Borderlands 4 is bigger and grander than its predecessors. But with the addition of new ways to move around, an extensive system to make your character stronger, and challenging boss fights that require more than just button mashing, it's also the best Borderlands game to date. Essentially, it remains the king of all looter-shooters: you blast enemies to get better equipment, which allows you to shoot enemies even more efficiently. A highly addictive and satisfying gameplay loop that you gradually get caught up in.

Those willing to spend two long and frustrating hours sculpting their muscle memory and honing their reflexes will experience a click. Suddenly, you “got" it. Like Neo in the Matrix against Agent Smith or Goku transforming into Super Saiyan for the first time. What follows is a tsunami of serotonin that makes my inner teenager foam at the mouth. In the skin of Goku catapulting vicious Frieza hundreds of feet away after a barrage of attacks. Then to treat him to a kamehameha on his icy face? I dreamed of it as a 14-year-old and this game is my dream in game form. A lot of love for Dragon ball has been put into it. Too bad the barrier to experience it is so high.

Aside from its wacky premise, F.I.S.T. is a more than solid game that plays smoothly and looks great - especially thanks to the PC and PS5's graphical processing power. But the difficulty level is quite high - due to the clumsy controls at times even a little too high. So prepare for frustration and disappointment, and very often try again.

No reviewer on earth enjoys scathing a Zelda-game. More often than not they are grand cru-games players are willing to wait years for. Ever since BOTW we’ve been given crumbs while waiting for the much awaited sequel through remasters and remakes. ‘Link’s Awakening’ scratched that itch. Skyward Sword HD does not. Spoler alert: in the year 2021 motion controls are still horrible.

The first The Outer Worlds left us with mixed feelings a few years ago: it had an interesting premise and fun combat, but all in all, it didn't lead to a very memorable experience. The Outer Worlds 2 is clearly a step forward: the combat has been greatly improved and there is more to experience. So what do you get up to? Well, you create a character and walk around with them on different planets. You solve one problem after another by talking and/or shooting. That doesn't sound very original, and it isn't. All in all, we find The Outer Worlds 2 an improvement on its predecessor and, at times, an enjoyable game, but it's certainly not a must-have.

The controls are so smooth and intuitive that you can join the battle effortlessly. The multiplayer mode provides endless opportunities to play and keep playing, and the solo campaign is accompanied by well-made and interesting videos. If our teachers had made history lessons as engaging as Age of Empires IV, we’re sure we would have paid better attention.

A video game where it is more about the appearance of the female protagonist than about the game itself, and that even before its release. No, we are not talking about Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, but about Stellar Blade. And that's a shame, because under that thick layer of controversy lies a fine game.

In just three days, 10 million copies were sold, making it one of the fastest-selling games ever. A game about Chinese mythology may not be so accessible in Western countries, but Black myth: Wukong is simply a rock-solid action game. So flashy and simply beautiful that you'll happily forgive its minor shortcomings.

You are constantly haunted by dozens of black ghosts. Your only task is to guide lost souls to the afterlife. Sounds like a scary horror game, doesn't it? But 'Kena: Bridge of spirits' is just the opposite: a beautifully cute yet challenging action-adventure game that is definitely worth a spot on your wish list.

Mindlessly ramming buttons, Dynasty warriors has managed to make it a (semi-)entertaining pastime for years. For the second time, the series is teaming up with Fire emblem. At first glance, a striking choice. The latter series is known for its tactical gameplay. In Fire emblem warriors: three hopes, it comes together in a potpourri of violence and drinking tea.

With Engage, another top title is added to the Fire Emblem series. Unfortunately, the characters are not as noteworthy as the heroes that the game's Emblem rings pull from under the dust. But what Three Houses did for the story, Engage does for the action: raise the bar.

nd yet we were not blown away (pun not intended) while playing Halo Infinite. Everything feels very natural and familiar, but almost seems interchangeable with previous games. The lack of innovation is something that plagues many first person shooters of this generation, yet Halo Infinite is a more than solid game that is worth your precious time and attention.

F1 25 is a fine racing game, worthy of the queen class of motorsports. But as you often see with sports games, not that much changes from year to year. So do you already have a version from, say, 2024 or 2023? Unless you really care about being able to race against newcomers like Kimi Antonelli, or necessarily want to see Lewis Hamilton shine for his new patron Ferrari, feel free to skip this one. Next year, quite a few rules of play are changing in Formula One, and hopefully it will also inspire Codemasters to innovate a bit more. Because just as an F1 team must constantly innovate to keep up, standing still here equals going backwards.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox offers an engaging story, smooth controls and challenging combat. Unfortunately, the game also suffers from dated graphics. It is a shame that it took two years to be released in our country, as this makes it difficult for the game to compete with more recent games that can draw on the graphical computing power of 2021.

"A spreadsheet with soccer players," a friend once called Football Manager. He was right, but it is a damned addictive Excel file: in the meantime, we have invested another fifty hours or so in making our local team virtual champions. If you ask us, Football Manager would be better off switching to a subscription formula, but okay: for about fifty euros you get a whole year of spreadsheet fun.

The story is entertaining, and it features characters from the Marvel universe that haven't yet surfaced in the movies, such as Fin Fang Foom, Lady Hellbender and the Nova Corps. Add in the requisite humor and self-deprecation and an eclectic killer soundtrack, and you get one of the most enjoyable games of the year.

Land of the Morning Light is a gorgeous and engaging love song to ancient Korea. However, it suffers from the same problems as genre rivals. You don’t just catch up with almost nine years of previous history, and the amount of data to process is almost intimidating.

With travel from Europe to Japan still not possible due to corona, there is a great alternative. In "Neo: The World Ends With You" you are teleported to the popular shopping district Shibuya in Tokyo. And it's worth sticking around for, in addition to being a virtual city trip, it's also a great game.

Nothing has been changed about the base of the game. It’s still the same game from 2010, but with a graphical update so that Alan Wake Remastered can compete with contemporary games. At least that was the intention, but the polished visuals cannot hide the fact that they are actually a decade old. So why is it still worth getting the Remaster? The game simply is a masterclass in storytelling and game design.

The game’s style is somewhat reminiscent of Cuphead, but without the high difficulty level. The gameplay is simple, the soundtrack is atmospheric and jazzy, and it’s chock-full of puns and nods to old cartoons. The many secrets to discover by exploring every nook and cranny are reminiscent of classic video games, but fortunately, this entertaining indie game is above all its own unique and stylish, hand-drawn self.

They say that you should never change a winning team, but year after year the same team gets boring. Especially if you bought into the previous iteration of Mario Party for Nintendo Switch, this version offers little new under the sun.

The game is archly difficult and merciless, but heaps of fun. Solving puzzles by building a rhythm and racing through different levels in the flow is incredibly satisfying. The small upgrades in gameplay and additions like a motorcycle to add even more speed make the eight to 10 hours it takes you to reach the end go by in no time. The sublime soundtrack full of synthwave and beats are the icing on the cake. A rather short play time for a full-fledged game, but then again, the game is on sale for a softer price.

Flashy graphics, familiar characters and innovative gameplay are great assets, but not always necessary to make a game a winner. As dusk falls proves that you can also score with just a great story.

It's remarkable how quickly 'Little Nightmares 2' takes hold of you. The constant sense of unease is excellent, which makes it all the more unfortunate that the game is artificially stretched by puzzles that are unnecessarily drawn out and complex. And so this beautiful nightmare ends in an ordinary dream.

The contrast with previous Lego games or with the amusing but hyperkinetic Lego movie could hardly be greater. The neon and candy cane colors, sharp dialogues and flashy action have actually given way to ... serenity. Throughout the game there is no talking, there are no facial expressions and you are not taken by the hand. The soothing soundtrack supports the peaceful nature of the game, and it is wonderful to see how intentions and emotions can be conveyed even without dialogue.

And so I set out again. I see a Pidgeot grab a Magikarp from the air as it jumps out of the water. Unfortunately, I am just too late to get it right in the picture because I am a bit startled by my childish enthusiasm. Maybe it's because of the vacation spirit I missed. Or maybe because New Pokémon Snap is just really fun to play. I think mostly the latter.

Those who get their kicks not from the numbers and tables of a management game, but from phenomenal speeds on the track should choose ‘F1 22’. The annual release of this racing game consistently ranks among the top and has recently received an update that added even more content.

Some minigames are better than others, and if we're being really strict: quite a few are recycled from previous Like a Dragon games. But there are so many of them, and they are so varied, that Pirate Yakuza never has a chance to get boring. With one major exception: the part at sea also belongs in the category of minigames, except that you spend quite a large part of your playing time with it. But those who buy Pirate Yakuza primarily to unleash the Jack Sparrow in themselves will be disappointed. After all, the ship battles are disappointingly simple, and the promised sea would be more like a collection of lakes. Throughout the time we spent with Goro Majima, we laughed hard far more often than we sighed deeply. So we gladly turn a blind eye. Where is our eye patch again?

A psychedelic trip of about ten hours. Perfectly legal and without any mind-altering or narcotic drugs involved. Welcome to the delightfully bizarre world of ‘Ultros’, whose smooth and surprisingly layered gameplay, atmospheric soundtrack and eccentric graphics make it an instant cult classic.

Kirby Air Riders is an anomaly. It looks like a racing game, but has the rhythm and elements of a fighting game: its own genre. It is simple, complex, and (too) chaotic at the same time. In terms of visuals and performance, this is one of the most colorful and flashy games the Switch 2 has to offer to date. Highly recommended for those who are tired of Mario Kart.

After a good seven hours, you reach the end. Short for a game that will be on sale at full price, but long enough for an already exhausting VR adventure. At times, Horizon Call of the Mountain feels like a technical demo meant to show what the PS VR2 can do. But as a very first game, the result is promising, and does bode well for what the PS VR2 will bring in the coming months and years.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is an excellent spinoff and action game. In its niche — that of the musou-games — it's even among the best of all time. But what a total letdown of a story. Seriously, how did they manage to drop the ball on plot and world building?

Even if at first glance it doesn't seem like a new game, the new environments and small and larger adjustments immediately make Overwatch 2 one of the most fun shooters of the moment. The fact that the game is free - except for battle passes and cosmetic tweaks for the various characters that you can buy with real money - and that it doesn't matter what platform you play on, are only additional arguments to quickly get the download up and running.

Civilization VII is great. Exciting. Frustrating. It's like a Rorschach test: how you look at it depends from person to person and moment to moment. Besides the obvious improvements, many of the game's flaws were perfectly avoidable, which leads us to conclude that this game is not finished. And we take issue with being asked full price for a game that is not yet finished. Our advice: if you're not a huge fan of the series, wait another year. If you are, prepare for a rough ride.

Is ‘short but sweet’ a euphemism for ‘tastes like more’? In case of Olija, that is a heartfelt ‘yes’. This charming 2D platformer excels thanks to its pixel art, innovative controls, compelling story and fun puzzles.

What if you combined the work of James Ensor with "Where's Wally?" The answer: one of the most entertaining puzzle games of recent years. Now the game—made in Belgium!—is also available for the Nintendo Switch.

Windjammers is a mixture of volleyball, tennis and air field hockey, but with frisbees. All of that poured over in a visual flair that's bulging with neon and other early 90s sauces. Also 90s: the difficulty. Even the easiest opponents are very difficult.

Eighteen (!) years after its predecessor, Metroid Prime 3, and a console generation later, we can finally play Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. This game is once again brimming with the sci-fi, spooky, space shooter action that gave this iconic series its status, but where the developers try to innovate, they fall short.

Solving puzzles together. Learning new skills. A little bit of fighting. We were big fans of the first two "Trine" games. Until the creators missed the mark with the third game. But with "Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy," the mistakes of the past have been forgiven.

At first it seems like the game is just slow to pick up, after a while you realize that this is the game. Maybe that's not so bad if you were actually looking for a comic, but if you're gaming for the adrenaline you better look elsewhere. Not every game has to be Super Mario Bros, but when the story carries the full weight, it should feel a little less casual. After wandering around for quite a while and chatting endlessly about the same thing, it becomes clear that what you choose matters anyway. If you play the game all the way through several times, you'll get to a different ending each time. Fascinating, but it requires hours of patience.

We have been playing Flight Simulator for about thirty years and watched the game undergo a tremendous evolution. The pixels of yesteryear became more and more realistic, and we spent many hours in the virtual cockpit. But now... sigh. Let's start with the beginning: after the huge download, it took us a good hour to get past the loading screen. The times after that were slightly faster, but in the meantime you can quietly do the dishes. That you need a powerful PC, we understand: the more realistic, the more computing power. But in addition, you need a fast Internet connection, because the game world is downloaded live. Our connection is on the moderate side, and so is our gaming enjoyment. So until an update comes along that fixes this, we are in a no-fly zone.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the heartbreaking, immersive story. Except the creators have tried to push two games into one, and the action-RPG portion leaves much to be desired. With a little more focus, this game would not have ended up in the mid-range.

Roguebook follows the success formula of other toppers in this crossover of genres such as Slay the spire and Monster train. Don't be fooled by the simple graphics. Under the hood is a layered role-playing game with plenty of room for personalization, allowing you to create your own play style. The game is not revolutionary but it is rock solid, especially for this soft price.

The most important question of all is: how does FIFA 22 play? Well, for the most part just like FIFA 21 and 20. And that's a good thing, because its controls and gameplay were fine. Revolutionary changes you should not expect. The next-gen versions have received a graphical update and load super fast, but razor-sharp and lifelike movements during a full soccer match will not be available until next year at the earliest.

Where Odyssey takes the top spot are the turn-based battles. The familiar skills of the Straw Hats are put to full use in a simple but highly effective system of rock, scissors, paper. Luffy's Gum Gum attacks, Nico Robin's many arms, Usopp's hilarious weapons and Franky's blinding nipples, they rarely looked so stunning and never get boring.

Nightreign uses the same stone-good foundation, plays smoothly and puts its own twist on the modern classic. And yet it lacks a touch of the magic that makes Elden ring Elden ring. An overarching storyline is completely absent, the fantastically designed environments full of lighting and gold details have been replaced with murky fantasy environments of thirteen-in-a-dozen variety, and the sense of being able to explore at your own pace is completely gone due to the ever-shrinking game world. Beforehand, however, we never thought we would keep returning to Nightreign. Despite its many misgivings, the cyclical structure and fast-paced attempts to make your character stronger is still intriguing enough to make us want to start it over and over again. After Elden ring, expansion Shadow of the erdtree and now Nightreign, the conclusion is: more Elden ring is always good.

It looks like a game for kids, but make no mistake: the difficulty level is very tough. There were many moments when we almost threw our controller across the living room, moments when we had to take a break. Especially the levels in which you are in a mine cart are often impossible to complete on the first try, but this difficulty makes the euphoria all the greater when you finally succeed.

Whether you escape or fail, you end up back at the beginning each time. The trick is to do your round again and again through the bank that changes layouts each time. It sounds simple, but is surprisingly challenging and great fun to play.

Humankind may not have invented hot water, but it is sufficiently different from Civilization. And that results in a rock-solid game, not least because of its scale. In the game, you lead your people through the different eras of our civilization. At six different times you are presented with ten cultures that you can take over from then on. In addition, the characteristics of your previous choices are preserved, resulting in a unique melting pot of influences from a million (!) possible combinations. Each game is different, and you will spend many hours exploring only a fraction of the possibilities. That replayability alone makes Humankind more than worth its money.

EA Sports FC 26 is a step up from FC 25: everything runs more smoothly, especially dribbling, tackling, and heading. Otherwise, little has changed: Ultimate Team still overwhelms you with challenges and rewards. Career Mode has received a little more attention and is once again worth investing time in. So if you ask us whether FC 26 is different enough from its older siblings to justify spending $70 on it, for the first time in years we say: yes, we think it is.

Admittedly, we were rather skeptical when we started playing the game. We associated publisher Nacon with annual sports games (Tour de France, Pro Cycling Manager, WRC) or gaming-related peripherals, and developer Rogue Factor had only two smaller Warhammer games in its portfolio until now. But with the intriguing ‘Hell is Us’, they have together released one of the most surprising games of the year.

Along the way, many mutated creatures cross your path. These include not only the classic slow undead, but whole hordes of super-fast and agile, bloodthirsty zombies - called ridden in the game - to gigantic monstrosities that can send you to oblivion with a single punch. Those nine different types of opponents provide enough variety in the challenges to keep the game engaging for hours.

Scarlet Nexus aspires to be an anime. It succeeds with flying colors, as evidenced by the beautiful style, but regularly loses itself in the story that is difficult to get going and requires a lot of attention to be able to make sense of it. Thankfully, the lightning-fast battles make the heart race and leave you wondering what happened. But in a good way.

In terms of gameplay, Riders Republic is an arcade-style racing game. Not necessarily realistic, but very fun, fast and over the top. It's perfect for fans of Tony Hawk, SSX and even (for those slightly older readers) Cool boarders. It's not overly technical, but it's not dulled either. It's also clever how Ubisoft has managed to make every discipline on point. Whether you're doing tricks on a snowboard or flying through a ravine in a wingsuit, all the disciplines are incredibly fun.

The balance, in particular, isn’t quite right yet. We certainly applaud the fact that the game doesn’t hold your hand, but the contrast is quite stark. In some missions, everything is so broken down and spoon-fed to you that the game guides you through every step like a toddler. And at other times, you have absolutely no idea—and absolutely no explanation—of what you’re supposed to do. The lack of narrative and coherence is clearly a shortcoming. Despite all its flaws, there’s definitely the potential for a fantastic game here. It never becomes as emotionally compelling as Arthur Morgan’s story in Red Dead Redemption 2, and it lacks that childlike wonder of Breath of the Wild, but it all looks great and the massive amount of content makes up for a lot. Crimson Desert is a rough diamond that still needs a good polish. In its current form, it’s an okay game with obvious limitations. With enough post-launch support, it might still achieve what it sets out to do: become one of the better games of the year.

Cronos: The New Dawn gets off to a slow start, with ammunition that is (too) scarce and melee attacks that are clunky and difficult to aim. After a few upgrades, you suddenly go from being a weakling to an elite soldier, after which there is little challenge left. Too difficult at the beginning, too easy after playing for a while. The balance is clearly off, and there are no options to adjust the difficulty level. And once you start noticing that they really do pull out all the tricks of the horror genre—a shadow flashing in the corner of your eye, a flashlight that suddenly starts to falter when things get exciting, an enemy that appears out of nowhere after you pick up an object—the fun quickly wears off. Unfortunately, the intriguing premise and atmospheric setting don't make up for these frustrating moments.

Are we that stupid now? Or is this puzzle really very difficult to decipher? To be honest, we thought so several times during ‘We Were Here Forever’. The new puzzle game - which you can only play in pairs - is quite a workout for the brain.

After releasing at least one new game almost every year, developer Ubisoft simply fails to surprise with Assassins Creed Mirage. What was supposed to be an homage to the first games feels too much like déjà vu. The same moves, the same controls, the same missions in a similar setting. There is wear and tear on the golden formula of yesteryear.

So yes, FC 25 feels a touch different again, and the immensely popular Ultimate Team is also back, but whether that's worth the full price - target price 65 euros? We doubt it. We feel that EA is on the right track and knows where it wants to go, that's for sure, but FC 25 just doesn't feel "finished" after all these years: the focus is still too much on fast breakaways, defenders still look a bit clumsy and after a while you realize that tactics that work excellently in real life are useless in FC 25. For us, it could be a bit more.

WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship is the full name of the game. Quite a mouthful for the official video game of the royal class in rallying, already the tenth in the series. WRC 10 builds on the solid foundation of its predecessors, and that results in a very enjoyable racing game.

All good things come to an end, and so does FIFA. Not that the game itself will cease to exist, but from next year it will simply be called EA Sports FC. In any case, the latest edition in the series could not be more FIFA: the moments on the pitch are great, those off it a little less so. There are times when it seems mostly a commercial for itself. The menus are garish and lead you everywhere but where you want to go. They also make it clear where Electronic Arts wants players to spend the most time: in flagship/milk cow Ultimate Team, where you build the strongest team possible and compete with it online. But once you get busy you notice how Electronic Arts manages to make soccer just that little bit more appealing every year.

In Park Beyond you can rely on a pinch of theme park magic to make your constructions truly spectacular. But for that, you'll have to bite the bullet. After all, on console, controller control is so clunky that it regularly becomes frustrating. And the many crashes we encountered during our play sessions almost made those controllers fly across the room. So Park Beyond, in this state, is mostly for those with a strong stomach and a lot of patience. Which comes in handy on a roller coaster.

A lot of thought has clearly gone into the tracks —after all, they are the most important part of a racing game. A casino, a ghost ship, or a valley full of dinosaurs, they make an impression. There are quite a few paths that you only discover after a few games. Sometimes there is so much going on that it is difficult to stay focused on driving. Apart from the classic coins, you can also search for five red coins. These small additions keep you playing longer. Designing your cars and ‘unlocking’ all the soundtracks will keep you entertained for hours.

Bigger is better. It might suit a bag of chips - Lay's salt and pepper, please - but not a computer game. Or at least not for Days Gone for PC, which combines the same large open world of the PS4 game with an overwhelming number of missions. Do we think Days Gone is a bad game? No, absolutely not. But to go back to the comparison with potato chips - one of our areas of expertise next to computer games - the bag is big, the content is weak.

Rise of the Ronin is an open world action game set in nineteenth century Japan with both Souls-like elements and exploration à la Assassin’s Creed with a tiny dash of roleplaying the mix. It tries multiple things, but excels in none.

In just four hours you're all set, but thanks to the multiplayer mode you can easily add several more hours. For less than 15 euros you can't expect an absolute masterpiece, but you get some carefree entertainment that will catapult you back to the 90s.

Whether it's called FIFA or not, EA Sports FC 24 is the traditional, annual soccer game that every fan looks forward to. It's not a revolution, but exactly what you can expect if you've played the previous years. Although it does seem that the break with the World Soccer Federation has been virtuous. The graphical interface is less garish and there is more hierarchy and structure in the menus so you can find your way around more easily. The players' movements have also become just that little bit more natural, making play seem more fluid and realistic than ever. Although the attackers are still favored over the defenders, making it easier to score than to stop goal attempts.

Call of the Sea is basically one big escape room, in which you go from location to location while solving varied and mostly interesting puzzles. Sometimes, however, developer Out of the Blue expects a little too much, which can lead to frustrating moments and a wandering player.

Hot Wheels Unleashed has everything it takes to become a cult hit: a fine driving experience, a story mode, a track builder and you can unlock and collect rare cars. More than that, it's the racing game we didn't know we needed this year.

'Garden life: a cozy simulator' is - as the name gives away - a cozy game for young and old. You get the freedom to do everything the way you want. You don't need a green thumb or gaming experience. Moreover, the game looks beautiful. The main drawback is that it can quickly feel monotonous.

There are two types of people in life, to put it very simplistically: those who get calm from order and cleanliness, and those who enjoy chaos. Do you fall into the first category? Then "A little to the left" is for you. If not, you'd better ignore this game.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is full of wasted potential. This insanely detailed, beautiful and atmospheric vision of the Japanese capital is lost to monotonous combat and gameplay.

Loss, grief and processing. These themes are central to 'Lost words: beyond the page'. Heavy subjects that are beautifully put into words and images, in a way that is also accessible for children. Just don’t expect a great challenge.

Since 2007, little has changed in the formula of No More Heroes. The third volume is no exception. No More Heroes III is rough, fast, bizarre and brutal. And that makes the game simultaneously great and frustrating.

The emotion that takes over in Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is frustration. While the charm of the series is timeless, the expiration date of the clumsy controls has passed several decades ago. New unlockable skills and the ability to play with two knights at the same time are interesting additions, but don't manage to raise Resurrection to the level of a 21st century game.

In 'F1 Manager 2022' you manage an existing Formula 1 team and literally decide everything. Which mini-part of the car will be further developed, which departments will be expanded, which sponsors will be brought in and which goals will be set. Even during the grand prix, you determine the race strategy and try to lead your team to victory. Great detail, but therefore rather meant for a certain niche.

Those with somewhat gaming experience will have finished the story in less than ten hours. That's pretty short to shell out close to 60 euros for it. Still, that certainly doesn't mean you can't enjoy it as an adult. If you are looking for a game that does not demand too much energy, then this is game for you. For children, the game is definitely recommended.

Life isn’t easy, especially when you end up in a radioactive zone and a secretive government cuts you off from civilization. That happened to us twice this year: first in the magnificent Stalker, now in Atomfall. You see, with Atomfall we didn’t use any superlatives, and that’s no oversight. Atomfall reminds us of our attempts at cooking: all the ingredients are there, but the result doesn’t taste as good as we hoped. The game doesn’t escape the label ‘mediocre’: at this moment, it mainly feels like it’s only about 80 percent finished. A shame, because we do like the concept.

Not too difficult, not too long, not too expensive. With ‘Trifox’, Belgian studio Glowfish Interactive has developed a first game that is very accessible – and fun - on several levels.

Despite the many bugs, we enjoyed our hours in 'the zone'. The beautiful landscapes, the constant threat, the balancing of factions and the challenging battles make Heart of Chornobyl one of the better shooters of 2024. Unfortunately, you have to take the bugs with it - unless you have the patience to delay your purchase for a few updates, but then you have a stronger character than we do.

What sets Outriders apart from genre rivals like Borderlands and Destiny are the RPG elements that allow you - just like in a role-playing game - to shape and build your character so that he (or she) is completely customized to your individual play style. The result is an ambitious and highly enjoyable science fiction game that will keep you busy for several hours on your own, in pairs or in threes.

"The best new game you've never heard of." That's how ‘Eternal threads’ was pitched by our bright local PR rep. Normally we put our defenses up even more than usual upon hearing a similar statement. But after only a few minutes of playing, it was already clear: he was simply right.

All too often racing games follow the standard formula. Throw some fast cars and a bunch of tracks together, and gamers will probably enjoy themselves in silence. But when developers step off the beaten path, something magical can happen. This is the case with GRID Legends. Despite its shortcomings – the low difficulty, to name just one thing - it is one of the more enjoyable racing games of the moment.

Visually, the series takes big leaps forward, and the winter setting makes this a perfect game for the end-of-year period. It feels like a warm, familiar blanket. But a beautiful setting is nothing without a good story. This time you and Max must solve a murder, and today she has a new superpower: a peek into a universe where that murder never happened. Not a bad find, but it's never deployed as creatively and cleverly as rewinding in the original game. The further you get, the more the plot also seems to lose its pedals. Bummer.

A new graphical style, the expansion of the Grand Underground and some quality-of-life adjustments cannot disguise the lack of ambition with this remake. This turns Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond into viewing boxes that show that Pokémon was a great game series even in 2006, but that we have moved on since then.

How do you stop a cruel South American dictator who cares nothing for his people and only craves to become even richer and more powerful? With some good will, inventiveness and perseverance, if Far Cry 6 is to be believed. And with the help of a crazy rooster. ¡Viva la revolución!

Unfortunately, the quality of the new tracks varies: Toad Circuit feels like a rush job, while Paris Promenade perfectly captures the wonderful chaos of Mario kart. In summary, we're happy for more Mario kart, yet we're a little disappointed that the first part of this expansion doesn't reach the towering level of the original.

A new graphical style, the expansion of the Grand Underground and some quality-of-life adjustments cannot disguise the lack of ambition with this remake. This turns Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond into viewing boxes that show that Pokémon was a great game series even in 2006, but that we have moved on since then.

Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. In our memories, 'Super Mario strikers' on our Gamecube was the best of the best, unmatched and wonderful. Fair is not fair, as it sets the bar extremely high for 'Mario strikers battle league'. But there's more: this game feels like it's not quite finished.

Grab your spade, your flying pig and your pirate hat: it's treasure hunting time in Dragon Quest Treasures. There is some fine loot to claim, though not all that glitters is gold. Our conclusion: Treasures mainly is a good introduction to the series for somewhat younger or less experienced gamers.

The developers postponed the game's release by a month at the last minute, and we can't help feeling that the game would have benefited from a little more delay. Unbeatable is unpolished and unfinished. It's rebellious and punk, sure, but at times it's also frustrating. With the addition of story mode and the integration of numerous mini-games, Unbeatable tries to be too many things at once, and as a result, the game doesn't always hit the right note. But for the modest price of 28 euros, you can't possibly feel cheated.

You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy the unexpected masterpiece that is Tohu. It delivers a simple story with an equally simple gameplay: just point and click to solve the challenging puzzles at your own pace, while admiring the breathtaking scenery.

Switch Sports is not in an enviable position. It’s predecessor – Wii Sports – was without a doubt an iconic gamechanger that had a big stake in the Wii’s success. Sixteen years after its release the basics are unchanged. It remains pleasant to waddle and wave wildly in the direction of a television screen while ‘playing tennis’ with your partner, grandparents or kids alike, but it seems that magical Wii-spark is no longer there. It’s been sixteen years, remember? Unfortunately, the magic is gone.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin constantly balances between homage to the series and bombastic kitsch. The new gameplay - it feels more like a soulslike game than your typical action-RPG - is refreshing at times, but not spectacular enough to make the game rise above mediocrity.

A nice offer for fans, whether they are fans from the very beginning or young newcomers who have gotten to know the blue-haired hedgehog through recent Hollywood films. The price tag of around forty euros is hefty, but you get four excellent retro games in return.

Ever played Dark Souls? Then you actually already know Steelrising. Unfortunately, the game is more clone than homage to From Software's games. The setting - France at the time of the revolution, but with robots - is original, but this game does not contribute much to the genre.

With Vanguard, Call of Duty returns to the roots of the series: World War II. The solo campaign is entertaining but short, and the multiplayer is exactly as expected: full of action and adrenalin. However, the few novelties are not spectacular enough to lift it above mediocrity.

A square wheel spins more smoothly and fluidly than this game. If three Pokémon or characters come into view at once, the whole game creaks and falters. Edge-off unplayable. And that's a shame. Because the addition of an open world is "on paper" a puffy idea to refresh the franchise. No more linear walking that takes you past gyms and ever stronger and different Pokémon, gotta catch 'em all. You can go wherever you want. With some tactics, you can take on some very tough challenges with Pokémon that aren't nearly strong enough. Fun! Except this game just wasn't ready. It's shameless that Nintendo and Game Freak are still throwing it on the market. Nevertheless: 10 million games sold in just three days.