Ridge Racer is all about a couple of things: fast cars, pretty environments and especially well timed powerslides. This First trip to the 3DS doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't try to, which is why it turned out great for the fans of the series. Those fans won't be bothered by the lack of racetracks. Hopefully that'll be rectified in a sequel, just like a much needed online-mode.

While it won't make you the next Van Gogh or Cézanne, Art Academy certainly provides you with the basic toolset to develop your dormant talent. However, it doesn't come close to replacing the real thing.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is bursting with originality and also looks great. However, that can't prevent that typical open-world game routine creeps in towards the end of the game.

Mafia II's strong points are the story and believable gameworld, as well as an authentic atmosphere. Unfortunately the game doesn't take enough risk and as a result makes less impact than the original. Players don't get enough freedom to come up with their own creative solutions during missions. It also doesn't help that there is a lot of filler during the missions.

After years of uninspired movie-licensed games, we finally get to run, fly and drive around with the Transformers and be happy about it. The lacking AI and unvaried fighting sections kill some of the fun, but the game does have a lot of redeeming factors and with a second player you'll feel right at home.

The season finale of The Wolf Among Us is well written and exciting from beginning to end. It’s a nice closure, but there’s a little nasty catch on Telltale’s part: put down the controller and the big bad wolf continues to run, punch and puff without you.

Mix Warcraft with Magic the Gathering and you'll get BattleForge. It's not a bad mix, but you'll have to get used to it. The learning curve is pretty steep and rookies will get their asses kicked within seconds. But, the game rewards the one that keeps trying with some tasteful gameplay and a delicious fantasy topping.

Sometimes more of the same is not so crazy. Patapon 2 Remastered does not do much new compared to its predecessor, but continues the same nice tone and lets us drum cries and death marches out of our controller for hours.

The Evil Within is a true return to form. Not just for Shinji Mikami, but for the whole survival horror genre this is a great title. Anyone that grew up with games like Resident Evil or Silent Hill will be enjoying this game to the fullest.

This is a challenging and accessible turn-based strategy game that will keep you playing for a long time. The tactical options are great and the hand-drawn visual style is very nice, though the story does not really shine like the rest of this very enjoyable game.

Frontlines: Fuel of War is a decent shooter in single player and an enjoyable game when it comes to multiplayer. On the other hand we can't take away the impression that both single and multiplayer didn't get enough attention, which makes it clear that this game didn't reach it's full potential.

Total War: Rome Remastered cleans up the original, but the game won't win a beauty prize. There's a ton of content, with all of the Rome: Total War expansions included and the freedom to play all nations right away. Although it is certainly not a bad game, it is clear to experienced Total War players that the technology has moved on. A somewhat stupid artificial intelligence prevents Total War: Rome Remastered from claiming a place among modern strategy games.

Victor Vran is a nice dungeon crawler with action elements, that gives its own spin on the genre. The game offers enough challenge, but because of the lack of classes and variety it does not really pay to replay this game.

The Night of the Rabbit is a special point-and-click adventure game, although only the veterans amongst players will get to see that side of the game. Not because of the flipped, tricky puzzles, because those are known to the genre. But mostly because game makes a wrong, childish impression in its first hours. It's hard to expect a beautiful and exciting fable after such a start.

Roundabout makes no sense at all, which is why it is so great. The incredibly cheesy movies in between the gameplay, the spinning car you have to control: it’s all so strange yet so charming. There’s some frustration looking, but the well thought out humour makes you forget about it.

Ruiner has an amazing soundtrack and cool action, but when it comes to gameplay this is not a surprising game. The setting makes us long for more, especially combined with the black humor, but the gameplay is too repetitive to really enjoy it.

It is difficult to define what genre Get Even really is, but that is a good thing. Unfortunately the great potential of this mix of genres is not fully used in this original environment.

Naruto is a great action game that lives up to its series with ease. What stands out is the overal quality of the graphics, sound and the unique battle system. Unfortunatly there will be no 'friends battle frenzies' because of a total absence of any type of online play. Nevertheless Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm adds a new breeze of fresh air in the fighting genre and even the players that are new to the Naruto world will enjoy this game.

The exclusive PS4 game Concrete Genie is a magical adventure in which painting your own artworks works pretty well. The repetitive gameplay and limited freedom, however, could have used some fresh paint.

Visions of Mana is an excellent role-playing game, full of sympathetic characters and captivating folklore. The unparalleled flora and fauna make it worth exploring the game world, without this being at the expense of the sharp pace of the twenty-hour story. The game is very explicitly based on a bildungsverhaal that we have already seen many times. With a little more daring, Visions of Mana would have been an RPG classic. Now it is mainly a very good game.

A ballet of violence, that is what Not A Hero offers. If it works, it feels like magic, but it is too bad that the fun violent gameplay gets interrupted by slower and more boring moments.

Lego Rock Band tries to cater to adults and kids, but in the end isn't too successful in that. While the game certainly looks fun for everyone thanks to the use of Lego, the choice of music certainly isn't for everyone and the lack in online options can be a deal breaker as well. It's still an enjoyable music game, but not very balanced.

Better late than never: the third Grid game is the best one yet, especially when it comes to variety of racing classes, highly developed driving and artificial intelligence. The rough visual edges do not affect the strength of the experience that is reminiscent of the TOCA and DTM heyday of Codemasters.

This VR game truly lets you experience what it feels like to be a part of the crew on a starship. It is amazing how every role on the ship is interesting enough for everybody. It is just too bad the campaign is rather short.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is like a cozy D&D-session on a dreary Autumn evening. The all-knowing and ever talking narrator takes you on an engaging adventure that unfolds according to the luck of the draw. Your own fantasy, and the immaculate writing from Nier-creator Yoko Taro take care of the rest.

Sakura Wars is quite a strange beast. The combination of the fighting and keeping up social contacts, paired with the familiar Japanese graphical style, makes for an interesting mix. Even though it's far from perfect, this game keeps on surprising.

This Dirt spin-off focuses on fast races, ramming into other cars and performing stunts, without any fuss. The execution leaves something to be desired when it comes to presentation and gameplay, but at least you'll be treated to a large dose of adrenaline.

Shank is an old school side scrolling beat 'em up with a new lick of paint. The main character seems to have stepped out of a comic book. Shank has enough style, but unfortunately comes up short with substance. The game is short and doesn't offer any replayability next to the hard modus.

A modest effort in bringing the franchise to the DS. The fighting system works fine and it's fun to build your character. The story actually feels like part of the complete picture told by all games, a big plus for a handheld game. But the quality of the original is never reached. The missions are a bit too repetitive and the camera irritates.

Axiom Verge 2 is a daring and quirky sequel. The emphasis on exploring the labyrinthine world shows how clever the game world is, but the combat is lacking. Fighting is not much in Axiom Verge 2, but it also becomes less important with each new skill. This metroidvania manages to present such an interesting (double!) game world that this unique second part does not feel like a miss despite the bad start.

A well-constructed adventure to lose yourself in… if your age is a certain number of years under adulthood. Developer Sanzaru Games, who also did the successful HD-remakes, forgot to apply a deeper layer as to also cater to adult gamers. This is why Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time doesn’t amount to being anything more than a well polished hunt for collectibles for younger players.

Dark Fall: Lost Souls proves that the point-and-click genre hasn’t met his demise yet. Thankfully passionate individuals like Jonathan Boakes create games like this in their spare time. Lost Souls may not be of the same high quality as the other two entries in the series, but it still is a must-have for people with a weak for a good horror story and old fashioned point-and-click games.

As a re-release of one of the finest arcade racers of the modern era, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is a tasty treat in 2020 too. We do miss a bit more value for the money than just the improved graphics and crossplay.

This game is all about the looks: the imagery on offer here is simply spectacular. But what is the message? We have no clue. The gameplay is lacking and overly simplistic. If you're looking for the next "art-game", look no further, but don't expect to play something that's truly fun.

The Dishwasher made its way from a community game to a fully equipped Xbox Live Arcade title. And it even competes with the big boys. Keep in mind that the game has a very high difficulty setting and that only the true Dishwasher will get to the end.

The sober exterior of Echoshift is no indication of the complexity of the challenges it harbours. As the game progresses the challenges get tougher, but thanks to a steady increasing learning curve no challenge will ever seem too overwhelming. Manipulating time has been done much prettier by others, but difficulty wise it can easily keep up with the best.

The old game mechanic of Breakout and Arkanoid is still fun, thanks to some successful additions. Hyper Breaker Turbo just doesn’t dare to be as hyper or turbo as its title might have you think.

Green Day: Rock Band is everything you would expect: the great concept of Rock Band, combined with a soundtrack of Green Day-songs. A solid game.

In Ode Ubisoft Reflections takes another experimental look at exploration in games, this time with a main focus on music. It is fun, but it does not really stick like other titles did.

Age Of Empires 3: Definitive Edition has been polished up considerably graphically. There is also a lot of content available. Unfortunately, the original design flaws have not or hardly been addressed. This is a game that generally wants to do too much, makes it too complex and doesn't give enough in return. This is a nice remaster of a game that we would rather not play.

Dontnod shows with Tell Me Why that the technology behind Life is Strange can also be used to tell other stories. This story is a bit too thin, but it has strong themes. There is also clearly a lot of research done to properly portray the transgender main character.

No More Heroes 3 mainly focuses on hack 'n slash gameplay and numerous side activities, and less on an in-depth narrative. Along the way, the game regularly plays with your expectations in a distinctive way and often makes you smile.

Not every part of Shakedown Hawaii gets the same amount of love, but as satire and classic GTA game, it is very convincing. The extreme high tempo and the big number of jokes make this game great from start to end.

Play Black Future ‘88 especially if you like to wander through procedurally made 2D dungeons with cool weapons. Despite its unclear and repetitive moments, this is a cool roguelike.

Assault Heroes 2 is a great shooter which may be added to the top of the Marketplace. The money you have to put into this game will be greatly rewarded. So if you are bored to death with the latest games, then Assault Heroes 2 will definitely brighten your day.

Hurricane is a worthy sequel to Hydro Thunder. The tracks offer variety and have a lot of dynamic obstacles, the game offers some strategy and the multiplayer lengthens the replayability.

Drakensang is a must buy for every fantasy and RPG fanatic. Don't except a revolution or a GOTY, but except a game that has charisma and can be picked up very easily. There are some tiny flaws, but the moment that you venture into Avonturia, your troubles will be over.

Although X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a game based on a film, it's made with the right intentions. The unfinished look, a total lack of any challenge whatsoever and tedious gameplay make Wolverine a little harder to digest. Perfect for filling in the gaps between busy hours. Not so perfect if you want to play all night long.

This feels like a B-game. This Resident Evil feels cheap because of the recycling of animations, enemies and locations throughout the four episodes. The coop-experience however, is pretty nice because of the combination of different characters. We also love the way Resi is becoming a bit more creepy again.

This game is fun for a little while, but the World of Tanks-feel is not really fitting.

An ish-load of content, a weird DLC-situation and over the top sexualization of the characters tell a very simple truth: Dead or Alive 5 Last Round is a game without any surprises and it is all about the steady and powerful fighting system. In other words: razor sharp graphics versus zero evolution gameplay-wise.

Sonic is finally back. Not that he was away, but he hasn't been in this sort of shape since the Genesis-days. That is not to say that he's completely like the old Sonic, because there are plenty of little niggles here for the fans to get irritated from. Still, he's fast and runs from left to right, just the way we like him.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is just as mean as it used to be. Thankfully you've got option now to change the difficulty level a bit.

Droplitz offers more depth and challenge than you would guess from its simple and abstract presentation, which makes it on the best puzzle games on XBLA.

Arkham VR is one of the prettiest virtual reality experiences thus far. It is steady, but unfortunately somewhat short. The interaction had us longing for more though.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition is the zombie fest that got us hooked in 2010, but with better graphics and funny extras.

Costume Quest is sweet and addictive like the sugary goodness the game is about, but sells itself short in terms of gameplay.

The LEGO universe really needs some innovative ideas, cause this game is just a bit too familiar. We really like the DC baddies, but it deals with the same issues we often see in a LEGO title.

Eidos did her best in turning a mediocre game into a decent game. The thought behind Battlestations: Midway was fine, but the game clearly needed some adjustments to impress the spoiled gamer. In Battlestations: Pacific Eidos made those adjustments, turning this one into a much better game then it's predecessor ever was. Too bad that the storyline fails to get your attention and that the missions are somewhat slow in comparison to the fast paced action.

After Midnight is all about going out at night. Sims-players who love the social aspect of the series will feel right at home with this expansion. Players who like vampires as well.

With The Sims 3: Ambitions fans will finally get the change of getting a job with their Sim and actually go to the 'office' with them. A more than welcome add-on for the franchise, even though the job sometimes gets a little too easy.

FlatOut Head On has some minor problems just like its big brother on the Xbox 360. Although the conversion to the handheld is a success, the game has some issues when it comes to framerate and unpredictable physics. The gameplay compared to FlatOut Ultimate Carnage stays the same and on top of that the game has variation and good visuals to make it even more attractive.

The comeback of Medal of Honor is more or less a success, although the game obviously is more traditional than some of it's younger competitors. The singleplayer paints a realistic picture of Afghanistan, but the scripting is pretty bad. The multiplayer is hard and fast and takes some getting used to. An enjoyable package.

Nuka World is one of the most original locations in the whole Fallout franchise. Nuke World is big, unique and offers a few cool missions. Too bad Bethesda makes you the bad guy, cause the Raiders are very unpleasant and there is no alternative to it.

That a role playing game with soccer action can be given this much depth, charm and variation isn't new for fans of the series. Part 2 doesn't offer anything new, but remains interesting for hours on end thanks to hundreds of new moves to learn and a fun story.

At its best, Patapon 3 can be addicting and make you feel invincible. At its worst, it's frustrating and unnecessarily complicated. Whether this third instalment should be a part of your collection depends solely on your need for another shot of Patapon, because for newcomers, previous iterations are a more suitable choice.

The good intentions on the technical and visual part show more love for this pumped up classic, but the outcome is not that great. Thankfully Gabriel Knight had an intriguing story, good written script and good puzzles back in the day, because those things are still here and make Sins of the Fathers a decent game.

TopSpin 2K25 is a striking return of a decades-old series. The tennis action is exciting and balanced, but all the peripheral issues ruin a significant part of the gaming experience.

Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution is a solid fighting game which has the same atmosphere as the cartoon. If you like the series, you must add this game to your collection. For other players this game might also be interesting, since it's the first good fighting game for the Wii so far.

Investigating as a detective may feel a bit traditional in The Smiling Man, but that doesn’t make the story any less exciting. Sometimes you have to dig around in the menus for a bit too long and that can feel a bit cumbersome. Still, it’s surprising to see a Nintendo game deal with such dark themes. That really gives this murder mystery a face of its own.

Shattered Dimensions is without a doubt the best Spider-Man-game since Spider Man 2. The level design is varied, but the game is very linear and the lack of big differences between the dimensions keep this game from being truly great.

The Valley of the Yetis is not high class DLC that adds to the original at all fronts, but it does offer a beautiful, new environment in which you can discover adventures and explosions.

Trio of Towns offers many elements from earlier titles and improved them. The strongest improvement is the many villages with different traditions.

That a role playing game with soccer action can be given this much depth, charm and variation isn't new for fans of the series. Part 2 doesn't offer anything new, but remains interesting for hours on end thanks to hundreds of new moves to learn and a fun story.

Just Cause 3 stands for freedom and fun. Every gameplay element is working towards one and the same goal: doing whatever you feel like. Just Cause 3 is simply a game you must play, it would surprise us if you wouldn't like it.

Quotation forthcoming.

Building MX vs. ATV Reflex from the ground up has had a positive result in a way. Rider Reflex and terrain deformation make the motocross- and ATV races very challenging. The rest of the vehicles seem to have been neglected by the developer and disturb the balance of the game during the mixed races. Despite the flaws the game will still be very much enjoyed by fans of the sport.

Case West is not as good as Case Zero. It costs twice as much as its predecessor and the changes it has undergone don't go along with the series' roots, even though it's still a great pleasure to slaughter hundreds of zombies. If you've enjoyed Case Zero and Dead Rising 2, you will also enjoy Case West. Just not as much.

When playing this game in a team it is one of the best online shooters of 2015, even though it has some bugs and not a lot of content. If you'd rather play alone, you might not like Rainbow Six Siege as much.

Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake is the younger, fatter sister of the PS3-version from last year. Unfortunately she inherited almost all of the same flaws that plagued her older sister. The replayability of the game depends on how many people will actually keep playing the game online. Sweet and tasty at first, but it won’t take long until you’ve had enough.

Resonance of Fate tackles things fairly uniquely and that takes some getting used to. When you have the patience to learn the ropes, there's an addicting and original adventure waiting for you. It's not so much about the story or surrounding as it is about grinding to level up, though.

I am Setsuna is a beautiful ode to the JRPGs from the 90's, but it does not really do anything new. It's a nostalgia trip for JRPG players, but that means you will also have to deal with the classic annoyances in the genre.

Hotline Miami 2 offers the same bloody action puzzles as the original and is a thrill to play. Everything that is different from its predecessor is quite the opposite, they just don't work.

Binary Domain wants to be more than a generic shooter, but unfortunately drops the ball with the unique gameplay elements. What remains is an entertaining, reasonably interesting and good looking shooter that could've scored better with an extra layer of technical polish.

Deponia has a brilliant setting for a funny adventure and has a nice story to tell. Unfortunately it's held down by an uncharming main character and especially annoying mini-game puzzles. It also ends in an Empire Strikes Back-ish manner, which makes the wait for the next episode quite depressing.

Dandelions: Chain of Seeds manages to get you to think and relax at the same time. An impressive display of game design that got rewarded the 'Best Indie game'-award at Casual Connect in Amsterdam. Completely justified by the way, because it offers uncomplicated puzzle fun.

Far Cry 6 is still just another Far Cry, regardless of all the fanfare. It's formula is as old as time, but does find stable footing in Yara. With more emphasis on a good crafting system and the series' familiar freedom in playstyles, there's plenty of fun to be had shooting.

Trackmania excels at everything fans fell in love with years ago: a true race with dozens of bizarre tracks and high speeds. The game unfortunately comes with a disclaimer: the different subscriptions, menus and leaderboards are very confusing. That is especially bad for new players, while Trackmania is such a good idea on paper.

Good controls, nice chiptune music and farcical imagery make Fist of Awesome a wonderful beat 'm up. It hardly bores and you feel the fun the developer had making it with every strike.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 makes you feel almighty when you and your team are together, and the fusion powers make it a blast to experiment with different teams. It's a shame that the lacking RPG-elements and tricky camera bring the experience down. Fans of Marvel and beat 'em up games won't be disappointed though.

Origins is the least impressive game the series has to offer. Warner Bros. Games Montréal eagerly uses the fundamentals that original developer Rocksteady created and perfected with the two other Batman-games, but forgets to build upon it and really make it their own. The combat system is the best it has to offer and can make Batman: Arkham Origins quite entertaining. Aside from that, there’s nothing here that its predecessors don’t do better.

Thanks to Rapstar we now finally have a karaokegame that makes us rap instead of sing. The problem is Rapstar can't decide if its for the hardcore hiphop-fan or the mainstream listener. And why on earth is the foul language edited out?

H.A.W.X. does little to add something new to an almost dying genre. But it's still a pretty entertaining flight sim if you're looking for some dogfight action on your console.

Aside from a few bugs, this game is worth getting. The game is daring and will make you laugh more often than the average sitcom. Magicka shines the brightest when playing it online with a few decent players though, throwing out some amazing combo's together during one of the game's many cartoon-like battles.

Galaga Legions DX is what Galaga Legions should've been. DX reignites the old arcadegame in this modern era. It can be played indefinitely to improve your scores and to head off your friends on the leaderboards. It's not hard, maybe even a tad too easy, but most definitely addicting. And that without having to insert countless amounts of quarters.

The simultaneously dancing in Just Dance 3 is a fantastic new option and the tracklist couldn't be better. The presentation is great as well, with weird looking dance teachers and easy to get into gameplay.

Due to an unclear staff and unreliable timing, Melody of Memory does not work well as a rhythm game. That's a shame, because this gigantic pile of memorable music deserved better.

The power of Super Stardust is still strong in Ultra, but other parts of the game could have used more. The visuals are simply not very modern and the arcade mode is by far the best mode of all. That being said, Super Stardust Ultra is the biggest package of the game yet, but it is too bad there were no real selling points added.