The beautiful world, noticeable graphics and unique characters make Skyward Sword come to life. Thanks to Wii Motion Plus the game has precise control that pull you in the adventure even more. An experience that makes you forget the five years of waiting.

Wow! Codemasters managed to invent the golden formula for a racing game. The intensity, the recklessness and all the cool cars make GRID awesome.

Even people who dislike zombies will probably change their minds after playing Left 4 Dead. The game offers much more than just killing zombies by the hundred. It offers lots and lots of gameplay with an unique combination of a tactical shooter with good old fashioned humour.

The Swapper surprises until the end. Not only thanks to interesting game mechanics and brain breaking puzzles, but also due to a philosophical story that leaves a strong impression and makes you think about the world around you. A game with a message like this shouldn't be missed.

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.

Mario has some restrictions in Super Mario 3D Land, which is why the game comes closer to the original platformers that are all about challenge and focused platform levels. It all works out, thanks to the surprise at the end of the game and the wealth of challenges available here.

Patapon steals your heart. Even if you don't like rhythm, tactics or role playing in general. The combination of different factors makes this game a totally new genre, which gives an unique experience. Although the game looks childish with their one-eye-warriors, it's actually quite a challenge to play.

Borderlands 3 is pretty traditional, but in many ways this is the ultimate looter-shooter offering up a great satire about the streamculture of today.

It’s pretty incredible how much fun Titanfall is, and how fresh it feels, because the shooter hardly introduces new elements and mostly scouts mapped terrain. Respawn Entertainment manages to combine depth and fun seamlessly. That said, Titanfall is one of the most important players in the shooter landscape. Just like that. Boom, headshot.

Winter of the Melodias continues right where the solid original left off, but adds tons of new puzzles that are there thanks to new moves and abilities (like changing the season) and a bigger world. A lovely snack that’s secretly a lot more fun than most ‘full’ games.

Defense Grid is one of the best Tower Defense-games and offers a great introduction to the genre on the Xbox 360. The game is well build, very addictive and even a pleasure to watch.

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a great roguelike because of its simple, game-changing twist; you do everything you do to the rhythm of the music. The experience is magical, the soundtrack is great and the procedural generated dungeons will challenge you every time.

Chrono Trigger hasn't lost its magic in 2009. The combat system is unique and effective, the story and its characters impressive and even the looks and sound of the game are more than you could wish for. It the end it was worth waiting for a European version.

Rez, the trippy on rails shooter was a classic, but now that it is playable in Virtual Reality it is even better.

This game is without a doubt the best soccer game ever. It doesn't only play like a charm, it also looks phenomenal and the number of options is huge. There is so much to do that it will be hard to try everything out before FIFA 2010. The fact that our crew works overtime just to play the game says more than enough. FIFA 09 is everything that your little soccer heart desires.

Firemonkeys and Electronic Arts prove that a good freemium game can be released without making players feel like they need to pay to win. Real Racing 3 also shows how pretty mobile games can get nowadays, and that smartphones have become serious gaming platforms. A must buy, although the term isn’t applicable in this case.

Cadence of Hyrule offers the rhythmic gameplay of Crypt of the NecroDancer, wrapped into the Zelda franchise. That is truly something special, though the game gets a bit too easy after a very challenging start.

Blacklist has it all. Perfect controls, highlights from all the previous games, a perfect focus on multiplayer fun without sacrificing the enjoyment of the single-player and a great presentation to finish it all off. It has it all, unless you’re looking for innovation. You won’t find that in this best of compilation that manages to feel like a new product.

Battleheart Legacy is a wonderful RPG with a unique style. The game offers hours of fun and blends several classes into one playable character. This simply works great: it makes Battleheart Legacy one of a kind.

Guitar Hero World Tour offers a more than welcome evolution to the series. With superior instruments, a powerful tracklist and extremely addicting gameplay it has already earned a place in Guitar Hero history. Playing the guitar is still going strong, but with the change to play the drums or even sing a line or two, the game offers enough variation. Not every new feature is a direct hit, but if you liked any of the previous Guitar Hero games than you will have no trouble in liking this one. And if you're looking for the best music-party game the choice is even easier. What are you waiting for? Rock on!

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.

The classic RPG is making a comeback. After Shadowrun and Wasteland 2, this time it’s Divinity: Original Sin’s turn. This Kickstarter project from Belgium shows how fantasy elements can be used to their fullest extent. These developers understand what’s so great about magic and discovering a world. This is a tribute to the best Bioware, Obsidian, and D&D games that were produced with pen and paper over the last thirty years, had to offer.

With Dirt Rally Codemasters shows why it focuses on racing games. The rally feeling from Colin McRae Rally is back, and might be even better. If this is the way Dirt Rally is headed, this game has a bright future ahead.

WildStar is made for the players. Any decision in the design is created with the question in mind: “Is this fun to do?” The answer is almost always: yes! The fact that we saw a lot of elements elsewhere earlier does not affect the ubiquitous qualities, humor and sheer fun that we experienced in each session. This is one of those rare subscription-based MMO’s that is worth its subscription.

As fans know, you can’t judge Rez just upon its gameplay premises. That would be the same as reducing the Nightwatch by Rembrandt to the type of paint and the material of the canvas. Instead, the game formula is onlya means to convey something that is more than a typical game experience.

Fallout 4 was a strong game, but it had some weak spots when it came to the visuals, the challenge, the storytelling and the RPG elements. Bethesda obviously listened to the critique, as Far Harbor actually is a tad better than the original game.

The Master Chief Collection prepares a new generation of console gamers for one of the best shooter series ever made. This disc offers 4 high end single-player adventures, 106 multiplayer maps and a crazy amount of extra content. This is the game to buy this year.

Boomerang X plays like a train thanks to a simple but effective game mechanic: a magical boomerang that allows you to teleport yourself. The game may not look and sound that special, but whoever whizzes through the arenas with mouse and keyboard for the first time, is immediately in love.

Hi-Fi Rush is a very slick looking action platformer that executes its central theme of rhythm incredibly consequently. The animations are of a phenomenal level. Hi-Fi Rush is really just the type of game that will make you shout from the rooftops how cool video games can be.

Sound Shapes is an interactive piece of art. The easily accessible gameplay makes for a fun 2D platformer on its own, but the music and visuals really turn some heads. Even when creating something in the editor you'll think you're in paradise, a place where everyone can be an artist.

Metro Redux is more than just a polished version of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. The terrifying and sinister games have improved on every level, which makes Redux the best way to play both titles.

Are you still here? Go get Empire: Total War if you have just the slightest interest in an RTS game. This game offers everything a RTS fan wants. We know that the game has its share of flaws, but there is so much this game does right, that you can easily look past the frustration. This is what a strategy game should look like.

Total War: Warhammer 2 offers many, many hours of fun thanks to the High Elves, Dark Elves, Skaven and Lizardman, plus the campaign being a lot more exciting than ever before.

It feels unfair to call Iceborne just downloadable content for Monster Hunter World. This expansion package adds enough new things to potentially keep you busy for hundreds of hours. The new monsters, attacks and the addition of the Clutch Claw ensure that the game still feels fresh.

We're getting a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of Cliffy B interviews, quotes and other Cliff related stuff that have roamed the world wide web the past few weeks. But in all fairness, Gears of War 2 is a more than worthy sequel of its predeccesor. The co-op mode is still a very attractive part of the game, and the same goes for the Horde mode. With more enemies, more levels and especially more blood it offers just what you expect from a sequel. The game rarely suprises, but it hurls enough cannon fodder towards you that it will blow you away.

Despite some minor flaws Valkyria Chronicles is full of quality and offers unique gameplay. When playing Valkyria Chronicles you'll probably get the feeling that you're wandering inside a big aquarel painting. Offering a decent challenge, versatile missions and easy to master controls Sega delivers a turn-based classic that will keep you hooked onto your PlayStation 3 for weeks, maybe even months, if you like a great story and are a sucker for tactical gameplay.

Even more than other Forza Horizon games, with this one you'll experience the awesome feeling of driving beautiful cars in a huge open world. There is more space for off-road racing, which is a nice feature on top of the strong concept of Forza Horizon.

With Catherine: Full Body, the unique original is made even more comprehensive, more accessible and more challenging. The compelling story and the complex puzzle platform action will hopefully appeal to more players than before.

Dota 2 remains fully loyal to its predecessor, which fundamentally started the moba genre, and that’s the best choice. Thanks to the long development process of the first Dota, the second part is now the most well balanced and complete game of all the multiplayer online battle arenas out there. This is mostly noticeable due to the enormous tactical freedom that makes every game different and the subtle elements that make the game so rich and expansive. No competitor even comes close to this amount of depth.

This is a fighting game that has been made with love, that much is clear. It looks the part and plays the part. Even though the controls are overly simplified, fighting fans will lose themselves in the game thanks to all the characters and options. A fantastic addition to the weak offer of hardcore games on the Wii.

Pikmin 3 feels like the next step in the franchise: a perfectly balanced game that’ll easily keep you occupied for fifteen hours with a very satisfying learning curve. Everything is also nicely polished with graphics that’ll suddenly have you produce copious amounts of saliva. Still, a cooperative mode would’ve been nice. Pikmin also don’t follow you as well as they should all the time. These are tiny stains on one of the best Wii U games to date.

The Stanley Parable analyses, comments on, laughs at and loves games and their narrative ambitions. The result is this phenomenal meta game that makes you laugh and think at the same time.

With Gears of War 4, The Coalition demonstrated the essence of Gears, but with Gears 5 the developer finally dares to take steps forward. It's the impactful campaign that makes Gears 5 a strong game.

Diablo III on consoles is mainly cool because it finally gives Xbox and PlayStation lovers the chance to enjoy a modern PC classic by Blizzard. The console edition plays so fluently that you’ll hardly notice a difference with the PC-version. There aren’t many differences to begin with. Offline coop is the only new feature, and a very welcome one at that.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is what we want in a modern fighting game. The controls are easy to learn, but the game is deeper than you might think.

Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is just like a hot dog. It doesn't have to change in order to be tasty. Ubisoft has put on a great sauce with the A.C.E.S.-system, objects you can shoot through, and a great cooperative mode. And believe us it will be the best hot dog you ever tasted.

Demon's Souls offer plenty of satisfaction to players that don't want to be guided through every challenge they encounter. The rich, deep gameplay make this a pure action-RPG.

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.

Minecraft may not look the part, but what it lacks in fancy bells and whisles, it more than makes up for through sheer depth. Creative players can spend countless hours building, while real adventurers will go on to explore the game world. And best of all, thanks to numerous updates it gets even bigger and better.

The promises Obsidian made definitely came true. Pillars of Eternity is the ultimate ode to RPG classics like Baldur's Gate, but it does have its own unique style to bring to the table.

In this sci-fi adventure you feel like you are really working in some advanced space station. You float around, enjoying the amazing acting and the unique way of moving around in an impressive environment.

FIFA 10 is a great football game. On almost every level it outclasses its predecessor, and that was already a fantastic game. The 360-degrees-system, the emphasis on physical elements and the improved passing-abilities ensure that this game appears even more realistic on your screen. With the adding of some interesting game-modes and the improvements over the last game, FIFA 10 is the best football game up to this date.

Like the original, The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is more experience than game. The meta-adventure will make you laugh, but may also make you think while enjoying the wonderful voice of Kevan Brighting. In addition, the office adventure is twice as long as the original: still a short experience, but this time an evening-filling program.

Just forget the unsurprising singleplayer and you have the best online shooter available right now. Battlefield 3 has so much content that every shooter fanatic will have something to do. The detailed maps, deep gameplay and jawdropping graphics make this the best Battlefield ever.

Axiom Verge looks like a NES-game on steroids, but it is way more than that. Axiom Verge is one of the best games in its genre, thanks to its unique old-school style and tons of secrets to discover.

Drake's Deception takes its time to shape a story, and the result is a game that really comes together in the second half. When it does, it's really spectacular and questions that have been lingering in the background are answered in interesting ways. If the exciting singleplayer isn't enough content for your liking, the multiplayer offers a fun pastime.

As a shooter, Max Payne 3 belongs to the highest ranks. Due to the fantastic animations and amazing action every confrontation is one to look forward to. And if the atmosphere, dialogue and narrative turn out to be of a 'Max Paynian' level, there's really nothing that can go wrong regarding this third entry in the series. If you have even the slightest love for virtual liquidation, then the purchase of Max Payne 3 is a bullet you can't dodge.

The king of dancing games has a successor and its name is Dance Central 2.

The depth of Crusader Kings 3 is staggering, but the reward for getting to know the many game systems more than makes up for that.

Shadow Complex is a title that shows that two-dimensional games still have a right to exist. The story is well done, the influence of Metroid and Castlevania give it a classic feel and the complete package has lots of replayability. The game lends a hand here and there which makes the game more accessible for a larger audience. The game isn't perfect, thanks to the clunky aiming-mechanic when things happen in the background. Still, Shadow Complex is an example of how XBLA-games should be.

FIFA 11 doesn't reinvent the genre. It does however take the astonishing fundament of the past versions and polishes the experience by adding some excellent new features and changes. Is it the best footie so far? Maybe. Is it an extraordinary game? Without a doubt.

Killzone 3 might miss an abundance of multiplayes modes and the singleplayer isn't perfect. But that shouldn't stop you from buying this game. As an experience Killzone 3 waltzes over pretty much all of its competition of the same genre. Guerrilla knows what makes Killzone different from other shooters and combines those elements with some refinements in its controls, variation and style, which makes Killzone 3 into what it always should have been.

FIFA 11 doesn't reinvent the genre. It does however take the astonishing fundament of the past versions and polishes the experience by adding some excellent new features and changes. Is it the best footie so far? Maybe. Is it an extraordinary game? Without a doubt.

BJ Blazkowicz shows how great it is to kill Nazis, but Wolfenstein 2 has a lot more to offer: the world, the cast and the huge range of bizarre stories make this game a definite recommendation.

We would not call Bayonetta 2 revolutionary, but it is just as satisfying as the first one. The presentation is still a 'love it or hate it'-thing, but the refined gameplay is something not to miss, especially when you are a fan of the genre.

BioWare set the bar quite high for themselves with the Dragon Age: Origins. With big-but-subtle changes, the developer tries to address a larger audience with the second game, but this doesn't mean that these changes aren't fit for the hardcore demographic. On the contrary, Dragon Age II keeps the deep RPG-elements and the gratifying story that turned the first part into such a well received game.

BioWare set the bar quite high for themselves with the Dragon Age: Origins. With big-but-subtle changes, the developer tries to address a larger audience with the second game, but this doesn't mean that these changes aren't fit for the hardcore demographic. On the contrary, Dragon Age II keeps the deep RPG-elements and the gratifying story that turned the first part into such a well received game.

NBA 2K16 shows love for the true basketball fans. The movement of the players is authentic and the tactical depth seems endless; this game is the best basketball muse that we have seen thus far.

Words are not enough to describe the beauty of Disco Elysium. The crazy freedom you get with shaping your character and the high-quality writing make this a must for fans of classic RPGs.

Metro Redux is more than just a polished version of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. The bone chilling and haunting game is improved in every way. Thanks to these changes, Redux is the best Metro game you could play at the moment.

XCOM 2 is very much the same game as the first, but that is good news as XCOM is a modern classic. Firaxis has not been lazy though: the enemies are new and the threat is bigger than ever before. The classes have become a lot tougher and the campaign plays with the concept of being switched between humans and aliens.

Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan is a double sided blade that cuts both ways. It´s the most accessible game in this series of traditional first person dungeon crawlers, but offers enough resistance for both newcomers and veterans. And where there's a challenge, there's satisfaction.

Fandango is the best adventure game ever made and this remaster means a new generation of gamers is able to play it. The newly added directors commentary and controls are fresh, but the game itself stays true to its original.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a fantastic adventure. The storytelling is excellent, the direction is sharp, and the gameplay is surprisingly fun. This is exactly what Xbox needs: a solid single-player game with its own unique identity.

Mario and Luigi: Brothership brings together the best elements of the previous titles in the crumbling Concordia. It plays great, is again sharply written and looks beautiful. When fighting, it is mainly the exciting boss battles that stay with you, partly due to the extra layer of strategy that the new Battle Plugs bring with them. But it is the characters that you meet along the way that make Brothership an unexpectedly emotional experience.

Lords of Shadow defies the boundaries of what Castlevania should be, but it works. The game pulls you in medieval times, but the gameplay, presentation and story are without a doubt as modern as you can get. The ghost of old Castlevania flows through the game, while being fresh enough to make it feel like the start of a new franchise. Both fans and newcomers will find plenty to enjoy here.

Not everyone will take the time and trouble to get the maximum out of what Yakuza 4 has to offer. Whoever does will be amazed by its marvellous story, bizarre amount of content and the deep and intrinsic characters. The lack of challenge and the notion that many of its aspects already existed in the third part, aren't relevant enough to detract from the total package Yakuza 4 has to offer.

Hyrule is a world where you want to be in. It’s so beautiful, with countless interesting people and exciting dungeons. So it’s no surprise that playing Spirit Tracks is truly a pleasure. The fighting, riding the train or solving puzzles: it’s all great to do. Spirit Tracks is a fantastic new addition to the series.

Lords of Shadow defies the boundaries of what Castlevania should be, but it works. The game pulls you in medieval times, but the gameplay, presentation and story are without a doubt as modern as you can get. The ghost of old Castlevania flows through the game, while being fresh enough to make it feel like the start of a new franchise. Both fans and newcomers will find plenty to enjoy here.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of the best open world games to date. With its free combat system, the company of quirky pawns and the lively game world, this second part offers the ultimate adventurer feeling. It is still a complex RPG with many underlying systems, but they all work together to continuously provide your gaming experience with unforgettable moments.

Trials of Mana is one of the best games from the 90s, which can now finally be played legally in English. The localization of that game alone justifies the high price tag of what is basically a collection of old ROMs. It’s a really nice nostalgia trip that comes with another classic as a gift.

​This game makes up for the things that were holding its predecessor from being amazing, and offers a lot of new ideas that work well. This is the best Etrian Odyssey we have ever played, no matter if you go for the new story mode or the classic adventure.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's road trip is enchanting and wonderfully written, meandering between emotional and absurd moments. The battles remain great and the soundtrack is overwhelming, but it's the charming environments and characters that make Rebirth a triumph. Every location you visit feels like a small vacation with your best friends.

Anno 1404 has excellent production values and gameplay, visuals and sound complement each other well. The eastern theme gives the game a new dimension, without getting overly complicated. It's a great game to start your summer holidays.

​This is a surprisingly deep puzzle game that is hard to put down. It is really down to you if you succeed, cause this game does not involve a lot of moments of luck. The longer you play, the better you will get at it.

Gears of War 3 isn't filled with surprises, but thanks to a perfect pace and constant new set pieces, the game remains in your disc drive to the end. Thanks to the multiplayer – which is easy on newcomers – the durability of the game is also an impressive feature. Epic has listened to the community, used the feedback and created a fantastic closing chapter in this trilogy.

With its slick presentation, inventive controls and the most comprehensive single-player experience the franchise has ever had, Street Fighter 6 is more accessible than ever. The game looks great and plays even better. This is without a doubt one of the most fun fighting games of recent times - and therefore one of the best installments in the series.

Dark Souls 3 is the perfect ender for FromSoftware's praised trilogy. The game combines the best elements from the other games into one awesome package.

Heavy Rain is a unique experience. It’s not a traditional game, but that isn’t a problem, because the strong story, fantastic gameplay and impressive acting make up for it. An emotional adventure in the life of real characters. An interactive drama of which we would like to receive more in the future.

The impressive thing about Far Cry 3 it that it really sells the sensation of being on a tropical island. The huge, open world, gripping story and great sense of freedom will make you lose yourself in it. It's as complete as any game can get and can keep you occupied for hours on end without boredom setting in. The bad artificial intelligence is the only smudge on this otherwise sublime experience.

The single player campaign alone makes this first Starcraft 2 expansion worth the two-year wait. The campaign feels like a complete game, thanks to unique gameplay that’s been tailored for the Zerg. In the multiplayer it’s recognizable for what it is, but it lengthens the life of StarCraft 2 with new units and maps. Heart of the Swarm offers countless new possibilities for new strategies, without it affecting the balance or accessibility negatively. Along with seemingly unlimited amounts of small changes, HotS makes StarCraft 2 better than it already was.

Shogun 2 is an homage to Shogun: total War. We'll never look back though, knowing that Shogun 2 is simply a better game, thanks to the strongly improved gameplay and a turn-based section that knows even more depth this time around.

ZombiU is the perfect Wii U launch game for adult gamers: there's violence, monsters and it's actually quite scary. Because the death of your character is permanent and zombies are very hard to take down, playing ZombiU guarantees sweaty hands. The GamePad adds on to this experience by pulling you even further into the game world. ZombiU is scary, unique and only possible on the Wii U. Nintendo couldn't have wished for a better launch game.

Vanquish is no greater literature, but that's ok. It's pure pulp, and combined with all the basic shooter-elements that are woven in professionally, and the absurd mix of explosive gameplay and cheesy one-liners, this is one strange but satisfying package. A fantastic game for the fanatic gamer and one of the biggest surprises of the year.

Braid is unique. It's a brilliant little puzzler that takes you on a great, confusing and challenging adventure. The music will still sound in your head for days after playing. Backwards. Get this game, you’ll love it.

Vanquish is no greater literature, but that's ok. It's pure pulp, and combined with all the basic shooter-elements that are woven in professionally, and the absurd mix of explosive gameplay and cheesy one-liners, this is one strange but satisfying package. A fantastic game for the fanatic gamer and one of the biggest surprises of the year.

Hurray, the combination Mechs, sports and virtual reality is a fact. Rigs offers a futuristic experience we could only dream of. There are enough options to make this first-person action game very comfortable to play. A very strong start for PS4 VR.

NBA 2K13 is once again the game any basketball lover should own. The gameplay is very refined, it's filled to the brim with authenticity and there are enough modes to keep you playing for a year. The presentation has also been raised to new heights, with the help of Jar-Z, and manages to suck you into the game even if basketball isn't quite your thing. NBA 2K13 is an example for every other sports game and every sports enthusiast should give this game a chance.