XCOM: Enemy Unknown lives up to its expectations, mostly, and is a successful remake of the 1992 strategy classic. Strategically the game is still as deep and challenging as it used to be, but don't expect a direct copy of the original. It's more accessible, options are more limited and the gameplay is faster. This is good news though, because it provides XCOM: Enemy Unknown with a modern look, while the strong concept of the original remains intact. It can, without a doubt, be recognized as one of the best strategy games of the year.

Monument Valley lures in all kinds of players with beautiful, artsy levels with a great game world. In that world M.C. Escher's laws of nature reign: floors are ceilings and walls are doors. Monument' Valley is a fairytale with perspective.

The games on this disc aren't altered that much, but Metal Gear Solid 2, 3 and Peace Walker are still amongst the best action games you can play right now. Still, the first Metal Gear Solid is the best game in the series and is truly missed here.

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.

If Dead Space was a prototype, then this sequel is the finished product. Dead Space 2 loses some of the frightening charm of the original, but the end result is a much more varied and solid experience.

The Beatles: Rock Band has become the ultimate Beatles experience. You can feel the passion Harmonix has put into this game by looking at it. It provides a feeling of Beatlemania for everyone who weren’t around when The Fabulous Four were so popular. Despite the more casual approach compared to previous Rock Band titles and the lack of some favourite songs, The Beatles: Rock Band is an example of how music games centered around specific bands should be.

This game will test your detective skills to the utmost. The art of deduction! Its style is something else and the story is very interesting, but the game will not make things easy for you.

The cooperation between developer Team Bondi and publisher Rockstar led to an amazing final product, in which characters and plot twists take centre stage, with MotionScan as the director. Of course it includes action in the form of fire fights and chase sequences, but L.A. Noire should be played for its atmosphere, many intrigues and the fact that you can get wonderfully caught up in that web.

Peggle is a well thought of puzzle concept. A transition to Xbox Live Arcade doesn't change that. If you haven't had the pleasure to play a Peggle game, now is your chance to try it out for a very nice price. But if you're already the proud owner of the PC version, use those points on something else.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 really impresses as a remaster. As a fan of the original, I can hardly believe that everything comes out so well. This game feels just like it did then. At the same time, it is great how "faithful" the innovations of Vicarious Visions feel. It's as if the new park goals have always been there. The loading times are a bit long, the UI is not great and the challenge system is initially confusing. But annoyance is not an option. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the type of remaster for which the remaster was invented.

Battlefield 1 is an excellent game, thanks to the awesome setting. The characters and the well-written story make the singleplayer just as worth while as the multiplayer. We are impressed.

NBA 2K11 is a top contender for best sports game of 2011. There have been major improvements over last years edition. The game is hard to master, realistic and complex.

It's not often that a game of this caliber lives up to all expectations. Horizon Zero Dawn starts slowly, but transforms in a huge action adventure. We haven't been obsessed with a virtual world to this degree since The Witcher 3. Horizon impresses in every facet imaginable.

NBA 2K11 is a top contender for best sports game of 2011. There have been major improvements over last years edition. The game is hard to master, realistic and complex.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is moving, hilarious, and an impressive immersion into the life of a medieval person. The game world is breathtaking, its characters are all memorable, the game is full of fantastic details, and on top of that, it offers a great sense of progression. While Kingdom Come 1 was still a rough cult hit, its sequel proves to be one of the best RPGs of this console generation.

Dark Souls is Demon's Souls times two. A bigger world with more torture for your bucks, but also an increase in errors. The result is fantastic though: a huge game filled with secrets and a learning curve for only the most dedicated gamers.

Stardew Valley is a fine, smart farm simulation game. It is slow and it involves a lot of daily tasks, but in Stardew Valley there is something ingenious about those tasks.

The Last of Us Part 1 is an almost exact copy of the original, but according to today's technical standards. Some will see it as a lazy remake with virtually no adjustments, others will be happy that Naughty Dog stays true to the source material. We can argue endlessly about whether the remake is necessary, but at least we don't have to argue about which version of this modern classic is better.

This is a beautiful storybook. Giant Sparrow shows how interaction can play a big part in storytelling.

The free-roaming element is very nice and there's a good integration between the single and multiplayer. But I definitely can't stand the Paradise City tune anymore!

Finally, there is a true triple-A experience for virtual reality. Asgard's Wrath combines things we saw in small VR games and turns it into a groundbreaking experience. The standard for good VR games has been raised forever.

The Beatles: Rock Band has become the ultimate Beatles experience. You can feel the passion Harmonix has put into this game by looking at it. It provides a feeling of Beatlemania for everyone who weren’t around when The Fabulous Four were so popular. Despite the more casual approach compared to previous Rock Band titles and the lack of some favourite songs, The Beatles: Rock Band is an example of how music games centered around specific bands should be.

Adding three new factions, heroes, enemies and a few fresh gameplay mechanics makes War of the Chosen feel like a new, even more difficult campaign. However, the story stays the same.

Neon White wasn't on our radar, but turns out to be one of the best games of the year. The game continuously challenges you and your friends to go faster in the varied, but short and accessible levels. You don't have to do it for the story, but the brisk pace and fluid action will have you stuck in Neon White for hours on end. Especially if you like leaderboards.

It's obvious that Joe found his place on the iPhone and iPad. Joe Danger Touch surprises time and time again and entertains with beautiful levels and excellent controls. A great recommendation and a better game than its predecessors.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a masterful evolution for the series. Hunting and exploration flow together seamlessly, the world feels more dynamic and additions like the Seikret and Focus Mode make the experience more approachable without losing the essence. Veterans might miss a certain degree of challenge, but Wilds proves that Monster Hunter can still take a step up on the food chain.

FTL: Faster Than Light for iPad is optimized for touch screens and plays like a dream. The Advanced Edition is a good addition and this, more expansive version of the game even plays better than its PC, Mac and Linux counterparts.

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.

The singleplayer of Modern Warfare 3 closes the trilogy on a high note, the Spec Ops-mode has been improved both quality- and quantity-wise and the multiplayer has been rebalanced. But there isn't any surprise to be found in the game. It's time that the series reinvents itself before its too late, but this is still an extremely solid conclusion.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut is still a great action RPG with a phenomenal virtual word to get lost in. It doesn’t ad much aside from The Missing Link DLC, and isn’t very impressive graphically, but we can still recommend it for Wii U. Especially if you haven’t gotten around to playing it yet.

It makes Cocoon the ultimate example of what a game should strive for: full of puzzles and a strange world to intrigue you, perfectly folded into a final product where it is unclear where the world ends and the user interface begins. It's a game that requires no tutorials or explanations - playing it is as natural as riding a bike. Despite this simplicity, a complex game quickly forms that will haunt your mind for a long time. Cocoon is a game that we can point to for years to come as an example of a perfect puzzle game.

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.

This is the moment to buy a Wii U, if Mario Kart means anything to you. The game is gorgeous and very fun to play thanks to a high degree of polish. The lack of Battle-Arena's is a shame, just like the lack of support for the gamepad, but that doesn't keep it from deserving a high score.

Super Mario Maker is a crazy fun way of taking your own spin on thirty years of Mario. It is very easy to use, you can switch between building and playing in an instance and the online experience of sharing levels with other people will keep you busy for an endless period of time.

Dead Space has enough new elements to make a memorable experience out of it. The lack of a HUD, the use of telekenetic powers and the original weapons all contribute to that. Even the setting, a spaceship, is done so well that there is enough variety in the environments. The controls could have been a bit more direct, but Dead Space is still a perfect way to have a few scary nights.

A great re-release of one of the biggest surprises of the last few years. Yes, the music was better in the original and the graphics are not that different, but the huge amount of items and combinations make up for that. Rebirth is a lot smarter and extended than that Flash game that started it all.

Props to 2K Games for delivering such a strong sequel. Bioshock 2 offers an absorbing experience, runs smoothly, plays like a dream and has a fantastic story. This is how games that are driven by stories should be. Already one of the best games of 2010.

Kerbal Space Program is one of the best games ever made. It is not easy to start the game, but if you do not give up you will get one of the greatest games ever in return. The euphoria when you spot your first lander on Mun is heavenly and that is just the start.

Nier Automata is a masterpiece: a tour de force of creativity and a philosophical essay. Square's new dream team proves that miracles do exist.

80 Days depends solely on its story, a travel log that described your personal journey in great detail. Even though its an interactive novel, there is greater consequence to your actions than in any TellTale-game. Every playthrough of 80 Days is different and completely personal, making this a unique experience.

The Sorcery!-series brings the magic of game books to phones and tablets, with charming images and a strong story. Sorcery! plays like an RPG but thanks to its enthralling storyline and oppressive moments more personal and more exciting than many games in that genre.

When the bullets pass by your ears, mortars fall on your hiding spot and tanks open fire on you, you know enough: you’re in a Battlefield-game. Bad Company 2 delivers with a superb multiplayer, perhaps making it the best online shooter currently available. The singleplayer isn’t as polished, but we can forgive the developer.

Left Behind is the perfect DLC. It’s not extra padding, doesn’t feel like it but comes across more like closure for a nearly perfect game. Left Behind enlarges the world with seemingly small additions that are so much more than an extra level.

With excellent controls, a good amount of modes and a great gameplay experience, this Wii version scores better than its competitors. It's the best golf sim to date.

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.

Animal Well is packed with imagination and fun. The lack of a story is not a problem at all thanks to the lively world and puzzles that keep your brain ticking just enough. When the credits appear you are far from done, because there are still many secrets to be discovered in the depths.

For only 800 Microsoft Points you'll get one of the greatest adventure games of all time, complete with spoken dialogue and brushed up visuals. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition offers fans as well as newcomers hours of gameplay.

Rayman: Origins feels refreshing, even on the Vita, with amazing graphics and carefully thought out platform action. The cooperative mode got replaced by a ghost mode, which is disappointing, but also the best decision Ubisoft could've made. On the road this mode is easy to pick up and play, which is essential for a handheld game.

NBA is about passion, story and impact and the 2K-series shows that off like no other game. Any game of basketball is an amazing experience. Basketball fans already know this, but it's time the rest of the world starts playing.

When the bullets pass by your ears, mortars fall on your hiding spot and tanks open fire on you, you know enough: you’re in a Battlefield-game. Bad Company 2 delivers with a superb multiplayer, perhaps making it the best online shooter currently available. The singleplayer isn’t as polished, but we can forgive the developer.

Even if you dislike Japan, J-Pop or anything that has to do with this country, The World Ends With You will appeal to you.

Torchlight 2 is a giant leap forward when comparing it to its predecessor. Huge improvements have been made to every aspect of it, but it doesn't innovate within the genre. Still, Torchlight 2 manages to present itself as the best loot game of the year, especially considering its price tag.

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.

Divinity: Original Sin still is a great RPG. We enjoyed the new features such as spoken texts and small tweaks in gameplay. The only thing that was tricky was to control the game with the controller instead of the keyboard and mouse. And that split-screen co-op is still as amazing as it used to be.

More beautiful, smoother, better written, phenomenal art design, a consistent story, more surprises and better main and side missions: Horizon Forbidden West is better than Horizon Zero Dawn on almost every front.

The dialogue sometimes feels as a waste of brain cells, but other than that Fire Emblem Fates has something in store for any type of gamer.

With Pokémon X and Y, GameFreak finally delivers on the big promise: a Pokémon game in which the pocket monsters actually come to life. That the game is also filled to the brim with content, makes X and Y the ultimate Pokémon generation.

There's little to complain about here. The singleplayer, multiplayer and zombie-mode ensure you won't be able to put down your controller for a long time to come. Black Ops isn't just a great game, it's a great Call of Duty. A bigger compliment can't be given to Treyarch.

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.

Ori and the Blind Forest underlines that shape and content should not always be seen separately. The visual style plays its own part in how the story unfolds, the gameplay evolves and the level design challenges. Unfortunately this game asks for a platform precision that is nearly unreachable.

Thirty Flights of Loving is as refreshing as it is alienating. The series of short scenes take you on a bizarre roller coaster ride, on which you unfortunately have little influence.

If there's anything to take away from our previous The Witcher 2-review is that this is an amazing role-playing game. It was one of the most ambitious PC-games of last year, and this is an excellent port.

Blizzard's first Free to Play-game offers depth without becoming complex. It takes players seriously and is very playable without spending (a lot of) money. Atmosphere, speed and great sound effects make for fast yet satisfying games, where luck and tactics go hand in hand.

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.

This game is almost in every way bigger and better than its predecessor. There is a gigantic variety in parts, objects, themes and styles. Plus the newly added single-player mode that is a great inspiration.

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.

Props to 2K Games for delivering such a strong sequel. Bioshock 2 offers an absorbing experience, runs smoothly, plays like a dream and has a fantastic story. This is how games that are driven by stories should be. Already one of the best games of 2010.

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.

The combination of humor, puzzles and strategic battles makes Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door a phenomenal game that everyone can enjoy. Although the game still suffers from excessive backtracking, just like its 2004 version, the complete visual upgrade and timeless gameplay ensure that the remake meets contemporary standards.

Castle Doombad is funny, addicting and original enough to keep tower defense fans entertained for hours. If you’re looking for a new addiction, then Castle Doombad is your game.

The dull antagonist and the annoying protagonist do not help StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Voids story, but Blizzard does show that it knows strategy games. The campaign is diverse, the co-op is highly entertaining and the visuals and sound are terrific.

Blizzard sets a new standard for the hack and slash genre with Diablo III. All conventional game elements like a smooth and fast-paced combat system, leveling up and the huge amount of variation in enemies already make for a complete and good game. Original attacks, challanging bosses and a nifty rewards system lift Diablo III to the next level and leaves the competition to bite its dust. The improved accesiblity makes the game slightly too easy though, especially in the start.

Steamworld Dig 2 makes you dig like Minecraft, while exploring away like Castlevania. This solid adventure gets even better thanks to the cool dungeon levels and its duration.

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.

Buy LittleBigPlanet and you won't have to nag about the lack of games for the Vita again. It's an ingenious platformer, a collection of arcade games and a huge app store in one. All these elements make a creative and artsy whole, and its beauty is astounding. Even if you don't like what's already there, you can just create what you would enjoy.

Though Blizzard seems to be very "inspired" by other MMO's while making Legion, it is still very much a Warcraft add-on with new class quests and legendary weapons to make this very old game feel extremely new again. World of Warcraft is fun and adventurous again.

I've rarely had so much fun while reviewing a game. The boss fights are as entertaining as the build, Doom icons (pun intended) are introduced with verve, there are countless cool settings, the gunplay is more or less the best in the genre, the combat arenas feel like morbid monkey cage games and the game wraps it all in a sauce of subtle humor and lots and lots of metal. Doom Eternal does nothing weird compared to its predecessor, but this game is much better in almost every way. And part one was already so good.

Owlboy looks amazing and has a soul, but the story is a let-down. The gameplay gets interrupted all the time, which is frustrating.

Hot Pursuit is back and you can't ignore it. And why would you? Criterion took the best parts of the Need for Speed-series and created one of the most enjoyable and progressive racing games of the year.

The best of Finnish studio Housemarque is coming together in one amazing game filled with extremely difficult fights.

Nioh is amazing, but can be very frustrating. At the same time it is so rewarding, that you keep playing and playing and playing and playing.

With new activities and subtle changes to the base concept offers New Leaf a very addicting forest-adventure that rises above its predecessors. No day feels the same, because the game makes subtle suggestions at the right times to prevent a drag from setting in to your virtual life. One day you’re collecting money for charitable works, the next you’ll be completing a museum collection or shaking a coconut tree. Everything you’re doing feels like an adventure you sought out on your own, which is a pretty impressive achievement for a game with such a soft and pleasant exterior.

The ending of The Witcher 2 makes for a very big let-down. But rest assured: the rest of the game transcends all of the RPG-standards that were made over the last few years. It still eats away at us though, that the game could have scored an easy ten out of ten.

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.

Plants vs. Zombies is a casual game in the way only PopCap Games can design. The game is charming, original and addictive. It lacks depth in comparison to other Tower Defence games, but makes up for lost ground by adding new and fresh rules. And if you're looking for a challenge, just hang on. You'll find it eventually.

Subnautica offers an amazing undersea world. The performance of the game is not great, but the game is structured enough to make us forget.

Devil May Cry 5 is past it's expiry date, but it is still very enjoyable. There's great variety in fights and the soundtrack leaves us wanting more.

At 343 Industries a fresh and new team of developers faced a disheartening task: matching the image of ex-Halo developer Bungie, as well as the quality of their games. Well, they did it. The new setting speaks volumes, the multiplayer is as addictive as ever and the Halo-universe has never looked this good. The launch of Halo 4 doesn't just provide us with an amazing game, but also with a new top-notch developer. The future of Halo is bright in their hands.

Football Manager 2010 provides a rare blend of accessibility and depth. The excellent foundation was laid years ago, but now the other elements can finally match up to it. This is pure pleasure for fans of football.

The Old Hunters honors Bloodborne in its deepest form. The uniquely designed, eery worlds offer a great place to enjoy the awesome fighting system. You will never feel safe, but you will often feel satisfied.

Persona 3 Reload is an old-fashioned Japanese RPG that places a heavy emphasis on routine gameplay and collecting experience points. Fortunately, there is light at the end of the infamous Tartarus Tower, because those who play through the game until the final minutes will be rewarded with a fantastic story with intriguing characters that you will not soon let go.

Year Walk makes shivers run down your spine like you’re actually up to your knees in Swedish snow. An uncomfortable and mysterious experience that’s worth trying for the unique style alone.

Joe Dever's Lone Wolf - Act 2: Forest Hunt is an interactive story with beautiful imagery fights that literally shoot out of the pages. The complex RPG-elements will have you lost in the world of Magnamund before long.

Thanks to its layered gameplay, the entertaining singleplayer and impressive cinematography, Injustice 2 is an amazing game that can even be enjoyed by people that are new to the fighting genre.

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.

The promise of an island full of challenging puzzles makes the Witness feel a bit inauthentic. That is not a problem, as this world is created to make the player feel proud. Always keep learning is the slogan for this game because if you are not willing to understand the puzzle methods, you will not enjoy this game very much.

This is an overwhelmingly beautiful retelling of one of the world's most famous Japanese role-playing games. Deepening the story and a new fighting system give newcomers and fans of the first hour an adventure that anyone can enjoy.

Developer Game Freak shows with Pokémon Black & White that they can appeal to the veteran as well as the starting Pokémon trainer. Although the game is way too easy for the veteran Pokémon trainer, it does offer completely new and beautifully crafted environments, with an overload of new Pokémon, techniques, strategies and the triple battles are a valuable addition to the game. But because they're still too basic, Black & White aren't better than Diamond & Pearl.