Skulls of the Shogun has a low barrier to entry, which makes it ideal to discover whether turn-based strategy is something for you. The story is filled with humorous dialogues and slowly gets players ready to fight other players. Strategy veterans have nothing to worry about though: strategic insight is still a necessity.

IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey succeeds at bringing a flightsim to the consoles. The game delivers a few things that console gamers haven't had for years, but at the same time takes its place between the less-realistic alternatives on the consoles. If you can look past the minor flaws, Birds of Prey is recommended for the serious flightsim-enthusiast.

Bravely Second i​s the sequel to Bravely Default and it shows that it is an amazing franchise. The writing is a little bit less strong than its predecessor, but it still is an amazing JRPG that's worth playing.​

Beyond Earth translates the praised Civ-formula to a sci-fi setting very well. The freedom you get with shaping the future of human kind, makes every playthrough unpredictable and exciting.

EA Sports Active let's you break with fun exercises and keeps you motivated through a calorie counter. The controls need some getting used to, but the game is an excellent addition to your workout routines.

For a game that wants to do so many things at once, it is remarkable how well Dungeons of Hinterberg manages to keep all the balls in the air. The special setting and cozy vibes make this a unique version of a game where you have to slaughter monsters in dungeons.

A gorgeous open world and an extreme amount of interesting assignments make this technically challenged Assassin's Creed a very entertaining new entry in the franchise.

Risk of Rain has a lot of issues that have to do with chaotic graphics and boring action, but the original features save the day. The game is very stressful, but as it is different every time you replay it stays interesting.

LostWinds is short, but it's worth the price of 1000 Wii Points. More important is that the game plays like dream, when it comes to controls and visuals. It's simple but hits its target. They should make more of these games on the console.

The subtitle "Black" carries significant weight in the world of Ninja Gaiden. Black is supposed to represent the ultimate, most complete version of a game, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black falls short of that. Too much content from earlier versions is missing, and the PC version feels too rough. Still, 2 Black is easy to recommend: there’s no more accessible or visually polished version of this phenomenal action game.

Square Enix seems to have put considerable time in the development of Revenant Wings. You notice that right away from the quality of the graphics and music. We would have liked a deeper fighting system, but since this is a handheld game, it might have been the right choice to keep things simple. We're sure fans of the franchise will have a great time playing this and newcomers will have no problem picking this up.

Soulcalibur V doesn't change the formula and doesn't even try. A fighting game in the purest form, that we all know and love for years. A few delicate tweaks and a robust online mode make you come back for more.

You really have to be a car racing fanatic to enjoy Project CARS, but if you do, you will love it. This is a solid pc racesim with loads of content, that is playable on PS4 and Xbox One as a bonus. The menu could have been better.

Super Scribblenauts is an excellent improvement over the original. The clumsy controls are fixed and the puzzles demand more creativity. The possibility to use adjectives makes sure the concept stays interesting for a while.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a solid remaster of a peculiar Zelda game. Thanks to the technical improvements and minor adjustments, the game is more beautiful than ever and plays better too. The button controls also ensure that the game is perfectly playable without motion-sensitive controls. Unfortunately, the Switch game is plagued by fundamental problems from the original, such as the linear setup and backtracking, which means that it cannot measure up to the real gems from this franchise.

Wasteland 2 is a classic RPG with a terrific script and a brilliant skill system. Players are required to play slowly and with constant attention, which only adds to the tense gameplay. This is the best post-apocalyptic game so far and the RPG Fallout 3 should have been.

The Demon Blade pulls everyone to the television screen with it’s fantastic art direction. It also plays like a dream, but after a while you might get bored, because this game is simple. There’s not only little challenge, but also little variation in what you do. It’s a shame, because visually this must be one of the highlights of the this generation on any console. Still, you would do well to try this one out.

After the shallow Anno 2205 the seventh installment of the series offers a lot of depth. There is such a nice atmosphere, lots of detail and the ingenious mix of building cities and sea-trade is taking a lot of nightly hours.

The graphics may be oldfashioned, but this game offers amazing gameplay. A minute might sound short: it is longer than you might think.

Midnight Club LA stays loyal to the series and is by far the most complete and finished version. The game is still a little bit unforgiving and frustrating but keeps it to a minimum. In contradiction, the game offers a very lively Los Angeles and the controls offers you exactly what need: to manouvre through traffic with mind boggling speed.

Calling Monster Hunter Stories 2 a spin-off doesn't do the game justice. This Monster Hunter jrpg excels in all areas that important to a game within the genre, from the spectacularly animated cutscenes, to the deep yet easy to grasp combat system where the Monster Hunter DNA is beautifully intertwined. Above all, it's a great introduction to the series, which makes Monster Hunter accessible to a younger audience as well.

This game plays safe and gets away with it for the most part. The gigantic scale and endless possibilities make this game a charming one. Unfortunately the interface is sad and the multiplayer is deserted.

Planet Zoo may be the most detailed zoo simulation ever. Every facet of the zoo - from the habitat of the animals to the release of endangered species into the wild - is in the player's control. This can be overwhelming at first, but luckily the career mode offers a good tutorial. The most impressive thing about the game, however, is the design and realistic behavior of the animals themselves.

Far Cry 5 adds new material to the franchise, but it is not innovative enough. It all feels a bit too familiar and bugs are keeping this game from being a smooth experience.

Subterfuge will make you check your phone like some addict. Tactical, real-time combat and diplomatic negotiations with fellow players come together to take over your life.

Exo One can be included in the list of most unique games that have appeared this year. Not because it is so innovative, but in which other game do you ride like a marble through the cosmos? This game puts you in a state of movement and wonder.

FIFA 14 is as strong on mobile platforms as it is on consoles. It works well with the limitations of a touch screen and the concessions in gameplay are hardly reason for concern. Especially with the free Ultimate Team-mode Fifa 14 offers an adult soccer experience.

Dawntrail is roughly the same game as Endwalker and the previous expansions, with a few minor nuances and differences. You may find that boring, but bottom line this is still the best you can find in the mmorpg field at the moment. In any case, it is more than enough for loyal players who are ready for new content.

Fast RMX is not exactly charming, but it is definitely a strong racing game. No matter if you play in handheld mode, on the television, alone or with friends, Fast RMX is a fast challenge in any setting.

Console ports are usually a waste of time, but that's certainly not the case with Mirror's Edge. In fact, the PC version of the game offers even more than its console counterparts. Are you looking for something original and innovative to play on your PC and you aren't afraid of heights? Just try Mirror's Edge.

The collision detection seems off sometimes and the game isn’t exactly an example of original gameplay, but this is the game you need to buy if you want to get to know the WWE-franchise. Smackdown vs. Raw can be played by anyone thanks to the simple gameplay and is also a looker. The game is also filled with different modes and options to make your own content to share it with friends online.

Battlefield 5 offers a lot of the same things like Battlefield 4, but then in an even more complete war experience. Grand Ops is nice, though we do miss the battle royale mode that is promised to arrive later.

It does not matter from what side you look at it, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an engaging, impressive title. The astounding storytelling, beautiful gameworld and intimate atmosphere make this game highly recommendable.

Skylanders has a smart concept that has been implented very professionaly. The toys that you use with the Portal really star in this game that is fun for young and old.

But because the game is so fast, you move faster than the camera. This results in you overlooking some enemies.

Tiger Woods might not be groundbreaking, but it offers a very deep and challenging experience. The game has a great amount of realism and the added features work fine. Golf sims don't get any better than this.

Immortals Fenyx Rising copies elements from Zelda: Breath of the Wild to your heart's content and combines them effortlessly with the trusted Ubisoft formula. This combination turns out surprisingly well due to the funny writing, the colorful world, and interesting puzzles.

Company of Heroes 3 builds on what made the previous games so good. The tactical and at the same time chaotic way of warfare is even smoother thanks to the new gameplay elements and requires less micromanaging. Due to a lack of major changes, the end result feels like more of the same, but the enthusiast will be especially happy with that.

You sometimes notice that this is an old PS3 game, but on most points Like a Dragon: Ishin! stands up fine. Although you have to keep Wikipedia open next to it to find out what some historical dialogues actually mean.

Trials and Tribulations is at the least as good as its predecessor. Although technically nothing has changed, you still get pulled into the game. Gamers with experience in the series will, without a doubt, enjoy Trials and Tribulations.

There's not that much wrong with Stellar Blade, but there's not that much that's great either. The predictable story and empty characters are offset by exciting and fluid combat. Hopefully our imagination will be stimulated a little more in a possible sequel.

At first it seems war ships are a lot less flashy than tanks or airplanes. At sea it is all about tactical navigation, forward thinking and the ability to see the bigger picture. It is amazing how World of Warships has all these elements, without having to slow down.

Death of the Outsider offers an amazing selection of special features during stealthy moments and many different options for finding and fighting your way to the next bit.

Thanks to its strong card combat Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is very convincing. The other important parts of a good RPG feel a bit left out. Almost all levels feel the same.

Fall Guys is a big hit and it is more than justified. The bizarre minigames lead to wonderfully chaotic situations. It's a shame that not every game is equally fun and the team games often feel unfair, but the fun is too great to let that ruin it.

Void Bastards offers a unique mix of strategy, roguelike, and shooting. Though the environments are not very different from each other and the confrontations with enemies aren't great, the variation in levels and characteristics of your player make Void Bastards great fun.

The charisma Kratos shows when expressing his deep feelings of revenge, makes God Of War 3 still a milestone in the action genre. Unfortunately the graphic update cannot hide that this testosterone shot has become a bit weak.

BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! does not reinvent the box, but it is a nice new addition to one of the most undervalued franchises of Nintendo. Especially the new co-op mode with BoxGirl is a blast.

Prince of Persia is a beautiful game that looks so good that you almost want to date your tv. Almost. Because the downside of the game is a total lack of intelligence. In an attempt to offer the gamer a incredible looking game with minor obstacles Ubisoft has made a game that reduced the roll of the player to an absolute minimum. If you have a weak spot for beautiful games than Prince of Persia will be your cup of tea. If you're looking for a challenge be sure not to buy this game.

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is a fragment of the past in itself. The remaster can't hide that the game is simply old-fashioned.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 does not have as much emotional impact as the first part, but that is almost impossible. Part two is still quite authentic and Senua remains a special character. It is logical that developer Ninja Theory did not want to say goodbye after just one game. After Senua's Sacrifice we are willing to follow her anywhere, all the way to the impressive Iceland of the 10th century.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits does little we haven't seen before. Regardless, the game sports small challenges in digestable environmental puzzles, that can be as wonderful as they can be frustrating.

Unpacking transforms a tedious chore into a moving game. Moving someone's stuff makes that person come alive, even if you'll never meet her.

Although it isn't easy to release a decent RTS game on a handheld, Civilization: Revolution succeeds with ease. Even after you played several scenarios the game still doesn't bore you. Off course the DS version lacks the overview of it's console counterpart but is definitely worth your money.

Improved 3D models and an acceleration option make Final Fantasy 8 Remastered the best way to play the original game again - but that requires you have to like this old, somewhat polarizing game.

Gears Tactics is a great strategy game, but that's not really surprising. It is precisely the Gears DNA - taking cover, making optimal use of the scarce grenades, the chainsaw executions - perfectly suit the genre and giving Gears Tactics its own face.

This game is very different from the first Legend of Heroes. The story will stick with you for a long time, and it is amazing how the game toys with your righteousness.

The Warriors series can be considered the king of satisfying hack-and-slash action. Three Hopes now tests your patience more than ever with a long-drawn-out story and few developments during combat it is the perfect game to pick up and play whenever.

Buzz! Quiz World offers great entertainment on the couch in the living room, but the tweaks made here aren’t really big enough to make this a necessary purchase if you have the previous game. If this is your first time in the wonderful world of Buzz!, please, come on in and make yourself comfortable. This is the best Buzz!-game out there.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is the ideal game to play with two players. Your space ship has a unique way of controlling it in which you have to do everything at once, but it works like a charm. Everyone has its own tasks, but it is just as important to function as a team.

Pac-Man 256 is another smart twist of the classic. The game is very entertaining, and that is all thanks to Pac-Man being a timeless classic, but also because of the randomly generated mazes. Especially good for short sessions.

Paper Trail is a fairytale game with a unique and intriguing concept. Folding the world around you creates special puzzles that we have not seen before. Unfortunately, the game wavers from too easy to too difficult, but when it does manage to find that balance, Paper Trail is unapproachable.

Funcom has managed to put a good game on the market with Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. The game has many new aspects and therefore differs itself from other MMO games. The graphics are beautiful, as long as you have a good system to cope with it. The bad interface and some minor bugs are the reasons Age of Conan didn't get a higher result.

The expansion Gods & Kings doesn't feel like it changes a lot, since the extras have been integrated seamlessly into Civilization V. The game is more complete and balanced than ever. The additions make for a more calm and pleasant playing style, which works perfectly for this turn-based game. With nine new civilizations and three unique missions, you'll have enough new content to be busy for hours on end.

The game does a lot of things right, just like the early versions on the NES and the PlayStation. The game is easy to pick up without having a short lifespan. Nevertheless even the graphics seem to be copied from his early ancestors and the whole game concept feels a little recycled. Only die-hard RPG fans will find some pleasure in the game.

With Fire Emblem Engage, the extensive social sim of Three Houses is gone. However, the strategy gameplay is stronger than ever. The turn-based fights become more intense because of the Emblem Rings, which sometimes turn the battlefields upside down.

Watch Dogs is a slick action game that's very relevant today. The urgent theme opens the door for gameplay mechanics and situations that actually touch reality. However, the game lacks a strong protagonist and a focused story. That's a shame, because the foundation of the game - despite the somewhat tight pattern of the missions - is fine to say the least.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon bears little resemblance to a Bayonetta game. So don't get the game for the battles, which are quite one-dimensional compared to other PlatinumGames games. Origins excels rather with its puzzle-like platform elements and beautiful graphic style, which makes the game look like an homage to Okami at times.

Bully is a very enjoyable game with the typical Rockstar atmosphere and humour. Too bad Bully is the most ugly guy in the classroom. We had problems with framerates and freezings, but accordering to Rockstar the game will be patched this week. Anyway, these minor things doesn't take away the fact that Bully: Scholarship Edition is the ultimate chance to get the Bully attitude out of us. Class dismissed!

Pokémon Black Version 2 & White Version 2 don't just make giant progressive steps, but also refine the original duo that were released one and a half years ago. There's still a sense of déjà vu, which every new entry in the Pokémon-franchise has. Despite that, Black & White 2 are loads of fun to play.

Tekken 6 is like the previous games, only with some badly thought-out new ideas. If you play Tekken 6 for the old, familiar modes, you’ll have the most complete and balanced game in the series. If you try out anything else, like the not so clever scenario-campaign, be prepared to be disappointed. The online-mode also has terrible lag at the moment of writing.

Shooting enemies and blowing things up, without having to think about complicated gameplay mechanics - That is Rocket Riot in a nutshell. With a unique retro look, this is a game that fans of Liero or Soldat don't want to miss.

NBA2K18 is an amazing basketball game. Though the number of microtransactions are annoying, this game is filled with content for any type of player.

Volume offers a big and mixed assortment of puzzles that are often very challenging. The visual style is amazing, the story about Locksley is interesting and the puzzles are fun. Volume frustrates but is very convincing too.

The beautiful, atmospheric snowy world of The Banner Saga forms the decor for a story in which you're forced to accept all the consequences of your choices. The simple, but entertaining turn-based gameplay usually works in favor of the story, not the other way around.

The collision detection seems off sometimes and the game isn’t exactly an example of original gameplay, but this is the game you need to buy if you want to get to know the WWE-franchise. Smackdown vs. Raw can be played by anyone thanks to the simple gameplay and is also a looker. The game is also filled with different modes and options to make your own content to share it with friends online.

A strategic role playing game that does the right things, but hasn’t made any progress from the previous games. Thanks to the quality and the quantity of the product it’s still a very entertaining game and for gamers that haven’t had the pleasure to play the previous games, it’s even better.

Tiger Woods might not be groundbreaking, but it offers a very deep and challenging experience. The game has a great amount of realism and the added features work fine. Golf sims don't get any better than this.

Revelations is a quality adventure, a complete package filled with spectacle, great presentation and replayability. The game does have some bugs and new players won't be as engrossed as people who have been following the series since the beginning.

Picking flowers of the heads of monsters isn't something you do every day. Aside from this quirky game mechanic, Lili is also a surprisingly fun adventure in a world full of colorful characters.

Technically, the collection is not impressive - not even for a handheld - but the unbridled pirate pleasure, especially from Black Flag, will also hold its ground in 2019. With Rogue and a lot of other extras, it is a nice and substantial package.

The PlayStation 3 version of Eternal SOnata is in fact a delayed Xbox 360 version. But, because of the more clarified story, the four month waiting period only made the game better. Besides that, the game offers extra features, making the PS3 version slightly better that the Xbox 360 version.

Golden Abyss comes out on a new platform, but plays it safe. There's lots of climbing, shooting and joking, but not a moment where the player is truly surprised. The only new ideas come with the touch controls, but they don't add anything worthwile to the game. A solid and fun adventure, but nothing special.

Yakuza Kiwami is a great new take on the classic crime game. The story is fascinating and it is hard to let go of this beautifully shapen world.

Condemned 2 is a pleasant but also frightening game in which the gameplay feels quite fresh. The fighting system works great and the murder investigations are a good way to involve the player into the storyline. Unfortunately the game doesn't stay as fun as the first few missions.

Driver: San Francisco is not like the previous Driver games. A lot has changed since the beginning of the series, and not all for the better. We take for granted that the premise of the story is ludicrous, but we can't escape the feeling that the racing itself is also being pushed to the background.

Anyone wanting to star in his or her own action movie, can thoroughly enjoy themselves with the extreme action of Blood and Truth.

Space Invaders Extreme paves the way for retro gaming, with a combination of nostalgia and fresh gameplay elements in a trendy setting. Finished off with a strong musical framework.

Boxboxboy is more of what we know, but there is one big new feature that makes it feel so different. The option to play with two sets of boxes is a gush of fresh air that Boxboxboy could really use.

You've seen The Hobbit by now, but still can't get enough of Middle-Earth? LEGO The Lord of the Rings is a great way to get your next LOTR-fix. The open world, its subtle and less subtle ironic approach and diverse, well implemented game mechanics make this the most successful attempt of merging a major franchise and LEGO yet.

Although Wii Sports Resort looks simple, it uses the new Wii MotionPlus technology surprisingly well. Apart from the technological improvements the game contains twelve extensive sports that provides lots of entertainment when playing with company.

Outlast doesn’t do itself any favors with uninspired gameplay elements, that all too often reduce frightening moments to simple routine. Not to say that it isn’t worth the confrontation though. It plays into the fear of being found or chased by something that wants to harm you. That feels primal, and is often absolutely terrifying. This is enhanced by environments that come to life through a great attention to detail. Outlast is a nightmare that’ll stick with you for while.

After porting all of its classics successfully to iOS, Sid Meier proves himself once again with Ace Patrol. It feels wonderfully refreshing and the dogfights combine accessibility with an intelligent layer of tactics. It's ruthless when failing a mission though, but that's compensated by a look that breathes sympathy and fun multiplayer modes.

From Dust shows that playing god is never a dull task. Trying to tame the forces of nature proves a challenge and provides a different experience every time you play. The sometimes troublesome pathfinding and suicidal tendencies of the villagers make up the only small gripe we have with this otherwise fantastic game.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is primarily filled with hilarity. The dialogue is expertly written, which fleshes out the characters like never before. The dynamic that this creates between the titular Guardians is more than enough to keep you chained to your screen for upwards of 20 hours.

An old-school, enticing ghost story, that is indie game Oxenfree in a nutshell. As a player there is not a lot to do besides walking around and having conversations, but the choices you make will influence how this creepy story ends.

The studio put a lot of love and care into this game, but there is more to a good JRPG than just an extended fighting system and passion. The storyline is not interesting and for characters like this, we would not bother saving the world.

Gamers that played, and liked, the original know what to do: start downloading! Duke Nukem 3D on Xbox Live Arcade is the perfect port, with no expense spared. The extra multiplayer options and the replay function even make up for the high difficulty setting.