Echoes of Wisdom is a fantastic game that skillfully redefines the classic 2D Zelda formula, while taking inspiration from other games in the series. These changes will be noticed mostly by veterans, but even new players will find lots of fun here.

Frostpunk 2 is different from its predecessor. It too experiments with gameplay and tries to create a thrilling system of making difficult decisions, but the bigger scale of governing an entire region looks a bit unfinished. Great potential to create a giant world was squandered, and the thing that generates the most fun is the political system, not building your city.

The War Within is not a revolution, but a carefully planned evolution leading the game in a new direction. It's impossible to predict wether World of Wacraft will reclaim its MMO throne. The game now is very good but only time will tell if Blizzard is capable of keeping it this way.

Besides Nintendo there aren'n many companies developing big-budget platformers. Astro Bot is a part of a dying breed that delivers tons of pure dopamine shots. If games should first and foremost provide fun, then Astro Bot is a Game with a capital G.

The great success of Space Marine 2, which is the result of the combination of its visuals and gameplay, is the vibe not only of this very specific universe, but also of the very essence of what Space Marines are. The game is centred around what is most important in Warhammer 40k - grotesque violence treated with due severity, pathos and downright fanatical seriousness.

The two most important features of TDU: Solar Crown, namely the driving and the open world, are very well done. And the flaws? They are very serious, without question. However, probably all the shortcomings can be eliminated with updates. Not in a week, not in a month, maybe not even in a year - but it can be done.

In case of too many new games - break glass. Inside you will find Black Myth: Wukong. A great proposition among numerous game debuts of upcoming fall. It really is original, and stunning to look at, even though it's not perfect.

When you buy Emio: The Smiling Man, you get a solid visual novel with good detective work throughout the entire game. But I think the developers lost track of what they wanted when they mixed crime and drama storylines, and lost the crime along the way. Plus, the ending is weird, and characters are annoying.

I have several small, indie game series, that have never let me down. SteamWorld is one of them. Be it meroidvania, be it a jRPG with cards - all my adventures with steambots were at least good. SteamWorld Heist 2 confirms that rule, and I simply have to recommend this game.

Star Wars: Outlaws has flaws that are easy to forgive. You have to remember - this is a game for mass audience, younger gamers included, that has to provide joy to everyone dreaming of being inside their favorite universe. And Outlaws does this very well, with a cool idea for some open world fun.

I was really afraid that playing World of Goo 2 will immediately make my mind think "this is not the same game". But it did not happen. What's more I became hooked almost immediately. I can't remember when I had so much pure joy when playing a game without being explicitly told what to do. An almost perfect sequel.

If you wanted more of the same ol' same ol' online Final Fantasy, this is what you'll get. But I wanted something more. If Dawntrail is to be a new chapter, a potential start of a new saga, it needed a better opening, not this boring thing. Time will tell what will become of this.

Workers & Resources is a terrific builder. Very complicated, quite ugly, with a cluttered UI and an extremely complex network of mechanics and connections, that looks like something from a fever dream. But it drags you in and offers lots of satisfaction when something finally goes right.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD isn't for everyone, although fans of cartoonish action-adventure games or Mario in general, should be happy. But if you're neither of those two things, you'll most likely bounce off of this game, because it's many elements seem archaic.

Do you know what is the main strength of Shadow of the Erdtree? That after over 60 hours of trials and tribulations, and all the curses screamed at the screen, I want to keep playing. The expansion to Elden Ring is a complete piece of work that leaves you wanting more.

Still Wakes the Deep is a very capable walking simulator, but that's it. No sparks of genius here. The game is quite monotonous, fortunately it delivers some fun with a unique setting and a really good, dramatic storyline that would fit a movie far better than a game.

My first contact with the Paper Mario series turned out to be very enjoyable. The Thousand-Year Door provided me with a great adventure full of discovery (both in terms of the world, and storyline). If you want to try something a bit different, this is a good way to go.

This is a masterpiece of gaming with atmosphere so powerful, that the player forgets to breathe and absorbs the story with all their senses, unable to divert their eyes, and oblivious to the surrounding world. Terror and awe are constant during this phenomenal, but too short adventure.

Songs of Conquest is a true love letter to Heroes of Might & Magic. A game full of reasonable nostalgia and simply a great product worthy of your time. And it proves that this genre still has a place for new things without destroying its foundations.

Eugen Systems studio finally listened to the fans, let go of the World War II and created what is probably the definitive form of its vision of a tactical game about a conventional world war III. Will this be enough to keep the title of leader in its niche? Time will tell, after the success of Wargame there is no shortage of imitators, and WARNO is taking no risks to surprise with something new.

Homeworld 3 continues the gameplay that fans of the series know very well. At the same time, newcomers will easily find their way through the meanders of creating their own fleet - ready to crush all enemies that stand in its way. For strategy fans Homeworld 3 seems to be a must-have title, especially since the developers clearly want to support mods.

V Rising is an online survival game that provides a ripe amount of fun, provided you have friends to play with. Lone vampires will get tired or bored quickly. And if you crave PVP there are servers just for that! There's something for everyone, but mind your time, it flies by very quickly.

Indika is like Frankenstein's monster - cobbled together from many different parts that seem to be out of place. And yet it's worth you attention, especially if you value interesting gameplay and a very intriguing storyline.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a game that requires your familarity with nostalgia to fully appreciate many hours needed to finish it. Fans of jRPGs should be happy, but everyone else need to understand: there's absolutely no guarantee you will enjoy it.

Shift Up Studio surprised me very positively, clearly creating out of a passion for electronic entertainment, which is difficult to see in the works of large corporations. I wish there were more games like this.

Broken Roads is what comes out of giving too much attention to cool ideas (moral compass, great dialogue and descriptions) and forgetting to make a game out of them. This is an RPG with glimmers of genius that are overshadowed by tons of unfinished elements.

Is there a single reason for playing Millennia? Except frustrating mechanic of production chains and insufficiently developed Variant and Crisis Ages, you you won't find anything here that isn't already in Civilization or Humankind. This game is technically weak and has too many things to take care of, but not enough depth.

Four years have passed since the debut of SnowRunner and I definitey wanted more from Expeditions. What we got is a quick variation of the previous game that enables you to make everything faster with a mini-game. I'm not feeling this "expedition" - this is a dispencer of missions.

Despite technical issues you simply have to notice the quality of Dragon's Dogma 2. The developers ignored the trends and created a game focused strongly on a great idea for exploration and combat. It's a truly unique action RPG.

Fans of overcoming obstacles will be happy. If you liked previous Team Ninja games (and Sekiro), don't think twice. A higher accessibility enabled Rise of the Ronin to be one of this studio's best games. If not the best!

Pacific Drive so skillfully combines different, basic gameplay mechanics borrowed from other games, and mixes them with amazing atmosphere, that the end-result is a really fresh, original (and difficult!) survival horror.

I believe that the AAAA description, envisioned by Ubisoft's boss, will become a meme associated only with Skull and Bones. This game is so shallow on many fronts that I doubt even long-term growth will be able to help it.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is grand in the way you don't see that often in video games. It can surprise the way only the creators of indie games can. It has perfect gameplay, superb story, amazing scale and lots of emotion. It really is a great, grand game.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is Don't Nod's triumph. If you've played Vampyr and emerged unconvinced, please know that this game will make you believe this studio can one day be one of the greats. And if you liked the adventures of Jonathan Reed, wait no more and dive in!

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League should have been a game like Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - the result would have been great! We have cool anti-heroes, good dialogue, an interesting story and combat that provides fun. At least at the beginning. Because soon the empty world and repetitiveness drag this game down and everything becomes really dull.

Somewhere deep inside The Inquisitor has traces of great ambition - good voiceovers, motion capture during scenes of fighting, but that's not nearly enough. The finished product is a game that is not good. It's as simple as that.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a dream come true for fans of the Yakuza series. We got an excellent RPG that makes you forget about the outside world. Even if the story isn't *that* good in the beginning.

My time with Graven is a mix of fun and frustration - first it's great, but after a while I want to throw my keyboard out the window. The atmoshpere and graphics are good, and the maps are well desgned, but lack of clear goal and to much old-school are a burden.

Persona 3 Reload is distinguished from the series by its darker tone, bolder twists and stronger main storyline. The revamped and slightly simpler gameplay makes this installment of the series an ideal entry point for new players and a tribute to veterans of the original, who can finally experience an (almost) definitive edition of this game on modern platforms.

I appreciate the fact, that developers have made their homework. Tekken 8 has all the things I wanted it to, ane even more. Right now this is the best instalment of the series (since the near-perfect Tekken 5) and the best current-gen fighting game.

I believe the developers from Crimson Herring are very ambitions and their universe has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, they were almost lying when describing their game as an RPG with an open world that is free to explore and lets the player make important decisions.

I had a blast playing Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown without feeling bored, frustrated or overwhelmed. And the game is far from a breeze. It's a great metroidvania with a smart decision to go back to the series' platforming roots.

In Against the Storm, Eremite Games has come up with something unique, innovative, the devs went beyond the borders of the genre, leaving behind its restrictions while creating something never seen before and that can create a new genre. The game has excellent playability and a potential to be fun for dozens or hundreds of hours, surprising us every time with something different. In my opinion - the game is close to perfection.

The combination of freedom, atmosphere and soothing mood makes this title incredibly universal. It's hard to get bored here and resist the charm of such a successful game, which, even after completing all the missions, is limited only by our creativity.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a remarkable adventure, and I will happily return here in the already announced story driven DLCs. It is not the best open world game but it is one of the best movie-to-videogame transfers in history.

The Invincible is another brick on the wall of slowly turning games into a medium capable of telling stories that are clever, deep and timeless. Even if the game itself is "just" a walking sim.

This is pure arthouse and postmodern - a title that proves that there is always room for something new in the gaming medium, even if it is based on well-known pop culture tropes.

I can't say that Total War: Pharaoh is a bad game. It's simply the same well-known game that was spruced up (again) and sold for a full price. But if you wait for a discount, Creative Assembly's newest game should deliver dozens of hours of fun.

Cities Skylines 2 can be engaging - expanding your city provides a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it cannot overshadow a vast sea of greyness, identical, levitating cars and ugly graphics that do not explain ridiculous system requirements.

If you haven't had the opportunity to play platformers in some time, you simply have to give Super Mario Bros. Wonder a try. The game is a work of art that can persuade even those skeptical of the Mario franchise - it is so original that it is much, much more than just "another Mario."

Can you even want more? Realistically speaking - not much. Spider-Man 2 isn't a 10 out of 10 perfect game deserving, but the series is on a good way to make its third installment a true masterpiece.

Lords of the Fallen is a good game with some interesting ideas that falls short in some (really important for the genre) areas. If someone made me choose the best soulslike of 2023, I would lean towards Lies of P.

PayDay 3 is a great game, but it is not 'part 3'. Instead, we got PayDay 2,5 with tons of unnecessary stuff, weird solutions and elements that are lacking. Somewhere, there is a very good game with a cool soundtrack to be found, but that's not enough.

Lies of P is the best soulslike that does not have the FromSoftware logo on it. The inspirations are evident, but ultimately this game has its own identity. Dark atmosphere, cool storyline, dynamic combat system, pleasant exploration, some challenging bosses - it's more than enough to provide fun.

Assassin's Creed: Mirage has some good features that fans should appreciate, but ultimately even they will become tired with extremely dull gameplay. We should demand more from this series. This kind of pseudo-return to the roots is not enough.

If you *had* to buy the new Forza Motorsport and this was the only one to play, I would recommend waiting until the developers patch it up and provide more content. But since it's available in Game Pass, you should check it out now. It's quite good.

Mortal Kombat 1 is a safe sequel without surprises. Unless someone is surprised by a well-crafted storyline, brutality and lots of single-player content. This is "just" another Mortal Kombat with all the good and the bad.

The Crew Motorfest turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Driving a firebird through night mist or speeding in a F40 while listening to Blondie stays in your head. Because, ultimately, these small moments are all that matters - and there's a lot of joy here.

Bethesda delivered a surprisingly complete game that should appeal to many different people. All these well-known gameplay solutions done in the space made me want more, and I definitely will beat Starfield one more time. And then one more.

Baldur's Gate 3 is one of those cases that makes me think with my heart and not my mind. And my heart tells me to start this adventure again with a new character, re-experience the story, get to know my companions and savor every moment. Again and again.

Immortals of Aveum is a perfect game for a subscription service. It has its flaws, but most of them can be easily eliminated in the future. However, I can't shake the feeling that this game has been left for dead even though it is really cool.

Blasphemous 2 is a really cool metroidvania, a full-fledged 2D soulslike and simply a good game with appealing pixel-art. It pulls you in and is able to keep the experience fresh.

Shadow Gambit’s biggest pros are pirate atmosphere and excellent characters. The gameplay mechanics are typical for this genre, and some skills are from Desperados III or Shadow Tactics. It’s a really great game worth playing.

Gord is an alright game. But that’s it. Nothing more. I had more fun playing this than, say, the new Settlers, but there’s so much unused potential here that a hypothetical sequel could be infinitely more interesting.

I had a fantastic time with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. The gameplay is genuinely addictive, and the storyline is structured in such a way that after each mission I immediately wanted to launch the next one to see what interesting the next stage holds. The "one more mission" syndrome works so strongly that the game gets stronger with each hour spent with it, so I had a serious problem to put the pad down. The fun has been looped in a way that works perfectly, and if you like a non-stop flow of fast-paced action, you should be delighted with the new creation from FromSoftware. There is no shortage of moments from which adrenaline almost buzzes in the veins.

Atlas Fallen is a shallow RPG. I strongly believe that with less work, it could be a much better action-adventure game. If you approach it with this mindset, it might seem like a quite good game.

The game has some amusing moments, is quite engaging and successfully evokes some emotions. At the same time, it can be very clumsy and if less time was spent on breast physics and more on gameplay and interface improvements, the title would be much more compelling.

Pikmin 4 may not be GOTY candidate, is not on everyone's lips and will probably not gather a massive following. However, its simple, carefree pleasure in great quantities is more than enough to make it worth your time.

The first Remnant was surprisingly good, and we expected no less from the sequel. As it turns out, Remnant 2 is even more than that. It's a must-play for people in search of a true challenge.

If you don’t mind a high entry threshold, many references to the 80s' popculture, a simple war story and some really dry humor, Jagged Alliance 3 is for you. And if you loved JA2 – don’t even hesitate.

What we have here is one of the best Alien games – ever. Aliens: Dark Descent not only offers a tremendous atmosphere evocative of James Cameron’s blockbuster, but also a very well-crafted gameplay that exceptionally combines multiple genres.

Trepang2 is a game made according to a recipe that's more than 20 years old. Arguably, however, the FEAR formula is still relevant. The shooting is really, really satisfying, too. A pleasant surprise, for sure.

It’s completely normal that the next installments of a sports series evolve slowly. Fortunately, sometimes there is a revolution – F1 23 is one such example. The game is well thought out, has some excellent changes, and has a terrific steering/traction model that makes it one of the best sports games ever.

F1 Manager 2023 deserves a higher rating, but you can’t look at it without the context of its prequel. And the owners of F1 Manager 2022 were pretty much abandoned by the developer. Still, if you love F1, consider buying this game. It is a quality title!

I still can't escape Final Fantasy XVI's world. I still think about all the events and the ending, and can't play any other game for now. Those are the kinds of feelings that emerge after watching the greatest of movies, reading the best of books and playing the perfect games. Just wow.

The story is mediocre and the game has some technical issues, but Miasma Chronicles is a great tactical RPG. The developers of Mutant Year Zero have proved that they still know their craft.

System Shock is finally back as one of the best cyberpunk games ever. The remake looks exactly like I remembered the original, and in a world dominated by games that tend to hold the player by the hand, it is shockingly refreshing to think for yourself.

A superb game with a faint game-as-a-service scent, packed with gratifying content. Diablo 4 appears to be the top hack'n'slash available. As someone deeply familiar with previous Diablo iterations, Divine Divinity, and a touch of Grim Dawn, this is undoubtedly the finest hack'n'slash for me.

A big story mode, changes made to the combat system and a distinctive visual style make up a game that is breathtaking, and delivers tons of fun. And that’s just the beginning – the true fun of Street Fighter 6 will happen online.

I didn’t enjoy Boltgun that much. However, I’m sure it will appeal to gamers who don’t pay a lot of attention to gameplay balance or difficulty level. And if they are fans of the W40K universe and old-school first-person shooters, they will most likely love it.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has the features of a solid "middle of the road” game. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here. The game is tiring, and I really wish this Gollum had a chance to return – with all his dialog lines, sarcasm, and the Smeagol persona – in a different, much better game.

Darkest Dungeon 2 suffers from the lack of an engaging story and some monotony, but the developers have delivered on their promises. This game is better than its predecessor in almost every way.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's truly open world, player’s freedom and openness to experiment make it a true showstopper. Since Breath of the Wild, there was no open world game that made me so happy. But if you don’t share my love for the previous game, you have nothing to look for here.

It’s hard to assess an excellent and very engaging game that's also fundamentally flawed with technical and performance issues. Then again, these are easier to eliminate, and probably they will be soon. Or not. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a 9/10 game for SW fans, but for everyone else, as an experience that's not very comfortable, the score would be considerably lower.

Yet another great game that expands the LoL universe. Mageseeker has some issues, but they are easy to ignore – the gameplay and the story are so much fun.

Minecraft Legends should provide a lot of fun in small doses because most of the gameplay mechanics are superb. What’s more, the game will receive a multiplayer mode in the future, which should offer a completely different experience.

If you feel that a detective story mixed with Lovecraftian occult is right up your alley - Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is THE game for you. But don’t expect a more ambitious storyline or challenging puzzles.

Dead Island 2 does not fool you into thinking it's another deep virtual drama or an epic RPG. It's simply a great action comedy designed to make you relax, provided you like bloody hordes of zombies.

Unique, very pretty graphics and a way to choose separate difficulty levels for various parts of the game are very strong features of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. But are they worth a fairly high premiere price?

If you haven't played the original and love platformers – don't hesitate, this is a must-play! Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is one of the most pleasant games in this genre that you can play.

Wild Hearts is not flawless and you can see it was made on a budget, but it's a great starting point for a franchise. Most gameplay mechanics are good enough and some are even exceptional.

SpellForce: Conquest of Eo is so magnetic it can be tough to stop playing. After finishing one game, you immediately want to start another – just to use the new knowledge.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is a perfect action game with some really heavy atmosphere. This classic game is now in top form and will take your breath away. What's more, it's perfectly in line with previous remakes - we're witnessing an excellent new chapter in this series' history.

Wo Long is a good starting point for soulslike newbies and some needed breather for more experienced players. They won't break a sweat, but their time won't be wasted. Wo Long has a really well-designed combat system. Pity that nothing else is as good.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is simply another well-made game in this infinitely original series. It may be a bit rusty, not quite up to modern standards, but it nevertheless is a lot of fun and offers all the things people want from and love about the Yakuza series.

The core idea for The Settlers: New Allies is evidently a good one, but oversimplification of certain aspects of this famous series - while simultaneously trying to go back to the roots - was a mistake. Apparently, even Ubisoft didn't fully believe in its success as it didn't advertise the game at all.

Relic Entertainment once again delivers an excellent game with tons of content. Two single-player campaigns and four different factions make Company of Heroes 3 a game for hundreds of hours.

Hogwarts Legacy's wonderful world makes it one of those games that you'd just love to keep experiencing for the first time - forever - and we envy anyone who's yet to step into it. Even if it's just a regular, open-world game underneath all the magic, it truly is an excellent one.