful music, great humor and a lot of customization – Miitopia on Switch proved to be a great remaster of a 3DS classic. [Issue#253, p.66]

Josef Fares wasn’t kidding when he said that It Takes Two is unlike any other platformer: it’s amazing how many various mechanics and ideas found their place in this game. [Issue#253, p.32]

One World stays faithful to the series: once again you’ll need to slowly build up your farm and improve relationships with the neighbors. “Slowly” is the keyword here: the process is so monotonous, it takes a particular kind of gamer to enjoy Harvest Moon. [Issue#253, p.64]

Until now, Famicom Detective Club duology had never been officially released to the western market. Now these adventure games from late 80’s are here with new graphics and full localization, and they’re well worth your time. [Issue#253, p.68]

Until now, Famicom Detective Club duology had never been officially released to the western market. Now these adventure games from late 80’s are here with new graphics and full localization, and they’re well worth your time. [Issue#253, p.68]

There are only a few changes over the original game, and almost all of them are for the worse. Not to mention that the increased amount of busywork made me feel more like an evil genius’ butler than the big man himself. [Issue#253, p.48]

Some of the stories may leave you confused, others might make you uncomfortable, but there’s no denying that despite its simplistic appearance, Essays on Empathy manages to evoke some strong emotions. [Issue#253, p.57]

Demon Skin feels more like a vertical slice of a great game than a product of its own. It’s short, it’s not polished enough, but the core gameplay is solid. Hopefully, the studio will get a bigger budget next time – there’s a lot of potential here. [Issue#253, p.51]

The combat is lacking, the story-telling is awful, the faction system is barebones. Yet there is something to Biomutant, some unexplainable quality that makes you want to keep exploring its wacky world. [Issue#253, p.34]

Ridiculous story, shallow gameplay and poor graphics don’t leave Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood any chance. The only imaginable reason to play it – is to remind yourself how bad and absurd games could get. [Issue#252, p.70]

Bravely Default II has some technical issues, but Claytechwork managed to make a good JRPG that deserves to stand alongside genre’s finest (well, at least those of the recent years). [Issue#252, p.68]

Mario games still set the bar high for all 3D platformers, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is a good remaster of an already excellent game, which will please both newcomers and old-time fans. [Issue#252, p.64]

Music and design is the strongest suit of the game. At the same time it’s unfriendly to newcomers and suffers from slow battles and tedious craft. It’s one of those cases where love and pain go hand in hand. [Issue#252, p.60]

Breathedge has great visuals, engaging story and good humor, but its survival elements prove to be more of a burden than something that enhances the experience. [Issue#252, p.58]

Sadly, Persona 5 Strikers has some value only for the fans of original Persona 5. For others it will prove to be an odd mix of a dull visual novel with a pretty average musou game. [Issue#252, p.56]

The content is scarce, progression is unmotivating, and after ten or so rounds you’ve seen pretty much everything Destruction AllStars has to offer. [Issue#252, p.54]

Pixel games are not everyone's cup of tea, but Olija looks quite good. It’ll be a good fit for people who miss games where you can help those in need, or simply want to challenge their reflexes. [Issue#252, p.53]

Like most beat’em’ups, Scott Pilgrim really shines in co-op, so poor netcode really is a disadvantage. On the other hand, the gameplay is good, and chiptune soundtrack is great for fans of this genre. [Issue#252, p.52]

The Medium didn’t manage to become a spiritual successor to Silent Hill, but it’s still a significant step forward for Bloober Team. [Issue#252, p.50]

The second game proves to be faithful to its predecessor in terms of lore and atmosphere, and simultaneously manages to break new ground in gameplay. It makes us look forward to further evolution of the series in a potential sequel. [Issue#252, p.48]

Outriders has its flaws, but they’re compensated with gory firefights and enjoyable co-op. Another upside is that it doesn’t try to be an open world: the levels are tight and packed with action. [Issue#252, p.44]

Interesting visuals are perfectly complemented by sound design. Too bad that it’s only 4 hours long, with maybe an extra hour or two if you want to try all the alternate paths. [Issue#251, p.66]

In all aspects it’s a run-of-the-mill adventure game, but there’s one thing to be said for it: it’s not a pamphlet. For once, Dontnod stopped talking about politics and focused on making a detective game. [Issue#251, p.58]

The rice-growing process is very detailed, perhaps excessively so, but the action elements help to break the monotony. Besides, where else can you learn so much about rice? [Issue#251, p.55]

The game has a strong technological backbone but it doesn’t have enough content for a full game. Rover Mechanic Simulator feels like a side project, hastily composed from the assets of Occupy Mars – a full-fledged Mars colonization sim that’s still in development by the same studio. [Issue#251, p.65]

The variety of maps, tasks and challenges is one of the strong suits of Part Time UFO. Even though the gameplay mechanics are pretty simple, clever puzzle design keeps the player entertained for many hours. [Issue#251, p.71]

Do Switch players really need a very poor Zelda clone when they can always replay Breath of the Wild? [Issue#251, p.69]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Breath of the Wild set the bar for the genre, and since Link never got around to visiting Ancient Greece – there’s no shame in sending Fenyx there instead. [Issue#251, p.56]

It doesn’t really bring anything new to the Hitman formula. Still, Hitman 3 offers the biggest and the most intricate levels in the trilogy, as well as the satisfying conclusion to the current story arc. [Issue#241, p.52]

Fitness Boxing 2 is pretty much the same game as the first one: throw punches in rhythm to the music, score points and burn some calories in the process. [Issue#251, p.68]

It’s a very odd release. Sure, it’s the first official release in English of the series’ first installment. But, despite some minor improvements, the game itself aged like milk. [Issue#251, p.70]

John and Brenda proved that they still have the skills to make a passable game, but with a duet like that, we’ve expected a lot more creativity. [Issue#251, p.60]

Deep Descent ended up hitting the rock bottom. Instead of breathtaking underwater adventures we’ve got a very basic shooter. [Issue#251, p.64]

Turn-based combat aside, it’s the same old Yakuza, with aged graphics, long-winded dialogues and kooky sidequests. [Issue#250, page 64]

We could praise riveting races, unforgiving opponents and spectacular destructibility – but all that was already present in the original game. So what does remaster bring to the table? The answer is “nothing”. [Issue#250, page 52]

It’s one of the best Omega Force games and might very well bring new fans into musou genre. But it mostly follows the usual Omega Force formula, so if you know you don’t like musou – Age of Calamity won’t change your mind. [Issue#250, page 60]

Puzzles should’ve been a nice break between intense slasher-parkour sequences. But they’re so drawn out that instead of giving you a breather, they choke the life out of the action. [Issue#250, page 54]

In a game called Dirt, dirt has no effect on car’s behavior, and neither does snow. Only ice forces you to make adjustments to your driving. [Issue#250, page 53]

In 11 years that separate the original Demon’s Souls and its remake, Souls game formula didn’t change much – but it definitely hasn’t gone stale. [Issue#250, page 46]

CD Projekt got into a Catch-22 situation with Cyberpunk 2077. Investors wouldn’t forgive another delay, and now no one will forget such a troubled release. Still, even with all its bugs, Cyberpunk is a great game: main story and sidequests are terrific, and Night City is probably the most immersive and detailed city in the history of video games. [Issue#250, page 38]

Single player campaign turned out to be a disappointment, but for CoD series, story mode is usually just a warmup before you go online. In multiplayer Cold War performs exactly as expected: it has a lot of modes, but suffers from poor performance and weird matchmaking. [Issue#250, page 48]

There are far fewer cookie-cutter outposts than in previous AC’s, and most sidequests now offer an interesting story, sometimes even with a less-than-obvious solution. While some anti-grind measures have backfired, Ubisoft is on the right track. [Issue#250, page 56]

It’s a good playground for the people who like to explore the world and experiment with NPC behavior. But if you’re looking for memorable characters and thrilling story – that’s not your cup of tea. [Issue#249, p.60]

Supermassive Games doesn’t have much competition in “cinematic interactive horror” genre, but they keep improving their product: Little Hope fixed most of Man of Medan’s problems. [Issue#249, p.46]

Moderately hardcore, a tad nostalgic, devoid of AAA luster, but engaging nonetheless – Squadrons is a nice choice for those who miss Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance. [Issue#249, p.56]

Even such an old-fashioned Sam is better than nothing. But honestly, after all these years Croteam should’ve brought more creative passion to the fourth installment of the series. [Issue#249, p.72]

Once Jen learns how to use a knife, Remothered stops being scary: instead of hiding from the enemies, you can just stab them in the back. There are also numerous technical problems, like getting stuck in the furniture or being spotted through solid walls. [Issue#249, p.70]

Thanks to some new content and numerous little tweaks to its gameplay, Pikmin 3 has become even better. It’s an unparalleled mix of RTS, adventure and puzzle game.[Issue#249, p.80]