I’ll freely admit that Black Legend definitely is original. At the same time, however, it’s ugly and dated, hardly suited for the modern audience.

This strategy builder is far too shallow and simple to recommend. You’ll find yourself bored and exhausted before you know it and there’s nothing fun waiting for you later.

Loop Hero is a fresh indie success that’s more interested in your time than skills. Maybe you’ll be able to kill hours upon hours in its repetitive loops. And perhaps you’ll lose your patience halfway through.

Rogue State Revolution brings a sense of humour married to relatively complex political decisions reminiscent of Wadiya, the rogue country from the movie Dictator. It’s addictive, it’s replayable, it’s cheap for what it does and you should definitely play it.

The only reason you should pay attention to Outriders is the current gaming drought and the Game Pass. The combat with all its abilities is quite fun, sure, but the story is just so dull, as is the environment and uninteresting, generic activities.

This is a solid next-gen upgrade for a solid fighting game. It runs better but its biggest problems remain unsolved. I don’t really see it breaking through to become truly mainstream.

This is a truly beautiful, varied platformer with a great story and a fascinating world. It also boasts some of the worst controls I’ve come across in recent years, it’s heavily buggy and the sound design is a mess. This is a game for those of you who are both patient and forgiving.

The topic of homelessness is handled brilliantly in this sandbox survival game. It has a good story to tell, it has fun systems, it’s especially great for Czech players due to the familiar setting. The graphics could be better, sure, but overall, this is a very good, original game.

Not “bravely”, just “default”. You will, once again, enjoy the excellent combat system but that’s not going to keep you satisfied for 50 hours, is it? And the rest of the game is just way too bland, repetitive, unbalanced and poorly narrated.

This arcade racing series rumbles on quite nicely. The second instalment offers a fun career mode and rich open worlds, even though the Championship mode is disappointing and the game won’t be winning any beauty contests.

This is a jewel. An unbelievably clever, thought-out, detailed, balanced, fun, brilliantly designed masterpiece that really doesn’t have any drawbacks at all. If you like to build and optimize, you simply have to play Factorio.

This is a deeply flawed strategy game whose main selling point, the new warlords system, turns out to be a complete failure. After a few hours you’ll be itching to uninstall this new Stronghold - if only because it’s not particularly nice to look at.

The game looks beautiful, and its source material is brimming with potential, but the gameplay itself is lacklustre in the extreme. Most of the time you simply don’t know what to do or how to achieve the few things you’re sure you want. A very confusing, sometimes frustrating experience rescued only by the strengths of the book.

This experience will be worthwhile only for the most hardcore of Cyanide & Happiness fans. It’s not a very good adventure game and it’s not very funny.

Initially, you must be very patient when jumping straight into a humongous armed conflict, but in exchange you’ll get some of the most intense turns you’ve ever witnessed in any Total War game. But the strange thing is, you’ll get a lot of the best stuff for free. So why pay?

This is a brilliant political strategy game, very well written and full of gut-wrenching decisions. Only you will decide the fate of the Republic - and its embattled president.

This is no Hades but if you like to die a lot, you’ll love it anyway. The innovative curse system is a lot of unpredictable fun, every single run is different and, what’s more, it all looks really pretty.

Monster Hunter Rise brings with it several new features that should become mainstays of the series. At the same time, however, it loses one of its most impressive systems - tracking the monsters. And so the hunt loses much of its magic.

This is a very solid JRPG with a fun story and a decidedly unfun protagonist. But his companions are great! You’ll be further pleased by this game’s tough boss fights, further annoyed by its repetitive music.

El Hijo will satisfy a craving for stealth games and it looks stunning, but it’s not very original and its weird controls are an endless source of frustration.

This is how you end a trilogy. If you love this murderous series, you simply cannot miss its latest instalment. The campaign is a bit barebones, though, and a pause might be the best thing for the whole franchise.

If you haven’t yet played Devil May Cry 5 and you have a new console at home, don’t waste a second and go buy this brilliant action game. If you’re a veteran, just buy the Vergil DLC and be done with it.

Yes, this is one of the first Xbox Series X’s big exclusives, yes, it’s in the Game Pass. But those are about the only reasons why you should even think about playing this mediocre horror.

In Ride 4, you’ll get an uncommonly beautiful racing game with a brilliant driving model and superb utilization of the DualSense controller. But be warned - the difficulty is punishing and the AI is intent on crashing your bike.

This game demands quite a lot from you, but if you’re willing to immerse yourself in micro-management and suffer infrequent frustration from a district gone wrong, you’ll find a brilliant old-school city-builder set in one of the most interesting locales imaginable.

Cyanide Studios once again manage not to raise the bar. This is a deeply average game reminiscent of cheap B-movies, visually awful and mechanically obsolete. But massacring your enemies as a bloodthirsty werewolf is, not surprisingly, quite fun.

If you already played both games, there’s no reason to do it again. But if you’re a new player, this is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in a stricken feudal Japan.

This is certainly not a bad game, but it’s missing a spark, something to make you want to skip work and play a few more turns. Furthermore, the combat system is boring and everything relies on chance too much for my liking. This expedition has lost itself.

They didn’t have to make this game. It tries to go in a more action-packed direction than its terrifying predecessor but ends up being frustrating and unnecessarily punishing.

This game brings a huge amount of consistently brilliant fun and happiness. It’s not a revolution, but it’s damn near perfect at what it does.

Persona Strikers is a very familiar game - and yet manages to keep itself fresh with new stuff. Some will hate it, some will love it, but the main thing works as great as always - the story and the characters within it.

Have you ever wanted to lead your men into an actual medieval battle? Now’s your chance. Field of Glory II: Medieval is a chaotic melee with its own unique, unpredictable dynamism. It’s great, even if medieval warfare is slightly more monotonous than its ancient counterpart.

Alba wants you to find happiness in something larger than yourself. But instead of actually teaching you anything about protecting the environment, it “only” succeeds in being an enjoyable adventure.

Our system prevents us from scoring any game at zero points which is the only reason this mess gets anything at all. Don’t pay for this. It’s not funny, it’s not helpful. This party should have ended years ago.

A brilliant DLC that lets you play as the German Army and, through its punishing difficulty, makes you understand that being a general in the 40s was no easy gig.

Ambitious but broken. Beautiful but full of mistakes. That is Empire of Sin, a disappointing mobster tale from the days of the Prohibition.

Are you ready to figure out the very limits of your adrenaline tolerance? Then play Ghostrunner, a devilishly difficult action game let down only by its slower platforming portions.

Call of the Sea is proof that “Lovecraft” doesn’t have to mean “darkness and tentacles”. This is a positive, sometimes even cheerful adventure and it’s only the undertones which are ominous, and that works surprisingly well. Also, the puzzles are great, as are the graphics and the quietly moving story.

The Pathless has its issues, but it certainly offers unobtrusive, relaxing fun. What’s unique about it are the movement options. The boss fights and puzzles? Significantly less so.

This game is a diamond hidden under unappealing skin. Once you peel it off, you’ll find literally dozens of overlapping, complex RPG systems, unbelievable freedom in what to do and, well, enough fun for days and weeks.

This is war at its scariest, without mercy, without a human face. It’s quite fun to plan your nuclear strikes in this strategy game, however, and fans of the genre will be happy with what it does.

The audio-visuals are great, as is the atmosphere, but everything else is pretty terrible, especially the frustrating gameplay and technical issues. And, what’s more, the handheld mode on the Switch is basically unplayable.

Is Dontnod Entertainment a one-hit wonder? It seems so, judging by those past few years. Twin Mirror is a bang average adventure game you’ll finish in one forgettable afternoon.

Dirt 5 drives in a completely opposite direction to Dirt Rally 2.0. The driving model is disappointingly simple, and the career is just plain boring. At least there are many cars to choose from and hours to spend in the track editor. And the best thing about this game? Its weather effects are simply breath-taking.

This is a huge surprise. A “free game” that’s actually better than many of those you have to pay for - and also the best showcase of the capabilities of the DualSense controller which has the potential to change how we experience video games.

This new Yakuza is a good Yakuza, there’s no doubt about that. The doubts will arise only when you try to compare it to Persona 5 because Like a Dragon’s new features could be more pronounced - and closer to Persona’s genius.

This is what a remake should look like. The audio-visuals are stunning, the respect to the original game is palpable. When it comes to remasters of your favourite games, you should only ever wish for Bluepoint Games to make them.

Heart of the Forest is a unique game from the creators of the first Witcher. It’s basically a gamebook, which will turn away many, but the much bigger problem is its lacklustre ending. If you, however, crave a dark story in the middle of an ancient forest, this could be the adventure for you.

Godfall is such an average game. It doesn’t stand out in terms of visuals nor in terms of the combat system. Wait until it’s free on the PS Plus in a few months, then download it and never play it.

This is a bang average dog-fighting game. It tries to hide its dullness behind a facade of high fantasy, but that’s just a cosmetic choice without any real impact on gameplay. The missions start to repeat themselves very soon and the second you tire of the beautiful graphics, you’ll just wish to fly away.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a brilliant platformer bursting with ideas, and even though it strictly adheres to tradition, every minute is still a joy. If PlayStation was looking for its own Mario, it found it.

This new adventure with a new hero in an old environment hits all the right spots. The focus on Miles’ family was a correct choice, plus there’s the obvious benefits of the new console’s power - and you can even enjoy the game on the PlayStation 4 with very few compromises! It’s just a shame that it’s a bit short.

The campaign of the new Call of Duty is unusually stupid, but the multiplayer doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel and cheerfully exploits its attractive Cold War setting. Together with the Zombies mode and Warzone integration, this is one hefty chunk of military content.

This game is utterly, stunningly terrible. If you ever wish to stop playing games, just try this one. Your decision will be that much easier.

One of the surprises of the year. There’s a huge open world full of content waiting for you, and in this world you’ll fight, solve puzzles and enjoy a light-hearted story. And it has Czech subtitles.

Shadowlands is the shock to the system World of Warcraft needed. It says goodbye to Azeroth and leads the player to places unknown, places full of creativity and vision. If you haven’t played WoW for some time, now is the time to jump back.

Great improvements were made in the match engine, the user interface is better and so is the focus on personalities. This is an absolute must-have for all the chess players on the grass. It is just a shame that the Czech competitions remain deeply flawed.

Cyberpunk 2077 does not crumble under the weight of expectation. It offers a captivating story full of interesting characters and a beautiful, open, detailed city. This is a brilliant RPG for fans of stealth and shooting alike. The only significant problem? The myriad of bugs.

A solid remaster of a good old-fashioned strategy game. Its biggest problem? It will forever lie in the shadow of its famous predecessor.

Oh, the joy of exploring this beautiful world. Oh, the clever combat, the great voice acting, the compelling story. This is one of the best RPGs of the year. And it’s almost beyond comprehension that you can get it for free.

A solid expansion that will test even the hardest Doomguys around. It’s almost the same as the basic game, with one exception: It’s even harder. And, regretfully, the music isn’t as amazing as before.

The failures of Legion lie at its very heart, in the option to play as anybody you want. The only way to recommend this game? Try it out if you wish to virtually visit a beautiful, faithfully recreated London.

A game of two halves. One of them is an amazingly detailed and well-told sci-fi story, the other a fun, strategic RPG. And as a whole it works perfectly.

Supermassive Games once again do what they do best - and once again they cannot reach that best. Little Hope isn’t nearly as good as Until Dawn but horror fans might like it anyway, especially on sale or in the Game Pass.

Pikmin cannot reach the heights of Mario or Zelda, but this truly original, creative and inventive game still plays the best second fiddle around.

Ubisoft did what had to be done, made the game easier in some respects, tweaked some details and added others. As a whole, even with all its deficiencies, the game is a joyous place to spend your time in.

A short, uninteresting demo that isn’t even capable of really showcasing the power of next-gen consoles.

A bit aged in some respects, but perfect in others, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is still, after a decade, a great racing game with a spicy Burnout flavour.

This VERY traditional shooter can handle the basics, that is the great feeling of unhinged action. But everything is spoiled by bad level design and woeful brokenness.

The Origami King sometimes drags on a bit, but at the same time it’s absolutely beautiful and inventive, perfect for experienced players and newbies alike.

Dynamic combat, great loot and a brilliant story come together to turn Hades into an extremely addictive game which you’ll love to play for dozens of hours and which will probably never bore you.

On the court, this is a brilliant basketball game that doesn’t change much. Why would it when it’s not really necessary? The microtransactions, however, are more annoying than Houston’s playstyle.

An amazing helping of skating fun for the nostalgic players among you. This is a remake that perfectly encapsulates the qualities and atmosphere of the original games.

A mournful journey into the shattered realm of King Arthur with various stories to uncover. But you’re certainly not going to find a deep strategic experience in this war-torn Britain.

A very solid tactical RPG. Its main problem is that it’s overly reliant on chance and might be a tad too difficult for novice players. But if you enjoy clever turn-based battles, this sci-fi has plenty of those to offer.

It’s fun to strategically manage your own vampire realm and engage in tactical fights reminiscent of Heroes of Might & Magic, but Immortal Realms also make many mistakes. There are weird and annoying design features and no multiplayer, which in the end might be the biggest shame of all.

These three innovative, ground-breaking Mario games aren’t something to scoff at. They’re only ports that probably didn’t take much effort at all, but still, they all belong to the Nintendo hall of fame. Hard to understand why they’re going to stop selling them in 6 months…

FIFA 21 is in all aspects similar to the previous instalment and what it changes, it changes for the worse. The matches are a farce full of unstoppable tricks and unbelievably fast wingers, which applies for the career mode as well. The changes to the career mode itself don’t make sense. The only saving grace is the simple fact that this is still an extremely beautiful game.

Crash Bandicoot once again proves that the platformer genre isn’t dead yet. The featherbrained atmosphere is exactly what one needs during these testing times, even though you’ll sometimes be left frustrated by the uncompromising difficulty.

Both DLCs are mainly there to shed more light on the fantastic world of the original game - and to act as promises of future games. You won’t have as much fun actually playing them, though, mainly due to the frustrating combat.

Both DLCs are mainly there to shed more light on the fantastic world of the original game - and to act as promises of future games. You won’t have as much fun actually playing them, though, mainly due to the frustrating combat.

A brilliant example of the simple fact that augmented reality can be miles better than actual VR. This is a great family game that focuses on your own creativity and willingness to have fun.

The return of the legendary underwater shooter isn’t as stunning as it could have been. The fights are difficult and a lot of fun, but the missions themselves are quite boring - as is the loot and the environment.

The terrifying mysteries of Algerian catacombs await you in Amnesia: Rebirth, a very good next instalment of the famous horror franchise. The game mechanics are almost identical, but the emotions are new, along with the glorious, creative environments.

This is, in a strange way, a very brave game. It’s great - but it also targets a different audience than the previous titles in the series. It’s no longer trying to compete with Gran Turismo, Assetto Corsa and other serious sims, instead it rivals Forza Motorsport. But you can still feel its simulation roots.

Do you love classic, old-school RPGs? Do you prefer a dirty Apocalypse to a generic fantasy world? Then you’ll love Wasteland 3. We couldn’t have wished for a better successor to the old Fallouts from Interplay.

The explosive story campaign will keep you glued to the edge of your seat from start to finish, but the game runs woefully, the AI is stupid, the loot is uninteresting and the endgame is downright boring.

This year’s rally arcade is just too similar to the previous game. A few details have been added, but overall, the content isn’t especially rich - which isn’t helped by the strict connection between the game and the official license.

Iron Harvest unfortunately cannot quite replicate the amazing combat system of its greatest inspiration, the legendary Company of Heroes. But if you like your strategies in real time, you’ll surely enjoy this glorious butchery of crazy armored mechs.

A great golfing simulator with a brilliant core - the sport itself. Its production values and career are significantly worse, but the gameplay is just so very good that it doesn’t matter too much, plus there’s the fantastic course editor.

The dialogues are wobbly, you won’t really like the main characters and the supporting ones are just plain boring. But this game will hook you in by its courageous topic and a string of fascinating memories.

The Last Campfire is proof of the creators of No Man’s Sky’s ability to conjure up an exciting game of a wholly different genre and scope. This is not a risk, this is a game that leans heavily on those that came before it, but the end result is a comfortable, emotional adventure made to fill one fine afternoon.

Metamorphosis is a true homage to the works of Franz Kafka… but at the same time, it’s not a very good game. Try it out if you adore Kafka already, but everybody else should grab one of his books instead.

This remake is a great way to remember a true Czech legend which nowadays suffers from old age. This game respects the original but with its own twist - a darker, more believable story.

Spiritfarer is a poignant bridge between Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and a ferryman of the dead simulator. It’s lovely, sad, full of emotions, death and management.

This season update doesn’t bring anything new - not even correct rosters for the new season, which it really should include. But if you haven’t played the previous instalment, this is a fine way to cheaply acquire a great football game.

Mind Control Delete is, by all accounts, the last instalment in the SuperHot universe and it’s certainly no slouch. But before you enjoy it to the fullest, you’ll have to be patient, because the best part is hidden at the end.

This is a solid debut for a small studio, despite quite a few reservations that have emerged during my time with the game. If you like the soulslike genre, by all means, try this one out, but I’d recommend waiting for a discount.