Monster Hunter Stories 3 offers a comprehensive turn-based combat system and a very beautiful story for every JRPG fan.

Quotation forthcoming.

Phantom Liberty delivers the ultimate cyberpunk experience with fascinating characters, exciting stories and diverse gameplay.

Psychonauts 2 is a wacky adventure that shows a lot of heart, only a few minor issues become apparent.

A must-buy sports game, there is no better basketball simulation out there.

Deluxe-RPG with a magnificent universe and a prime storyline, which however only unfolds late. Bland side quests tarnish the overall picture.

It is a great achievement that Derek Yu has managed to improve the almost perfect gameplay construct even further, to add more variety and depth and yet remain true to his roots.

Halo Infinite's campaign and multiplayer will delight fans especially, but the dreary hub world is hardly motivating.

A well-done remastered collection of three fantastic games. A must buy.

With Diablo 4, Blizzard has created a genre masterpiece that does almost everything right.

Quotation forthcoming.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 works just as well as the already fun predecessor. With "more of everything", the scope in terms of creative possibilities was once again significantly expanded. There are more recipes, more story, more features and, above all, a more focused campaign that finally feels like a big adventure. Nevertheless, I would have liked faster progress.

A strong remake that conveys the bizarre atmosphere of the original, introduces harmonious new features and only has minor weaknesses.

The Remaster version and the port ran very solid while playing, which is why I recommend anyone who does not know Ni no Kuni, to watch the whole thing. You will not regret it.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is full of charm, attention to detail and variety. The level design is still the best that the genre has had in recent years. Compared to the absolutely ingenious and enormously beautiful Super Mario Odyssey or a Rayman Legends, the monkey band clearly loses out.

Great fun that only gives away potential in the new Open World mode.

Even faster, more versatile, and more fun than its predecessors, but Team Ninja still needs to improve performance for Nioh 3 on PS5.

The Lost Crown doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does an excellent job of implementing the gameplay loop of exploration, character improvement and progression.

Pentiment's art style is a playful work of art without equal, but it can also inspire with its story.

Bayonetta 3 feels like the natural evolution of the series and can convince with great fights as well as with the innovations.

Ghost of Yōtei is an atmospheric open-world game with a powerful combat system, but it doesn't quite measure up to its predecessor.

Gameplay and visuals are impressive for a remaster and it's a great JRPG; however, it slightly disappoints regarding story and combat system.

At its best moments, it's an absolutely unique horror highlight, but in between, there's too much tedious and repetitive action.

The fact that a large part of the levels are basically only remixes of popular classics does not bother me at all. On the contrary - it's the best levels, all in one game!

The Great Circle gives us Indiana Jones as we know and love him - even from a first-person perspective. However, the combat system is lacking.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance steers the series in the right direction and impresses with fun battles, rewarding exploration, and a great art style.

The perfect turn based strategy game on the go. Civilization 6 feels at home on the switch.

Quotation forthcoming.

Lara is back. Rise of the Tomb Raider has everything a Tomb Raider needs: impressive tombs, fantastic fights and a strong main character.

The control, however, has more B-movie quality. The key mapping made sure that I would have hurled my controller against some of the boss fights against the wall. Although I got used to it over time, it would have been even better if the keys had been assigned differently from the start.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of the best RPGs of recent years thanks to its fantastic combat system and in-depth role-playing mechanics - despite the poor technical implementation on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

A dream for mech fans and a hot candidate for the most spectacular and best action game of 2023.

Dragon Quest 11 fully uses the strengths of the series and still manages to be interesting for newcomers.

Octopath Traveler 2 is a successful sequel that builds on the strengths of its predecessor and brings meaningful improvements.

It adds a lot of new things and changes game mechanics for the better: less grinding and easier to get into for new players.

Returnal is a difficult rogue-like shooter in a class of its own, whose many strengths outweigh the balancing weaknesses.

The game has suffered by being ported to the 3Ds. It's still a great game, but I would only recommend the Wii version.

This HD remaster is a complete success. If you haven't played Twilight Princess yet, you should do it ASAP.

Cadence of Hyrule is great fun that skillfully stages the catchy melodies of the series, adding new elements and a totally fresh challenge with its dance mechanics.

Monster Hunter Generations puts the best parts of the series and some innovations into one package. A highlight for hunters and collectors.

Sparks of Hope is a refreshing strategy crossover with great combat, but it lacks the big surprise moments.

Quotation forthcoming.

I was captivated and motivated by the first minute...Great reinterpretation, it captures the charm of the Game Boy original but is sensibly modernized and enhanced with own ideas.

Well made handheld port of one of the best JRPG with some sensible innovations.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom blends Zelda tradition and modernity into an all-round harmonious and beautiful package.

In the quest design and the RPG mechanics, The Outer Worlds is a bit too solid and well-known. Yes, I had a lot of fun and actually got exactly what I expected - but a little more courage to innovate would certainly not have hurt the game. But what is not, can still come. The basis for many more exciting adventures in the Halcyon colony are laid.

Pillars is for me not only a game that revolves around souls or that captures the soul of a classic like Baldur's Gate, but primarily a game that has its very own, wonderful soul.

Jedi: Survivor is a great sequel that cleans up the weaknesses of the predecessor, but weakens in terms of technology at release.

Shredder's Revenge is like a time machine that brings back no-nonsense retro brawling fun.

Metal Gear Solid Delta is a good remake, but with a bit more courage it could have been a great game like the original once was.

The atmosphere of Spider-Man: Miles Morales is something very special. It is clearly politically positioned and the focus is on stories that are neglected in many video game blockbusters. This alone makes the spin-off look new and different, even if the recognition value is actually quite high. But there is still a big, fat recommendation from me.

Exquisitely playable and outstandingly powerful shooter, which noticeably runs out of breath towards the end.

Pragmata offers one of the most unusual gameplay twists of recent years, despite some minor drawbacks.

Great farm sim with a lively Stone Age setting and exciting new ideas.

Extremely well playable anniversary of the Ys series with brisk action, which however has some serious dramaturgical weaknesses.

Nioh 2 is a merciless trip for hardcore gamers that surpasses its predecessor in many ways.

Sure: Due to the weaker hardware, the switch version suffers from blemishes and technical problems that are more noticeable on the TV than on the small screen of the switch. But the great charm of The Witcher 3 ignites anyway in handheld mode.

Good bundle with two absolute action classics, which were lovelessly ported to the 4K era.

Scope, staging, story: Destiny 2 is better than part 1 in every respect, but in the end it's more like an evolution than a revolution.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe has cast a spell over me again. And that's mainly due to the co-op mode. Commanding the small Pikmin army and fighting the Beetle opponents has never been as fun as with another player.

Exciting Japanese thriller in a game world full of convincing characters, the action adventure and brawler gameplay is flawless.

A wonderful love letter to Monkey Island fans that left us with a tear of joy at the end.

Well-done remaster collection with timelessly good glider gameplay and great content.

It's like the first interactive Pixar movie with great graphics and wild action. Small problems are easily compensated for by all that charm and humor.

Varied turn-based strategy in watercolor-anime style with a humane story and a resonating anti-war message.

Kirby makes a furious 3D debut, which is particularly impressive with its loving charm and funny skills.

I am confident that the developers will quickly patch the title into a better shape, and of course we will upgrade. [Provisional Score = 58]

Sugar sweet hero's journey in a believable fairy tale world, which convinces with its successful staging and the "in the middle of it" perspective.

Shadow Tactics: Blade of the Shogun has completely captivated me.

Fantastic Mario Rabbids crossover with beautiful worlds, a deep character system and strategic battles. A switch must-buy.

There is never a second boredom here, because with the Quantum masks and the guest characters there are constantly new mechanics that go beyond (thrilling) jumping and running. I'm looking forward to going through the levels one more time in detail so that I can really discover all the secrets. I accept the funny skins for Crash and Coco as a reward.

The courage of the developers to fundamentally change this sequel pays off.

A timeless and fresh anime epic with thrilling tactical battles.

Some of the most important and best games of all time - and some of them never looked better.

A successful retelling with interesting extras, whose full potential unfolds only near the end of the game.

F1 2021 surpasses its predecessor again and, along with the career co-op mode, makes a fantastic racing game likewise for beginners and experts.

Gears 5, like almost all its predecessors, is an absolutely great action game that has not only technical class, but the The familiar Gears mechanism is so finely honed that I've had so much fun at the cover-up ball games as I've rarely done before.

Forza Motorsport is technically and playfully a blast, but the overall package doesn't quite reach the class of its predecessors.

Brilliantly staged over-the-top fights, which should excite every action fan - even on Nintendo Switch.

Clean port of one of the best platforms with a cool Kung Foot tournament mode. Only the asymmetrical co-op of the Wii U version is missing.

Halo 5 is a first-class sci-fi shooter with a great campaign and diverse multiplayer modes. The best shooter for Xbox One.

Valhalla is a giant step backwards for Assassin's Creed, which is pretty to look at, but feels soulless and fun-free.

Also on the Switch a must for all who want to escape from everyday life and immerse themselves in a picturesque puzzle world.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is the Tomb Raider that I always wanted to have but didn't get because the reboots trimmed on gloom and action. It is a real blessing to stroll with Chloe and Nadine through the Indian ruins and do some daring climbing tours without banging hundreds of enemies every few minutes.

Two Point Hospital shines with clever humor and a successful simulation flow - with deductions in the B-grade.

Eriksholm is a great stealth adventure with an exciting story and superb visuals.

Hogwarts Legacy is a magical role-playing game for Potter fans that enchants us despite minor quirks and its formulaic open world.

Village is a best of the series in a positive sense, which appears in a fresh guise and yet feels comfortably familiar.

Xenoblade Chronicles X is split up in two parts: with and without mechs, but both are beautiful and rich in variety.

A successful retelling with interesting extras, whose full potential unfolds only near the end of the game.

F1 2019 is a consistent development. At the same time, the developers actually succeeded in further improving the already excellent driving feel of F1 2018. The sheer amount of small improvements is almost overwhelming for an annual update.

FIFA 18 reached me faster with its massive stadium atmosphere and the abundant improvements.

Super Mario RPG is a loving and timeless new edition for the Nintendo Switch. One that shows what a hit we had to do without in Europe in 1996.

That's how remakes should be done. If you never played it before, even the price is right for more than 80 hours of playtime.

Iki Island is an excellent add-on for fans of the main game who want to feast even more on the delicious samurai buffet after an extended break.

For me, the era of PS4 exclusives ends with an absolute highlight.

The Pedestrian does its job well as a unique puzzle game and leaves out all the bells and whistles around it, including a story. For many, the biggest stumbling block could be the missing help function. If you're stuck with a sign puzzle and can't get any further, it can be frustrating. But if you are motivated to the tips of your hair and want to master the clever puzzles yourself, you won't be particularly bothered.

Atmospherically gripping but playfully shallow oil rig horror trip with engaging sound design.