At first, Ori looks like a very easy game. But that’s a deception: the further you go into the forest, the louder cracking of your thumbs will become. Our condolences go to anyone who will try to beat Ori on keyboard+mouse combo instead of gamepad. [May 2015, p.71]

Years of experience in slasher-making helped Team Ninja create captivating, nuanced and difficult combat system, which is good enough by itself – but then they sweetened the deal further with Diablo-style equipment hunt. As a result, it’s really, really hard to put Nioh down. [Issue#217, p.62]

Gearing process works like a charm to keep the player addicted – after all, who wouldn’t want to get new pauldrons for Batman or a whip for Catwoman? [Issue#220, p.40]

If you were a fan of the original FF VII, go ahead and add another 5 points to the final score. It’s a perfect remake: it faithfully follows original game’s storyline, is filled with fan-service, but remains approachable by complete newbies. [Issue#245, p.38]

Every aspect of Astral Chain is captivating in its own way. [Issue#240, p.42]

Type-O used to be the darkest and most mature game in the franchise, but now this title is usurped by Final Fantasy XVI. At times, the amount of blood, swearing and sex rivals even The Witcher’s. [Issue#262, p.48]

What trailers failed to convey is that Machine Games managed to replicate the golden ratio of the classic Indiana Jones movies. Stealth, action, puzzles, dialogue and beautiful scenery are perfectly measured and mixed in a way that gives you a taste of a true Indiana adventure. [Issue#266]

Awakening’s world is much smaller than Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule. But within the island’s depths lies something that was missing from the last game – eight difficult, multi-layered dungeons, each with its own theme, traps and puzzles. [Issue#241, p.66]

Insomniac definitely went overboard with collectibles and routine side activities, which is definitely detrimental to game interest (especially since equipment upgrades are directly tied to them). But they nearly made up for it with attention to details and quality of cutscenes. [Issue #233, p.74]

As classic JRPGs slowly die off, usually insular Pokemon brand offers unexpected hospitality. Moon/Sun is about as difficult as its predecessors, but it doesn’t drop newcomers straight into deep water; instead, it helps players get their bearings and offers a story to follow while they grow accustomed to the world. And once you develop an interest in Pokemon, it’s simply impossible to put down. [Issue#216, p.50]

This game is fast. So fast you don’t see levels, just splashes of color and sound cues, – like “ding” of an upcoming crystal, which means that you need to perform grab. There are no two ways about it – you either do the grab, or you faceplant. [Isssue#259, p.56]

When arcade spin-off Forza Horizon first appeared, it seemed that Motorsport series will steer towards more realistic simulation. Unfortunately, FM6 still hangs somewhere in-between. [Nov 2015, p.76]

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]

Jonathan Blow’s new game is not another messiah; it’s more of an experiment – a big-budget puzzle game where your only reward for overcoming difficulties is the process of puzzle-solving itself. [Issue#206, p.75]

Let's not go around in circles – the secret of Divinity: Original Sin and Larian Studios’ success is pretty simple. They took best practices from MMORPGs and carefully placed them into their own cozy co-op for two. That was a clever decision because all the innovations appeared after the heyday of RPG in the late nineties in one way or another were made in the MMO. [September 2014, p. 56]

If you want to replay first Dead Space – the remake will scratch that itch. But don’t expect any meaningful improvements over the original. [page 54]

Despite being a little inexperienced, Bloober Team delivered a remake as great as Resident Evil 2 (2019). Long-time fans of Silent Hill won’t be disappointed, while newcomers will get to experience one of the best horror games ever in all its terrifying glory. [Issue#265, p.56]

Although Inside’s aesthetics are great, its storytelling methods aren’t reprehensible. There’s no narration or dialogues; all information is conveyed through environment and gestures of characters, so unless you’re willing to go on wild interpretation sprees, Inside’s story won’t make any sense. But even if you do, it will still leave a lot of unanswered questions. [Issue#211, p.62]

By the end of the game, Inaba will feel like home to you. [Issue#247, p.50]

Nomada Studio is very open about Neva being inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s works. And I have to admit – they’ve really hit the mark: the game is very heartwarming and emotional. [Issue#265, p.82]

The problem of Warhammer II’s campaign is that it’s not a grand-campaign. Traditionally, numerical Total Wars offered an expansionist gameplay, while intermediate games experimented with things like special victory conditions and new mechanics – and stuff that works best found its way into next numerical installation. With Warhammer II, Creative Assembley eschews that practice in favor of from drawing board straight to the game approach. [Issue#224, p.64]

There’s not much to do in the open world, but thankfully, it doesn’t play a big role either. Infinite mostly sticks to what makes Halo great: first-person action. Smart level design, great mobility mechanics like grappling hook, and good AI make for some really memorable moments. [Issue#258, p.42]

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]

It’s almost like Diablo 4 developers are consciously fighting against everything that made classic Diablo fun. [Issue#262, p.80]

TW: WH never slips into a routine, gameplay keeps player on tenterhooks from the beginning to the end. And thanks to the diversity of the factions – it’s quite replayable. At least five times. [Issue#210, p.86]

There is no doubt that a number of changes led to better quality. But to play Monster Hunter 4 with a comfort you should obtain the New 3DS. [Issue #195, p.85]

Most obvious are the efforts of artists and designers: Sera after two decades of peace looks much more vibrant, and every location – even local mines – is instantly recognizable. Gameplay, on the other hand, hasn’t changed in its core – but it’s much more polished now (which is especially noticeable if you compare it to recent remake of first Gears of War). [Issue#213, p.50]

On Wii U Tropical Freeze was an enthusiast-only game, but thanks to the addition of Funky Kong, now it can be enjoyed by anyone. And portability of Switch doesn’t hurt either. [Issue#230, p.54]