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.

Jett: The Far Shore depends on its illogical design choices. Unfortunately, that sucks all the fun out of an otherwise unique space adventure.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl does little new, but therefore also little wrong. The atmospheric remakes offer a faithful Pokémon experience with some subtle (and less subtle) changes to the formula. You should not expect more from it.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl does little new, but therefore also little wrong. The atmospheric remakes offer a faithful Pokémon experience with some subtle (and less subtle) changes to the formula. You should not expect more from it.

When Battlefield 2042 hits, it sparkles in explosive mayhem. The three different pillars of the multiplayer shooter each have their own potential, but are each plagued by feelings of 'just not' — or rather: 'not yet'. Be it the many technical defects or the sometimes ill-considered game elements: Battlefield 2042 leaves a lot to the service component to further polish things up.

New World is an mmo that could be straight out of 2010. It hardly adds any new ideas to the genre and therefore feels dated in content. The faction system offers interesting possibilities for wars between players, but is not yet balanced. New World demands a lot of time from its players, but does not actually give anything in return that we have not seen before. Graphically, everything is fine, and although the game has microtransactions, they are only of a cosmetic nature. There is no subscription: for the entrance fee, the entire base game is open to you.

Riders Republic, like Steep, is at its best when the game forces you to try harder. Mastering certain challenges takes practice and patience. That's what makes the game. Like Steep, Riders Republic doesn't have a storyline, fancy style, important dialogue, or great music. Riders Republic is just a beautiful game world where you take on breakneck challenges. That turns out to be enough.

Anyone willing to bury their head in the sand for the many technical problems will find Sable a stunning and relaxed open world game. Since the emphasis is purely on exploring a desert, the laid-back vibe is never interrupted by combat, crafting, or other unnecessary pursuits.

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.

For two decades, the three GTA games from the PlayStation 2 era symbolized the rise of the open world genre. Their groundbreaking freedom and timeless music gave us memories for life. Now these historic games instantly symbolize what a remaster should absolutely not do.

Quotation forthcoming.

Forza Horizon 5 is once again beautiful, layered, versatile and unique.

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.

Developer Daniel Mullens returns with another strange meta-game about card games, games in general and player expectations. Astonishingly he once more succeeds in completely surprising us, which at this point isn't much of a surprise.

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.

Eastward gets away with a lot because of its blindingly beautiful pixel-graphics. Yet with each hour this especially slow game drags on, it has become increasingly clear that this beauty is solely external. Regardless of the bunches of dialogues and a memorable cast, the game simply can't get its feet off the ground.

Quotation forthcoming.

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.

Metroid Dread combines the old, trusted Metroid formula with enough fresh ideas to revive the 35-year-old series. Never before has Samus been so fluidly controlled and the action so spectacular. The EMMI is an exciting break from standard exploration, but every part of Metroid is equally well thought out. However, optional upgrades hardly add anything in most cases and it doesn't want to be as free as Super Metroid. They are minor missteps for a game that puts Metroid back on the map.

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.

Fifa 22 struggles with a massive identity-crisis. Does it want to be a realistic football simulation or as spectacular as possible? The result is rather disappointing. A soulless football game in which every game feels like a match for the Johan Cruijff cup: you can win it, but it really isn't about anything at all.

Death Stranding Director's Cut is full of big and small adjustments. Some changes make the game a little more accessible, while others, such as the racetrack, increase the already stark contrast between the more playful and more serious side of the game.

Tales of Arise has a chaotic, but manageable and strategic combat system, a vibrant and beautifully crafted world for you to explore and characters you can see yourself in. The main thread of the story - an underdog bringing an end to tyranny - is a great set-up.

Deathloop is a bizarre fever-dream that's too fun to wake up from. An absurd, retrofuturistic murder-mystery where you don't solve the murders, but commit them. Leave it to Arkane Studios to make such a surreal world feel real.

WarioWare: Get It Together! knows how to give a fresh twist to the now well-known microgame series with a new way of controlling. The enormous amount of microgames are again quite bizarre, although not every microgame is equally successful. Especially in multiplayer, the story mode is very entertaining, which makes it a shame that it only supports two players.

Greak: Memories of Azur will surprise and delight you with its quirky characters and rich color palette. Behind this cute aesthetic is also a particularly robust and creative puzzle platformer that focuses on working together with your big brother and sister. There are flaws associated with this mechanic, that the player will have to accept.

Though clearly inspired by Sid Meier’s Civilization, Humankind is a very unique experience. Especially the first phase of gameplay, spent discovering and claiming land is refreshing. The game gradually loses some steam, but remains fascinating because of it’s many intricate mechanics. We hope that those mechanics will come into their own with the upcoming patches. Development wise, Humankind is still one or two turns away from being a thoroughly engaging game.

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.

Twelve Minutes is an indie game that has been eagerly anticipated for years, mainly due to its unique concept. A man is stuck in a twelve-minute time loop and it's up to you to adjust little things and steer events in a different direction. In practice, that idea appears to lend itself less well to a game than hoped.

Road 96 tells a political story through short but intense adventures with fascinating characters. Your choices shape the story and that ambitious set-up works surprisingly well.

The dates are the culmination of this strange, yet endearing and fresh combination between a dating sim and dungeon crawler. The battles and dungeons leave a lot to be desired, but the cheerfulness and fine characters stick with it the most.

Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut doesn't really surprise anywhere, but it adds roughly ten hours seamlessly to the already strong main game. Iki Island takes the best of the original and just goes the extra mile. Sony's messy cross-gen policy is back with this reissue.

Psychonauts 2 may not be the most brilliant platformer ever, but just like the first part, this adventure is bursting with clever inventions and creativity. The forays into the inside of the brain are not only funny and original, but are always linked to the intriguing main story in surprising ways. The extensive cast of colorful characters and the game world filled with extras do the rest of the work. After a long wait, Psychonauts has finally received a worthy sequel.

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.

Death's Door is a great Zelda-inspired game that relies on exciting (boss) fights and an excellently set up world. The game never really manages to rise above its great example, but is so solid and equipped with such a good soundtrack that this is never a serious problem. Death's Door even has enough surprises in store to keep it fun after the end.

Neo The World Ends With You is so similar to its predecessor that fans of the original game will be catered for this time as well. Unfortunately, the attempt to expand the original formula mainly leads to an elongated adventure with too little variation. The cool, characteristic graphic style and rousing soundtrack make up for a lot, but cannot prevent the game from becoming monotonous in the long run.

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.

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.

F1 2021 impresses. Whether you're an avid competitor or want to pursue a storytelling career on your own, you'll be given countless opportunities to customize the game. That makes F1 2021 a versatile title. Once on the track, it is still a very solid racing game, suitable for both controllers and (semi) professional racing wheels.

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.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a unique multiplayer game with a nice dark atmosphere. While the game can be very exciting and tactical through the use of stealth, players are not motivated enough to use it. As a result, chaotic brawls predominate. In addition, the lack of more modes, maps and characters means that the game doesn't feel finished yet.

Episode Intermission is a must-have addition for fans of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, with a joyful character, new fighting style and a small but important story. The original has since been polished up extremely well and runs smoothly on the PlayStation 5.

Despite a few minor technical glitches and a simple story, Operation: Tango plays fluently for the most part. A big advantage is that only one player has to purchase the game – the other can join with the Friend Pass. The puzzles are fun and quite intuitive to solve as long as players ask each other the right questions. This makes the game very suitable for remote gaming.

Guilty Gear Strive is one of the best fighting games right now. It grabs your attention with its mind-blowing visual presentation and then captivates you with its intriguing and action-packed gameplay. The flawless online experience and good balance between accessibility and complexity ensure that every fighting enthusiast can enjoy this game.

With an impressive proprietary programming language, Gamestudio brings games development to the masses. Inventing and making your own games is explained with the help of seven extensive lessons, but sharing your own creations remains limited. It hardly spoils the fun, because the greatest fun lies in tinkering and experimenting. That part also has its limitations, but this is an extremely accessible entry point for the real handymen.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is one such rare remake that looks too much like the original. Rather than freshening up the outdated gameplay, this game just has a new graphical style that only gets in the way of gameplay. That's irritating for those who are already familiar with this game and downright bizarre for those who have never met Alex Kidd.

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.

Thanks to a combination of deep golf mechanics and chaotic gameplay, Mario Golf: Super Rush is especially good as a multiplayer game. It lacks creative solo content and jobs that exploit the possibilities of the Mushroom Kingdom.

The many technical feats that steal the show in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be talked about for a long time to come. The graphic violence will make you want to buy a PlayStation 5. But this crazy journey through dimensions will also delight young and old with a very diverse arsenal of weapons, fun gadgets and many endearing characters.

Biomutant is erratic in design. The mission design is too traditional and the game relies on a messy story with bad dialogue and meaningless characters, while the action and some RPG systems are better than those of peers.

Mass Effect's Legendary Edition lovingly puts three of the best games ever back in the spotlight. That is actually enough reason to recommend this package, but it still feels as if Bioware is missing out on opportunities to turn out really big.

Resident Evil Village is more than a worthy sequel to the seventh part. The game cleverly manages to scare players through various gameplay styles. With an imposing game world, effective thrills and a variety of secrets, the game sets a course that we would like to see in future installments.

Returnal combines the adrenaline of a bullet hell shooter, the depth of a roguelike and the allure of a blockbuster game. That special mix provides a gaming experience that is as unforgettable as it is unforgivable.

Quotation forthcoming.

Quotation forthcoming.

Outriders might not be the best game this year will bring, it is so much fun. This game is definitely a blast with its many weapons and skills. Too bad there are so many connectivity issues.

Loop Hero is an interesting combination of genres with a very own flavour. This deck builder or roguelite or tower defense game goes deeper than you might think.

Even though it is quite hard to master this game, it is the most accessible Monster Hunter game ever. The Wirebug makes it easier to move around and there are less waiting times between fights.

It Takes Two is a combination of a romcom and co-op game. The platforming feels fresh and new thanks to the wonderful surroundings and game mechanics.

Narita Boy is a perfect ode to the 80's with amazing sidescrolling action in a neon world. This game is so creative, we love it.

When Doom 3 originally came out, we could only dream of playing it in VR. Now that's a reality, we feel that Doom 3 is simply too old. Thankfully Archiact made it very intuitive.

Balan Wonderworld is a videogame from Yuji Naka. However, even if the team had more time we wonder if the game would be worth your time.

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.

Maquette starts off strong, but halfway through the story we forgot why the gameplay and the story were such a great match. Maquette offers a fun way to play with scale and is therefor still worth the try.

Bravely Default 2 is great for people longing for the Final Fantasy experience from the NES era. If you are okay with the long dungeons and repetitive fights, you will enjoy the combinations of different classes in fights in this refreshing game.

Super Meat Boy Forever feels completely overtaken by time. The game is inferior to its predecessor in every way. The biggest problem is the fact that an autorunner like Forever leaves much less control to the player. The levels and bosses in Super Meat Boy Forever are therefore more annoying and frustrating than fun and challenging.

Olija's main mechanism works great, but then fails in performance. Levels rarely excite the player with interesting variations and complex level design, which makes the game disappointing as a platformer.

Cyber Shadow is a solid ninja game that offers an old-fashioned challenge with clever checkpoints. By the end of the game, the shine is a bit off and due to several minor flaws it ends up being just a little too often frustrating.

Little Nightmares 2 manages to surpass its predecessor with much more variety. The locations are more varied and the creepy situations are never repeated anywhere. You don't want to wake up from this nightmare.

Super Mario 3D World is still a fantastic game that, thanks to a number of tweaks in the controls, graphics and an added online multiplayer, plays just a little better on the Switch. The included Bowser’s Fury is also a highly innovative standalone adventure that gives a fresh twist to the three-dimensional Mario formula.

Despite being a spin-off from a spin-off, Persona 5 Strikers doesn't feel diluted. It retains almost everything that made Persona 5 so good, but it replaces turn-based combat with mindless combat. That's a shame, but otherwise Strikers is an excellent outing.

The Medium relies mainly on the intense atmosphere. The detailed environments are amazing. But The Medium is also just too short, too easy and a bit too predictable to be named the new Silent Hill. Moreover, we can expect more from a "real" next-gen game.

Hitman 3 manages to find an excellent balance within the existing formula. The levels are very diverse and full of options for devious assassinations. At the same time, Hitman 3 underlines that there is not much more stretch in this formula. Still, it is a worthy - and welcome - conclusion to the trilogy.

Super Meat Boy Forever is dated. It has not stood the test of time and offers less than its predecessor in every aspect. An autorunner offers so much less control and the bosses seem annoying rather than fun.

With a new face and tone, Battletoads manages to reinvent itself a little bit. It produces a beat 'em up that makes all kinds of forays into other genres with a sense of humor. Just like the jokes in the story, that is not always successful. The Battletoads shine as animated stars, but the lack of co-op, the very simple gameplay, and the sometimes very stretched areas do not make them look that great as video game heroes.

Call of the Sea gives that warm, almost nostalgic feeling of wonder. This six-hour puzzle adventure is filled to the brim with beautiful environments, occult mystery and unexpected plot twists. As a player you get the feeling that you have rediscovered a long forgotten fairy tale. But be warned: Call of the Sea plays anything but smooth and requires a lot of patience.

Haven may have been too ambitious for The Game Bakers. While the idea behind the game is nice, mediocre writing and half-baked game systems make this game anything but loving feelings.

Once you understand that Cyberpunk is "just" an open world RPG, you will see that the once mythical promise of next-gen gaming is nothing more and nothing less than a very enjoyable buffet of thrilling missions with highly competent game systems. Cyberpunk 2077 offers nothing we haven't seen before, except for the fantastic graphics. Keanu Reeves' character Johnny Silverhand takes the main story way above the middle ground, and the freedom to take on any mission to your liking is well worked out. Furthermore, Cyberpunk 2077 is "just" a very good RPG.

Finding and collecting the many Bugsnax is as much fun as discovering the island and immersing yourself in the lives of the Grumpuses. The result is a humorous and entertaining adventure that will keep you interested until the end.

Twin Mirror is not Dontnod's most daring project. Even the most innovative gameplay elements deviate little from the beaten track or only partially succeed. As a shorter, more streamlined adventure with a grim atmosphere, it's also a great snack.

Beyond Light is especially worthwhile if you're not demanding that many substantial changes from Destiny 2 and you're over-invested in the franchise's lore. If you're more interested in Beyond Light because you're hoping for a new era of Destiny 2, you'll come home from a rude awakening.

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.

The Pathless is not the most original game and actually has too little to do. Despite its charms, the game is very often repeated in the six-hour story. The Pathless should therefore not really be mentioned in the same breath as its obvious source of inspiration. Fortunately, the beautiful presentation and soundtrack still manage to save the game.

Demon's Souls is still as mysterious and inimitable as before, no matter how many walkthroughs have appeared since then.

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.

Within the entire franchise, Dirt 5 is a somewhat odd man out with even more focus on arcade. One that lets you race nicely uncomplicated, but at the same time is quite limited. The audiovisual potential should mainly be exploited on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S.

Atmospheric environments, blissful combat and a compelling story: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity actually does everything right, except for a number of technical drawbacks. Random frame drops and clumsy camerawork keep the spin-off from perfection.

The single player is entertaining and the Zombies mode is one of the best of its kind. Precisely the all-important multiplayer falls short. The mode is not yet complete and surprisingly unbalanced. There is work to be done for the developers.

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.

If you don't take the clichés and rattling writing too seriously, Little Hope is a fun-filled adventure game with lots of scary moments. Choices are meaningful, characters really behave differently based on your decisions, and there are multiple disconnects to discover.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the ultimate family platformer and therefore an excellent launch game. You can buy this without thinking twice if you have kids. But young and old are going to enjoy A Big Adventure. Take the traditional platforms for granted now and then and you will get a big smile in return.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon initially stands out for its excellent new turn-based combat system. But this cross-gen game mainly impresses as a social critic. Rarely does a game appear that examines class differences, social taboos and social norms so sharply and in such a sharp manner.

If you liked Origins and Odyssey, then you are rammed with Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Valhalla is cut from the same cloth, but knows how to balance main and side missions much better. The brutal combat system and a number of brand new side activities also give the game its own Viking aim. Unfortunately, Valhalla has some technical flaws, but that is (unfortunately) nothing new for seasoned Assassin’s Creed fans.

Disc Room is a simple concept taken to the limit. Although every room is filled with dangerous disks, the game continues to surprise with deadly challenges. Not every part of it is equally brilliant, but the trance-like concentration that Disc Room evokes is a pleasure to experience room after room.

Astro's Playroom is on the very short side and that is a great pity. This game illustrates that the new DualSense controller is much more than a gimmick, but is also a formidable platformer bursting with detail and vision. Sony, please turn this into a full game.

A very good game, which you should definitely buy with your PlayStation 5 because of the wonderful graphics, the excellent story and the smooth playing method.

Quotation forthcoming.

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.