The Settlers 7 looks easy but is despite of the looks really complex. Especially the multiplayer part is not only fun to play but really hard to master with three different ways of winning. Strategy and simulation fans will love it!

Improved graphics, a nice presentation and even more variety make DiRT2 an absolute "Must-have" for anyone who is even slightly interested in offroad-racing!

The Tales of Monkey Island get better with each episode. Despite relatively few puzzles and locations, Lair of the Leviathan succeeds with a fresh setting and new ideas. Best Episode up to now!

Rift offers a really polished MMO experience but looks and feels much like a mix of many good MMOs like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online and Warhammer Online.

The few technical discrepancies within AVS are more than outweighed by the pile of good things there are to say about this game. A Vampyre Story is reminiscent of the glory days of LucasArts and comes equipped with an awesome amount of humour. [Issue#17]

Ninja Gaiden II just feels right, never minding the fact that it can be so frustratingly hard at times. It’s simply what we’ve come to expect of the franchise – perfectly well-rounded action-gameplay, but besides a lot of skill, it often requires nothing more than sheer dumb luck.

Book of Unwritten Tales earned itself a place just below my beloved LucasArts Classics. The difficulty might be too low for some, but story, characters and humor place the game high on my personal adventure ranking.

For me Crisis Core was the only reason to get a PSP. And I wasn’t disappointed: Crisis Core is the best followup to Final Fantasy VII yet. Only the sometimes boring side missions and the stubborn camera have to be criticized. Buy and enjoy!

The strongest aspects of Crysis Warhead are the same ones we already loved with Crysis itself: The Graphics are stunning, the story is solid and the gameplay’s challenging and fun, but at the same time these pros are the only big contra: there’s nothing really new about this game, which, on the other hand, might again be good news for fans of the first part.

As a long-standing TDE-Fan I am literally overjoyed to delve once more into the fantastical world of Aventuria – and if it’s this well made, all the better! Though of course there’s the usual parade of odds and ends to criticize, like the missing character customization, but they’re all barely affecting the myriad ways to have fun with this title. To me, TDE:Drakensang is without a doubt the greatest RPG of German origin – Gothic 3, watch out! [Issue#15]

A new fraction, fresh units, additional multiplayer maps and an extensive single-player campaign with a high replayability factor- to describe Retribution only as a simple extension verges on insult.

Is Darksiders really worth the time and the money? Hell Yeah! Darksiders is a fantastic game.

Left 4 Dead minus the Zombies, plus a truckload of skittering aliens. Pure brilliance, and free to boot? Valve knows how to make their customers happy. Get to downloading it, stat!

KH: BbS is a game for those who prefer story over gameplay - but for those it is a great addition to the existing Kingdom Hearts storyline.

MoHs singleplayer-experience can't match Infinity Ward's masterpiece, but DICEs Multiplayer part countervails that little shortfall pretty well. Bottom line: No Must-Have, but a good shooter nevertheless.

MoHs singleplayer-experience can't match Infinity Ward's masterpiece, but DICEs Multiplayer part countervails that little shortfall pretty well. Bottom line: No Must-Have, but a good shooter nevertheless.

MoHs singleplayer-experience can't match Infinity Ward's masterpiece, but DICEs Multiplayer part countervails that little shortfall pretty well. Bottom line: No Must-Have, but a good shooter nevertheless.

Tales of Monkey Island is a worthy successor to the classic series which might not surpass parts one and two, but comes close to three. There are just a few minor issues, but personally I can't wait for Episode 2 to arrive.

Tales of Monkey Island got a little better with episode 2 - I just wish they wouldn't recycle backgrounds and offer a better control scheme.

Age of Conan might not (yet) be free of bugs but it brings fresh air into the genre. What remains is the question whether you want to try out a game with a new fighting system, a lot of violence and steep hardware requirements or rather stick to more classic MMORPGs. [Issue#14]

The graphics are good, the cut-scenes stunning and the handling pretty good – for a console-RTS. That means that despite all the efforts Halo Wars has no chance, whatsoever, compared to the big RTS-Franchises the PC has to offer. But of course that doesn’t mean that Ensembles newest game isn’t still a “pretty good” title.

Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer has been polished a lot and the add-on adds loads of new content for high level gamers, a huge new zone with Khitai and many more things.

Shogun 2 is without doubt a worthy part of the Total War game-series, but it has almost all the shortcomings of its predecessor. This is somewhat disappointing, but especially by the improvements in the Multiplayer-part, it's still quite a lot of fun.

Tiberian Twilight plays like a mix between Supreme Commander and Dawn of War - only that with C&C the video sequences and Joseph D. Kucan aka Kane the story has to offer a lot more.

Whether you like the intense gore-level of Condemned 2: Bloodshot or not, the newest nightmare of alcohol-addict Ethan Thomas is a worthy sequel to its predecessor. Most of those issues which were criticized in Condemned: Criminal Origins were eliminated, for instance the shallow forensic investigations or the unvaried melee-fights. But the improvements have also been creating new problems, such as the gun-fights, which do not deliver as much fun as the rest of the game does.

The next big thing shows us how an adventure has to look in the year 2011, despite being far too easy for the most time. Only the hieroglyphics-puzzle is really frustrating because it's not logical in the game world.

Split/Second may not revolutionize the genre, but its screenfilling explosions and stunning looks are making it a title, that may not only be interesting for racing-fans, but also for everyone, who simply likes to blow stuff up - Hollywood-Style!

Champions Online might not rise to supreme MMO-excellency, but it's a damn good game nonetheless. If you're waiting for DC Universe to come around, the least you can do is go and kill some time with Champions Online.

It might get repetitive and a bit boring over time, but in general its simply a blast to drive, run and grapple'n'parachute across Panau, simply in order to cause mayhem and chaos.

Creepy & Cute doesn’t change Spore’s gameplay in any way, but it enables us to build oh so delightfully creepy creatures. You just can’t go wrong with adding more claws and fangs. [Issue#17]

If you love good stories and are seeking for a long and player-focused singleplayer experience, Left 4 Dead is definitely not the shooter for you to get this Christmas. If you consider yourself a multiplayer enthusiast who’s looking for a true, old-school coop shooter, on the other hand, this could well be your GotY!

Gears of War 3 is fantastic game, especially together with friends in multiplayer, and the campaign mode is a lot of fun. But as the finale of the trilogy it's a bit disappointing.

What at first glance seems like a cheap clone of the genre-predecessors turns out to be truly better than the original! The battles are of the highest standard and the well-implented roleplay-system leaves a lot of freedom for character-evolution. King's Bounty: The Legend – the sweetest seduction since round-based strategy has first seen the light of day! [Issue # 16]

EVE Online retains its old shortcomings (Not being able to leave your ship ord control it directly.), but certainly offers a lot of content for a small amount of your money.

Call of Pripyat may not look as stunning as CoD:MW2 or Crysis, but it's still a very atmospheric, seizing and refreshingly different shooter... just like its predecessors that is. So if you consider yourself a fan of the series: Got get Call of Pripyat! It's definitely the best part of the saga.

Compared to its biggest rival in today's Game-shelves (split/second), Blur definitely marks the more traditional racing-experience, despite all the flashy power-ups and weapons. But that's not a bad thing at all. Quite the opposite is the case: Blur is really good fun & on all platforms. Especially if you're into that web 2.0-thingy (Facebook-integration).

Torchlight is a surprise hit. Despite boring surroundings and few heroes the game is a lot of fun.

Trine 1 was a great Indie-Game and the Sequel is even better. The puzzles are more demanding, the coop is more fun and the levels are longer and the addition of an online coop feature, makes Trine 2 a perfect game to play with your friends.

It might get repetitive and a bit boring over time, but in general its simply a blast to drive, run and grapple'n'parachute across Panau, simply in order to cause mayhem and chaos.

In the end, the slight step back brought the series a nice leap forward. The more realistic handling and greater variety of cars make DiRT3 a definite must-have for old-school rally fans, while the new Gymkhana-Races cater the X-Games-Lovers.

In the end, the slight step back brought the series a nice leap forward. The more realistic handling and greater variety of cars make DiRT3 a definite must-have for old-school rally fans, while the new Gymkhana-Races cater the X-Games-Lovers.

In the end, the slight step back brought the series a nice leap forward. The more realistic handling and greater variety of cars make DiRT3 a definite must-have for old-school rally fans, while the new Gymkhana-Races cater the X-Games-Lovers.

Compared to its biggest rival in today's Game-shelves (split/second), Blur definitely marks the more traditional racing-experience, despite all the flashy power-ups and weapons. But that's not a bad thing at all. Quite the opposite is the case: Blur is really good fun & on all platforms. Especially if you're into that web 2.0-thingy (Facebook-integration).

Xenoblade Chronicles may be one of the most anticipated J-RPGs of the year, but isn't for everyone. Those who liked the freedom of Final Fantasy XII and can live with a less compelling story than that of Xenogears will have a lot of fun, though.

For fans of the Original (TCoR:EfBB), this is nothing but a "must have". But everybody else, who's simply looking for a good, brutal shooter with stealth-elements and a cool main character, should definitely have a look too! Personally, I'm sure you won't regret it.

It might get repetitive and a bit boring over time, but in general its simply a blast to drive, run and grapple'n'parachute across Panau, simply in order to cause mayhem and chaos.

Compared to its biggest rival in today's Game-shelves (split/second), Blur definitely marks the more traditional racing-experience, despite all the flashy power-ups and weapons. But that's not a bad thing at all. Quite the opposite is the case: Blur is really good fun & on all platforms. Especially if you're into that web 2.0-thingy (Facebook-integration).

The concept of LEGO Games blends perfectly with the Harry Potter franchise. Possibly the best LEGO Game to date!

Might & Magic Heroes VI is a solid installment of the series but definitely lacks innovation, but fans should check it out anyway even so it's not another Heroes III.

The concept of LEGO Games blends perfectly with the Harry Potter franchise. Possibly the best LEGO Game to date!

Toki Tori might be a very sweet looking puzzle game but is despite its looks really hard to master sometimes. It just makes so much fun to find the missing eggs with the chicken, that you won't stop it for a long time.

If you play Brink as the multiplayer-shooter it undeniably is (despite the possibility to save or leave the Ark alone, which should simply be ignored), it's a real winner. Great character-customization, well balanced maps, good handling, awesome graphics and a surprising depth thanks to the huge amount of abilities make this a MP-Shooter that has come to stay.

Rise of the Pirate God continues the Tales of Monkey Island fittingly: Both the good and bad sides of the concept are back. Still: I'm looking forward to the next season - but hopefully with many improvements!

Echochrome is a complex and fascinating combination of M.C. Escher’s paintings, the Rubik-cube and knot riddles, combined with an elaborate gameplay. All in all, it’s a very felicitous game, simple yet unfathomably deep. This game is a must have for all true puzzle freaks.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution will split the community: It doesn't have the atmosphere of the first while being not as shallow as the second. It just keeps a well designed balance.

Fallout: New Vegas is difficult to classify. It is not really an add-on, because it tells a completly new story. If you love Fallout 3, you may as well cheat on it with New Vegas, no harm done.

Viva Pinata 2 takes all the good stuff from the first part and adds some more pretty thoughtful new features that make it even more fun to play. A very well-made sequel!

To play Colonization once more was like reaching deep into my personal drawer of childhood-memories. My verdict: Colonization is a truly well made portation of the original for the new millennium – but you shouldn’t be expecting and real innovations. [Issue#15]

The Sims: Medieval is a really nice standalone game, which combines the beloved Sims gameplay with roleplaying and medieval elements. Altogether a really nice combination, which no Sims-Fan should miss.

Dragon Quest IX is a great retro style RPG filled with things gamers love about the genre - unless you play the games for a great storyline or like innovation, cause those are noticeably lacking.

The Sims: Medieval - Pirates and Nobles is a really good addition to your medieval world. If you liked the main game you will like the add-on too.

Clear Sky may not be as action-orientated, polished and visually stunning as Crysis or other “Hollywood-Shooters”, but it definitely has got its very own charm, that it’s easy to fall for. In short: Who liked the original Chernobyl Lost, will love Clear Sky!

TrackMania 2 can be frustrating, but still motivates to go on. Definately worth the price despite lacking content.

CoD:MW3 hits shelves without even the slightest surprise up its sleeve. It packs the exactly same pros and cons as all its predecessors, which officially makes the CoD-Series the FPS-genres FIFA. So: you can always be exactly sure of what to expect, when buying the latest installment: A short Singleplayer-Campaign, that offers some absolutely stunning moments, a great multiplayer, in which little kids at the age of 4 (according to their voices) will probably destroy your self-confidence within minutes and a pretty much non-existent AI. One could like that - or be bored about it. We'd understand both.

For fans of the Original (TCoR:EfBB), this is nothing but a "must have". But everybody else, who's simply looking for a good, brutal shooter with stealth-elements and a cool main character, should definitely have a look too! Personally, I'm sure you won't regret it.

The concept of LEGO Games blends perfectly with the Harry Potter franchise. Possibly the best LEGO Game to date!

Tomb of Sammun-mak is even better than its predecessor with the typical wacky Sam & Max humor. Just a few bugs and outdated graphics stop the game from a higher rating.

For fans of the Original (TCoR:EfBB), this is nothing but a "must have". But everybody else, who's simply looking for a good, brutal shooter with stealth-elements and a cool main character, should definitely have a look too! Personally, I'm sure you won't regret it.

A great mixture of authentic Battles and interresting gameplay.

The concept of LEGO Games blends perfectly with the Harry Potter franchise. Possibly the best LEGO Game to date!

Revelations is Brotherhood 2.0. It's still a good game, but it lacks innovation, which will hopefully come with the rightfull sequel Assassin's Creed 3.

So what is it that makes a great “anti-war-shooter”? Is it its heart? Or its brain? Personally, I think it’s probably both, which is exactly what keeps BiA:HH from being a 90+ title. After all the story and the presentation may be great, but the gameplay itself is still a bit repetitive and doesn’t bring anything entirely new to the series.

It seems as if Lara is finally back on track. More puzzles, less action – that’s tombraiding as it should be! My only complaint is the lack of guidance the game offers – standing about in clueless stupor happens too often by far. [Issue#17]

Whether you liked the first Call of Juarez or not, Bound in Blood offers a great story, a nice multiplayer-component, great graphics and solid gameplay-mechanics. The only real flaw is the missing coop-mode.

Despite lacking a multiplayer-component, which is a pity indeed, we can only recommend this title to just about every shooter fan, who is in search for good stories... and great graphics, even though your gaming-rig should better be brandnew and contain top-notch components, if you intend to put those quality-settings anywhere above "medium". Otherwise, Metro2033s engine will probably eat your GPU for breakfast.

Nitro Games relied on the well received concept of the predecessor while going to work on all the points of criticism the actual game had to take. This resulted in a game, that is not only looking and feeling good but also has something to offer to both beginners and pros.

As much as I liked the game in single player, I am disappointed by the multiplayer-mode. The lack of a lobby or a feature to select who you want to play with are mayor shortcomings compared to other games of today. What's worse though is the missing damage system and flaws in the way penalties are awarded, and the players who abuse these shortcomings. The penalties may be designed to stop players from sliding against the boards or using shortcuts, but often punish victims of assaults by other players using unfair means.

The gameplay provides easy accessibility and still manages to be tactically challenging. Too bad that the MMO-RTS-concept of BattleForge is countered by the lack of a story.

Prince of Persia is repetitive in more ways than one, though nevertheless still highly enjoyable. If the nowadays ever-present backtracking is your thing and if you enjoy the gorgeous cell-shading graphics to boot, by all means, pick up the Prince. [Issue#17]

Trine is really a pearl of a game. Beautiful level-design, nice puzzles, good voice-acting and a lot of atmosphere. If you are a fan of platformers and liked The Lost Vikings then Trine is definitely a game for you.

F.E.A.R. 2 doesn’t offer anything particularly new, which – in my opinion – is a bad thing. But on the other hand that’s just what I personally hoped for, as both F.E.A.R. 1 and F.E.A.R. 2 are brilliant horror shooters with good graphics and awesome multiplayer components.

It may have been a close call, but to us L4D2 really did manage to become more, then just a "full-price-addon". It's a definite must-have for fans and the best co-op experience money can buy.

Relic improved most of the shortcomings of the predecessor and made an enjoyable add-on.

Sacred 2 has become exactly what we have all hoped for: One excellent dungeon crawler building upon the strengths of Sacred 1 and a worthy heir to the game’s legacy. Though it could’ve been much better as new ideas are a bit rare. Nevertheless, Sacred 2 remains a great game with high replay value. [Issue # 16]

There is very little PURE actually does wrong. Great handling, graphics, soundtrack and the tricks are far removed from all reality – that’s the way it should be! So if you’re looking for a pretty arcade-game to cover the time till the next “big” one’s released you’ve found your game! [Issue # 16]

Due to some weaknesses in terms of story (extremely disappointing ending) and gameplay (savepoints), Mafia II turned out to be a good game, but not the masterpiece we've hoped for. Most of these problems can be quite easily forgiven though, thanks to its overwhelming atmosphere and charm.

Terraria is a game, where you've got to make most of the fun yourself - a giant world to explore, tons of craftable items and currently three challenging bosses make this an easy task though. You'll find all materials really quick and every new item as well as every found crate or new area make you want to explore more of this lovely 8bit universe.

Episode four of the Tales of Monkey Island leaves me undecided: I like that there are more puzzles in the game, but overall this episode offers too much of a dejavu-feeling, resulting in a good, but not very good episode.

Despite being a fan of the concept since the very first trailer, I can’t help being a bit disappointed about how this games turned out after all. It’s, however, still a nice title and the pretty solid port to the PC including some nice new features makes this version the one to get!

An admirable port, even by the excellent standards of Square Enix. Should you count yourself among the honourable ranks of RPG-Fans, do not miss out on Star Ocean: Second Evolution.

Undercover is significantly more fun than ProStreet and offers far more long-time playing motivation as well. [Issue#17]

To be honest I expected The Sims 3 to be more than it actually is. Those who own The Sims 2 and all add-ons will miss many beloved elements. Electronic Arts just placed the headstone for many add-ons to come but nothing else.

If you like to blow stuff up, RF:A is certainly worth your while. It simply knows what it's good at and delivers that without any aggravating flaws. Just don't expect it to be anything more than a "MichaelBay-esce" action-orgy. Because despite its quite interesting story, at its heart, it still nothing more, then an action-packaged homage to everything destructive... which is a good thing.

The free world offers a lot of space for different activities which are - despite the adventures - quiet similar to those of Sunset Valley.

To everyone who liked, or still likes, World in Conflict, Soviet Assault is a must-have. The simple fact alone, that you’re finally able to play as a commander in the Russian Army is sort of a fans dream come true. Unfortunately though, the original's slight overview-problems still haven’t been solved.

Bulletstorm is probably the most politically incorrect game of all time ... and to me, that's a good thing! Its humour will certainly not be to everybody's liking, but I totally recommend it to every single shooter fan out there that wants to try something new.

Assassin's Creed is graphically stunning, acoustically impressive, innovative and brilliantly staged. But one thing's definitely lacking: replay value! And a certain degree of monotony can’t be denied either. Like a colleague of mine once said: "It could have been way better then that!" Personally, I simply keep hoping for a massively improved AC2 and lots of merchandise! May Ubisoft Montreal concentrate on many, many successors and spin-offs. [May 2008]

World at War won’t disappoint anyone, just as long as they don’t expect it to fully revive the glory of its predecessor. [Issue#17]